70 years strong <br> Quality of life blossomed as Keesler grew Published Aug. 10, 2011 By Lisa Campbell CSC marketing director KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- It all started with an old golf course, ball park, airport, Naval Reserve Park and swampy woodland. From these seemingly unassociated areas emerged Keesler, one of the largest technical training bases in theAir Force. In 70 years, Keesler has graduated more than two million students, trained more than 175,000 mechanics and hosted 330,000 recruits for basic training. Keesler was originally activated June 12, 1941, as Army Air Corps Station No. 8 and was the government's response to Franklin D. Roosevelt's plea to increase national defenses. With the looming threat to world peace, the base was developed rapidly to accommodate the large number of technical school students that were arriving for training each day. The growth of the base was so rapid that students were arriving faster than barracks could be built. The first newcomers to the base lived in tents set up in the Naval Reserve Park, also known as "Tent City," in the location now known as marina park. Tent City featured outdoor cooking facilities, the first post exchange, chapel and barber shop, all in tents as well. Aug. 25, 1941, the base was renamed Keesler Army Airfield in honor of 2nd Lt. Samuel Keesler Jr., a native of Greenwood, Miss., killed in action in 1918. In the first six months, the base underwent tremendous construction, essentially creating a "city within a city." From the beginning, theAir Force recognized the value of creating an uplifting and convenient environment for military personnel and their families. Original to the base in approximately the same locations today are the flight line, golf course and marina park. The golf club house that was originally a part of the Biloxi Country Club was one of the few buildings left standing on the new installation, but was converted into the Officers Club and Mess. In June 1943, Keesler's population peaked with more than 30,000 active-duty students and permanent party members stationed on the base. During this time, a favorite meeting place was the Service Club, with its library, lounge, writing rooms, dance floor, radio, phonograph, piano and restaurant. Over the next 10 years, Keesler Field experienced a variety of changes and growth. The first nursery was opened by the Keesler Field Women's Club in 1947, the base was renamed Keesler Air Force Base in 1948 and the first swimming pool opened in 1949. The first Airman's Club opened for lower grade enlisted in 1951 and within six months there were 10,000 members. Construction of "The Triangle," a $44 million project, included a brand new service club called Vandenberg Hall that opened in 1954 and housed a base exchange, outdoor patios, snack bar, ballroom and recreation rooms. North ofAllee Hall sat the main base bowling lanes and one of the three gyms.What is now Triangle Fitness Center was originally the Triangle Area Bowling Lanes. It wasn't until the '60s and '70s that buildings such as McBride Library, Blake Fitness Center and Gaudé Lanes Bowling Center were constructed. As Keesler's missions and student load shifted, so did the amenities offered on the base. In 2005, the impact of Hurricane Katrina was one of the most significant. The devastating blow left the base with approximately $950 million in damages as 95 percent of the base experienced some type of damage from the storm. From great tragedy came extraordinary revival. Known as "Operation Dragon Comeback," the base took on a massive reconstruction project and resumed training within days of the natural disaster. More than 1,000 new homes were constructed in the largest military family housing construction project in Air Force history. In 2010, Keesler opened a new and improved commissary and base exchange and post office and unveiled the $26.5 million Bay Breeze Event Center that houses Keesler's collocated club, community center, golf clubhouse and information, tickets and travel department.