Area Served[]
Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, frequently referred to as DMB, is a United States Air Force base located 5 miles southeast of downtown Tucson, in Pima County, in the south-central region of Arizona. It was established in 1927 as Davis–Monthan Landing Field. The field was named in honor of World War I pilots Lieutenants Samuel Howard Davis (November 20, 1896 – December 28, 1921) and Oscar Monthan (June 4, 1885 – March 27, 1924), both Tucson natives. Samuel Davis, who attended the University of Arizona, was a veteran of World War I and survived the war, choosing to remain in the US Army Air Service afterwards. Lt. Davis was killed while a passenger in a Curtiss JN-6 HG biplane gunnery trainer on a training flight at Carlstrom Field in Arcadia, Florida in 1921. Oscar Monthan attended the Boston School of Technology and learned to fly at Wright Field in Alabama. He lost his life in the crash of a Martin B2 bomber at Luke Field on Ford Island, Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii in 1924. The host unit for Davis–Monthan AFB is the 355th Wing assigned to Twelfth Air Force, part of the United States AIr Force Air Combat Command. However, perhaps the most prominent tenant at Davis-Monthan is the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group of the Air Force Material Command. As the main location for the 309 AMARG, the base is the sole aircraft boneyard for excess military and US government aircraft, as well as other aerospace vehicles such as ballistic missiles. Tucson's dry climate and alkali soil make it an ideal location to store and preserve aircraft with more than 4,000 military aircraft parked on the base property.
Department Profile[]
Aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF), structure firefighting, emergency medical services, technical rescue, hazmat services, fire prevention and inspection for Davis-Monthan AFB is provided by the 355th Civil Engineer Squadron / Davis-Monthan Fire and Emergency Services, a subordinate unit of the 355th Mission Support Group, comprised of civilian and military firefighters.
History[]
In 1925, the Tucson City Council purchased 1,280 acres of land southeast of town to build a municipal airport. Construction was completed in 1927 and the world-famous aviator and US Army Air Corps Reserve Lt. Charles Lindbergh formally dedicated the site in honor of two deceased local airmen as Davis-Monthan Landing Field, then the largest municipal airport in the United States. In 1940 with the winds of war raging, the War Department officially established an Army Air Corps base in Tucson, renaming it Tucson Army Airfield. Known as Davis–Monthan Army Airfield since December 3, 1941, the base became home to newly assigned units such as the 1st Bombardment Wing, 41st Bomb Group and 31st Air Base Group. As the war progressed, it was used for training and deployment of Douglas B-18 Bolo, Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers, the latter two key to the war effort. Following the war, Davis-Monthan continued operating both as a storage for Army Air Force planes as well as a base of operations for bombers. In 1948, with the establishment of the US Air Force, it was officially redesignated as Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
Apparatus Roster[]
All pump/tank measurements are in US gallons.
Fire Station 1 - 4420 South Phoenix Street[]
- Engine 5 (AF11L00155) - 2011 Pierce Contender P-22 (1250/700/25A/25B) (SN#24521-1)
- Engine 6 - 2014 KME Predator P-22 (1250/500/25A/25B)
- Water Tender 751 (AF18L00105) - 2018 Freightliner M2 112 6x4 / Rosenbauer Central dryside
- Rescue 751 - 2002 Freightliner FL 70 / Pierce Encore P-30 rescue (SN#13505)
- Ladder 751 (AF11C00440) - 2012 E-One Typhoon HP75 P-33 (1250/500/75' rear-mount) (SO#136921)
- Crash 751 (AF11C00305) - 2012 Ford F-550 / Pierce P-34 RIV (UHP/500/15A/56B)
- Crash 752 - 1995 E-One / Teledyne P-23 8x8 (2000/3300/500B 500 lbs PK)
- Crash 753 - 2020 Rosenbauer Panther 6x6 (UHP/3000/423F/500 lbs. DC)
Fire Station 2 - 5150 East Arizola Street @ 3rd Street[]
- Engine 7 (AF14L00094) - 2014 Pierce Saber P-22 (1250/500/25A/25B) (SN#27573-02)
- Crash 754 (AF07L00377) - 2007 Oshkosh Striker 4x4 (2000/1500/210AFFF/450 lbs. PKP)
Station/Assignment Unknown[]
- 2014 Pierce Saber P-22 pumper (1250/500/25A/25B) (SN#27573-01)
Retired Apparatus[]
- 2005 Pierce Enforcer P-22 pumper (1500/750/25) (SN#16033-01)
- (AF95L00200) - 1995 E-One / Teledyne P-23 8x8 crash tender (2000/3300/500B 500 lbs. PK) (Ex-Crash 17)
- 1994 International S2674 / West-Mark P-26 tanker (1250/5000) (Ex-Water Tender 9)
- (AF92L00125) - 1992 KME Renegade P-22 pumper (1250/750/2x25) (Ex-Engine 5)
External Links[]
- Davis-Monthan at Airplane Boneyards.