Peterson AFB traces its roots to the Colorado Springs Army Air Base, established on 6 May 1942 at the Colorado Springs Municipal Airport which had been in operation since 1926. The base carried out photo reconnaissance training under the auspices of the Photo Reconnaissance Operational Training Unit
(PROTU). On 22 June 1942 Colorado Springs Army Air Base was assigned to the 2d Air Force, headquartered at Fort George Wright, Washington.
Then, after only a few weeks, a tragedy occurred that would indelibly affect the base. On 8 August 1942, First Lieutenant Edward J. Peterson, Operations Officer for the 14th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron and a native of Colorado, crashed while attempting to take off from the airfield when the left engine of his twin engine F4 (a reconnaissance variant of the P–38 Lightning) failed. A base fire department crew rescued Lt. Peterson from the burning wreckage. Unfortunately, Lt. Peterson sustained significant burns and died at a local hospital that afternoon, thereby becoming the first Coloradan killed in a flying accident at the airfield. Consequently, on 13 December 1942, officials changed the name of the Colorado Springs Army Air Base to Peterson Army Air Base in honor of the fallen airman.
Main
phone numbers: Commercial (719)556-7011 or
DSN 834-7011
Mailing
address: Peterson AFB, CO 80914-1160
Population:
3,805 active duty; 1,290 reservists; 6,073 family
members; 2,088 civilians
Housing: 118
officer family units; 344 enlisted family units; 114
unaccompanied personnel units; wait up to 24 months
(719)556-4364
Temporary
lodging: 149 visitor units 9719)556-7851;
40 temporary units (719)556-6293
Family
Support Center: (719)556-6141
Schools: None
on base.
Child
Care: Two centers for 396, nine-month
wait; 18 approved homes (719)554-9575
Health
care: Clinic. Appointments (719)556-1000;
benefits (719)556-1016; Tricare (719)556-1050; also see
U.S. Air Force Academy and Fort Carson.
Peterson Air Force Base - Colorado
has a
large size commissary - (719)556-4247,
a medium exchange, and one shoppette (719)596-7270. Recreation at Peterson Air Force Base - Colorado
includes arts and crafts, bowling, library, auto hobby,
recreation center, theater, golf, gym, tennis, swimming,
outdoor activities, camping, fishing, and stables.
