<item><hi format=bold>Location and Origin of Name:</hi> located in the suburbs of Bosier City and named after Lieutenant Eugene H. Barksdale, World War I airman killed in a Douglas O-2 observation aircraft accident near Wright Field in August 1926
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<p>The base was established in November 1930 with various pursuit units assigned until World War II, when it conducted training of replacement aircrew of entire groups destined for overseas service. After the war the base was operated by Air Training Command with the Pilot Instructor School among the units in residence. The 47th BW was stationed at Barksdale briefly from November 1948, with the base becoming a SAC installation in November 1949. Other SAC units at Barksdale included the 91st SRW for two years from October 1949, 301st BW from November 1949 until April 1958, and 376th BW from October 1951. Between them these units operated the B-29 and later the B-47, plus the KC-97 tanker. In addition, a variety of reconnaissance types were located, ensuring the huge flight line was packed with SAC aircraft. The 2nd BW was assigned from April 1963, while Continental Air Command's 917th TCG was in residence from December 1962, although various CONAC squadrons were stationed from February 1959. Headquarters 8th Air Force was relocated here from Andersen AFB, Guam in January 1975. The 2nd BW received the KC-10A during the early 1980s, before being reassigned to the 458th Operations Group in 1992. However, the KC-10s began moving to McGuire AFB late in 1994.
