911th Airlift Wing
Encyclopedia
The 911th Airlift Wing is an Air Mobility Command
(AMC)-gained unit of the Air Force Reserve Command
(AFRC), based out of Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station at the Pittsburgh International Airport
, Pennsylvania
. The 911th Airlift Wing's mission is to organize, recruit and train Air Force Reserve personnel to provide tactical airlift of airborne forces
, their equipment and supplies and delivery of these forces and materials by airdrop
, landing or cargo extraction systems.
during the Vietnam War
and for other contingency operations
, such as the Dominican Republic
crisis in 1965, as well as numerous humanitarian
flights. Beginning in 1973, it periodically rotated flight crews and other personnel to Panama
, and later Puerto Rico
, to support United States Southern Command
commitments. Since the early 1990s it has frequently deployed personnel in support of contingency operations in Southwest Asia
and the Balkans
.
911th Maintenance Group (911 MXG)
911th Mission Support Group (911 MSG)
911th Aeromedical Staging Squadron (911 ASTS)
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
(AMC)-gained unit of the Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The 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....
(AFRC), based out of Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station at the Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and commonly referred to as Pittsburgh International, is a joint civil–military international airport located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Findlay Township, approximately west of...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The 911th Airlift Wing's mission is to organize, recruit and train Air Force Reserve personnel to provide tactical airlift of airborne forces
Airborne forces
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
, their equipment and supplies and delivery of these forces and materials by airdrop
Airdrop
An airdrop is a type of airlift, developed during World War II to resupply otherwise inaccessible troops, who themselves may have been airborne forces. In some cases, it is used to refer to the airborne assault itself. Early airdrops were conducted by dropping or pushing padded bundles from...
, landing or cargo extraction systems.
History
The 911th has trained for and participated in air transport of airborne forces, equipment and supplies with delivery by airdrop, extraction, and airlanding, as well as air evacuation within a theater of operations since its inception in 1963. It provided airlift to Southeast AsiaSoutheast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The 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...
and for other contingency operations
Military operation
Military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state's favor. Operations may be of combat or non-combat types, and are referred to by a code name for the purpose...
, such as the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
crisis in 1965, as well as numerous 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...
flights. Beginning in 1973, it periodically rotated flight crews and other personnel 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...
, and later Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, to support United States Southern Command
United States Southern Command
The United States Southern Command , located in Miami, Florida, is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands in the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for providing contingency planning and operations in Central and South America, the Caribbean The United States Southern Command...
commitments. Since the early 1990s it has frequently deployed personnel in support of contingency operations in Southwest Asia
Southwest Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
and the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
.
Operations
- 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 Power PackOperation Power PackThe second United States occupation of the Dominican Republic began when the United States Marines Corps entered Santo Domingo on April 28, 1965. They were later joined by most of the United States Army's 82nd Airborne Division and its parent XVIIIth Airborne Corps...
- Operation Desert Storm
- Operation Enduring Freedom
- Operation Iraqi Freedom
Previous designations
- 911th Troop Carrier Group (1962–1967)
- 911th Military Airlift Group (1967–1972)
- 911th Tactical Airlift Group (1972–1992)
- 911th Airlift Group (1992–1994)
- 911th Airlift Wing (1994 – Present)
Wing
- 459th Troop Carrier Wing459th Air Refueling WingThe 459th Air Refueling Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command unit based at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility since 1954.-Overview:...
(1963–1971) - 94th Military Airlift Wing94th Airlift WingThe United States Air Force's 94th Airlift Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command Twenty-Second Air Force organization stationed at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia....
(1971–1972) - 302d Tactical Airlift Wing302d Airlift WingThe 302nd Airlift Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force Reserve based out of Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado.-Mission:...
(1972–1980) - 439th Airlift Wing439th Airlift WingThe 439th Airlift Wing is an active United States Air Force Reserve unit. It is assigned to the Air Mobility Command Twenty-Second Air Force, and is based at Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts....
(1980–1992) - 94th Airlift Wing94th Airlift WingThe United States Air Force's 94th Airlift Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command Twenty-Second Air Force organization stationed at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia....
(1992–1994)
Subordinate organizations
911th Operations Group (911 OG)- 758th Airlift Squadron758th Airlift SquadronThe 758th Airlift Squadron is part of the 911th Airlift Wing at the Pittsburgh International Airport, Pennsylvania. It operates the C-130H2 version of the C-130 Hercules aircraft, providing global tactical airlfit.-Mission:...
(758 AS) - 911th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (911 AES)
- 911th Operations Support Flight (911 OSF)
911th Maintenance Group (911 MXG)
- 911th Maintenance Squadron (911 MXS)
- 911th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (911 AMXS)
- 911th Maintenance Operations Flight (911 MOF)
911th Mission Support Group (911 MSG)
- 32d Aerial Port Squadron (32 APS)
- 911th Civil Engineering Squadron (911 CES)
- 911th Communications Squadron (911 CS)
- 911th Mission Support Flight (911 MSF)
- 911th Security Forces Squadron (911 SFS)
- 911th Services Squadron (911 SVS)
- 911th Logistics Readiness Squadron (911 LRS)
911th Aeromedical Staging Squadron (911 ASTS)
Aircraft operated
- 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...
(1963–1967) - 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....
(1966–1972) - C-123 ProviderC-123 ProviderThe C-123 Provider was an American military transport aircraft designed by Chase Aircraft and subsequently built by Fairchild Aircraft for the United States Air Force...
(1972–1980) - C-130 HerculesC-130 HerculesThe Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
(1980 – Present)