Tyndall Air Force Base evacuated assets to avoid the path of Hurricane Michael Oct. 8, 2018. The aircraft will reposition to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and other locations around the country. (Cody Miller/U.S. Air Force)

WASHINGTON — Tyndall Air Force Base sustained “catastrophic’’ damage as Hurricane Michael struck the Florida installation head on, destroying buildings and potentially leaving the post vacant for weeks, Air Force officials said Thursday.

The Category 4 storm, the strongest to ever hit the Florida Panhandle, tore roofing from aircraft hangars and mangled buildings at Tyndall, located just outside Panama City, Fla., according to Air Force officials who reported “widespread catastrophic damage” primarily from winds that exceeded 150 mph.

Hurricane Michael, downgraded to a tropical storm Thursday as it raced into the Carolinas, was blamed for at least two deaths after it left a trail of devastation across north Florida and Georgia. Other military installations in its path seemed to have been spared major devastation, according to several defense officials.

“Team Tyndall, our base took a beating … by now you already know that Tyndall Air Force Base requires extensive cleanup and repairs,” Col. Brian Laidlaw, the 325th Fighter Wing’s commander, said in a message posted Thursday evening to the installation's Facebook page. “I will not recall you and your families until we can guarantee your safety. At this time I can’t tell you how long that will take, but I’m on it. I know this is important to you.”

An aerial assessment revealed that “all base houses sustained significant roof and siding damage. Some houses sustained more significant structural failures” and some dorms were severely damaged,” according to a separate Tyndall Facebook post.

Coast Guard Station Yankeetown crew member Seaman Nicholas Feder hands a sand bag to Fireman Richard Tzoumas-White at the station in preparation for Hurricane Michael, Monday, Oct. 8, 2018. (Michael Clark/U.S. Coast Guard)

A F-35 Lightning arrives at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana on Oct. 9, 2018 after being evacuated from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida ahead of Hurricane Michael. (Stuart Bright/U.S. Air Force)

Naval Support Activity Panama City, Fla. ordered a mandatory evacuation of all personnel ahead of Hurricane Michael, Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Ed Buczek/U.S. Navy)

Rain predictions for Hurricane Michael over the next three days. (Greg Good/TNS)

A GOES-16 East Geocolor satellite image of Hurricane Michael shows the storm at approximately 7:27 a.m. EDT on Oct. 10, 2018 in the Gulf of Mexico as it approaches the Florida Panhandle. (U.S. Navy)

Crew members from Coast Guard Station Yankeetown conduct checks on response boats, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Yankeetown, Florida ahead of Hurricane Michael making landfall. (Jason Andrade/U.S. Coast Guard)

The eye of Hurricane Michael, as seen from the International Space Station on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018. (NASA)

Coast Guard crew members aboard an HC-130 Hercules airplane from Air Station Clearwater, Florida, conduct an aerial assessment of coastal areas affected by Hurricane Michael near Apalachicola, Florida, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018. (Ashley J. Johnson/U.S. Coast Guard)

Maj. Jeremy DeHart, a 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron aerial reconnaissance weather officer, reviews data prior to sending the data to the National Hurricane Center for Hurricane Michael on Oct. 10, 2018. (Jessica Kendziorek/U.S. Air Force)

A Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry launches on a search and rescue case from Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Alabama, as part of the Hurricane Michael response, Oct. 11, 2018. (Richard Brahm/U.S. Coast Guard)

A video screen grab shows some of the destruction caused by Hurricane Michael at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (JQP)

Florida National Guard soldiers from the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team helped clear portions of I-10 west after Hurricane Michael swept through the region. (Florida National Guard)

Members of the Florida National Guard's Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, High Yield Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package (CERF-P) team clear debris from the road after Hurricane Michael on Oct. 11, 2018. (Florida National Guard)

Florida National Guard soldiers help clear debris from Hurricane Michael on I-10 west on Oct. 11, 2018. (Florida National Guard)

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations UH-60 Black Hawk flight crew conducts a flyover of the Florida panhandle in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael on Oct. 11, 2018. (Glenn Fawcett/U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

A UH-60 Black Hawk flight crew conducts a flyover of the Florida panhandle in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael as the storm left a swath of destruction across the area near Panama City, Florida, Oct. 11, 2018. (Glenn Fawcett/U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine A-Star Helicopter surveys the damage wrought by Hurricane Michel over Mexico Beach, Florida on Oct. 11, 2018. (James E. Wyatt/U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

Coast Guard pollution responders from Sector St. Petersburg, Florida, conduct port assessments, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018 at Keaton Beach, Florida. Coast Guard crew members are accessing any damage caused by Hurricane Michael, checking for any pollution concerns, and ensuring the safety of maritime traffic along the Gulf Coast. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations UH-60 Black Hawk flight crew conduct a flyover of the Florida panhandle in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael as the storm left a swath of destruction across the area near Panama City, Florida, October 11, 2018. (Glenn Fawcett/U.S. Customs and Border Protection photo)

The flight line is devastated, the message said. “Every building has severe damage. Many buildings are a complete loss.”

Other areas that sustained “severe” or “catastrophic” damage include Tyndall Elementary School; the BX and commissary; the two shoppettes; the drone runway; and the Tyndall marina, which was “completely destroyed,” missing all structures and docks.

“Trees and power lines block every road,” the message said. “At this time, power and basic utilities remain out.”

As of Thursday, no injuries were reported on the base, which was under a mandatory evacuation order since Tuesday. All of the operational aircraft assigned to Tyndall were evacuated ahead of the storm to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, Carswell Field in Texas and Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.

“At this point, Tyndall residents and evacuated personnel should remain at their safe location,” Laidlaw wrote in an earlier Facebook message. “We are actively developing plans to reunite families and plan to provide safe passage back to base housing.”

Meanwhile, the Florida National Guard began moving into impacted areas for rescue and clearance operations. Florida Gov. Rick Scott activated 2,500 National Guard troops ahead of the storm. In Georgia, 1,500 National Guard troops were activated to aid in response efforts.

Other military installations in the area were returning to normal operations or expecting to do so, while officials at bases in North Carolina continued to watch the storm’s path.

Eglin and Hurlburt Field

Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field, both near Valparaiso, Fla., appeared to avoid the worst of the storm. Eglin officials said Wednesday that the base will remain in limited operations Thursday as it recovers and restores essential services. All other civilian and military personnel were to return to their normal work schedules Friday. Hurlburt officials said the field would be on limited operating status Thursday, and they anticipate normal operations to resume Friday.

Naval Air Station Pensacola

Naval Air Station Pensacola returned to normal operations Thursday, a Navy official said.

Moody Air Force Base

Moody Air Force Base near Valdosta, Ga., was closed Thursday except for mission-essential personnel. The base was expected to reopen Friday morning.

Col. Jennifer Short, the commander of the Moody-based 23rd Wing said in a statement that some “recovery operations” were underway Thursday but did not indicate the base received any extensive damage. All of the base’s aircraft were evacuated ahead of the storm.

Fort Benning

Army recruits and trainees stationed at Fort Benning’s Maneuver Center of Excellence in Georgia resumed operations Thursday.

Fort Jackson

Training at the Army’s Fort Jackson in South Carolina was suspended Thursday. Officials provided personnel assigned to the post liberal leave and delayed Friday graduation for recruits completing basic training.

Fort Stewart

Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, near Savannah, Ga., returned to normal operations Thursday.

Naval Support Activity Panama City

Naval Support Activity Panama City said the base just west of Panama City sustained severe damage, Navy officials said, and will remain closed until further notice. Officials were on post Thursday conducting initial damage assessments.

The Navy warned those who evacuated the base not to return to the area until they were informed it was safe to do so. There are reports of widespread power outages and cell phone service disruptions in the area around the base, a Navy official said. They did not provide an estimate for when power would be restored or when the base might reopen.

Shaw AFB

Officials at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina reported late Thursday afternoon that the storm had passed the base. They reported little damage. Personnel were to report for duty Friday, officials said on Facebook.

Fort Bragg

The Army’s Fort Bragg in North Carolina was back to normal operations Thursday, but officials were monitoring the storm’s progress, expecting heavy wind and rain.

Recruit Depot Parris Island

Officials at the Marine Corps’ Recruit Depot in Parris Island canceled Family Day activities Thursday. Warrant Officer Bobby Yarbrough said the recruit depot received heavy winds and there were widespread power outages in the area Thursday, but Parris Island did not sustain severe damage. Graduations were expected to be held Friday.

Camp Lejeune

The Marines’ Camp Lejeune near Jacksonville, N.C., released most non-essential personnel early Thursday. Normal operations will resume Friday, officials said in a statement.

VA facilities

The Department of Veterans Affairs closed 21 clinics in Florida, Georgia and Alabama on Wednesday before Hurricane Michael hit. Some reopened at noon Thursday, but most were expected to remain closed until at least Friday.

VA officials said the clinic in Marianna, Fla., would be closed until damage could be assessed after the eye of the hurricane hit Wednesday.

The two VA hospitals in Augusta, Ga., canceled all appointments Thursday, said Jason Tudor, a VA public affairs official.

“We regret the inconvenience this may cause some of our long-distance travelers, but we will work with you to reschedule,” Tudor said in a message to veterans. “Do please take care of your families, take care of yourselves and be careful on the roads.”

The VA medical center in Dublin, Ga., also in the path of the storm, was open Thursday but was offering limited services while officials evaluated damage.

Stars and Stripes reporter Nikki Wentling contributed to this report.

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