40th Air Expeditionary Wing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| 40th Air Expeditionary Wing | |
|---|---|
 40th Air Expeditionary Wing emblem |
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| Active | 22 November 1940 -Present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Garrison/HQ | , |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
David A. Burchinal |
The United States Air Force's 40th Air Expeditionary Wing (40 AEW) is an Air Expeditionary unit located at Diego Garcia, Indian Ocean.
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[edit] Mission
The 40 AEW's current mission is to support combat forces in Afghanistan and other combat areas supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
The task of developing a comprehensive listing units present in Iraq, Afghanistan and other combat areas is particularly difficult as the events of 11 September 2001 and the Global War on Terrorism has made such an effort significantly difficult. The USAF seeks to improve operational security (OPSEC) and to deceive potential enemies as to the extent of American operations, therefore a listing of which units deploying where and when is unavailable.
[edit] Known Units
- 9th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron
- 40th Bomb Squadron
- 40th Expeditionary Logistics Group
- 60th Air Expeditionary Group
- 321st Air Expeditionary Group [Jacobabad]
- 462nd Air Expeditionary Group
[edit] History
[edit] Lineage
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United States Army Air Forces
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United States Air Force
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[edit] Bases stationed
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United States Army Air Forces
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United States Air Force
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[edit] Aircraft & Missiles Operated
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United States Army Air Forces |
United States Air Force |
[edit] Operational History
[edit] World War II
Operational Units:
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Constituted as 40th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 22 Nov 1940. Activated in Puerto Rico on 1 Apr 1941. Redesignated 40th Bombardment Group (Heavy) in May 1942. Trained and patrolled the Caribbean area, using B-17 and B-26 aircraft. Operated first from Puerto Rico and later from the Panama Canal Zone.
Moved to the US in Jun 1943. Redesignated 40th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) in Nov 1943. After training with B-29's, moved to India, via Africa, Mar-Jun 1944. Assigned to Twentieth AF in Jun 1944. Transported supplies over the Hump to staging bases in China before entering combat with a strike on railroad shops at Bangkok, Thailand, on 5 Jun 1944. On 15 Jun participated in the first AAF attack on Japan since the Doolittle raid in 1942. Operating from bases in India, and at times staging through fields in China, the group struck such targets as transportation centers, naval installations, iron works, and aircraft plants in Burma, Thailand, China, Japan, Indonesia, and Formosa, receiving a DUC for bombing iron and steel works at Yawata, Japan, on 20 Aug 1944. From a staging field in Ceylon, it mined waters near the port of Palembang, Sumatra, in Aug 1944.
Moved to Tinian, Feb-Apr 1945, for further operations against Japan. Made daylight attacks from high altitude on strategic targets, participated in incendiary raids on urban areas, and dropped mines in Japanese shipping lanes. Received a DUC for attacking naval aircraft factories at Kure, oil storage facilities at Oshima, and the industrial area of Nagoya, in May 1945. Raided light metal industries in Osaka in Jul 1945, being awarded another DUC for this mission. After V-J Day, dropped food and supplies to Allied prisoners in Japan, Korea, and Formosa, and took part in show-of-force missions. Returned to the US in Nov 1945.
The 40th Bombardment Group was one of the ten existing bombardment groups assigned to SAC when it was first formed March 21, 1946. The group was relocated to Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona. It turned in its aircraft and was inactivated on Oct. 1, 1946.
[edit] Cold War
Operational Units:
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Established as the 40th Bombardment Wing, Medium on May 9, 1952. Activated at Schilling Air Force Base, (then Smoky Hill) on May 28, 1952. Although activated, it was not manned until early February 1953, when it gained personnel and equipment from a provisional squadron originally established at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona as a holding unit for people and equipment surplus to another SAC wing. Received control and guidance from the 310th Bombardment Wing at Smoky Hill until May 1, 1953.
By October 1953, all tactical squadrons were minimally operational. Flew B-29s in 1953-1954. In 1953, the wing gained KC-97s and took on a refueling mission.
Transitioned to the new all-jet B-47 in 1954 and became combat ready in 1955. Performed bombardment training and air refueling operations to meet SAC's global commitments from 1955 to 1964. Deployed at Lakenheath RAF Station, England June 9, to September 9, 1955. Deployed to Greenland Common RAF Station, England July - October 1957. Transferred to Forbes AFB June 20, 1960.
At Forbes, the 40th Bomb Wing gained an Atlas missile squadron in January 1964, and was redesignated the 40th Strategic Aerospace Wing. Began phasing down for inactivation shortly thereafter and was non-operational from August 15, to Sept. 1, 1964.
Discontinued and inactivated September 1, 1964.
[edit] Global War On Terrorism
Reactivated 2001 as Air Expeditionary Wing to perform combat activities as part of the Global War On Terrorism.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Endicott, Judy G. (1999) Active Air Force wings as of 1 October 1995; USAF active flying, space, and missile squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. CD-ROM.
- Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.
- Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
- 40th Air Expeditionary Wing
