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Laughlin Air Force Base
IATA: DLF – ICAO: KDLF – FAA: DLF
Summary
Airport type		US Air Force
Elevation AMSL		1,082 ft / 329.8 m
Coordinates		29°21′34″N 100°46′41″W / 29.35944, -100.77806
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
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 residential area of the base is a census-designated place, with a population of 2,225 at the 2000 census.

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

It was originally named Laughlin Army Air Field on March 3, 1943, after Jack T. Laughlin, a B-17 Flying Fortress 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.

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.

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

According to the United States Census Bureau, the base has a total area of 5.9 square miles (15.3 km²), all of it land.

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 2,225 people, 651 households, and 570 families residing on the base. The population density was 377.6 people per square mile (145.9/km²). There were 664 housing units at an average density of 112.7/sq mi (43.5/km²). The racial makeup of the base 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.

On the base 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 on the base 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 base 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.

Laughlin AFB is served by the San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District.

• Laughlin AFB (official site)
• FAA Airport Master Record for DLF (Form 5010 PDF)

• A Wild Ride from the Edge of Space (Southwest Texas LIVE!) Oct 17,2006
• The Sky Still Burns in Your Memory (Southwest Texas LIVE!) Oct 17,2006
• Aviators of Laughlin AFB, Texas (Southwest Texas LIVE!) April 26,2007

• Laughlin Air Force Base is at coordinates 29°20′52″N 100°47′18″W / 29.347888, -100.78829Coordinates: 29°20′52″N 100°47′18″W / 29.347888, -100.78829
• Resources for this U.S. military airport:
  • AirNav airport information for KDLF
  • ASN accident history for DLF
  • NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for KDLF
  • FAA Airport Diagram (PDF)

v • d • e Municipalities and communities of Val Verde County, Texas
County seat: Del Rio
City	Del Rio
CDPs	Box Canyon-Amistad | Cienegas Terrace | Lake View | Laughlin Air Force Base | Val Verde Park
Communities	Comstock | Juno | Langtry | Pandale

	Air Education and Training Command v • d • e
BASES:	Altus Air Force Base • Columbus Air Force Base • Goodfellow Air Force Base • Keesler Air Force Base • Lackland Air Force Base • Laughlin Air Force Base • Little Rock Air Force Base • Luke Air Force Base • Maxwell Air Force Base • Randolph Air Force Base • Sheppard Air Force Base • Tyndall Air Force Base • Vance Air Force Base
NUMBERED AIR FORCE LEVEL ORGANIZATIONS:	2d Air Force • 19th Air Force • Air University
WINGS:	12th Flying Training Wing • 14th Flying Training Wing • 17th Training Wing • 37th Training Wing • 42d Air Base Wing • 47th Flying Training Wing • 56th Fighter Wing • 58th Special Operations Wing • 59th Medical Wing • 71st Flying Training Wing • 80th Flying Training Wing • 81st Training Wing • 82d Training Wing • 97th Air Mobility Wing • 314th Airlift Wing • 325th Fighter Wing