459th Air Refueling Wing
459th Air Refueling Wing | |
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Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm | |
Commanders | |
Current commander | John C. Reed |
Insignia | |
459th Air Refueling Wing emblem (approved 24 June 1996[2] | ![]() |
459th Airlift Wing emblem | ![]() |
Patch with 459th Troop Carrier Wing emblem (approved 17 January 1958)[3] | ![]() |
Tail Stripe | Black/Yellow check "Andrews" in yellow |
Aircraft flown | |
Tanker | Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker |
The 459th Air Refueling Wing is a
The wing, over the years, is a six-time recipient of the
Units
The 459th Air Refueling Wing consists of the following major units:[4]
- 756th Air Refueling Squadron
- 459th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron
- 459th Maintenance Group
- 459th Maintenance Operations Flight
- 459th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
- 459th Maintenance Squadron
- 459th Mission Support Group
- 69th Aerial Port Squadron
- 459th Force Support Squadron
- 459th Logistics Readiness Squadron
- 459th Security Forces Squadron
- 759th Logistics Readiness Flight*459th Medical Group
- 459th Aerospace Medicine Squadron
- 459th Aeromedical Staging Squadron[1]
History
The World War II predecessor to the 459th Air Refueling Wing was the
Activation in the Air Force Reserve
The
In the summer of 1956, the wing participated in Operation Sixteen Ton during its two weeks of active duty training. Sixteen Ton was performed entirely by reserve troop carrier units and moved
In 1958, the 2259th Center was inactivated[7] and some of its personnel were absorbed by the wing. In place of active duty support[note 2] for reserve units, ConAC adopted the Air Reserve Technician program, in which a cadre of the unit consisted of full-time personnel who were simultaneously civilian employees of the Air Force and also held military rank as members of the reserves.[8]
Detached Squadron Concept
During the first half of 1955, the Air Force began detaching Air Force Reserve squadrons from their parent wing locations to separate sites. Communities were more likely to accept the smaller squadrons than the large wings and the location of separate squadrons in smaller population centers would facilitate recruiting and manning. The
In April 1959, the wing reorganized under the Dual Deputy system. Its
Activation of groups under the wing
Although the dispersal of flying units was not a problem when the entire wing was called to active service, mobilizing a single flying squadron and elements to support it proved difficult. This weakness was demonstrated in the partial mobilization of reserve units during the
Airlift Operations
On 1 July 1966, the 459th was redesignated the 459th Military Airlift Wing and converted to a strategic, long-range mission with the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II aircraft.
In June 1971, the 459th converted to the Lockheed C-130 Hercules and was redesignated as the 459th Tactical Airlift Wing. In December 1974, with the consolidation of all Air Force strategic and tactical airlift resources under a single manager, the 459th's active duty gaining command switched from Tactical Air Command to Military Airlift Command.
In July 1986, the wing converted to the
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/KC-135Rs_459th_ARW_at_Andrews_AFB_2004.jpg/220px-KC-135Rs_459th_ARW_at_Andrews_AFB_2004.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/170413-F-FR726-109.jpg/220px-170413-F-FR726-109.jpg)
In 1989, a 459th C-141 was the first aircraft to fly troops and supplies into Howard Air Force Base, Panama during Operation Just Cause; the following year the wing was named the Air Force Reserve Outstanding Unit of the Year by the Air Force Association. In August 1990 wing aircrews were some of the first reservists activated in Support of Operation Desert Shield and many additional members were called to active service at the start of Operation Desert Storm with many deployed through the summer of 1991.
Post Cold War era
In 1993, the 459th continued to support Operation Restore Hope and mobilized members in support of the operations in Somalia. The wing provided humanitarian airlift relief in Rwanda and in support of the Cuban refugees at
The 459th has been engaged in the
In 2017, the 459th worked with the Naval Air Systems Command to certify operationally the Navy's Boeing P-8 Poseidon Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft for aerial refueling.[13]
Lineage
- Established as the 459th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 30 December 1954
- Activated in the Reserve on 26 January 1955
- Redesignated 459th Military Airlift Wing on 1 July 1966
- Redesignated 459th Tactical Airlift Wing on 29 June 1971
- Redesignated 459th Military Airlift Wing on 1 July 1986
- Redesignated 459th Airlift Wing on 1 February 1992
- Redesignated 459th Air Refueling Wing on 1 October 2003[1]
Assignments
- First Air Force, 26 January 1955
- Fourteenth Air Force, 25 March 1958
- Second Air Force Reserve Region, 15 August 1960
- First Air Force Reserve Region, 24 June 1966
- Eastern Air Force Reserve Region, 31 December 1969
- Fourteenth Air Force, 8 October 1976
- Twenty-Second Air Force, 1 July 1993
- Fourth Air Force, 1 April 2003 – present[1]
Components
- Groups
- 459th Troop Carrier Group (later, 459th Operations Group): 26 January 1955 – 14 April 1959; 1 August 1992 – present
- 904th Troop Carrier Group(later 904th Military Airlift Group): 1 July 1966 – 26 January 1968; 2 June – 31 December 1969
- 905th Military Airlift Group(later 905th Tactical Airlift Group): 25 February 1972 – 1 April 1974.
- 907th Tactical Airlift Group(later 907th Airlift Group): 1 October 1989 – 1 October 1994
- 909th Troop Carrier Group (later 909th Military Airlift Group): 17 January 1963 – 1 September 1975
- 910th Troop Carrier Group (later 910th Tactical Fighter Group, 910th Tactical Airlift Group): 17 January 1963 – 1 July 1966; 1 April 1981 – 1 October 1989.
- 911th Troop Carrier Group (later 911th Military Airlift Group): 17 January 1963 – 21 April 1971 (detached 1 – 21 April 1971)
- 913th Tactical Airlift Group(later 913th Airlift Group): 8 January 1976 – 1 August 1992.
- 915th Military Airlift Group: 26 January 1968 – 1 September 1969.
- 918th Military Airlift Group: attached 1–20 April 1971, assigned 21 April 1971 – 1 July 1972
- 919th Military Airlift Group(later 919th Tactical Airlift Group): 30 July 1971 – 1 December 1974
- 920th Tactical Airlift Group: 25 April 1973 – 1 January 1976
- 927th Tactical Airlift Group: 15 March 1976 – 1 July 1981[1]
- Squadrons
- 756th Troop Carrier Squadron (later 756th Military Airlift Squadron, 756th Airlift Squadron): 14 April 1959 – 17 January 1963, 1 September 1975 – 1 August 1992
- 757th Troop Carrier Squadron: 8 April 1955 – 17 January 1963
- 758th Troop Carrier Squadron: 14 April 1959 – 17 January 1963[1]
Stations
- Andrews Air Force Base (later Joint Base Andrews), Maryland, 26 January 1955 – present[1]
Aircraft
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References
- Notes
- Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Fact Sheet 459th Air Refueling Wing". 459th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs. 20 August 2012. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ a b Robertson, Patsy (3 December 2012). "Factsheet 459 Air Refueling Wing (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ Ravenstein, pp. 252–253
- ^ "Units".
- ^ Mueller, p. 11
- ^ Cantwell, pp. 149–150
- ^ See Mueller, p. 11 (dates 2259th Center active at Andrews.)
- ^ Cantwell, p. 163
- ^ a b Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 739–740
- ^ Cantwell, p. 156
- ^ Robertson, Patsy (9 August 2017). "Factsheet 459 Operations Group (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- ^ Cantwell, pp. 189–191
- ^ Justen, Tech. Sgt., Kat. "Air Force, Navy conduct first P-8A refueling mission". US Air Force. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
Bibliography
- Cantwell, Gerald T. (1997). Citizen Airmen: a History of the Air Force Reserve, 1946–1994. Washington, D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program. ISBN 0-16049-269-6. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
- 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.
Attribution
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
External links
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