is large enough to land the Space Shuttle. It was on a list of alternate landing sites for the Shuttle. Space Shuttle Columbia astronaut Michael P. Anderson, born at Plattsburgh AFB, was a USAF pilot at Plattsburgh AFB when he got selected by NASA in 1994. Major commands to which the base was assigned: Strategic Air Command, 1954 – 1 June 1992 Air Mobility Command, 1 June 1992 – 25 September 1995 Major units assigned 308th Bombardment Wing (Wing existed on paper, but was non-operational) 373d Bombardment Squadron (Medium) 374th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) 375th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) 425th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) 380th Bomb Wing 26th Air Refueling Squadron (7 August 1957 – 31 July 1959) 310th Air Refueling Squadron (25 January 1967 – 1 October 1994) 380th Air Refueling Squadron (16 August 1956 – April 1961; 15 September 1964 – 1 October 1994) 528th Bombardment Squadron (11 July 1955 – 1 July 1991) 529th Bombardment Squadron (11 July 1955 – 25 June 1966 and 6 January 1971 – 1 September 1991) 530th Bombardment Squadron (11 July 1955 – 25 June 1966 and 1 July 1986 – 1 July 1991) (later 530th Strategic Bomber Training Squadron, Combat Crew Training Squadron) 531st Bombardment Squadron (1 May 1959 – 1 January 1962) 556th Strategic Missile Squadron: 15 September 1964 – 25 June 1965) 497th Air Refueling Wing (1 January 1963 – 15 September 1964) 26th Air Refueling Squadron (1 January 1963 – 15 September 1964) 380th Air Refueling Squadron (1 January 1963 – 15 September 1964) 820th Strategic Aerospace Division 556th Strategic Missile Squadron Missile operations Plattsburgh Air Force Base was designated as one of four major Atlas launching systems in the U.S., the only ICBM missile system deployed east of the Mississippi River. During the period 1961 and 1963, 12 Atlas-F missile sites were constructed within a 50-mile radius of the base, thus giving the 380th the capability to launch 12 missiles. All sites were in New York state, except for two located on the other side of Lake Champlain in Vermont. The 556th Strategic Missile Squadron, formerly assigned to Dow AFB, Maine, was transferred to Plattsburgh AFB on 1 October 1961, and became completely operational on 20 December 1962. It was inactivated on 25 June 1965. BRACC 1991 and closure During the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRACC) deliberations, PAFB wound up being pitted against Loring AFB in Limestone, Maine.