Page 43 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2016

June 30, 1991
Military Airlift Command inactivated the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. 53rd Hurricane Hunters mission transferred to the 403d Airlift Wing, Keesler’s Air Force Reserve unit.
1980
April 24, 1982
Keesler Air Force Base hosted the rst Regional Special Olympics; event drew 350 participants.
Dec. 1, 1992
All Air Force weather courses transferred to Keesler.
July 1, 1993
81st Training Wing assigned as host unit;
wing included the 81st Technical Training, 81st
Support, 81st Logistics, and
81st Medical Groups. KTTC inactivated.
Feb. 17-18, 1999
The 403rd Wing received the first of the new WC-130J weather reconnaissance aircraft. The “J” model aircraft replaced 1960-era C-130 aircraft.
Aug. 29, 2005
Hurricane Katrina made landfall near the Louisiana/Mississippi border as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph. Record storm surge peaked at 34 feet and caused an estimated $950 million damage to Keesler.
1990
April 5, 2013
Keesler named the 2013 Commander- in-Chief’s Installation Excellence Award winner as the best Air Force installation within DOD. Award included a $1 million prize to enhance quality of life on the base.
May 20, 2016
Keesler hosts Mississippi Special Olympics for 30th year.
2000
2010
July 1, 1994
The 45th Airlift Squadron (AS) activated and assigned to the 81st Training Group. Equipped with C-12C/F Huron and C-21A Learjet aircraft, ying training returns to Keesler for the rst time since 1973.
Jan. 5, 2010
The 338th Training Squadron marked the end of an era with the nal graduation of the ground radio communications apprentice maintenance course after 48 years.
June 6-13, 2009
March 22, 2010
The largest military family housing construction project in Air Force history was completed. 1,028 new homes, costing $287.8 million, were constructed.
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July 2016 • SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living 43
Keesler Air Force Base hosted the 2009 Conseil International du Sport Militaire (CISM) Women’s Armed Forces Soccer Championship. The tournament hosted teams from Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, The Netherlands, The Republic of South Korea and the United States.
June 12, 2016
Keesler turns 75!