485th Air Expeditionary Wing

485th Air Expeditionary Wing

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
485th Air Expeditionary Wing; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
485th Air Expeditionary Wing emblem
Patch with 585th Tactical Missile Group emblem
Patch with later unofficial 485th Bombardment Group emblem
Early unofficial 485th Bombardment Group emblem
World War II Tail Markings	Top: Yellow with Black Square. Bottom: Black with Yellow X

The 485th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional

Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 at Tabuk Regional Airport, Saudi Arabia, in 2003.^[3]

The wing was first activated as the 485th Bombardment Group, a

97th Bombardment Group

.

The second forerunner of the wing was the 585th Tactical Missile Group, which was stationed at

38th Tactical Missile Wing

.

In 1983, the two groups were consolidated as the 485th Tactical Missile Wing, a

Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM) wing stationed at Florennes Air Base, Belgium. The wing was inactivated as a result of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty

in 1989. In 2003 the wing was converted to provisional status as the 485th Air Expeditionary Wing and allotted to Air Combat Command.

Overview

When activated in 2003, the 485 AEW was a composite wing of 24

Lockheed C-130H Hercules airlift aircraft and more than 3500 personnel from 82 different locations. The C-130s represented one of the largest combat groupings of this aircraft ever.^[4]

The wing was activated for

Eglin AFB, Florida. It also included aircraft and guardsmen from the West Virginia,^[4] Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Delaware Air National Guards,^[5] and reservists from Niagara Falls.

By 3 May 2003, the C-130 portion of the wing had flown 1199 missions, 3354 sorties, 7451 hours, hauled 9382 tons of cargo and 8800 passengers, and boasted a mission capable rate greater than 90 percent. When the F-15s completed flight operations 17 April they had compiled 581 sorties, flown more than 4000 hours and maintained a mission capable rate greater than 83 percent.^{[citation needed]}

The wing was inactivated in early May 2003 with the last members returning to the United States in September of that year.^{[citation needed]}

History

World War II

The

Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) in March and April 1944.^[6]

Although the ground echelon had deployed to Southern Italy by April 1944, the air echelon was detained in Tunisia for further training. The group entered combat with

airfields, heavy industry, and other strategic objectives.^[6]

The group received a

lines of communications and other targets during March and April 1945 to support the advance of British Eighth Army in northern Italy.^[6] It flew its 187th and last combat mission against Linz, Austria before preparing to return to the United States and re-equip.^[9]

The 485th returned to the United States in May 1945 and was programmed for deployment to the

Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas in September.^[6]

The group remained on active duty after the

97th Bombardment Group and the 485th was inactivated.^[6]^[13]

Matador and Mace era

In 1954 USAF began deploying

Bitburg Air Base, Germany in September 1956 to command the 1st Tactical Missile Squadron and two support squadrons.^[15]

Shortly after activation the group began upgrading its TM-61A missiles to TM-61Cs.

Wheelus AB, Libya.^[17]

In 1958, USAFE replaced the 701st wing with the

38th Tactical Missile Wing in an administrative move to keep on active duty units whose roots could be traced to World War II.^[18] Simultaneously, the 1st squadron was replaced by the 71st Tactical Missile Squadron, one of the historical elements of the WW II 38th Bombardment Group. The Matador was growing obsolescent and the last Matador was taken off Victor (nuclear) Alert on 30 June 1962.^[19]

The group replaced its Matadors with

TM-76 Mace (later MGM-13) missiles.^{[citation needed]} These missiles did not rely on ground signals for guidance, but used an onboard radar to match the terrain with a map stored on board the missile. In 1962 the 585th and its companion groups in Germany were inactivated and the missile squadrons assigned directly to the 38th Wing.^[18] On the same day, the last Matador at Bitburg was decommissioned.^[19]

Ground Launched Cruise Missile era

The 485th Tactical Missile Wing was activated at

Gryphon missile arrived on 28 August^[20] and the wing began operating the Gryphon from 1985 until the implementation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 1988.^[1]

The wing and its base were the target of periodic peace movement protests near the main gate.[21] In August 1988 a ten-man Soviet Inspection Team visited Florennes to insure treaty compliance.^[22] The wing was inactivated in 1989 with the withdrawal of American forces from Florennes.^[1]

Lineage

485th Bombardment Group

Constituted as 485th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 14 September 1943

Activated on 20 September 1943

Redesignated 485th Bombardment Group, Heavy on 25 January 1944

Redesignated 485th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 5 August 1945

Inactivated on 4 August 1946^[23]

585th Tactical Missile Group

Constituted as 585th Tactical Missile Group on 3 August 1956

Activated on 15 September 1956

Inactivated on 25 September 1962^[24]

485th Air Expeditionary Wing

485th Bombardment Group and 585th Tactical Missile Group consolidated on 19 December 1983 as the 485th Tactical Missile Wing

Activated on 1 August 1984

Inactivated on 30 September 1989

Redesignated 485th Air Expeditionary Wing and converted to provisional status 30 January 2003^[24]

c. 4 March 2003 – c. May 2003^[4]

Assignments

Second Air Force, 20 September 1943
55th Bombardment Wing
, 14 March 1944 – 15 May 1945
Army Service Forces, Port of Embarkation, 30 May 1945
Second Air Force, 1 August 1945
Fifteenth Air Force, 21 March 1946 – 4 August 1946

701st Tactical Missile Wing, 15 September 1956^[14]
38th Tactical Missile Wing, 18 June 1958 – 25 September 1962^[18]
Seventeenth Air Force
, 1 August 1984 – 30 September 1989
Air Combat Command for activation or inactivation at any time after 30 January 2003^[24]

Attached to

United States Central Command Air Forces

, c. 4 March 2003 – c. May 2003

Components

Groups

485th Combat Support Group: 1 October 1984 – 30 April 1989
485th Security Police Group: 1 October 1984 – 30 April 1989

Squadrons

Tactical Squadrons

1st Tactical Missile Squadron: 15 September 1956 – 18 June 1958^[24]
71st Tactical Missile Squadron: 18 June 1958 – 25 September 1962;^[25] 1 August 1984 – 30 April 1989^[24]
506th Bombardment Squadron: 7 March 1946 – 4 August 1946
828th Bombardment Squadron: 20 September 1943 – 4 August 1946^[7]
829th Bombardment Squadron: 20 September 1943 – 4 August 1946^[7]
830th Bombardment Squadron: 20 September 1943 – 6 May 1946^[7]
831st Bombardment Squadron: 1 October 1943 – 20 August 1945^[7]

Support Squadrons

585th Command and Guidance Squadron (Tactical Missile) (later 585th Missile Maintenance Squadron, 485th Tactical Missile Maintenance Squadron): 15 September 1956 – 25 September 1962; 1 August 1984 – 30 April 1989
585th Support Squadron (Tactical Missile): 15 September 1956 – 25 September 1962
USAF Clinic, Florennes (later 485th USAF Clinic): 1 October 1984 – 30 April 1989

Stations

Fairmont Army Air Field, Nebraska, 20 September 1943 – 11 March 1944 (operated from Gowen Field, Idaho 27 September 1943 – 15 November 1943)
Venosa Airfield
, Italy, April 1944 – 15 May 1945
Sioux Falls Army Air Field
, South Dakota, 30 May 1945
Sioux City Army Air Base
, Iowa, 24 July 1945

Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas, 8 September 1945 – 4 August 1946^[23]
Bitburg Air Base, West Germany, 15 September 1956 – 25 September 1962^[26]
Florennes Air Base, Belgium 4 August 1984 – 30 September 1989^[24]
Tabuk Regional Airport, Saudi Arabia, c. 4 March 2003 – c. May 2003

Missile Sites

Matador/Mace

Site VII "B" Pad – 3.5 miles (5.6 km) NW of

Bitburg AB (1st/71st TMS) 49°59′05″N 006°28′50″E / 49.98472°N 6.48056°E^{[note 4]}

Site VIII "C" Pad – 4.5 miles (7.2 km) SSW of

Bitburg AB (1st/71st TMS) 49°53′21″N 006°33′30″E / 49.88917°N 6.55833°E^{[note 5]}

Missile Support Area – 2.6 miles (4.2 km) SSW of

Bitburg AB 49°58′11″N 006°28′27″E / 49.96972°N 6.47417°E

GLCM

50°13′34″N 004°39′01″E / 50.22611°N 4.65028°E

Aircraft and Missiles

B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945
Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1945–1946
Martin Matador TM-61A, 1956–1957
Martin Matador TM-61C, 1957–1962
Martin Mace TM-76B, ? – ?
General Dynamics BGM-109G Gryphon, 1985–1988
McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, 2003
Lockheed C-130 Hercules, 2003
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy (2003)

Awards and campaigns

Award	Dates	Notes
Distinguished Unit Citation	26 June 1944	Vienna, Austria – 485th Bombardment Group^[6]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	15 September 1956 – 30 April 1958	585th Tactical Missile Group^[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 April 1959 – 30 January 1961	585th Tactical Missile Group^[27]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	30 June 1986 – 30 June 1988	485th Tactical Missile Wing^[1]

Campaign Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	Air Offensive, Europe		^[6]
	Rome-Arno		^[6]
	Normandy		^[6]
	Northern France		^[6]
	Southern France		^[6]
	North Apennines		^[6]
	Rhineland		^[6]
	Central Europe		^[6]
	Po Valley		^[6]
	Air Combat, EAME Theater		^[6]

References

Explanatory notes

^ Approved 8 August 1984.
^ The group used its parent 38th Tactical Missile Wing emblem with the group designation on the scroll.
^ Maurer indicates that neither emblem used by the group during World War II was officially approved. Maurer, Combat Units, p. 357.
^ An underground concrete launch facility that was closed in 1962. Presently it is abandoned and largely overgrown.^{[citation needed]}
^ An underground concrete launch facility. After closure the site was transferred to the Bundeswehr and converted into an MIM-104 Patriot missile site. The site closed in 2001 and is now abandoned and overgrown.^{[citation needed]}

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Bailey, Carl E. (3 March 2003). "Lineage and Honors History of the 485th Air Expeditionary Wing (ACC)" (PDF). Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c Watkins, pp. 120–121
^ See "Library: Biographies: Colonel George L. Bondar". Air Reserve Personnel Center. May 2009. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2016. (showing service with the 485th Air Expeditionary Wing from March to May 2003).
^ ^a ^b ^c Lester, Capt. David P. (2010). "130th AW mobilizations at highest level since Desert Storm" (PDF). Mountaineer Defender-Magazine of the West Virginia National Guard. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
^ Lester, Capt. David P.; Welch, Deborah (June 2003). "166th AW part of Herculean gathering of C-130s in Operation Iraqi Freedom". DNG News. Archived from the original on 16 May 2006. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 356–357
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 772–774
^ Abstract, History 485th Bomb Gp 20 Sep–Dec 1943 (retrieved 7 July 2013)
^ Abstract, History 485th Bomb Gp Apr–May 1945 (retrieved 7 July 2013)
^ "485th History". www.485thbg.org. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
^ Abstract, History of 485th Bomb Gp 30 May-8 Sep 1945 (retrieved 7 July 2013)
^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 608
^ Maurer, Combat Units, p. 167
^ ^a ^b Ravenstein, p 291
^ Fletcher, pp. 15–17
^ Abstract, History of 701st Tactical Missile Wing Sep–Dec 1956 (retrieved 6 July 2013)
^ Abstract, History 701st Tactical Missile Wing, Jan–Jun 1957 (retrieved 6 July 2013)
^ ^a ^b ^c Ravenstein, pp. 66–67
^ ^a ^b Mindling, Preface, p.x
^ Abstract, History of 485th Tac Missile Wg March–Sep 1984 (retrieved 7 July 2013)
^ Abstract, 485th Tactical Missile Wg History Apr–Sep 1985 (retrieved 7 July 2013)
^ Abstract, 485th Tactical Missile Wing IMF Compliance Report (retrieved 7 July 2013)
^ ^a ^b Lineage, tactical squadrons and aircraft of 485th Bombardment Group in Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 356–357
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Lineage, assignments, tactical squadrons and aircraft of 585th Tactical Missile Group and 485th Tactical Missile Wing and assignments of 485th Bombardment Group in Lineage and Honors History of 485th AEW
^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 261
^ Fletcher, p. 17
^ AF Pamphlet 900-2, p. 430

Bibliography

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

Fletcher, Harry R (1993). Air Force Bases , Vol. II, Air Bases Outside the United States of America (PDF). Washington, DC: Center for Air Force History.
ISBN 0-912799-53-6
.

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
.

Mindling, George; Bolton, Robert (2008). U.S. Air Force Tactical Missiles, 1949–1969: The Pioneers. Lulu.com.
LCCN 2008908364.^{[self-published source}
]

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
.

Watkins, Robert A. (2009). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. Vol. IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd.
ISBN 978-0-7643-3401-6
.

"AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits" (PDF). Washington, DC: Department of the Air Force. 15 June 1971. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2016.

External links

[1] Approved 8 August 1984.

[3] The group used its parent 38th Tactical Missile Wing emblem with the group designation on the scroll.

[5] Maurer indicates that neither emblem used by the group during World War II was officially approved. Maurer, Combat Units, p. 357.

[30] An underground concrete launch facility that was closed in 1962. Presently it is abandoned and largely overgrown.^{[citation needed]}

[31] An underground concrete launch facility. After closure the site was transferred to the Bundeswehr and converted into an MIM-104 Patriot missile site. The site closed in 2001 and is now abandoned and overgrown.^{[citation needed]}

[485AEWlh-2] Bailey, Carl E. (3 March 2003). "Lineage and Honors History of the 485th Air Expeditionary Wing (ACC)" (PDF). Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.

[Watkins-4] Watkins, pp. 120–121

[6] See "Library: Biographies: Colonel George L. Bondar". Air Reserve Personnel Center. May 2009. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2016. (showing service with the 485th Air Expeditionary Wing from March to May 2003).

[130AW-7] Lester, Capt. David P. (2010). "130th AW mobilizations at highest level since Desert Storm" (PDF). Mountaineer Defender-Magazine of the West Virginia National Guard. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2016.

[8] Lester, Capt. David P.; Welch, Deborah (June 2003). "166th AW part of Herculean gathering of C-130s in Operation Iraqi Freedom". DNG News. Archived from the original on 16 May 2006. Retrieved 11 December 2016.

[Maurer356-9] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 356–357

[Maurer772-10] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 772–774

[11] Abstract, History 485th Bomb Gp 20 Sep–Dec 1943 (retrieved 7 July 2013)

[12] Abstract, History 485th Bomb Gp Apr–May 1945 (retrieved 7 July 2013)

[13] "485th History". www.485thbg.org. Retrieved 8 July 2019.

[14] Abstract, History of 485th Bomb Gp 30 May-8 Sep 1945 (retrieved 7 July 2013)

[15] Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 608

[16] Maurer, Combat Units, p. 167

[Ravenstein291-17] Ravenstein, p 291

[18] Fletcher, pp. 15–17

[19] Abstract, History of 701st Tactical Missile Wing Sep–Dec 1956 (retrieved 6 July 2013)

[20] Abstract, History 701st Tactical Missile Wing, Jan–Jun 1957 (retrieved 6 July 2013)

[Ravenstein66-21] Ravenstein, pp. 66–67

[Mindling-22] Mindling, Preface, p.x

[23] Abstract, History of 485th Tac Missile Wg March–Sep 1984 (retrieved 7 July 2013)

[24] Abstract, 485th Tactical Missile Wg History Apr–Sep 1985 (retrieved 7 July 2013)

[25] Abstract, 485th Tactical Missile Wing IMF Compliance Report (retrieved 7 July 2013)

[Maurer3562-26] Lineage, tactical squadrons and aircraft of 485th Bombardment Group in Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 356–357

[485AEWlh2-27] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Lineage, assignments, tactical squadrons and aircraft of 585th Tactical Missile Group and 485th Tactical Missile Wing and assignments of 485th Bombardment Group in Lineage and Honors History of 485th AEW

[28] Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 261

[29] Fletcher, p. 17

[32] AF Pamphlet 900-2, p. 430

[note 1]

[1]

[note 2]

[2]

[note 3]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[9]

[13]

[15]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[14]

[25]

[7]

[26]

[note 4]

[note 5]

[27]

485th Air Expeditionary Wing Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
485th Air Expeditionary Wing emblem^{[note 1]}^[1]
Patch with 585th Tactical Missile Group emblem^{[note 2]}
Patch with later unofficial 485th Bombardment Group emblem^[2]^{[note 3]}
Early unofficial 485th Bombardment Group emblem^[2]
World War II Tail Markings^[2]	Top: Yellow with Black Square. Bottom: Black with Yellow X