Seymour Johnson Air Force Base - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force

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...

base located to the southeast of Goldsboro, North Carolina

Goldsboro, North Carolina

Goldsboro is a city in Wayne County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 37,597 at the 2008 census estimate. It is the principal city of and is included in the Goldsboro, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The nearby town of Waynesboro was founded in 1787 and Goldsboro was...

. The base is named for Navy test pilot Seymour Johnson, a native of Goldsboro. It is home to the 4th Fighter Wing (4 FW) of the 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 ....

(ACC) and the 916th Air Refueling Wing

916th Air Refueling Wing

The 916th Air Refueling Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina...

(916 ARW), an Air Force Reserve Command

Air Force Reserve Command

The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....

(AFRC) unit operationally gained by the Air Mobility Command

Air Mobility Command

Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....

(AMC).

4th Fighter Wing

The 4th Fighter Wing

4th Fighter Wing

The 4th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Ninth Air Force. It is stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, where it is also the host unit....

, one of the Air Force's most distinguished fighter wings, moved to Seymour Johnson on December 8, 1957 from Chitose Air Base

Chitose Air Base

, is a Japan Air Self-Defense Force base located in Chitose, Hokkaidō, adjacent to New Chitose Airport. It is the JASDF's primary base in northern Japan and tasked with monitoring Japan's maritime borders with Russia. It was also Hokkaidō's primary civilian airport until the opening of New Chitose...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, replacing the 83d Fighter-Day Wing, and has been the host unit ever since.

The 4th Fighter Wing, under various designations, can trace its origins to the RAF Eagle squadron

Eagle squadron

The Eagle Squadrons were 3 fighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force formed during World War II with volunteer pilots from the United States...

s of 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 Eagle Squadrons were Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

fighter squadrons formed with volunteer pilots from the United States. The last Eagle Squadron was disbanded in September 1942, with most of the members transferring into the United States Army Air Force, primarily the 4th Fighter Group of the U.S. 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....

. Many famous fighter aces were in this group.

Reactivated as the 4th Fighter Wing on July 28, 1947, members of the wing have served all over the world, including 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...

, 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...

, Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 4th Fighter Wing accomplishes its training and operational missions with 92 F-15E Strike Eagles, assigned to the following squadrons:

333d Fighter Squadron
333d Fighter Squadron
The 333d Fighter Squadron is part of the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. It operates F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft conducting advanced fighter training.-History:...

Lancers "Red Fin Flash"
334th Fighter Squadron
334th Fighter Squadron
The 334th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina....

Eagles "Blue Fin Flash"
335th Fighter Squadron
335th Fighter Squadron
The 335th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina....

Chiefs "Green Fin Flash"
336th Fighter Squadron
336th Fighter Squadron
The 336th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina....

Rocketeers "Yellow Fin Flash"

All 4th Fighter Wing F-15Es carry the "SJ" Tailcode.

The 335th and 336th Fighter Squadrons are capable of deploying worldwide on short notice and immediately generating combat power., while the 307th, 333rd and 334th Fighter Squadrons are responsible for training all F-15E Strike Eagle aircrews for the U.S. Air Force.

916th Air Refueling Wing

The United States Air Force Reserve 916th Air Refueling Wing

916th Air Refueling Wing

The 916th Air Refueling Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina...

supports routine refueling missions for other Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and allied aircraft under the direction of the 4th Air Force and Headquarters, Air Force Reserve Command

Air Force Reserve Command

The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....

. If recalled to active duty, the wing would integrate into the 18th Air Force and fall under the direction of Air Mobility Command

Air Mobility Command

Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....

, Scott Air Force Base

Scott Air Force Base

Scott Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force in St. Clair County, Illinois, near Belleville.-Overview:The base is named after Corporal Frank S. Scott, the first enlisted person to be killed in an aviation crash...

, Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

.

The 916 ARW has 15 subordinate squadrons among its three groups: the 916th Maintenance Group, 916th Operations Group and 916th Mission Support Group, as well as one unattached squadron, the 916th Aerospace Medicine Squadron. More than 900 Air Force Reservists in the wing train to support worldwide operational commitments.

The unit initially arrived at Seymour Johnson in October 1985 as a small advance team until October 1986. During that first year, Air Force Reservists worked with active duty Air Force units flying the 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 newest tanker, the KC-10A Extender, in an associate program.

The first exclusively Reserve KC-10 crew flew out of Seymour Johnson on 29 October 1985. With the reorganization of the Air Force in 1992 that saw the inactivation of Strategic Air Command, the KC-10 aircraft were temporarily placed under the redesignated 4th Wing (4 WG) at Seymour Johnson, but by 1994, the KC-10s were ultimately reassigned to McGuire AFB, New Jersey as Air Mobility Command

Air Mobility Command

Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....

assets. The 916 ARW remained at Seymour Johnson as an Air Force Reserve 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...

unit gained by AMC. Also now part of the 916th ARW is the 911th ARS.

History

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base occupies over 3,300 acres (13 km²) in the southeast section of Goldsboro. Seymour Johnson Field was opened in April 1942 as Headquarters, Technical School, Army Air Forces

United States Army Air Forces

The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....

Technical Training Command. In June 1943, a secondary mission was added which included preparation of officers and men for overseas duty. The unit was known as the Provisional Overseas Replacement Training Center. Seymour Johnson Field received a third mission in September 1943: to provide basic military training for cadets preparing to become technical officers in the Army Air Corps. The 75th Training Wing was established to conduct the program through its Aviation Cadet Pre-Training School.

Interestingly, the namesake of the base, Seymour Johnson, was never part of the Air Force (or the Army, of which the Air Force was initially a branch). He was a local man who became a Navy test pilot and died in a plane crash in 1940, just before the US entered World War II. There is a historical plaque honoring him at the main gate entrance of the base.

World War II

Construction of Seymour Johnson Field started on 9 March 1942 and by 10 July 1942 the 333d Base HQ and Air Base Squadron was established as the host unit. Col Walter J. Reed was the first commander. Seymour Johnson Field was assigned to the USAAF Technical Training Command, and the airfield's initial mission was Field Aviation Cadet Pre-Technical School Training in bomber mechanics.

The 76th Training Wing was activated at Seymour Johnson on 26 February 1943 and the airfield's mission was changed to training replacement pilots for the P-47 Thunderbolt

P-47 Thunderbolt

Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...

.

At the end of World War II

World War II

in Europe, Seymour Johnson was designated as a central assembly station for processing and training troops being reassigned in the continental United States and Pacific theater

Pacific Ocean theater of World War II

The Pacific Ocean theatre was one of four major naval theatres of war of World War II, which pitted the forces of Japan against those of the United States, the British Commonwealth, the Netherlands and France....

of operations. The 47th Bombardment Group

47th Flying Training Wing

The 47th Flying Training Wing is a United States Air Force pilot training wing based at Laughlin Air Force Base, near Del Rio, Texas...

was reassigned to Seymour Johnson from Twelfth Air Force in Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

during June. Its mission was to prepare for redeployment to the Pacific theater for night pathfinder operations against Imperial Japan. Its black-painted Douglas A-26Cs

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...

were equipped with radar however the surrender by Japan in August, 1945, cancelled all redeployment plans.

With its operational training mission ended, in September 1945 and the field became an Army-Air Force Separation Center under the 123d AAF Base Unit.

On 15 August 1947, Seymour Johnson Army Airfield was closed. and remained inactive for nearly a decade.

83rd Fighter-Day Wing (1956–57)

After the airfield's deactivation in 1947, local community leaders campaigned for many years to reopen Seymour Johnson. On 1 April 1956 Seymour Johnson Air Force Base was reactivated as a United States Air Force

United States Air Force

base under Tactical Air Command

Tactical 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...

. The 4435th Air Base Squadron being the initial host unit. Capt Harry D. Lyons was the first USAF Base Commander.

On July 1, 1956, the 83d Fighter-Day Wing was activated as the host unit of the new Air Force Base. Col. Ralph L. Merritt Jr., was the first Wing Commander. Operational squadrons of the 83d Fighter-Day Wing were:

448th Fighter-Day Squadron
532d Fighter-Day Squadron
533d Fighter-Day Squadron
534th Fighter-Day Squadron

The 83d initially trained with the Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star

P-80 Shooting Star

The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces. Designed in 1943 as a response to the German Messerschmitt Me-262 jet fighter, and delivered in just 143 days from the start of the design process, production models were flying but...

when it was activated, later upgrading to the 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...

in October 1956. The wing was declared fully operational in June 1957, and in October 1957, it was upgraded to the North American F-100C/F Super Sabre

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...

4th Fighter Wing (1957–present)

In December 1957, the 83d Fighter-Day Wing was deactivated in place, being replaced at Seymour Johnson by the 4th Fighter-Day Wing and absorbing its assets. The 4th FDW was returned to the United States after an extended assignment at Chitose AB, Japan

Japan

after the Korean War

Korean War

. Col Robert C. Richardson III

Robert C. Richardson III

Robert Charlwood Richardson III was an officer, first of the United States Army Air Corps, then with the United States Air Force, eventually attaining the rank of Brigadier General. A leader in the early days of the U.S. Air Force, he was a renowned expert in tactical nuclear warfare, NATO, and...

, was the first Wing Commander. Squadrons of the 4th FDW were:

333d Fighter-Day Squadron
333d Fighter Squadron
The 333d Fighter Squadron is part of the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. It operates F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft conducting advanced fighter training.-History:...

(Formerly 448th FDS) (Red markings)
334th Fighter-Day Squadron
334th Fighter Squadron
The 334th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina....

(Formerly 532d FDS) (Blue markings)
335th Fighter-Day Squadron
335th Fighter Squadron
The 335th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina....

(Formerly 533d FDS) (Green markings)
336th Fighter-Day Squadron
336th Fighter Squadron
The 336th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina....

(Formerly 534th FDS) (Yellow markings)

The 4th Fighter Wing with these operational squadrons have, under various designations, remained at Seymour Johnson AFB for nearly 50 years. On 1 July 1958 the unit was redesignated the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing.

Initially the wing simply redesignated the flying squadrons of the 83d FDS and continued to fly the F-100 Super Sabre

F-100 Super Sabre

. However, a mission change On 1 May 1958 led to an equipment change with the arrival of the Republic F-105B Thunderchief

F-105 Thunderchief

The Republic F-105 Thunderchief, was a supersonic fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force. The Mach 2 capable F-105 conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it has the dubious distinction of being the only US aircraft to have been...

. The F-100s remained with the 333d TFS until being transferred in 1960 when the 334th, 335th and 336th Tactical Fighter Squadrons were declared to be fully operational with the F-105. In the spring of 1964, the 4th TFW began the transition from F-105Bs to F-105D/Fs, a process that was completed on 23 June.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis

Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...

, the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing forward deployed its F-105 aircraft to McCoy Air Force Base

McCoy Air Force Base

With McCoy's closure as an active air force installation in 1975, the site was redeveloped and is known today as Orlando International Airport, which carries the airport code MCO .- History :...

, Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

, ready to react at a moment's notice for possible combat over Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

4th TFW during 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...

As the war 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...

heated up in the late summer of 1964, the 4th TFW was alerted for deployment to the Far East. On 3 July 1965, as part of Operation Two Buck 13, the 335th TFS deployed to Yokota Air Base

Yokota Air Base

, is a United States Air Force base in the city of Fussa, one of 26 cities in the Tama Area, or Western Tokyo.The base houses 14,000 personnel. The base occupies a total area of and has a runway...

, Japan

Japan

to take the place of units assigned there that were deployed to Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

, standing the normal VICTOR nuclear alert rotations at Osan Air Base

Osan Air Base

Osan Air Base , is a United States Air Force facility located in the Songtan section of Pyeongtaek City, South Korea, south of Seoul. Despite its name, Osan AB is not within Osan City, which is to the north. The base is the home of the Pacific Air Forces' 51st Fighter Wing, and a number of tenant...

, 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...

.

On 8 November 1965, the 335th TFS deployed to Takhli RTAFB

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, for combat operations against 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...

. At Takhli, the squadron was under the control of the newly-activated 355th TFW. The 335th TFS returned to Seymour Johnson AFB on 15 December 1965.

On 28 August 1965, also under Operation Two Buck 13, the 334th TFS deployed to Takhli RTAFB for combat operations against North Vietnamese targets, coming under the control of the 6235th TFW(P) at Takhli. The 334th TFS returned to Seymour Johnson AFB on 10 October 1966, leaving its F-105 aircraft at Takhli.

On 4 December 1965, the 333d TFS deployed to Korat RTAFB

Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base

Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base is a base of the Royal Thai Air Force. It is located in northeast Thailand, located approximately 157 miles northeast of Bangkok and about 5 miles south of Nakhon Ratchasima , the second largest city in Thailand.During the Vietnam War, Korat RTAFB was the...

for combat operations. However, the 333d then transferred to Takhli to relieve the 335th TFS. On 3 December 1965, the 333d TFS deployment was changed from TDY to PCS (Permanent Change of Station), and the squadron was permanently assigned to the 355th TFW at Takhli. The F-105 aircraft and pilots of the 336th TFS rotated between Seymour Johnson and Takhli in 1965/66 but the squadron did not deploy to the war zone in Southeast Asia.

In 1967 the 4th transitioned to the 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,...

and began a rotational commitment of tactical squadrons to Ubon RTAFB

Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base

Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force facility and is the home of Wing 21 of the RTAF 2nd Air Division. It is located in East-Central Thailand, near the city of Ubon Ratchathani, in the Ubon Ratchathani Province. It is approximately 305 miles North-East of Bangkok...

, Thailand

Thailand

as augmentees of the 8th TFW for combat operations from April 1972 until the withdrawal of American air units in Thailand in 1974.

4th TFW Post Vietnam operations

In 1974, the wing mission reverted back to training, with increased emphasis on short-term European contingency support. Elements of the wing deployed to Norway

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

in June 1974. Two short-term deployments to Spangdahlem AB

Spangdahlem Air Base

Spangdahlem Air Base is a United States Air Force base located near the small German town of Spangdahlem, approximately 30 km NNE of the city of Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate.-Units:...

, West Germany

West Germany

West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....

, were conducted in July and September 1975. The highlight of 1976 came in November when the wing took first place in the William Tell worldwide weapons competition at Tyndall AFB, Florida

Florida

, becoming the first F-4 unit to win the Air Defense Command-sponsored event. The wing executed short-term deployments to South Korea

South Korea

and Japan during 1977 and assumed a dual-based mission with Ramstein AB in October of that year. The overall mission commitment was restructured to reflect worldwide contingency emphasis in October 1986.

In 1988 the 4th TFW began transitioning from the F-4E to the 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...

. The first F-15E arrived on 29 December 1988, and the 336th Tactical Fighter Squadron became the first operational F-15E squadron in the Air Force on 1 October 1989. The transition from the F-4E to the F-15E was completed on 1 July 1991, making the 4th TFW the first operational F-15E wing in the Air Force.

Operation Desert Storm

At the height of conversion training, the 4th TFW was one of the first units tasked to react to Iraq

Iraq

Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

's invasion of Kuwait

Kuwait

The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...

. The 335th and 336th Tactical Fighter Squadrons and support personnel deployed to Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...

, beginning in August 1990. The combat record of the 4th TFW in Saudi Arabia was nothing less than outstanding.

After the cease fire, the 4th TFW continued rotating squadron elements to Southwest Asia

Southwest Asia

Western 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...

during the 1990s, taking part in enforcement of the no-fly zones in Iraq

Iraq

Post Cold War

On 22 April 1991, the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing was redesignated as the 4th Wing (4 WG) as the Air Force's first composite wing. In addition to its F-15E aircraft and personnel, the 4th Wing also incorporated under it all the people, KC-10A aircraft and other associated assets of the 68th Air Refueling Wing (68 ARW), the former Strategic Air Command

Strategic Air Command

unit at Seymour Johnson that was inactivated the same day.

The 4 WG began another force structure change in 1994. The KC-10s were reassigned to Air Mobility Command

Air Mobility Command

Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....

bases in 1994 and 1995 and the F-15E formal training unit (FTU) moved to Seymour Johnson in 1994 and 1995.

On 1 October 1994, the 333d Fighter Squadron was transferred back to the 4th Fighter Wing, after a 29-year absence, from the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona

Arizona

Arizona ; 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...

to accommodate the training mission. This meant that all four original 4th Fighter Wing squadrons were reunited at Seymour Johnson AFB for the first time since July 1965.

Following the departure of KC-10s, the 4th Wing was again redesignated the 4th Fighter Wing (4 FW) on 1 December 1995. To accommodate the need to train more F-15E aircrews, the 334th Fighter Squadron became a training squadron on 1 January 1996.

On 20 June 2000, the 23d Fighter Group (23 FG) became a part of the 4th Fighter Wing, during a reassignment ceremony at Pope Air Force Base

Pope Air Force Base

Pope Field is a United States Army facility located 12 miles northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.-Units:...

, North Carolina flying the A-10 Thunderbolt II

A-10 Thunderbolt II

The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...

aircraft. The primary mission of the 23 FG was forward air control, close-air support, interdiction and combat search and rescue operations. The ceremony brought together two organizations whose histories predate the United States involvement in World War II, when both units served as American volunteer groups. In 2006, the 23rd Fighter Group was transferred to the 23d Wing

23d Wing

The 23d Wing is a front-line United States Air Force Air Combat Command wing currently assigned to Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.-Mission:The mission of the 23d Wing is to organize, train and employ combat-ready A-10, HC-130 and HH-60, as well as pararescuemen and force protection assets...

at Moody Air Force Base

Moody Air Force Base

Moody Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation located in Lowndes County and Lanier County, about northeast of Valdosta, Georgia, United States.Moody Air Force Base is home to the 23d Wing...

, reuniting the wing with its operational fighter group.

In October 2001, in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, the 4th Fighter Wing began flying Operation NOBLE EAGLE

Operation Noble Eagle

Operation Noble Eagle is the name given to military operations related to homelandsecurity and support to federal, state, and local agencies...

sorties, the first of its kind for the wing, providing coastal protection for Homeland Defense.

In March 2002, A-10s assigned to the 23d Fighter Group arrived in Jacobabad

Jacobabad

Jacobabad or Yaqubabad is the capital city of Jacobabad District, Sindh, Pakistan. The city is also the administrative centre of Jacobabad Taluka, an administrative subdivision of the district, the city is subdivided into 8 Union Councils...

, Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

, and later became the first USAF fixed-winged aircraft to enter Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

to fight the war on terrorism.

In January and February 2003, the 4th Fighter Wing joined other operational units in Southeast Asia. Two F-15E fighter squadrons deployed to Southwest Asia in support of OSW, which would later transition into support for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. On 18 April 2003 members of the 4th Fighter Wing returned to Seymour Johnson AFB after contributing to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq

Iraq

. In 2004, elements of the wing again supported operations in theater while forward deployed to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

Strategic Air Command

In 1958, Strategic Air Command

Strategic Air Command

began dispersing its B-52 bombers

B-52 Stratofortress

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...

. Prior to that each bomb wing had 3 squadrons of 15 aircraft. Each became a strategic wing and was dispersed to another base. The 73d Bomb Squadron of the 72d Bombardment Wing

72d Air Base Wing

The 72d Air Base Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Materiel Command Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center . It is stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma...

was used to create the 4241st Strategic Wing, being assigned to Seymour Johnson AFB on October 1, 1958.

The 68th Bombardment Wing, Medium transferred without personnel or equipment to Seymour Johnson on April 15, 1963 from Chennault AFB, Louisiana

Louisiana

Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

, replacing the 4241st Strategic Wing and redesignated as the 68th Bombardment Wing, Heavy. It conducted strategic bombardment training with B-52 Stratofortress

B-52 Stratofortress

es and air refueling operations with KC-135s

KC-135 Stratotanker

. Deployed at Loring AFB, Maine

Maine

Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...

from July 28 to August 1965 and from May 27, 1972 to July 15, 1972. During this time, all wing aircraft, most aircrew and maintenance personnel and about half of the wing's support people were loaned to other SAC

Strategic Air Command

units for combat operations in South Vietnam

South Vietnam

South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...

. Following the return of all wing aircraft from Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia

, the 68th Bomb Wing refocused its principal efforts on its strategic deterrence and nuclear alert roles.

During Fiscal Year 1982, the 68th Bomb Wing began phasing out all B-52 operations and the unit was officially inactivated on 30 September 1982. On that same date, the 68th Air Refueling Group (68 ARG) was activated and on 1 October 1982, the 68th Air Refueling Group, and the 68th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, were consolidated into a single organization at Seymour Johnson. The 68 ARG continued to fly the KC-135 Stratotanker

KC-135 Stratotanker

until 1 October 1985, when it converted to the larger, more modern and versatile 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...

aircraft. The 68 ARG was redesignated the 68th Air Refueling Wing (68 ARW) on 1 October 1986.

As previously mentioned, on 22 April 1991, the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing (4 TFW) at Seymour Johnson became the U.S. Air Force's first composite wing and was renamed the 4th Wing (4 WG). The 4 WG incorporated all personnel, KC-10 aircraft and other assets previously assigned to the 68th Air Refueling Wing, which was inactivated on the same date. On 1 October 1994, the KC-10 component was separated from the 4 WG and reassigned to McGuire AFB, New Jersey where it became part of the newly reformed 305th Air Mobility Wing

305th Air Mobility Wing

The 305th Air Mobility Wing is a United States Air Force strategic airlift and air refueling wing under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command...

of the Air Mobility Command

Air Mobility Command

Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....

Air Defense Command

From 8 April 1956 though 1 October 1965 the 482d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron of the Air Defense Command (later renamed 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...

) was based at Seymour Johnson, flying the Convair F-102A Delta Dagger as part of ADC's 32nd and 26th Air Divisions.

During early 1959 runway construction at Seymour Johnson forced the unit to relocate to the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, USA, in the eastern part of the state...

, North Carolina. In May 1959, the squadron returned to Seymour Johnson AFB and continued activities at their home base for the first time in over a year.

In 1960, the 482d deployed six aircraft to Tyndall AFB to test the feasibility of periodic weapons deployment. On 14 April, the squadron was once again forced to move due to runway repairs at Seymour Johnson. The entire unit moved to Myrtle Beach AFB, 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...

and spent a total of six weeks there. Late in 1960 the F-102s of the 482nd were sent to depot for the Configuration VII modification which gave the aircraft nuclear air-to-air missile capability.

Early 1961 found the 482nd busily preparing for the newly modified aircraft and the assignment of nuclear weapons. In July 1961, the squadron formed the 482nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Detachment 1, at Homestead AFB Florida

Florida

. Shortly after TDY operation was established at Homestead AFB, Florida, runway construction at Homestead forced the entire detachment to move to Miami International Airport

Miami International Airport

Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...

. Operations continued at Miami until February 1962, when the detachment was relocated back to Homestead AFB.

Also during July 1961, the 482nd was transferred from the 32d Air Division to the 26th Air Division. The squadron continued normal operations at home with training exercises and evaluations coming from ADC Headquarters as well as the 26th Air Division.

The 482d FIS was the first USAF fighter units to move into southern Florida during the Cuban Missile Crisis

Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...

. Arriving on station at Homestead AFB hours ahead of schedule. At Homestead the squadron immediately established a constant airborne alert and maintained this alert for over 10 critical days following the United States' quarantine of Cuba. During this month the 482nd flew 1027 hours of F-102 time, an unofficial record for an F-102 squadron. On 1 December the squadron was returned to Seymour Johnson AFB in its entirety and resumed the alert commitment at home station.

In June 1963, the Configuration VIII modification was completed on squadron assigned F-102s. This modification gave the aircraft the capability of seeking out and destroying the airborne target by detecting the infra-red energy emitted by the target. June also saw squadron aircraft and personnel on alert duty at Naval Air Station Key West

Naval Air Station Key West

Naval Air Station Key West , is a naval air station and military airport located on Boca Chica Key, four miles east of the central business district of Key West, Florida, United States....

, Florida on a rotational basis.

Over time, the need for dedicated air defense units decreased, and the 482d FIS was inactivated on 1 October 1965.

BRAC 2005

In its 2005 BRAC Recommendations, DoD recommended to realign Grand Forks Air Force Base

Grand Forks Air Force Base

Grand Forks Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located north of Emerado, North Dakota and approximately west of Grand Forks, North Dakota...

, North Dakota

North Dakota

North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....

. It would distribute the 319th Air Refueling Wing’s KC-135R aircraft to the 916th Air Refueling Wing (AFRC) at Seymour Johnson AFB. The 916 ARW would also host an active duty associate unit. This realignment will bring hundreds of new personnel and their families to the Goldsboro area.

External links

Seymour Johnson AFB, official website
916th Air Refueling Wing, official website
4th Fighter Wing at GlobalSecurity.org
GlobalSecurity.org
GlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...
68th Bomb Wing/4241st Strategic Wing at GlobalSecurity.org
GlobalSecurity.org
GlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...
4 FDW F-100 Photos
Timeline of the 482d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
Memorial website of CMSgt Alfred E. Boyle, USAF

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

4th Fighter Wing

916th Air Refueling Wing

History

World War II

83rd Fighter-Day Wing (1956–57)

4th Fighter Wing (1957–present)

4th TFW Post Vietnam operations

Operation Desert Storm

Post Cold War

Strategic Air Command

Air Defense Command

BRAC 2005

See also

External links