San Antonio Air Logistics Center
Rapid production lines established a rate of overhaul on accessories, bombsights, guns, and electrical equipment that set records for both military and commercial repair agencies.
Maintenance workers stopped repairing bombers and began supporting the occupational forces in Europe and Japan with air transportation, communications, and weather systems.
[1] As the Air Force moved through its first decade of independence, its aircraft, engines, accessories, and support equipment became increasingly sophisticated and complex.
This era in Kelly's history ended when the Air Force shifted the B-52 workload to Oklahoma City AMA at Tinker AFB in the spring of 1993.
The 36-year-old relationship between Kelly and the big bomber was the longest association between any Air Force weapons system and a single ALC to that point.
[1] In August 1962, SAAMA "loaned" the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) six aircraft - two F-102s, two TF102s and two T33s - so the astronauts at Houston's Manned Spacecraft Center could maintain their flying proficiency.
Kelly Air Force Base personnel processed and routed vital war material earmarked for South Vietnam to the Southeast Asian Theater.
The C-141A Starlifter cargo aircraft began to enter the Air Force inventory in sufficient numbers to replace the aging C-124 Globemaster II.
With air terminal modernization and the increased use of C-141 aircraft, Military Airlift Command (MAC) aircrews seldom experienced any delays at Kelly's aerial port.
Other items included cargo tanks, special service vessels, barges, small craft, dredges, rigging, and marine hardware.
Earlier that year, on 3 August, Kelly became responsible for assembly and shipment of the necessary airfield lighting equipment to establish four semi-fixed installations in Southeast Asia.
[1] Weapon systems used in Southeast Asia managed by SAAMA included F-102 Delta Dagger, F-106 Delta Dart, A-37 Dragonfly, O-2 Skymaster, and F-5 Freedom Fighter aircraft, while the major maintenance workloads centered around aircraft engines, airfield lighting equipment, life support system items, aerospace ground equipment, and fuels.
As part of this effort, SAAMA personnel were deeply involved in the planning and construction of an engine facility at Bien Hoa Air Base.
On 20 October 1972, SAAMA initiated PROJECT ENHANCE PLUS, to transfer A-37, F-5E Tiger II, and T-38 Talon aircraft, engines, and support spares to the Republic of Vietnam to carry on the war after American withdrawal.
They said it was proud of the ability shown by all air logistics centers and other activities to get the job done in spite of the critical time, worldwide scope of the operation, and the many actions which had to be completed.
[1] During Operation Just Cause, Kelly served as a transit point for more than 8,200 troops deploying to Panama and as a reception site for some 250 incoming wounded service members.
Later, the base moved more than 10,000 short tons of material and 4,700 passengers and deployed 17 million pounds of munitions to Southwest Asia for Operation Desert Storm.
