Beale Air Force Base Beale Air Force Base ( AFB ) is a United States Air Force base located approximately east of Marysville , California . The host unit at Beale is the 9th Reconnaissance Wing ( 9 RW ) assigned to the Air Combat Command and part of Twelfth Air Force . The 9 RW collects intelligence essential for Presidential and Congressional decisions critical to the national defense . To accomplish this mission , the wing is equipped with the nation ' s fleet of U - 2 Dragon Lady , RQ - 4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft , and the MC - 12 Liberty reconnaissance aircraft and associated support equipment . The wing also maintains a high state of readiness in its combat support and combat service support forces for potential deployment in response to theater contingencies . The 940th Wing is a Reconnaissance , Command & Control and Intelligence unit assigned to the United States Air Force Reserve . The 940th Wing is responsible for the stand up and total force integration of the Air Force Reserve Command ' s newest multi - mission wing , including command & control , intelligence and reconnaissance forces in support of Air Combat Command , Pacific Air Forces and the Air Force Intelligence , Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency . Beale AFB was established in 1942 as Camp Beale and is named for Edward Fitzgerald Beale ( 1822 – 1893 ) , an American Navy Lieutenant and a Brigadier General in the California Militia who was an explorer and frontiersman in California . It became a United States Air Force base on 1 April 1951 . Overview . Beale AFB is home of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing , and is also considered by many to be one of the show places of the United States Air Force . A base steeped in history , it is in the forefront of the Air Force ’ s future in high technology . Beale is located outside of Linda , about east of the towns of Marysville and Yuba City and about north of Sacramento , the state capital . Beale is a large base in terms of land and has five gates providing access on all sides of the base . Visitors enter the base through a main gate that local merchants , individuals and the Beale Military Liaison Committee donated $ 100 , 000 to construct . The base is home for approximately 4 , 000 military personnel . Beale Air Force Base covers nearly of rolling hills in northern California . The base ' s natural resources are as rich as its significant cultural and historical heritage . Native Americans lived on this land ; the mortar bowls they carved into the bedrock lie embedded in a shallow stream . German prisoners of war were held captive on the base during World War II ; a block of barred prison cells still stands at the base , and the drawings of the POWs remain vivid on the walls of the prison cells . To preserve these and other historic areas , the base proudly maintains 38 Native American sites , 45 homestead sites , and 41 World War II sites Units . The 9th Reconnaissance Wing is composed of four groups at Beale and various overseas operating locations . History . The base is named for Edward Fitzgerald Beale ( 1822 – 1893 ) , an American Navy Lieutenant and a Brigadier General in the California Militia who was an explorer and frontiersman in California . United States Army . In 1940 , the " Camp Beale " area consisted of grassland and rolling hills and the 19th century mining town of Spenceville . Then , Marysville city officials encouraged the Department of War to establish a military facility in the area . The U . S . government purchased in 1942 for a training post for the 13th Armored Division , the only unit of its kind to be entirely trained in California . Camp Beale also held training facilities for the 81st and 96th Infantry Division , and a 1 , 000 - bed hospital . Dredge materials from the area ' s abandoned gold mines were used to build streets at the Camp . As a complete training environment , Camp Beale had tank maneuvers , mortar and rifle ranges , a bombardier - navigator training , and chemical warfare classes . At its peak during World War II , Camp Beale had 60 , 000 personnel . Camp Beale also housed a German POW camp , and served as the main camp for a series of satellite POW camps around northern California . Branch camps were established at Arbuckle , in Colusa County ( 200 Germans ) ; Chico , in Butte County ( 475 Germans ) ; Davis , in Yolo County ( 250 Germans ) ; Napa , in Napa County ( 250 Germans ) ; and Windsor , in Sonoma County ( 250 Germans ) . All of the camps provided agriculture manpower to local farms and ranchers . German POWs at Beale also provided manpower for base support operations . Air Training Command . In 1948 , Camp Beale became Beale AFB , its mission being to train bombardier navigators in radar techniques . Beale AFB established six bombing ranges of each and the U . S . Navy also used Beale for training . From 1951 on , Beale trained Aviation Engineers and ran an Air Base Defense School . These additional activities led to rehabilitation of existing base facilities and construction of rifle , mortar , demolition , and machine gun ranges . In 1952 Beale AFB was placed in inactive status for conversion to an operational airbase . Headquarters , Aviation Engineer Force administered the base for the next six years while a runway was laid down , and appropriate support facilities ( hangars , maintenance shops , warehouses , barracks , and other infrastructure was laid out and constructed . The 2275th Air Base Squadron was the coordinating organization during the construction period . Also in 1952 , Beale stopped being used as a bombing range and the U . S . Government declared portions of Camp Beale / Beale AFB as excess , eventually transferring out . Eventually excess land from the former Army Camp was sold off to the public . On 21 December 1959 , on the eastern side of the Base were sold at auction . An additional was transferred to the State of California between 1962 and 1964 , and now comprise the Spenceville Wildlife and Recreation Area . In 1964 – 1965 , another were sold at auction . In deeds for the former Camp Beale property , the Federal Government recommended that the property have surface use only . Air Defense Command . In 1959 Air Defense Command ( ADC ) established a Semi Automatic Ground Environment ( SAGE ) Data Center ( DC - 18 ) was established at Beale AFB . The SAGE system was a network linking Air Force ( and later FAA ) General Surveillance Radar stations into a centralized center for Air Defense , intended to provide early warning and response for a Soviet nuclear attack . The Ground Air Transmitting Receiving ( GATR ) Site ( R - 18 ) for communications was located at , approximately 1 . 1 miles souh - southwest from the SAGE building . Normally the GATR site was connected by a pair of buried telephone cables , with a backup connection of dual telephone cables overhead . DC - 18 was initially under the San Francisco Air Defense Sector ( SFADS ) , established on on 15 February 1959 . DC - 18 and the SFADS was inactivated on 1 August 1963 as part of an ADC consolidation and reorganization , with its assigned units assigned to other ADC Sectors . The GATR was reassigned to Mill Valley AFS ( Z - 38 ) as an annex designated OL - A , 666th Radar Squadron . Today the large SAGE building is now building 2145 , housing the 9th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron ; the GATR was inactivated in 1980 and the building is now part of a Skeet - shooting range . 4126th Strategic Wing . On 8 February 1959 , Strategic Air Command established Beale as an operational USAF base . It activated the 4126th Strategic Wing to disburse its B - 52 Stratofortress heavy bombers over a larger number of bases , making it more difficult for the Soviet Union to destroy the entire fleet with a surprise first strike . In May 1959 , Colonel ( later General ) Paul K . Carlton assumed command of the recently activated 4126th Strategic Wing . The first two KC - 135 Stratotanker aircraft arrived two months later on 7 July 1959 as part of the 903d Air Refueling Squadron . On 18 January 1960 , the 31st Bombardment Squadron with its B - 52E Stratofortresses arrived at Beale to become part of the wing . The 14th Air Division ( 14 AD ) moved to Beale from Travis Air Force Base one week later . Half of the aircraft were maintained on 15 - minute alert , fully fueled , armed , and ready for combat . SAC Strategic Wings were considered a provisional unit by HQ , USAF and could not carry a permanent history or lineage . Beginning in 1961 , the wing transitioned from B - 52E to B - 52G aircraft . HGM - 25A Titan I . On 30 January 1959 , the Air Force announced plans to conduct surveys in the vicinity of Beale to determine the feasibility for missile bases . On 17 September , Col . Paul Calton , Commander of Beale ' s 4126th Strategic Wing , announced that the base would be the fifth HGM - 25A Titan I missile installation . Three complexes with three weapons each ( 3 x 3 ) were located 25 miles southwest , 37 miles west , and 71 miles northwest of Beale near the respective communities of Lincoln , Live Oak , and Chico . The Air Force activated the 851st Strategic Missile Squadron ( Titan I ) on 1 April 1961 . The first missile was moved to the 4A complex at Lincoln on 28 February 1962 , where workers had difficulty placing the missile in the silo . Follow - on missile installations went smoothly and the last missile was lowered into Chico complex 4C on 20 April 1962 . On 24 May 1962 , during a contractor checkout , a blast rocked launcher 1 at complex 4C at Chico , destroying a Titan I and causing heavy damage to the silo . After the investigation , the Air Force concluded that the two separate explosions occurred because of a blocked vent and blocked valve . On 6 June , a flash fire at another silo killed a worker . In September 1962 , the 851st SMS became the last Titan I Squadron to achieve alert status . After damages were repaired , the Chico complex became operational on 9 March 1963 . Two months after the squadron became fully operational , SAC subjected the unit to an Operational Readiness Inspection ( ORI ) . The 851st SMS became the first Titan I unit to pass . On 16 May 1964 , Defense Secretary McNamara directed the accelerated phaseout of the Atlas and Titan I ICBMs . On 4 January 1965 , the first Beale Titan I was taken off alert status . Within 3 months , the 851st Strategic Missile Squadron was inactivated . 456th Bombardment Wing . In 1962 , in order to retain the lineage of its MAJCOM 4 - digit combat units and to perpetuate the lineage of many currently inactive bombardment units with illustrious World War II records , Headquarters SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its MAJCOM strategic wings that were equipped with combat aircraft and to activate AFCON units , most of which were inactive at the time which could carry a lineage and history . The 4126th SW was redesignated as the 456th Strategic Aerospace Wing ( 456th SAW ) on 1 February 1963 in a name - only redesigation and was assigned to SAC ' s Fifteenth Air Force , 14th Strategic Aerospace Division . The 456th SAW was placed on operational status upon activation with the 31st BS being redesignated as the 744th Bombardment Squadron , the wing ' s former World War II bomb squadron . The 903d ARS and 851st SMS designations were unchanged , however component support units were redesignated to the 456th numerical designation of the newly established wing . As under the Tri - Deputate organization , all operational components were directly assigned to the wing , no operational group element was activated . The 456th SAW continued the mission of strategic bombardment and missile readiness training . The wing ’ s bombardment and air refueling squadrons frequently deployed aircraft and crews to meet USAF requirements , often having nearly all of the resources of the wing scattered around the world at various operating locations . In 1963 the 456th Strategic Aerospace Wing was featured as the fictional 904th Strategic Aerospace Wing in the Hollywood film production " A Gathering of Eagles " , with the Air Force , SAC and the wing providing maximum support to the Universal Studios film crews . In July 1965 the wing was redesignated the 456th Bombardment Wing , Heavy with the inactivation of the Titan I Missile squadron but continued to fly the B - 52 and KC - 135 . During the 1960s and 1970s , SAC used various Air Force bases for dispersal . As part of this effort , the 456th Bombardment Wing at Beale deployed its Detachment 1 to Hill AFB , Utah . A $ 2 million alert facility large enough to accommodate seven B - 52 and KC - 135 aircraft was constructed and the first of four B - 52 s assigned there arrived on 28 December 1973 . Det 1 was activated 1 January 1973 and discontinued on 1 July 1975 . 17th Bombardment Wing . The 456th BW was inactivated on 30 September 1975 , and its equipment and personnel were redesignated as the 17th Bombardment Wing , Heavy when the senior unit was inactivated at Wright - Patterson AFB , Ohio . This was part of a consolidation of resources after the Vietnam War due to budget cuts , and the desire by HQ SAC to keep the senior unit on active duty . 100th Air Refueling Wing . At Beale , the 17th continued global strategic bombardment alert to 30 June 1976 when it was inactivated as part of the phaseout of the B - 52 at Beale . The wing ' s KC - 135 tanker aircraft were subsequently reassigned to the 100th Air Refueling Wing , which SAC moved to Beale from Davis - Monthan AFB , Arizona , as part of SAC ' s phaseout from Davis - Monthan . The mission of the 100th ARW was primarily primarily to refuel SR - 71s of the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing . Concurrent with this action the 100th ' s U - 2 aircraft at Davis - Monthan would merge with the 9 SRW and its SR - 71 operations at Beale . The first U - 2 arrived from Davis - Monthan on 12 July 1976 , and until 26 January 1990 , when budget restrictions forced the retirement of the SR - 71 , Beale was the home of two of the world ’ s most unusual aircraft . The 100 ARW remained at Beale until 15 March 1983 its assets absorbed by the senior 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing , which became a composite wing under the one - base , one - wing concept . Missile Warning . On 1 July 1979 , the 7th Missile Warning Squadron brought a PAVE Phased Array Warning System ( PAVE PAWS ) radar site to Beale , a Protection Level 1 , 10 - story structure that can detect possible attack by land - based and sea - launched ballistic missiles . A large three - sided structure , the PAVE PAWS hosted two large AN / FPS - 115 phased - array radar antennas . Located in a cantonment area on the outskirts of Beale , the renamed 7th Space Warning Squadron is now an Air Force Space Command ( AFSPC ) unit and it primarily uses its PAVE PAWS radar to detect submarine - launched ballistic missiles and disintegrating spacecraft and space debris . Mock missile attacks , site emergencies and simulated equipment failures also keep the Canadian and American crew busy . The 9th Security Forces Squadron provide security for the PAVE PAWS restricted area . 9th Reconnaissance Wing . In the early 1970s SAC began to consolidate its B - 52 assets as the age of the manned bomber was reduced with the advent of Intercontinental Strategic Ballistic Missiles . In addition , by 1966 the cost of the Vietnam War was forcing a review of the Defense Budget and by consolidating the strategic bomber force , also retiring older Stratofortresses , a significant cost reduction could be achieved . On 15 October 1964 , the Department of Defense announced that Beale would be the home of the new , supersonic reconnaissance aircraft , the SR - 71 Blackbird . The provisional 4200th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing ( 4200 SRW ) activated on 1 Janunary 1965 in preparation for the realignment , and the new wing received its first aircraft , a T - 38 Talon , on 8 July 1965 . The first SR - 71 did not arrive until 7 January 1966 . The SR - 71 was developed from the Lockheed A - 12 reconnaissance aircraft in the 1960s for the Central Intelligence Agency by the Lockheed Skunk Works as a black project . During reconnaissance missions the SR - 71 operated at high speeds and altitudes to allow it to outrace threats ; if a surface - to - air missile launch was detected , standard evasive action was simply to accelerate . With the arrival of the SR - 71 , the strategic bombardment mission at Beale was phased down , being replaced by the Strategic Reconnaissance mission . The 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing was moved from Mountain Home AFB , Idaho and reassigned to Beale on 25 June 1966 . The 9th RW has been the host unit at Beale to the current day . With the activation of the 9th SRW at Beale , the wing absorbed the assets of the provisional 4200th SW . This allowed it to stay with the 14th Strategic Aerospace Division . The wing performed strategic reconnaissance in Southeast Asia beginning in 1968 , frequently deploying the SR - 71 to Kadena Air Base , Okinawa where it operated over areas of the Pacific and Asia . The wing provided photographic intelligence for the Son Tay prison camp raid named Operation Ivory Coast , in North Vietnam , November 1970 . After the Vietnam War , the SR - 71 established a level - flight - at - altitude record at 85 , 131 feet and a straight - course speed record of 2 , 194 mph . On 1 July 1976 , the U - 2 joined the SR - 71 in the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing giving the unit two of the most unique aircraft in the world . The " Dragon Lady " had gained national and international recognition with flights over the Soviet Union , China , Cuba , and Southeast Asia . The U - 2 was the perfect complement to the SR - 71 . The Blackbird could penetrate highly defended areas , take a " quick look , " and depart at high speeds . The Dragon Lady could spend more time " on - station " and furnish a " long look " at the desired target . The U - 2 was also much less expensive to fly . In 1989 , the Air Force decided the SR - 71 was too expensive to operate and retired the Blackbird on 1 January 1990 . Although it made a brief revival in the mid - 1990s , today the aircraft is again retired . In 1990 – 91 , the wing deployed the largest contingent of U - 2s ever to Saudi Arabia to support Operation DESERT SHIELD / STORM . The Dragon Lady tracked Iraqi troop and armor buildups , assessed bomb damage , and monitored a massive oil spill in the Persian Gulf . U - 2 pilots alerted ground stations of Scud missile launches and guided fighter aircraft to destroy Scud launchers . After the Gulf War , the U - 2 stayed in Saudi Arabia to monitor Iraqi compliance with the peace agreement . In 1998 , the Dragon Lady set a weight - to - altitude record and in 1999 won the Collier Trophy , aviation ' s most coveted award . Modern era . On 1 September 1991 , the 14th Air Division ( 14 AD ) inactivated and the 2nd Air Force ( 2 AF ) , with a lineage stretching back to World War II , activated at Beale . Following the disestablishment of Strategic Air Command ( SAC ) , 2 AF inactivated on 1 July 1993 and reactivated at Keesler Air Force Base , Mississippi as part of the Air Education and Training Command ( AETC ) the same day . The 9 SRW was transferred to the newly established Air Combat Command ( ACC ) and was redesignated as the 9th Reconnaissance Wing ( 9 RQW ) , operating the U - 2 and T - 38 Talon , while its KC - 135 Q tanker assets and 350th Air Refueling Squadron ( 350 ARS ) were transferred to the newly established Air Mobility Command ( AMC ) In 2001 , the historic 12th Reconnaissance Squadron joined the wing as the parent unit for the RQ - 4 Global Hawk . An unmanned , remotely piloted high - altitude reconnaissance platform , the Global Hawk can linger over a target for 24 hours . In 2008 , Beale received the Block 20 model and 2010 received the Block 30 model . In 2010 , the MC - 12W Liberty was moved to Beale Air Force Base and there are currently two squadrons operating the aircraft . The 489th Reconnaissance Squadron conducts training , while the 427th is primarily the operational squadron . BRAC actions . In July 1994 , the 350 ARS transferred from Beale to McConnell Air Force Base , Kansas , taking the last of the KC - 135 Q tankers with it . Tanker aircraft returned to Beale in 1998 when the 940th Air Refueling Wing ( 940 ARW ) , an Air Force Reserve Command ( AFRC ) unit operationally gained by AMC , transferred to Beale with its KC - 135R aircraft following the closure of its former home station , Mather AFB , California because of Base Realignment and Closure ( BRAC ) 1988 action . Under the subsequent BRAC 2005 , the 940 ARW ' s KC - 135R aircraft were realigned and the last aircraft departed Beale by the end of 2008 as the 940th converted to an associate reconnaissance wing mission in partnership with the 9 RW , operating the RQ - 4 Global Hawk . Intercontinental ballistic missile facilities . The 851st Strategic Missile Squadron operated three HGM - 25A Titan I ICBM sites : ( 1 Feb 1961 – 25 Mar 1965 ) Today , all three sites remain in various states of abandonment . Site " A " is being encroached by newly built single - family homes as the suburbs of Lincoln ; the underground structures ( approximately 30 acres ) of the facility is currently owned by Placer County who uses the site to store and maintain road maintenance equipment . Since the site was deactivated , groundwater has inundated the facility , flooding the underground spaces . Site B , located in a rural area , is remarkably well preserved with all three launch silos still capped and what appears to be the concrete control center still standing . Site " C " was the location of two 1962 accidents . On 24 May during a contractor checkout , a terrific blast rocked launcher 1 at the complex , destroying a Titan I and causing heavy damage to the silo . On 6 June trouble again struck as a flash fire at another silo killed a worker . After the investigation , the Air Force concluded that the two separate explosions occurred because of a blocked vent and blocked valve . The silo was repaired and put back into operational service . Today , the site has all three launch silos capped , but some development has taken place on the launch area with a retention pond , some trees , and some single - story buildings being erected . It appears to be in use for some type of quarrying / grading material which is transported to construction sites in the Chico area . Geography . Beale AFB is also census - designated place ( CDP ) in Yuba County , California . Beale AFB sits at an elevation of . The 2010 United States census reported Beale AFB ' s population was 1 , 319 . Beale Air Force Base spans of rolling hills in northern California . The base ' s natural resources are quite rich . Native Americans lived on this land , and the mortar bowls they carved into bedrock lie embedded in a shallow stream . German prisoners of war were held on the base during World War II . A block of prison cells still stands at the base , and the drawings of the POWs remain on the cell walls . The surprisingly detailed images were said to have been drawn with the heels of the prisoners ' boots which probably helped protect them . To preserve these and other historic areas , the base maintains 38 Native American sites , 45 homestead sites , and 41 World War II sites . According to the United States Census Bureau , the CDP covers an area of , 99 . 90 % of it land and 0 . 10 % of it water . Demographics . The United States Census Bureau has designated the base as its own census - designated place for statistical purposes . 2010 . The 2010 United States Census reported that Beale AFB had a population of 1 , 319 . The population density was 131 . 1 people per square mile ( 50 . 6 / km² ) . The racial makeup of Beale AFB was 949 ( 71 . 9 % ) White , 117 ( 8 . 9 % ) African American , 32 ( 2 . 4 % ) Native American , 45 ( 3 . 4 % ) Asian , 8 ( 0 . 6 % ) Pacific Islander , 50 ( 3 . 8 % ) from other races , and 118 ( 8 . 9 % ) from two or more races . Hispanic or Latino of any race were 191 persons ( 14 . 5 % ) . The Census reported that 1 , 319 people ( 100 % of the population ) lived in households , 0 ( 0 % ) lived in non - institutionalized group quarters , and 0 ( 0 % ) were institutionalized . There were 382 households , out of which 289 ( 75 . 7 % ) had children under the age of 18 living in them , 334 ( 87 . 4 % ) were opposite - sex married couples living together , 26 ( 6 . 8 % ) had a female householder with no husband present , 10 ( 2 . 6 % ) had a male householder with no wife present . There were 0 ( 0 % ) unmarried opposite - sex partnerships , and 0 ( 0 % ) same - sex married couples or partnerships . 12 households ( 3 . 1 % ) were made up of individuals and 0 ( 0 % ) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older . The average household size was 3 . 45 . There were 370 families ( 96 . 9 % of all households ) ; the average family size was 3 . 53 . The population was spread out with 577 people ( 43 . 7 % ) under the age of 18 , 151 people ( 11 . 4 % ) aged 18 to 24 , 538 people ( 40 . 8 % ) aged 25 to 44 , 51 people ( 3 . 9 % ) aged 45 to 64 , and 2 people ( 0 . 2 % ) who were 65 years of age or older . The median age was 23 . 3 years . For every 100 females there were 98 . 9 males . For every 100 females age 18 and over , there were 93 . 7 males . There were 843 housing units at an average density of 83 . 8 per square mile ( 32 . 4 / km² ) , of which 2 ( 0 . 5 % ) were owner - occupied , and 380 ( 99 . 5 % ) were occupied by renters . The homeowner vacancy rate was 0 % ; the rental vacancy rate was 44 . 8 % . 8 people ( 0 . 6 % of the population ) lived in owner - occupied housing units and 1 , 311 people ( 99 . 4 % ) lived in rental housing units .