alternatehistory.com

Another thread inspired by my readings at Borders today- just read thru a USAF manual, which included a section on all active USAF bases in CONUS & worldwide, such as their respective histories- it was interesting to trace the names of these AFBs designated after particular USAF personnel- such as, just to name a few, Tinker AFB Oklahoma after Mag Gen Clarence Tinker, the 1st native American to be promoted to general (from the Osage tribe) & also the 1st US geenral KIA during WWII when he was shot down during the Battle of Midway leading an attack on the Jap carriers with the island-based USAAF bombers; or Barksdale AFB Mississippi for Lt Eugene Hoy Barksdale, a USAAC WWI vet killed in a plane crash in 1926; or Vandernberg AFB California after Gen Hoyt Vandenberg, 2nd USAF Chief-of-Staff; or Hickam AFB Hawaii after Lt Col Horace Meek Hickam, USAAC pioneer killed in a plane crash in 1935; or Luke AFB Arizona after Frank Luke, America's 2nd ace & MOH winner from WWI; or McGuire AFB New Jersey, after Tommy McGuire, 2nd highest-scoring USAAF ace in the PTO.

Now, what could've been some other names of USAAC/USAAF/USAF to be used for USAF bases ? How bout the following (some of which I'm a bit surprised haven't had bases named after them, given their prominence in USAF history generally) ?
Eddie Rickenbacker
Raoul Lufbery
Ira Eaker
Carl Tooey Spaatz
Louis Brereton
Jimmy Doolittle
Phil Cochran
Francis 'Gabby' Gabrieski
Dick Bong
Elwood 'Pete' Quesada
Chuck Yeager
Benjamin O. Davis jnr
Robin Olds
Daniel 'Chappie' James

Hmm, of course, with some of the Vietnam War-era names like Olds or James, there would've been the factor that by the 1970s, most active USAF bases would've already been named- but how bout perhaps assigning new USAF stations with their names ? Such as a new USAF AFB in a place like Djibouti or somewhere in the Mideast being named after Robin Olds or Chappie James, or maybe Ritchie-DeBellevue after the last USAF aces of the Vietnam War ?
Top