It is named in honor of Guy Wallace Rosecrans, a U.S. Army Air Service airman killed in World War I.

Some of the old temporary World War II era barracks were still present on the base until the Great Flood of 1993 when they were destroyed.

The base's host wing, the 139th Airlift Wing (139 AW) of the Missouri Air National Guard, currently operates C-130H2 Hercules theater airlift aircraft and is operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC).

The Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center (AATTC) is a tenant activity at the base that provides current academic and combat flying tactics and training to C-130 airlift air crews of the Air National Guard, the Air Force Reserve Command, active duty USAF, sister services and allied nations.

This training enhances air crew survivability and mission success in a combat environment.