Iraklion Air Station
Iraklion Air Station | |
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Part of Air Force Intelligence Command (AFIC) | |
Located adjacent to Gournes, Crete | |
Emblem of 7276th Air Base Group
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Coordinates | 35°19′48″N 025°17′07″ECoordinates: 35°19′48″N 025°17′07″E |
Type | Military Air Station |
Site information | |
Controlled by | United States Air Force |
Site history | |
Built | 1954 |
In use | 1954- 1993 |
Garrison information | |
Garrison | 7276th Air Base Group |
Iraklion Air Station was a United States Air Force facility located 16 kilometers (9.9 mi) east of the city of Iraklion near the village of Gournes, in the north central section of the Greek island of Crete.
A non-flying facility, Iraklion Air Station (Iraklion AS) began operations in support of activities of the 1603rd Air Transport Wing and other USAFE liaison operations in Crete beginning on 5 October 1954. The base also supported units of USAFSS, USAFE and NATO as directed. The base provided administrative and logistical support to the 6931st Electronic Security Squadron, as well as policy guidance in administrative, logistical and support matters for all regular and other tenant organizations at Iraklion AS, and as well as other dispersed U.S. Department of Defense units located on the island of Crete from October 1, 1978, until the closure of the base in 1994. Iraklion AS also provided liaison and base support services for the United States Embassy located in Athens, Greece.
Since the station's closure in 1994, the facility has been abandoned and appears to have been looted and vandalized. It is in an unkept state being taken over by weeds. Currently, an aquarium known as the Cretaquarium, a dinosaur park are housed at the site.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
- Erwin H. Lerner, former A/2C, stationed at facility 1954-1955, serving as cryptographer in Detachment 2, 34th Radio Squadron Mobile, United States Air Force Security Service.
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