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Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base

{{for|civil use of the airfield|Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport}}

{{Infobox military installation

| name = Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base

| ensign =

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| native_name =

| partof =

| location =

| nearest_town = Birmingham, Alabama

| country = United States of America

| image = File:117th Air Refueling Wing - KC-135s on Flightine.jpg

| alt = Several KC-135R Stratotankers of the 117th Air Refueling Wing parked on the flight line at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base.

| caption = Several KC-135R Stratotankers of the 117th Air Refueling Wing parked on the flight line at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base.

| image2 = 100px

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| type = Air National Guard Base

| coordinates = {{coord|33|33|50|N|086|45|08|W|region:US-AL_scale:40000|display=inline,title}}

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| pushpin_map = USA

| pushpin_mapsize =

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| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States

| pushpin_relief =

| pushpin_image =

| pushpin_label = Sumpter Smith

| pushpin_label_position = left

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| ownership = Department of Defense

| operator = US Air Force (USAF)

| controlledby = Air National Guard (ANG)

| open_to_public =

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| built = {{Start date|1934}}–1938

| used = 1938 – present

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| condition = Operational

| battles =

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| current_commander = Colonel Michael Adams

| past_commanders =

| garrison = 117th Air Refueling Wing

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| website = [https://www.117arw.ang.af.mil/ www.117arw.ang.af.mil/]

| IATA = BHM

| ICAO = KBHM

| FAA = BHM

| TC =

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| GPS =

| WMO = 722280

| elevation = {{Convert|198.1|m|0}}

| r1-number = 6/24

| r1-length = {{Convert|3659.7|m|0}}

| r1-surface = Asphalt

| r2-number = 18/36

| r2-length = {{Convert|2163.7|m|0}}

| r2-surface = Asphalt

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| footnotes = Airfield shared with Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport
Source: Federal Aviation Administration{{Cite web|url=https://aeronav.faa.gov/d-tpp/2002/00050ad.pdf#nameddest=(BHM)|title=Airport Diagram – Birmingham–Shuttlesworth Intl (BHM)|date=30 January 2020|website=Federal Aviation Administration|access-date=22 February 2020}}

}}

Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base {{airport codes|BHM|KBHM|BHM}} is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation located at a Birmingham, Alabama in the United States. It hosts the 117th Air Refueling Wing, part of the Air National Guard, which operates the KC-135R Stratotanker. The base was previously known as Alabama Air National Guard Base.

History

File:BHM 117th 20100121 0664.JPG departing with the Alabama Air National Guard hangars and buildings behind.]]

The base is named after United States Army Air Forces Colonel Walter Sumpter Smith who was born on 12 February 1896 in Belle Ellen, Alabama and became an electrical engineer and a pilot. In 1921, Smith was appointed to the 106th Observation Squadron of the Alabama National Guard and commissioned as a first lieutenant at Roberts Field in Birmingham, Alabama. He reached the rank of lieutenant colonel on August 12, 1932 and colonel in 1942.{{Cite web|url=https://www.117arw.ang.af.mil/News/Features/Display/Article/1369874/a-return-to-sumpter-smith/|title=A Return to Sumpter Smith|last=Johnson|first=Senior Master Sgt. Ken|date=11 November 2017|website=117th Air Refueling Wing|publisher=US Air Force|access-date=22 February 2020}}

In 1934, the facilities at Roberts Field became less adequate and the local government decided to build a new facility which became Birmingham Municipal Airport. In 1938, after four years of construction, the 106th Observation Squadron moved to the new base.

As a testimony to Smith’s role in the development and construction, the base was eventually named Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base. It remained that way until sometime during the early 1990s when the name evolved to the Alabama Air National Guard Base, Birmingham, Alabama. It’s not really clear why the name changed and no official documents have been found. A push was made to restore the name of the base to Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base and was made official during the summer of 2017.

Based units

Flying and notable non-flying units based at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base.{{Cite web|url=https://www.117arw.ang.af.mil/Units/|title=Units|last=|first=|date=|website=117th Air Refuelling Wing|publisher=US Air Force|access-date=22 February 2020}}

Units marked GSU are Geographically Separate Units, which although based at Sumpter Smith, are subordinate to a parent unit based at another location.

= United States Air Force =

Air National Guard

Air Mobility Command

See also

References

{{US Air Force|article=A Return to Sumpter Smith|url=https://www.117arw.ang.af.mil/News/Features/Display/Article/1369874/a-return-to-sumpter-smith/|accessdate=22 February 2020|author=Senior Master Sgt. Ken Johnson}}

Category:Installations of the United States Air Force in Alabama

Category:Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Alabama

Category:Installations of the United States Air National Guard

Category:Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport