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PM Modi on State Visit of US: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a four-day state visit to America from 21 to 24 June 2023. He has reached America on the invitation of US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. It is expected that there will be many important agreements between the two countries in this tour. Amidst this visit of PM Modi, his special aircraft is standing at the Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility. This facility is also very special. Actually, only the special aircraft of the President of America, Air Force One and his fleet of helicopters stand here.
Not only do the two Air Force One aircraft of the President of America stand at the Andrews Air Force Base, but the US President also takes off from here to go anywhere. Whenever America calls the head of a nation on a state visit and gives them a lot of importance, then their special aircraft is also parked at Andrews Air Force Base. The history of this air base is related to the civil war. The US Federals then took over a small country church as a headquarters for troops camped nearby. Now that church is known as Chapel-Two. The base community uses it for religious purposes.
What was the purpose of this airfield?
In August 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the Secretary of War to acquire the land and build a military airfield. At the end of this year, the construction work of Andrews Air Force Base started. The first permanent unit from Westover Field, the 463rd Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, arrived here on 19 April 1943 with 105 soldiers and five officers. Then its name was Camp Springs Army Air Field, which became operational on 2 May 1943. At that time the first Republic P-47 Thunderbolt had reached here. After this, 75 P-47 were deployed here in the first month itself. The initial purpose of this airfield was to train fighter pilots for war abroad.
Andrews Field is named in honor of Lieutenant General Frank M. Andrews, one of the founders of the US Air Force. (Image: Wikipedia)
How did Andrews Air Force Base get its name?
In the years following World War II, Andrews was used as the headquarters for Continental Air Command, Strategic Air Command and the Military Air Transport Service. From 1950 to 1992, this airfield was also the headquarters of the Air Research and Development Command and the Air Force Systems Command. Camp Springs was named Andrews Field on May 31, 1945, in honor of Lieutenant General Frank M. Andrews, one of the founders of the US Air Force. Actually, he died in a plane crash on 3 May 1943. The base was renamed Andrews Air Force Base shortly after the Air Force became a separate service in 1947.
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Which President flew for the first time?
The first permanently assigned jet-powered aircraft, the F-80 Shooting Star, arrived at Andrews Air Force Base in 1947. B-25 bomber crews trained at Andrews Air Force Base in June 1950 with the start of the Korean War. Andrews Air Force Base is known for special air missions transporting senior government and military officials. For the first time from this air force base, President Harry S. Truman flew on 24 November 1946. $14 million was spent to improve the base. In this, the old runway was improved and a new runway was built. After this, in 1959, Andrews Air Force Base started being used for the entry and departure of dignitaries of America.
many times welcomed prisoners of war
America’s 1254th Air Transport Group Detachment-1 received its first jet aircraft VC-137 in 1959. However, till this time the official C-121 aircraft of the President remained at Washington National Airport. The President often used the VC-137 during long trips. John F. Kennedy’s official C-118 aircraft was permanently transferred from Washington Nation Airport to Andrews Air Force Base in March 1962. The base has been the center of many happy returns and reunions since then. Andrews welcomed back prisoners of war from Vietnam in 1973. This was followed by the return of American hostages from Iran in 1981 and also welcomed former POWs Pfc.
Joint Andrews Base is the first stop in America for the transportation of VIPs of America as well as VIPs of other countries.
First stop for VIPs
Known as ‘The President’s Wing’, the 89th Airlift Wing continues to contribute to Andrews’ rich history as the premier air mobility command wing for the transport of VIPs around the world. Andrews serves not only for senior US officials, but is also the first stop in America for kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers, popes, local and foreign military leaders.
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When Andrews Base converted into Joint Base
Andrews Air Force Base became a joint base with Naval Air Facility Washington on 1 October 2009. It is now known as Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility Washington or Joint Base Andrews. In October 2010, the 316th Wing was inactivated and the 11th Wing, hosted at Bolling Air Force Base, was activated. It served as the host wing at Andrews until June 2020. After this the 316th wing was reactivated here. Joint Base Andrews plays an active and important role in America’s defense. It evolved from the muddy fields and wooden buildings of the 1940s for the P-47 Thunderbolt and F-80 Shooting Star to a number of nationally important mission critical modern aircraft including Air Force One, the F-16 Fighting Falcon transformed into an area.
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where is andrews air force base
Joint Base Andrews is located in Prince George’s County in the state of Maryland, approximately 10 miles from the Washington DC border and 15 miles from Virginia. The base is physically located in the city of Camp Springs MD and is bordered by the four towns of Clinton, Upper Marlboro, Town of Morningside, and Forestville.
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Tags: India US, Indian Airforce, Pm narendra modi, US President Joe Biden, US visit
FIRST PUBLISHED : June 22, 2023, 4:34 PM IST
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