323rd Air Expeditionary Wing
Encyclopedia
The 323d Air Expeditionary Wing (323 AEW) is a provisional United States Air Force
unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe
. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time.
It was last known to be active from 14 March – 30 April 2008 at Balotesti, Romania
, serving briefly as the USAF headquarters for a NATO Summit
.
During World War II
, the group's predecessor unit, the 323d Bombardment Group (Medium) was a B-26 Marauder
bombardment group assigned to the Eighth
and later Ninth Air Force
.
Constituted as 323d Bombardment Group (Medium) on 19 June 1942. Activated on 4 August 1942. Trained with B-26's. Moved to England, April–June 1943. Arrived at RAF Horham
in Suffolk on 12 May 1943 from Myrtle Beach AAF
South Carolina
. The group was assigned to the Eighth Air Force
3d Bomb Wing and flew Martin B-26B/C Marauders
with a Horizontal white tail band for its group marking.
Relocated to RAF Earls Colne and replaced the 94th Bomb Wing on 14 June 1943 and inaugurated medium-altitude bombing missions on 16 July 1943 and during that summer its principal targets were marshalling yards, airfields, industrial plants, military installations, and other targets in France, Belgium, and Holland.
In common with other Marauder units of the 3d Bomb Wing, the 323d was transferred to Ninth Air Force
on 16 October 1943. Tactical missions were flown against V-weapon sites along the coast of France and attacked airfields at Leeuwarden and Venlo
in conjunction with the Allied campaign against the German Air Force
and aircraft industry during Big Week
, 20–25 February 1944.
The 323d helped to prepare for the invasion of Normandy
by bombing coastal defenses, marshalling yards, and airfields in France and struck roads and coastal batteries on D-Day
, 6 June 1944.
On 21 July the group was moved south to RAF Beaulieu
in Hampshire, a move designed to extend their range over western France.
Within a few days. over 60 B-26s were in residence and operations were well under way. During the following five weeks. 28 missions were flown from Beaulieu without loss, although one B-26 crash-landed near the airfield after running out of fuel.
Between 16 and 26 August, the 323d moved to Lessay
airfield in France (A-20), the main movement of aircraft taking place on the 26th. By VE-Day
, the group was based near Gablingen, Germany (R-77) and participated in the disarmament program. It returned to the United States in December and was inactivated on 12 December 1945.
Even before the bomb wing’s activation, it was decided that it should be equipped with the respected Douglas A-26 Invader
light bombardment aircraft. The bomb wing’s reservists were indeed fortunate to receive several of these light bombers by mid-1948, with the promise of more.
By April 1948 the 323d Bombardment Group became the 323d Bombardment Wing (Light) on the same date, with Lieutenant Colonel R. Ahern commanding. From that point, the 323d Bombardment Wing became the focal point for Air Force Reserve activities in Oklahoma.
The wing was ordered to active duty on 10 March 1951 as a result of the Korean War
. Personnel and equipment sent to Far East Air Forces as replacements. Inactivated w/p/o/e on 17 March 1951.
's Ninth Air Force
. Initially training with North American F-86Fs, these were quickly upgraded to the North American F-86H Sabre
and then to the North American F-100A/D
in 1956 to become proficient in tactical air operations. Operational squadrons were:
The wing's aircraft wore a band on the tail, and around the nose edged with small black checkers.
In 1955, Strategic Air Command
(SAC) began stationing units at the base, and the Eighth Air Force
claimed jurisdiction of Bunker Hill AFB in September 1957. With the turnover of the base to SAC, the 323d was phased down and replaced by the SAC 401st Air Base Group on 1 September 1957.
Reactivated as Air Training Command
navigator training wing at Mather AFB, California on 1 April 1973, replacing the 3535th Navigator Training Wing which had existed at Mather since 1946. The 323 FTW also conducted advanced training for winged navigators as navigator-bombardiers and electronic warfare officers. The following operational squadrons were redesignated as a result of the reactivation:
The 323 FTW also operated Mather AFB as the "host" wing for the installation (Strategic Air Command
's 320th Bombardment Wing and the Air Force Reserve's 940th Air Refueling Group, now 940th Air Refueling Wing
were "tenant" wings) and published Navigator magazine. The 323 FTW also conducted operational test and evaluation of the T-43A aircraft, 1 August 1973 – 31 October 1973 and began conversion from the T-29 to the T-43 shortly afterwards. As the only USAF school teaching air navigation, the wing served not only the USAF, but also the Air National Guard
, Air Force Reserve and friendly foreign nations.
With the decommissioning of the U.S. Navy's Training Squadron TWENTY-NINE (VT-29) at NAS Corpus Christi, TX in 1975, the 323 FTW also began training U.S. Navy student Naval Flight Officer
s, NATO/Allied student naval flight officers under U.S. Navy responsibility and U.S. Coast Guard enlisted navigators in July 1976. Instructor Naval Flight Officers, mostly from the Navy's P-3 community, were also assigned to the 323 FTW, teaching USAF, USN and NATO/Allied students.
Support of the Marine Aerial Navigation School (MANS) for U.S. Marine Corps enlisted KC-130 navigators also began in July 1976 when MANS moved from NAS Corpus Christi to Mather AFB. However, MANS conducted its own navigation training independently. In view of this influx of naval personnel, Naval Air Training Unit Mather (NAVAIRTU Mather) was established in 1976. In order to place the Navy on par with the 323 FTW commander, a USN Captain or Captain-selectee naval flight officer who had already had command of an operational combat P-3 squadron was placed as the commanding officer of NAVAIRTU, with administrative claimancy over all naval personnel (students, instructors and support staff) assigned to the 323 FTW.
The 323 FTW began training female USAF navigators in March 1977 and female USN naval flight officers in 1981. Female USAF instructor navigators followed in the 1983–84 time frame. In 1986, LT Kathryn P. Hire
, USN a former navigator and aircraft mission commander in the RP-3D oceanographic research aircraft, became the first female USN NFO Instructor in the 323 FTW. Of note is that in 1993, then-LCDR Hire would become the first female assigned to the combat version of the P-3C Orion, and as a CDR and CAPT, would become a NASA astronaut, flying the STS-90
mission in 1998 and the STS-130
mission in 2010.
On 15 December 1991, the 323d implemented the objective wing concept and the 449th, 450th, 451st, 452d and 432d FTSs were inactivated and the wing was reorganized to a single squadron of aircraft type. All T-43As were assigned to the 445 FTS and T-37Bs to the 455 FTS. On 1 July 1993, following the disestablishment of the Air Training Command
, the wing was assigned to the new Air Education and Training Command
. The T-43 and T-47 aircraft assigned to the 454th and 455th FTSs were assigned tail codes of "NT", but due to the Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) closure of Mather AFB on 30 September 1993, the 323 FTW was inactivated, with the wing's mission and T-43 aircraft being reassigned to the 12th Flying Training Wing
(12 FTW) and the 558th Flying Training Squadron (558 FTS) at Randolph AFB, Texas. Because of the pre-existing presence of T-37B aircraft at Randolph AFB for T-37 flight instructor training, the Mather T-37s were sent to long-term storage at AMARC at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.
in Romania from 14 March to 30 April 2008.
*Note: Purely provisional organization classified as a "support" expeditionary organization. Upon inactivation, wing lineage and history terminated, never to be brought back.
Squadrons
Note: ALG = "Advanced Landing Ground
" designation of temporary airfields constructed or used by the Allies in Europe following the D-Day
landings in 1944.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time.
It was last known to be active from 14 March – 30 April 2008 at Balotesti, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, serving briefly as the USAF headquarters for a NATO Summit
NATO summit
A NATO summit is a summit meeting that is regarded as a periodic opportunity for Heads of State and Heads of Government of NATO member countries to evaluate and provide strategic direction for Alliance activities....
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the group's predecessor unit, the 323d Bombardment Group (Medium) was a B-26 Marauder
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
bombardment group assigned to the Eighth
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
and later Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
.
World War II
RAF Horham
RAF Horham is a World War II era airfield in England. The field is located next to the village of Horham, England, and 4 miles SE of Eye in Suffolk. The large site straddled the parishes of Denham, Horham and Hoxne.-USAAF use:...
in Suffolk on 12 May 1943 from Myrtle Beach AAF
Myrtle Beach Air Force Base
Myrtle Beach Air Force Base is a closed United States Air Force facility, located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was established in 1940 as a World War II training base and was also used for coastal patrols during the war...
South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. The group was assigned to the Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
3d Bomb Wing and flew Martin B-26B/C Marauders
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
with a Horizontal white tail band for its group marking.
Relocated to RAF Earls Colne and replaced the 94th Bomb Wing on 14 June 1943 and inaugurated medium-altitude bombing missions on 16 July 1943 and during that summer its principal targets were marshalling yards, airfields, industrial plants, military installations, and other targets in France, Belgium, and Holland.
In common with other Marauder units of the 3d Bomb Wing, the 323d was transferred to Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
on 16 October 1943. Tactical missions were flown against V-weapon sites along the coast of France and attacked airfields at Leeuwarden and Venlo
Venlo
Venlo is a municipality and a city in the southeastern Netherlands, next to the German border. It is situated in the province of Limburg.In 2001, the municipalities of Belfeld and Tegelen were merged into the municipality of Venlo. Tegelen was originally part of the Duchy of Jülich centuries ago,...
in conjunction with the Allied campaign against the German Air Force
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
and aircraft industry during Big Week
Big Week
Between February 20–25, 1944, as part of the European strategic bombing campaign, the United States Strategic Air Forces launched Operation Argument, a series of missions against the Third Reich that became known as Big Week. The planners intended to lure the Luftwaffe into a decisive battle by...
, 20–25 February 1944.
The 323d helped to prepare for the invasion of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
by bombing coastal defenses, marshalling yards, and airfields in France and struck roads and coastal batteries on D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, 6 June 1944.
On 21 July the group was moved south to RAF Beaulieu
RAF Beaulieu
RAF Station Beaulieu was a World War II airfield in the New Forest, Hampshire, England. It was also known as Beaulieu airfield, Beaulieu aerodrome and USAAF Station AAF 408...
in Hampshire, a move designed to extend their range over western France.
Within a few days. over 60 B-26s were in residence and operations were well under way. During the following five weeks. 28 missions were flown from Beaulieu without loss, although one B-26 crash-landed near the airfield after running out of fuel.
Between 16 and 26 August, the 323d moved to Lessay
Lessay
Lessay is a commune in the Manche department in north-western France.-History:It was originally founded as a monastery but a town grew up around it over the years. The 10th century monastery is one of the greatest examples of Romanesque architecture in Normandy...
airfield in France (A-20), the main movement of aircraft taking place on the 26th. By VE-Day
Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day commemorates 8 May 1945 , the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The formal surrender of the occupying German forces in the Channel Islands was not...
, the group was based near Gablingen, Germany (R-77) and participated in the disarmament program. It returned to the United States in December and was inactivated on 12 December 1945.
323d Bomber Group (Air Force Reserve)
In accordance with Tenth Air Force General Order (10 AF GO) #41, 26 June 1947. The 323d Bombardment Group (Light) was allotted to the Air Force Reserve, then activated on 9 September 1947. Ordered to active duty on 10 March 1951 at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. Operational squadrons were the 453d, 454th, 455th and 456th Bombardment Squadrons.Even before the bomb wing’s activation, it was decided that it should be equipped with the respected Douglas A-26 Invader
A-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
light bombardment aircraft. The bomb wing’s reservists were indeed fortunate to receive several of these light bombers by mid-1948, with the promise of more.
By April 1948 the 323d Bombardment Group became the 323d Bombardment Wing (Light) on the same date, with Lieutenant Colonel R. Ahern commanding. From that point, the 323d Bombardment Wing became the focal point for Air Force Reserve activities in Oklahoma.
The wing was ordered to active duty on 10 March 1951 as a result of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Personnel and equipment sent to Far East Air Forces as replacements. Inactivated w/p/o/e on 17 March 1951.
323d Fighter-Bomber Wing
Reactivated at Bunker Hill AFB, Indiana 8 August 1955 and assigned to Tactical Air CommandTactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
's Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
. Initially training with North American F-86Fs, these were quickly upgraded to the North American F-86H Sabre
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
and then to the North American F-100A/D
F-100 Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
in 1956 to become proficient in tactical air operations. Operational squadrons were:
The wing's aircraft wore a band on the tail, and around the nose edged with small black checkers.
In 1955, Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC) began stationing units at the base, and the Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
claimed jurisdiction of Bunker Hill AFB in September 1957. With the turnover of the base to SAC, the 323d was phased down and replaced by the SAC 401st Air Base Group on 1 September 1957.
323d Flying Training Wing
Air Training Command
Air Training Command is a former major command of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force. ATC came into being as a redesignation of the Army Air Forces Training Command on July 1, 1946...
navigator training wing at Mather AFB, California on 1 April 1973, replacing the 3535th Navigator Training Wing which had existed at Mather since 1946. The 323 FTW also conducted advanced training for winged navigators as navigator-bombardiers and electronic warfare officers. The following operational squadrons were redesignated as a result of the reactivation:
The 323 FTW also operated Mather AFB as the "host" wing for the installation (Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
's 320th Bombardment Wing and the Air Force Reserve's 940th Air Refueling Group, now 940th Air Refueling Wing
940th Air Refueling Wing
The United States Air Force's 940th Wing is a Reconnaissance, Command & Control and Intelligence unit located at Beale Air Force Base, California.-Mission:...
were "tenant" wings) and published Navigator magazine. The 323 FTW also conducted operational test and evaluation of the T-43A aircraft, 1 August 1973 – 31 October 1973 and began conversion from the T-29 to the T-43 shortly afterwards. As the only USAF school teaching air navigation, the wing served not only the USAF, but also the Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
, Air Force Reserve and friendly foreign nations.
With the decommissioning of the U.S. Navy's Training Squadron TWENTY-NINE (VT-29) at NAS Corpus Christi, TX in 1975, the 323 FTW also began training U.S. Navy student Naval Flight Officer
Naval Flight Officer
A Naval Flight Officer is an aeronautically designated commissioned officer in the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps that specializes in airborne weapons and sensor systems. NFOs are not pilots per se, but they may perform many "co-pilot" functions, depending on the type of aircraft...
s, NATO/Allied student naval flight officers under U.S. Navy responsibility and U.S. Coast Guard enlisted navigators in July 1976. Instructor Naval Flight Officers, mostly from the Navy's P-3 community, were also assigned to the 323 FTW, teaching USAF, USN and NATO/Allied students.
Support of the Marine Aerial Navigation School (MANS) for U.S. Marine Corps enlisted KC-130 navigators also began in July 1976 when MANS moved from NAS Corpus Christi to Mather AFB. However, MANS conducted its own navigation training independently. In view of this influx of naval personnel, Naval Air Training Unit Mather (NAVAIRTU Mather) was established in 1976. In order to place the Navy on par with the 323 FTW commander, a USN Captain or Captain-selectee naval flight officer who had already had command of an operational combat P-3 squadron was placed as the commanding officer of NAVAIRTU, with administrative claimancy over all naval personnel (students, instructors and support staff) assigned to the 323 FTW.
The 323 FTW began training female USAF navigators in March 1977 and female USN naval flight officers in 1981. Female USAF instructor navigators followed in the 1983–84 time frame. In 1986, LT Kathryn P. Hire
Kathryn P. Hire
Captain Kathryn Patricia "Kay" Hire of the U.S. Navy Reserve is a NASA astronaut who has flown aboard two Space Shuttle missions.-Education:*Murphy High School, Mobile, Alabama, 1977...
, USN a former navigator and aircraft mission commander in the RP-3D oceanographic research aircraft, became the first female USN NFO Instructor in the 323 FTW. Of note is that in 1993, then-LCDR Hire would become the first female assigned to the combat version of the P-3C Orion, and as a CDR and CAPT, would become a NASA astronaut, flying the STS-90
STS-90
-Backup crew:-Mission parameters:*Mass:**Orbiter landing with payload: **Payload: *Perigee: *Apogee: *Inclination: 39.0°*Period: 89.7 min-Mission highlights:...
mission in 1998 and the STS-130
STS-130
STS-130 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station . 's primary payloads were the Tranquility module and the Cupola, a robotic control station with six windows around its sides and another in the center, providing a 360-degree view around the station...
mission in 2010.
On 15 December 1991, the 323d implemented the objective wing concept and the 449th, 450th, 451st, 452d and 432d FTSs were inactivated and the wing was reorganized to a single squadron of aircraft type. All T-43As were assigned to the 445 FTS and T-37Bs to the 455 FTS. On 1 July 1993, following the disestablishment of the Air Training Command
Air Training Command
Air Training Command is a former major command of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force. ATC came into being as a redesignation of the Army Air Forces Training Command on July 1, 1946...
, the wing was assigned to the new Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
. The T-43 and T-47 aircraft assigned to the 454th and 455th FTSs were assigned tail codes of "NT", but due to the Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
(BRAC) closure of Mather AFB on 30 September 1993, the 323 FTW was inactivated, with the wing's mission and T-43 aircraft being reassigned to the 12th Flying Training Wing
12th Flying Training Wing
The 12th Flying Training Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas...
(12 FTW) and the 558th Flying Training Squadron (558 FTS) at Randolph AFB, Texas. Because of the pre-existing presence of T-37B aircraft at Randolph AFB for T-37 flight instructor training, the Mather T-37s were sent to long-term storage at AMARC at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.
Modern era
The Wing was provisionally activated for a NATO summit at BalotestiBalotesti
Baloteşti is a commune in the northwestern part of Ilfov County, Romania. Two small rivers flow through this location: Cociovaliştea and Vlăsia...
in Romania from 14 March to 30 April 2008.
Lineage
- Constituted as 323d Bombardment Group (Medium) on 19 June 1942
- Activated on 4 August 1942
- Inactivated on 12 December 1945
- Redesignated 323d Bombardment Group (Light). Allotted to the reserve
- Activated on 9 September 1947
- Established as 323d Bombardment Wing, Light, on 10 May 1949
- 323d Bombardment Group assigned as subordinate unit.
- Ordered to active duty on 10 March 1951
- Wing and group inactivated on 17 March 1951
- Redesignated 323d Fighter-Bomber Wing on 9 May 1955
- Wing and group activated on 8 August 1955
- Wing and group inactivated on 1 September 1957
- Redesignated 323d Flying Training Wing on 28 July 1972
- Wing activated on 1 April 1973
- 323d Operations Group activated on 1 September 1991
- Wing and group inactivated on 1 October 1993
- Redesignated as 323d Air Expeditionary Wing* and converted to provisional status 14 March 2008.
*Note: Purely provisional organization classified as a "support" expeditionary organization. Upon inactivation, wing lineage and history terminated, never to be brought back.
Assignments
- III Bomber CommandIII Bomber CommandThe III Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
, 4 August 1942 – 25 April 1943 - 3d Bombardment Wing98th Bombardment Wing (World War II)The 98th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Force Reserve, based at Bedford Field, Massachusetts...
, 1 May 1943 - IX Bomber Command, 16 October 1943
- 98th Combat Bombardment (later, 98th Bombardment) Wing98th Bombardment Wing (World War II)The 98th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Force Reserve, based at Bedford Field, Massachusetts...
, 5 December 1943 – 12 December 1945 - Twelfth Air Force, 10 May 1949
- Fourteenth Air ForceFourteenth Air ForceThe Fourteenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command . It is headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California....
, 1 July 1950 – 28 March 1951 - Ninth Air ForceNinth Air ForceThe Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
, 8 August 1955 – 1 September 1957 - Air Training CommandAir Training CommandAir Training Command is a former major command of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force. ATC came into being as a redesignation of the Army Air Forces Training Command on July 1, 1946...
, 1 April 1973 - Air Education and Training CommandAir Education and Training CommandAir Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
, 1 July – 1 October 1993 - Third Air ForceThird Air ForceThe Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
(Air Forces Europe), 14 March – 30 April 2008
Components
Groups- 386th Fighter-Bomber Group, 8 April 1956 – 9 April 1957 (Attached)
Squadrons
- 449th Flying Training Squadron: 1 April 1973 – 1 October 1993
- 450th Flying Training Squadron: 1 April 1973 – 1 October 1993
- 451st Flying Training Squadron451st Flying Training SquadronThe 451st Flying Training Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. Its assigned to the 479th Flying Training Group, stationed at NAS Pensacola, Florida.-History:...
: 1 April 1973 – 1 October 1993 - 452d Flying Training Squadron: 1 April 1973 – 1 October 1993
- 453d Bombardment (later Fighter-Bomber; Flying Training) Squadron: 4 August 1942 – 12 December 1945; 10 May 1949 – 17 March 1951; 8 August 1955 – 1 September 1957; 1 April 1973 – 1 October 1993
- 454th Bombardment (later Fighter-Bomber; Flying Training) Squadron454th Flying Training SquadronThe 454th Flying Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 323d Flying Training Wing, stationed at Mather Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 1 October 1993.-History:...
: 4 August 1942 – 12 December 1945; 10 May 1949 – 17 March 1951; 8 August 1955 – 1 September 1957; 1 April 1973 – 1 October 1993 - 455th Bombardment (later Fighter-Bomber; Flying Training) Squadron455th Flying Training SquadronThe 455th Flying Training Squadron is a United States Air Force unit of the Air Education and Training Command . It was previously assigned to the former 323d Flying Training Wing at the former Mather Air Force Base, California until it was inactivated on 1 October 1993...
: 4 August 1942 – 12 December 1945; 10 May 1949 – 17 March 1951; 8 August 1955 – 1 September 1957; 1 April 1973 – 1 October 1993 - 456th Bombardment Squadron456th Bombardment SquadronThe 456th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 323d Bombardment Group, stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It was inactivated on 17 March 1951.-History:...
: 4 August 1942 – 12 December 1945; 26 September 1947-17 March 1951
Stations
- Columbia Army Air Base, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, 4 August 1942 - MacDill Field, Florida, 21 August 1942
- Myrtle Beach Bombing Range, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, 2 November 1942 – 25 April 1943 - RAF HorhamRAF HorhamRAF Horham is a World War II era airfield in England. The field is located next to the village of Horham, England, and 4 miles SE of Eye in Suffolk. The large site straddled the parishes of Denham, Horham and Hoxne.-USAAF use:...
(AAF-119), England, 1 May 1943 - RAF Earls Colne (AAF-358), England, 14 June 1943
- RAF BeaulieuRAF BeaulieuRAF Station Beaulieu was a World War II airfield in the New Forest, Hampshire, England. It was also known as Beaulieu airfield, Beaulieu aerodrome and USAAF Station AAF 408...
(AAF-408), England, 21 July 1944 - Lessay Airfield (A-20), France, 26 August 1944
- Chartres Airfield (A-40), France, 21 September 1944
- Laon/Athies Airfield (A-69), France, 13 October 1944
- Denain/Prouvy Airfield (A-83), France, February 1945
- AAF Station Gablingen, Germany, 15 May 1945
- AAF Station Landsberg, Germany, 16 July 1945
- Clastres Airfield, France, October-12 December 1945
- Tinker AFB, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, 27 June 1949 – 28 March 1951 - Bunker Hill AFB, IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, 8 August 1955 – 1 September 1957 - Mather AFB, California, 1 April 1973 – 30 September 1993
Note: ALG = "Advanced Landing Ground
Advanced Landing Ground
Advanced Landing Ground was the term given to the temporary advance airfields constructed by the Allies during World War II in support of the invasion of Europe...
" designation of temporary airfields constructed or used by the Allies in Europe following the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
landings in 1944.
Aircraft
- Martin B-26 MarauderB-26 MarauderThe Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
(1942–1945) - Douglas B-26 InvaderA-26 InvaderThe Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
(1949–1951) - North American F-86 Sabre (1955–1957)
- North American F-100 Super SabreF-100 Super SabreThe North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
(1956–1957) - Boeing T-43Boeing T-43|-See also:-External links:* http://www.militaryaircraft.de/pictures/military/aircraft/T-43/T-43A_Gator.html* http://www.gruntsmilitary.com/t43a.shtml* http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usaf/12ftw.htm...
(1973–1993) - Cessna T-37 Tweet (1973–1993)