Ent Air Force Base
Ent Air Force Base
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| Part of Air Defense Command (ADC) | |
| Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA | |
Ent Air Force Base at E. Boulder (center to upper left) and N. Union Blvd (center to upper right).
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| Coordinates | 38°50′27″N 104°47′47″W / 38.84083°N 104.79639°W |
| Type | Air Force Base |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Air Force |
| Site history | |
| In use |
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| Images | |
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 Hospital/sanitorium complex c. 1930
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Aerial views
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Headquarter building
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Pikes Peak Library images of Ent AFB
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| Video | |
 NORAD building (minute 12:30)
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The Ent Air Force Base was an Air Force base located in the Knob Hill neighborhood of Colorado Springs, Colorado. A tent city, established in 1943 to build the base, was initially commanded by Major General Uzal Girard Ent (1900-1948) for whom the base is named. The base was opened in 1951. From 1957 to 1963, the base was the site of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which moved to the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station. The base became the Ent Annex to the Cheyenne Mountain facility in 1975. The facility was closed in 1976 (becoming a Formerly Used Defense Sites). The Ent Air Force Base site later became the location of the United States Olympic Training Center, which was completed July 1978.
The first Air Defense Command was established on 26 February 1940 by the War Department. On 2 March 1940, it was put under the First Army Commander. It managed air defense within four geographic air districts (first through the fourth). It was deactivated in mid-1944 when the threat of air attack seemed minimal.
With the beginning of the Cold War, American defense experts and political leaders began planning and implementing a defensive air shield, which they believed was necessary to defend against a possible attack by long-range, manned Soviet bombers. The Air Defense Command was established 21 March 1946 and the major command was established at Mitchel Field (later Mitchel Air Force Base) in New York on 27 March 1946, which was commanded by Lieutenant General George E. Stratemeyer.
By the time of the United States Air Force creation in 1947, as a separate service, it was widely acknowledged the Air Force would be the center point of this defensive effort. The Air Force established the Continental Air Command under both the Air Defense Command and Tactical Air Command on 1 December 1948, at which time Commanding General Gordon P. Saville (later Major General) took command. The Air Defense Command was deactivated as a major command on 1 July 1950. The Air Defense Command was reconstituted by the United States Air Force 1 January 1951 to protect the United States air space, with two geographically-based organizations. The portion of the country east of the 103rd meridian was managed by the Eastern Air Defense Force (also First Air Force territory). The command for the Western Air Defense Force (also Second Air Force territory) was at Ent Air Force Base. The functions included an early warning system to identify and respond to impending air attacks, including fighter interception. Subordinate Air Force commands were given responsibility to protect the various regions of the United States.
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Wikipedia