Griffiss Air Force Base

This article is about the former United States Air Force base in New York. For the current civil use of this facility and airport information, see Griffiss International Airport.

Griffiss Air Force Base
Part of Air Combat Command (1992–1995)
Strategic Air Command (1959–1992)
Rome, New York, U.S.
ANG personnel concentrate on the air defense mission
at the Eastern Air Defense Sector.
Griffiss AFB is located in New York
Griffiss AFB
Griffiss AFB
Griffiss AFB is located in the United States
Griffiss AFB
Griffiss AFB
Coordinates43°14′N 75°25′W / 43.23°N 75.41°W / 43.23; -75.41
TypeAir Force Base
Site information
Controlled by United States Air Force
Site history
Built1941–1942
In use1942–1995
EventsWorld War II, Cold War
Griffiss AFB
2 May 1997 (closed 1995)
Summary
Elevation AMSL504 ft / 154 m
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
15/33 11,820 3,600 Concrete

Griffiss Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force installation in the northeastern United States, located in Central New York state at Rome, about fifteen miles (25 km) northwest of Utica.

Missions included fighter interceptors, electronic research, installation, and support activities, aerial refueling, and bombers. Opened in 1942, the base closed pursuant to BRAC action in 1995 and its airfield is now Griffiss International Airport, owned by Oneida County. In November, 1984 the site was added to the National Priorities List because hazardous chemicals were found in soil and ground water. Solvents, lead and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) had been disposed in landfills and dry wells.

Closed in September, 1995 by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission decision, it was realigned for civilian and non-combat purposes in 1995, and is now home to the Griffiss Business and Technology Park. Post-closure, two USAF activities remained: the Rome Research Site of the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS) of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) as operated by the New York Air National Guard from a small complex of buildings in the Technology Park.

Griffiss was the site of the Woodstock '99 Festival in July, 1999. Notorious for overpricing, triple-digit heat, aggressive music and lack of water, it descended into chaos, although no base assets were harmed.[1][2][3]

  1. ^ Wartofsky, Alona (27 July 1999). "Woodstock '99 goes up in smoke". Washington Post. p. A1.
  2. ^ "Woodstock chaos blamed on small group". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. 27 July 1999. p. 5A.
  3. ^ Guzman, Isaac; Tayler, Letta (27 July 1999). "Discord disrupts Woodstock's harmony". Wilmington Morning Star. (North Carolina). (Newsday). p. 1A.