operations changed the shorelines of the Keys. The remnants of the railroad were completely 
destroyed during a hurricane in 1953 and the remains of the track were used for the Overseas 
Highway. The highway was completed in the 1950s, although alterations such as the 
replacement structure for the 7-Mile Bridge and maintenance activities continue into the 
1990s. 
7.5. Homestead Air Force Base 
[The information in this section was supplied by the Public Affairs Office of Homestead Air 
Force Base (AFB). The history of the base is an indicator of level of activity, air traffic and 
personnel associated with base operations.] 
During the 1940s, Pan American Ferries, Inc. constructed a landing strip in rural Dade County 
that was turned over to the US Government before the beginning of World War II. Shortly after 
the attack on Pearl Harbor, Army Air Corps officials decided the site would better serve 
defense needs as a maintenance stopover point for aircraft being ferried to the Caribbean and 
North Africa. Soon after, construction of a fully operational military base, the Homestead 
Army Air Field (AAF), began at the site. By 1943, the base assumed a more vital role with the 
activation of the 2nd Operational Training Unit that provided advance training for air crews. As 
the need for trained transport pilots grew, the entire base was transferred to Air Transport 
Command's (ATC) Ferrying Division, with the sole mission of preparing C-54 air crews to fly 
from Burma to China. In September 1945, a massive hurricane passed through the area, with 
winds of up to 145 mph. Because of destruction caused by the storm, the base was shut down in 
December of that year. 
In the early 1950's, as the Korean conflict was winding down, defense officials once again 
looked toward Homestead as a key site in continental defense. In mid-1954, an advance party 
arrived at the old base to begin clean up, and on February 1955, the installation was 
reactivated as Homestead AFB. The base quickly became home for the 823rd Air Division, an 
umbrella organization encompassing the 379th and the 19th Bomber Wings. By this time, 
Homestead AFB represented the largest four-engine transport training operation in the entire 
ATC. In 1962, the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW), a tactical air fighter unit, was moved 
from George AFB, CA, to Homestead in response to the growing Communist threat from Cuba. In 
October of that year, it was discovered that the Soviet Union was placing medium-range 
missiles on the island. Troops and aircraft were sent to Homestead, swelling its population to 
the tens of thousands. Though still nominally a Strategic Air Command base, Homestead then 
had the dual mission to stand ready to project air power around the world, and to maintain an 
operationally ready tactical air force. With the presence of the 31st TFW made permanent, the 
role of the Tactical Air Command (TAC) at Homestead AFB increased rapidly throughout the 
1960s. In late 1966, the 31st TFW was deployed to Vietnam, and the 4531st TFW was 
activated to maintain TAC's presence at Homestead. In 1968, TAC officially took control of the 
base. In 1970, the 31st TFW returned from Vietnam and became the host unit. In 1981, the 
31st TFW became the 31st Tactical Training Wing and took the task of training F-4 air crews. 
Training remained the base primary mission until 1985, when the first F-16 arrived. With that 
event, the host unit again reclaimed the designation of the 31st TFW. 
Hurricane Andrew struck Homestead AFB and the surrounding area in 1992, causing severe 
damage to the facility. At that time, the base was home to the 31st and the 482nd Fighter 
Wings, both units flew F-16s. Other units in the base were the 301st Rescue Squadron, Air 
Force Reserve; the Det 1, 125th Fighter Interceptor Group, Florida Air National Guard; and the 
US Customs Miami Air Branch. The storm caused extensive damage to the facilities of the base. 
These units were relocated to various other locations during the salvage and recovery phase 
although the 301st Rescue Squadron along with the Coast Guard provided the only emergency 
medical rescue capability in south Dade County after the hurricane. In 1993, the Base 
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