Editing Malmstrom Air Force Base (section)

===Malmstrom===
[[File:EaMalmstrom.jpg|thumb|160px|Colonel [[Einar Axel Malmstrom|Einar Malmstrom]]|alt=]]

Originally named Great Falls Army Air Base, later Great Falls Air Force Base, the facility was renamed '''Malmstrom Air Force Base''' on 1 October 1955 in honor of [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]] [[Einar Axel Malmstrom]] (1907–1954). Shot down on his 58th combat fighter mission in [[World War II]], Malmstrom became the US commander of Luftwaffe [[Stalag Luft I]] South Compound, a [[prisoner-of-war camp]] at [[Barth, Germany|Barth]], [[Germany]]. After his release and return to active Air Force service, he died in the crash of a [[Lockheed T-33|T-33 Shooting Star]] trainer on 21 August 1954 near Great Falls Air Force Base.<ref name=cmkic>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gSpYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o_YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3336%2C4855298|work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington) |title=Col. Malmstrom killed in crash |date=August 21, 1954 |page=1}}</ref><ref name=acogfa>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jJYnAAAAIBAJ&sjid=T-YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7301%2C92546 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Acting C.O. of Great Falls air base dies in jet crash |date=August 22, 1954 |page=15}}</ref> In the short period of his tenure as vice wing commander, Colonel Malmstrom endeared himself to the local community. Saddened by the loss, the people of Great Falls began a drive to rename the base after him.