Ramey Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. It was named after United States Army Air Forces Brigadier General Howard Knox Ramey. Following its closure, it was redeveloped into Rafael Hernandez Airport. History Pre-World War II In 1939, the U.S. Army Air Corps sent Major George C. Kenney to Puerto Rico to conduct a preliminary survey of possible air base sites on Puerto Rico. He examined 42 sites and declared that Punta Borinquen the best site for a major air base. Sugar cane farms covered some 3796 acres that the government purchased for military use in the first week of September 1939 at a cost of $1,215,000. Later that year, Major Karl S. Axtater assumed command of what was to become Borinquen Army Airfield. World War II era During World War II, the following squadrons were assigned to the airfield: Headquarters, 25th Bombardment Group, 1 November 1940 – 1 November 1942; 5 October 1943 – 24 March 1944 417th Bombardment Squadron, 21 November 1939 – 13 April 1942 (Douglas B-18 Bolo) 10th Bombardment Squadron, 1 November 1940 – 1 November 1942 (B-18 Bolo) 12th Bombardment Squadron, 1 November 1940 – 8 November 1941 (B-18 Bolo) 35th Bombardment Squadron, 31 October-11 November 1941 (B-18 Bolo) 44th Bombardment Squadron (40th Bombardment Group) 1 April 1941 – 16 June 1942 (B-18 Bolo) 20th Troop Carrier Squadron (Panama Air Depot) June 1942 – July 1943 (Douglas C-47 Skytrain) 4th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (72d Reconnaissance Group) 27 October 1943 – 21 May 1945; 5 October 1945 – 20 August 1946 Cold War era With the establishment of an independent United States Air Force in 1947, the complex was renamed Ramey Air Force Base in 1948. Ramey AFB was home to a succession of Strategic Air Command (SAC) strategic reconnaissance wings and a bombardment wing, and housed a number of B-36 Peacemaker intercontinental bombers, albeit in its RB-36 strategic reconnaissance version. The RB-36s were later replaced by B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombers and KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft, while a tenant weather reconnaissance squadron operated WB-47 Stratojet and WC-130 Hercules aircraft. Due to the size and weight of the B-36, the runway at Ramey had to be built to a length of 11,702 ft and a width of 200 ft, with an added 870 ft Blast Pad at each end and an additional 50 ft shoulder on each side.