Strategic Air Command
A major expansion of the base in preparation for the arrival of B-52 bombers resulted in the airfield at Turner AFB being greatly expanded into a configuration that was typical of a Strategic Air Command (SAC) B-52 base: a single 12,000-foot runway with a parallel taxiway; an Alert Site near the runway that contained parking for armed bombers and supporting tanker, as well as billeting and messing facilities for flight crews sitting 24 hour alert duty for up to a week at a time, and a huge aircraft parking ramp area for those aircraft not on alert.
Turner AFB subsequently became the home of the SAC's 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing in 1957, resulting in extensive expansion of the primary runway & other facilities. One of the most significant aspects of the SAC expansion at Turner AFB was the nearby installation of a ring of U.S. Army Nike Hercules surface-to-air missiles, which was a customary defensive shield for many B-52 bases. The Nikes were installed in two nearby off-base installations and were armed with nuclear warheads.
Upon transfer of the 4080 SRW to Laughlin AFB, TX in 1957, SAC established the 4138th Strategic Wing as the primary entity at Turner, operating B-52D Stratofortress and KC-135A Stratotanker aircraft. On 1 January 1959 SAC headquartered Eighth Air Force's 822d Air Division at Turner.
To provide air defense of the base, United States Army Nike-Hercules surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites were constructed during 1959. Sites were located near Armenia (TU-79) 31°37′50″N 084°16′42″W / 31.63056°N 84.27833°W / 31.63056; -84.27833, and Sylvester (TU-28) 31°33′23″N 083°54′18″W / 31.55639°N 83.90500°W / 31.55639; -83.90500 Georgia. They were operational between November 1960 and March 1966.
On 1 February 1963, the 4138 SW was deactivated and all subordinate squadrons and B-52D and KC-135A aircraft assets transferred to the newly-established 484th Bombardment Wing (Heavy). The 484 BW continued to maintain CONUS-based strategic nuclear alert responsibilities at Turner through the 1960s and deployed to Southeast Asia for most of 1966.
Turner began phasing down in 1966 in preparation for its transfer to the U.S. Navy when the 822d Air Division was deactivated on 2 September. The 484th BW was deactivated on 25 March 1967, and its aircraft assets were redistributed to other SAC units.
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