Laughlin Air Force Base

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Laughlin Air Force Base
IATA: DLF - ICAO: KDLF - FAA: DLF
Summary <tr><th colspan="2" align="left" valign="top">Airport type</th><td colspan="2" valign="top">Military</td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" align="left" valign="top">Operator</th><td colspan="2" valign="top">US Air Force</td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" align="left" valign="top">Serves</th><td colspan="2" valign="top">Del Rio, Texas</td></tr>
Elevation AMSL		1,082 ft (329.8 m)
Coordinates		29°21′34″N, 100°46′41″W
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
13C/31C	8,857	2,700	Asphalt
13L/31R	8,311	2,533	PEM
13R/31L	6,246	1,904	Asphalt

Laughlin Air Force Base (IATA: DLF, ICAO: KDLF, FAA LID: DLF) is a facility of the United States Air Force located five miles (8 km) east of the central business district (CBD) of Del Rio, Texas, close to the border of the United States with Mexico. Laughlin AFB, the largest pilot training base in the USAF, is home to the 47th Flying Training Wing; on weekdays, the airfield sees more takeoffs and landings than any other airport in the country. The US Census identifies Laughlin as a "town" named Laughlin AFB, Texas. The population was 2,225 at the 2000 census.

To the servicemen stationed there, the base is frequently called "Laugh-in Air Force Base".

Due to its proximity to the Mexican border, illegals crossing over frequently mistake the base for a small civilian town due to base housing, parking lots, and store, and wander in looking for possible transportation out of the area or work. By the time they see all the people in uniform and recognize that they are on a military base they are typically too far onto the base to leave unnoticed and are stopped by base police and held for the Border Patrol van that makes nearly daily stops at the base.

1 History
2 Local entertainment
3 Geography
4 Demographics
5 Education
6 References
7 External links

[edit] History

It was originally named Laughlin Army Air Field on March 3, 1943, after Jack T. Laughlin, a B-17 navigator who became Del Rio's first WWII casualty when his plane was shot down over Java in January 1942. The field became just Laughlin Field on November 11 1943 and later an Air Force Auxiliary Field. It was closed in October 1945 and reopened with its present name on May 1, 1952.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Laughlin was home to several U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft; Laughlin U-2s were among the first to provide photographic evidence of Soviet missile installations in Cuba in 1962 when Laughlin-based U-2 pilot Steve Heyser flew his U-2C over Cuba after taking off from Edwards AFB, CA. Heyser landed at McCoy AFB following the mission. The film from his mission was developed and analyzed. These same photos were shown at the UN on October 22, 1962 proving to the world that offensive missiles were being erected on the Cuban island. Another U-2 pilot from Laughlin, Major Rudolph Anderson, Jr., perished when his U-2 was hit by shrapnel from a Soviet-made SA-2 on October 22, 1962, while overflying Cuba. It was not a direct hit, but fragments from the proximity explosion penetrated his pressure suit and it is believed he died in the cockpit. His body was returned to the U.S. following the Missile Crisis still in his pressure suit. Laughlin's primary operations training complex, Anderson Hall, is named in his honor.

Today, aircraft flown at Laughlin include the T-6A Texan II, the T-38C Talon and T-1A Jayhawk. Fifteen classes of approximately 20-25 pilots each are graduated every year.

[edit] Local entertainment

Aside from the reservoir outside of Del Rio for fishing and some lake diving, most forms of recreation are either in the town of Del Rio or across the border in Acuña.

Acuña used to be home to "Boy's Town", a brothell district on the south edge of Acuña that lasted from the early 1950's up until 1984. About two square blocks in size, with an unofficial parking lot at the end of the road, Boy's Town housed some dozen or more legal brothells with at least 200 regular licensed prostitutes. During the hunting season the number of prostitutes would easily double or triple to keep up with the seasonal business. Boy's Town also had the infamous "Blowjob Alley", where older and less attractive prostitutes would perform sex acts for pocket change.

Boy's Town was shut down in 1984 when a group of pre-operative transexuals began working the district and prompted a marked upswing in violence. Reportedly, at least two of them were murdered and dumped in the Rio Grande and others were severely beaten by customers that discovered that they were not women. Federal agents arrived and ordered the brothells closed. Most owners either moved downriver to other brothell districts or built new facilities several miles upriver at the then unmarked truck crossing bridge over the Rio Grande.

[edit] Geography

Laughlin AFB is located at 29°20′52″N, °100′47″18^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 15.3 km² (5.9 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 2,225 people, 651 households, and 570 families residing in the town. The population density was 145.9/km² (377.6/mi²). There were 664 housing units at an average density of 43.5/km² (112.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 78.38% White, 10.65% African American, 0.27% Native American, 2.74% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 4.49% from other races, and 3.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.31% of the population.

There were 651 households out of which 56.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 82.8% were married couples living together, 3.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.3% 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 3.00 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the town the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 23.6% from 18 to 24, 42.7% from 25 to 44, 2.5% from 45 to 64, and 0.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females there were 130.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 136.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $38,625, and the median income for a family was $38,625. Males had a median income of $26,938 versus $19,643 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,121. About 3.1% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.