Hickam to get
new war HQ

The Air Force is establishing
a new war-fighting position

The Air Force will be activating a new war-fighting headquarters at Hickam Air Force Base by transferring 72 uniformed personnel and five civilians from Guam.

The announcement was made yesterday by Maj. Gen. Edward Rice, who commands the 13th Air Force at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, according to KUAM television in Guam.

He said his command will "focus exclusively on planning and executing military operations in the Pacific Theater."

"At Hickam we've got other war-fighting commanders already located there, the commander of Pacific Command is there, the commander of Pacific Fleet is there, on and on, and so the habitual relationships that can be developed between the war fighters is another important reason to locate it at Hickam," Rice said in the report.

The Air Force said it will be placing a total of 10 such war-fighting headquarters throughout the world with one in Hawaii and another in Korea.

The 13th Air Force was activated in New Caledonia in the Coral Sea in 1943 during World War II and was called the "Jungle Air Force," according to an Air Force fact sheet.

Between 1943-45, it participated in five operation areas and 13 campaigns, flying a variety of aircraft.

During the Vietnam War, the 13th Air Force operated out of Thailand. It was made up of seven combat wings, nine major bases, 11 smaller installations and more than 31,000 military members.

In 1991, the 13th Air Force relocated from the Philippines to Andersen Air Force Base and officially established its headquarters on Guam on Dec. 2, 1991.