Westover Air Reserve Base Installation Mission and Context

Mission History The host unit of Westover Air Reserve Base (ARB) is the 439th Wing Westover ARB has been in operation since 1940 when it was created by a war-readiness appropriation signed by assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command. The Command utilizes President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Base served as a bomber training base and port of embarkation/debarkation Westover ARB for its largest , the C-5M Super Galaxy during World War II. Following the war, the base was a staging point for the Berlin Aircraft, a headquarters of the aircraft. The Wing’s flying unit is the 337th Airlift Squadron, which Military Air Transport Service system until 1955. From that time until 1974, the base was a major Strategic Air specialized mission involves transporting outsized and oversized cargo, Command base. Since then, Westover has been an Air Force Reserve Command base. The 439th Tactical Airlift Wing supporting the ’s Rapid Global Mobility mission to operated the C-130 Hercules and C-123 Provider aircraft until 1987. The wing converted to the C-5 Galaxy aircraft in provide surge capacity to the expeditionary Air Force during any rapid 1987 and was redesignated the 439th Airlift Wing in 1992. deployment. The 439th is capable of providing worldwide air movement of troops, supplies, equipment and medical patients. The peacetime mission of Westover ARB includes recruiting and training of personnel to Base was realigned as a joint-use civilian/ assure mission readiness and also serves as a FEMA staging base during 99th Bombardment Wing, military aireld New C-5M Super Galaxy national emergencies. Named Westover AFB B-52 Stratofortress bombers C-5 Galaxy aircraft arrived aircraft arrived 1940 1948 1956 1974 1987 2011 2017 2018 2020

Location 1960’s and 1970’s 2011 - 2017 NEW SALEM ME Bombers and tankers C-5 aircrews ew AMHERST Westover ARB is located in VT HADLEY NH executed various missions 1974 - 1987 various NORTHAMPTON NY Mount Holyoke Quabbin during the Korean Con ict, 439th Tactical Airlift humanitarian Skinner Range State Park Reservoir Quabbin Park Hampden County in the Pioneer WESTHAMPTON ^_ MA State Park WESTOVER ARB

)"9 RI Vietnam War and Cold War Wing Operated support missions CT WARE C-130 Hercules PA BELCHERTOWN Valley of and is NJ Mount £ ATLANTIC OCEAN Tom State ¤202 EASTHAMPTON Reservation GRANBY the nation's largest Air Force SOUTH HADLEY . Co shire Hamp Co. Reserve base in land mass. Westover ARB en d Hamp SOUTHAMPTON Springfield Reservoir HOLYOKE The installation consists of Chicopee LUDLOW Economic Impact PALMER approximately 2,500 acres of §¦¨391 §¦¨90 §¦¨91 The military provides direct, indirect, and induced economic benefits to local communities through jobs and wages. ¤£ land in the Towns of Chicopee 20 Benefits include employment opportunities, increases in local business revenue, and revenue from the sale and WEST WESTFIELD and Ludlow and adjacent to the SPRINGFIELD Legend WILBRAHAM

SPRINGFIELD ^_ Westover ARB taxing of property. In 2019, Westover ARB’s local economic impact was approximately $195 million. Westover ARB Towns of South Hadley, Granby, Interstate MONSON ¤£5 State Route directly employs 2,070 military personnel and 814 civilians. U.S. Highway Robinson and Springfield. Westover ARB is Airfield Runway State Park Installation Boundary Forest Park

City Boundary AGAWAM HAMPDEN EAST LONGMEADOW a joint-use military and civilian County Boundary 91 SOUTHWICK §¦¨

Park/Recreation Area LONGMEADOW Massachusetts State Boundary In 2018 Westover welcomed new C-5M Super Galaxy cargo planes to the airfield with Westover Waterbody Congamond Connecticut 0 Lakes 3 É Metropolitan Airport. Miles base, representing an investment of around $720 million by the Air Force.

AIR INSTALLATIONS COMPATIBLE USE ZONES STUDY 1005067.0016.16