Walker Air Force Base Walker Air Force Base is a closed United States Air Force base located three miles ( 5 km ) south of the central business district ( CBD ) of Roswell , a city in Chaves County , New Mexico , US . Opened in 1941 as an Army Air Corps flying school , it was active during World War II and the postwar era as Roswell Army Air Field . During the early years of the Cold War , it became the largest base of the Strategic Air Command . It is also known for the Roswell UFO incident , an event that supposedly happened on 4 July 1947 . It is alleged that a " flying disk " crashed during a severe thunderstorm near the base at Corona , New Mexico . Funding cutbacks during the Vietnam War led to the closure of the base in 1967 . Kenneth Newton Walker . Walker AFB was named after General Kenneth Newton Walker , a native of Los Cerrillos , New Mexico . He was killed during a bombing mission over Rabaul , New Britain , Papua , New Guinea . on 5 January 1943 . Though intercepted by enemy fighters , his group scored direct hits on nine Japanese ships . General Walker was last seen leaving the target area with one engine on fire and several fighters on his tail . For his actions , General Walker was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously by President Franklin D . Roosevelt in 1943 . The base was renamed in his honor on 13 January 1948 . Walker Hall , at Maxwell Air Force Base , Alabama , home of the College of Aerospace Doctrine Research and Education , is also named after the general . History . What became Roswell Army Air Field was acquired by the United States Army Air Force in 1941 from rancher David Chesser for the purpose of establishing a Military Flying Training Center and Bombardier School . From the beginning , it was designed as a large , expansive facility , given the excellent flying weather in New Mexico . The airfield consisted of seven concrete runways , two parallel North / South 7329x200 and 7000x200 ; two parallel NE / SW 7200x200 and 5655x200 ; two parallel NW / SE , 6964x200 and 5900x200 and one E / W runway 6884x200 ( E / W ) . In addition , no less than nine auxiliary landing fields for overflow and touch / go landing / takeoffs were established in the area . Enough construction was completed for the base and airfield to be activated and assigned to the United States Army Air Corps Training Command on 20 September 1941 . World War II . The Roswell Army Flying School was activated on 20 September 1941 . Its mission was the training of 3d phase aviation cadets in twin - engine aircraft . The school operated Beechcraft AT - 11 Kansan twin - engine trainers and four ( 548th , 549th , 550th and 551st ) Two - Engine Flying Training Squadrons . In addition to the flying school the Bombardier ' s school , operated 3 training squadrons also flying the AT - 11 . In 1943 , three additional twin engine flying training squadrons were added and two additional squadrons were added to the Bombardiers school as additional runways became available . Over 300 trainers filled the large parking ramp , which included Vultee BT - 13 and BT - 15 Valiant single engine trainers and Cessna AT - 17 twin - engine trainers . Until the fall of 1944 , Second Air Force provided all B - 29 Superfortress transition training for the Army Air Forces . Then , on 12 September 1944 , HQ AAF directed Training Command to establish B - 29 schools for the transition of crews consisting of pilots , copilots , and flight engineers . Initially , there were few B - 29s available for Training Command to conduct training , however by January 1945 Roswell AAF had transitioned and the 3030th AAF Base Unit ( Pilot School , Specialized Very Heavy ) which specialized in B - 29 Superfortress 4 engine pilot transition and bombardier training was activated . Although there was a bombing target adjacent to the runway , the only items dropped from an aircraft were bags of sand or flour . The practice bombing and gunnery ranges were due south of the air field and on Matagorda Island along the Texas Gulf coast . In addition to the airfield , the Roswell POW camp was built for up to 4800 Prisoners of War . Most of the POWs housed at the camp were German and Italian soldiers captured during the North African campaign . The POWs were actually used as construction laborers on local projects and many of Roswell ' s parks were built by POWs . The Spring River , which passes through downtown Roswell , was lined with concrete and stones using POW labor . The prisoners used stones of different colors to form an Iron Cross in the riverbed . With the end of World War II , the training mission at Roswell AAF ended on 1 November 1945 . The base was designated as a permanent Army Air Force facility and jurisdiction of the base was transferred to 238th Army Air Forces Base Unit , Second Air Force , Continental Air Command . Strategic Air Command . 509th Bombardment Wing . The 509th Composite Group returned from its wartime base on Tinian and relocated to Roswell on 6 November 1945 , initially being assigned to Second Air Force under Continental Air Forces . With demobilization in full swing in late 1945 , much juggling of units was being performed by the Army Air Forces . It was reassigned to the 58th Bombardment Wing at Fort Worth Army Airfield on 17 January 1946 . The 509th was assigned to Strategic Air Command on 21 March 1946 , being one of the first eleven organizations assigned to SAC . At the time SAC was formed , the 509th Composite Group was the only unit to have experience with nuclear weapons and thus is regarded by many historians as the foundation on which SAC was built . In April 1946 many of the group ' s Boeing B - 29 Superfortress aircraft deployed to Kwajalein as part of Operation Crossroads , a series of atomic bomb tests . The remainder became the core of two new squadrons activated as part of the group , the 715th Bomb Squadron and the 830th Bomb Squadron . In May 1946 , the Army Air Forces gave the newly formed SAC the responsibility of delivering the atomic bomb . Only the 509th was trained and ready for the atomic bomb mission . Squadrons assigned to the 509th were : On 10 July 1946 , the group was renamed the 509th Bombardment Group ( Very Heavy ) . With the creation of the United States Air Force as a separate service , the group became the combat component of the 509th Bombardment Wing on 17 November 1947 , although it was not operational until 14 September 1948 , when Colonel John D . Ryan was named commander . The wing pioneered a new concept on 30 June 1948 , when the 509th Air Refueling Squadron was activated as part of the 509th BW , along with the 43rd ARS at Davis - Monthan AFB , Arizona , the first such unit ever created . With the addition of KB - 29M tankers , the 509th ' s bombers could reach virtually any point on earth . The dawning of a new decade brought more changes to the wing . In June 1950 , it began receiving the upgraded version of the B - 29 , the Boeing B - 50A Superfortress . When the huge Convair B - 36 Peacemaker joined the Air Force inventory , the " Very Heavy " designation was dropped . The 509th - like all other B - 29 and B - 50 wings - was redesignated " Medium . " In January 1954 , the Boeing KC - 97 aerial tanker replaced the aging KB - 29Ms , and the wing entered the jet age in June 1955 when it received the first all - jet bomber : the Boeing B - 47 Stratojet . On 16 June 1958 the 509th Bombardment Wing was transferred to Pease AFB , New Hampshire . The 509th is currently located at Whiteman AFB , Missouri where it operates the B - 2 Spirit stealth bomber . 468th Bombardment Group . The 468th Bombardment Group arrived at Roswell on 12 January 1946 from West Field , Tinian . At Roswell the group exchanged aircraft and equipment with the 509th , with the lowest - hour and most reliable B - 29 aircraft being transferred then being sent to Fort Worth , Texas for modification to Silverplate ( Atomic Bomb - Capable ) specifications . The balance of the aircraft were sent to storage at Davis - Monthan Arizona or Pyote Airfield Texas . The group was inactivated on 31 March 1946 . 33d Fighter Group . The 33d Fighter Group was assigned to Roswell on 25 August 1947 , being transferred from Bad Kissingen AB , West Germany after a year of occupation duty . Squadrons of the 33d at Roswell were : The group was initially attached to the 509th Bombardment Group to perform fighter escort duties . SAC was founded by men who had flown bomb raids against Germany during World War II . They usually encountered swarms of enemy fighters and knew the importance of having fighter escorts . They didn ' t want to haggle with other commands to get fighters when needed , so they had fighter groups placed under their own operational control . The group was redesignated as the 33d Fighter Wing on 15 October 1947 . It remained at Roswell until 16 November 1948 when it was transferred to Otis Air Force Base , Massachusetts . 6th Bombardment Wing . The 6th Bombardment Wing , Medium was activated on 2 January 1951 at Walker AFB and was equipped with Boeing B - 29 Superfortress . On 1 August 1951 , the 307th Air Refueling Squadron was attached to the wing . It flew KB - 29 tankers until inactivated 16 June 1952 . The 6th , along with the 509th Bombardment Wing at Walker formed the SAC 47th Air Division until June 1958 with the reassignment of the 509th to Pease AFB . However the three squadrons of the wing ( 24th , 39th , 40th ) were soon re - equipped with SAC ' s new heavy bomber , Convair B - 36D Peacemaker and the unit was redesignated the 6th Bombardment Wing ( Heavy ) . The B - 36D was the first major production model of the bomber , being equipped with two pairs of General Electric J47 - GE - 19 turbojets in pods underneath the outer wings to assist the six R - 4360 - 41 piston engines . The B - 36D flew fairly well on just four or even three piston engines , so it was common practice to shut down some of the engines during cruise . The turbojets were normally used only for speed dashes over the target area or for takeoff . The 6th conducted strategic bombardment training with the aircraft , being deployed at Andersen AFB , Guam from October 1955 to January 1956 . The phaseout of the B - 36 began in 1957 , when the wing began receiving the new B - 52E Stratofortress jet bomber . They were flown by its existing squadrons . The last of the B - 36s departed Walker in 1958 . To provide air defense of the base , United States Army Nike - Hercules Surface - to - air missile sites were constructed during 1959 near Roswell ( W - 10 ) and Hagerman ( W - 50 ) , New Mexico . The sites were selected and built , the battalion activated , batteries were assigned , and then the whole setup was shut down . Many of the personnel were later transferred to the Omaha , Nebraska for the protection of Offutt AFB . In September 1959 , the 24th and 30th Bombardment Squadrons joined the newly assigned 4129th Combat Crew Training Squadron to train B - 52 and KC - 135 crews . The 40th Bombardment Squadron continued flying operational missions until 10 June 1960 . From 10 June 1960 to 1 December 1961 the wing flew a few operational missions in a non - combat ready status . The 40th Squadron returned to operational status on 1 December 1961 . The other two bomb squadrons regained tactical status on 5 September 1963 . The 39th Squadron discontinued a few days later , but the 24th and 40th continued global bombardment training through December 1966 , when they phased down for inactivation . The 6th Air Refueling Squadron , flying early - model KC - 135 A aircraft , was assigned to Walker AFB from 3 January 1958 . On 3 February 1960 , a " short - tail " ( non - hydraulic - power - assisted rudder ) KC - 135A crashed during takeoff in strong and gusty crosswinds . The pilot failed to maintain directional control , rotated the aircraft 5 - 10 knots too early and the aircraft settled onto the dirt apron of the runway , shed two engines , plowed through the aircraft parking area and came to rest in an aircraft hangar . This single crash resulted in the destruction of three KC - 135 aircraft and the deaths of eight military personnel . The wing was redesignated the 6th Strategic Aerospace Wing on 1 May 1962 . On 25 June 1965 , the 310th Air Refueling Squadron was attached to the wing . It flew KC - 135A aircraft until the base was closed and the unit was moved to Plattsburgh AFB , NY on 25 January 1967 . 579th Strategic Missile Squadron . In 1960 , Atlas missile silos were constructed around the Roswell area . Reportedly , the first Atlas missile to arrive in Roswell received a welcoming parade . On 2 January 1961 579th Strategic Missile Squadron was activated as part of the 6 BW at Walker . New Mexico ’ s Governor Mecham gave the keynote speech at a Site 10 ceremony held on 31 October 1961 , in which the first missile site was turned over to the Air Force . Although Chaves County residents took patriotic pride in the news of the missile squadron ’ s arrival , Roswell residents submitted 10 permit requests for bomb shelters in October 1961 as construction went ahead . The 579th SMS received its first missile on 24 January 1962 . In April 1962 , a completed liquid oxygen plant built at Walker AFB was turned over to the Air Force . The squadron completed missile installation approximately one month before the Cuban Missile Crisis . Roswell ’ s sites developed a notorious reputation due to three missile explosions . On 1 June 1963 , launch complex 579 - 1 was destroyed during a propellant loading exercise . On 13 February 1964 an explosion occurred during another propellant loading exercise , destroying launch complex 579 - 5 . Again , a month later , on 9 March 1964 , silo 579 - 2 fell victim to another explosion that occurred during a propellant loading exercise . Fortunately , these missiles were not mated with their warheads at the time of the incidents . The only injury reported was that of a crewman running into barbed wire as he fled a site . The accidents at Walker and at other Atlas and Titan I sites accelerated the decision to inactivate these systems . On 25 March 1965 the 579 SMS was inactivated and the Air Force removed the missiles from their silos . After being demilitarized , the former missile sites were reverted to private ownership . 686th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron . Walker AFB was selected to be part of the planned deployment by Air Defense Command of forty - four Mobile radar stations across the United States to support the permanent Radar network established during the Cold War for air defense of the United States . This deployment had been projected to be operational by mid - 1952 . Funding , constant site changes , construction , and equipment delivery delayed deployment . A temporary radar site ( L - 46 ) was activated at Walker AFB in 1950 to protect the approaches . L - 46 was located in an old government housing building , with a complement of less than 100 personnel of the 120th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron . The 120th AC & W Squadron consisted of members of the federalized Arkansas Air National Guard , called to active duty during the Korean War . The station functioned as a Ground - Control Intercept ( GCI ) and warning station . As a GCI station , the squadron ' s role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit ' s radar scopes . Designated to receive a new radar as part of the mobile radar program , this radar site continued to be operational on a Lashup basis in late 1952 using an AN / TPS - 1 B radar . A more permanent facility at Walker was operational , with the 686th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron activated on 1 October 1953 , replacing the federalized ANG unit which was inactivated . The squadron consisted of about 150 Officers and Airmen . The 686th AC & W Squadron operated AN / MPS - 7 search and AN / MPS - 14 height - finder radars . In addition to the main facility , Walker operated several AN / FPS - 14 Gap Filler sites : In March 1963 the Air Force ordered the site to shut down . Operations ceased 1 August 1963 . Today the cantonment area is still extant , now used by the physical plant crew of the Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell ( ENMU - R ) . The radar site at Walker is decrepit and abandoned , with refuse around buildings and the concrete road badly cracked and deteriorated . Closure . In 1966 , the Air Force announced that Walker AFB would be closed . This was during a round of base closings and consolidations as the Defense Department struggled to pay the expenses of the Vietnam War within the budgetary limits set by Congress . The 6th BW became the 6th Strategic Wing and was relocated to Eielson AFB , Alaska . The 6th Strategic Wing was later inactivated , but was subsequently reactivated in the 1990s at MacDill AFB , Florida . Initially redesignated as the 6th Air Base Wing , then the 6th Air Refueling Wing , it is now known as the 6th Air Mobility Wing operating KC - 135 R Stratotankers and C - 37A Gulfstream V s at MacDill . Walker AFB today . Walker AFB was officially closed on 30 June 1967 . It has since been redeveloped by civil authorities into the Roswell International Air Center . Large numbers of out - of - service aircraft are stored on the parking ramps and disused taxiways / runways for refurbishment and sale . In addition , the Boeing Company uses RIAC for braking performance testing of its aircraft , most recent was the testing of the BF Goodrich carbon brakes on the 737 - 900ER model . Also testing on brakes was performed on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner . The Eastern New Mexico University has built a large campus on the west side of the former base , however much of the base still has the look and feel of the former Air Force Base . Many former Air Force buildings , including aircraft hangars , maintenance shops , barracks , and office buildings have been reused for private interests . The large housing area still exists , with the former government housing units in private hands . Large numbers of buildings have also been removed or torn down , leaving large areas of vacant land with streets and former parking lots and concrete foundations . SM - 65F Atlas Missile Sites . The 579th Strategic Missile Squadron operated twelve missile sites , of one missile at each site . . * Missile explosion destroyed site