Dreams of flight once soared right here at Bolling Air Force Base. This base has a rich history tied to the very beginnings of military aviation. Let’s step back in time.
Bolling Air Force Base started as The Flying Field at Anacostia in 1917. It was the first military airfield close to the United States Capitol. A year later, it was renamed Anacostia Experimental Flying Field. The installation soon became two separate bases. There was one for the Army and later the Air Force, and one for the Navy.
Bolling Field opened on July 1, 1918. It was named for Colonel Raynal C. Bolling. He was the first high-ranking air service officer killed in World War I. Colonel Bolling died in action in France in March 1918. He was defending himself and his driver from German soldiers.
Flying activities began on July 4, 1918. Mailplanes landed here. The equipment was moved from the Polo Grounds in Washington D.C. In the late 1940s, Bolling Field’s property became Naval Air Station Anacostia. A new Air Force base called Bolling Air Force Base was built just to the south. That was on June 24, 1948.
Bolling AFB served as a testing ground. It was used for new aviation equipment. Its first mission was providing aerial defense for the capital. The base moved to its current location along the Potomac in the 1930s. Over the years, other units also operated from here. These included Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and National Guard units. DOD and federal agencies also used the base.
In 1918, pilots from Bolling Air Force Base created the first permanent airmail route. It went from Washington D.C. to New York City. Navy seaplanes were first tested here. Air Force aerial refueling techniques were developed here as well. Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis returned to Bolling after his transatlantic flight in 1927. It was later used for goodwill flights to Mexico and South America.
Air Force Lt. Col. Henry “Hap” Arnold led a bomber flight from Bolling Field to Alaska in 1934. It was a 4000-mile journey. This showed the capabilities of long-range strategic bombing missions. Bolling served as a training base during World War II. It organized personnel and units going overseas. It also served as the aerial gateway to the nation’s capital.
The Air Force’s first headquarters was at Bolling. It was known as Army Air Forces Headquarters in 1941. With the creation of the United States Air Force, it became Air Force Headquarters in 1947. President Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947 on the aircraft. This act created the United States Air Force.
In 1962, fixed-wing aircraft operations stopped. This was due to congested airspace around Washington National Airport. But the installations continued to serve the Military Airlift Command. The headquarters for the Air Force District of Washington also remained.
In December 2000, representatives from the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority met at Bolling. They negotiated a final-status agreement to end their conflict. These negotiations failed. The Air Force District of Washington was reactivated at Bolling in 2005. Its mission was to provide a single voice for Air Force requirements in the National Capital Region.
Bolling Air Force Base played a vital role in the history of aviation and national defense. From its early days as a simple airfield to its modern role, Bolling has been a constant presence. It supported the United States military and the nation’s capital.