95th Air Base Wing: Difference between revisions

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Bwmoll3 (talk | contribs)
137,292 edits
→‎Components: edited and expanded
Bwmoll3 (talk | contribs)
137,292 edits
→‎World War II: edited and expanded
Line 138: Line 138:
[[File:95bombgroup-b17-1.jpg|thumb|Boeing B-17G-85-BO Fortress 43-38283 (BG-C), Initially assigned to the 334th BS 95th BG, Horham, 13/8/1944, it later transferred to the 336th BS. Piloted by Vermillion, it crashed at Neustadt, Germany after suffering mechanical failure (17/3/1945)]]
[[File:95bombgroup-b17-1.jpg|thumb|Boeing B-17G-85-BO Fortress 43-38283 (BG-C), Initially assigned to the 334th BS 95th BG, Horham, 13/8/1944, it later transferred to the 336th BS. Piloted by Vermillion, it crashed at Neustadt, Germany after suffering mechanical failure (17/3/1945)]]
[[File:95bombgroup-b17-2.jpg|thumb|Douglas-Long Beach B-17G-20-DL Fortress 42-37894 (BG-L) *Pegasus IV*]]
[[File:95bombgroup-b17-2.jpg|thumb|Douglas-Long Beach B-17G-20-DL Fortress 42-37894 (BG-L) *Pegasus IV*]]
Activated 15 June 1942 at Barkesdale Field in LA. Formation did not commence until late August of 1942 at Geiger Field in Washington. The unit moved to Ephrata Washington on the 31st of October 1943 and back to Geiger Field on the 24th of November 1943. Final training was conducted at Rapid City AAB, SD from 14 Dec 1942 to 11 Mar 1943. the air echelon moved to Kearney Field Neb for there final processing prior to overseas duty. Aircraft took the southern route via Florida, Trinidad, Brazil, Dakar, and Marrakesh to the UNited Kingdom, arriving early in April 1943. The ground elements arrived at Camp Kilmer on the 21st of April 1943 and sailed on the Queen Elizabeth on the 5th of May 1943, arriving in Greenock on the 11th of May 1943.
The 95th was activated in June 1942 as the 95th Bombardment Group but not manned until October. It trained for bombardment missions far a [[year]] before heading overseas. The group entered [[combat]] for Eighth Air Force on [[13 May]] [[1943]]. During the next two [[month]]s, the group repeatedly attacked [[V-weapon]] sites and [[airfield]]s in [[France]]. It began bombing [[Military strategy|strategic]] objectives in [[Germany]] in July 1943 and engaged primarily in such operations until [[V-E Day]]. Targets included [[harbor]]s, [[industry|industries]], [[marshalling yard]]s, and [[City|cities]]. The 95th received a [[Distinguished Unit Citation]] (DUC) for maintaining a tight defensive formation in spite of severe assault by [[Axis powers of World War II|enemy]] [[Fighter aircraft|fighters]] and bombing the [[aircraft]] assembly plant at [[Regensburg]], Germany, on [[17 August]] [[1943]]. Withstanding concentrated attacks by fighters during the approach to the target and intense [[antiaircraft]] fire directly over the objective, the group effectively bombarded marshalling yards at [[Münster]] on [[10 October]] [[1943]], earning a second DUC.


The group participated in the intensive [[Military campaign|campaign]] of heavy [[bomber]]s against the German aircraft industry during [[Big Week]], 20-25 February 1944. The 95th received another DUC for action during an attack by [[Army Air Force]] bombers on [[Berlin]] on [[4 March]] [[1944]]; while many participating organizations, because of [[weather]] conditions, either abandoned the operation or struck other targets, the 95th proceeded to Berlin and successfully bombed a suburb of the German capital despite [[snowstorm]]s, dense [[cloud]]s, and severe enemy attack. The group interrupted its strategic operations to strike [[coastal defenses]] and communications during the [[invasion of Normandy]] in June 1944. It hit enemy troop concentrations and thus assist the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] breakthrough at [[St. Lo]] in July 1944, dropped [[ammunition]], [[food]], and [[medical]] supplies to [[Poland|Polish]] [[Polish resistance movement in World War II|resistance]] in [[Warsaw]] on [[18 September]] [[1944]], attacked enemy transportation during the [[Battle of the Bulge]], December 1944-January 1945, and bombed airdromes in support of the Allied assault across the [[Rhine]] in March 1945. It flew its last combat mission, an attack on marshalling yards at [[Oranienburg]], Germany, on [[20 April]] [[1945]]. The group dropped food to the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] during the first week in May. After V-E Day, it transported liberated [[Prisoner of war|prisoners]] and [[displaced persons]] from [[Austria]] to France and England.
The group entered [[combat]] for Eighth Air Force on [[13 May]] [[1943]]. During the next two [[month]]s, the group repeatedly attacked [[V-weapon]] sites and [[airfield]]s in [[France]]. It began bombing [[Military strategy|strategic]] objectives in [[Germany]] in July 1943 and engaged primarily in such operations until [[V-E Day]]. Targets included [[harbor]]s, [[industry|industries]], [[marshalling yard]]s, and [[City|cities]]. The 95th received a [[Distinguished Unit Citation]] (DUC) for maintaining a tight defensive formation in spite of severe assault by [[Axis powers of World War II|enemy]] [[Fighter aircraft|fighters]] and bombing the [[aircraft]] assembly plant at [[Regensburg]], Germany, on [[17 August]] [[1943]]. Withstanding concentrated attacks by fighters during the approach to the target and intense [[antiaircraft]] fire directly over the objective, the group effectively bombarded marshalling yards at [[Münster]] on [[10 October]] [[1943]], earning a second DUC.
The group participated in the intensive [[Military campaign|campaign]] of heavy [[bomber]]s against the German aircraft industry during [[Big Week]], 20-25 February 1944. The 95th received another DUC for action during an attack by [[Army Air Force]] bombers on [[Berlin]] on [[4 March]] [[1944]]; while many participating organizations, because of [[weather]] conditions, either abandoned the operation or struck other targets, the 95th proceeded to Berlin and successfully bombed a suburb of the German capital despite [[snowstorm]]s, dense [[cloud]]s, and severe enemy attack. The group interrupted its strategic operations to strike [[coastal defenses]] and communications during the [[invasion of Normandy]] in June 1944. It hit enemy troop concentrations and thus assist the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] breakthrough at [[St. Lo]] in July 1944, dropped [[ammunition]], [[food]], and [[medical]] supplies to [[Poland|Polish]] [[Polish resistance movement in World War II|resistance]] in [[Warsaw]] on [[18 September]] [[1944]], attacked enemy transportation during the [[Battle of the Bulge]], December 1944-January 1945, and bombed airdromes in support of the Allied assault across the [[Rhine]] in March 1945. It flew its last combat mission, an attack on marshalling yards at [[Oranienburg]], Germany, on [[20 April]] [[1945]]. The group dropped food to the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] during the first week in May. After V-E Day, it transported liberated [[Prisoner of war|prisoners]] and [[displaced persons]] from [[Austria]] to France and England.

Redeployed to the US June and August 1945. First of the air echelon departed the United Kingdom on 19 June 1945 and arrived at Bradley Field in Conn on 21 June 1945. Ground echelon sailed, out of Greenock on the Queen Elizabeth on the 5th of August 1945, and arriving on the 11th of August 1945 in Sioux Falls AAFd, South Dakota and inactivated there on the 28th


====Cold War====
====Cold War====

Revision as of 12:36, 12 July 2009

95th Air Base Wing
Active28 January 1942 — present
CountryUnited States
BranchAir Force
TypeBase Support
Part ofAir Force Material Command
Air Force Flight Test Center
Garrison/HQEdwards Air Force Base
Decorations DUC
AFOUA
Commanders
Current
commander		Colonel Bryan Gallagher
Notable
commanders		John K. Gerhart

The 95th Air Base Wing (95 ABW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Mission

The 95th Air Base Wing is the host wing for Edwards Air Force Base. The wing oversees base day-to-day operations and provides support for over 10,000 military, federal civilian and contract personnel assigned to a 470 square mile installation. Approximately 1500 Air Base Wing Desert Warriors directly support the flight test and evaluation mission of the Air Force Flight Test Center and the 412th Test Wing.

The wing is responsible for operating the base, including the infrastructure, communication systems, security, fire protection, transportation, supply, finance, contracting, legal services, personnel and manpower support, housing, education, chapel and quality of life programs on a 301,000-acre base in the middle of the Mojave Desert, the second largest base in the U.S. Air Force.

The 95th ABW is host to over 100,000 visitors annually and supports over 25,000 dependents, retirees, and veterans. Major units within the wing include the 95th Mission Support and the 95th Medical Groups, as well the 95th Civil Engineer/Transportation Directorate, 95th Security Forces Squadron and the Services and Comptroller Divisions. Staff agencies include chaplain services, base comptroller, inspector general, manpower and organization, and military equal opportunity and public affairs.

Units

History

Lineage

  • Established as 95 Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942
Activated on 15 Jun 1942
Redesignated 95 Bombardment Group, Heavy, on 20 Aug 1943
Inactivated on 28 Aug 1945
  • Redesignated 95 Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, on 13 May 1947
Activated in the Reserve on 29 May 1947
Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949
  • Consolidated (31 Jan 1984) with the 95 Bombardment Wing, Medium, which was established on 4 Jun 1952.
Activated on 16 Jun 1952
Redesignated 95 Bombardment Wing, Heavy, on 8 Nov 1952
Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Jun 1966
  • Redesignated 95 Strategic Wing, and activated, on 8 Aug 1966
Organized on 2 Oct 1966
Inactivated on 30 Sep 1976
  • Redesignated 95 Air Base Wing on 16 Sep 1994
Activated on 1 Oct 1994.

Assignments

Components

  • 334th Bombardment Squadron (BG): 15 Jun 1942-28 Aug 1945; 29 May 1947-27 Jun 1949; 16 Jun 1952-25 Jun 1966
  • 335th Bombardment Squadron (OE): 15 Jun 1942-28 Aug 1945; 17 Jul 1947- 27 Jun 1949; 16 Jun 1952-15 Jan 1959
  • 336th Bombardment Squadron (ET): 15 Jun 1942-28 Aug 1945; 16 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949; 16 Jun 1952-1 Jul 1959
  • 412th Bombardment Squadron (QW): 15 Jun 1942- 28 Aug 1945; 16 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949
  • 917th Air Refueling Squadron: 1 May 1959- 15 Jan 1965

Stations

Aircraft

Operations

World War II

Emblem of the 95th Bombardment Group
Boeing B-17G-85-BO Fortress 43-38283 (BG-C), Initially assigned to the 334th BS 95th BG, Horham, 13/8/1944, it later transferred to the 336th BS. Piloted by Vermillion, it crashed at Neustadt, Germany after suffering mechanical failure (17/3/1945)
Douglas-Long Beach B-17G-20-DL Fortress 42-37894 (BG-L) *Pegasus IV*

Activated 15 June 1942 at Barkesdale Field in LA. Formation did not commence until late August of 1942 at Geiger Field in Washington. The unit moved to Ephrata Washington on the 31st of October 1943 and back to Geiger Field on the 24th of November 1943. Final training was conducted at Rapid City AAB, SD from 14 Dec 1942 to 11 Mar 1943. the air echelon moved to Kearney Field Neb for there final processing prior to overseas duty. Aircraft took the southern route via Florida, Trinidad, Brazil, Dakar, and Marrakesh to the UNited Kingdom, arriving early in April 1943. The ground elements arrived at Camp Kilmer on the 21st of April 1943 and sailed on the Queen Elizabeth on the 5th of May 1943, arriving in Greenock on the 11th of May 1943.

The group entered combat for Eighth Air Force on 13 May 1943. During the next two months, the group repeatedly attacked V-weapon sites and airfields in France. It began bombing strategic objectives in Germany in July 1943 and engaged primarily in such operations until V-E Day. Targets included harbors, industries, marshalling yards, and cities. The 95th received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for maintaining a tight defensive formation in spite of severe assault by enemy fighters and bombing the aircraft assembly plant at Regensburg, Germany, on 17 August 1943. Withstanding concentrated attacks by fighters during the approach to the target and intense antiaircraft fire directly over the objective, the group effectively bombarded marshalling yards at Münster on 10 October 1943, earning a second DUC.

The group participated in the intensive campaign of heavy bombers against the German aircraft industry during Big Week, 20-25 February 1944. The 95th received another DUC for action during an attack by Army Air Force bombers on Berlin on 4 March 1944; while many participating organizations, because of weather conditions, either abandoned the operation or struck other targets, the 95th proceeded to Berlin and successfully bombed a suburb of the German capital despite snowstorms, dense clouds, and severe enemy attack. The group interrupted its strategic operations to strike coastal defenses and communications during the invasion of Normandy in June 1944. It hit enemy troop concentrations and thus assist the Allied breakthrough at St. Lo in July 1944, dropped ammunition, food, and medical supplies to Polish resistance in Warsaw on 18 September 1944, attacked enemy transportation during the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944-January 1945, and bombed airdromes in support of the Allied assault across the Rhine in March 1945. It flew its last combat mission, an attack on marshalling yards at Oranienburg, Germany, on 20 April 1945. The group dropped food to the Dutch during the first week in May. After V-E Day, it transported liberated prisoners and displaced persons from Austria to France and England.

Redeployed to the US June and August 1945. First of the air echelon departed the United Kingdom on 19 June 1945 and arrived at Bradley Field in Conn on 21 June 1945. Ground echelon sailed, out of Greenock on the Queen Elizabeth on the 5th of August 1945, and arriving on the 11th of August 1945 in Sioux Falls AAFd, South Dakota and inactivated there on the 28th

Cold War

The group trained as a heavy bombardment group in the Reserve from May 1947 to June 1949, before being deactivated.

The 95th was established on 4 June 1952, and activated on 16 June 1952 at Biggs AFB, TX as the 95th Bombardment Wing. However it was not manned from until July 1953, assigned to the Eighth Air Force's 810th Air Division, and then minimally manned until September 1953, when it began strategic bombardment training with B-36s. It operated in support of Strategic Air Command (SAC)'s global commitments from, April 1954- February 1966. The wing deployed to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and operated under control of 3d Air Division from, July-November 1955. It added an air refueling mission beginning in August 1959 and carrying through January 1965. From 1959 to 1960, the wing received B-52s, and KC-135s and phased out the B-36.

The 95th Bomb Wing was inactivated on 25 June 1966.

Renamed the 95th Strategic Wing, from October 1966 to December 1975 the group supported SAC's KC-135 alert tanker forces in eastern Canada and the North Atlantic. It phased down for inactivation, closing most USAF operations at Goose Bay from, January-September 1976.

Modern era

The wing has managed Edwards Air Force Base, California, for the Air Force Flight Test Center since its reactivation as the 95th Air Base Wing on 1 October 1994.

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Cold War history:

  1. Mixer, Ronald E., Genealogy of the STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND , Battermix Publishing Company, 1999
  2. Mixer, Ronald E., STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND, An Organizational History, Battermix Publishing Company, 2006.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=95th_Air_Base_Wing&oldid=301686092"