6th Air Mobility Wing
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| 6th Air Mobility Wing | |
|---|---|
 Official emblem of the 6th Air Mobility Wing |
|
| Active | 20 December 1950-30 April 1962 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Part of | Strategic Air Command Fifteenth Air Force 47th Air Division |
| Garrison/HQ | MacDill AFB, Florida |
| Motto | "Parati Defendere" Ready to Defend |
| Equipment | B-52 Stratofortress KC-135 Stratotanker |
| Decorations | see "Lineage and Honors" section below |
Contents |
[edit] History
Conducted strategic bombardment training from activation in 1951 until 1 September 1959, with air refueling as additional mission in 1951-1952, and again from Apr 1958 until Jan 1967. Deployed at Andersen AFB, Guam, Oct 1955-Jan 1956. Two bombardment squadrons (24th and 30th) joined the 4129th CCTS in Sep 1959, training B-52 and KC-135 crews, while the 40th Bombardment Squadron continued flying operational missions until 10 June 1960. From 10 June 1960 to 1 December 1961 the wing flew a few operational missions in a non-combat ready status. A missile squadron joined the wing's resources in Sep 1961. The 40th Squadron returned to operational status on 1 December 1961, and on 5 September 1963 the other two bomb squadrons also regained tactical status. The 39th Squadron discontinued a few days later, but the 24th and 40th continued global bombardment training through Dec 1966, when they phased down for inactivation. The missile squadron phased out its Atlas operations in Feb 1965 and inactivated a month later. On 25 March 1967, the wing moved without personnel or equipment to Eielson AFB, AK, where it replaced the 4157th Strategic Wing and assumed resources and missions of that wing. In Alaska, the wing flew RC-135 strategic reconnaissance missions with an assigned squadron, and, with KC-135s deployed to Eielson from SAC, AFRES, and the ANG, conducted Alaska Task Force (ATTF) missions to support reconnaissance and numerous exercises for the Air Force and Navy. From Apr 1968 to Jul 1972 the wing periodically served as the airborne monitor of the Alaskan ballistic missile early warning station. The wing maintained a detachment at Shemya AFS, in the Aleutians, and operated from there, Feb-May 1975 and Jun-Sep 1976, when Eielson closed for repair of earthquake damage. Won the P.T. Cullen Award for greatest contributions to the photo and signal intelligence efforts of Strategic Air Command, 1973, 1978, and 1983. Wing became inoperational in Jul 1992 and inactivated in Sep of that year.
[edit] In Popular Culture
[edit] Lineage and Honors
- Established: 20 December 1950
- Activated on: 2 January 1951
- At: Walker Air Force Base, New Mexico
- Assigned to: Eighth Air Force
- Equipment: B-29s, KB-29s.
- Reassigned to: Eighth Air Force, 47th Air Division on 10 February 1951.
- Changed equipment in: 1952 to B-29s, KB-29s, B-36s.
- Changed equipment in: 1953 to B-36s.
- Reassigned to: Fifteenth Air Force,47th Air Division on 1 April 1955. (Attached to the 3rd Air Division from 14 January 1955-12 April 1955).
- Changed equipment in: 1957 to B-36s, B-52s.
- Changed equipment in: 1958 to B-52s, KC-135s.
- Redesignated as: 6th Strategic Aerospace Wing on 30 April 1962.
[edit] Service Streamers
[edit] Campaign Streamers
[edit] Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers
[edit] Decorations
[edit] Awards
[edit] Emblem
[edit] Assignments
[edit] Major Command
- Air Mobility Command
- Strategic Air Command (1951-1992)
[edit] Numbered Air Force
[edit] Air Division
[edit] Components
[edit] Bases
- MacDill AFB, Florida (???-Present)
- Eielson AFB, Alaska (25 Mar 1967-???)
- Walker AFB, New Mexico (2 Jan 1951-25 Mar 1967)
[edit] Commanders
[edit] Aircraft & Missiles Operated
- KC-135 (???-Present)
- C-37A (???-Present)
- RC-135 (1967-???)
- KC-135A (1958-1967)
- B-52E (1957-1967)
- HGM-16 Atlas (1962-1965)
- B-36 (1952-1957)
- KB-29 (1951-1952)
- B-29 (1951-1952)
[edit] References
- Rarenstein, C. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings: Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Office of Air Force History: Washington, D.C. ISBN: 0-912799-12-9
- Dorr, R. & Peacock, L. (2000). B-52 Stratofortress: Boeing's Cold War Warrior. Osprey Aviation: Great Britain. ISBN: 1-84176-097-8
- Lloyd, A. (1999). A Cold War Legacy: A Tribute to the Strategic Air Command 1946-1992. Pictoral Histories Publishing Co: Missoula, Montana. ISBN: 1-57510-052-5
