Dyess Air Force Base is located near the city of Abilene. It was originally known as Abilene Air Force Base until it was renamed on December 6, 1956, in honor of Lt. Col. William E. Dyess. The base is home to the 7th Bomb Wing, the premier operational B-1B Lancer unit in the U.S. Air Force and a vital player in both Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The men and women of Dyess serve our great nation and the Abilene community proudly.