Trip Report: Abilene Again
First published in 2006. Reformatted 2025. I spent two weeks working on Dyess Air Force Base, another travel opportunity courtesy of my job. I managed to find a few new places to visit in this part of Texas, and paid my return respects to some others. Just a reminder PIN means Permanent Installation Number and ILC means Installation Location Code; I include these for Air Force properties when I know them.Sunday, 5 March 2006
The best thing about visiting Dyess? I didn't have to fly--I drove over in my own car. Dyess Water System Site No. 7 TX, 32-10-38, 99-46-04. My first objective was a water system annex for an Atlas missile site.General view
General view
General view
Well Dyess Missile Site No. 6 TX. My friend Larry Sanders provided a guided tour.
Silo doors
General view
Hardened HF antenna silo
Hardened UHF antenna mount
Sight tube mount
Stainless steel fittings
Stainless steel fittings
Silo door area
Personnel entryway
Launch control center
Personnel entryway
Launch control center
Launch control center
Silo
Silo doors viewed from below Dyess Small Arms Range Annex TX. I had to make a nostalgia detour to this portion of Camp Barkeley later reused by the Air Force for M16 training.
Gate After this, I settled in at the Dyess AFB Temporary Lodging Facility.
Sunday, 12 March 2006
Abilene National Guard Armory TX. This armory building was constructed in 1955. It is still active, but according to the 2005 BRAC report, Texas plans to close it in the near future.Building
Building
Building Arledge Field TX, aka Plancor 553, 32-55, 99-44. Coleman Flying School, Ltd. operated the airfield as a contract flying school for the Army Air Forces during WWII. During the war the field was purchased by the Defense Plant Corporation, who identified this property as Plancor 553.
184-foot demountable hangar
184-foot demountable hangar
184-foot demountable hangar
Hangar
Building Rainey Park Housing TX, aka Plancor 1770, 32-56-16, 99-47-14. The town of Stamford was home to this housing for civilian war workers. The housing is long-gone and a church exists on part of the property. This housing supported Arledge Field during WWII.
General view
General view Stamford National Guard Armory TX. This classic 1950s armory building was disposed of by the State of Texas in 1992.
Building
Building
Building
Thursday, 16 March 2006
Our work finished up in the morning, and I drove home in the afternoon. Mineral Wells National Guard Armory TX. This armory building was built in 1955.Building
Building
Building Weatherford National Guard Armory TX. This armory was built in 1958.
Building
Building Another successful work trip. As they say, a bad day in the field still beats a good day in the office. Updated March 29, 2025
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