Rhein Main Air Base, Germany, July 2005

Rhein Main Air Base in Germany was a legend in USAAF/USAF history. The US occupied the base just over 60 years. The base was the former Frankfurt Flughafen (Airport). In the 1930's it was the base of the zeppelin Hindenburg. The Hindenburg's hanger sat where the control tower stood for many years until the base closed. After the zeppelin era ended, the air field became the Frankfurt Flughafen and was used by the Luftwaffe during World War II. The US Army captured the base in April 1945 and it remained in US control until it was handed back over to the Germans in October 2005. It was also one of three principle bases used during the Berlin Airlift. Personally I had been on 4 Enroute Support Trips to Rhein Main AB for the 315th Airlift Wing from Charleston AFB, SC (1987, 88, 89, and 2000). As a Air Force Reservist, I was activated for OIF/OEF for nearly two years from 3/2004 to 2/2006. In April 2005 I was deployed for 3.5 months to Rhein Main AB for the last time and was one of the last people to work there that summer. The base has been completely destroyed by the Germans in order to make room for a new Flughafen terminal on the south side of the current airport. This is a bike tour I made of the base in July 2005 to get something on film, knowing that the base would never look the same after the end of 2005. I had permission from the AF Public Affairs Office at RMAB to do this. At the end of the base tour, we begin a two week vacation that starts out at Bad Hamburg (north of Frankfurt) and Seligenstadt (east of Frankfurt). Enjoy!