Welcome to Dow Air Force Base. In its role as a Strategic Air Command heavy bomber base, Dow is one of the most vital and historic installations in the United States Air Force. Dow is located in the suburbs of Bangor, Maine and as such, is one of the eastern-most bases in the Continental United States. Because of the fact that a permanent change of station is most often a strange and confusing experience, probably the most important questions you have now are those concerning facilities that are available at Dow, the local community, the people with whom you will work and the machinery at your disposal to help minimize "settling in" problems. We hope the information contained in this guide will answer most of your questions and that you will find Dow and the city of Bangor a friendly community and that you will enjoy your tour here.

Introduction to Dow: This booklet has been designed to help you become acquainted with your new station. It covers where to go and who to see for information pertaining to your on and off duty hours. The back portion of the booklet, titled Community Resources Section, includes a wealth of information on the educational and recreational facilities available in the the greater part of Maine.

On August 15, 1940 construction of a combined military-community airfield was begun with the federal government supplying the funds and the city of Bangor furnishing the land. During World War II, Dow played a major role in the defense of the country. In the early part of the war Dow served as a training base for bombing and reconnaissance groups. In the summer of 1943, the Air Transport Command begun using the base as a staging area for crews headed for Europe. In September of 1952 Dow became a Strategic Air Command installation, and in September 1954 the base was given a permanent status. In March of 1955, the 4060th Air Refueling Wing, one of SAC's two air-to-air refueling wings, replaced the 506th Strategic Fighter Wing. Dow is presently a member of the Strategic Air Command and an Eighth Air Force Installation.

This brochure is presented as a reference to certain information, services, and facilities which may prove useful during your stay. All personnel are at your disposal for any assistance necessary to accomplish the purpose of your visit.--Orie O. Schurter, Colonel, USAF Commander

Outline and research notes for a speech on the subject "Dow Air Force Base and the Community." Includes: History (1923-1945); History (1946-1955); Stategic Location and Utilization; Mission; Economy--Decentralization Program.

This brochure is presented as a reference to certain information, services, and facilities which may prove useful during your stay. Our mission is to organize and train a force capable of providing adequate protection for Strategic Air Command bombardment and reconnaissance combat elements through escort and air defense, organize and conduct air-to-air refueling operations, provide for low level photographic reconnaissance, organize and train a force capable of destroying the forces, resources, and installations of an enemy, be prepared to implement established operations orders, participate in reserve training, and perform special missions as directed by higher headquarters. All personnel are at your disposal for any assistance necessary to accomplish the purpose of your visit.--Richard O. Hunziker, Colonel, USAF Commander

A Message from Your Commanding Officer: I welcome you to Dow Air Force Base and sincerely hope that your tour with us will be a pleasant one. My desire is to make your duty and off duty time as pleasant as possible. I urge each member of the military service regardless of rank to take advantage of the opportunities described in this booklet. The airman who takes advantage of the environmental surroundings of Maine will find himself well rewarded. As your commander I urge you to participate wholeheartedly in the base activities as it is a direct means for raising your efficiency, morale, and the development of better airmen and future citizens.--William B. David, Colonel USAF Commanding

The history of Dow Field dates back to August 19, 1923, when General "Billy" Mitchell and the entire United States Air Force landed on the F. F. Rich farm on the Cooper Road. The bombers and fighter planes were taking part in Mitchell's first maneuvers over the Eastern Seaboard, in the course of which he set out to prove that the entire coast could be defended from the air base at Langley Field, Virginia. This was only a couple of weeks before the famous bombing tests off the Virginia Capes, during which Mitchell's biplanes sank an obsolete battleship with bombs. The fifteen Martin bombers and eleven DeHaviland scout planes which landed at Bangor were, Billy Mitchell told Bangor Rotarians, "the entire Air Force of the United States". Mitchell went on to say: "I see a great future for Bangor as an air base. It is a natural air center, and ideally suited as an airdrome".

Dow Field, formerly called the Bangor Air Base, dates back to February 11, 1941, when construction began on the site of a small municipal airport, established originally as a northern terminus for Northeast Airlines. Most of the construction was completed during the summer and fall of 1941. Numerous buildings for barracks, storage, hangars and hospitals, were erected on what was formerly a low, swampy area. Extensive filling and seeding have produced an attractive area of well-kept lawns and fields, landscaped with thousands of trees typical of the local scene. In 1941 and 1942, Dow Field was used mainly as a training base for bombing and reconnaissance groups, and as a training base for an aviation engineering regiment. One large bombardment group from Dow Field sailed on the maiden voyage of the Queen Mary as a troop ship pilots flew their own planes, of course but the large ground echelon went by boat.

Bangor will have a new city directory, this year. A 1921 edition of this most useful, and to many lines of business almost indispensible, work will be published in midsummer, or as soon as the canvass can be made and the book printed. Cannon & Co., which has published Bangor directories since 1891, the last edition being in 1919, has sold the copyright to the Portland Directory Co. which has been in existence since 1823. Frank W. Elsdon, advertising manager of the company is in Bangor and work on the advertising section of the Bangor book will commence today ... Practically all of the features of the present directory which also includes Brewer, will be retained, including the valuable local information, statistics and historical data. An important new feature will be the addition of the names of all women over 18 years. This is a feature which will be much appreciated. While the names of single women over 15 and widows have always appeared, the married women have been left out of it except in some few instances as the the head or member of a business. By the new way, Mrs. Judith Japonica Jones, will get her name in with her husband, Timothy Tallyrand Jones, and will not have to wait for the old man to die. And of course the girls and the widows who get married will not be dropped out, which will be comforting. (Source: Bangor Daily News, January 25, 1921)

The Bangor and Brewer directory for 1919 is being delivered to subscribers by Cannon & Co., the publishers. A new directory always is welcome, and this one doubly so, for none has been Issued since 1916, the new 1918 having been omitted on account of the war. The new directory has the same familiar features, but is printed on thinner paper and the type pages have been slightly lengthened, making a more compact volume. In compiling the new directory the publishers found more changes than in any previous period. 3459 new names being added, and 3231 old names dropped, a gain of 228. In Brewer 764 new names were added and 734 old names dropped, a gain of 30. Mr. Cannon, being asked if there was a scarcity of rents in Bangor, said that only the real estate dealers and people looking for rents the past summer could adequately describe the situation tion and and that in the book the business address only of many persons is given, for the reason that the houses they were occupying on Aug. 1 when the directory went to press, had been sold, and they were uncertain as to their future places of residence. (Source: Bangor Daily News, September 19, 1919)

The new directory outwardly looks much the same as the old one, but even a hurried review of it shows there are several new features. The new street directory, which takes each street and tells where it starts from, the number at each cross street or avenue, gives the number of each schoolhouse, church, or public building, and the number where the street ends, will be appreciated by those who want to know where a certain number is before they start. No need to ask which end a cross street numbers from, for a glance at the directory shows. Some of the street names remind us that Bangor is spreading out. Could all of us tell where East Broadway, Lancaster avenue, Tyler avenue, Yale or Henry street are? if we were asked, but all these streets are on the new map. An interesting table is one compiled by the College of Arts and Sciences, U. of M., giving the earliest and latest snowfalls and freezes since 1869, which will settle many an argument on the weather. For the politician there are the two votes on commission form of government, special election and the vote by wards for mayor for several years, political committees, etc. (Source: Bangor Daily News, August 2, 1916)

The city directory for 1914, issued by Cannon & Co., has made its appearance, accompanied as usual by the Brewer Directory and a new map of Bangor and Brewer. The volume has the same familiar features, and is of the same size as its predecessors. The publishers have retained all the old features and have added several new ones. The new names added to the Bangor directory this year number 2471, while 2407 old names we dropped, leaving a gain of 64. This, the publishers say, is a very gratifying showing, as the canvass of 1912 was taken in the height of the rebuilding boom after the fire of 1911, and this year the greater number of the names dropped were those of carpenters, masons, painters and teamsters, who found employment here at that time. The boarding and lodging houses show a decrease in inmates this year, while the residential section shows a good increase, which is permanent, and represents families rather than Individuals. In Brewer the new names were 650, and the names dropped 602 leaving a gain of 48. In the business directory an increase is found in the number of corporations, the number given in the new directory being 216, while there were only 203 in 1912. The last directory gave the names of only 71 lawyers, while the new directory shows 83. Bangor's health is looked after by 53 doctors and 116 nurses according to the new directory, while in 1912 the directory gave 51 doctors and 99 nurses. (Source: Bangor Daily News, July 23, 1914)

The Bangor directory, the 1912 edition of which has just been distributed by Cannon & Co., compilers and publishers, will probably be the most used book during the coming 12 months of any that Bangor and Brewer people will have occasion to refer. Mercantile houses, hotels, railroad offices, telephone and telegraph companies and professional men use it extensively and the newspaper offices especially find it of great assistance. The directory gives not only the name but the home and business addresses and occupation and much supplementary information such as the mayors of Bangor, opening and closing of navigation, water rates of the city, port statistics, stage lines, tax rates and valuations of the city, personnel of the fire and water departments, the alarm numbers, public carriage regulations, post office hours and rates of postage, judiciary of the state and county officers, justices of the peace and notaries public, classified directory of Bangor merchants and professional men, the ward boundaries, personnel of the city government and subordinate officers, the churches and their pastors, the officers and meeting nights of fraternal societies and labor organizations, the officers of Bangor corporations and log driving companies, the census of the state and the public schools and their teachers. These facts for Brewer are also included. (Source: Bangor Daily Commercial, August 17, 1912)

The Bangor Directory for 1910-11, just issued by Cannon & Co., comprises as it should the cities of Brewer and Oldtown and the towns of Orono and Veazie, and is especially valuable for the reason that it has been eight years since a directory of the up-river municipalities has been published. The volume gives the names, place of business or occupation and residence of nearly 20,000 people within the limits of Greater Bangor and besides gives street and classified directory of the three cities, a new map of Bangor and Brewer, and a great amount of civic, society and miscellaneous information. Copies may be obtained of the publishers or of E, F, Dillingham, bookseller, Bangor. (Source: Industrial Journal, December 1, 1910)

The 1909 Directories of Bangor and Brewer, published by Cannon & Co., are now in the bindery and it is expected that they will be ready for distribution on Tuesday or Wednesday. Advance copies show there has been no attempt at padding out to increase size of book but every line is full of fact and figures. The printing was done at the Commercial job printing rooms and the binding by the Maine State Bookbinding. Co., of Augustą. In addition to the many pages of miscellaneous information which is presented in the pages preceding the resident directory we find visiting days and hours at public institutions, depth of public artesian wells and cost, distances from Bangor to principal points in the state, and four pages of election statistics, consisting of Bangor's vote by wards for mayor in 1907-8-9; for aldermen and councilmen in 1909, and for congressman, state and county officials in 1908, and vote of Penobseot county for state and county officials 1908, all important information and heretofore available for reference in no other publication. (Source: Bangor Daily Commercial, July 17, 1909)

The 1907 directory of Bangor and Brewer was being distributed Saturday forenoon to subscribers by the publishers, Cannon & Co., and is being welcomed by all who have occasion to refer to this indispensable book. The directory presents the same neat appearance of former volumes and is full of useful and interesting information, condensed and accurately tabulated ... The resident directory is preceded by many interesting and useful tables and information, giving hack and public carriage regulations and fares, mayors of Bangor since becoming a city and the number of terms each has served, opening and closing of the port of Bangor to navigation since 1818, number of arrivals in port from 1880 to date, foreign arrivals, foreign clearances and tonnage, number of vessels passing through draw bridge, Bangor tax statistics, surveyors of lumber, with amount surveyed and shipped, number of fires and alarms with amount of damage since 1850, ward boundaries of both Bangor and Brewer, and rural free delivery routes, giving roads and distances covered by the eight carriers leaving Bangor. As usual, the Bangor section of the directory is headed by the name George A. Abbott. Mr. Abbott has had that distinction for several years. The last name in the book is that of Charles A. Zwicker, a place that he held in the 1905 volume. (Source: Bangor Daily Commercial, July 20, 1907)

The new directory of Bangor and Brewer is out. After several months of hard work on the part of Cannon & Co., the publishers of the directory, this valuable book has been completed and in a few days will be in the hands of all its subscribers. No expense or time has been spared to obtain the information desired for a book of this kind and it is one which will be of great value to many people in Bangor and Brewer. The total number of names shows a gratifying increase and is accounted for partly by the large list of boarders given by proprietors of boarding houses. An unusually large number of carpenters, painters and other craftsmen were found in these houses and it is certain that when the year's building statisties are known they will show a large increase of taxable property. The number of names in the Bangor directory for 1905 is 12,196, which com-pared with that of 11,428 in 1903 shows a gain of 768. Of the total number of names 8750 are males and 2678 females, 224 co-partnerships and 224 corporations. The number of business houses doing business firms or co-partnerships shows a marked decrease, the number being 20 less than in 1903. This only marks a change that is taking place all over the state, the carrying on of business by corporations instead of by individuals. (Source: Bangor Daily Commercial, July 27, 1905)

The city directory is now out for 1903 and can be found for sale at E. F. Dillingham's book store. This valuable book is compiled by Cannon & Co., and this year contains not only Bangor and Brewer, as did the edition of 1901 but also both Old Town and Orono. Brewer has appeared with the Bangor directory since 1885 but this is the first time for these up-river towns in the Bangor book. The directory is more than a mere catalogue of names and addresses as it contains information and statistics of every description, concerning Bangor and the other cities it represents, that useful and instructive in the way of information to both business men and society. (Source: Bangor Daily Commercial, July 27, 1903)

The city directory for 1901, issued by Cannon & Co.. the book most often consulted, most frequently borrowed and most seldom returned, has made its appearance, accompanied as usual by the Brewer directory and the initial appearance of the directories of Hampden and Veazie. The volume has the same familiar features and is of the same size as Its predecessors. The type, this year, is machine set, the linotype machine being used for the first time, and is a trifle smaller than that of the last edition. The publishers have retained all the old features which made the directory so popular as a reference book and have added several new ones. (Source: Bangor Weekly Commercial, July 26, 1901)

Cannon & Co. issued the 1899 edition of the Bangor directory on Monday, and the books will be distributed this week ... It is filled from cover to cover with much useful information and every man doing business cannot afford to be without it. The total number of names in the Bangor resident directory is 10,593. Of these 7131 are males, 2272 are females; 210 are names of firms doing business under partnerships; 138 are names of corporations; 236 are names and addresses of people who have moved from the city; 300 are names that appeared in the last directory and have since died, and 306 are names of people in business or employed in Bangor who live in the surrounding cities and towns. The total number of names in Brewer resident directory is 2214, of which 1630 are names of males. A glance through the business directory shows that Bangor is up to date in every line of business, and inhabitants can have every want supplied. There are 86 grocers; 43 provision stores; three wholesale beef houses; three wholesale pork houses; two wholesale fish houses; 12 retail fish markets; eight butchers; eight bakers; five confectionery manufacturers; three creameries; 16 milkmen and five retail ice dealers to look after their wants. If they wish to ride they have a choice of two steam railroads, four street railways, 13 public carriages, and can also go to 15 stables and get any kind of a rig desired. (Source: Bangor Daily News, July 25, 1899)

The new directory of Cannon & Co., just issued ... contains a complete directory of both Brewer and Bangor, the streets, lanes and courts of both cities, location of wharves, churches and public buildings, a society directory that is of great value to any person, also a list of all justices of the peace, the register of county officers, list of fire alarm boxes, record of losses by fire in the past 46 years, United States officers located here, much statistical matter in regard to the shipping of Bangor, dates of the opening and closing of rivers since 1818, mayors of Bangor since 1834 and a map of the city. The above is only a partial list of the many important things to be found in this directory. The book is bound in the usual style, is attractive in appearance and should have a large sale. (Source: Bangor Daily News, June 29, 1897)

The directory of Bangor and Brewer for 1895-6 has just been issued by Cannon & Company, and is in great demand. It consists of 480 pages, filled with the usual list of names and residences, advertisements and tables for reference. The stores and houses in the business portion of the city are given with their new numbers, and this feature alone will prove of great service to business firms and to the public in general. (Source: Bangor Daily News, September 11, 1895)

Preface. In presenting the DIRECTORY OF BANGOR AND BREWER for 1893-4, the publishers wish to thank those who have aided them by their liberal patronage, and to remind others that it is necessary to have the support of all in order that a good directory may be issued annually. Owing to the business depression which prevailed the past season, and the unsettled condition of affairs, we began our canvass several months later than usual, and informed our patrons that we did not intend to issue a Directory next spring, but would publish one early in the summer of 1895, and it is hoped ere that time some measures will be taken regarding the street numbers. This is one of the most important features of a city, and the lack of system in numbering immediately attracts the attention of strangers and subjects them to many annoyances. It is a daily source of trouble to our merchants delivering goods, and has reached such a state that the city should appoint one of its officials to take charge of it.