Old West Gate guard house to be demolished

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Alexandra M. Longfellow
  • 2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  The 2d Civil Engineering Squadron commenced with a demolition project on Monday of the old West Gate guard house and its associated utilities.

The demolition project affects traffic usage at the West Gate through Nov. 2 at 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

According to Mr. Christopher Bowman, 2d Security Forces Squadron chief of plans and programs, there are a few reasons why the guard house is being torn down.

"One main reason the house is being torn down is safety for personnel assigned to Barksdale," he said. "We have a total of 6,300 cars transiting daily and almost 700 cars hourly coming in through the West Gate."

The new West Gate was also built for force protection measures. It increased the stand-off distance from the main highway to base.

During the demolition of the house, both inbound and outbound traffic on Barksdale Boulevard West will temporarily divert into one lane through the construction area. As the project is completed, Barksdale Boulevard East and West will return to two-lane traffic.

"Once the old gate is down, a few things will be looked at to improve the outbound traffic," said Mr. Richard Parent, 2d Civil Engineer Squadron real property officer. "We are exploring the construction of a left turning lane."

Motorists are encouraged to use the North and East Gates for entry and exit during the hours of construction work in order to alleviate traffic build-up at the West Gate.

The construction of the old West Gate shack began on Aug. 18, 1931, by the Electric Contracting and Engineering Company of New Orleans. Construction finished on Aug. 3, 1932 costing $74,639. The total cost of the demolition is $51,322.

The gate was used as the Main Gate until 2006 when the new guard house was built farther down Barksdale Boulevard and considered the Main Gate.

During World War II, the guard house became a round defense structure for ground troops which was closed off as Barksdale's first line of defense.

Many famous people have entered through the gate such as Maj. Leon Johnson, a Barksdale Weather Officer, who earned a Medal of Honor for leading the 44th Bomb Group during the Ploesti Oil Field Raid in 1943. Maj. Gen. William E. Eubank, Jr., who was an aviation cadet and later went on to command the Air Force's first B-52 Wing; Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle came to Barksdale for capability demonstrations of the Martin B-52, and Col. Gerald Brant was the first occupant of the Brant House who commanded the 3d Wing, General Headquarters Air Force.
The political comedian, George Carlin, was stationed here as well. It was his first and only assignment. Barksdale cannot forget the Hollywood actor, James Stewart passing through the gate. In real life, he was an Air Force Reservist. He was a Lt. Col. at the time of his stay at Barksdale.

Barksdale has been a home to many familiar famous faces of history and considered a historical piece of the base. The 8th Air Force Museum was not able to move the guard house to the museum due to lack of funds.

"We do not have the funds to fully restore and move the guard house to the museum," said Mr. Buck Rigg, 8th Air Force Museum Director. "But we will keep the historical pieces of the gate as well as photos for replication at the museum."

The museum is keeping pieces of the gate such as the shingles from the roof, the roof vent finial, gutters and the downspouts. All of all parts, which are copper, will be used in the replication. Two fleur de lis' were placed on the entrance doors of the guard house and those two pieces will also be saved before the demolition.

For more information about the West Gate, contact the 8th Air Force Museum, 456-5553.