Community, base celebrate anniversary Published June 24, 2011 By Wayne Crenshaw 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Today Robins is a sprawling complex employing more than 20,000 people, and it is a vital component of America's military operations, but it all began 70 years ago with a one-page telegram. On June 16 hundreds of community and Team Robins members celebrated the 70th anniversary of the day a telegram arrived from Washington announcing Wellston, Ga., had been selected as the site of a new Army Air Corps Depot which would become Robins Air Force Base. The community immediately established what would become long-standing, passionate support for the base by changing the name of the town. The celebration at the Museum of Aviation included video congratulations from Georgia U.S. Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, as well as 8th District Congressman Austin Scott. Several community leaders spoke, including Warner Robins Mayor Chuck Shaheen, whose father served in the Air Force at Robins. "If it wasn't for Robins Air Force Base, Warner Robins wouldn't be here," Shaheen said. "We just appreciate what has happened." The final speaker of the evening was Center Commander Maj. Gen. Robert McMahon. "Warner Robins is the only city in America named after an Air Force base," McMahon said. "It is a reflection of what we have in this community."