Grissom Air Reserve Base is an active United States Air Force base, located about north of Kokomo in Cass and Miami counties in Indiana. The facility was established as a U.S. Navy installation, Naval Air Station Bunker Hill, in 1942 and was an active Air Force installation, Bunker Hill Air Force Base from 1954 to 1968, and Grissom Air Force Base from 1968 to 1994. Pursuant to a BRAC 1991 decision, the installation was downsized to an Air Force Reserve installation and renamed Grissom Air Reserve Base.
Since then it has been a joint-use civil airport/military base. Approximately 1700 acres plus the runway and taxiways comprise the current military installation, with the Grissom Aeroplex comprising the civilian aviation activities providing general aviation and charter service.
Originally named Bunker Hill Air Force Base, the base was renamed Grissom Air Force Base in 1968 in memory of astronaut and Indiana native Lieutenant Colonel Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, USAF, who, along with fellow astronauts Lieutenant Colonel Ed White, USAF, and Lieutenant Commander Roger Chaffee, USN, perished in the Apollo 1 fire at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 34 on 27 January 1967.
It is home to the largest KC-135R Stratotanker wing in the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC), plus units from the United States Army Reserve and also the US Marine Corps Reserve. The host unit is the 434th Air Refueling Wing (434 ARW), the "Hoosier Wing", which consists of three major groups and a variety of squadrons and flights. The wing develops and maintains the operational capability of its units and trains reservists for worldwide duty, with the wing operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC). Training consists of flight operations, deployments, and weekday and weekend training.
Other organizations located at Grissom ARB include the U.S. Army Reserve's Company A, 1st Battalion, 330th Regiment; 316th Psychological Operations Company (Tactical); Detachment 1, 855th Quartermaster Company; the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's Marine Corps Reserve Center Grissom and Detachment 1, Communications Company, 4th Marine Logistics Group.
History Background On 18 March 1942, the Bureau of Yards and Docks (BuDocks) sent out a letter to the Judge Advocate General of the Navy (JAG), Rear Admiral Walter Browne Woodson, for the acquisition of land near Peru, Indiana, with the intention of constructing a Naval Reserve Aviation Base. The following day, the Shore Station Development Board sent a letter of recommendation to the US Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV), Frank Knox, estimating the cost of the project, including land acquisition, at $7,000,000. On 21 March 1942, the Chief of Naval Operations, Fleet Admiral Ernest King, concurred with BuDocks and also sent a letter to SECNAV. Secretary Knox sent a letter the same day to JAG Woodson approving the base.
On 27 March 1942, Russell B. Moore Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, signed contract NOy-5485, for the architectural and engineering services for Naval Reserve Aviation Base at Peru, Indiana. Two other firms had been considered; Walter W. Ahlschlager & Associates, Chicago, Illinois, and Phelps & Peck, Michigan City, Indiana.
On 3 April 1942, contract NOy-5475, for the construction of a Naval Reserve Aviation Base at Peru, Indiana, with Captain R.D. Spalding, USN, the Officer-in-Charge, was sent out. The contract included Projects 1 to 47, with a fee of $4,965,500. Changes "A" through "M", were added over the next several months, adding Projects 48 to 77, and 501, and on 19 November 1942, Purchase Order 4057 authorized Projects 78 to 87, with manual instruction authorizing Project 88.
Four contractors were considered for the project; James T. Barnes Construction Company, Logansport, Indiana; Sollitt Construction Company, Inc., South Bend; William P Jungclaus Company, Indianapolis; and a joint venture between J.L. Simmons Company, Inc., Indianapolis, and United Construction Company, Winona, Minnesota. The bid was given to J.L. Simmons Company, Inc. and United Construction Company, and signed on 16 April 1942.
Project No. Name of project Project No. Name of project Project No. Name of project Project No. Name of project 1 Development of Landing Field 24 Armory 47 Bachelor Officers' Quarters (with messing facilities) 70* Outlying Field No. 21; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding and relocating of fences. 2 Runways (4), Bituminous Surface, and Landing Mat ( (Under Project 67 the runways were later changed to concrete). 25 Athletic Field (Later cancelled by Change "B") 48 Link Trainer Building 71* Outlying Field No. 22; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding and relocating of fences. 3 Landing Field Lighting (Runway Contract and Obstruction Lighting). (77% complete under this contract, balance cancelled by Change "M"). 26 Drill Field (paved) 49 Officers' Quarters (2) Commanding Officer and Executive Officer (Later cancelled by Change "M" 72* Outlying Field No. 23; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding and relocating of fences. 4 Barracks (enlisted men, 1800) 27 Rifle and Machine Gun Range (Later cancelled by Change "M") 50 Building to house Engine Test Stands (Six Test Stands and Three Control Rooms) 73* Outlying Field No. 20; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding and relocating of fences. 5 Barracks (students, 800) 28 Magazine (Small Arms and Pyrotechnics) 51 Increase of Dispensary to 109 bed capacity 74 Public Works Building (Later cancelled by BuDocks Directive of 29 March 1943) 6 Mess Hall (1000 Men) 29 Gasoline Storage and Distribution () and Truck Loading Stand. 52 Outlying Field No. 1; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding 75 Purchase of 2 Refrigerators for Commanding Officers' and Executive Officers' Quarters 7 Subsistence Building (800 students, 400 sitting) 30 Fuel Oil Storage 53 Outlying Field No. 2; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding 76 Construction of Water Well (Later cancelled by BuDocks Directive of 29 March 1943) 8 Bachelor Officers' Quarters (without messing facilities) (4) 160 officers. 31 Electrical Distribution System 54 Outlying Field No. 3; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding 77 Outlying Field No. 3; Rock Stabilization of subgrade for Landing Mat (2nd increment to Project 54) 9 Auditorium and Recreation Building 32 Water and Fire Protection Systems 55 Outlying Field No. 4; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding 78† Outlying Field No. 8; Rock Stabilization of subgrade for Landing Mat (2nd increment to Project 58) 10 Dispensary (25 beds) (Capacity increased to 109 beds under Project 51). 33 Inter-communication and Fire-crash Alarm Systems (Later cancelled) 56 Outlying Field No. 7; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding (76% accomplished under this contract; balance cancelled by Change "M"). 79† Outlying Field No. 2; 2nd increment to Project 53 11 Instruction Buildings (2) 34 Warming-up Platforms 57 Outlying Field No. 10; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding 80† Outlying Field No. 4; 2nd increment to Project 55 12 Administration Building 35 Roads, Walks and Services 58 Outlying Field No. 8; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding 81† Outlying Field No. 7; 2nd increment to Project 56 13 Squadron Administration Buildings (2) 36 Sewerage System and Sewage Disposal 59 Outlying Field No. 12; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding 82† Outlying Field No. 8; 2nd increment to Project 58 14 Operations Building 37 Steam Distribution System 60 Outlying Field No. 6; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding 83† Outlying Field No. 12; 2nd increment to Project 59 15 Temporary Hangars (2) () 38 Drainage System (Storm Water) 61 Outlying Field No. 11; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding 84† Outlying Field No. 6; 2nd increment to Project 60 16 Assembly and Repair Ship () 39 Standby Emergency Electrical Unit (50 KW) 62 Outlying Field No. 14; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding (12% accomplished under this contract; balance cancelled by Change "M"). 85† Outlying Field No. 11; 2nd increment to Project 61 17 Paint and Dope Spray Booth 40 Engine Run-in Stands 63 Collateral Medical and Surgical Equipment for Dispensary 86† Outlying Field No. 14; 2nd increment to Project 62 18 Garage, Station Maintenance Building and Firehouse 41 Parachute Building with Tower 64 Collateral Diet Kitchen Equipment for Dispensary 87† Outlying Field No. 9; 2nd increment to Project 66 19 Heating Plant (Operations area) 42 Railroad Spur 65 Dispensary X-Ray and Viewing Equipment 88 Auditing Adjustment of Surplus Material, Equipment and Supplies Account 20 Storehouses with Platform (2) () 43 Swimming Pool (Later cancelled by Change "M") 66 Outlying Field No. 9; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding (Later cancelled by Change "M"). 501 Material purchased and shipped to Aircraft Delivery Unit, Port Columbus, Ohio 21 Storage Building, General and Aircraft, (temporary) () 44 Brig (Later changed to Reception Center) 67 Changing 4 Rnways to Concrete, and Landing Mat (2nd increment to Project 2) *Note (Projects 69 to 73, inclusive, were later cancelled by Change "M") 22 Paint, Oil and Dope Storage Building 45 Miscellaneous Fixed Equipment (1.2% accomplished under this contract; balance cancelled by Change "M".) 68 Drainage System (Storm Water (2nd increment to Project 38) †Note (Projects 78 to 87, inclusive, were cancelled by BuDocks Directive of 29 March 1943) 23 Gatehouse and Security Fence 46 Incinerator 69* Outlying Field No. 24; Clearing, Grading, Drainage, Sodding and relocating of fences.
Construction
Preliminary plans for the base were issued 20 April 1942. The base was commissioned on 1 July 1942, with a contingent of Naval personnel moving in on 15 July 1942. Actual construction wasn't finished until 12 April 1943, with 99.5% field work completed. The final cost was $13,064,424.43.
The design called for a Naval Air Station, occupying , with the facilities and equipment to house and train 1,200 naval aviation cadets. This would include the housing and other necessary facilities needed for a total of 3,200 officers and men. Station facilities would include four runways of long and wide; a square landing mat with sides long (); taxiways, warm-up aprons, and approaches; 77 buildings with of floor space, water supply, heating; and sewage disposal plants; of paved streets and of sidewalks. The training facilities included 25 auxiliary fields, within a radius, with a combined area of .
Of the 2,158 acres, approximately were of dense timber that needed to be cleared. Other obstructions included, houses, barns, boulders, and county and state roads. The main base was, and still is, located approximately south of Peru, Indiana, on US Route 31; north of Kokomo; Logansport to the northwest; and Wabash 20 mi to the northeast. Indianapolis, Indiana's capitol, is south; Fort Wayne 64 mi northeast, South Bend north, and Chicago northwest.
The Site Selection Board selected this site because it was centrally located with ready accessibility from several large cities. The land is level for miles around, which afforded many possibilities for auxiliary fields. It was out of the flight routes of commercial airlines. The soil type was satisfactory with gravel being locally available for concrete. It could be serviced by the Pennsylvania Railroad, with a station only away and construction of a switch track easily possible; also paved highways and bus lines nearby. Electrical power available from Peru. Satisfactory climate conditions, as indicated by Weather Bureau Reports. Water treatment for the steam boilers seemed to be the only draw back.