Griffiss AFB was located next to the town of Rome New York.  Rome is located about 45 miles east of Syracuse, approximately 10 miles northeast of exit 33 on the New York State Thruway.  Here is a map showing exactly where Rome is:

For a great source of maps, on the web, click here to visit Maps.com.

Click on above thumbnail to expand image.  Use the "Back" button on your browser to return to this page.

Griffiss AFB, now known as Griffiss Business and Technology Park, was located on the east side of the town of Rome New York.  Here is a map showing exactly where Griffiss AFB was:

For another great source of maps, on the web, click here to visit Mapquest.com.

Click on above thumbnail to expand image.  Use the "Back" button on your browser to return to this page.

Welcome To Griffiss AFB New York, my first duty assignment.  This base was run by the Strategic Air Command (SAC) and had the 416th Bombardment Wing (416BW) was the "Host Unit" for the base.  This unit had both B-52 "Stratofortress" (bombers) and KC-135 "Stratotankers" (aerial refueling tankers) assigned.  If you would like to know more about the B-52, click here to get official Air Force information about this airplane.  If you would like to know more about the KC-135, click here to get official Air Force information about this airplane.  In addition to the bombers and tankers, we also had F-106 fighters assigned.  These fighters belonged to the 49th Fighter Interceptor Squadron.  If you would like to know more about the F-106, click here to visit a very informational web page at the U.S. Air Force Museum.

The main mission of SAC, and Griffiss, was the defense of the U.S. by the use of  nuclear deterrence.  If the "balloon went up", the B-52s (and their accompanying KC-135s) would do their job by delivering their "cargo" to designated targets in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).  This would be done by placing a certain number of bombers, and tankers, "on alert".  In a nutshell, this means that these designated "alert" aircraft were fueled and, in the case of the bombers, loaded with their "cargo".  There was a designated part of the base where a certain number of aircraft would be parked "cocked and locked" and ready to go.  If the word "Go" came, these aircraft would launch out to do their jobs.  A tanker would take off first, followed by its bomber.  Then, at a certain point in the sky, the tanker would "top off" its bomber and the bomber would "go to work".

Griffiss was. in all respects, a "normal" SAC "Northern Tier" base.  The winters were nothing to write home about (too cold and snowy sometimes).  The summers could be a lot more muggy than I would like.  However for a first assignment, it wasn't too bad.  The unit I was assigned to, the 485th Electronics Installation Squadron (EIS), meant that you were on the road a fair bit.  For more information on this unit, please click on the link below.   

A number of changes have taken place in the Air Force over the last several years.  Some big changes have taken place at this base.  In a nutshell, here they are.

The command in charge of Griffiss AFB, the Strategic Air Command (SAC) on longer exists.  Some of the functions of SAC has been taken over by a new multi-service command, known as the U.S. Strategic Command (US STRATCOM).  If you desire to visit their public web site, click on the symbol below:

Or you can click here

For those of you who are "true-blue" SAC troops, there's an organization for you.  Welcome to Strategic Air Command Inc.  This organization operates a museum in the town of Ashland Nebraska,  between Omaha and Lincoln.  To visit them, click on the symbol below:

Or you can click here.

Griffiss AFB, as we remember it, no longer exists.  Almost the entire base was closed several years ago.  There is only one major Air Force organization left there.  It's the Air Force Research Laboratory - Information Directorate.  Remember the Rome Air Development Center (RADC)?  If memory serves, this was the nucleus of the Rome Labs which became the unit it is today.  If you desire to visit this unit, please click on the symbol below:

Or you can click here.

This base has been through a great change.  It is now known as Griffiss Business and Technology Park.  While the Air Force has retained some parts of Griffiss, the majority has been turned over to private  enterprise.  To visit this site, and see what's become of our old base, click here.