514th Air Mobility Wing
Encyclopedia
The 514th Air Mobility Wing (514 AMW) is a wing
of the United States Air Force
based out of McGuire Air Force Base
, New Jersey
.
forces in Burma until May 1945. Operations included moving equipment and materials for the Ledo Road
in December 1944; transporting men, mules, and boats when the Allies crossed the Ayeyarwady River
in February 1945; and dropping Gurkha
paratroops during the assault on Rangoon
in May. The group moved to Burma in June and hauled ammunition, gasoline, mules, and men to China until the war ended.
The group trained in the Reserve
for troop carrier operations, May 1947 until the establishment of the wing in 1949 and from then until February 1953 first at Birmingham
, Alabama
under supervision of the 2587th Air Force Reserve Training Center but moved without personnel or equipment to Mitchel Air Force Base
, New York during its first year. The wing was ordered to active
service in May 1951. From then until February 1953, the wing performed troop carrier missions in tactical
exercises
and joint training operations. It operated a C-46 combat crew training school from 15 September 1952 to 20 January 1953.
From April 1953 until 1958, it trained under the 2233d Air Force Reserve Combat Training Center (later, 2233d Air Reserve Flying Center), initially with C-46s but with C-119s by August 1954. After 1958, the wing increasingly participated in humanitarian
and other airlift missions. By the mid-1960s, it was augmenting Military Air Transport Service
(later, Military Airlift Command
) airlift operations on a regular basis. The wing trained South Vietnam
ese aircrews and maintenance personnel and Greek maintenance personnel in C-119 aircraft, 10 August to 18 December 1967. In 1968, it ferried C-119s to South Vietnam. Also in 1968, two of the wing's groups began flying C-141s belonging to the 436th Military Airlift Wing
at Dover Air Force Base
, Delaware
and the 438th Military Airlift Wing at McGuire Air Force Base
, New Jersey
. A third C-141 group joined the wing in September 1969, associated with the 437th Military Airlift Wing
at Charleston Air Force Base
, South Carolina
. In 1969, the wing gained another group which flew C-9s of the 375th Aeromedical Airlift Wing
. A C-119 group remained with the wing until mid-1970. In Jul 1973, its groups at Dover and Charleston were replaced by new Reserve wings, and the 514th Wing absorbed all of the squadrons of what had been its 903d Group at McGuire. Continuing to use C-141 aircraft of the active wing at McGuire Air Force Base (first the 438th and later the 305th
), the wing's crews augmented Military Airlift Command units for strategic
airlift missions worldwide, including contingency and humanitarian operations and took part in strategic mobility exercises for training. Operations in which crews participated were Urgent Fury to Grenada
in 1983, Just Cause to Panama
in 1989, and Restore Hope to Somalia
in 1992. In 1993 the wing added aerial refueling to its airlift mission.
514th Maintenance Group (514 MXG)
514th Mission Support Group (514 MSG)
Wing (air force unit)
Wing is a term used by different military aviation forces for a unit of command. The terms wing, group or Staffel are used for different-sized units from one country or service to another....
of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
based out of McGuire Air Force Base
McGuire Air Force Base
JB MDL McGuire is a United States Air Force base located approximately south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. McGuire is under the jurisdiction of the USAF Air Mobility Command...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
History
The 514th trained in the U.S. with C-46 and C-47 aircraft before moving to India in November 1944, beginning operations in early December as part of the combined Combat Cargo Task Force. It transported reinforcements and supplies for AlliedAllies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
forces in Burma until May 1945. Operations included moving equipment and materials for the Ledo Road
Ledo Road
The Ledo Road was built during World War II so that the Western Allies could supply the Chinese as an alternative to the Burma Road which had been cut by the Japanese in 1942. It was renamed the Stilwell Road in early 1945 at the suggestion of Chiang Kai-shek...
in December 1944; transporting men, mules, and boats when the Allies crossed the Ayeyarwady River
Ayeyarwady River
The Irrawaddy River or Ayeyarwady River is a river that flows from north to south through Burma . It is the country's largest river and most important commercial waterway. Originating from the confluence of the N'mai and Mali rivers, it flows relatively straight North-South before emptying through...
in February 1945; and dropping Gurkha
Gurkha
Gurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...
paratroops during the assault on Rangoon
Operation Dracula
During World War II, Operation Dracula was the name given to an airborne and amphibious attack on Rangoon by British and Indian forces, part of the Burma Campaign. When it was launched, the Imperial Japanese Army had already abandoned the city.-Background:...
in May. The group moved to Burma in June and hauled ammunition, gasoline, mules, and men to China until the war ended.
The group trained in the Reserve
Military reserve force
A military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is to be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion...
for troop carrier operations, May 1947 until the establishment of the wing in 1949 and from then until February 1953 first at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
under supervision of the 2587th Air Force Reserve Training Center but moved without personnel or equipment to Mitchel Air Force Base
Mitchel Air Force Base
Decommissioned in 1961, Mitchel Field became a multi-use complex currently home to the Cradle of Aviation Museum, Nassau Coliseum, Mitchel Athletic Complex, Nassau Community College and Hofstra University.-Origins:...
, New York during its first year. The wing was ordered to active
Active duty
Active duty refers to a full-time occupation as part of a military force, as opposed to reserve duty.-Pakistan:The Pakistan Armed Forces are one of the largest active service forces in the world with almost 610,000 full time personnel due to the complex and volatile nature of Pakistan's...
service in May 1951. From then until February 1953, the wing performed troop carrier missions in tactical
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
exercises
Military exercise
A military exercise is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat...
and joint training operations. It operated a C-46 combat crew training school from 15 September 1952 to 20 January 1953.
From April 1953 until 1958, it trained under the 2233d Air Force Reserve Combat Training Center (later, 2233d Air Reserve Flying Center), initially with C-46s but with C-119s by August 1954. After 1958, the wing increasingly participated in humanitarian
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
and other airlift missions. By the mid-1960s, it was augmenting Military Air Transport Service
Military Air Transport Service
The Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...
(later, Military Airlift Command
Military Airlift Command
The Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised...
) airlift operations on a regular basis. The wing trained South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
ese aircrews and maintenance personnel and Greek maintenance personnel in C-119 aircraft, 10 August to 18 December 1967. In 1968, it ferried C-119s to South Vietnam. Also in 1968, two of the wing's groups began flying C-141s belonging to the 436th Military Airlift Wing
436th Airlift Wing
The 436th Airlift Wing is an active United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the Air Mobility Command Eighteenth Air Force, and is based at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware....
at Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base or Dover AFB is a United States Air Force base located two miles southeast of the city of Dover, Delaware.-Units:...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
and the 438th Military Airlift Wing at McGuire Air Force Base
McGuire Air Force Base
JB MDL McGuire is a United States Air Force base located approximately south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. McGuire is under the jurisdiction of the USAF Air Mobility Command...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. A third C-141 group joined the wing in September 1969, associated with the 437th Military Airlift Wing
437th Airlift Wing
The 437th Airlift Wing is an active unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to 18th Air Force, Air Mobility Command. It is the mission wing at Charleston Air Force Base, Joint Base Charleston, in the City of North Charleston, South Carolina....
at Charleston Air Force Base
Charleston Air Force Base
Joint Base Charleston is a United States military facility located in North Charleston, South Carolina. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 628th Air Base Wing, Air Mobility Command...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. In 1969, the wing gained another group which flew C-9s of the 375th Aeromedical Airlift Wing
375th Airlift Wing
The 375th Air Mobility Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force assigned to Eighteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It is part of Air Mobility Command ....
. A C-119 group remained with the wing until mid-1970. In Jul 1973, its groups at Dover and Charleston were replaced by new Reserve wings, and the 514th Wing absorbed all of the squadrons of what had been its 903d Group at McGuire. Continuing to use C-141 aircraft of the active wing at McGuire Air Force Base (first the 438th and later the 305th
305th Air Mobility Wing
The 305th Air Mobility Wing is a United States Air Force strategic airlift and air refueling wing under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command...
), the wing's crews augmented Military Airlift Command units for strategic
Military strategy
Military strategy is a set of ideas implemented by military organizations to pursue desired strategic goals. Derived from the Greek strategos, strategy when it appeared in use during the 18th century, was seen in its narrow sense as the "art of the general", 'the art of arrangement' of troops...
airlift missions worldwide, including contingency and humanitarian operations and took part in strategic mobility exercises for training. Operations in which crews participated were Urgent Fury to Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
in 1983, Just Cause to Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
in 1989, and Restore Hope to Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
in 1992. In 1993 the wing added aerial refueling to its airlift mission.
Operations
- World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
- Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
- Operation Urgent Fury
- Operation Just Cause
- Operation Restore Hope
Previous designations
- 4th Combat Cargo Group (1944–1949)
- 514th Troop Carrier Wing (1949–1967)
- 514th Tactical Airlift Group (1967–1968)
- 514th Military Airlift Wing (1968–1992)
- 514th Airlift Wing (1992–1994)
- 514th Air Mobility Wing (since 1994)
Major command
- Tactical Air CommandTactical Air CommandTactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
(1951–1953) - Air Force Reserve CommandAir Force Reserve CommandThe Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
(since 1953)
Numbered Air Force
- 14th Air Force (1949)
- 1st Air Force (1949–1951, 1953–1958)
- 18th Air Force (1951–1953)
- 14th Air Force (1958–1993)
- 22d Air Force (since 1993)
Subordinate organizations
514th Operations Group (514 OG)- 76th Air Refueling Squadron76th Air Refueling SquadronThe 76th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 514th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. It operates the KC-10 Extender aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions as the reserve associate to the 305th Air Mobility Wing....
- 78th Air Refueling Squadron78th Air Refueling SquadronThe 78th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 514th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. It operates the KC-10 Extender aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions as the reserve associate to the 305th Air Mobility Wing....
- 514 Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron
514th Maintenance Group (514 MXG)
- 714 Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
- 514 Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
- 514 Maintenance Squadron
- 514 Maintenance Operations Flight
514th Mission Support Group (514 MSG)
Bases stationed
- SyracuseSyracuse, New YorkSyracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
Army Airfield, New York (1944) - Bowman Field, KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
(1944) - Baer FieldFort Wayne International Airport-Top Destinations:-Airfield infrastructure:As of 2006, the airport's main Runway 5/23's usable dimensions are long and wide while the grooved-surface dimensions are long and wide, large enough to accommodate the NASA Space Shuttle orbiter, Boeing 747s, and military air mobility and aerial...
, IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
(1944) - SylhetSylhetSylhet , is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. It is the main city of Sylhet Division and Sylhet District, and was granted metropolitan city status in March 2009. Sylhet is located on the banks of the Surma Valley and is surrounded by the Jaintia, Khasi and Tripura hills...
, India (1944) - Agartala, India (1944–1945)
- ChittagongChittagongChittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading...
, India (1945) - Namponmao, Burma (1945)
- AndalAndal, BardhamanAndal is a census town and police station in Durgapur subdivision of Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Geography:Andal is located at . It has an average elevation of 76 metres ....
, India (1945–1946) - Marietta Air Force Base, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
(1947–1949) - BirminghamBirmingham, AlabamaBirmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
Municipal Airport, AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
(1949) - Mitchel Air Force BaseMitchel Air Force BaseDecommissioned in 1961, Mitchel Field became a multi-use complex currently home to the Cradle of Aviation Museum, Nassau Coliseum, Mitchel Athletic Complex, Nassau Community College and Hofstra University.-Origins:...
, New York (1949–1961) - McGuire Air Force BaseMcGuire Air Force BaseJB MDL McGuire is a United States Air Force base located approximately south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. McGuire is under the jurisdiction of the USAF Air Mobility Command...
, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
(since 1961)
Aircraft operated
- C-47 SkytrainC-47 SkytrainThe Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
(1944) - C-46 CommandoC-46 CommandoThe Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando was a transport aircraft originally derived from a commercial high-altitude airliner design. It was instead used as a military transport during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces as well as the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps under the designation R5C...
(1944–1945, 1949–1954) - T-6 TexanT-6 TexanThe North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...
(1949–1951) - T-7 (1949–1951)
- T-11 (1949–1951)
- C-119 Flying BoxcarC-119 Flying BoxcarThe Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute...
(1952–1970) - C-45 ExpeditorBeechcraft Model 18The Beechcraft Model 18, or "Twin Beech", as it is better known, is a 6-11 seat, twin-engine, low-wing, conventional-gear aircraft that was manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas...
(1953) - C-124 Globemaster IIC-124 Globemaster IIThe Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, nicknamed "Old Shakey", was a heavy-lift cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California....
(1966, 1969) - C-141 StarlifterC-141 StarlifterThe Lockheed C-141 Starlifter was a military strategic airlifter in service with the Air Mobility Command of the United States Air Force...
(1968 – 200x) - C-9 Nightingale (1969–1971)
- C-5 GalaxyC-5 GalaxyThe Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a large military transport aircraft built by Lockheed. It provides the United States Air Force with a heavy intercontinental-range strategic airlift capability, one that can carry outsize and oversize cargos, including all air-certifiable cargo. The Galaxy has many...
(1973) - KC-10 ExtenderKC-10 ExtenderThe McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is the military adaptation of the three-engined DC-10 airliner for the United States Air Force . The KC-10 incorporates military-specific equipment for its primary roles of transport and aerial refueling. It was developed to supplement the KC-135 Stratotanker...
(since 1993) - C-17 Globemaster IIIC-17 Globemaster IIIThe Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...
(200x – Present)