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The 501st Combat Support Wing (501 CSW) is a United States Air Force unit at RAF Alconbury in the United Kingdom. It is responsible for the administration and operation of the various smaller Air Force units scattered across the UK that are considered geographically separated from the main Air Force bases at RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath. The wing is also responsible for supporting US Air Force personnel stationed at Stavanger, Norway.
History
The 501 CSW was first constituted as the 501st Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, on 25 May 1944 and became active on 1 Jun 1944 at Dalhart Army Air Field (AAF), Texas. Over the next two years the group moved several times: Harvard AAF, Nebraska (22 August 1944), Fort Lawton, Washington (10-17 March 1945), Territory of Hawaii (25-30 March 1945) and Northwest Field, Guam (14 April 1945). During this time the group flew Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers.
The group would operate from Guam until deactivating on 10 June 1946. It would remain inactive until 11 Jan 1982 when it was consolidated with another inactive unit, the 701st Tactical Missile Wing, and redesignated the 501st Tactical Missile Wing (501 TMW). The 501 TMW was activated on 1 July 1982 at RAF Greenham Common, United Kingdom. The wing remained at its UK base until its second deactivation on 31 May 1991. During this time the group operated BGM-109G "Gryphon", also known as the Ground Launched Cruise Missile.
The 501 TMW was redesignated the 501st Combat Support Wing on 22 March 2005 and reactived at RAF Mildenhall on 12 May 2005. Its new role of administering the various geographically separated units in the UK had previously been the mission of the 38th Combat Support Wing based at Sembach Air Base, Germany. On 1 May 2007, the wing moved to RAF Alconbury.
Components
See also
List of Wings of the USAF
External links
