39th Air Base Wing
This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2012) |
39th Air Base Wing | |
---|---|
United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa | |
Garrison/HQ | Incirlik Air Base |
Engagements |
|
Decorations | CCM Justin G. Stoltzfus |
Insignia | |
39th Air Base Wing emblem (approved 21 November 1994)[1] |
The 39th Air Base Wing (39 ABW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Third Air Force. It is stationed at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. The wing is also the host unit at Incirlik.
The mission of the 39 ABW is to support and protect NATO assets and people throughout Turkey while providing a full spectrum of capabilities to the warfighter. A non-flying unit, the 39 ABW also supports three geographically separated units.
The wing's heraldic predecessor was the 39th Bombardment Group (39th BG), established in 1941, which became part of
Mission
The wing has no permanently assigned aircraft, it provides facilities and supports the following areas:
- Training deployments and regional exercises—besides its real-world operational support, Incirlik offers many training facilities. These facilities complement the area's cooperative weather, sparsely populated terrain and uncongested airspace. Pilots fly training sorties, including air-to-air, air-to-ground and low-altitude operations.
- Communications for National Command Authority taskings—Incirlik is a key communications link in the southern region.
- Hub support for various units—Incirlik provides vital support for numerous tenant and three geographically separated units located throughout Turkey. Key support includes medical services, supply, security and force protection, base infrastructure maintenance, communications support, transportation services, airlift, services and personnel support.
For US personnel stationed in other Turkish locations and surrounding countries, the 39th ABW acts as a hub of support. Key areas include supply, base infrastructure maintenance, security, medical services, airlift, and other services.
The 39th ABW has been providing support to Operation Enduring Freedom as Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs supported by the unit provide airlifting of supplies and troops to Afghanistan.
The 425th Air Base Squadron provides mission and administrative agent support to US personnel assigned to NATO HQ Allied Land Command Izmir and associate units, and administer the Çiğli Air Base Turnover Agreement.
The 717th Air Base Squadron operates the Ankara Support Facility providing support to the entire American community in the Ankara area, including the diverse military community and the U.S. Embassy in Ankara.
Component units
Unless otherwise indicated, units are based at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey.[2]
39th Mission Support Group
|
39th Medical Group
39th Weapons System Security Group
|
History
World War II
Established as the 39th Bombardment Group as a pre-
Reassigned to
Reactivated the same day at
Full-time training was finally initiated in October 1944 and ground school instruction began for all men of the unit. In January 1945, the air echelon deployed to
The unit formed at North Field, Guam in mid-February 1945. On 18 February, the group was assigned to its permanent unit, the 314th Bomb Wing, which had just arrived from Colorado. Upon arrival the group's personnel were engaged in Quonset hut construction. By mid-March most personnel were able to move into the huts from the initial tents which they were assigned on arrival
The group conducted its first mission against the Japanese home islands in April 1945. Supported Allied
The 39th Bomb Group received a
The group returned to the United States in November–December 1945 for inactivation. Actor and Hollywood star
Strategic Air Command
4135th Strategic Wing
The origins of the 39th Bombardment Wing began on 1 December 1958 when
39th Bombardment Wing
However, SAC Strategic Wings could not carry a permanent history or lineage and SAC looked for a way to make its Strategic Wings permanent. In 1962, in order 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.[9][10]
As a result, the 4135th SW was replaced by the newly constituted 39th Bombardment Wing, Heavy (39th BW),
The 39th BW trained to maintain combat readiness for strategic bombardment on global scale, maintaining airborne alert, ground alert, and participated in numerous exercises.
United States Air Forces in Europe
The 39th Bombardment Group was redesignated 39th Tactical Group and activated on 1 April 1966 at
On 31 January 1984, the group was consolidated with the 39th Bombardment Wing. The consolidated unit retained the designation of 39th Tactical Group. It was attached to the 7440th Composite Wing (Provisional) during the Gulf War of 1991. It was then redesignated the 39th Wing and resumed wing status on 1 October 1993. Since then the unit has provided operational and logistical support for all U.S. forces in Turkey and operated a Supreme Allied Command Europe Quick Reaction Alert Force.
From September 1997 – May 2003, the wing became the major force provider for the provisional 39th Air and Space Expeditionary Wing, which supported
The wing's subordinate 39th Expeditionary Operations Group received the newly activated 414th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron upon its activation on 15 October 2011.[14]
Lineage
39th Air Base Wing
- Constituted as 39th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 20 November 1940
- Activated on 15 January 1941
- Redesignated 39th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 28 March 1944
- Inactivated on 1 April 1944
- Activated on 1 April 1944
- Inactivated on 27 December 1945.
- Redesignated 39th Tactical Group, and activated, on 14 March 1966 (not organized)
- Organized on 1 April 1966
- Consolidated with 39th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, on 31 January 1984
- Redesignated 39th Wing on 1 October 1993
- Redesignated 39th Air Base Group on 6 July 2003.
- Redesignated 39th Air Base Wing on 12 March 2004[1]
39th Bombardment Wing
- Constituted as 39th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 15 November 1962 and activated (not organized)
- Organized on 1 February 1963
- Discontinued and inactivated on 25 June 1965
- Consolidated with 39th Tactical Group as 39th Tactical Group on 31 January 1984[1]
Assignments
|
|
Stations
- Fort Douglas, Utah, 15 January 1941
- Geiger Field, Washington, 2 July 1941
- Davis–Monthan Field, Arizona, 5 February 1942 – 1 April 1944
- Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas, 1 April 1944 – 8 January 1945
- North Field, Guam, Mariana Islands, 18 February – 17 November 1945
- Camp Anza, California, 15 – 27 December 1945
- Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, 1 February 1963 – 25 June 1965
- Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, 1 April 1966 –
Operational Units
World War II
- 60th Bombardment Squadron (VH): 15 January 1941 – 1 April 1944; 1 April 1944 – 27 December 1945.
- 61st Bombardment Squadron: 15 January 1941 – 1 April 1944; 1 April 1944 – 27 December 1945.
- 62d Bombardment Squadron: 15 January 1941 – 1 April 1944; 1 April 1944 – 27 December 1945; 1 February 1963 – 25 June 1965.
- 27th Photographic Laboratory Section: c. 1 April 1944 – c. 27 December 1945
- 12th Reconnaissance (later, 402d Bombardment) Squadron: attached 15 January 1941 – 24 February 1942, assigned 25 February 1942 – 1 April 1944; assigned 1 Apr-10 May 1944.
post World War II
- 39th Operations Group: 1 October 1993 – 16 July 2003
- 39th Operations Squadron: 16 July 2003 –
- 414th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, October 2011 - unknown
Aircraft
- B-17 Flying Fortress, 1941–1942
- B-25 Mitchell, 1941
- B-24 Liberator, 1942–1944
- B-29 Superfortress, 1944–1945
- B-52 Stratofortress, 1963–1965
- Controlled deployed aircraft, 1966–1997
See also
- B-17 Flying Fortress units of the United States Army Air Forces
- List of B-29 Superfortress operators
- List of B-52 Units of the United States Air Force
Notes
- ^ a b c Stephens, Tonia (8 June 2017). "Factsheet 39 Air Base Wing (USAFE)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- ^ "39th Air Base Wing Units". Incirlik Air Base. US Air Force. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
- ^ "Corrections". The New York Times. 18 September 2003. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ a b Mueller, p. 140
- ^ "Abstract (Unclassified), Vol 1, History of Strategic Air Command, Jan–Jun 1957 (Secret)". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- ^ "Factsheet 822 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 10 November 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Knaack, p. 275
- ^ MAJCON units could not carry a permanent history or lineage
- ^ Ravenstein, Guide to Air Force Lineage, p. 12
- ^ a b Ravenstein, Combat Wings, pp. 67–68
- ^ Although the 39th Wing was a new organization, it continued, through temporary bestowal, the history, and honors of the World War II 39th Bombardment Group. It was also entitled to retain the honors (but not the history or lineage) of the 4135th. This temporary bestowal ended when the wing was inactivated.
- ^ Ravenstein, Combat Wings, pp. 58–60
- ^ Research Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency, Air Force Organizational Status Change Report, October 2011
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Knaack, Marcelle Size (1988). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems (PDF). Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945–1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-59-5.
- 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.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). A Guide to Air Force Lineage and Honors (2d, Revised ed.). Maxwell AFB, AL: USAF Historical Research Center.