Map of Military Bases in Montana
Fort William Henry Harris
Fort William Henry Harris is home to several important military facilities. Along with headquartering the Montana National Guard, it also houses the Montana State Veteran Cemetery and a Veterans Administration hospital. Other frequent patrons of this base include Army Reserve trainees and the 1049th Firefighters.
This fort was established just a few miles outside of Montana’s state capital, Helena, in 1892. Although it was originally named after the sitting US President of the time, Benjamin Harrison, it was changed to Fort William Henry Harris just a few years later to avoid confusing it with another fort in Indiana by the same name.
Malmstrom Air Force Base
Malmstrom Air Force Base was established in 1939, just as the United States began furthering its involvement in World War II. It was positioned just outside of Great Falls, Montana, a picturesque city in the north-central part of the state. During that time, the Great Falls’ Chamber of Commerce requested a small city airport. Not long after, construction began and the base opened in 1942, becoming home of the 2nd Air Force and several of its bombardment groups.
Today, this Air Force base houses several groups in the 341st, including operations, medical, security forces, and maintenance.These groups have various responsibilities, but some of them include the critical duty to remain prepared for a combat strike involving 15 missile alert facilities. They are also responsible for launching U.S.-based missiles should the order ever come. Though the concept of this vast responsibility may sound exciting, it also requires meticulous attention to detail. Numbers and figures are checked and re-checked to ensure safety at all times. The tasks and abilities required by the service men and women of Malmstrom Air Force Base are truly demanding, but the heroes here bear their duties with honor.
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