Is there an archive of Air Force base newspapers?

Question

I am trying to find articles regarding my mother which I think would be in base newspapers.&#160; Any ideas?

Malisa Simco · Answer

Dear Ms. Giddings, &#160; Thank you for posting your request on History Hub! &#160; We searched the National Archives catalog and located a series titled Correspondence Records Related to Informational Newsletters, Division and Unit Newspapers, and Community and Media Relations, 1/13/1970 - 12/28/1970 in the Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations (Record Group 342) that may contain the articles you seek. We also located the series News Releases and Information Records, 6/24/1971 - 2/5/1974 in Record Group 342 that includes a variety of news releases. For access to and/or copies of these reports, please contact the National Archives at College Park - Textual Reference (RDT2) via email at archives2reference@nara.gov . &#160; We hope this is helpful! Best of luck with your family research! &#160;

Jason, National Archives · Answer

Dear Ms. Giddings, &#160; Thank you for posting your follow-up request on History Hub! The base newspaper for Hahn AFB was called The Hahn Hawk . The base historian for Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado has the 22 December 1954 edition of The Hawn Hawk as well as multiple editions for 1955 and latter years. Not all editions are on file, and these records are only available in their original paper format. These files are at Schriever because it is host to the 50th Space Wing, which traces its heritage to the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing and successor organizations previously assigned to Hahn AFB. Please contact Historian James Mesco via email at james.mesco@us.af.mil for questions. Mr. Mesco has asked us to caution you that answering your request may take some time, as he is the only historian assigned to his office. &#160; As for other Air Force bases, there is no single repository that permanently archives Air Force unit and base newspapers and newsletters. While organizational newspapers and newsletters can sometimes be found mixed with other Air Force records in the National Archives, these cases are the exception rather than the norm.&#160; Newspapers are other periodicals as temporary under Air Force records control schedules , allowing them to be destroyed when no longer needed or on the inactivation of the organization for which they are published. For newspapers associated with currently active air bases, we recommend that you contact the staff of that bases&#8217; newspaper, the base public affairs office, the base librarian, and the base historian.&#160; However, because the Air Force does not require that newspapers be kept beyond their immediate use, whether any from the 1950s and have been retained may vary by location &#160; For inactivated air bases, any newspaper editions retained by the Air Force might be with the base historian of a base to which the tenants of the inactivated base relocated.&#160; Air Force record schedules also permit newspapers to be transferred to a local library, college or similar organization, so you should contact state, local and university libraries as well as historical societies for the area where the base used to be. &#160; Some editions or some air force base newspapers can be found in the collections maintained by the Wisconsin Historical Society in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin . There may also be some available through or indexed by the Library of Congress&#8217;s website Chronicling America . &#160; We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your family research! &#160;