512th Airlift Wing

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512th Airlift Wing
C-17 Globemaster III

The 512th Airlift Wing, an associate

wing helps maintain, repair and fly the same aircraft as its active-duty counterparts. Members of the 512th work side-by-side with members of the 436th Airlift Wing in fulfilling the mission, maintaining and flying the Lockheed C-5M Galaxy and Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
working together to form the "Dover Team".

As one of only two reserve associate units flying the Galaxy, the 512 AW has a unique role in the Air Force. The first C-5 all-reserve aircrew flew out of Dover in November 1973.

Mission

Recruit, train, equip and retain a qualified force to augment major commands with people and units to support strategic aircraft during peace and war.

Units

The 512th Airlift Wing consists of the following major units:

512th Operations Group

History

Activation and mobilization for the Korean War

The wing was first organized at

New Castle County Airport, Delaware.[2] The wing was manned at 25% of normal strength but was authorized four flying squadrons rather than the three of active duty units.[4]

In March of the following year the wing, along with all reserve combat units, was mobilized for the first time for the Korean War. Its personnel were assigned to other units as fillers,[5] as were its aircraft,[6] and the wing was inactivated two weeks later.[2]

Troop carrier operations

In June 1952, the 512th Troop Carrier Wing was again activated in the reserve at New Castle County Airport, replacing the 916th Reserve Training Wing and taking over the 916th's personnel. The reserve mobilization for the Korean War, however, had left the Reserve without aircraft, and the unit did not receive aircraft until July 1952.[7] 512th aircrews flew Curtiss C-46 Commandos throughout the periods of reserve and active status.

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

Isla Grande Airport in Puerto Rico and San Salvador in the Bahamas. After the success of this operation, the squadron/group/wing began to use inactive duty training periods for Operation Swift Lift, transporting high priority cargo for the air force and Operation Ready Swap, transporting aircraft engines, between Air Materiel Command's depots.[8]

Cuts in the budget in 1957 led to a reduction in the number of reserve squadrons from 55 to 45.

64th Troop Carrier Squadron at Niagara Falls Municipal Airport the following March.[11] The moves of the 328th Squadron were not only due to budget cuts, they were part of a reserve program called the Detached Squadron Concept. The Air Force believed that the location of separate squadrons in smaller population centers would facilitate recruiting and manning. In time, the detached squadron program proved successful in attracting additional participants[12]

Also in 1957, the wing converted to

Willow Grove Air Reserve Station, Pennsylvania in July 1958. In April 1959, the 512th Troop Carrier Group inactivated as the wing reorganized under the Dual Deputy system, and the wing's three troop carrier squadrons were reassigned directly to the wing.[2][13]

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

914th Troop Carrier Group at Niagara Falls were assigned to the wing on 11 February.[2]

The 512th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium was redesignated the 512th Troop Carrier Wing, Heavy in January 1965. That same month the wing was transferred without personnel or equipment to Carswell Air Force Base, Texas. Aircrews conducted training and airlift operations in Douglas C-124 Globemaster IIs. While stationed at Carswell, two more name changes occurred: 1 December 1965, the Wing was redesignated the 512th Air Transport Wing, Heavy and on 1 January 1966, was redesignated the 512th Military Airlift Wing. On 29 June 1971, the Wing was inactivated for a second time.[2]

On 29 January 1973 the wing was redesignated the 512th Military Airlift Wing (Associate) and activated in the Reserve on 1 July 1973 at

912th Military Airlift Group (Associate) stationed at Dover. The 912th Military Airlift Group (Associate) previously assigned to the 514th Military Airlift Wing, McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, for administrative support, but stationed at Willow Grove moved from Willow Grove to Dover in September 1968. Equipped with Lockheed C-141 Starlifter aircraft, the 912th became the third associate group in the Air Force Reserve to fly the C-141. The wing was redesignated the 512th Airlift Wing on 1 October 1994.[2]

512th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, simulate first response treatment of a Delaware Civil Air Patrol cadet during a training exercise 2 November 2014, at Dover Air Force Base.

Many missions have been flown by the citizen airman of the 512th Airlift Wing. Over 1,300 members of the 512th were recalled to active duty during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Fliers, Maintenance Specialists, Aerial Porters, Medical Personnel, and Security Police were deployed around the world as well as stateside for more than a year. In 2007, the wing began a new era in airlift when the 326th Airlift Squadron began flying the

McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III aircraft when it received their first C-17 on 31 May 2007.[15]

On 26 April 2015, the wing and its associated

Fairfax County, Virginia Urban Search and Rescue Team and 45 tons of cargo.[16]

Lineage

  • Established as the 512th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 4 August 1949
Activated in the reserve on 2 September 1949
Ordered to active service on 15 March 1951
Inactivated on 1 April 1951
Activated in the reserve on 14 June 1952
Ordered to active service on 28 October 1962
Relieved from active duty on 28 November 1962
Redesignated 512th Troop Carrier Wing, Heavy on 8 January 1965
Redesignated 512th Air Transport Wing, Heavy on 1 December 1965
Redesignated 512th Military Airlift Wing on 1 January 1966
Inactivated on 29 June 1971
  • Redesignated 512th Military Airlift Wing (Associate) on 29 January 1973
Activated in the Reserve on 1 July 1973
Redesignated 512th Airlift Wing (Associate) on 1 February 1992
Redesignated 512th Airlift Wing on 1 October 1994[2]

Assignments

  • Ninth Air Force, 2 September 1949
  • First Air Force, 1 August 1950 – 1 April 1951
  • 1 Air Reserve District, 14 June 1952
  • First Air Force, 14 January 1954
  • Fourteenth Air Force, 25 March 1958
  • Second Air Force Reserve Region, 15 August 1960
  • Ninth Air Force, 28 October 1962
  • Second Air Force Reserve Region, 28 November 1962
  • Fourth Air Force Reserve Region, 8 January 1965
  • Central Air Force Reserve Region, 31 December 1969 – 29 June 1971
  • Eastern Air Force Reserve Region, 1 July 1973
  • Fourteenth Air Force, 8 October 1976
  • Twenty-Second Air Force, 1 July 1993 – present[2]

Components

Groups

  • 512th Troop Carrier Group
    (later 512 Operations Group): 2 September 1949 – 1 April 1951; 14 June 1952 – 14 April 1959; 1 August 1992 – present
  • 912th Troop Carrier Group: 11 February 1963 – 8 January 1965
  • 913th Troop Carrier Group: 11 February 1963 – 8 January 1965
  • 914th Troop Carrier Group: 11 February 1963 – 1 January 1964
  • 916th Military Airlift Group
    : 8 January 1965 – 21 April 1971 (detached after 1 April 1971)
  • 917th Military Airlift Group
    : 5 February 1965 – 21 April 1971 (detached after 1 April 1971)
  • 937th Military Airlift Group: 5 February 1965 – 21 April 1971 (detached after 1 April 1971)[2]

Squadrons

Stations

Aircraft

  • Beechcraft AT-7, AT-11, and Curtiss C-46 Commando, 1949–1951
  • Curtiss C-46 Commando, 1952–1957
  • Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1957–1965
  • Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, 1965–1971
  • Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, 1973
  • Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, 1973 – present
  • McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III, 2007–present

See also

References

Notes
Citations
  1. ^ a b c Ravenstein, pp. 278–279
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Haulmann, Daniel L. (2 January 2008). "Factsheet 512 Airlift Wing (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 13 March 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  3. ^ Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 20–21
  4. ^ Cantwell, p. 74
  5. ^ Cantwell, p. 97
  6. ^ Cantwell, p. 137
  7. ^ Cantwell, p. 139
  8. ^ Cantwell, pp. 149–150
  9. ^ Cantwell, pp. 168–169
  10. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 20, 247–248
  11. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 20, 245
  12. ^ Cantwell, p. 156
  13. ^ Haulman, Daniel L. (2 January 2008). "Factsheet 512 Operations Group (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  14. ^ Cantwell, pp. 189–191
  15. ^ "Dover to receive its first C-17". Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  16. ^ "AF sends aircraft to support disaster-assistance operations in Nepal". Air Force News Service. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.

Bibliography

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

External links
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