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Minot Air Force Base (Minot AFB) is a base of the United States Air Force in Ward County, North Dakota, 15 km (8 mi) north of the city of Minot. In the 2000 census, the base was counted as a CDP with a total population of 7,599.
History Minot Air Force Base official opened in 1957. The base started out as an Air Defense Command Base. A Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) facility was built and activated in June 1961. SAGE was housed in a huge, windowless blast-resistant concrete building with a pair of 275-ton computers. The computers processed air surveillance information and sent the data to Air Defense Command units. While the SAGE network operated until 1983, the Minot AFB website says the Minot SAGE facility was deactivated after less than two years of operation, in May 1963. The facility was then renamed the PRIDE Building ("Professional results in daily effort") and became a large office building (four stories including the basement) housing many different organizations. Strategic Air Command had units assigned to Minot AFB in 1958 for air refueling support. In late January 1960, fighters moved onto the base. The scope of operations grew as the Air Force assigned bombers to Minot in 1961. Also in 1961, the Air Force selected the land around Minot for a new Minuteman I complex. Command of Minot AFB passed from Air Defense Command to Strategic Air Command as the base's mission changed. During the 1970s the 150 missile sites around the region (10-70 miles from the base) were converted to Minuteman IIIs; a model of the older Minuteman I stands at the main gate. In June 1992, the newly formed Air Combat Command took over the Eighth Air Force, and through it, the 5th Bomb Wing and host command of the Minot Air Force Base. Units Minot Air Force Base is home to two major units: The 5th Bomb Wing The 5th Bomb Wing is the host unit at Minot AFB; its commander is the base commander, and the unit is responsible for all base services, such as housing, the library, the Officer's Club, etc. The primary mission of the 5th Bomb Wing is to maintain and operate B-52H Stratofortress bombers assigned to the 23d Bomb Squadron. Minot AFB is one of two bases with B-52s; the other is Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. The 91st Space Wing The 91st Space Wing is responsible for maintaining the Minuteman III nuclear missiles located in three main fields across North Dakota. Operational squadrons attached to the 91 SW are the 740th Missile Squadron ("Vulgar Vultures"), 741st Missile Squadron ("Gravelhaulers"), and the 742d Missile Squadron ("Wolf Pack") The 91st Security Forces Group, assigned to the 91 SW, provide security to the surrounding missile fields. The 91st Security Forces Group consists of the 91st Missile Security Forces Squadron, the 791st Missile Security Forces Squadron, and the 91st Security Support Squadron Geography Minot AFB is located at 1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the Minot AFB CDP has a total area of 19.7 km² (7.6 mi²). 18.7 km² (7.2 mi²) of it is land and 1.0 km² (0.4 mi²) of it (5.01%) is water. Demographics As of the census2 of 2000, there were 7,599 people, 2,112 households, and 1,943 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 406.9/km² (1,053.9/mi²). There were 2,441 housing units at an average density of 130.7/km² (338.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 79.14% White, 10.23% African American, 0.70% Native American, 2.84% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 2.80% from other races, and 4.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.17% of the population. There were 2,112 households out of which 68.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 86.5% were married couples living together, 3.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 8.0% were non-families. 6.6% of all households were made up of individuals and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.25 and the average family size was 3.40. In the CDP the population was spread out with 36.3% under the age of 18, 24.0% from 18 to 24, 38.1% from 25 to 44, 1.5% from 45 to 64, and 0.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 120.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 126.6 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $32,255, and the median income for a family was $32,306. Males had a median income of $22,458 versus $16,659 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,629. About 5.0% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over. | ||||||||
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