Travis Air Force Base began operations in 1943 during World War II and was named for Brigadier General Robert F. Travis in April 1951. The installation has been home to as many as 15,000 active military, reservist, and civilian personnel serving and working for the United States Air Force. Over the ensuing decades, it became known as the "Gateway to the Pacific" as the principal military airlift hub in the western United States, at times handling more cargo and passenger traffic than any other military air terminal in the United States. It has been the largest employer in the City of Fairfield and Solano County, and its military and civilian workforce has provided a local economic impact of more than $1 billion annually. After the end of the Cold War, the base came under the control of the newly established Air Mobility Command and became home to three of the world's largest airplanes: C-5 Galaxy, KC-10 Extender, and C-17 Globemaster III.