Holloman gets new Historian

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class DeAndre Curtiss
  • 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Holloman Air Force Base is rich in tradition and history with vast amounts of important documentation spanning back to 1942 when the base was first established as Alamogordo Army Air field. Historians are in charge of preserving Holloman's historic information, and this responsibility now falls in the hands of Holloman's new historian, Mr. Ralph Jackson II. 

"Holloman Air Force Base has a lot of history. So many things have happened at this base since its founding in 1942. I am privileged to represent the history of the men and women of the 49th Fighter Wing," he said. 

Coincidently, his own history seems to be made up of mostly military endeavors. Mr. Jackson has 12 years of military service, spending five of those years active duty Air Force, although he achieved his highest rank in the Navy Reserves as a Gunners Mate 2nd Class (E-5). 

He entered the Air Force in August 1973 as a Nuclear Weapons Specialist and was at stationed Ramstein AB, Germany. From Ramstein he went to Nellis AFB serving with the 3096 Avionics Depot Squadron. His active duty Navy career was spent aboard the U.S.S. Saratoga (CV-60). Prior to becoming a historian, Mr. Jackson was the curator for the U.S Army Military Intelligence Museum at Fort Huachuca, Ariz. 

"History interested me as I wanted to know more about our [then] adversary, the Soviet Union, and history was the way to find out more about them. As I went through my history program I finally settled on military and international relations as my areas of expertise," he said. "I enjoy this job as an Air Force historian because I get to represent the work and efforts of the best men and women of the United States." 

Mr. Jackson served as the Hill Air Force Base historian for the last two years and during that time he was deployed to Joint Base Balad, Iraq, where he was the Wing Historian for the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing. 

Wing Historians often deploy as part of their job to capture the history of the U. S. Air Force. While deployed, they record and preserve historical events and findings that will serve as proper documentation in later years. There are currently 13 historians deployed to the Area of Responsibility. 

"While deployed I learned the challenges of collecting historical documents during war-time conditions, the challenges for our Airmen at the different bases around Iraq are an important part of the histories we write in the AOR," he said. "These lessons have become part of my everyday skills here at Holloman as I collect the data necessary to tell the story of the 49th Fighter Wing." 

Alamogordo Army Air Field made history with the detonation of the first atomic weapon at the Trinity Site as well as the development of the U.S.'s missile and space program. Every new mission adds to its history, including the recent retirement of the F-117A Nighthawk and the introduction of the F-22A Raptor as well as the development of the German Flying Training center, Mr. Jackson said. Needless to say, this Air Force alum has his work cut out for him. 

"It is my challenge to represent the 49th Fighter Wing's place in history with my official annual histories. I hope to capture the accomplishments within the United States Air Force and our nation's history," he said.