442nd Fighter Wing

442d Fighter Wing

442d Fighter Wing - Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II - 79-0164
Active 27 June 1949 – present
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Type Wing
Role Fighter
Size 1,100 personnel
Part of   Air Force Reserve Command
Garrison/HQ Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri
Tail code Yellow/red tail stripe "KC"
Decorations DUC
AFOUA
RVGC with Palm
Commanders
Current
commander		 Col Hubert C. Hegtvedt
Insignia
442d Fighter Wing emblem
Aircraft flown
Attack A-10 Thunderbolt II

The 442d Fighter Wing (442d FW) is an Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Tenth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. If mobilized, the wing is gained by the Air Combat Command.

Overview

The 442d Fighter Wing trains Air Force Reserve personnel and to operate, maintain and support the A-10 Thunderbolt II at the highest level of combat readiness.

Units

The 442nd Fighter Wing is organized like most Air Force wings. There are three groups and a medical squadron under the wing that are physically located at Whiteman AFB:

There are also several geographically separated units (GSUs) that report to the 442d Fighter Wing:

History

For additional lineage and history, see 442nd Operations Group
442nd FW Organizational Chart

The 442d was activated as a reserve troop carrier wing under supervision of the 2472d Air Force Reserve Training (later, Air Reserve Flying) Center, June 1949 - February 1951 and June 1952 - March 1959. During the Korean War, 442d personnel transferred as replacements to other USAF organizations. By the mid-1950s, it participated regularly in troop/cargo drops, airlift operations and exercises. The wing began incorporating the Air Reserve Technician Program (ART) for full-time support personnel in 1958 and completed same in 1959.

The wing was called to active service again during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 and continued to remain on active duty until August 1963, during which time the wing completed conversion to the C-124 Globemaster. The wing also flew overseas missions, particularly to the Far East and Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. In 1971, the wing began phasing out the C-124 and by 1972, had fully transitioned to the C-130 Hercules. In 1975, the wing's gaining command shifted from Tactical Air Command (TAC) to Military Airlift Command (MAC) as part of a USAF-wide shift of tactical airlift assets between the two major commands.

The 442d flew humanitarian and mercy missions on numerous occasions in addition to worldwide airlift operations until conversion, in June 1982, to a fighter mission with the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. The 442d again returned to the operational control of TAC and in October 1982, the wing was inactivated while its 442d Tactical Fighter Group continued to train on the new aircraft. In February 1984, the wing was once again activated as the 442d Tactical Fighter Wing and trained for A-10 fighter operations, including close air support, anti-armor, battlefield air interdiction, and combat search and rescue missions.

In 1992, as part of another USAF-wide reorganization, TAC was inactivated and the 442d was renamed as the 442d Fighter Wing (442 FW) under the newly established Air Combat Command (ACC). With the pending closure of Richards-Gebaur Air Reserve Station due to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) action, the 442 FW began relocation of its home base to Whiteman AFB, Missouri in 1993, completing said move by 1994.

On a recurring basis from December 1993, the wing deployed personnel and aircraft to Aviano Air Base, Italy, to participate in operations over Bosnia. It also deployed personnel and aircraft to Kuwait in support of Operation Southern Watch, in September and October 1998.

Lineage

Activated in the reserve on 27 June 1949
Ordered to active service on 10 March 1951
Inactivated on 12 March 1951
Redesignated 442d Troop Carrier Wing, Heavy on 8 May 1961
Ordered to active service on 1 October 1961
Relieved from active duty on 27 August 1962
Redesignated: 442d Air Transport Wing, Heavy on 1 December 1965
Redesignated: 442d Military Airlift Wing on 1 January 1966
Redesignated: 442d Tactical Airlift Wing on 29 June 1971
Inactivated on 1 October 1982
Activated in the reserve on 1 February 1984
Redesignated 442d Fighter Wing on 1 February 1992.

Assignments

Components

Groups

Squadrons

Stations

Aircraft

References

     This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

    External links

    This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, March 30, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.