▁of ▁base ▁development ▁that ▁the ▁Army ▁Air ▁Force ▁desert ▁station ▁was ▁dest ined ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁prov ing ▁ground ▁for ▁aircraft ▁and ▁a ▁testing ▁site ▁for ▁experimental ▁air plan es . ▁ ▁The ▁success ▁of ▁these ▁programs ▁attract ed ▁a ▁new ▁type ▁of ▁research ▁activity ▁to ▁the ▁base ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁The ▁ro cket - power ed ▁Bell ▁X - 1 ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁in ▁a ▁long ▁series ▁of ▁experimental ▁air plan es ▁designed ▁to ▁prove ▁or ▁dis pro ve ▁aer onaut ical ▁concepts — to ▁pro be ▁the ▁most ▁challeng ing ▁unknown s ▁of ▁flight ▁and ▁solve ▁its ▁myster ies . ▁Further ▁evidence ▁of ▁things ▁to ▁come ▁was ▁experienced ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁when ▁Captain . ▁Charles ▁" Ch uck " ▁Ye ager ▁fle w ▁the ▁small ▁bullet - sh aped ▁air plane ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁first ▁human ▁to ▁exceed ▁the ▁speed ▁of ▁sound . ▁ ▁Four ▁months ▁later , ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁M uro c ▁A AF ▁was ▁re - design ated ▁M uro c ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁with ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Air ▁Force ▁as ▁a ▁separate ▁military ▁service . ▁Units ▁attached ▁or ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁base ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁were ▁the ▁ 4 1 4 4 th ▁Army ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁Unit , ▁the ▁ 3 2 0 8 th ▁Str ateg ic ▁Bomb ▁Test ▁Squadron ▁along ▁with ▁communic ations ▁and ▁weather ▁det ach ments . ▁▁ ▁On