405th Air Expeditionary Wing
Encyclopedia
The 405th Air Expeditionary Wing (405 AEW) is a provisional United States Air Force
unit assigned to Air Combat Command
. It may be activated or inactivated at any time.
Currently, it is believed that the 405 AEW is stationed at Thumrait AB, Oman
. Its current mission and operational components are undetermined, however it appears to be a combat organization flying KC-135 Stratotanker
and KC-10 Extender
air refueling aircraft.
108th Fighter-Bomber Wing which returned to state control after its activation during the Korean War. The wing's 405th Fighter-Bomber Group was a reactivation of the IX Fighter Command
405th Fighter Group, which had fought in the ETO during World War II.
When activated the group redesignated the NJ ANG 141st, 149th and 153d Strategic Fighter Squadrons as the 509th, 510th, and 511th Fighter-Bomber Squadrons in numerical order. Initially equipped with F-47Ds and F-47N Thunderbolts inherited from the Air National Guard, the 405th being the last active duty USAF Thunderbolt fighter Wing.
On 1 May 1953, the F-47s were withdrawn and sent to AMARC, and the 405th was reassigned to Langley AFB, Virginia due to the programmed closing of Godman AFB on 1 September. At Langley, the 405th replaced the provisional 4430th Air Base Wing and was re-equipped with Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
jet aircraft. Also attached to the group was the 422d Bombardment Squadron
with B-26 Invader light bombers (1 May – 20 December 1953) and the 429th Air Refueling Squadron
(19 July 1954 – 8 October 1957) with KB-29 Superfortress tankers. Operations included gunnery and bombardment training, firepower demonstrations, weapons delivery training, and numerous tactical exercises, 1952–1958, plus air refueling, 1954–1958.
Re-designated as the 405th Fighter Wing, the wing provided host mission duties at Clark as well as air defense and offensive fighter operations in the Philippines
, Taiwan
, and other Far Eastern points, April 1959-June 1962. Initially the transferred 509th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron operated F-86D Sabre interceptors in an air defense mission, being replaced by F-102 Delta Dagger
interceptors in 1960.
The 510th Tactical Fighter Squadron inherited the F-100D Super Sabres of the inactivated 72d TFS in a defensive fighter-bomber mission. It began a series of rotational deployments to Chai-Yi Air Base, Taiwan in July 1959 to defend Taiwan as part of an ongoing USAF defense mission after the 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis.
In 1964 the 510th was reassigned back to the United States at England Air Force Base
, Louisiana. It was replaced by the 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron, which was attached to the 401st by the TAC 834th Air Division at England in November 1965 for a 6 month TDY and returned to England in May 1966.
Beginning in 1962, the 510th Tactical Fighter Squadron began deployments to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base
, Thailand, providing air defense training for Royal Thai Air Force
personnel, as well as to try to restrain the Communist Pathet Lao
which were busily overrunning most of northwestern Laos.
From mid-1962 until the end of the conflict in Southeast Asia
, the wing frequently deployed assigned and attached components to bases in Southeast Asia for air defense and combat operations under operational control of other organizations. When not so involved, components trained in air defense and other tactical exercises in Taiwan and the Philippines.
The worsening situation in Indochina led to orders for the PACAF 41st Air Division B-57B Canberra 8th and 13th Bombardment Squadrons to be reassigned from rotational South Korea
n alert duty from Yokota AB Japan to Clark AB for possible action in South Vietnam.
As it happened, this move did not take place until August 5, following the Gulf of Tonkin incident
in which North Vietnamese gunboats clashed with United States Navy destroyers. The two squadrons were formally assigned to the 405th in November 1964. According to the initial plan, the 20 B-57Bs of the 8th and 13th BS were to be deployed to the Bien Hoa Air Base
near Saigon. This would mark the first deployment of jet combat aircraft to Vietnam. However, this was technically a violation of the Geneva Protocols
which forbade the introduction of jet combat aircraft to Vietnam, so the squadrons were assigned to the 405th and carried out rotational deployments to South Vietnam. Both squadrons rotated frequently over the next four years first to Bien Hoa AB, then to Tan Son Nhut AB. Rotations were moved to Da Nang AB in June 1965 to facilitate attacks in Laos
and North Vietnam
, but high attrition rates over the North led to the movement to Phan Rang AB on the South Central coast in June 1966. Finally, in October 1966 the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing was moved to Phan Rang AB and took over the units on a permanent basis.
In late December 1972, the 13th Bombardment Squadron returned to the 405th from the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon RTAFB, Thailand with B-57G Canberras, which were B-57B that had been returned to Martin in 1969 and modified as night intruders for use in Vietnam in September 1970 under a project known as Tropic Moon. The B-57s, however were transferred almost immediately back to the United States and assigned to the 190th Bombardment Group (Tactical) of the Kansas Air National Guard
at Forbes AFB. The 13th Bomb Squadron remained assigned to the wing as an administrative unit until it was inactivated on 30 September 1973.
In 1964, the United States secretly agreed to supply a few B-57Bs to the South Vietnamese Air Force. The United States had initially been reluctant to equip the Vietnamese Air Force with jet aircraft, since this would be a technical violation of the Geneva Accords and might further escalate the war. However, the US had already equipped other friendly nations in the region with jet aircraft, and pressure from the government leadership in Saigon coupled with a need to boost the sagging morale of the South Vietnamese people, led to a change of heart.
The first VNAF B-57 crews began training in secret with 405th aircraft at Clark AB later in 1964. One of the students was none other than Nguyen Cao Ky
, the commander of the VNAF and later president of the Republic of Vietnam. As the crews completed their training at Clark, they went to Da Nang Air Base
and flew combat missions with the 405th's 8th or 13th Bombardment Squadrons, whichever happened to be on station at the time. To gain combat experience, each new crewmember flew with an American pilot or navigator, whichever the case may be. Eventually, the VNAF crew members flew in VNAF-marked B-57s, but their combat missions always remained strictly under USAF operational control.
The South Vietnamese government felt at this stage that the VNAF B-57 program should be given some more visibility, and to celebrate Vietnamese Armed Forces Day, on October 29, 1965, five B-57s from the 8th Bombardment Squadron, then based at Da Nang AB, were repainted with VNAF insignia and carried out an air strike against a suspected Viet Cong stronghold and landed Tan Son Nhut Air Base
. After landing, the planes took off again and joined other VNAF aircraft in a formation flyover of Saigon. Although manned solely by American crews, this attack was heralded as the introduction of VNAF B-57s into combat.
However, South Vietnamese Air Force pilots had severe difficulties operating the B-57. Vietnamese crews suddenly began to complain of various illnesses, which grounded many trainees and brought their training to a standstill. In addition, on January 8, 1966 a B-57 was destroyed in a training accident, further lowering morale. Some Vietnamese crews flatly stated that they could not physically perform the maneuvers required in the B-57. To make matters even worse, Major Nguyen Ngoc Bien, the leader of the VNAF B-57 program, was killed in a freak ground accident on February 23, 1966 at Da Nang. The death of Major Bien, who was well-liked and well-respected by both Vietnamese and Americans, resulted in a complete loss of any incentive for the Vietnamese crewmen to stay with the B-57, and from this point on there was very little Vietnamese activity in the B-57 program. On April 20, 1967, the VNAF B-57 operation was formally terminated.
Flights of F-102 interceptors from the 509th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron began to deploy to Tan Son Nhut AB in March 1962 to provide air defense against the unlikely event that North Vietnamese aircraft would attack the South. They also deployed to Don Muang RTAFB near Bangkok, Thailand and began exchanging rotational duty with the 16th FIS based at Naha AB on Okinawa. In 1965, operating under the code-name "Project Stovepipe", 509th FIS F-102s used their heat sinking Falcon missiles to lock onto heat sources over the Ho Chi Minh Trail
at night, often Viet Cong campfires. The F-102s soon switched to a day role, firing the 12 unguided FFAR rockets from the missile bays, using the optical sight. 618 day sorties were flown, the last one being flown at the end of 1965.
The Air Defense Command 64th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was deployed from the 25th Air Division at Paine Field
, Washington to Clark AB and assigned to the 405th on 10 June 1966 to supplement the F-102 mission in Southeast Asia
as well as provide air defense for the Philippines
. F-102s stood rotational alert at TDYs Bien Hoa and Da Nang Air Bases in South Vietnam and at Udorn and Don Muang Air Bases in Thailand. The F-102A was finally withdrawn from Southeast Asia in December 1969 with the phaseout of the aircraft from the USAF inventory, also the clear lack of need for a dedicated air defense interceptor over South Vietnam. The F-102A established an excellent safety record during its duty in Vietnam. In almost seven years of flying air defense and a few combat air patrols for SAC B-52s, only 15 F-102As were lost.
In July 1968, the 315th Air Division
reassigned the 463d Tactical Airlift Wing from Mactan Isle Airfield to Clark AB, and it became a tenant unit under the 405th. The 463d was responsible for operating a C-130 Hercules
combat airlift support unit at Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, and also flew combat support missions within South Vietnam landing and dropping off supplies, equipment and personnel at forward locations throughout the country. It operated three squadrons of C-130s performing rotational deployments to and from Clark, bringing back wounded personnel with aeromedical airlifts, the aircraft returning to South Vietnam filled with combat supplies and equipment. This mission continued until 31 December 1971 when the wing was inactivated as part of the Vietnam drawdown. The 774th Tactical Airlift Squadron remained assigned to the 405th, providing tactical airlift within the Southwest Pacific until 15 September 1972.
The 1st Test Squadron conducted weapons system evaluation (COMBAT SAGE) of repaired battle-damaged F-4 Phantom II
s from 30 April 1970 until the end of the Vietnam War
. It remained assigned to the 405th until the wing's re-designation in Septemer 1974.
The 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron returned to Clark and the 405th on 15 December 1972 after being withdrawn from the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing at Nha Trang Air Base
, South Vietnam as part of the Vietnam drawdown. Flew F-4E Phantom IIs also until the 405th's re-designation in Septemer 1974.
During July–August 1972, provided extensive flood relief to Philippine areas inundated by monsoon rains. During February–March 1973, provided medical, logistical, and administrative support for former prisoners of war, on their way to the United States from North Vietnam
. With the end of the USAF presence in South Vietnam, the wing was re-designated as the 3d Tactical Fighter Wing in September 1974 to retain the history of the senior unit after it's standown as part of the closure of Bien Hoa AB.
to consolidate the F-15 Eagle
Replacement Training Unit (RTU) operations. It took over the 425th, 461st 550th and 555th Tactical Fighter Training Squadrons from the 58th Tactical Training Wing. The F-15As were replaced by the much more capable F-15C in January 1981 which was being delivered to front-line USAF combat squadrons.
With the upgrading to the F-15C, the lowest-hour F-15As were transferred to the 426th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron which converted from F-4 Phantom II
. The 426th provided F-15A interceptor training specifically to support the TAC Air Defense Command (ADTAC) training mission inherited from the inactivated Aerospace Defense Command
which was merged into TAC. The F-15As in front-line units were being reassigned to Air Defense duty with ADTAC.
On 19 November 1990, the 555th TFTS changed its course from air superiority combat training with the Eagle to air defense interceptor training with the F-15C when TAC began assigning F-15Cs to Air National Guard interceptor duty and phasing out the F-15A all together, the 426th being inactivated.
The 461st TFTS received first F-15E Strike Eagle
, July, 1988, and the 550th TFTS became the second F-15E Strike Eagle training squadron in March 1989.
On 1 October 1991, due to the implementation of the Objective Wing at Luke and the "One base, one wing" policy, the 405th TTW was shut down and the F-15s were reassigned back to the 58th TTW.
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 Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
. It may be activated or inactivated at any time.
Currently, it is believed that the 405 AEW is stationed at Thumrait AB, Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
. Its current mission and operational components are undetermined, however it appears to be a combat organization flying KC-135 Stratotanker
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
and KC-10 Extender
KC-10 Extender
The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is the military adaptation of the three-engined DC-10 airliner for the United States Air Force . The KC-10 incorporates military-specific equipment for its primary roles of transport and aerial refueling. It was developed to supplement the KC-135 Stratotanker...
air refueling aircraft.
History
- For additional history and lineage, see 405th Air Expeditionary Operations Group405th Air Expeditionary Operations GroupThe 405th Air Expeditionary Operations Group is the flying component of the 405th Air Expeditionary Wing. It is a provisional unit assigned to the United States Air Force Air Combat Command...
Tactical Air Command
Established on 1 December 1952 at Godman AFB, Kentucky. The 405th Fighter-Bomber Wing was an active-duty replacement for the Federalized New Jersey Air National GuardNew Jersey Air National Guard
The New Jersey Air National Guard consists of almost 2300 Guardsmen from New Jersey.The New Jersey Air National Guard is governed through the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs....
108th Fighter-Bomber Wing which returned to state control after its activation during the Korean War. The wing's 405th Fighter-Bomber Group was a reactivation of the IX Fighter Command
IX Fighter Command
The IX Fighter Command is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Erlangen, Germany. It was inactivated on 16 November 1945....
405th Fighter Group, which had fought in the ETO during World War II.
When activated the group redesignated the NJ ANG 141st, 149th and 153d Strategic Fighter Squadrons as the 509th, 510th, and 511th Fighter-Bomber Squadrons in numerical order. Initially equipped with F-47Ds and F-47N Thunderbolts inherited from the Air National Guard, the 405th being the last active duty USAF Thunderbolt fighter Wing.
On 1 May 1953, the F-47s were withdrawn and sent to AMARC, and the 405th was reassigned to Langley AFB, Virginia due to the programmed closing of Godman AFB on 1 September. At Langley, the 405th replaced the provisional 4430th Air Base Wing and was re-equipped with Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
F-84F Thunderstreak
The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American-built swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design. The RF-84F Thunderflash was a photo reconnaissance version....
jet aircraft. Also attached to the group was the 422d Bombardment Squadron
422d Bombardment Squadron
The 422d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 305th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Bunker Hill Air Force Base, Indiana. It was inactivated on 15 February 1961-History:...
with B-26 Invader light bombers (1 May – 20 December 1953) and the 429th Air Refueling Squadron
429th Air Refueling Squadron
The 429th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 4505th Air Refueling Wing, stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
(19 July 1954 – 8 October 1957) with KB-29 Superfortress tankers. Operations included gunnery and bombardment training, firepower demonstrations, weapons delivery training, and numerous tactical exercises, 1952–1958, plus air refueling, 1954–1958.
Pacific Air Forces
The wing was reassigned to Pacific Air Forces in April 1959, replacing the PACAF 6200th Air Base Wing at Clark AB, Philippines. This was part of a general buildup of USAF tactical forces in the Southwest Pacific, as Clark in the postwar era was largely a maintenance and supply depot, and the signing of a new Status of Forces agreement with the Philippine Government with regards to Clark AB.Re-designated as the 405th Fighter Wing, the wing provided host mission duties at Clark as well as air defense and offensive fighter operations in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, and other Far Eastern points, April 1959-June 1962. Initially the transferred 509th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron operated F-86D Sabre interceptors in an air defense mission, being replaced by F-102 Delta Dagger
F-102 Delta Dagger
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...
interceptors in 1960.
The 510th Tactical Fighter Squadron inherited the F-100D Super Sabres of the inactivated 72d TFS in a defensive fighter-bomber mission. It began a series of rotational deployments to Chai-Yi Air Base, Taiwan in July 1959 to defend Taiwan as part of an ongoing USAF defense mission after the 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis.
In 1964 the 510th was reassigned back to the United States at England Air Force Base
England Air Force Base
England Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Louisiana, located Northwest of Alexandria and about Northwest of New Orleans....
, Louisiana. It was replaced by the 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron, which was attached to the 401st by the TAC 834th Air Division at England in November 1965 for a 6 month TDY and returned to England in May 1966.
Vietnam War
Beginning in 1962, the 510th Tactical Fighter Squadron began deployments to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base
Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base
Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force facility. It is located in Central Thailand, approximately 144 miles northwest of Bangkok in Takhli district, Nakhon Sawan Province, near the city of Nakhon Sawan.- Units :...
, Thailand, providing air defense training for Royal Thai Air Force
Royal Thai Air Force
The Royal Thai Air Force or RTAF is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913, as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force had engaged in many major and minor battles. During the Vietnam war era, the air force has been developed with USAF-aid...
personnel, as well as to try to restrain the Communist Pathet Lao
Pathet Lao
The Pathet Lao was a communist political movement and organization in Laos, formed in the mid-20th century. The group was ultimately successful in assuming political power after the Laotian Civil War. The Pathet Lao were always closely associated with Vietnamese communists...
which were busily overrunning most of northwestern Laos.
From mid-1962 until the end of the conflict in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, the wing frequently deployed assigned and attached components to bases in Southeast Asia for air defense and combat operations under operational control of other organizations. When not so involved, components trained in air defense and other tactical exercises in Taiwan and the Philippines.
B-57B light bombers
The worsening situation in Indochina led to orders for the PACAF 41st Air Division B-57B Canberra 8th and 13th Bombardment Squadrons to be reassigned from rotational South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n alert duty from Yokota AB Japan to Clark AB for possible action in South Vietnam.
As it happened, this move did not take place until August 5, following the Gulf of Tonkin incident
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, or the USS Maddox Incident, are the names given to two incidents, one fabricated, involving North Vietnam and the United States in the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin...
in which North Vietnamese gunboats clashed with United States Navy destroyers. The two squadrons were formally assigned to the 405th in November 1964. According to the initial plan, the 20 B-57Bs of the 8th and 13th BS were to be deployed to the Bien Hoa Air Base
Bien Hoa Air Base
Bien Hoa Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield located in South-Central southern Vietnam about 20 miles from Saigon near the city of Bien Hoa within Dong Nai Province....
near Saigon. This would mark the first deployment of jet combat aircraft to Vietnam. However, this was technically a violation of the Geneva Protocols
Geneva Conference (1954)
The Geneva Conference was a conference which took place in Geneva, Switzerland, whose purpose was to attempt to find a way to unify Korea and discuss the possibility of restoring peace in Indochina...
which forbade the introduction of jet combat aircraft to Vietnam, so the squadrons were assigned to the 405th and carried out rotational deployments to South Vietnam. Both squadrons rotated frequently over the next four years first to Bien Hoa AB, then to Tan Son Nhut AB. Rotations were moved to Da Nang AB in June 1965 to facilitate attacks in Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
and North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
, but high attrition rates over the North led to the movement to Phan Rang AB on the South Central coast in June 1966. Finally, in October 1966 the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing was moved to Phan Rang AB and took over the units on a permanent basis.
In late December 1972, the 13th Bombardment Squadron returned to the 405th from the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon RTAFB, Thailand with B-57G Canberras, which were B-57B that had been returned to Martin in 1969 and modified as night intruders for use in Vietnam in September 1970 under a project known as Tropic Moon. The B-57s, however were transferred almost immediately back to the United States and assigned to the 190th Bombardment Group (Tactical) of the Kansas Air National Guard
Kansas Air National Guard
The Kansas Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Kansas. It is, along with the Kansas Army National Guard, an element of the Kansas National Guard. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force, as well as of the state....
at Forbes AFB. The 13th Bomb Squadron remained assigned to the wing as an administrative unit until it was inactivated on 30 September 1973.
South Vietnam B-57 program
In 1964, the United States secretly agreed to supply a few B-57Bs to the South Vietnamese Air Force. The United States had initially been reluctant to equip the Vietnamese Air Force with jet aircraft, since this would be a technical violation of the Geneva Accords and might further escalate the war. However, the US had already equipped other friendly nations in the region with jet aircraft, and pressure from the government leadership in Saigon coupled with a need to boost the sagging morale of the South Vietnamese people, led to a change of heart.
The first VNAF B-57 crews began training in secret with 405th aircraft at Clark AB later in 1964. One of the students was none other than Nguyen Cao Ky
Nguyen Cao Ky
Nguyễn Cao Kỳ served as the chief of the Vietnam Air Force in the 1960s, before leading the nation as the prime minister of South Vietnam in a military junta from 1965 to 1967...
, the commander of the VNAF and later president of the Republic of Vietnam. As the crews completed their training at Clark, they went to Da Nang Air Base
Da Nang Air Base
Da Nang Air Base was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force facility. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War , stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there...
and flew combat missions with the 405th's 8th or 13th Bombardment Squadrons, whichever happened to be on station at the time. To gain combat experience, each new crewmember flew with an American pilot or navigator, whichever the case may be. Eventually, the VNAF crew members flew in VNAF-marked B-57s, but their combat missions always remained strictly under USAF operational control.
The South Vietnamese government felt at this stage that the VNAF B-57 program should be given some more visibility, and to celebrate Vietnamese Armed Forces Day, on October 29, 1965, five B-57s from the 8th Bombardment Squadron, then based at Da Nang AB, were repainted with VNAF insignia and carried out an air strike against a suspected Viet Cong stronghold and landed Tan Son Nhut Air Base
Tan Son Nhut Air Base
Tan Son Nhut Air Base was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force facility. It is located near the city of Saigon in southern Vietnam. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War , stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there...
. After landing, the planes took off again and joined other VNAF aircraft in a formation flyover of Saigon. Although manned solely by American crews, this attack was heralded as the introduction of VNAF B-57s into combat.
However, South Vietnamese Air Force pilots had severe difficulties operating the B-57. Vietnamese crews suddenly began to complain of various illnesses, which grounded many trainees and brought their training to a standstill. In addition, on January 8, 1966 a B-57 was destroyed in a training accident, further lowering morale. Some Vietnamese crews flatly stated that they could not physically perform the maneuvers required in the B-57. To make matters even worse, Major Nguyen Ngoc Bien, the leader of the VNAF B-57 program, was killed in a freak ground accident on February 23, 1966 at Da Nang. The death of Major Bien, who was well-liked and well-respected by both Vietnamese and Americans, resulted in a complete loss of any incentive for the Vietnamese crewmen to stay with the B-57, and from this point on there was very little Vietnamese activity in the B-57 program. On April 20, 1967, the VNAF B-57 operation was formally terminated.
F-102 interceptors
Flights of F-102 interceptors from the 509th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron began to deploy to Tan Son Nhut AB in March 1962 to provide air defense against the unlikely event that North Vietnamese aircraft would attack the South. They also deployed to Don Muang RTAFB near Bangkok, Thailand and began exchanging rotational duty with the 16th FIS based at Naha AB on Okinawa. In 1965, operating under the code-name "Project Stovepipe", 509th FIS F-102s used their heat sinking Falcon missiles to lock onto heat sources over the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Ho Chi Minh trail
The Ho Chi Minh trail was a logistical system that ran from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam to the Republic of Vietnam through the neighboring kingdoms of Laos and Cambodia...
at night, often Viet Cong campfires. The F-102s soon switched to a day role, firing the 12 unguided FFAR rockets from the missile bays, using the optical sight. 618 day sorties were flown, the last one being flown at the end of 1965.
The Air Defense Command 64th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was deployed from the 25th Air Division at Paine Field
Paine Field
Paine Field, also known as Snohomish County Airport is a public airport located in unincorporated Snohomish County, between Mukilteo and Everett, Washington...
, Washington to Clark AB and assigned to the 405th on 10 June 1966 to supplement the F-102 mission in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
as well as provide air defense for the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. F-102s stood rotational alert at TDYs Bien Hoa and Da Nang Air Bases in South Vietnam and at Udorn and Don Muang Air Bases in Thailand. The F-102A was finally withdrawn from Southeast Asia in December 1969 with the phaseout of the aircraft from the USAF inventory, also the clear lack of need for a dedicated air defense interceptor over South Vietnam. The F-102A established an excellent safety record during its duty in Vietnam. In almost seven years of flying air defense and a few combat air patrols for SAC B-52s, only 15 F-102As were lost.
C-130 Tactical Airlift
In July 1968, the 315th Air Division
315th Air Division
The 315th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Pacific Air Forces, based at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan. It was inactivated in April 1969.-History:...
reassigned the 463d Tactical Airlift Wing from Mactan Isle Airfield to Clark AB, and it became a tenant unit under the 405th. The 463d was responsible for operating a C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
combat airlift support unit at Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, and also flew combat support missions within South Vietnam landing and dropping off supplies, equipment and personnel at forward locations throughout the country. It operated three squadrons of C-130s performing rotational deployments to and from Clark, bringing back wounded personnel with aeromedical airlifts, the aircraft returning to South Vietnam filled with combat supplies and equipment. This mission continued until 31 December 1971 when the wing was inactivated as part of the Vietnam drawdown. The 774th Tactical Airlift Squadron remained assigned to the 405th, providing tactical airlift within the Southwest Pacific until 15 September 1972.
Post-Vietnam era
The 1st Test Squadron conducted weapons system evaluation (COMBAT SAGE) of repaired battle-damaged F-4 Phantom II
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
s from 30 April 1970 until the end of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. It remained assigned to the 405th until the wing's re-designation in Septemer 1974.
The 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron returned to Clark and the 405th on 15 December 1972 after being withdrawn from the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing at Nha Trang Air Base
Nha Trang Air Base
Nha Trang Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield in Vietnam. It is located northwest of Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa Province....
, South Vietnam as part of the Vietnam drawdown. Flew F-4E Phantom IIs also until the 405th's re-designation in Septemer 1974.
During July–August 1972, provided extensive flood relief to Philippine areas inundated by monsoon rains. During February–March 1973, provided medical, logistical, and administrative support for former prisoners of war, on their way to the United States from North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
. With the end of the USAF presence in South Vietnam, the wing was re-designated as the 3d Tactical Fighter Wing in September 1974 to retain the history of the senior unit after it's standown as part of the closure of Bien Hoa AB.
Tactical Training Wing
On 25 August 1979, the 405th Tactical Training Wing was activated at Luke AFB, Arizona by 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...
to consolidate the F-15 Eagle
F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
Replacement Training Unit (RTU) operations. It took over the 425th, 461st 550th and 555th Tactical Fighter Training Squadrons from the 58th Tactical Training Wing. The F-15As were replaced by the much more capable F-15C in January 1981 which was being delivered to front-line USAF combat squadrons.
With the upgrading to the F-15C, the lowest-hour F-15As were transferred to the 426th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron which converted from F-4 Phantom II
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
. The 426th provided F-15A interceptor training specifically to support the TAC Air Defense Command (ADTAC) training mission inherited from the inactivated Aerospace Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1946 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the integrated air defense system of the Continental United States , exercise direct control of all active...
which was merged into TAC. The F-15As in front-line units were being reassigned to Air Defense duty with ADTAC.
On 19 November 1990, the 555th TFTS changed its course from air superiority combat training with the Eagle to air defense interceptor training with the F-15C when TAC began assigning F-15Cs to Air National Guard interceptor duty and phasing out the F-15A all together, the 426th being inactivated.
The 461st TFTS received first F-15E Strike Eagle
F-15E Strike Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle is an all-weather multirole fighter, derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic warfare aircraft. United States Air Force F-15E Strike...
, July, 1988, and the 550th TFTS became the second F-15E Strike Eagle training squadron in March 1989.
On 1 October 1991, due to the implementation of the Objective Wing at Luke and the "One base, one wing" policy, the 405th TTW was shut down and the F-15s were reassigned back to the 58th TTW.
Modern era
Reactivated as an Air Expeditionary Wing after the 9/11/2001 attacks as part of USCENTAF. Supporting operations on three fronts of Global War on Terrorism-- the Horn of Africa, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. B-1, KC-135, RJ-135 Aircraft, possibly others.Lineage
- Established as 405th Fighter-Bomber Wing on 15 October 1952
- Activated on 1 December 1952
- Inactivated on 1 July 1958
- Redesignated 405th Fighter Wing on 11 March 1959
- Activated on 9 April 1959
- Inactivated on 16 September 1974
- Redesignated 405th Tactical Training Wing, and activated on 29 August 1979
- Inactivated 1 October 1991
- Redesignated 405th Air Expeditionary Wing and converted to provisional status in September 2001
Assignments
- 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....
, 1 December 1952 - Tactical Air CommandTactical Air CommandTactical 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...
, 16 April 1953 - 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....
, 1 July 1956 - 836th Air Division836th Air DivisionThe 836th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, assigned to Twelfth Air Force, being stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona...
, 8 October 1957-1 July 1958 - Thirteenth Air ForceThirteenth Air ForceThe Thirteenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. 13 AF has never been stationed in the continental United States...
, 9 April 1959 - 6th Air Division, 1 August 1968
- Thirteenth Air ForceThirteenth Air ForceThe Thirteenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. 13 AF has never been stationed in the continental United States...
, 15 December 1969-16 September 1974 - Twelfth Air Force, 29 August 1979-1 October 1991
- Air Combat CommandAir Combat CommandAir Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
to activate or inactivate any time after September 2001
- Attached to: United States Central Command Air Forces (later United States Air Forces Central)
Components
- 508th Tactical Fighter Squadron508th Fighter SquadronThe 508th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 404th Fighter Group, IX Fighter Command, stationed at Drew Field, Florida...
: 8 October 1957-1 April 1958 - 509th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 8 October 1957-1 July 1958, 9 April 1959-24 July 1970
- 510th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 8 October 1957-1 July 1958, 9 April 1959-16 March 1964
- 511th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 8 October 1957-1 July 1958
- 523d Tactical Fighter Squadron: 8 October 1957-1 July 1958, 20 November 1965-31 August 1973
- 8th Bombardment (later, 8th Special Operations; 8th Fighter) Squadron8th Special Operations SquadronThe 8th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It operates CV-22 Osprey in support of special operations.-Mission:...
: 18 November 1964-15 January 1968 - 13th Bombardment (later, 13th Fighter) Squadron13th Bomb SquadronThe 13th Bomb Squadron is an active United States Air Force organization assigned to the 509th Operations Group, stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri...
: 18 November 1964-15 January 1968
- 64th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 10 June 1966-15 December 1969
- 1st Test Squadron1st Air and Space Test SquadronThe 1st Air and Space Test Squadron is a division of the 30th Space Wing of the United States Air Force, responsible for spacelift and test operations....
: 30 April 1970-16 September 1974 - 20th Operations Squadron: 31 December 1971-16 September 1974
- 774th Tactical Airlift Squadron: 31 December 1971-15 September 1972
- 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron: (Attached: 5 December 1965-7 May 1966); 15 December 1972-16 September 1974
- 425th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 29 August 1979-30 September 1991
- 461st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 29 August 1979-30 September 1991
- 550th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 29 August 1979-30 September 1991
- 555th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 29 August 1979-30 September 1991
- 426th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron426th Tactical Fighter Training SquadronThe 426th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force fighter squadron. Its last assignment was with the 405th Tactical Training Wing, being inactivated at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, on 19 November 1990....
: 1 January 1981-29 November 1990
Stations
- Godman AFB, KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, 1 December 1952 - Langley AFB, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, 16 April 1953-1 July 1958 - Clark AB, PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, 9 April 1959-16 September 1974 - Luke AFB, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, 29 August 1979-1 October 1991 - Southwest AsiaSouthwest AsiaWestern Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
, 2001-TBD
Aircraft
- F-15A/B/C/D EagleF-15 EagleThe McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
, 1979–1991 - F-15E Strike EagleF-15E Strike EagleThe McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle is an all-weather multirole fighter, derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic warfare aircraft. United States Air Force F-15E Strike...
, 1988–1991 - C-9 Nightingale, 1972–1974
- C-130 HerculesC-130 HerculesThe Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
, 1968–1972 - B-57 CanberraB-57 CanberraThe Martin B-57 Canberra was a United States-built, twin jet engine light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, which entered service with the United States Air Force in 1953. The B-57 was initially a version of the English Electric Canberra built under license. However, the Glenn L...
, 1964–1968; 1972–1974 - F-4 Phantom IIF-4 Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
, 1967–1973
- F-102 Delta DaggerF-102 Delta DaggerThe Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...
, 1960–1970 - F-86D Sabre Interceptor, 1959–1960
- 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...
, 1959–1967 - F-47 Thunderbolt, 1952–1954
- F-84F ThunderstreakF-84F ThunderstreakThe Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American-built swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design. The RF-84F Thunderflash was a photo reconnaissance version....
, 1954–1958