The Grand Prairie Armed Forces Reserve Complex (GPAFRC) was formerly known as Hensley Field. It is located in southwest Dallas, on Mountain Creek Lake. It was used as a naval base for aviation. Initially, it was a center exclusively for the Army Air Force, but later all American military services literally began to fly there. Read more on dallas-yes.
History of the GPAFRC
The GPAFRC began its existence in 1929. However, at that time it was named after military pilot-instructor William Hensley, and therefore was called Hensley Field. In the 1920s, the major lived near Dallas. He became popular because he was one of the few people who dared to join the team that made the first transatlantic crossing by airship in 1919.
Immediately after the construction of the complex, the city authorities leased it to the US Army. The lease amount was $1 per year. Hensley Field began to be used as a reserve base for one of the air complexes. In a few years, it became an integral part of the US Army. At the beginning of World War II, it was decided to extend the lease for another 40 years.
Since then, Hensley Field has been home to the most modern aircraft. In the 1960s, the F-8 Crusader and F-4 Phantom II were first used there. In the 1980s, the F-14 Tomcat and F-9 Skytrain II were used. By 1990, more than 2,000 conscripts and 6,789 reservists of the Air National Guard were trained at the complex. Most of them were sent to participate in the Gulf War.
In 1998, Hensley Field was closed after an inspection by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. But a few years later, the city government was able to reopen the base and began using it as a reserve complex for the GPAFRC.
The biggest drawback of the complex is weak security
Despite the fact that the complex remains a refuge for many reservists, the military complain about a rather inadequate security system. This is not just their imagination, it is true. Numerous bloody incidents have proved it.
In 2011, 28-year-old soldier Orlando Salazar was killed on the territory of the reserve complex. He was sent to Grand Prairie after participating in combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. He had a week left and was supposed to be released home, where his parents were waiting for him, but a terrible tragedy happened. On the night of March 20-21, unidentified persons killed him right on the territory of the complex.
The news of Orlando’s death surprised his parents the most, because they were worried about him when he was at the front, not in the rear. His father, Caesar Salazar, assured them that Grand Prairie was supposed to be a safe haven and a place of rest for Orlando, not a place of death.
The night before, the soldier called his family and told them that he was going to a band concert with his friends. The parents were only too happy that their son had the opportunity to relax after his military service. In the morning, Orlando’s body was found on the territory of the complex. According to medical experts, who commented to the Dallas media, the boy died as a result of numerous head injuries. It is still unknown who could have done this and why. All those who knew Salazar are sure that he would never have been the first to enter the conflict.
The tragic death of Orlando Salazar has led to protests by military personnel stationed at the GPAFRC. The activists believe that the security system needs to be urgently addressed, as they feel in danger. They argue their position not only by the murder of one of the military, but also by the long history of Grand Prairie. They say it is a great shame that such a powerful military base has begun to weaken over the years.