10471 Capt Frank M. Mutolo Building

Building 10471

In 1947, construction was started on this building, a 500 man barracks, along with two others. At the time, Elmendorf Air Force Base was the principal airfield of the fledgling Alaskan Air Command and 13,500 troops were stationed here. Part of the new base master plan, the barracks construction was planned to house the troops near the flight line where many of them worked. Little work was done in 1948, however, as the monies appropriated for construction had run out. High costs of labor and materials had taken their toll. Through the majority of the year, the girders of the building stood rusting as funds were not available to continue construction. In 1949, work resumed and in 1950, the building was completed for a total cost of $3,220,598.00 (in 1950 dollars).

The building has a concrete foundation, and an area of more than 136,304 square feet. It housed 500 men and included an adjoining messhall. It was used until the late-1950s when it was converted for use as administrative office space.

In 1977, at the time of its dedication as the Captain Frank M. Mutolo Building it housed the Headquarters of the 1931st Communications Group and various Alaskan Air Command agencies: The Deputy Chief of Staff (DCS) for Engineering and Services, and the DCS for Personnel, for example.

At the time of its dedication, the building was valued at $3,683,000. It was estimated by command officials that it would cost in excess of $25 million to replace the structure in 1977.

The dedication ceremony took place on 17 December 1977.

Today the building serves as the Headquarters of the 673rd Air Base Wing.

Captain Frank M. Mutolo

Captain Frank M. Mutolo was born in Port Washington, New York on 10 January 1949. He was a member of the 560th AFROTC Cadet Corps at Manhattan College and was commissioned on 24 May 1970. He entered on active-duty on 1 June 1970 and was awarded his navigator wings on 23 September 1971 at Mather Air Force Base, California. He attended F-4 upgrading at George Air Force Base, California and his first operational assignment was with the 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base from August 1972 through June 1973.

While assigned to the 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron, the then Lieutenant Mutolo distinguished himself while participating in aerial flight as an F-4D Weapons System Officer in the vicinity of Hanoi, North Vietnam on the night of 20 December 1972. On that date, he was flying escort for a flight of fighter-bombers that were attacked by hostile jet aircraft. Despite marginal weather conditions, darkness, and a highly sophisticated anti-aircraft network, Lieutenant Mutolo and his flight effectively negated three separate attacks by enemy aircraft and insured the successful completion of a high priority mission. For this mission he earned the Air Medal with first Oak Leaf Cluster. While in Southeast Asia, he flew over 180 combat missions throughout the theater. Captain Mutolo’s supervisor later wrote: “He is consistently calm under all combat conditions. Among his strengths are his mature, businesslike, professional attitude …”

On 4 August 1973, Captain Mutolo was assigned to the 43rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, 21st Composite Wing, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. At the 43rd TFS he flew the F-4E aircraft in air defense as well as training missions. On 17 December 1973 his aircraft (Serial #68-0425) disappeared approximately 90 miles northwest of Elmendorf while on an aerial combat maneuvers training mission. Although hampered by haze, snow, and poor visibility an intensive search was begun by helicopters and fixed wing aircraft from Elmendorf. For the next two weeks the search continued. On 3 January 1974 the search was ended. More than 560 square miles of area were searched for the F-4 involving over 650 flying hours. The aircraft was never recovered.

Captain Mutolo was survived by his wife, Madeleine Mutolo, his daughter Holly, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank J. Mutolo.