Maxwell AFB History

In 1910, the Wright Brothers established a flying school at what is now Maxwell AFB.

Wright Brothers' Plane
year and location unknown
(USAF photo)

The following photographs were found at a history web site for multiple Air Force bases. I contacted the web master for that site, and he replied that he obtained them via an official Maxwell AFB web site. The pictures have since been removed from the official site. They are quite old, and appear to be official photographs, therefore they are in the public domain.

(Unofficial) Maxwell AFB History web site


2Lt William C. Maxwell ~ 1920
(official photograph obtained via web site noted above)


Maxwell Field before WW II build up
Austin Hall (AU HQ) is in the center of the photograph
(official photograph obtained via web site noted above)


Austin Hall Graduating Class - 1931
(official photograph obtained via web site noted above)

Compare the doorway above with the one below.


Air University HQ - 1979
(photo by Philip "J.P." Brown)


WAAC - 1943
(official photograph obtained via web site noted above)


British Cadets - 1941
(official photograph obtained via web site noted above)

Compare the roof gables in the background in the above picture with similar ones in the background below. It appears that the SP Barracks (Building 813 and others) were built by 1941. The screens around the porches would have been needed since air conditioning was not widespread.


Building 813, facing north ~ 1976
(photo by Ron Fellion)

Gunter AFS History

Gunter AFS was established in 1940. The following document outlines how the City of Montgomery, AL, provided the municipal airport for the training of military pilots. It was used extensively during WWII. Its mission and use changed over the years.


History page for Gunter AFS
(via Bill McCue, scanned by Steve Branyon)

Commissary Destroyed by Fire, 1973
On February 18, 1973, the Commissary at Gunter burned down. There were no injuries, and the cause of the fire was unknown.

• The Tuscaloosa News bulletin
     via Google Archives

Gunter AFS Map ~ 1976
(via Bill McCue, scanned by Steve Branyon)

Maxwell SPs Aid Hurricane Frederick Victims, 1979

• 09/10/2009: Thanks to Jeff Connors for the list of names of SPs who were involved with Hurricane Frederick relief efforts.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO SEE FULL SIZE

SP Unit and Base Designations

The various security and law enforcement units at Maxwell AFB and Gunter AFS have had numerous designations over the decades. Since the Air Force was once part of the Army, there were "M.P." units during World War II and into 1948. Maxwell AFB was known as "Maxwell Field", and Gunter AFS was known as "Gunter Field", during that era.

SP Unit Designations

Here are the possible unit designations at Gunter and Maxwell:

• 1947 ~ 502d Air University Wing


• 1948 ~ 3800th Air Police Squadron


• 1966 ~ 3800th Security Police Squadron


• 1992 ~ 502d Security Police Squadron


• 1994 ~ 42nd Security Police Squadron


• 1997 ~ 42nd Security Forces Squadron

Thanks to Bill McCue for providing, and to Steve Branyon for scanning, numerous photos and documents from Gunter AFS. Below is an organizational chart for the 3800th ABS SP Section circa 1978. It shows how the SP unit at Gunter AFS was separate from the SP unit at Maxwell AFB.


Gunter AFS 3800th ABS/SPS Organizational Chart
(via Bill McCue, scanned by Steve Branyon)

Gunter and Maxwell Designations

Over the years, Gunter and Maxwell have had numerous designations. These occurred as the USAF became a distinct service from the Army, combined with Gunter's evolving role. The base closings in the early 1990s also affected this.

Gunter Field

Gunter AFS

Gunter AFB

Gunter Annex

Maxwell Field

Maxwell AFB

Maxwell-Gunter

Maxwell/Gunter Pistol Rifle Team 1977

Thanks once again to Ron Fellion. Here's a clipping he sent of the Maxwell AFB Gunter AFS Combined Pistol/Rifle Team. This is at the "Top Gun" competition in 1977 at Lackland AFB, TX.

Left to Right: Ron Fellion, Steve Branyon, Gary Nickols,
Ralph Conner, Bill McCue, Jeff Connors
(clipping by Ron Fellion)

Thanks to Jeff Connors for the following photos:


Firing Range at Lackland AFB
(photo by Jeff Connors)


Crouch Position at Lackland AFB
(photo by Jeff Connors)

Jeff Connors also sent a PDF file from "Airman" magazine from 1979. Thanks to Jeff for sending that file. It is very large, but I may post it in its entirety later. Below are excerpts from it:


Article and photo credits
(photo by TSgt Bob Wickley, AAVS; article by Capt Katie Cutler)
(submitted by Jeff Connors)


Welcome sign for "Top Gun" Competition
(photo by TSgt Bob Wickley, AAVS; article by Capt Katie Cutler)
(submitted by Jeff Connors)


Unsnapped: The Smith and Wesson .38 Revolver
(photo by TSgt Bob Wickley, AAVS; article by Capt Katie Cutler)
(submitted by Jeff Connors)


A Red Hat, plus other clippings
(photo by TSgt Bob Wickley, AAVS; article by Capt Katie Cutler)
(submitted by Jeff Connors)


Firing the M-16
(photo by TSgt Bob Wickley, AAVS; article by Capt Katie Cutler)
(submitted by Jeff Connors)


Is this Jeff Connors?
(photo by TSgt Bob Wickley, AAVS; article by Capt Katie Cutler)
(submitted by Jeff Connors)


TSgt Guy R. Harrison, Air Training Command, Aggregate Honors
(photo by TSgt Bob Wickley, AAVS; article by Capt Katie Cutler)
(submitted by Jeff Connors)


Top Gun 1977 notepad
(via Bill McCue, scanned by Steve Branyon)

Unit News Headlines

• Individual News


• 42nd SFS Hosts 2013 Police Week


• 100th Maxwell-Gunter Cop Found


• New IDs Needed by July 2011


• SSgt Olson Wounded in Afghanistan, 2010


• News About Murder of TSgt Tom Campbell, 1978


• President Reagan's 1982 Visit


• Couple Murdered at Base Store, 1973


• SP Audio Recordings During V.P. Mondale's Visit, 1979


• Building 837 Torn Down


• Building 813 (SP Barracks) Gone


• Gates Undergo Major Overhaul


• Gunter SPs Deploy for Desert Storm, 1990-91


• 42nd SFS Bike Patrol (AU/PA)


• Contract Guards, DOD/DAF Police Hired


• Maxwell-Gunter "Top Gun" Team 1977


• Maxwell SPs Aid Hurricane Frederick Victims, 1979


• UFO Visits Maxwell


• Gunter AFS History


• Maxwell AFB History


• SP Unit and Base Designations

Building 837 Torn Down

SMSgt (Ret.) Mark Guest wrote that Building 837, which for decades served as Security Police Headquarters and Operations, and was named in honor of TSgt Thomas L. Campbell, has been torn down. The first image below (via Google) shows it standing (perhaps in early 2009). The second image (via Yahoo) shows it torn down. The third image at the bottom, shows Maxwell Field prior to WW II, and one can almost discern Building 837.

Details on exactly when Building 837 was demolished, and where the portrait of Tom Campbell has been moved to, are unknown as of this posting.

01/13/2010 - Update - Gene Cody related that the portrait of Tom Campbell is on display in the entry hall of the "new" 42nd SFS Building.

Two other large buildings directly across Maxwell Boulevard on the south side have also been torn down (one was a recreation center, the other housed a post office). The new 42nd Security Forces Squadron building is located at 130 W. Selfridge.


Building 837 (perhaps early 2009)
(image ©2009 Google - Imagery; ©2009 DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, U.S. Geological Survey)


Maxwell Boulevard with three buildings gone (perhaps late 2009)
(image ©2009 Yahoo! Inc.)


(official U.S. government photo)

Building 813 (SP Barracks) Gone

• Remember the song "They Paved Paradise and Put Up a Parking Lot"? Well look below.


• The image below is from Google Maps. It shows where the old SP barracks (Building 813 and others) were torn down for the new Building 804 (headquarters for the new 42nd Air Base Wing).


• The barracks were located just north of Peach Street (which routinely flooded).


• Building 837 was standing when this was originally posted. It is now torn down.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO SEE FULL SIZE
(composite of Google image and photo by Ron Fellion)