1944

Early airport construction phase at present site was named the K. I. Sawyer Airport.

1949

July 22, airport officially activated as the K. I. Sawyer County Airport to serve as a municipal airport for Marquette County. Six years later, it was given the name K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base.

1954

U. S. Government enters into negotiations with Marquette County for the lease of five thousand two hundred and seventy-eight acres (8.25 sq. miles) to become the new K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base.

1955

A ninety-nine year lease was signed on January 24. Construction started almost immediately. Over 850 people and several local contractors were involved.

1956

On January 8^th, K. I. Sawyer became the home of the 473^rd Fighter Group. On January 24, 1956, as an Air Defense Command Base, Lt/Col. Robert L. Blocklehurst became the first commander of K. I. Sawyer. 

1957

K. I. Sawyer’s 6000 foot runway is completed.

1958

August 1^st, the 4042^nd Strategic Wing was organized and activated with one officer and one airman. Also during this year, twenty-five F-102 “Delta Dagger” aircraft were sent from Kincheloe AFB at Sault Ste. Marie to operate out of K. I. Sawyer for several months while the runway at Kincheloe was being repaired and extended.

1959

October 27^th, Pilot LTC Edward McNeff along with radar observer Captain Chester Oranges, piloted the Groups first “Voodoo” to K. I. Sawyer. The plane was christened the “U. P. Queen” in honor of native residents. The 62^nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron from O’Hare airport in Chicago was transferred to K. I. Sawyer and became an operational F-101 “Voodoo” aircraft Squadron after K. I. Sawyer’s runway was extended to 12,300 feet long by 300 feet wide with 1000 foot overruns and 24 inches of concrete.

1960

By this time, the 473^rd had become the 56^th Fighter Group and was host to two major tenant units – the Sault Ste. Marie Air Defense Sector, which was a SAGE unit, and the 4042^nd Strategic Wing, a Strategic Air Command Unit that formed the nucleus of the 410^th Bomb Wing.

August 13^th, the 4042^nd Combat Defense Squadron and 923^rd Air Refueling Squadron were assigned. The wing’s first KC-135A “Stratotanker”, #59-1497 arrived and was christened “The County of Marquette” with a bottle of water from Lake. The 923rd Air Refueling Squadron was soon to became the 46^th ARS.

1961

June 1^st, the 526^th Bomber Maintenance Squadron was reassigned from Homestead AFB, Florida to K. I. Sawyer. On August 4^th, the first B-52H “Stratofortress”, #60-0024 arrived at Sawyer.

1963

February 1^st, the 4042^nd Strategic Wing was redesigned the 410^th Bombardment Wing (Heavy). February the 526^th BMS became the 644^th Bombardment Squadron. The Sault Ste. Marie Air Defense Sector Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE), built sometime in the late fifties, was shutdown in September.

1964

January, control of the base was passed from the Air Defense Command to the Strategic Air Command leaving the 410^th Bomb Wing as K. I. Sawyer’s host unit.

1965

K. I. Sawyer’s tankers and tanker crews entered the war in Southeast Asia by participating in “Operation Young Tiger”, air refueling operations in Indochina.

October, the 62^nd FIS and their “Voodoo’s” participates at the “William Tell Worldwide Weapons Meet” in Florida and sweeps the fighter phase of the competition winning eight first place trophies.

1968

K. I. Sawyer’s bomber crews entered the war in Southeast Asia by augmenting units involved in “Operation Arc Light.”

1971

April, the F-101 “Voodoo” aircraft equipped 62^nd FIS is deactivated and replaced by the 87^th FIS and its F-106 “Delta Dart” aircraft which were transferred from Duluth, MN.

1973

43 ARRS Det 2 Arrives June 2nd.  2 ea HH-1H “Rescue” helicopters

1974

FB-111 (fighter/bombers) from Pease AFB, New Hampshire were placed on satellite alert on K. I. Sawyer.

1975

FB-111's complete their mission at K. I. Sawyer and leave.

1977

HH-1H “Rescue” helicopters leave K. I. Sawyer.    

Six 71^st Fighter Training Wing (FTW) T-37 “Tweets” (trainer) arrive at K. I. Sawyer to become the  “Accelerated Copilot Enrichment Program”  later to be named the “Companion Trainer Program” under the 410^th Bomb Wing and the new Air Combat Command.

1983

September 15, a B-52D named the “Black Bandit” arrives from Carswell AFB, Texas to be put on static display to commemorate the SAC bomber and air crews role during the war in Southeast Aisa.

1984

The 87^th FIS was scheduled to convert to F-15 “Eagle” aircraft but due to budget cuts the conversion was cancelled and the squadron was scheduled for deactivation in 1985.

1985

October 1^st, the 87^th FIS deactivated.

1987

September, an F-101B “Voodoo” arrived in the belly of a C-5A cargo aircraft to be put on static display commemorating the contributions of base supporter Mr. Sam Cohodas and all the men and women of the 62^nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron. The dedication was held on November 27th

More than 450 men and women from Sawyer are deployed in support of “Operation Desert Shield.”

The 410^th BMW is redesignated as the 410^th Wing.

September 28^th, worldwide change brings the 410^th Wing’s aircraft off alert status.

June 1^st, SAC stood down, joined the Tactical Air Command to become the Air Combat Command and was redesignated the 410^th Bomb Wing. That same day, the refueling squadron’s aircraft and air crews became part of the Air Mobility Command.

July, BRAC Commission recommends closure of K. I. Sawyer AFB.

November 21^st, last B-52H #60-0026 leaves K. I. Sawyer AFB for Minot AFB, North Dakota

June 1^st, Air Force Inactivation Ceremony, September 30^th, the Air Force left K. I. Sawyer.