320th Air Expeditionary Wing
320th Air Expeditionary Wing | |
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Boeing B-52F Stratofortress "Casper the Friendly Ghost" of the 320th Bombardment Wing on an Arc Light mission | |
Active | 1942–1945; 1947–1949; 1952–1960; 1963–1989, after 1998 |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Motto(s) | Forever Battling (World War II), Strength Through Awareness (since 1952) |
Engagements |
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Decorations | French Croix de Guerre with Palm |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Joel D. Jackson |
Notable commanders | George Lee Butler Howell M. Estes II William Crumm John A. Hilger |
Insignia | |
320th Air Expeditionary Wing emblem |
The 320th Air Expeditionary Wing (320 AEW) is a provisional
The 320 AEW was activated at Bolling in December 2006 for former President Gerald Ford's state funeral during the Christmas and New Year holidays, attaching 634 personnel to complete a 10-day mission in three joint-operation areas. In less than 12 hours from notification, the 320 AEW deployed 167 joint forces and equipment for JTF Ceremony Forward.
It was activated in December 2008 to support Air Force requirements during the 2009 Presidential Inauguration, working with the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee, or AFIC.
The wing was originally activated during World War II and served with
History
World War II
Constituted as 320th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 19 June 1942 and activated on 23 June at MacDill Field (now MacDill Air Force Base), Florida. The operational squadrons of the group were the 441st, 442d, 443d and 444th Bomb Squadrons. The 320th was equipped with the Martin B-26 Marauder aircraft.
The group was subsequently relocated to nearby
They began combat with Twelfth Air Force in April 1943 and operated from bases in Algeria, Tunisia, Sardinia, and Corsica until November 1944. During the period April–July 1943, flew missions against enemy shipping in the approaches to Tunisia, attacked installations in Sardinia, participated in the reduction of Pantelleria, and supported the Allied invasion of Sicily. It then bombed marshalling yards, bridges, airdromes, road junctions, viaducts, harbors, fuel dumps, defense positions, and other targets in Italy. The group supported forces at Salerno and knocked out targets to aid the seizure of Naples and the crossing of the Volturno River. Missions were flown to Anzio and Cassino and the group engaged in interdictory operations in central Italy in preparation for the advance toward Rome.[1]
In a disastrous error on 28 January 1944, the group
The 320th Bombardment Group received the
The 320th was then moved to France in November 1944 and bombed bridges, rail lines, gun positions, barracks, supply points, ammunition dumps, and other targets in France and Germany until
With the end of hostilities in Europe, the group moved to Germany in June 1945 and participated in the disarmament program. It returned to the United States, November–December 1945, and was inactivated on 4 December 1945.[1]
Strategic Air Command
Medium Bomber Era
The 320th Bombardment Wing, Medium (BW) was activated at
At March, the
The wing replaced its propeller-driven B-29s with new
B-52 Era
4134th Strategic Wing
With the retirement of the Stratojet, the 320th Bomb Wing was reassigned to
On 1 January 1959 the 49th Aviation Depot Squadron was activated to oversee the wing's special weapons. The 4135th became fully organized on 1 July 1959 when the
In 1962, in order to retain the lineage of its MAJCOM 4-digit combat units and to perpetuate the lineage of many currently inactive bombardment units with illustrious World War II records, Headquarters SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its Major Command controlled (MAJCON) strategic 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.
320th Bombardment Wing
As a result, the 4134th SW was replaced by the 320th Bombardment Wing, Heavy,
At Mather, the wing performed global bombardment training and air refueling operations to meet SAC commitments, February 1963 – 1965 and later.
In 1964 and 1965, the wing's B-52Fs were selected for modification under programs South Bay and Sun Bath. These modifications enabled the wing's bombers to double their bomb load from 24 to 48 750 lb bombs by the installation of external bomb racks. With these modifications, the wing's planes, along with those of the
The entire wing was drastically reduced from February to July 1965, from December 1965 to March 1966, and from June 1972 to October 1973, when all aircraft, crews, and most support personnel were loaned to other SAC units based at Andersen AFB Guam,
Starting in 1972, the short-lived 3542d Operations Squadron conducted
In the early 1980s, the 320th and the 441 BS were equipped to carry, and trained in the employment of, the US Navy's
The 904th Air Refueling Squadron was inactivated 1 October 1986 and its older KC-135As modified to
Along with the 441 BS, the 320th Bombardment Wing was also inactivated on 30 September 1989 as the first B-52 wing to be inactivated in conjunction with the phased retirement of the B-52G fleet and was also made in conjunction with the pending closure of Mather AFB in 1993 due to a 1989 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decision.
320th Air Expeditionary Group (Air Combat Command)
In 1998, the 320th was reactivated as the 320th Air Expeditionary Group (320 AEG) at
The primary mission of the 320 AEG at Eskan was to provide liaison with Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense and Aviation (MODA) for Eskan Village and to provide host base support to the combatant staff of Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) and the
In 2005 the 320th Air Expeditionary Group was replaced by the 64th Air Expeditionary Group, a component of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing.
320th Air Expeditionary Wing (AF District of Washington)
The 320th was then renamed as the 320th Air Expeditionary Wing and was reassigned to the
Lineage
320th Bombardment Group
- Constituted as 320th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 19 June 1942
- Activated on 23 June 1942
- Redesignated 320th Bombardment Group, Medium on 31 August 1944
- Inactivated on 4 December 1945
- Redesignated 320th Bombardment Group, Light and allotted to the reserve.
- Activated on 6 July 1947
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949
- Consolidated on 31 January 1984 with 320th Bombardment Wing as 320th Bombardment Wing[19]
320th Bombardment Wing
- Constituted as 320th Bombardment Wing, Medium and activated on 1 December 1952
- Discontinued on 15 September 1960
- Redesignated 320th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 15 November 1962 and activated
- Organized on 1 February 1963
- Consolidated on 31 January 1984 with 320th Bombardment Group[19]
- Inactivated 30 September 1989
- Converted to provisional status, allotted to Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate at any time, and redesignated as 320th Air Expeditionary Group on 19 November 1998
- Activated on 1 December 1998
- Inactivated on 1 December 2001
- Redesignated: 320th Air Expeditionary Wing on 1 February 2002 (Remained in provisional status)[20]
- Allotted to Air Force District of Washington in 2006 to activate or inactivate at any time.
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Assignments
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Bases assigned
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Components
Group
- 320th Medical Group (later 320th Tactical Hospital, 320th Expeditionary Medical Flight, 320th Expeditionary Medical Group): 1 December 1952 – 1 January 1959,[24] c. 1 December 1998 – c. 1 December 2001
Operational Squadrons
- 441st Bombardment Squadron: 23 June 1942 – 4 December 1945; 9 July 1947 – 27 June 1949; 1 December 1952 – 15 September 1960 (Not operational 16 May – 15 September 1960); 1 February 1963 – 30 September 1989 (Not operational 11 February – 1 July 1965; 1 December 1965 – 21 March 1966 and 3 June 1972 – 25 October 1973).[25]
- 442d Bombardment Squadron: 23 June 1942 – 4 December 1945; 9 July 1947 – 27 June 1949; 1 December 1952 – 15 September 1960 (Not operational 1–15 September 1960)[26]
- 443d Bombardment Squadron: 23 June 1942 – 4 December 1945; 9 July 1947 – 27 June 1949; 1 December 1952 – 15 September 1960 (Not operational 1–15 September 1960)[27]
- 444th Bombardment Squadron: 23 June 1942 – 4 December 1945; 9 July 1947 – 27 June 1949; 1 January 1959 – 15 September 1960 (Not operational 1 July – 15 September 1960)[28]
- 320th Refueling Squadron: 1 December 1952 – 16 June 1960
- 904th Air Refueling Squadron: 1 February 1963 – 30 September 1989
Support Squadrons
- 49th Munitions Maintenance Squadron: 1 February 1963 – 1 October 1972[6]
- 320th Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron: 1 February 1963 – 30 September 1975[6]
- 320th Armament & Electronics Maintenance Squadron (later 320th Avionics Maintenance Squadron): 1 December 1952 – 16 June 1960,[24] 1 February 1963 – 30 September 1989[6]
- 320th Expeditionary Communications Squadron: c. 1 December 1998 – 1 December 2001
- 320th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron: c. 1 December 1998 – c. 1 December 2001
- 320th Expeditionary Logistics Squadron: c. 1 December 1998 – c. 1 December 2001
- 320th Expeditionary Services Squadron: c. 1 December 1998 – c. 1 December 2001
- 320th Field Maintenance Squadron (later 320th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron): 1 December 1952 – 16 June 1960,[24] 1 February 1963 – 30 September 1989,[6] c. 18 October 2001 – c. 1 December 2001
- 320th Munitions Maintenance Squadron: 1 October 1972 – 30 September 1989[6]
- 320th Periodic Maintenance Squadron (later 320th Organizational Maintenance Squadron): 1 December 1952 – 16 June 1960,[24] 1 February 1963 – 30 September 1989[6]
- 320th Combat Defense Squadron (later 320th Security Police Squadron, 320th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron): 1 February 1963 – 30 September 1989,[6] c. 1 December 1998 – c. 1 December 2001
Major aircraft types operated
- Martin B-26 Marauder (1942–1945)
- Boeing B-29 Superfortress (1952–1953)
- Boeing B-47 Stratojet (1953–1960)
- Boeing B-52F Stratofortress (1963–1968)
- Boeing B-52G Stratofortress (1968–1989)
- Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker (1963–1989)
- Lockheed C-130 Hercules (2001–2006)
See also
- David Wade
- List of B-29 Superfortress operators
- List of B-47 units of the United States Air Force
- List of B-52 Units of the United States Air Force
- List of MAJCOM wings of the United States Air Force
References
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 199–201
- ^ Dethick, Janet Kinrade (21 September 2011). "The Bridge at Allerona – 28 January 1944". bombedpowtrain.weebly.com. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
- ^ Outline History for 1944 Official diary at 320thbg.org
- ^ Tannehill
- ^ a b c d e f g h Ravenstein, pp. 170–172
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Mueller, pp. 375–382
- ^ "Factsheet 14 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 10 April 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
- ^ "Abstract (Unclassified), Vol 1, History of Strategic Air Command, Jan–Jun 1957 (Secret)". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 264–265
- ^ "Abstract (Unclassified), History of the Strategic Bomber since 1945 (Top Secret, downgraded to Secret)". Air Force History Index. 1 April 1975. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- ^ The 320th Wing continued, through temporary bestowal, the history, and honors of the World War II 320th Bombardment Group. It was also entitled to retain the honors (but not the history or lineage) of the 4134th. This temporary bestowal ended in January 1984, when the wing and group were consolidated into a single unit.
- ^ under this plan flying squadrons reported to the wing Deputy Commander for Operations and maintenance squadrons reported to the wing Deputy Commander for Maintenance
- ^ Knaack, pp. 256, 268
- ^ Ron Barrett – Photographs of an abandoned T-29D Radar Navigation Trainer on Mercer Air Field, Georgia
- ^ Convair T-29C "Flying Classroom" > Hill Air Force Base > Display
- ^ Globalsecurity.org, Joint Task Force-Southwest Asia, retrieved January 2009
- ^ "Factsheet: Air Force District of Washington". Directorate of Public Affairs, Air Force District of Washington. 12 December 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
- ^ 320th AEW 'deploys' Airmen for inaugural support
- ^ a b Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 539q, 31 January 1984, Subject: Consolidation of Units
- ^ a b c Lineage, stations, assignments and components in Haulman, Daniel L., Lineage and Honors History of 320th Air Expeditionary Wing, 1 February 2002 (excludes classified actions)
- ^ a b c d e f Research Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency, Air Force Organizational Change Status Report, Maxwell AFB, AL (date is month of action)
- ^ Station number in Anderson
- ^ Station designators in France and Germany are in Johnson
- ^ a b c d Mueller, pp. 363–374
- ^ Maurer Combat Squadrons, pp. 545–546
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 547
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 548
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 549
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
- Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 September 2016.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Knaack, Marcelle Size (1988). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems. Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945–1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-59-5.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. LCCN 61060979.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. OCLC 72556.
- Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
- Tannehill, Victor C. (1978). Boomerang, the story of the 320th Bomb Group. Racine, Wisconsin. )
Further reading
- Rogers, Brian. (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.