History

Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base (1954-1969) is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command Base located near the town of Burns Flat in Washita County, Oklahoma, approximately 15 miles southwest of the city of Clinton, Oklahoma.

In 1942, at the beginning of World War II, the United States Navy established a Naval Air Station on 5,000 acres of farmland in the area known as Burns Flat.  The site was named Naval Air Station Clinton and was acquired by condemnation.  Four runways and numerous installation support facilities were built.  The mission of NAS Clinton was to train naval aviators.

After the war ended, NAS Clinton was closed in June 1946, but for a period of time was used as a "graveyard" for thousands of naval aircraft from the war.  Some of these planes were sold toindividuals or companies, but most were dismantled, melted and sold as scrap.  A portion of the airfield was leased by Sherman Iron Works for use in salvaging surplus combat aircraft and parts.

On January 27, 1949, the United States (acting by and through the War Assets Administration) conveyed the installation to the City of Clinton, Oklahoma by quitclaim deed.  The deed contained a recapture clause for national emergency purposes.  After the transfer the installation was used for a time as a civilian airport.

On June 29, 1954, the Eighth Naval District Public Works and Dock Office in New Orleans, Louisiana was designated as the engineering agency for the United States Air Force for the purpose of rehabilitating buildings on the former NAS Clinton facility, and the transition of the facility into an active Air Force base supporting the Strategic Air Command (SAC).

On September 15, 1954, the U.S. leased the site from the City of Clinton to be used as a U.S. Air Force base.  The site consisted of 528 acres of land in fee and 3,579 acres of easements.

On March 15, 1955, the formal transfer of the base was made to the USAF.  The facility was renamed Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base, with the name being derived from the nearby city of Clinton and the Sherman Iron Works.  The Air Force modernized the old World War II naval air station with many new buildings as well as constructing a 13,000 foot main runway to support the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress Bombers.

The first tenant to occupied th enew base on December 10, 1957 when the Strategic Air Command activated the 4123rd Strategic Wing to perform B-52 pilot training and development of aircraft equipment.  It continued with this mission until November 15, 1962 when the Wing was inactivated.  The 98th Bombardment Squadron (1959-1963) operated B-52E Stratofortress Aircraft on operationally-ready status while assigned to the 4123 SW.

The 4123 SW was replaced by the 70th Bombardment Wing which absorbed the personnel and equipment of the training wing.  The 70th Bomb Wing was placed on operational status upon activation with the 61st and 98th Bombardment Squadrons being its operational flying squadrons.  On February 1, 1963, the 98 BS was inactivated with its personnel and equipment being transferred to the newly established 6th  Bombardment Squadron.

Initially equipped with B-52E models, the 70th Bomb Wing was upgraded to B-52D in 1968 along with some older B-52Cs which had limited use.  It conducted strategic bombardment training and air refueling missions from February 1963 to December 1969.

For several months in both 1968 and 1969, all of the 70th Bomb Wing, most of the aircrew and maintenance personnel and some of its support people were loaned to other SAC units engaged in combat operations in the far east and southeast Asia.  It was one of eleven SAC Bomb Wings that rotated such combat duty under the program known as Arc Light.

In 1969, military operations were de-emphasized and Clinton-Sherman was designated for closure.  Due to budgetary restrictions, the 70th Bomb Wing was inactivated on December 31, 1969, and the USAF closed Clinton-Sherman AFB.

Post CSAFB Closure Use
On June 1, 1971, the City of Clinton conveyed 101.43 acres by quitclaim deed to the General Services Administration (GSA).  On June 3, 1971, the United States and the City of Clinton, Oklahoma, by mutual agreement, terminated the lease dated September 15, 1954.

On July 1, 1971, the City of Clinton granted Midwestern Oklahoma Development Authority (MODA) a leasehold interest for a portion of the site.  With said lease containing provisions for sub-leasing property.  On August 16, 1972, MODA leased to the United States a portion of the former Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base.

On February 28, 1973, the lease between MODA and the United States was terminated, with the U.S. retaining the right to reenter and use part of the land and improvements in the event of national emergency.  On October 6, 1989, the leasehold agreement between MODA and the City of Clinton was terminated.

Today the site continues as the Clinton-Sherman Industrial Park and the runway is one of the longest in the world.  The runway is considered as an alternative landing site to the space shuttle an dis used daily for private non-commercial aircraft.  In addition, the runway at Clinton-Sherman is routinely used for training purposes by the USAF and the USN.

Gone, but not forgotten.