Volk Field Air National Guard Base

Volk Field Air National Guard Base is situated near Camp Douglas in Juneau County, Wisconsin. The installation originated in 1888 when General Chandler Chapman purchased land for a rifle range, which the state legislature authorized as a permanent training site for the Wisconsin National Guard in 1889. The post served as a mobilization and training station for the 32nd Infantry Division during World War I and World War II. In 1927, the site was named Camp Williams in honor of Lieutenant Colonel Charles R. Williams. The first hard-surface runways were completed between 1935 and 1936. The federal government leased the facility for permanent field training in 1954, and an air-to-ground gunnery range was established at Finley. In 1957, the site was officially named in memory of First Lieutenant Jerome A. Volk, the first Wisconsin Air National Guard pilot killed in the Korean War. The facility was re-designated as a Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) in 1989. During the 1990 Persian Gulf War, the base functioned as a primary embarkation point for personnel and equipment from Fort McCoy.

The base is operated by the U.S. Air Force and controlled by the Wisconsin Air National Guard, serving as the Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center. The 128th Air Control Squadron is stationed at the installation. The site also houses Camp Williams, which supports the Wisconsin Army National Guard and hosts the United States Property & Fiscal Office for the State of Wisconsin and the Consolidated State Maintenance Facility. Operational roles include Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) and Air Base Operability and Ability to Survive and Operate (ATSO) training.

Infrastructure includes a paved runway and the Runway’s Edge club. The installation houses the Wisconsin National Guard Museum, which maintains an air park and historical collection. The museum hosts various aircraft types, including the F-4C Phantom II, F-105B Thunderchief, A-7D Corsair II, F-84F Thunderstreak, F-86H Sabre, P-51D Mustang, F-100C Super Sabre, F-15B Eagle, A-10A Thunderbolt II, and F-102A Delta Dagger. The collection also includes KC-97G tankers, AH-1G Cobra and UH-1H Huey helicopters, and armored vehicles such as M4A3 Sherman, M48 Patton, and M60A3 tanks.