Homestead Air Reserve Base began as Homestead Army Air Field, named on September 16, 1942, and opened that November as a ferrying field for World War II aircraft. A hurricane wrecked it in 1945 and it closed, then returned in 1955 as Homestead Air Force Base, a Strategic Air Command bomber base that played a prominent role in the Cuban Missile Crisis. After decades as a fighter base, it was devastated by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and reopened in 1994 as a reserve installation. Since 2003 it has been called Homestead Air Reserve Base, with the 482nd Fighter Wing as host. The base lies northeast of the city, and its history is closely tied to Homestead's own.
Timeline of the base
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| September 16, 1942 | Homestead Army Air Field is named; construction starts the next day |
| November 1942 | Opens as an Air Transport Command ferrying field |
| September 1945 | A hurricane heavily damages the field |
| December 14, 1945 | The field is inactivated |
| February 1, 1955 | Renamed Homestead Air Force Base |
| November 1, 1955 | The 379th Bombardment Wing is activated at the base |
| 1956 | B-47 bomber and KC-97 tanker operations begin |
| 1961–1968 | The 19th Bombardment Wing flies B-52 bombers and KC-135 tankers |
| October 1962 | The base is a major staging point during the Cuban Missile Crisis |
| July 1, 1968 | Control passes from Strategic Air Command to Tactical Air Command |
| August 24, 1992 | Hurricane Andrew severely damages the base |
| April 1, 1994 | Transferred to the Air Force Reserve as Homestead Air Reserve Station |
| December 2003 | Renamed Homestead Air Reserve Base |
World War II: a ferrying field
The Army chose the flat land northeast of Homestead in 1942 for an air field to support the war effort. Its first job was to help move aircraft and crews toward the war overseas as an Air Transport Command ferrying field. The field brought large numbers of service members to what was still a small farm town, changing local businesses, housing and traffic almost overnight. In September 1945, just after the war ended, a hurricane heavily damaged the field, and it was inactivated in December.
The Strategic Air Command years
For almost a decade the land sat largely idle. An advance team arrived in 1954 to rebuild, and on February 1, 1955, it reopened as Homestead Air Force Base. The 379th Bombardment Wing was activated that November and began flying B-47 jet bombers and KC-97 tankers in 1956. The 19th Bombardment Wing, which arrived the same year with the same aircraft, converted to B-52 bombers and KC-135 tankers in 1961 and stayed until 1968. These were the years of nuclear alert and the Cold War, and the base became a major employer in South Dade.
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuba lies roughly 90 miles south of the Florida Keys, which made Homestead a front-line base in October 1962. During the crisis the base hosted a provisional air division with more than 180 F-100 fighter-bombers, and over 10,000 Army personnel moved into the area. In the following years the Army also set up Nike Hercules missile batteries around Homestead and Miami. One of them, Nike Missile Site HM-69, is preserved inside Everglades National Park; see the history behind Homestead's two national parks.
The fighter era
The 31st Tactical Fighter Wing arrived in 1962, and in 1968 control of the base passed to Tactical Air Command. Over the years the wing flew F-4 Phantoms and, from 1985, F-16s. Homestead remained an active-duty fighter base for about three decades, and generations of local families had a connection to it through work, school or service.
Hurricane Andrew and the near-closure
Aircraft and personnel were evacuated before Andrew arrived in August 1992, but the storm left most of the base's roughly 2,000 buildings severely damaged or unusable. In 1993 the base appeared on an initial closure list. The base realignment commission instead recommended rebuilding it as an Air Force Reserve installation. On April 1, 1994, the base was transferred to the Air Force Reserve and renamed Homestead Air Reserve Station, with the 482nd Fighter Wing as host. It was removed from the 1995 closure list, renamed Homestead Air Reserve Base in December 2003 and survived the 2005 round of base closures. For the storm itself, see Hurricane Andrew and Homestead.
The base today
- Host unit: the 482nd Fighter Wing, an Air Force Reserve wing that flies F-16 fighters.
- Other tenants: the headquarters of Special Operations Command South is also located at the base.
- Footprint: smaller than the pre-1992 active-duty base; parts of the former base area were annexed by the city in the late 1990s.
- Neighbors: Homestead-Miami Speedway and new residential areas have grown up nearby.
The base is an active military installation. Access is restricted, and photography near gates and fences may be limited. Public events such as air shows are announced by the base when they happen.
Researching the base's history
| Source | What you may find |
|---|---|
| Local history museum in the old town hall | Photographs and artifacts tied to the city's military past |
| Air Force Historical Research Agency | Unit histories and lineage records for wings that served at the base |
| National Archives | Military records, including service records for veterans and their families |
| Florida Memory (State Archives of Florida) | Digitized photographs of the base and the area |
| Newspaper archives | Coverage of the base's openings, closures, crashes and the 1992 storm |
For more research tips, including how to look up a family member's connection to Homestead, see the guide to researching house and family history in Homestead.
Why the base matters to the city's story
The base shaped Homestead's economy, housing and population for half a century. Its wartime arrival turned a farm town into a military town; its Cold War role put Homestead on the front line in 1962; and its near-closure after Andrew threatened a major source of local jobs. The Homestead history timeline shows how these events fit with the rest of the city's past.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Homestead Air Force Base open?
The original Homestead Army Air Field was named on September 16, 1942, and opened that November. After closing in 1945, it reopened as Homestead Air Force Base on February 1, 1955.
Is Homestead Air Reserve Base still active?
Yes. It is an Air Force Reserve installation hosted by the 482nd Fighter Wing, which flies F-16s. It has carried the name Homestead Air Reserve Base since December 2003.
What role did the base play in the Cuban Missile Crisis?
In October 1962 the base was a major staging point, hosting more than 180 F-100 fighter-bombers in a provisional air division, while over 10,000 Army personnel moved into the area.
Did Hurricane Andrew close the base?
Not permanently. Andrew left most of its buildings severely damaged, and the base was placed on a closure list in 1993. It was instead rebuilt and reopened in 1994 as a reserve installation.
Can the public visit Homestead Air Reserve Base?
Access is restricted because it is an active military installation. The base occasionally announces public events such as air shows; check official base announcements for any upcoming dates.