Although the name has changed to Joint Base Lewis - McChord, the Air Force base has a legacy that will forever be engrained in U.S. history.

"McChord was established because of its strategic position on the Northwest corner of the United States facing the Pacific," said Dr. Robert Allen, the new 62nd Airlift Wing historian. "It is also important because of its position next to Fort Lewis."

Originally named for Col. William Caldwell McChord on May 5, 1938, the military installation sits on land that originally belonged to Native Americans. After that it served as the home of the British Hudson Bay Company's Puget Sound Agricultural Company, the Pierce County Airport, Tacoma Field, the Northwest Air Base, McChord Field, McChord Air Force Base, and now Joint Base Lewis-McChord, according to a history of the base compiled by the McChord Air Museum.

The 900-acre parcel of land was acquired by Pierce County for a future airfield, from John Rigney, an Irish immigrant, with the stipulation that the airfield would be named "Rigney Field."  However, Pierce County Commissioners voted two to one to name the new airport "Tacoma Field" June 10, 1929.

During the early years of development, much of Tacoma Field was swamp, plains and prairie. A number of early aviation pioneers flew out of Tacoma Field. Among them was Lt. Harold Bromley, who after Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic attempted a Trans-Pacific flight departing from Tacoma Field, the history said.

Also, members of the Doolittle Raiders, a group of 16 B-25 bombers led by Lt. Col. James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle in 1942 who struck military and industrial targets in Japan - flew out of McChord, Allen said.

Jumping back to 1933, Tacoma Field was operating in the red, and the county proposed to find someone to lease the airport, or if unable to find such a partner, to close it all together. However, Pierce County continued to improve Tacoma Field, and in 1934, the airport was named one of the best airports in America.

Simultaneously, the United States Secretary of War directed the U.S. Army to establish airfields in six strategic areas, including one in the Pacific Northwest. Tacoma Field was chosen as the best location in the Pacific Northwest, according to the history.

Then on May 5, 1938, Pierce County officials passed the title of Tacoma Field, 900 acres of land with buildings, to the War Department to be used as part of an airbase that would defend the Pacific Northwest. Again the name changed. This time it was at the request of Chief of the U.S. Army Air Corps, Major Gen. Oscar Westover, who wanted the airfield to be designated McChord Field, in honor of Colonel William C. McChord, who had been killed in an accident on August 18, 1937 near Richmond, Virginia.

The new plans for construction included a 1285 man barracks, a building that is often referred to as "The Castle," which in later years was used as the headquarters for McChord's host organizations. Hangars 1, 2, 3 and 4, officer and enlisted housing, three warehouses, a maintenance building, two wells, a hospital and a central heating plant were built.  By 1939, a radio transmitter building, a 300,000-gallon water tower, an electric distribution system, sanitary sewage system, a combination fire and guardhouse and two runways had been added. The original budget for the McChord Field project was $18 million (1938), the history said.

On June 24, 1940, the first elements of the 17th Bomb Group (Medium) began to arrive at the Army Air Force's newest bomber base, Allen said. Formal dedication took place on July 3, 1940, and then later, on January 1, 1948, the field was re-designated McChord Air Force Base, Allen said.

During the early 1950s, the second major construction period began at McChord. Much of the work was carried out to accommodate new aircraft and associated equipment. New fighter operational facilities and the air defense tracking system facility were constructed. The runway was lengthened to 8,100 feet. Temporary World War II facilities were upgraded or replaced.

Home of the 62nd and the 446th Airlift Wings, now called McChord Field, includes Memorial Grove. This designated area includes models of aircraft that were flown out of McChord Field as they were assigned to the airlift wing, Allen said.

Additionally, the display includes a small memorial to POWs and MIAs from Washington, he said.

Allen further cited some of the interesting facts that make McChord Field important to Air Force history.

• Both the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings are key contributors for airlift to Antarctica as part of Operation Deep Freeze.

• The 62nd AW is also the nation's primary nuclear airlift force.

• The base is the perennial host for Air Mobility Rodeo - a bi-annual international air mobility competition - since 1994.

It's also home to some great flying artifacts, Allen said.

"The McChord Air Museum is one of the few places in the world that you can see a B-18," the historian said.  There are only five in the world."