Davis–Monthan Air Force Base (DM AFB) is a
United States Air ForceThe 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...
base located within the city limits, and approximately 5 miles (8 km) south-southeast of downtown,
Tucson, ArizonaTucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
.
The host unit at Davis–Monthan is the
355th Fighter WingThe 355th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command's Twelfth Air Force. It is stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, where in operates the A-10 Thunderbolt II...
(355 FW) assigned to Twelfth Air Force, which is headquartered at DM and is part of
Air Combat CommandAir Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
(ACC). The 355 FW and various tenant units located on base provide
A-10 Thunderbolt IIThe Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
close air support; OA-10 forward air controllers; air liaison officers; EC-130 command, control and communications warfare; air control radar; combat search and rescue; and combat support forces to unified commanders. The 355 FW also provides initial and recurrency flying training to all U.S. Air Force A/OA-10 and EC-130 pilots and crews; and is the ACC's executive agent for INF and START treaty compliance. Although under ACC, it is best known for its role as the location of the
Air Force Materiel CommandAir Force Materiel Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. AFMC was created July 1, 1992 through the reorganization of Air Force Logistics Command and Air Force Systems Command....
's 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), better known as the sole
aircraft boneyardAircraft boneyard is a term for a storage area for aircraft that are retired from service. Most aircraft at boneyards are either kept for storage or turned into scrap metal...
for all excess military and government aircraft, as its location allows for preservation of the aircraft.
Davis–Monthan AFB was established in 1925 as Davis-Monthan Landing Field, and is named in honor of
World War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
pilots Lieutenants
Samuel H. DavisSecond Lieutenant Samuel H. Davis is a deceased United States Army Air Service officer, killed in 1921 while on a training mission in Florida.Born in 1896 in Tucson, Arizona, Second Lieutenant Samuel H. Davis attended the University of Arizona in Tucson before enlisting to fly in 1917. A veteran...
and
Oscar MonthanOscar Monthan was an aeronautical engineer.- Biography :Born in Dewsbury, England, Oscar Monthan moved with his family to Canada and then, in 1900, to Arizona, the United States. The Monthan Family ranched along the Tanque Verde River until 1915 when they purchased a ranch in Vail, Arizona along...
, both Tucson natives. The commander of the 355th FW is Colonel John Cherrey. The Command Chief Master Sergeant is CMSgt Vincent Howard.
Overview
Davis–Monthan Air Force Base is a key ACC installation. The 355 FW is the host unit providing medical, logistical, mission support, and operational support to all assigned units. The wing's missions are to train A-10 and OA-10 pilots and to provide A-10 and OA-10 close support and forward air control to ground forces worldwide. One of the wing's tenant units, the
55th Electronic Combat GroupThe 55th Electronic Combat Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, provides combat-ready EC-130H Compass Call aircraft, crews, maintenance and operational support to combatant commanders. The group is a geographically separated unit that falls under the command of the 55th Wing at Offutt AFB, NE...
, is tasked to provide command, control, and communications countermeasures in support of tactical forces with its EC-130H aircraft and, employing the EC-130E aircraft, provide airborne command, control, and communications capabilities for managing tactical air operations in war and other contingencies worldwide. Two other major tenants, the
563rd Rescue GroupThe United States Air Force's 563d Rescue Group directs flying operations dedicated to Personnel Recovery . The 563d RQG is part of the Air Combat Command and is a geographically separated unit of the 23rd Wing at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia...
(structured under the
23d WingThe 23d Wing is a front-line United States Air Force Air Combat Command wing currently assigned to Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.-Mission:The mission of the 23d Wing is to organize, train and employ combat-ready A-10, HC-130 and HH-60, as well as pararescuemen and force protection assets...
,
Moody Air Force BaseMoody Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation located in Lowndes County and Lanier County, about northeast of Valdosta, Georgia, United States.Moody Air Force Base is home to the 23d Wing...
) and 943rd Rescue Group, (structured under the
920th Rescue WingThe 920th Rescue Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida with additional geographically separated units located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona and Portland International Airport/Air Reserve Station, Oregon...
,
Patrick Air Force BasePatrick Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located between Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach, in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It was named in honor of Major General Mason Patrick. An Air Force Space Command base, it is home to the 45th Space Wing...
), are tasked to provide combat search and rescue support worldwide.
Although under ACC, it is best known for its role as the location of the
Air Force Materiel CommandAir Force Materiel Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. AFMC was created July 1, 1992 through the reorganization of Air Force Logistics Command and Air Force Systems Command....
's 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), better known as the sole
aircraft boneyardAircraft boneyard is a term for a storage area for aircraft that are retired from service. Most aircraft at boneyards are either kept for storage or turned into scrap metal...
for all excess military and government aircraft. Davis-Monthan was selected due to its low humidity and hard, alkaline soil, which allows the aircraft to be naturally preserved for cannibalization or possible reuse.
Wing units
The host wing at Davis-Monthan is the
355th Fighter WingThe 355th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command's Twelfth Air Force. It is stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, where in operates the A-10 Thunderbolt II...
, which includes:
- consists of six squadrons and over 450 personnel employing 82 A-10 aircraft and an AN/TPS-75 radar system. It provides war-fighters with forces for close air support (CAS), air interdiction (AI), forward air control (FAC), combat search and rescue (CSAR), ground based tactical air control, and airbase operations. It also conducts all formal course directed aircraft initial qualification/ re-qualification training. All active duty aircraft assigned to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base carry the tail code "DM".
-
- 354th Fighter Squadron
The 354th Fighter Squadron is part of the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting close air support missions.-Mission:...
(A-10C) Bulldogs Blue Fin Flash
- 357th Fighter Squadron
The 357th Fighter Squadron is part of the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting close air support missions.-Mission:...
(A-10C) Dragons Yellow Fin Flash
- 358th Fighter Squadron
The 358th Fighter Squadron is part of the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting close air support missions.-Mission:...
(A-10A) Lobos Black Fin Flash
- 355th Operations Support Squadron
- 355th Training Squadron
- 607th Air Control Squadron
- West Coast A-10 Demonstration Team
- Consists of 12 members and is assigned to the 355th Operations Group. The team's primary mission is to encourage retention and recruitment by showcasing the Air Force's premier fighter/attack aircraft, the rugged and dependable A-10 Thunderbolt II. Performing at more than 30 air shows annually before 15 million spectators worldwide, the A-10 Demo Team provides insight about Air Combat Command and the United States Air Force.
- 355th Mission Support Group
- Consists of about 2,000 military and civilian personnel in six diverse squadrons that train, equip and provide agile combat mission support, including civil engineering, communications, contracting, transportation, fuels, supply, deployment readiness, personnel, security forces, and services for immediate worldwide deployment of combat support elements. The group also provides an effective in-garrison support infrastructure and quality of life services for 26 wing and 32 associate units spanning a 60,000-person, 10763 acres (43.6 km²) community, one of the largest in Air Combat Command.
-
- 355th Civil Engineer Squadron
- 355th Communications Squadron
- 355th Contracting Squadron
- 355th Force Support Squadron
- 355th Logistics Readiness Squadron
- 355th Security Forces Squadron
- Supports eight flying squadrons comprising 82 A-10, 14 EC-130, 8 HH-60, and 6 HC-130 combat-ready aircraft with over 1,700 assigned personnel. It ensures quality of on- and off-equipment aircraft maintenance and executes an annual O&M budget of $1.5M.
- Ensures that personnel are medically ready to fight; train and to equip fully deployable medical teams; and meet the health care needs of our patients. Our goal is to maintain combat medical readiness of the 355 FW for global contingencies with an authorized staff of 395, a resource allocation exceeding $37 million, and 21 mobility teams, including Expeditionary Medical Support teams. The 355 MDG strives to provide timely and comprehensive medical services, promote both health and wellness of more than 50,000 Department of Defense beneficiaries, and build a resilient community at Davis-Monthan AFB.
Tenant Units
- Headquarters, Twelfth Air Force
- 612th Air Operations Group
- 612th Air Communications Squadron
- 612th Air Intelligence Squadron
- 612th Air and Space Operations Center - operates AFSOUTH's
The Twelfth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona....
Combined Air and Space Operations Center (CAOC))
- 563d Rescue Group
- 48th Rescue Squadron
The 48th Rescue Squadron is part of the 563d Rescue Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. PJs/CROs primarily fly onboard HH-60 Pave Hawk aircraft while conducting search and rescue missions.-Mission:...
(Pararescue)
- 55th Rescue Squadron
The 55th Rescue Squadron is an aviation unit of the United States Air Force. It operates the HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter and provides rapidly deployable combat search and rescue forces to theater commanders worldwide...
(HH-60G Pavehawk)
- 79th Rescue Squadron
The 79th Rescue Squadron operates the HC-130P Hercules and provides rapidly deployable combat search and rescue forces to theater commanders worldwide. It conducts helicopter air refueling, airdrop, and airland of pararescue personnel and/or equipment in support of combat personnel recovery...
(HC-130P)
- 563rd Operations Support Squadron
- 55th Electronic Combat Group
The 55th Electronic Combat Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, provides combat-ready EC-130H Compass Call aircraft, crews, maintenance and operational support to combatant commanders. The group is a geographically separated unit that falls under the command of the 55th Wing at Offutt AFB, NE...
- 41st Electronic Combat Squadron
The 41st Electronic Combat Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. Its current assignment is with the 355th Operations Group, being stationed at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.-History:...
(EC-130H) "Scorpions" Blue Tail Stripe
- 42d Electronic Combat Squadron
The 42d Electronic Combat Squadron a United States Air Force unit. Its current assignment is with the 55th Electronic Combat Group, based at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.-Mission:...
(EC-130H) "Raptors" Yellow Tail Stripe
- 43d Electronic Combat Squadron
The 43d Electronic Combat Squadron is a component of the United States Air Force 355th Operations Group, stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.-Overview:...
(EC-130H) "Bats" Red Tail Stripe
- 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), (Air Force Material Command) - This group is responsible for the base's aircraft "graveyard", the largest in terms of number of planes in the world, where old military and other aircraft are stationed either to be stored indefinely, pulped, stripped or restored for service.
- 943rd Rescue Group
The 943rd Rescue Group is a unit of the United States Air Force located at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.-Mission:The mission of the 943rd Rescue Group is to provide leadership, management, policy formulation, planning, and standardization for operations, training and support of the Air Force Reserve...
- Air 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....
unit assigned to Davis-Monthan that falls under the 920th Rescue WingThe 920th Rescue Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida with additional geographically separated units located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona and Portland International Airport/Air Reserve Station, Oregon...
(920 RQW) at Patrick AFB, Florida.
- 305th Rescue Squadron
The 305th Rescue Squadron was most recently part of the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. The squadron is geographically separated and operates from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona...
(HH-60G)
- 306th Rescue Squadron
- 943rd Operations Support Flight
- 214th Reconnaissance Group
The 214th Reconnaissance Group is a group of the United States Air Force located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It is a component of the Arizona Air National Guard, and is one of the first Air National Guard units to fly the MQ-1 Predator....
(214 RG) - Arizona Air National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
unit flying the MQ-1 Predator.
The base provides additional active duty support to the
162d Fighter WingThe 162d Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit located at Tucson International Airport, near Tucson, Arizona.-Mission:The Air National Guard in Tucson is home to F-16 training for the U.S...
(162 FW) of the
Arizona Air National GuardThe Arizona Air National Guard is the branch of the United States Air National Guard operating within the state of Arizona. It was founded by Barry Goldwater, and was integrated two years before President Truman's military integration order.-Units:...
, located at nearby
Tucson International AirportTucson International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located six miles south of the central business district of Tucson, in Pima County, Arizona, United States, and is the second largest and busiest airport in Arizona, after Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix.- Overview...
, which flies the F-16C and F-16D Fighting Falcon.
Other military activities and federal agencies using the base include Navy Operational Support Center Tucson, a detachment of the
Naval Air Systems CommandThe Naval Air Systems Command provides material support for aircraft and airborne weapon systems for the United States Navy. NAVAIR was established in 1966 as the successor to the Navy's Bureau of Naval Weapons . Current Commander, Naval Air Systems Command, is Vice Adm. David Architzel since May...
, the
Federal Aviation AdministrationThe Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
, the U.S. Customs Service Air Service Branch, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. Also located on base is the
25th Operational Weather SquadronThe 25th Operational Weather Squadron , based out of Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, is the Squadron responsible for the Western United States; the current states in the Area of Responsibility are Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and...
25 OWS. The squadron produces forecasts for the Western United States and is part of the
1st Weather GroupThe 1st Weather Group aligns stateside weather operations with the Air Force warfighting initiative overseeing operational weather squadrons; the 15th OWS at Scott AFB, Ill.; the 25th OWS at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.; and the 26th OWS at Barksdale AFB, La...
(1 WXG) headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. The squadron also serves as a training hub for new weather professionals - both enlisted and officers.
History
The base was named in honor of Lieutenants
Samuel H. DavisSecond Lieutenant Samuel H. Davis is a deceased United States Army Air Service officer, killed in 1921 while on a training mission in Florida.Born in 1896 in Tucson, Arizona, Second Lieutenant Samuel H. Davis attended the University of Arizona in Tucson before enlisting to fly in 1917. A veteran...
and
Oscar MonthanOscar Monthan was an aeronautical engineer.- Biography :Born in Dewsbury, England, Oscar Monthan moved with his family to Canada and then, in 1900, to Arizona, the United States. The Monthan Family ranched along the Tanque Verde River until 1915 when they purchased a ranch in Vail, Arizona along...
, two Tucsonans and
World War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
–era pilots who died in separate military aircraft accidents. Davis, who died in a Florida aircraft accident in 1921, attended the
University of ArizonaThe University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
prior to enlisting in the Army in 1917. Monthan enlisted in the Army as a private in 1917, was commissioned as a ground officer in 1918, and later became a pilot. He was killed in a crash of a
MartinThe Glenn L. Martin Company was an American aircraft and aerospace manufacturing company that was founded by the aviation pioneer Glenn L. Martin. The Martin Company produced many important aircraft for the defense of the United States and its allies, especially during World War II and the Cold War...
bomber in
HawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
in 1924.
Origins
In 1919 the Tucson Chamber of Commerce aviation committee established the nation's first municipally-owned airfield at the current site of the Tucson Rodeo Grounds. The rapid increase in aviation activities meant a move in 1927 to the site which is now Davis–Monthan Air Force Base. After the City of Tucson acquired land southeast of town for a runway in 1925,
Charles LindberghCharles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
, fresh from his nonstop crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, flew his "
Spirit of St. LouisThe Spirit of St. Louis is the custom-built, single engine, single-seat monoplane that was flown solo by Charles Lindbergh on May 20–21, 1927, on the first non-stop flight from New York to Paris for which Lindbergh won the $25,000 Orteig Prize.Lindbergh took off in the Spirit from Roosevelt...
" to Tucson in 1927 to dedicate Davis-Monthan Field, then the largest municipal airport in the United States.
Standard Airlines, later absorbed by
American AirlinesAmerican Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, had regular flights to and from Tucson in 1928. Military presence at the field began when Sergeant Simpson relocated his fuel and service operation to the site on 6 October 1927. He kept a log containing names of the field's customers, including Lindbergh,
Amelia EarhartAmelia Mary Earhart was a noted American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first woman to receive the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean...
,
Benjamin FouloisBenjamin Delahauf Foulois , was a United States Army general who learned to fly the first military planes purchased from the Wright Brothers. He became the first military aviator as an airship pilot, and achieved numerous other military aviation "firsts"...
, and
Jimmy DoolittleGeneral James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle, USAF was an American aviation pioneer. Doolittle served as a brigadier general, major general and lieutenant general in the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War...
. Doolittle, awarded the
Medal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his 1942
Tokyo raidThe Doolittle Raid, on 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese Home Islands during World War II. By demonstrating that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, it provided a vital morale boost and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the...
, was the first military customer at the field on 9 October 1927. The combination of civil and military operations worked well until the early 1940s when military requirements began to require the relocation of civil aviation activities.
World War II
Davis-Monthan Airport became Tucson Army Air Field in 1940 as the United States prepared for
World 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...
. The first assigned U.S. Army Air Corps units were the 1st Bomb Wing, 41st Bomb Group, and 31st Air Base Group, activating on 30 April 1941. In its military role, the base became known as Davis-Monthan Army Air Field on 3 December 1941. Even before
Pearl HarborThe attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
on December 7th, 1941, Air Corps leaders started to increasingly utilize the airfield, sending Boeing B-29 Superfortresses and Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers and Douglas B-18 Bolo which were used both for training and observation missions.
Several known bombardment groups trained at DM during the war:
- 34th Bombardment
The 34th Training Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The commander of the 34th Training Wing is dual-hatted as the Commandant of Cadets at the Academy....
(Heavy) 13 May 1942 – 4 July 1942
- 94th Bombardment
The 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....
(Heavy) August 1942 – 1 November 1942
- 302nd Bombardment
The 302nd Airlift Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force Reserve based out of Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado.-Mission:...
(Heavy) 23 June 1942 – 30 July 1942
- 308th Bombardment (Heavy) 20 June 1942 – 1 October 1942
- 380th Bombardment
The 380th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is attached to the United States Air Forces Central component of ACC and is stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates....
(Heavy) 4 November 1942 – 2 December 1942
- 382nd Bombardment
The 382d Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Army Service Forces, being stationed at Camp Azna, California. It was inactivated on 4 January 1946....
(Heavy) 23 January 1943 – 5 April 1943
- 389th Bombardment
The 389th Strategic Missile Wing is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with the 13th Strategic Missile Division, being stationed at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It was inactivated on 25 March 1965...
(Heavy) 24 December 1942 – 1 February 1943
- 392nd Bombardment (Heavy) 26 January 1943 – 1 March 1943
- 399th Bombardment
The 399th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Fourth Air Force, being stationed at March Field, California. It was inactivated on 31 March 1944....
(Heavy) 1 March 1943 – 10 April 1943
- 400th Bombardment
The 400th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the First Air Force, stationed at Charleston Army Airfield, South Carolina. It was inactivated on 10 April 1944....
(Heavy) April 1943 – 2 May 1943
- 446th Bombardment
The 446th Airlift Wing is a United States Air Force Reserve unit. The wing is stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. If ordered to Active Service, the unit would come under the Air Mobility Command 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force....
(Heavy) 1 April 1943 – 8 June 1943
- 449th Bombardment (Heavy) 1 May 1943 – 5 July 1943
- 451st Bombardment
The 451st Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force Air Combat Command unit. It is one of two AEWs in Afghanistan, presently assigned to Kandahar Airfield and is also the host unit at Kandahar....
(Heavy) 1 May 1943 – 3 June 1943
- 459th Bombardment
The 459th Air Refueling Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command unit based at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility since 1954.-Overview:...
(Heavy) 20 September 1943 – 1 November 1943
- 466th Bombardment
The 466th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the Second Air Force, being stationed at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona. It was inactivated on 17 October 1945...
(Heavy) 15 August – 17 October 1945
- 486th Bombardment
The 486th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time....
(Heavy) 9 November 1943 – March 1944
- 489th Bombardment
The 489th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the IV Bomber Command, stationed at Drew Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945....
(Heavy) 3 April 1945 – 13 July 1945
- 491st Bombardment
The 491st Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the II Bomber Command, stationed at McChord Field, Washington. It was inactivated on 8 September 1945....
(Heavy) 1 October 1943 – 11 November 1943
- 444th Bombardment
The 444th Air Expeditionary Wing was a United States Air Force provisional unit possibly allocated to Air Materiel Command during Operation Iraqi Freedom...
(Very Heavy) 1 March 1943 – 29 July 1943
- 499th Bombardment
The United States Air Force's 499th Air Refueling Wing was an aerial refueling unit located at Westover AFB, Massachusetts. It was inactivated in 1966....
(Very Heavy) 20 November 1943 – 1 December 1943
Training at the airfield came to a halt on August 14, 1945, when the Japanese unconditionally surrendered. Davis-Monthan played a post-war role by housing German
POW'sA prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
from June 1945 to March 1946.
Postwar years
With the end of the war, operations at the base came to a virtual standstill. It was then the base was selected as a storage site for hundreds of decommissioned aircraft with the activation of the 4105th Army Air Force Unit. The 4105th oversaw the storage of excess B-29s and C-47 "Gooney Birds." Tucson's dry climate and alkali soil made it an ideal location for aircraft storage and preservation, a mission that has continued to this day. The airfield also acted as a separation center, which brought the base populace to a high of 11,614 people in September 1945.
Cold War
The
Cold War eraThe Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
was ushered in at Davis-Monthan in March 1946, in the form of the 40th and 444th Bombardment Groups, both equipped with B-29s. As part of the postwar austerity, these groups were inactivated, with the personnel and equipment being consolidated into the 43d Bombardment Group in October. On 11 January 1948, with the establishment of the
United States Air ForceThe 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...
, the facility was renamed Davis–Monthan Air Force Base. On 30 June 1948, the Air Force activated the 43rd Air Refueling Squadron, whose KB-29Ms were newly equipped with
aerial refuelingAerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....
equipment purchased from the British firm FRL. The 43rd ARS, along with the 509th ARS at Walker AFB,
New MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, was the first dedicated air refueling unit in history.
On 2 March 1949, the Lucky Lady II, a
B-50AThe Boeing B-50 Superfortress strategic bomber was a post-World War II revision of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, fitted with more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, stronger structure, a taller fin, and other improvements. It was the last piston-engined bomber designed by Boeing for...
of the 43d Bombardment Wing, completed the first nonstop round-the-world flight, having covered 23452 miles (37,742.2 km) in 94 hours and 1 minute (249.45 mph). Lucky Lady II was refueled four times in the air by KB-29 tankers of the 43d Air Refueling Squadron, which had made only one operational air refueling contact before the mission. For this outstanding flight, the Lucky Lady IIs crew received the
Mackay TrophyThe Mackay Trophy was established on 27 January 1911 by Clarence Hungerford Mackay, who was then head of the Postal Telegraph-Cable Company and the Commercial Cable Company. Originally, aviators could compete for the trophy annually under rules made each year or the War Department could award the...
, given annually by the
National Aeronautic AssociationThe National Aeronautic Association of the United States is a non-profit 501 organization and a member of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale , the international standard setting and record-keeping body for aeronautics and astronautics. NAA is the official record-keeper for United States...
for the outstanding flight of the year, and the Air Age Trophy, an
Air Force AssociationThe Air Force Association is an independent, 501 non-profit, civilian education organization, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia...
award, given each year in recognition of significant contributions to the public understanding of the air age.
In 1953, the jet age came to Davis-Monthan when SAC units on the base converted to the new Boeing B-47 Stratojet. The 303d Bombardment Wing, Medium, was initially established on 27 August 1951, and activated at Davis-Monthan AFB on 4 September 1951. The wing operated B-29s until January 1952, when it was equipped with KB-29s. On 20 January 1953, the 303d transitioned to the Boeing B-47 Stratojet for its three bomb squadrons, while an additional air refueling squadron equipped with KC-97s was assigned to the wing between 18 February 1953, and 1 February 1956. A standard SAC Alert Area ramp was constructed in the southeast corner of the base adjacent to the runway and the 303d assumed nuclear alert responsibilities was final conversion and checkout in the B-47 was complete.
In April 1953 the Air Defense Command's (ADC) 15th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was activated with F-86A Sabres. A year later, the unit transitioned into F-86Ds followed by a transition to F-86Ls in the fall of 1957. In the spring of 1959 the unit received
Northrop F-89JThe Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an early American jet-powered fighter designed from the outset as an all-weather interceptor. Though its straight wings limited its performance, it was among the first USAF jet fighters with guided missiles, and notably the first combat aircraft armed with air-to-air...
interceptors which it flew for only a year when it transitioned into McDonnell F-101Bs. On 24 December 1964, the 15th FIS was deactivated.
In 1962, the
Strategic Air CommandThe Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
's
390th Strategic Missile WingThe 390th Strategic Missile Wing was a United States Air Force Strategic Air Command organization. Its mission was to maintain and operationally control intercontinental ballistic missiles ....
(390 SMW) and its 18 Titan II ICBM sites around Tucson were activated. The 390 SMW was one of only three Titan II missile wings in SAC and represented the heaviest land-based missile and the largest single warhead ever fielded by U.S. strategic deterrent forces.
In July 1963, the 4028th Strategic Reconnaissance Weather Wing, equipped with
U-2The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
strategic reconnaissance aircraft, began flying global missions from Davis-Monthan. Following the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1963, the 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Laughlin AFB, Texas, relocated to the base and assumed responsibility for all U-2 operations, emphasizing long-range strategic reconnaissance and intelligence collection. As a
Strategic Air CommandThe Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC) unit, the 4080th was later redesignated the 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing and also acquired Lockheed DC-130 Hercules aircraft for launch and control of Firebee reconnaissance drones that were the precursors of contemporary unmanned aerial systems. The DC-130s and U-2s remained at the Davis-Monthan until 1976, when the 100 SRW was inactivated, its DC-130s transferred to
Tactical 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...
's 432d Tactical Drone Group, and its U-2s transferred to SAC's 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (9 SRW) at
Beale Air Force BaseBeale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east of Marysville, California. Originally known as Camp Beale....
,
CaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where U-2 Dragon Lady operations were consolidated with SR-71 Blackbird operations.
On 15 June 1964, Davis-Monthan's 303d Bombardment Wing was inactivated as part of the retirement of the B-47 Stratojet from active service. The year 1964 brought back the combat crew training mission of the World War II years with the
4453d Combat Crew Training Wing equipped with the Air Force's newest and most sophisticated fighter, the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. In July 1971, the
355th Tactical Fighter WingThe 355th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command's Twelfth Air Force. It is stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, where in operates the A-10 Thunderbolt II...
, flying the A-7 Corsair II aircraft, was activated at the base and the previously assigned F-4s were moved to Luke AFB, near
Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
.
On 1 October 1976, the base was transferred to
Tactical 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...
(TAC) after 30 years under SAC. It was also that year the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing accepted the first
A-10 Thunderbolt IIThe Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
. Since 1979, D-M has been the training location for pilots in the A-10; the base was redesignated the 355th Tactical Training Wing on 1 September 1979. The organization was later redesignated the 355th Fighter Wing since it includes operational, deployable A-10 squadrons in addition to its CONUS training mission
The 1980s brought several diverse missions to D-M. The headquarters charged with overseeing them was now the 836th Air Division, which was activated 1 January 1981. The AD advised Air Force component commanders and land forces on A-10 aircraft tactics, training, employment and readiness, and subordinate units participated in exercises such as Red Flag and Celtic Echo.
The 41st Electronic Combat Squadron , equipped with the EC-130H Compass Call aircraft, arrived on 1 July 1980, and reported to the
552d Airborne Warning and Control WingThe 552d Air Control Wing is an operational wing of the United States Air Force based at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The wing flies the E-3 Sentry aircraft.-History:...
. In 1981 D-M welcomed the 868th Tactical Missile Training Group. The 868th was the only U.S.-based
Ground Launched Cruise MissileThe Ground Launched Cruise Missile, or GLCM, was a ground-launched cruise missile developed by the United States Air Force in the last decade of the Cold War.-Overview:...
(GLCM) unit and the source of the crews that staffed the forward deployed GLCM wings in
NATO in 1982.
On 1 September 1982, the headquarters of the 602nd Tactical Air Control Wing (TAIRCW) and its subordinate 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron (TASS), a unit responsible for the Air Force's tactical air control system west of the
Mississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
transferred from Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas, and stood up at D-M, bringing 16 OA-37B aircraft and numerous new personnel to the base. The 23rd TASS became the Air Force's first O/A-10 squadron in 1988, providing heavily armed airborne forward air control (FAC) capability for the first time. Unlike all other D-M aircraft at the time, the 23rd TASS fleet's tail flash read "NF", for "Nail FAC"; the squadron's radio call sign was "Nail."
In 1984, as a result of the first series of Strategic Arms Reduction Treaties
START ISTART was a bilateral treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. The treaty was signed on 31 July 1991 and entered into force on 5 December 1994...
between the United States and the Soviet Union, SAC began to decommission its Titan II missile system. In 1982, the 390 SMW began removing its 18 missiles and inactivating the associated sites in preparation for eventual demolition.
In October 1981, President Ronald Reagan announced that, as part of the strategic modernization program, Titan II systems were to be retired by 1 October 1987. Deactivation began at Davis-Monthan on 1 October 1982. During the operation, titled "Rivet Cap", the missiles were removed and shipped to Norton AFB, California for refurbishment and storage. Explosive demolition began at the headworks of missile complex 570-7 on 30 November 1983. In May 1984, the 390 SMW's last Titan II at Davis-Monthan came off alert status. SAC subsequently deactivated the
390th Strategic Missile WingThe 390th Strategic Missile Wing was a United States Air Force Strategic Air Command organization. Its mission was to maintain and operationally control intercontinental ballistic missiles ....
on 30 June 1984.
One site under the 390 SMW, known both as Titan II Site 571-7 and as Air Force Facility Missile Site 8, was initially decommissioned in 1982. Located approximately 12 miles (19.3 km) south of Tucson in
Sahuarita, ArizonaSahuarita is a town in Pima County, Arizona, United States. Sahuarita is located south of the Tohono O'odham Nation and abuts the north end of Green Valley, 15 miles south of Tucson...
, it was saved from demolition and turned over to the Arizona Aerospace Foundation, a nonprofit organization which also administers the Pima Air and Space Museum immediately south of Davis-Monthan. With a variety of items on loan from the
National Museum of the United States Air ForceThe National Museum of the United States Air Force is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the world's largest and oldest military aviation museum with more than 360 aircraft and missiles on display...
, including an inert Titan II missile, Site 571-7 is now known as the
Titan Missile MuseumThe Titan Missile Museum, also known as Air Force Facility Missile Site 8 or as Titan II ICBM Site 571-7, is a former ICBM missile site located at 1580 West Duval Mine Road, Sahuarita, Arizona. It is located about 15 miles south of Tucson...
and is the sole remaining example of a Titan II missile site in existence. In 1994, the site was declared a
National Historic LandmarkA National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
Modern era
In the 1990s, the 355 TTW continued to train A-10 crews for assignments to units in the United States, England, and
KoreaKorea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. During this period, the 355 FW deployed Airborne Forward Air Controllers in their OA-10 aircraft to Operation Desert Storm, providing nearly 100 percent of this capability to the war.
On 1 October 1991, the 355 TTW was redesignated as the 355th Fighter Wing (355 FW) in tune with the Air Force's Objective Wing philosophy. The 355th Fighter Wing was composed of the 355th Operations Group (355 OG), the 355th Maintenance Group (355 MG), the 355th Medical Group (355 MDG), and the 355th Mission Support Group (355 MSG).
In May 1992, the
41st and 43d Electronic Combat Squadron, flying EC-130E Hercules Compass Call arrived. The aircraft carried an airborne battlefield command and control center capsule that provides continuous control of tactical air operations in the forward battle area and behind enemy lines. This capability added yet more strength to the wing's combat capability. The 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron "Bats" are part of the
55th WingThe 55th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command. The unit is stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska....
(55 WG) at Offut AFB,
NebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, but operate out of Davis-Monthan. In addition, the 42d Airborne Command and Control Squadron arrived from Keesler AFB,
MississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
on 19 July 1994.
On 1 May 1992, senior Air Force leaders implemented the policy of one base, one wing, one boss. The 836 AD and 602 TAIRCW inactivated while the 41 ECS and 43 ECS came under control of the 355 FW. With the mission diversified, the 355th Fighter Wing was redesignated as the 355th Wing (355 WG). Following Operation Desert Storm, the 355 WG supported
Operation Southern WatchOperation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
during deployments to Al Jaber, Kuwait, in 1997 by deploying 24 A-10s, in 1998 by deploying 16 A-10s, and in 1999 by deploying 14 A-10s—all to ensure compliance of the 33rd parallel southern no-fly zone. The flight and mysterious crash of Captain
Craig D. ButtonCraig David Button was a United States Air Force pilot who died when he crashed an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft in mysterious circumstances on April 2, 1997. During the incident, Captain Button inexplicably flew hundreds of miles off-course without radio contact, appeared to maneuver purposefully...
took off from Davis–Monthan Air Force Base on 12 April 1997.
Global War on Terrorism
The attacks on 11 September 2001, led to the initiation of three ongoing missions:
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF),
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and
Operation Noble EagleOperation Noble Eagle is the name given to military operations related to homelandsecurity and support to federal, state, and local agencies...
(ONE).
After the execution of Operation Enduring Freedom, eight A-10s from the 355 WG were called to
Bagram Air BaseBagram Airfield, also referred to as Bagram Air Base, is a militarized airport and housing complex that is located next to the ancient city of Bagram, southeast of Charikar in Parwan province of Afghanistan. The base is run by a US Army division headed by a major general. A large part of the base,...
,
AfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, to fly close air support missions supporting multinational ground forces.
In September 2002, the
48thThe 48th Rescue Squadron is part of the 563d Rescue Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. PJs/CROs primarily fly onboard HH-60 Pave Hawk aircraft while conducting search and rescue missions.-Mission:...
,
55thThe 55th Rescue Squadron is an aviation unit of the United States Air Force. It operates the HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter and provides rapidly deployable combat search and rescue forces to theater commanders worldwide...
, and the
79th Rescue Squadron'sThe 79th Rescue Squadron operates the HC-130P Hercules and provides rapidly deployable combat search and rescue forces to theater commanders worldwide. It conducts helicopter air refueling, airdrop, and airland of pararescue personnel and/or equipment in support of combat personnel recovery...
(RQS) transferred under control of the 355 WG, equipped with HC-130 aircraft and HH-60 helicopters. At the same time, the 41st and 43d Electronic Combat Squadrons were realigned under the control of the
55th Electronic Combat GroupThe 55th Electronic Combat Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, provides combat-ready EC-130H Compass Call aircraft, crews, maintenance and operational support to combatant commanders. The group is a geographically separated unit that falls under the command of the 55th Wing at Offutt AFB, NE...
(55 ECG). While personnel and aircraft remained on Davis-Monthan AFB, operational control of the 55 ECG was assumed by the
55th WingThe 55th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command. The unit is stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska....
at Offutt AFB,
NebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. Another major wing realignment occurred on 1 October 2003, with the activation of the 563rd Rescue Group (563 RQG) on Davis-Monthan AFB. Control of the 48th, 55th, and 79th Rescue Squadrons (RQS) was passed to the new group with the 23rd Wing (23 WG) at
Moody Air Force BaseMoody Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation located in Lowndes County and Lanier County, about northeast of Valdosta, Georgia, United States.Moody Air Force Base is home to the 23d Wing...
, Georgia assuming operational command of the unit.
In 2003 and 2005, the 354th Fighter Squadron (354 FS) "Bulldogs" deployed on five-month deployments to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. During these deployments, they provided 24-hour presence to reassure the Afghan population as it struggled with its emergent democracy, and provided key support during national elections. While the 2003 deployment saw limited action, the Bulldogs employed over 22,000 rounds of 30 mm during 130 troops-in-contact situations during the 2005 deployment. Returning to Afghanistan in April 2007 for another six-month deployment, the 345th again provided 24-hour presence and Close Air Support expertise to coalition forces in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During this period, insurgent activity level was the highest recorded to date in OEF. The Bulldogs employed an unprecedented number of munitions during this deployment—over 150,000 rounds of 30 mm in support of over 400 troops-in-contact situations.
Another major change occurred on 26 April 2007. With only A-10 fighter aircraft assigned, the 355th Wing was redesignated once again as the 355th Fighter Wing (355 FW). Also in 2007, the 214th Reconnaissance Group (214 RG), an Arizona Air National Guard unit, was activated. Today, the 355 FW is composed of four groups: the 355th Operations Group (355 OG), the 355th Maintenance Group (355 MG), the 355th Mission Support Group (355 MSG), and the 355th Medical Group (355 MDG). Together, along with their tenant organizations, they make up the 6,000 Airmen and 1,700 civilian personnel at Davis-Monthan AFB.
On Friday, 16 September 2011, the Base was placed on lockdown; news agencies reported shots may have been fired, possibly with injuries (the military spokesperson later said this was not the case, the base was simply on alert because an armed individual walked on to and was holed up in a building on the base). An ambulance had been called, but that was coincidental- a case of bad timing- as it was meant for a woman that had gone into labor. The military spokesperson, Technical Sergeant Russ Martin, stated that in fact there were no injuries or shots fired. No one is allowed on or off the Base; all students were accounted for. Because of the lockdown, there was a single point of entry at the Base. Later, the lockdown was ended; the situation apparently was peacefully resolved.
Previous names
- Established as: Davis-Monthan Landing Field, 1 November 1925
- Tucson Municipal Airport, 6 October 1927
- Davis-Monthan Field, 3 December 1941
- Davis-Monthan AFB, 13 January 1948–present
Major commands to which assigned
- Fourth Air Force
The Fourth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve . It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California....
, 1 February 1942 – 8 February 1943
- Second Air Force
The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, 8 February 1943 – 16 November 1945
- Air Technical Service Command, 16 November 1945 – 31 March 1946
- Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
, 31 March 1946 – 1 October 1976
- Tactical Air Command
Tactical 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...
, 1 October 1976 – 1 June 1992
- Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
, 1 June 1992 – present
Major units assigned
- 41st Bombardment Group
The 41st Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Seventh Air Force stationed at Manila, Philippines. It was inactivated on 27 January 1946....
, 15 January – 14 May 1941
- 31st Air Base Group, 30 April 1941 – 30 April 1942
- Redesignated: 31st Service Group, 30 April – 16 August 1942
- 1st Bombardment Wing
The 1st Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. It was the first wing formed in the reorganized United States Army Air Service, created in August 1919 to control three groups patrolling the border with Mexico after revolution broke out there. Its last assignment was with...
, 28 May 1941 – 16 July 1942
- 4th (later IV) Bomber Command, 19 September – 15 December 1941
- 382d Bombardment Group
The 382d Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Army Service Forces, being stationed at Camp Azna, California. It was inactivated on 4 January 1946....
, 23 January 1942 – 4 April 1943
- 39th Bombardment Group
The 39th Air Base Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey...
, 5 February – 1 April 1942
- 327th Air Base Group, 2 March – 1 May 1942
- 335th Air Base Group, 30 March 1942 – 2 February 1943
- 34th Bombardment Group
The 34th Training Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The commander of the 34th Training Wing is dual-hatted as the Commandant of Cadets at the Academy....
, 13 May – 1 July 1942
- 32d Base HQ and Air Base Sq, 13 June 1942 – 25 March 1944
- 308th Bombardment Group
The United States Air Force's 308th Armament Systems Wing is a non-flying wing based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.-Overview:The wing was activated in 2004 to design, develop, field and maintain a family of air-to-ground munitions that enhance warfighter strike capabilities.The mission of the...
, 20 June – 1 October 1942
- 302d Bombardment Group
The 302nd Airlift Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force Reserve based out of Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado.-Mission:...
, 23 June – 30 July 1942; 2 December 1942 – 27 January 1943
- 381st Base HQ & Air Base Group, 27 June – 18 November 1942
- 380th Bombardment Group
The 380th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is attached to the United States Air Forces Central component of ACC and is stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates....
, 3 October – 1 December 1942
- 385th Bombardment Group
The 385th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Mobility Command. It was last known to be stationed at Incirlik AB, Turkey...
, 1 December 1942 – 3 January 1943
- 389th Bombardment Group
The 389th Strategic Missile Wing is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with the 13th Strategic Missile Division, being stationed at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It was inactivated on 25 March 1965...
, 24 December 1942 – 1 February 1943
- 392d Bombardment Group
The 392d Strategic Missile Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 1st Strategic Aerospace Division, stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California...
, 26 January – 1 March 1943
- 399th Bombardment Group
The 399th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Fourth Air Force, being stationed at March Field, California. It was inactivated on 31 March 1944....
, 1 March – 10 April 1943
- 444th Bombardment Group
The 444th Air Expeditionary Wing was a United States Air Force provisional unit possibly allocated to Air Materiel Command during Operation Iraqi Freedom...
, 1 March – 31 July 1943; 1 May – 1 October 1946
- 446th Bombardment Group
The 446th Airlift Wing is a United States Air Force Reserve unit. The wing is stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. If ordered to Active Service, the unit would come under the Air Mobility Command 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force....
, 1 April – 6 June 1943
- 5th Altitude Training Unit, 10 April 1943 – 1 April 1944
- 400th Bombardment Group
The 400th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the First Air Force, stationed at Charleston Army Airfield, South Carolina. It was inactivated on 10 April 1944....
, 11 April – 1 May 1943
- 447th Bombardment Group
The 447th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command United States Air Forces Central.The unit presently is stationed at Sather Air Base on Baghdad International Airport in Iraq....
, 1 May – 4 July 1943
- 449th Bombardment Group, 1 May – 5 July 1943
- 451st Bombardment Group
The 451st Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force Air Combat Command unit. It is one of two AEWs in Afghanistan, presently assigned to Kandahar Airfield and is also the host unit at Kandahar....
, 1 May – 3 June 1943
- 16th Bombardment Operational Training Wing, 1 June – 12 October 1943
- 459th Bombardment Group
The 459th Air Refueling Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command unit based at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility since 1954.-Overview:...
, 22 September – 25 October 1943
- 491st Bombardment Group
The 491st Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the II Bomber Command, stationed at McChord Field, Washington. It was inactivated on 8 September 1945....
,1 October – 11 November 1943
- 486th Bombardment Group
The 486th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time....
, 9 November 1943 – 9 March 1944
- 499th Bombardment Group
The United States Air Force's 499th Air Refueling Wing was an aerial refueling unit located at Westover AFB, Massachusetts. It was inactivated in 1966....
, 20 November – 1 December 1943
- 233d AAF Base Unit, 25 March 1944 – 16 November 1945
- 502d Bombardment Group
The 502d Bombardment Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces combat organization. The unit was inactivated on 15 April 1946....
, 1–5 June 1944
- 489th Bombardment Group
The 489th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the IV Bomber Command, stationed at Drew Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945....
, 3 April – 13 July 1945
- 466th Bombardment Group
The 466th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the Second Air Force, being stationed at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona. It was inactivated on 17 October 1945...
, 26 August – 17 October 1945
- 39th Bombardment Group
The 39th Air Base Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey...
, 1 September – 17 October 1945
- 4105th AAF Base Unit, 16 November 1945 – 31 March 1946
- 248th AAF Base Unit, 31 March 1946 – 19 November 1947
- 28th Services Group, 10 May 1946 – 19 November 1947
- 40th Bombardment Group
The United States Air Force's 40th Air Expeditionary Wing was an Air expeditionary unit located at Diego Garcia, in the Indian Ocean, from 2001 to c. 2006....
, 13 May – 1 October 1946
- 43d Bombardment Group
The 43rd Airlift Group is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Pope Army Airfield, part of Fort Bragg, North Carolina.The 43 AG performs en route operations support at Pope AAF to include mission command & control, aircrew management, aircraft maintenance, aircraft loading, aircraft fueling...
, 1 October 1946 – 17 November 1947
- 419th Army Air Force (later Air Force) Base Unit, 1 November 1946 – 27 June 1949
- 57th Fighter Squadron
The 57th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, also known as "The Black Knights of Keflavik", is an inactive United States Air Force unit. The 57 FIS was last stationed at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland. It was inactivated on 1 March, 1995.-World War II:...
, 15 May 1947 – 27 June 1949
- 303d Air Services Group, 27 September – 7 November 1947
- 43d Bombardment Wing
The 43rd Airlift Group is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Pope Army Airfield, part of Fort Bragg, North Carolina.The 43 AG performs en route operations support at Pope AAF to include mission command & control, aircrew management, aircraft maintenance, aircraft loading, aircraft fueling...
, 17 November 1947 – 15 March 1960
- 2nd Bombardment Wing
The 2d Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command and Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The wing is also the host unit at Barksdale...
, 31 December 1948 – 1 January 1949
- 459th Bombardment Group
The 459th Air Refueling Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command unit based at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility since 1954.-Overview:...
, 27 January 1949 – 16 June 1951
- 303d Bombardment Wing
The 303d Aeronautical Systems Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Material Command Aeronautical Systems Center. It is stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio as a tenant unit....
, 4 September 1951 – 8 June 1964
- 36th Air Division, 15 June 1952 – 15 March 1960
- 803d Air Base (later Combat Support) Group, 16 June 1952 – 30 April 1976
- 15th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
The 15th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command Phoenix Air Defense Sector stationed at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona...
(ADC), 20 April 1953 – 24 December 1964
- 2704th AAF Aircraft Storage & Disposition Group, 1 August 1959 – 1 February 1965
- Redesignated: Military Aircraft Storage and Redistribution Center, 1 February 1965 – 1 July 1984
- Redesignated: Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center, 1 July 1984
- Redesignated: 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, 1 May 2007 – present
- 390th Bombardment (later Strategic Missile) Wing
The 390th Strategic Missile Wing was a United States Air Force Strategic Air Command organization. Its mission was to maintain and operationally control intercontinental ballistic missiles ....
, 1 January 1962–1984
- 12th Air Division, 16 January 1962 – 30 September 1976
- 4080th Strategic Wing, 1 July 1963 – 25 June 1966
- 4453d Combat Crew Training Wing, 1 July 1964 – 30 September 1971
- 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
The 100th Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England. It is also the host wing at RAF Mildenhall....
, 25 June 1966 – 30 September 1976
- 355th Fighter Wing
The 355th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command's Twelfth Air Force. It is stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, where in operates the A-10 Thunderbolt II...
(Various Designations) 1 July 1971 – present
- 432d Tactical Drone Group, 1 July 1976 – 1 April 1979
- 836th Air Division
The 836th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, assigned to Twelfth Air Force, being stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona...
, 1 January 1981 – 1 May 1992
- 55th Electronic Combat Group
The 55th Electronic Combat Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, provides combat-ready EC-130H Compass Call aircraft, crews, maintenance and operational support to combatant commanders. The group is a geographically separated unit that falls under the command of the 55th Wing at Offutt AFB, NE...
, April 1, 1992 – present
- Twelfth Air Force, 1 October 1992 – present
- 563d Rescue Group, 1 October 2003 – present
- 943d Rescue Group, 12 April 2005 – present
See also
- Arizona World War II Army Airfields
During World War II, the United States Army Air Force established numerous airfields in Arizona for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers....
- Western Air Defense Force
The Western Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.- History :...
(Air Defense Command)
- Pima Air & Space Museum is located adjacent to the Davis–Monthan Air Force Base
External links
- USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to present
- Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Newspaper, Desert Lightning News
- Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Official Homepage
- Davis-Monthan Army Airfield in World War II
- Davis-Monthan Air Force Base at GlobalSecurity.org
GlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...
- Davis-Monthan Agave Gulch FamCamp information.
- Lt Col Harold W. Moll memorial webpage
- Col Moll was assigned to the 444th Bombardment Group and 43d Bombardment Group/Wing at D-M.
- The Short, Happy Life of the Glick-Em
- Arizona activates ANG Predator unit at D-M
- Davis-Monthan Air Force Base at Google Maps
Google Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...