Base History
Published March 31, 2006
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth Carswell Field
The Beginning: Carswell Air Force Base
NAS JRB Fort Worth is located at the site of the former Carswell Air Force Base. In 1941, the installation was known as the Tarrant Field Airdrome, which served the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation. The airdrome became Fort Worth Army Air Field on January 2, 1942, following the attack in Pearl Harbor. A variety of aircraft were produced at what became, "Air Force Plant 4," including the B-24, B-36, B-58, F-111 and F-16.
The airfield was renamed Carswell AFB in 1948 to honor Fort Worth native Major Horace Seaver Carswell Jr., who was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism.
Carswell AFB was one of the first Strategic Air Command bases, hosting B-29, B-36, B-58, and B-52 bombers from the 7th Bomb Wing, which maintained a long standing vigil during the Cold War.
Winds of Change: Air Force Realignment
As part of the Department of Defense's 1991 consolidation efforts, the decision was made to relocate the 7th Bomb Wing from Carswell AFB. During a 1992 Air Force-wide reorganization, the famed Strategic Air Command was officially disestablished. On October 1, 1993, the Air Force Reserve 301st Fighter Wing assumed base responsibilities, establishing Carswell as an Air Reserve Base. In 1993, Congress directed the establishment of the nations first joint reserve base under the Base Realignment and Closure authority.
"Jointness: A way of life; a model for all services"
NAS JRB Fort Worth was official established on October 1, 1994, as the first joint service reserve base. The 1,805-acre base is the result of the DoD's 1993 BRAC recommendation to relocated NAS Dallas and its tenant commands to the former Carswell ARB. Additional tenant commands from other closing installations were also directed to relocate to NAS JRB Fort Worth, such as U.S. Marine Corps Reserve squadrons from Memphis, Tenn., and Glenview, Ill., in July/August 1994. The 1993 BRAC proceedings also placed the Navy as the host of what has become a new joint military reserve base - a model for future consolidations