Great Falls in Cascade County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Malmstrom Air Force Base
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, August 18, 2019
1. Malmstrom Air Force Base Marker
Inscription.
Malmstrom Air Force Base. . Since 1942, Malmstrom Air Force Base has been on the frontline of America's national defense. Known locally as East Base during World War II. B-17 Flying Fortress pilots trained here and the base served as a staging area for military planes flown to Russian under the World War II Lend-Lease program. With the beginning of the Cold War, the mission of the base changed as tensions heightened between the U.S. and its former ally. Pilots trained for the Berlin Airlift at the air base in the late 1940s. For the first time, it was the home of fighter interceptor and air refueling squadrons. In 1955, the base was renamed in honor of Colonel Einar Malmstrom, who died in a tragic aircraft accident west of the airport on Gore Hill. Malmstrom AFB entered the space age in October 1962 when the nations (sic) first Minuteman missiles went on-alert in support of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Malmstrom AFB is currently the home of the 341st Space Wing of Air Force Space Command and is responsible for the maintenance, operation, and security of approximately 150 Minuteman III missiles located in silos scattered across north-central Montana.
Since 1942, Malmstrom Air Force Base has been on the frontline of America's national defense. Known locally as East Base during World War II. B-17 Flying Fortress pilots trained here and the base served as a staging area for military planes flown to Russian under the World War II Lend-Lease program. With the beginning of the Cold War, the mission of the base changed as tensions heightened between the U.S. and its former ally. Pilots trained for the Berlin Airlift at the air base in the late 1940s. For the first time, it was the home of fighter interceptor and air refueling squadrons. In 1955, the base was renamed in honor of Colonel Einar Malmstrom, who died in a tragic aircraft accident west of the airport on Gore Hill. Malmstrom AFB entered the space age in October 1962 when the nations (sic) first Minuteman missiles went on-alert in support of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Malmstrom AFB is currently the home of the 341st Space Wing of Air Force Space Command and is responsible for the maintenance, operation, and security of approximately 150 Minuteman III missiles located in silos scattered across north-central Montana.
Erected by Montana Department of Transportation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space
Location. 47° 29.637′ N, 111° 13.348′ W. Marker is in Great Falls, Montana, in Cascade County. Marker is on 10th Avenue South (U.S. 87) near 50th Street South, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5100 10th Avenue South, Great Falls MT 59405, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 19, 2019. It was originally submitted on December 19, 2019, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 189 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on December 19, 2019, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
