376th Air Expeditionary Wing

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376th Air Expeditionary Wing
376th Air Expeditionary Wing emblem
Active	2001-Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Air Refueling
Role	Combat Support
Part of	Air Combat Command/US Central Command
Garrison/HQ	Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan
Motto	LIBERANDOS

The 376th Air Expeditionary Wing (376 AEW) is an air expeditionary aerial refueling wing of the United States Air Force located at Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan.

1 Mission
2 History
3 Major Command
4 Numbered Air Force
5 Air Division
6 Previous Designations
7 Squadrons Assigned
8 Locations
9 Aircraft flown
10 References
11 External links

[edit] Mission

The 376th Expeditionary Wing is responsible for providing air combat power projection throughout the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility, including tactical airlift and air refueling, principally in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. C-17 and KC-135 aircraft are involved in this effort. Additionally, the wing serves as a hub for strategic airlift operations and as an intermediate staging base for transiting personnel and equipment in support of operations in Afghanistan. The wing hosts transient forces from coalition nations, as well as transient forces of the United States Army, Marine Corps and Navy.^[1]

[edit] History

The 376th Bombardment Group had served in the Ninth, Twelfth and Fifteenth Air Forces during World War II in the Mediterranean Theater, where it operated B-24s in strategic bombardment operations. The unit returned to the Zone of Interior (ZI) at Harvard Field, Nebraska on 5 May 1945 and was designated the 376th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy). The group was inactivated at Grand Island AAFld, Nebraska on 10 November 1945. The unit was redesignated the 376th Reconnaissance Wing and activated at Gravely Point, Virginia on 23 May 1947. The wartime 512th and 513th squadrons were assigned to the wing and equipped with B/WB-29s. The unit operated as a weather reconnaissance group until its inactivation on 20 September 1948.

The 376th Bombardment Wing, Medium, was established on 25 May 1951, and activated at Forbes AFB, Kansas on 1 June 1951. The wing was equipped with B-29s and trained in strategic bombardment operations. The 376th Bombardment Wing trained in strategic bombardment operations between August 1951 and February 1965. The wing gained the 376th AREFS, equipped with KC-97s, on 18 August 1953.

The unit was deactivated at Lockbourne AFB, Ohio, on 15 March 1965.

The 376th Strategic Wing conducted B-52 combat operations in Southeast Asia from April to Sept 1970, Air refueling and electronic reconnaissance in the Western Pacific, Apr. 1970-, and airborne radio relay operations, Apr.-Nov. 1970, Feb.-Jun. 1971, and Mar. 1972-c. Aug. 1973. Unit was deactivated in 1991, with the drawdown of strategic forces.

Manas air base operations began Dec. 16, 2001 and included the 86th Contingency Response Group from Ramstein Air Base, Germany as well as contractors and French engineers. Since then it has hosted forces from Australia, Denmark, France, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, Spain and the Netherlands. Coalition aircraft previously based here have included tankers (KC-135s), tactical airlift (C-130s), fighters (F-18, F-16, Mirage 2000) and helicopters (Super Puma).

[edit] Major Command

Air Combat Command/US Central Command (199x-Present)
Strategic Air Command (1951-1965; 1970-1991)

[edit] Numbered Air Force

[edit] Air Division

[edit] Previous Designations

376th Air Expeditionary Wing (2001-Present)
376th Strategic Wing (1970-1991)
376th Bombardment Wing, Medium (1951-1965)

[edit] Squadrons Assigned

512th Bombardment Squadron ()
513th Bombardment Squadron ()
514th Bombardment Squadron ()
515th Bombardment Squadron ()

[edit] Locations

Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan (2001-Present)
Kadena AB, Okinawa (1975-1991)
Lockborne AFB, Ohio (1 Dec 1957-15 March 1965)
Barksdale AFB, Louisiana (10 Oct 1951-1 Dec 1957)
Forbes AFB, Kansas (1 June 1951-10 Oct 1951)
Gravely Point, Virginia (23 May 1947 - 20 September 1948)

[edit] Aircraft flown

C-17A (2001-Present)
KC-135R (2001-Present)
KC-135A ([1963]]-[1964]]; 1970-1991)
RC-135 (1970-1991)
B-52D (1970)
KC-97 (1953-1963)
EB-47 (1954-1965)
B-29 (1951-1954)

[edit] References

Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. ISBN: 1-85780-197-0
World Airpower Journal. (1992). US Air Force Air Power Directory. Aerospace Publishing: London, UK. ISBN: 1-880588-01-3
Ravenstein, Charles A. Air Force Combat Wings: Lineage and Honors Histories, 1947-1977 (Washington: USGPO, 1984)