Barksdale Air Force Base Louisiana Historic Postcards

Barksdale Main Gate

Alexandria and Central Louisiana were the site of the massive Louisiana Maneuvers staged before World War II, supported by Camp Livingston, Camp Claiborne, Camp Beauregard, Esler Field and Alexandria Army Air Base.

Other military installations in Louisiana have in the past, and some still do today, play key roles in the defense of the United States.

Louisiana World War II military bases such as Chennault Air Force Base in Lake Charles, Fort Polk in Leesville, Selman Army Airfield in Monroe, Harding Army Airfield in Baton Rouge, Pollock Army Airfield, and others have storied pasts.

Today, Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City continues to be a major active military facility. Construction began on Barksdale Field in 1931, and the facility was dedicated on February 2, 1933.

Courtesy of the U.S. Air Force

It was renamed Barksdale Air Force Base in 1948, and in its early years supported B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator, B-29 Superfortress and other aircraft. Later, it hosted Boeing B-47 Stratojet aircraft assigned to the Strategic Air Command (SAC). Although not stationed at Barksdale, the other major SAC bomber and Cold War deterrent of the time was the B-36 Peacemaker.

Since that time, the base has hosted a number of key operational and training elements of the Air Force. Today, it is serves as Headquarters of the Eighth Air Force, among other units.

It is the home base of a large number of Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers, KC-135 tankers and KC-10 tankers, among other operational aircraft. A good review of Barksdale is on WikiPedia.

Courtesy of the U.S. Air Force

The 8th Air Force Museum is located at Barksdale and is a major national repository of historic Air Force airplanes. It is free and open to the public, and highly recommended.

The Retrospective has collected numerous historic postcards about the early years at Barksdale which show amazing stories of the magnitude of the base, and showcased it as "The World's Largest Airport".

It is recognized that this is still not a complete collection, and I encourage those with postcards or photographs not yet posted here to submit them for inclusion in the collection, thereby offering everyone with Alexandria and Barksdale connections an opportunity to enjoy, and appreciate, them.

Barksdale AFB Historic Postcards

Barksdale Field Hospital
Barksdale Field Officers Club
Barksdale Field
Barksdale Field Aerial View
Barksdale Field Aerial View
"Old Glory" waving over "The World's Largest Airport", at Barksdale Field Headquarters Building in the background

Just Off Base in Bossier City

Amber Inn Drive-In Restaurant, E. Texas Street, U.S. Highway 80 Bossier City, Louisiana
Barksdale Motel Bossier City, Louisiana

Bridges from Bossier City to Shreveport

Bridge across the Red River connecting Bossier City (bottom) to Shreveport (top)
Shreveport-Bossier Barksdale Bridge across the Red River, looking east towards the Barksdale Main Gate