Richard I. Bong Air Force Base is an unfinished Air Force base. It was named after World War II aviator Major Richard Ira Bong. The base was intended to be an air defense fighter base for the Chicago and Milwaukee areas. It was conceived in the early 1950s and construction began in the mid-1950s. Construction had barely begun when the base was transferred to the Strategic Air Command. Eventually, the base was considered obsolete as it had become apparent to Air Force officials that the base would be redundant with installations nearby that would soon have space for more units. The base was abandoned in 1959 and disposed of the following year.
The base is not to be confused with the planned renaming of Spokane Air Force Base, Washington, as Bong Air Force Base, which was the planned name of that facility until General Muir Fairchild died on active duty in 1950, cementing "Fairchild" onto the name of the current Fairchild Air Force Base.
History
Major commands to which assigned Aerospace Defense Command (1954–1957) Strategic Air Command (1957–1959)
Base operating units 56th Fighter-Interceptor Wing 56th Fighter-Interceptor Group 62d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron 63d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron 4040th Air Base Squadron (1957–1959)
Operational history The idea of an air force base for the Chicago area began in 1951 when it was realized that the air traffic at O'Hare International Airport would soon oversaturate control facilities. The United States Air Force then instructed the Air Defense Command to study the possibility of locating a base which would house two fighter-interceptor squadrons within a 70-mile radius from the city. The aim of the base was to protect the Milwaukee and Chicago areas from attack by Soviet bombers. A survey team then selected a site south of the unincorporated community of Kansasville, Wisconsin. On August 30, 1954, the Air Defense Command requested funds for development of the site. The 56th Fighter-Interceptor Group was scheduled to move to the base as soon as it was completed.AFHRA Document 00464883
5,160 acres of agricultural land was selected in the northwest corner of Kenosha County and an additional 360 acres in neighboring Racine County. Construction had barely begun in 1956 when the Air Defense Command began to doubt the selection of the site. By this time, it was named after the famous aviator Major Richard Ira Bong, a Wisconsin World War II flying ace. Colonel Charles E. Lancaster, the new commander of the command pointed out that new problems in air traffic control would develop and that the community of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, only 18 miles west, protested violently when a site there had been proposed for the location of the United States Air Force Academy. His recommendations were to select a site north of Milwaukee where the location would be beneficial to not only the Air Defense Command, but the Strategic Air Command, which was planned to be the base tenant at the time.
Only the drainage system was being built in the middle of 1957 and the acquisition of land was not even complete. At that time, the scheduled date of the moving of the two squadrons was changed to mid-1960. On June 5, 1957, the major command for the base was changed to the Strategic Air Command. The two squadrons that were planned to be located there became tenants at the base. As technology increased, the Air Defense Command was able to reduce its aircraft and continue its strength. One of the O'Hare squadrons was eliminated in 1958 while another was transferred to K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base.
During 1956 and 1957, Strategic Air Command devised a program where the units were to be dispersed throughout the country, which in theory would lessen losses from a direct enemy attack. Bong became one of these bases. As a result, the 4040th Air Base Squadron was activated on August 1, 1958, to maintain the base. The base was also assigned to the Eighth Air Force as well. The planned tenants of the base were a bomber wing and an air refueling wing.
On January 1, 1959, responsibility for the base was transferred from the Eighth Air Force and 4040th Air Base squadron to the Second Air Force. The tenant 4040th was made up of two servicemen when this move occurred. The Air Force then realized that the units planned for the base could be accommodated at other existing bases. Since the base would no longer be needed, the Air Force announced on October 1 that Bong would be closed. At that date, the asphalt runway was just three days from having the concrete poured over it. That same day, all construction was halted.
The 4040th, now made up of 12 servicemen and no civilians was discontinued on December 1, 1959. The decision to close the base was due to the realization that the B-58 Hustler could be accommodated at other bases through the elimination of B-47 Stratojet units ahead of schedule. Bong Air Force Base was declared excess on August 23, 1960. Secretary of the Air Force James H. Douglas, Jr. later explained the decision to close Bong by saying:
"Finally we realized that by 1961–62 when Bong would be ready, we would have several other medium bomber bases empty of squadrons & we really don't need Bong." The only military activity that ever occurred at Bong was the training of Special Forces units before they headed over to the Vietnam War.
Chronology of events
February 18, 1955 – Racine Journal Times reports that the Air Force was interested in building a base in southeastern Wisconsin. April 20, 1955 – Congress asked to appropriate $16.5 million ($138 million adjusted for inflation as of 2017) for the base. The Air Force still refused to disclose its exact location. July 1, 1955 – U.S. Senate authorizes $16 million for an $83 million jet base in the Kansasville, Wisconsin area to be named in honor of Major Richard I Bong. September 15, 1955 – Air Force Brigadier General William Wise told 800 Dover and Brighton residents that the exact location of Bong still couldn't be pinpointed. February 28, 1956 – Air Force officials confirmed rumors that start of construction would be delayed because of an "inability to use the runway plan on a 24-hour basis in all kinds of weather." Farmers were told to "go ahead and plant." July 10, 1956 – Congress gave authorization to start purchase of land. A revised appropriation granted $30,660,000 ($302 million adjusted for inflation as of 2017) for construction. September 8, 1956 – Air Force revealed that except for a small portion of land in Racine County, the base would be located in the Town of Brighton, Kenosha County. Cost of land acquisition was estimated at $1.7 million State highways and utilities lines would be relocated at a cost of $2 million. September 12, 1956 – Air Force said the base would require 5,400 acres of land. This later was expanded to 5,500 when it was decided to extend the runway from 11,500 feet to 12,300 feet. November 14, 1956 – Air Force said it had authorized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to start buying land. December 12, 1956 – Property owners said they had been contacted by government representatives seeking to buy land. March 5. 1957 – Landowners staged third meeting, protesting the government's appraised price for property. March 22, 1957 – Air Force announced Bong also would be used for Strategic Air Command bombers. June 5, 1957 – Call for bids to build drainage ditch, first step in construction. June 27, 1957 – Appleton, Wis., firm received the first construction contract for off-base drainage facilities at a cost of $50,040 ($420,000 adjusted for inflation as of 2017). October 3, 1957 – Air Force announced further delays in awarding the first major construction contract, originally set to be awarded in August. November 13, 1957 – Corps of Engineers told Racine and Kenosha County highway department officials that sections of County Trunk J and Highways 43 and 75 would have to be abandoned by January 1, 1958. January 31, 1958 – Air Force authorized immediate advertising for runway bids. June 6, 1958 – Minneapolis firm S.J. Groves & Sons awarded a $13,606,998 contractor construction of the main runway and taxiways. June 7, 1958 – Colonel Charles E. Lancaster named commanding officer of Bong Air Force Base. June 25, 1958 – Allen J. McKay, vice president of S.J. Groves & Sons, reveals plans for their 120 ft x 60 ft steel shop and a 60 ft x 30 ft frame office building to constructed at the corner of Highway 43 (present-day Highway 142) and county trunk B. McKay indicated that peak work crews would number between 400 and 450 workers. June 18, 1958 – Construction begins. State Representative Henry Reuss asked the Senate Appropriation Committee to reject an $18.5 million item for Bong Base pending a review of the base's effect on civilian aircraft operations in the Chicago-Milwaukee area. July 1, 1958 – Resident Army Engineer Major General George L. Shumaker issues emergency request to shut down several town, county and state roads, including state highways 75 and 43 (present-day highway 142), county trunks B and LM, Brighton (Center) Road and Rhodes Road. July 25, 1958 – Bong Base survives House vote. Representative Charles A. Boyle of Illinois made a motion to strike appropriation from a military construction bill, citing the collision hazard military jets poised for commercial aviation and the need for further study of the base's impact on the air corridor. September 20, 1958 – Bids were opened for $2 million additional construction of roads, sewers, water system and electric substation. October 23, 1958 – Korndoerter & Salvano Inc. and Henry Nielsen Iron Works win contracts. January 4, 1959 – Representative Gerald Flynn indicates the Bong Air Force Base would be obsolete within 5 to 10 years of its construction. It would be revealed after the base's cancellation in October of that year that Flynn took part in a secret meeting in the fall of 1958 regarding the advent of the missile and how it would impact air base operations. March 26, 1959 – Representative Henry S. Reuss states "It is perfectly possible that the Bong Base may be obsolete only a few years after its completion. Under the circumstances, it is not too early to start thinking about what might be done with this $83 million airport when the air force does not need it any more." March 30, 1959 – Minneapolis firm S.J. Groves & Sons awarded contract for $7,845,434 to build hangars, refueling system, fuel tanks, access aprons and support facilities. April 29, 1959 – Air Force said it would open bids on May 20 on a possible $14 8 million contract for construction of 900 homes for base personnel. The next day an Air Force spokesman said bids would be accepted on 1,390 units. May 13, 1959 – Colonel Lancaster told a Manufacturers Association group that The Richard I Bong Air Force Base will become equivalent of Burlington in size and retail services May 18, 1959 – Representative Henry S. Reuss charges that Bong was a waste of the taxpayers money shot through with frills. He criticized plans for bowling alleys, hi-fi shop, steam room and squash court. May 23, 1959 – Representative Gerald T. Flynn of Racine denies Bong contained frills. June 17, 1959 – Announced plans to take bids for a 50-bed hospital at an estimated cost of $1.8 million. June 24, 1959 – The Five Boro Construction Co of New York was the apparent low bidder ($3,447.367) for construction of dormitories, mess hall, service club and two-story officers' quarters. September 26, 1959 – Air Force officials visit air base. The Burlington Standard Press is contacted by government officials requesting they process some 32 pictures taken by the seven VIPs touring the Bong Air Force Base. The photos are sent to the Pentagon and the White House. October 1, 1959 – The Burlington Standard Press readies a story entitled "What's Brewing at Bong Base." Colonel Lancaster,"up north" at that time, would not permit them to run that story.