Wings of Blue
Encyclopedia
The 98th Flying Training Squadron (98 FTS) is a United States Air Force
unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command
306th Flying Training Group
. It is stationed at the United States Air Force Academy
, Colorado
.
The mission of the 98 FTS is to provide parachute
training to cadets. The basic program trains 1,200 students per year with the majority of positions given to USAF Academy cadets. ROTC cadets are assigned positions on an availability and timing basis.
What started as a club training 25 students a year has grown into a premier character development program training 600 to 1,200 cadets annually and field nationally recognized competition and demonstration teams.
The basic AM-490 program, which was using round parachutes since its conception, evolved with the use of modern piggy back container systems and square parachutes for both the main and reserve. Each student is equipped with a radio so all landings can be assisted from the ground. The basic program trains 1,200 students per year with the majority of positions given to USAF Academy cadets. ROTC cadets are assigned positions on an availability and timing basis.
unit at the United States Air Force Academy
, near Colorado Springs, Colorado
. The team operates as the 98th Flying Training Squadron, 306th Flying Training Group
, Air Education and Training Command
.
Over the last several decades, the Wings of Blue has been one of the outstanding parachute units in the United States. Since 1967, cadets have dominated national intercollegiate parachuting, winning 21 national championships. They perform about 50 demonstrations each year, and have shown off their skills at the Copper Bowl, Fiesta Bowl
, and Pro Bowl
and most Air Force Falcons football
games. The team travels locally, nationally, and internationally to perform in air shows and competitions. Their stated mission is to: "Develop airmen through flight in its purest form--STAND IN THE DOOR!"
Robert W. Strong Jr. "had a dilemma on his hands. After all, balancing against the weight of these young men's sin was the positive publicity they had brought upon themselves and the Academy. However illegal their activities, they were on to something good".
Each year since then, more than 800 cadets, officers, and enlisted members, from both U.S. and foreign services, complete five free fall
jumps and earn their parachutist badge
and rating. The Air Force Academy offers the only jump program in the world authorized to allow students to perform unassisted free fall delays on their first jump without any prior jump experience. Although parachutist wings are awarded, they are non-operational in any Department of Defense
unit; to be in an airborne
operational unit or functioned job, personnel must complete the United States Army Airborne School
in Ft. Benning, Georgia
.
Prior to each of the five jumps, students in the AM-490 class receive two gear inspections to ensure their parachutes are fitted and working properly. These thorough inspections guarantee that the parachute's main and reserve canopy firing devices are on and accurately calibrated, and their gear is not defective. Students also receive a comprehensive briefing from the jumpmaster before loading the aircraft. Once airborne, the jumpmaster
determines the exit/opening point, which varies with the day's wind patterns, student's receive their third and final gear inspection as the plane turns inbound for the jump run. At 4,500 feet above ground level
(AGL), winds rush into the fuselage as the jumpmaster opens the door then instructs the first jumper to: "STAND IN THE DOOR!"
, and stay steadfast to their core mission as Airmanship 490 instructors and jumpmasters.
Both the Junior and Senior competition teams are composed of approximately ten members: two four-way teams, and one two-member team performing vertical relative work, also known as freefly. All 20 members compete in canopy accuracy as well. In the aerial events, teams are given 35 to 40 seconds to complete a preplanned formation maneuvers after exiting the plane. Jumpers exit with a videographer who records the jump for judging. The competition team represents the Wings of Blue at numerous competitions across the country, to include the National Skydiving Championships, National Collegiate Parachuting Championships, Black and Gold Competition (an all military competition), and numerous other free fall and accuracy meets throughout the year. The comp team fares well in all these meets, winning medals at many of the meets they attend. To date, the PTWOB competition team has been recognized as the leading collegiate team in the nation 29 of the last 39 years.
The demonstration team is composed of the remaining team members in the AM-496 program. This team represents the Wings of Blue around the nation at Air Force
forums, air shows, football games
, and various other sporting events, and at other civilian requests. The demo team puts on quite a show for crowds all across the United States, as well in other countries. Their act is composed of relative work consisting of colored smoke
jumping, and flag/streamer presentations. The demo team is also well known for its appearance at major college football
bowl game
s during the holiday season, as well as Monday Night Football
games.
s in Hawaii
with a mission to perform defensive reconnaissance over the Pacific approaches to the islands. After the Attack on Pearl Harbor
, performed search and rescue and antisubmarine patrols. Re-equipped with B-17E Flying Fortresses and sent to South Pacific, engaging in long-range bombardment missions against Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands
campaign. Re-equipped with long-range B-24 Liberator
s when the Flying Fortresses were reassigned to support British forces in Egypt
. Engaged in combat operations in Central and South Pacific areas, also supported the liberation of the Philippines
and seizure of Okinawa. Carried out attacks from Okinawa over China
and Formosa
until the end the war in the Pacific.
Awarded Distinguished Unit Unit Citation: South Pacific, 31 July-30 November 1942. Presidential Unit Citation: [1942] for actions in the Paupa New Guinea and Guadalcanal campaigns.
Re-equipped with B-29 Superfortress
es in 1946; became part of Far East Air Forces; non-operational, 1947-1948. Reassigned to Carswell AFB, Texas
in 1949 and became a B-36 Peacekeeper strategic bombardment squadron.
In 1959 was reassigned to SAC provisional 4123d Strategic Wing, being re-equipped with B-52E Stratofortress intercontinental heavy bombers. Was reassigned to Clinton-Sherman AFB, Oklahoma
by SAC to disperse its heavy bomber force. Conducted worldwide strategic bombardment training missions and providing nuclear deterrent. Was inactivated in 1963 when SAC inactivated its provisional Strategic Wings, redesignating them permanent Air Force Wings. Squadron was inactivated with aircraft/personnel/equipment being redesignated 6th Bombardment Squadron
in an in-place, name-only transfer.
The squadron was reactivated in 1988 as an undergraduate pilot training (UPT) squadron at Williams AFB, Arizona
, and equipped with the Cessna T-37 Tweet. It was inactivated in 1992 with the closure of Williams AFB.
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...
unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
306th Flying Training Group
306th Flying Training Group
The 306th Flying Training Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force...
. It is stationed at the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
The mission of the 98 FTS is to provide parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
training to cadets. The basic program trains 1,200 students per year with the majority of positions given to USAF Academy cadets. ROTC cadets are assigned positions on an availability and timing basis.
Overview
In 1995, the 98th Flying Training Squadron was reactivated as a parachute training squadron at the United States Air Force Academy. With Air Staff approval to teach military parachuting, the parachute Branch under the Airmanship Division of the AFA was born in the Spring of 1966. In 1982, parachuting became a flight under the 94th ATS. In 1995, the Parachute Flight grew too large and was designated the 98th FTS.What started as a club training 25 students a year has grown into a premier character development program training 600 to 1,200 cadets annually and field nationally recognized competition and demonstration teams.
The basic AM-490 program, which was using round parachutes since its conception, evolved with the use of modern piggy back container systems and square parachutes for both the main and reserve. Each student is equipped with a radio so all landings can be assisted from the ground. The basic program trains 1,200 students per year with the majority of positions given to USAF Academy cadets. ROTC cadets are assigned positions on an availability and timing basis.
Training Overview
The Wings of Blue (sometimes known as PTWOBs, and stands for "Parachute Team - Wings of Blue"), is the parachutingParachuting
Parachuting, also known as skydiving, is the action of exiting an aircraft and returning to earth with the aid of a parachute. It may or may not involve a certain amount of free-fall, a time during which the parachute has not been deployed and the body gradually accelerates to terminal...
unit at the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
, near Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
. The team operates as the 98th Flying Training Squadron, 306th Flying Training Group
306th Flying Training Group
The 306th Flying Training Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force...
, Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
.
Over the last several decades, the Wings of Blue has been one of the outstanding parachute units in the United States. Since 1967, cadets have dominated national intercollegiate parachuting, winning 21 national championships. They perform about 50 demonstrations each year, and have shown off their skills at the Copper Bowl, Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
, and Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
and most Air Force Falcons football
Air Force Falcons football
The Air Force Falcons are a college football team from the United States Air Force Academy, located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA Division I and the Mountain West Conference.-Style:...
games. The team travels locally, nationally, and internationally to perform in air shows and competitions. Their stated mission is to: "Develop airmen through flight in its purest form--STAND IN THE DOOR!"
Training History
Parachuting at the U.S. Air Force Academy began in 1964 when a group of ambitious cadets took to the skies. The activity, at the time, was off-limits to cadets. Knowing full well the consequences if caught participating, their involvements were nonetheless revealed through their own irrepressible success. That spring, Cadet First Class (senior) Jay Kelley and Cadet Third Class (sophomore) Pete Johnston paired and won a novice team accuracy event—the Academy's first gold medal in collegiate competition. Their achievements that day resulted in an invitational demonstration at the Pueblo Army Depot, after which the commander at Fort Carson sent a very nice letter to the Academy's superintendent, thanking him for allowing the fine young men of his skydiving team to participate". After a thorough investigation, the Commandant of Cadets, Brigadier GeneralBrigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Robert W. Strong Jr. "had a dilemma on his hands. After all, balancing against the weight of these young men's sin was the positive publicity they had brought upon themselves and the Academy. However illegal their activities, they were on to something good".
Each year since then, more than 800 cadets, officers, and enlisted members, from both U.S. and foreign services, complete five free fall
Free fall
Free fall is any motion of a body where gravity is the only force acting upon it, at least initially. These conditions produce an inertial trajectory so long as gravity remains the only force. Since this definition does not specify velocity, it also applies to objects initially moving upward...
jumps and earn their parachutist badge
Parachutist Badge
The Parachutist Badge or Parachutist Brevet is a military badge awarded by the Armed Forces of most countries in the world to soldiers who receive the proper parachute training and accomplish the required number of jumps. It is difficult to assess which country was the first to introduce such award...
and rating. The Air Force Academy offers the only jump program in the world authorized to allow students to perform unassisted free fall delays on their first jump without any prior jump experience. Although parachutist wings are awarded, they are non-operational in any Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
unit; to be in an airborne
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...
operational unit or functioned job, personnel must complete the United States Army Airborne School
United States Army Airborne School
The United States Army Airborne School — widely known as Jump School — conducts the basic paratrooper training for the United States armed forces. It is operated by the 1st Battalion , 507th Infantry, United States Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia...
in Ft. Benning, Georgia
Georgia (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...
.
Airmanship 490
Airmanship 490 (AM-490) is the basic free fall course instructed by members of the Wings of Blue. Students enrolled in the course undergo more than 30 hours of ground training prior to their first free fall jump. The rigorous ground training introduces and develops procedures and techniques for high altitude free fall, and for operating a steerable parachute system. The course focuses on safety and emergency procedures to aid the students' ability to overcome their fears and perform under the extremely stressful and potentially life-threatening situations they may encounter.Prior to each of the five jumps, students in the AM-490 class receive two gear inspections to ensure their parachutes are fitted and working properly. These thorough inspections guarantee that the parachute's main and reserve canopy firing devices are on and accurately calibrated, and their gear is not defective. Students also receive a comprehensive briefing from the jumpmaster before loading the aircraft. Once airborne, the jumpmaster
Jumpmaster
Jumpmasters are the expert Paratroopers in an Airborne unit who train and teach the military techniques for jumping from airplanes. They are responsible for transforming Soldiers who enter Army Airborne School into Paratroopers and managing Airborne jump operations in Airborne units across all...
determines the exit/opening point, which varies with the day's wind patterns, student's receive their third and final gear inspection as the plane turns inbound for the jump run. At 4,500 feet above ground level
Above ground level
In aviation and atmospheric sciences, an altitude is said to be above ground level when it is measured with respect to the underlying ground surface. This is as opposed to above mean sea level , or in broadcast engineering, height above average terrain...
(AGL), winds rush into the fuselage as the jumpmaster opens the door then instructs the first jumper to: "STAND IN THE DOOR!"
Airmanship 491/492
Before the Fall semester begins, 25 cadets entering their sophomore year at the Academy are hand-selected from approximately 200 applicants for an upgrade program into the Wings of Blue, known informally as the "Wings of Green". In their first semester in AM-491 they fine tune their free fall skills, completing the various stages of advanced military free fall. In the Spring semester the students enter AM-492, where they complete the rigorous training to become jumpmasters, and instruct a AM-490 class under the supervision of senior cadets on the Wings of Blue. After a year of training the Wings of Green graduate onto the Wings of Blue and are recognized not only as AM-490 instructors, but qualified aircrew members for the 98th Flying Training Squadron operations.Airmanship 496
Airmanship 496 (AM-496) is composed of the junior and senior Wings of Blue members. This group is divided into the junior competition/demonstration team, and the senior competition/demonstration team. While cadets in AM-496 dedicate themselves to the demands of their individual teams, they remain united in their performance of duties within the squadron, team dynamicsTeam Dynamics
Team Dynamics is a UK-based motor-racing team based in Pershore, Worcestershire; best known for their successes as an independent squad in the British Touring Car Championship, including winning the Overall Drivers title in 2005 and 2006 with Matt Neal...
, and stay steadfast to their core mission as Airmanship 490 instructors and jumpmasters.
Both the Junior and Senior competition teams are composed of approximately ten members: two four-way teams, and one two-member team performing vertical relative work, also known as freefly. All 20 members compete in canopy accuracy as well. In the aerial events, teams are given 35 to 40 seconds to complete a preplanned formation maneuvers after exiting the plane. Jumpers exit with a videographer who records the jump for judging. The competition team represents the Wings of Blue at numerous competitions across the country, to include the National Skydiving Championships, National Collegiate Parachuting Championships, Black and Gold Competition (an all military competition), and numerous other free fall and accuracy meets throughout the year. The comp team fares well in all these meets, winning medals at many of the meets they attend. To date, the PTWOB competition team has been recognized as the leading collegiate team in the nation 29 of the last 39 years.
The demonstration team is composed of the remaining team members in the AM-496 program. This team represents the Wings of Blue around the nation at Air Force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
forums, air shows, football games
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, and various other sporting events, and at other civilian requests. The demo team puts on quite a show for crowds all across the United States, as well in other countries. Their act is composed of relative work consisting of colored smoke
Colored smoke
Colored smoke is a kind of smoke created by an aerosol of small particles of a suitable pigment or dye.Colored smoke can be used for smoke signals, often in a military context. It can be produced by smoke grenades, or by various other pyrotechnical devices...
jumping, and flag/streamer presentations. The demo team is also well known for its appearance at major college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
s during the holiday season, as well as Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
games.
Squadron History
The 98th FTS has its origins in 1941, being initially organized with B-18 BoloB-18 Bolo
The Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
s in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii 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...
with a mission to perform defensive reconnaissance over the Pacific approaches to the islands. After the Attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The 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...
, performed search and rescue and antisubmarine patrols. Re-equipped with B-17E Flying Fortresses and sent to South Pacific, engaging in long-range bombardment missions against Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
campaign. Re-equipped with long-range B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
s when the Flying Fortresses were reassigned to support British forces in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. Engaged in combat operations in Central and South Pacific areas, also supported the liberation of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and seizure of Okinawa. Carried out attacks from Okinawa over China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Formosa
Formosa
Formosa or Ilha Formosa is a Portuguese historical name for Taiwan , literally meaning, "Beautiful Island". The term may also refer to:-Places:* Formosa Strait, another name for the Taiwan Strait...
until the end the war in the Pacific.
Awarded Distinguished Unit Unit Citation: South Pacific, 31 July-30 November 1942. Presidential Unit Citation: [1942] for actions in the Paupa New Guinea and Guadalcanal campaigns.
Re-equipped with B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
es in 1946; became part of Far East Air Forces; non-operational, 1947-1948. Reassigned to Carswell AFB, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in 1949 and became a B-36 Peacekeeper strategic bombardment squadron.
In 1959 was reassigned to SAC provisional 4123d Strategic Wing, being re-equipped with B-52E Stratofortress intercontinental heavy bombers. Was reassigned to Clinton-Sherman AFB, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
by SAC to disperse its heavy bomber force. Conducted worldwide strategic bombardment training missions and providing nuclear deterrent. Was inactivated in 1963 when SAC inactivated its provisional Strategic Wings, redesignating them permanent Air Force Wings. Squadron was inactivated with aircraft/personnel/equipment being redesignated 6th Bombardment Squadron
6th Bombardment Squadron
The 6th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit, which was last assigned to the 70th Bombardment Wing, and was inactivated at Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base, Oklahoma on 31 December 1969.-History:...
in an in-place, name-only transfer.
The squadron was reactivated in 1988 as an undergraduate pilot training (UPT) squadron at Williams AFB, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, and equipped with the Cessna T-37 Tweet. It was inactivated in 1992 with the closure of Williams AFB.
Lineage
- Constituted 98th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 2 December 1941.
- Activated on 16 December 1941
- Redesignated 98th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 30 April 1946
- Inactivated on 20 October 1948
- Redesignated 98th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), and activated, on 1 December 1948
- Discontinued, and inactivated on 1 February 1963; personnel/aircraft/equipment redesignated as 6th Bombardment Squadron6th Bombardment SquadronThe 6th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit, which was last assigned to the 70th Bombardment Wing, and was inactivated at Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base, Oklahoma on 31 December 1969.-History:...
- Redesignated 98th Flying Training Squadron on 29 April 1988
- Activated on 1 June 1988
- Inactivated on 26 June 1992
- Reactivated on 31 October 1994
Assignments
- 11th Bombardment Group, 16 December 1941-20 October 1948; 1 December 1948-16 June 1952
- 11th Bombardment Wing, 16 June 1952-10 December 1957
- 4123d Strategic Wing, 10 December 1957-1 February 1963
- 82d Flying Training Wing, 1 June 1988.
- 82d Operations Group82d Operations GroupThe 82d Operations Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 82d Training Wing, being assigned to Williams Air Force Base, Arizona...
, 15 December 1991 - 26 June 1992. - 34th Operations Group34th Training WingThe 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....
, 31 October 1994 - 1 October 2004. - 306th Flying Training Group306th Flying Training GroupThe 306th Flying Training Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force...
, 1 October 2004 to Present
Stations
- Hickam Field, Territory of HawaiiHawaiiHawaii 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...
, 16 December 1941 - Luganville AirfieldSanto-Pekoa International AirportSanto-Pekoa International Airport is an airport in Luganville on Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu . Airports Vanuatu Limited provides aviation services for the airport.-Airlines and destinations:-History:...
, Espiritu SantoEspiritu SantoEspiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
, New HebridesNew HebridesNew Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...
, 11 August 1942
- Operated from Plaine Des Gaiacs AirfieldPlaine Des Gaiacs AirfieldPlaine Des Gaiacs Airfield is a former World War II airfield on New Caledonia, Melanesia in the South Pacific. It is located at Plaine Des Gaiacs near the village of Pouembout...
, New CaledoniaNew CaledoniaNew Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
, 21 July-11 August 1942 - Operated from Henderson Field, GuadalcanalGuadalcanalGuadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
, November 1942- Mokuleia Airfield, Territory of HawaiiHawaiiHawaii 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...
, 8 April 1943 - Nukufetau AirfieldNukufetau AirfieldNukufetau Airfield is a former wartime airfield on the south-eastern side of Nukufetau on Motulalo Island.-History:Built by United States Navy Seabees on Motulalo island as an alternative strip to Nanumea and Funafuti airfields and allow for further dispersal of aircraft in the region...
, NukufetauNukufetauNukufetau is an atoll that is part of the nation of Tuvalu. The atoll was claimed by the US under the Guano Islands Act some time in the 19th century and was ceded in a treaty of friendship concluded in 1979 and coming into force in 1983...
, Gilbert and Ellice IslandsGilbert and Ellice IslandsThe Gilbert and Ellice Islands were a British protectorate from 1892 and colony from 1916 until 1 January 1976, when the islands were divided into two different colonies which became independent nations shortly after...
, 11 November 1943 - Hawkins FieldHawkins Field (Tarawa)Hawkins Field is a former World War II airfield on Betio, Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands of the Central Pacific.The airfield was named in honor of USMC 1st Lt. William Dean Hawkins who was killed in the battle to recapture Tarawa, and earned the Medal of Honor.-History:The airfield was built by the...
, 20 January 1944 - Kwajalein AirfieldBucholz Army AirfieldBucholz Army Airfield is a United States Army airfield located on Kwajalein Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. Its position is ideal for refueling during trans-Pacific flights, and the airport is available to civilians through Air Marshall Islands and Continental Airlines, and formerly...
, KwajaleinKwajaleinKwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
, Marshall IslandsMarshall IslandsThe Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
, 3 April 1944
- Mokuleia Airfield, Territory of Hawaii
- Agana Airfield, GuamGuamGuam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, 21 October 1944 - Kadena Airfield, Okinawa 2 July 1945
- Fort William McKinleyFort William McKinleyFort William McKinley, was established in the Philippines during the Philippine–American War in 1901 when the whole land south of Pasig River down to Alabang was declared a U.S. Military Reservation. During the World War II era, it was where USAFFE had its headquarters for the Philippine Department...
, ManilaManilaManila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, 1948 - Carswell AFB, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, 1 December 1948
- Deployed to: RAF Brize NortonRAF Brize NortonRAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, about west north-west of London, is the largest station of the Royal Air Force. It is close to the settlements of Brize Norton, Carterton and Witney....
, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 27 June–7 July 1952 - Deployed to: Nouasseur AB, French MoroccoFrench MoroccoFrench Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
; 6–14 April, 30 June–29 July 1954, 2–9 May 1955, 15–27 February and October 1956.- Clinton-Sherman AFB, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, 1 March 1959-1 February 1963 - Williams AFB, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, 1 June 1988–26 June 1992 - USAF Academy, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 31 October 1994 to present
- Clinton-Sherman AFB, Oklahoma
Aircraft
- B-18 BoloB-18 BoloThe Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
, 1942 - B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1943
- B-24 LiberatorB-24 LiberatorThe Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
, 1943–1945 - B-29 SuperfortressB-29 SuperfortressThe B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
, 1946. - B-36 Peacemaker, 1949–1957
- B-52 StratofortressB-52 StratofortressThe Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
, 1958–1963 - T-37 Tweet, 1988–1992
- UV-18B, Twin Otter, 1994–present