Editing Grand Forks Air Force Base (section)

===Strategic Air Command===
[[File:GFAFBMissile.jpg|thumb|130px|[[LGM-30 Minuteman#Minuteman-III .28LGM-30G.29: the current model|Minuteman III]] missile at GFAFB entrance]]
On 1 September 1958, the [[Strategic Air Command]] (SAC) established the 4133d Strategic Wing at Grand Forks as part of its plan to disperse its [[Boeing B-52 Stratofortress|B-52]] heavy bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for the [[Soviet Union]] to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike. Many of these bases were near the U.S. border with Canada; those close to GFAFB in the north central U.S. were [[Minot Air Force Base|Minot]] and [[Glasgow Air Force Base|Glasgow]] to the west, and three in [[Michigan]] to the east ([[K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base|Sawyer]], [[Kincheloe Air Force Base|Kinchloe]], and [[Wurtsmith Air Force Base|Wurtsmith]]).

The 4133d SW was redesignated as the 319th Bombardment Wing (319th BW) on 1 February 1963 in a name-only redesignation and was assigned to SAC's [[Second Air Force]], [[810th Strategic Aerospace Division]]. Upon redesignation, the wing placed aircraft on peacetime quick reaction alert duty, and conducted global bombardment training for [[Emergency War Order]] operations and air refueling operations to meet SAC commitments. The aircraft in the 1960s at GFAFB were the latest models: B-52H bombers and [[Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker|KC-135A]] tankers.<ref name=hofgf07/>

In 1973, the 319th Bomb Wing acquired the [[AGM-69 SRAM|AGM-69 Short Range Attack Missile]] (SRAM), replacing the older [[AGM-28 Hound Dog]] air-to-ground missile aboard its B-52H aircraft. As the activities in [[Vietnam War|Southeast Asia]] decreased, the 319th BW focused its full efforts on training crews to fly strategic strike missions.

On 1 November 1964, 321st [[Strategic Missile Wing]] was organized as the [[LGM-30 Minuteman#Minuteman-II .28LGM-30F.29|Minuteman II]] intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) wing at GFAFB, the first in SAC.

During 1965, the wing's three missile squadrons were activated and crew training and certification began at [[Vandenberg Air Force Base|Vandenberg AFB]] in [[southern California]]. In August 1965, the base received its first Minuteman II missile, shipped by train from Assembly Plant 77 at [[Hill Air Force Base|Hill AFB]] at [[Ogden, Utah]]. During the following March, the base received the first Minuteman II to be shipped via aircraft, an Air Force first. The [[LGM-30 Minuteman#Minuteman-III .28LGM-30G.29: the current model|Minuteman III]] replaced the former in the 1970s.

The 319th transitioned from B-52H to B-52G aircraft in 1983 adding the [[AGM-86 ALCM|AGM-86 Air Launched Cruise Missile]] (ALCM) in 1984.<ref name=hofgf07/><ref name=cjreftobl>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1916&dat=19840306&id=2iBJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WAYNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2980,738215 |newspaper=The Hour |location=Norwalk, CT |title=Canadian judge refuses to block test flight of U.S. cruise missiles |date=6 March 1984 |page=2 }}</ref> In December 1986, the last B-52G permanently departed GFAFB, replaced by the [[Rockwell B-1 Lancer|B-1B Lancer]] in 1987. The tanker aircraft were also changed, from KC-135A to KC-135R. A change in the host unit occurred again in 1988, when the 42d Air Division was assigned for base support in place of the 321st SMW.<ref name=hofgf07/>

====Cold War aircraft incidents====
*On 2 November 1967, a Grand Forks B-52H (61-0030)<ref name=61ser>{{cite web|url=http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1961.html |publisher=Joseph F. Baugher |title=1961 USAF serial numbers |access-date=11 May 2014}}</ref> crashed near [[Griffiss Air Force Base|Griffiss AFB]] in central [[New York (state)|New York]], killing six of the eight aboard.<ref name=ser610030>{{cite web |url=http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=48280 |publisher=Aviation Safety |title=61-0030 |agency=ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 48280 |date=2 November 1967 |access-date=11 May 2014}}</ref> It had engine difficulties and was attempting an emergency landing.<ref name=scrmngr>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QmEtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VogFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2940%2C522945 |newspaper=Schenectady Gazette |agency=Associated Press |title=B52 crashes at Griffiss, 6 crewman dead, 2 hurt |date=3 November 1967 |page=1 }}</ref>
*On 15 September 1980, a B-52H on alert status experienced a wing fire that burned for three hours, fanned by evening winds of {{convert|26|mph|abbr=on}}. The wind direction was parallel to the fuselage, which likely had [[AGM-69 SRAM|SRAM]]s in the main bay. Eight years later, a weapons expert testified to a closed [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]] hearing that a change of wind direction could have led to a conventional explosion and a widespread scattering of radioactive [[plutonium]].<ref name=abrwnuccat>{{cite news|url=http://articles.philly.com/1991-08-13/news/25804807_1_nuclear-weapons-nuclear-arsenal-roger-batzel |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512215032/http://articles.philly.com/1991-08-13/news/25804807_1_nuclear-weapons-nuclear-arsenal-roger-batzel |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 May 2014 |newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer |last=Karaim |first=Reed |title=A Brush With Nuclear Catastrophe |date=13 August 1991 |access-date=11 May 2014}}</ref>
* Mid-morning on 27 January 1983, a B-52G (57-6507)<ref name=57ser>{{cite web|url=http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1957.html |publisher=Joseph F. Baugher |title=1957 USAF serial numbers |access-date=11 May 2014}}</ref> exploded on the maintenance ramp, killing five maintenance personnel and injuring eight.<ref name=fkabeabx>{{cite news
|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_gNMAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vPkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2329%2C3001771 |newspaper=Spokane Chronicle |agency=Associated Press |title=Five killed as bomber explodes at air base; $38 million damage |date=27 January 1983 |page=1}}</ref><ref name=cfsfpr >{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bAoQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SIsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5193%2C3642466
|newspaper=Free Lance-Star |location=Fredericksburg, VA |agency=Associated Press |title=B-52 fire brings call for safety probe |date=28 January 1983 |page=3 }}</ref><ref name=exfrafbr>{{cite news
|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=s_hLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o-4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5154%2C5885789 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |agency=Associated Press |title=Explosion, fire rip AF bomber; kill 5 injure 8 |date=28 September 1983 |page=1 }}</ref> A faulty fuel pump in a wing tank was being attended to prior to the accident.<ref name=ser576507>{{cite web |url=http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=48377 |publisher=Aviation Safety |title=57-6507 |agency=ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 48377 |date=27 January 1983 |access-date=11 May 2014}}</ref>