100th Air Refueling Wing
This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2012) |
100th Air Refueling Wing | |
---|---|
Active | 1942–1945, 1947–1949, 1956–1983, 1990–1991, 1992–present |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Type | Air Refueling |
Size | Wing |
Part of | United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa |
Garrison/HQ | RAF Mildenhall |
Nickname(s) | Bloody Hundredth[1] |
Motto(s) | Peace Through Strength |
Engagements |
|
Decorations | |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Colonel Gene Jacobus [1] |
Notable commanders | Darr H. Alkire |
The 100th Air Refueling Wing (100th ARW), nicknamed the Bloody Hundredth, is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Third Air Force, United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, United Kingdom. It is also the host wing at RAF Mildenhall.
The 100th ARW is the only permanent U.S. air refueling wing in the European theater, operating the Boeing KC-135R/T Stratotanker.
During World War II, its predecessor unit, the 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy), was an
One of the wing's honors is that it is the only modern USAF operational wing allowed to display on its assigned aircraft the tail code (Square-D) of its World War II predecessor. The 379th Bomb Wing used its Triangle-K tail code until deactivated in 1993, but when reactivated as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing was assigned a rotating mix of flying squadrons who used their parent unit's tail code. The Triangle-K is retained as an unofficial unit insignia.
Units
USAFE's only Boeing KC-135R/T air refueling wing, it is responsible for U.S. aerial refueling operations conducted throughout the European theater. The unit supports some 16,000 personnel, including Third Air Force, four geographically separated units, and 15 associated units.[2]
100th Operations Group (100th OG)
- 351st Air Refueling Squadron (351st ARS)
- 100th Operations Support Squadron (100th OSS)
100th Maintenance Group (100th MXG)
- 100th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (100th AMXS)
- 100th Maintenance Squadron (100th MXS)
- 100th Maintenance Operations Flight (100th MOF)
100th Mission Support Group (100th MSG)
- 100th Civil Engineer Squadron (100th CES)
- 100th Communications Squadron (100th CS)
- 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron (100th LRS)
- 100th Security Forces Squadron (100th SFS)
- 100th Force Support Squadron (100th FSS)
History
World War II
On 1 June 1942, the
On New Year's Day, 1943, members of the fledgling group again transferred operations to two bases. The aircraft and aircrews moved to Sioux City Army Air Base, Iowa, while the ground echelon went to Kearney Army Airfield, Nebraska. In both instances, members of the 100th BG assisted in air and ground training for other groups bound for overseas. In mid-April, the aircrew joined the ground echelon at Kearney and received new B-17s. After additional training, the group's aircrews departed Kearney on 25 May 1943, flying the North Atlantic route to England and into the war in Europe. Prior to the departure of aircraft and aircrews from Kearney, the 100th BG's ground echelon departed for the East Coast on 2 May 1943. On 27 May 1943, the ground personnel set sail aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth bound for Podington, England, from New York. At Podington the ground crews rendezvoused with the air echelon, and together moved to RAF Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk, where they remained throughout World War II, operating as a strategic bombardment organization.
On 25 June 1943, the 100th BG flew its first
In August 1943, the group received its first
While bombing during the
The 100th BG flew its last combat mission of World War II on 20 April 1945. The following month the unit's aircrews dropped food to the people in the west of the Netherlands, and in June transported French Allied former prisoners of war from Austria to France. In December 1945, the group returned to the U.S., where it inactivated at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, on 21 December 1945.
Cold War
On 29 May 1947, Headquarters Army Air Forces reactivated the 100th BG at
100th Bombardment Wing
The 100th Bombardment Wing, Medium was established on 23 March 1953 as part of Strategic Air Command, but the wing was not activated until 1 January 1956. The delay was due to construction at the unit's programmed base, Portsmouth Air Force Base (later renamed Pease AFB), New Hampshire. Construction was completed in late 1955 and, when activated, the 100th BW was assigned to the Eighth Air Force 817th Air Division.
The 100th Bomb Wing was assigned the new
In the early 1960s, the B-47 was considered to be reaching obsolescence and was being phased out of SAC's strategic arsenal. In October 1965, the Air Force initiated Project Fast Fly to oversee the inactivation of the last five B-47 wings and supporting tanker squadrons. The 100th ARS retired its last tanker on 21 December 1965, when aircraft 53-0282 flew to the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center at
100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
Headquarters SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its Major Command controlled (MAJCOM) wings that were equipped with combat aircraft and to activate Air Force controlled (AFCON) units, most of which were inactive at the time, which could carry a lineage and history. On 11 February 1966, the 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing assumed the mission, equipment and personnel of the
After its reactivation, the 100th SRW performed strategic reconnaissance with the Lockheed U-2 and drone aircraft. On 11 July 1970, the force was moved from Bien Hoa to
With the end of United States combat operations in Southeast Asia in mid-1973, the Air Force formally transferred nuclear air sampling operations to the 100th SRW, and the 349th SRS converted its U-2s to the U-2R configuration for atmospheric sampling missions, replacing the WB-57s which it inherited from the 4028th SRS. The air sampling mission would be moved to
In addition to the Drone and Air Sampling missions, the 100th SRW performed worldwide surveillance missions like the monitoring of the ceasefire between the Israelis and the Egyptians following the 1973 Yom Kippur War. This operation was operated from RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus and was named operation OLIVE HARVEST – Operating Location OL-OH.
A detachment also operated from
100th Air Refueling Wing
In 1976, due to budget reductions, SAC consolidated its Strategic Reconnaissance assets. The 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron and its U-2s were returned from U-Tapao and assigned to the
The U-2Rs of the 349th SRS and the
With the redesignation, the 100th and its 349th and 350th Air Refueling Squadrons were moved administratively to Beale, taking over the assets of the
The 100th ARW was inactivated on 15 March 1983 when its two KC-135 squadrons were reassigned to the host
Post-Cold War
After an inactive status for over seven years, SAC again reactivated the 100th, but this time as the 100th Air Division at
Air Force reorganization in 1991 put the 351st MW under the reactivated Twentieth Air Force on 29 March 1991, and the 509th Bomb Wing took over host duties at Whiteman. As a result, SAC inactivated the 100th AD again on 1 August 1991.
Air Refueling in Europe
Six months after its inactivation as an Air Division, and over 46 years after departing England at the end of World War II, the Air Force activated the 100th ARW, stationed at RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom, on 1 February 1992. It was assigned to Strategic Air Command, Fifteenth Air Force, 14th Air Division. It was then reassigned to Third Air Force on 1 February 1992. Becoming the host wing at RAF Mildenhall, the 100th ARW took over the management of the European Tanker Task Force (ETTF).[5]
On 31 March 1992, the 351st Air Refueling Squadron was activated and assigned to the 100th Operations Group.[6] The 100th received its first aircraft when KC-135R 58-0100 arrived from Loring Air Force Base, Maine, in May 1992.[7] The wing reached full strength by September 1992, when its ninth KC-135R was delivered.[8]
The ETTF was ended on 28 November 1998, seeing the number of KC-135R/Ts assigned to the Bloody Hundredth increased to 15 tankers.[9]
Since its reactivation in 1992, the 100th ARW has served as United States Air Forces Europe's lone air refueling wing.
As of 2024, there is only one surviving original WW2 member of the group still living, Major(Ret.) John "Lucky" Luckadoo.[10][11]
Lineage
100th Bombardment Group
- Established as 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 January 1942.
- Activated on 1 June 1942.
- Redesignated 100th Bombardment Group, Heavy on 20 August 1943
- Inactivated on 21 December 1945.
- Redesignated 100th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 13 May 1947.
- Activated in the Reserve on 29 May 1947.
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949.
100th Air Refueling Wing
- Constituted as 100th Bombardment Wing, Medium on 23 March 1953.
- Activated on 1 January 1956.
- Inactivated on 30 April 1966
- Redesignated 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing on 25 June 1966
- Redesignated 100th Air Refueling Wing, Heavy on 30 September 1976.
- Inactivated on 15 March 1983.
- Consolidated with the 100th Bombardment Group on 31 January 1984 (remained inactive)
- Redesignated 100th Air Division on 15 June 1990.
- Activated on 1 July 1990.
- Inactivated on 26 July 1991.
- Redesignated 100th Air Refueling Wing, and activated, on 1 February 1992.
- Personnel designated 100th Air Expeditionary Wing when supporting Operation Allied Forceeffective 24 March 1999
Assignments
- III Bomber Command, 1 June 1942
- Second Air Force, 18 June 1942
- II Bomber Command, 26 June 1942
- 15th Bombardment (later, 15th Bombardment Training; 15th Bombardment Operational Training) Wing, 30 November 1942
- Eighth Air Force, c. 2 June 1943
- VIII Bomber Command, c. 4 June 1943
- 4th Bombardment Wing, 6 June 1943
- Attached to: 402d Provisional Combat Bombardment Wing, 6 June 1943
- 3d Bombardment Division, 13 September 1943
- 13th Combat Bombardment Wing(Heavy), 14 September 1943
- 3d Air Division, 18 June 1945
- 1st Air Division, 12 August 1945
- 3d Air Division, 28 September 1945
- VIII Fighter Command, 1 November–December 1945
- 49th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy (later, 49 Air Division, Bombardment), 29 May 1947 – 27 June 1949
- Eighth Air Force, 1 January 1956
- 817th Air Division, 1 February 1956 – 30 April 1966
- Attached to 7th Air Division, 29 December 1957 – 1 April 1958
- 12th Strategic Aerospace Division, 25 June 1966
- 14th Strategic Aerospace Division, 30 June 1971
- 12th Strategic Missile (later, 12 Air) Division, 1 August 1972
- 14th Air Division, 30 September 1976 – 15 March 1983
- Eighth Air Force, 1 July 1990 – 26 July 1991
- Third Air Force, 1 February 1992–present
- Air Mobility Command (forward deployed 100 AEW only), 24 March 1999 – present
Components
Wings
- 351st Strategic Missile Wing: 1 July 1990 – 26 July 1991
- 509th Bombardment Wing: 30 September 1990 – 26 July 1991
Groups
- 100th Operations Group: 1 February 1992–present
Squadrons
- 9th Air Refueling Squadron: 30 September 1976 – 27 January 1982
- 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron: 1 November 1972 – 30 June 1976
- 100th Air Refueling Squadron: 16 August 1956 – 25 June 1966
- 349th Bombardment (later, 349th Strategic Reconnaissance; 349th Air Refueling) Squadron (XR): 1 June 1942 – 1 December 1945; 29 May 1947 – 27 June 1949; 1 January 1956 – 15 March 1983
- 350th Bombardment (later, 350th Strategic Reconnaissance; 350th Air Refueling) Squadron (LN) : 1 June 1942 – 15 December 1945; 16 July 1947 – 27 June 1949; 1 January 1956 – 1 July 1976 (detached 4 March-c. 4 April 1958); 28 January 1982 – 15 March 1983
- 351st Bombardment Squadron (EP): 1 June 1942 – 15 December 1945; 17 July 1947 – 27 June 1949; 1 January 1956 – 25 June 1966
- 418th Bombardment Squadron (LD): 1 June 1942 – 19 December 1945; 29 May 1947 – 27 June 1949; 1 March 1959 – 1 January 1962
- 509th Air Refueling Squadron: attached 8 April – 8 July 1958.
100 AEW Components
- 100th Expeditionary Operations Group, RAF Mildenhall, England (34 KC-135)
- 351st Air Refueling Squadron (various ANG resources), 24 March – 8 April 1999
- 100th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, 9 April – 20 June 1999
- 100th Expeditionary Group, RAF Brize Norton, England (12 KC-135)
- 106th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, 24 March 1999 – present
- 2d Air Expeditionary Group, RAF Fairford, England (5 KC-135)
- 22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, 24 March 1999 – present
Stations
- Orlando Army Air Base, Florida 1 June 1942
- Barksdale Field, Louisiana, c. 18 June 1942
- Pendleton Field, Oregon c. 26 June 1942
- Gowen Field, Idaho, 28 August 1942
- Walla Walla, Washington, c. 1 November 1942
- Wendover Field, Utah, c. 30 November 1942
- Sioux City AAB, Iowa, c. 28 December 1942
- Kearney AAFld, Nebraska, c. 30 January – May 1943
- RAF Thorpe Abbotts (AAF-139), England, 9 June 1943 – December 1945
- Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, c. 20–21 December 1945
- Miami AAFld, Florida, 29 May 1947 – 27 June 1949
- Portsmouth (later, Pease) AFB, New Hampshire, 1 January 1956 – 25 June 1966
- Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, 25 June 1966 – 30 September 1976
- Beale AFB, California, 30 September 1976 – 15 March 1983
- Whiteman AFB, Missouri, 1 July 1990 – 26 July 1991
- RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom, 1 February 1992 – present
Aircraft/missiles assigned
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1945
- Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1956–1966
- Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker, 1956–1965
- Lockheed U-2, 1966–1976 (WU-2, 1966–1969)
- Lockheed DC-130, 1966–1976
- Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, 1976–1983, 1992–present
- Minuteman II, 1990–1991
In popular culture
Masters of the Air, a television miniseries for Apple TV+ from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks follows the events of the 100th Bomb Group.[12]
See also
- List of B-47 units of the United States Air Force
- 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum
- Home Front Heroes Day, a day of recognition originated by the last living original member of the World War II Eighth Air Force 100th Bomb Group, John "Lucky" Luckadoo
Notes
- ^ Abeyasekere, Karen (1 November 2021). "Bloody Hundredth shares proud heritage as 100th ARW Airmen join WWII heroes at 100th BG reunion". Royal Air Force Mildenhall. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ "About Us". www.mildenhall.af.mil. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ^ "Official Website of the 100th Bomb Group (Heavy) Foundation - Aircraft - 26087". 100thbg.com. 100th Bomb Group Foundation. 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
"10 Oct 1943 R Rosenthal / Munster Cat AC damage - #1 eng out, oxygen out. Sole survivor of 100BG
- ^ Battermix publishing material
- ^ "RAF Mildenhall History". Royal Air Force Mildenhall. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ Kane, Robert B. (19 July 2010). "Factsheet 351 Air Refueling Squadron (USAFE)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ "Planes, Names and Noses: KC-135s of the 100th ARW". key.aero. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ Abeyasekere, Karen (1 February 2017). "100th Air Refueling Wing celebrates a historic 25 years". Royal Air Force Mildenhall. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ "Visiting Forces in the UK: 1942–2011" (PDF). Royal Air Force Mildenhall. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ James Barber (4 April 2022). "Hear 100-Year-Old WWII Hero John 'Lucky' Luckadoo Share His Story". military.com.
- ^ https://kdvr.com/business/press-releases/ein-presswire/685488731/wwii-hero-and-last-living-bloody-100th-pilot-major-john-lucky-luckadoo-inspires-at-teresas-house-argyle/
- ^ "Steven Spielberg takes to the skies in the Masters of the Air teaser". The A.V. Club. 9 November 2023.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
- Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978.
- USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers—1908 to present Archived 27 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- March marks 10th anniversary of Operation Allied Force
- Harry H. Crosby, a ISBN 0-595-16703-9). The account is an insightful look into the life of a typical air officer assigned to one of the 8th Air Force's most revered units.
- Ray Bowden, Plane Names & Bloody Noses – 100th Bomb Group. Nose art and named planes of the 100BG with brief histories and 400 black/white photos. See www.usaaf-noseart.co.uk for fuller details.
External links
- Home - 100th Bomb Group (Heavy) Foundation – 100th Bomb Group Foundation