1.
19th Special Operations Squadron
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The 19th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It conducts crew training for AC-130 and Lockheed MC-130 aircraft, the 19th was established as a GHQ Air Force medium bomber squadron in 1940 as a result of the buildup of the United States Army Air Corps after the outbreak of World War II in Europe. It trained with a mix of Douglas B-18 Bolos and Martin B-26 Marauders and it was then assigned to the new Fifth Air Force, originally based on the Philippines. Leaving the B-18s at Muroc, the moved to the South Pacific where it flew its first combat missions from Garbutt Field, Townsville, Australia, against Rabaul. With refurbished B-26s, the 19th moved to New Guinea and returned to combat in mid-July 1943, the squadron was again re-equipped, with Consolidated B-24 Liberators, in early 1944, then returned to combat status on 10 March 1944 with a raid against Manus Island. Most operations were against targets in the Bismarck Archipelago until the 19th moved to Owi Island in late July, the squadron flew its first mission to the Philippines Islands on 1 September 1944, hitting Japanese installations at Davao, Mindanao. The B-24s hit enemy facilities in the Celebes and on Mindanao, with a raid against the oil refineries at Balikpapan. Raids continued until the squadron moved in early December 1944 to Anguar, from this station, the B-24s bombed targets throughout the Philippines. In January 1945, the 19th moved to Samar Island, Philippines, in the meantime, in mid-February, the 19th raided Formosa for the first time, and on 21 March, flew its first mission into China. In June 1945, for a week, the B-24s flew from Puerta Princesa, Palawan Island, the 19th flew its last bombing mission of the war on 18 July 1945, to Formosa. In August the squadron moved to Okinawa and flew missions over Japan. The 19th flew training missions in the Far East until being moved to Smoky Hill Air Force Base, Kansas, the 19th again deployed to England from November 1949 to February 1950 where the squadron flew training sorties to Germany and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The squadron then deployed in July 1950 to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, bombing missions over both North Korea and South Korea followed, with targets such as bridges, industrial facilities, and railroads. The squadron flew its last combat mission on 19 October, back at March AFB, the 19th trained Boeing B-29 Superfortress crews to be sent to the Far East Air Forces for combat duty in Korea. In February 1953, the 19th replaced its B-29s with Boeing B-47 Stratojet bombers, the 19 BS made its last deployment to England between December 1953 and March 1954, flying training missions to Sidi Slimane and French Morocco. Later the 19th deployed from April–June 1957 to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, the alert aircraft were sent in November 1958 to Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, and then in January 1959 to Andersen AFB, Guam. The 19th ceased operational flying in February 1963 and ferried its B-47s to other units and was inactivated on 15 March 1963, the 19th Air Commando Squadron was organized on 8 October 1964, at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, just outside Saigon, South Vietnam. The 19th received Fairchild C-123 Provider aircraft and personnel in 1964, cargo included munitions, vehicles, spare parts, fuel and various foods
2.
19th Military Airlift Squadron
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The 19th Military Airlift Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 62d Military Airlift Wing, Military Airlift Command, stationed at McChord Air Force Base and it was inactivated on 22 December 1969. After its arrival on the seaboard, the squadron began antisubmarine warfare patrols. The Navy believed that more forces were required to protect convoys in the North Atlantic. In March, the 19th Antisubmarine Squadron relocated to Gander Airport in Newfoundland, AAF Antisubmarine Command had moved antisubmarine units to England in December 1943, but they had moved to French Morocco, where they formed the 480th Antisubmarine Group. To replace them, the squadrons in Newfoundland, including the 19th, moved to RAF St Eval in Cornwall in March 1943. The squadron conducted patrols over the Bay of Biscay, achieving its greatest success in the first two months it was in action, following this period, German U-boats adopted tactics that kept them submerged in the groups area of operations during daylight hours. The 480th Group continued its patrols, occasionally engaging Luftwaffe aircraft until October and it was disbanded in England in November, along with the 19th Squadron. The second predecessor of the unit was established as the 19th Logistic Support Squadron in 1952 as the first of three support squadrons organized by Air Materiel Command. Its mission was to provide airlift of nuclear weapons and related equipment. Shortly before its inactivation, its changed to that of strategic transport squadron flying worldwide airlift operations. It was inactivated in 1969 with the retirement of the C-124, in 1985 the two squadrons were consolidated and redesignated as the 19th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron. 25 June 1943 RAF St Eval, England, C. afhra. af. mil/, Army Air Forces Stations, A Guide to the Stations Where U. S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II. Maxwell AFB, AL, Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, archived from the original on March 4,2016. The AAF Antisubmarine Command, AF Historical Study No.107, Maurer, Maurer, ed. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History, Maurer, Maurer, ed. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History, Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History, Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977
3.
Lockheed C-141 Starlifter
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Introduced to replace slower propeller driven cargo planes such as the C-124 Globemaster II and C-133 Cargomaster, the C-141 was designed to requirements set in 1960 and first flew in 1963. Production deliveries of an eventual 285 planes began in 1965,284 for the Air Force, the aircraft remained in service for over 40 years until the USAF withdrew the last C-141s from service in 2006, after replacing the airlifter with the C-17 Globemaster III. In the early 1960s, the United States Air Forces Military Air Transport Service relied on a number of propeller-driven aircraft for strategic airlift. As these aircraft were mostly obsolescent designs and the Air Force needed the benefits of jet power, the C-135 was a useful stop-gap, but only had side-loading doors and most bulky and oversize equipment would not fit, especially that employed by the U. S. Army. In the spring of 1960 the Air Force released Specific Operational Requirement 182, the strategic role demanded that the aircraft be capable of missions with a radius of at least 3,500 nautical miles with a 60,000 pounds load. The tactical role required it to be able to perform low-altitude air drops of supplies, as well as carry, several companies responded to SOR182, including Boeing, Lockheed, and General Dynamics. Lockheed responded to the requirement with a design, the Lockheed Model 300. The Model 300 had a swept high-mounted wing with four 21,000 pounds-force thrust TF33 turbofan engines pod-mounted below the wings, an important aspect was the cabins floor height of only 50 inches above the ground, allowing easy access to the cabin through the rear doors. The two rear doors were designed to allow the aircraft to drop paratroops. The rear cargo doors could be opened in flight for airborne cargo drops, the high-mounted wings gave internal clearance in the cargo compartment of 10 feet wide,9 ft high and 70 ft long. The size enabled the Starlifter to carry, for example, a complete LGM-30 Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile in its container. The aircraft was capable of carrying a maximum of 70,847 pounds over short distances, and up to 92,000 pounds in the version configured to carry the Minuteman, the aircraft could also carry up to 154 troops,123 paratroops or 80 litter patients. One unusual aspect of the aircraft was that it was designed to both military and civil airworthiness standards. The prototype C-141A serial number 61-2775 was manufactured and assembled in record time, the prototype was rolled out of the Lockheed factory at Marietta, Georgia on 22 August 1963 and first flew on 17 December, the 60th anniversary of the Wright brothers first flight. The company and the Air Force then started a testing program. An effort to sell the aircraft on the market resulted in provisional orders from Flying Tiger Line. These were to be a version,37 feet longer than the C-141A. Other changes were incorporated to make it more commercial, including a different yoke
4.
United States
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Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east, the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U. S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean, the geography, climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse. At 3.8 million square miles and with over 324 million people, the United States is the worlds third- or fourth-largest country by area, third-largest by land area. It is one of the worlds most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago. European colonization began in the 16th century, the United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast. Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the following the Seven Years War led to the American Revolution. On July 4,1776, during the course of the American Revolutionary War, the war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain, representing the first successful war of independence against a European power. The current constitution was adopted in 1788, after the Articles of Confederation, the first ten amendments, collectively named the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties. During the second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War led to the end of slavery in the country. By the end of century, the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean. The Spanish–American War and World War I confirmed the status as a global military power. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the sole superpower. The U. S. is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States. The United States is a developed country, with the worlds largest economy by nominal GDP. It ranks highly in several measures of performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP. While the U. S. economy is considered post-industrial, characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy, the United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations. In 1507, the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller produced a map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere America after the Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci
5.
United States Air Force
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The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a branch of the military on 18 September 1947 under the National Security Act of 1947. It is the most recent branch of the U. S. military to be formed, the U. S. Air Force is a military service organized within the Department of the Air Force, one of the three military departments of the Department of Defense. The Air Force is headed by the civilian Secretary of the Air Force, who reports to the Secretary of Defense, the U. S. Air Force provides air support for surface forces and aids in the recovery of troops in the field. As of 2015, the service more than 5,137 military aircraft,406 ICBMs and 63 military satellites. It has a $161 billion budget with 313,242 active duty personnel,141,197 civilian employees,69,200 Air Force Reserve personnel, and 105,500 Air National Guard personnel. According to the National Security Act of 1947, which created the USAF and it shall be organized, trained, and equipped primarily for prompt and sustained offensive and defensive air operations. The stated mission of the USAF today is to fly, fight, and win in air, space and we will provide compelling air, space, and cyber capabilities for use by the combatant commanders. We will excel as stewards of all Air Force resources in service to the American people, while providing precise and reliable Global Vigilance, Reach and it should be emphasized that the core functions, by themselves, are not doctrinal constructs. The purpose of Nuclear Deterrence Operations is to operate, maintain, in the event deterrence fails, the US should be able to appropriately respond with nuclear options. Dissuading others from acquiring or proliferating WMD, and the means to deliver them, moreover, different deterrence strategies are required to deter various adversaries, whether they are a nation state, or non-state/transnational actor. Nuclear strike is the ability of forces to rapidly and accurately strike targets which the enemy holds dear in a devastating manner. Should deterrence fail, the President may authorize a precise, tailored response to terminate the conflict at the lowest possible level, post-conflict, regeneration of a credible nuclear deterrent capability will deter further aggression. Finally, the Air Force regularly exercises and evaluates all aspects of operations to ensure high levels of performance. Nuclear surety ensures the safety, security and effectiveness of nuclear operations, the Air Force, in conjunction with other entities within the Departments of Defense or Energy, achieves a high standard of protection through a stringent nuclear surety program. The Air Force continues to pursue safe, secure and effective nuclear weapons consistent with operational requirements, adversaries, allies, and the American people must be highly confident of the Air Forces ability to secure nuclear weapons from accidents, theft, loss, and accidental or unauthorized use. This day-to-day commitment to precise and reliable nuclear operations is the cornerstone of the credibility of the NDO mission, positive nuclear command, control, communications, effective nuclear weapons security, and robust combat support are essential to the overall NDO function. OCA is the method of countering air and missile threats, since it attempts to defeat the enemy closer to its source
6.
Airlift
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An airlift is the organized delivery of military supplies or military personnel primarily via military transport aircraft. Airlifting consists of two types, strategic and tactical airlifting. Typically, strategic airlifting involves moving material long distances, whereas a tactical airlift focuses on deploying resources, depending on the situation, airlifted supplies can be delivered by a variety of means. When the destination and surrounding airspace is considered secure, the aircraft land at an appropriate airport or airbase to have its cargo unloaded on the ground. However, when the area is too small for this method, as with a base, and/or is too dangerous to land in. Serbian Air Force, made first transport of wounded soldiers from Serbia through Albania to Corfu and that was the first Medevac operation in air history. April 1923 aircraft of the RAFs Iraq Command flew 280 Sikh troops from Kingarban to Kirkuk in the first British air trooping operation, the worlds first long-range combat airlift took place in July 1936. Luftwaffe Ju 52 and Italian Air Force Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 were used by the Spanish Nationalists to transport troops from Spanish Morocco to Spain at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. Airlifts became practical during World War II as aircraft became large and this joint effort is estimated to have saved more than a million lives in Biafra. Most airplanes departed from the Portuguese colony of Sao Tome and Principe to the landing strip of Uli, the only operational airport in Biafra. Flights were made flying at night all lights off and under near-total radio silence to avoid Nigerian MIG aircraft. All the airplanes, crews and logistics were paid, set up, JCA and their crews and aircraft kept flying into Biafra at the cost of many crews lives. Strategic airlift is the use of transport aircraft to transport materiel, weaponry. Typically, this involves airlifting the required items between two airbases which are not in the same vicinity and this allows commanders to bring items into a combat theater from a point on the other side of the planet, if necessary. Aircraft which perform this role are considered strategic airlifters and this contrasts with tactical airlifters, such as the C-130 Hercules and Transall C-160, which can normally only move supplies within a given theater of operations. This difficulty has prompted investment in lighter armoured fighting vehicles, as well as some research into alternative airlift technologies such as ground effect vehicles. Civilian aircraft are commonly used for transportation. For some civilian airlines, such as Miami Air International and Volga-Dnepr Airlines, tactical airlift is a military term for the airborne transportation of supplies and equipment within a theatre of operations
7.
World War II
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World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, although related conflicts began earlier. It involved the vast majority of the worlds countries—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing alliances, the Allies and the Axis. It was the most widespread war in history, and directly involved more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. Marked by mass deaths of civilians, including the Holocaust and the bombing of industrial and population centres. These made World War II the deadliest conflict in human history, from late 1939 to early 1941, in a series of campaigns and treaties, Germany conquered or controlled much of continental Europe, and formed the Axis alliance with Italy and Japan. Under the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of August 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union partitioned and annexed territories of their European neighbours, Poland, Finland, Romania and the Baltic states. In December 1941, Japan attacked the United States and European colonies in the Pacific Ocean, and quickly conquered much of the Western Pacific. The Axis advance halted in 1942 when Japan lost the critical Battle of Midway, near Hawaii, in 1944, the Western Allies invaded German-occupied France, while the Soviet Union regained all of its territorial losses and invaded Germany and its allies. During 1944 and 1945 the Japanese suffered major reverses in mainland Asia in South Central China and Burma, while the Allies crippled the Japanese Navy, thus ended the war in Asia, cementing the total victory of the Allies. World War II altered the political alignment and social structure of the world, the United Nations was established to foster international co-operation and prevent future conflicts. The victorious great powers—the United States, the Soviet Union, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and the United States emerged as rival superpowers, setting the stage for the Cold War, which lasted for the next 46 years. Meanwhile, the influence of European great powers waned, while the decolonisation of Asia, most countries whose industries had been damaged moved towards economic recovery. Political integration, especially in Europe, emerged as an effort to end pre-war enmities, the start of the war in Europe is generally held to be 1 September 1939, beginning with the German invasion of Poland, Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. The dates for the beginning of war in the Pacific include the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War on 7 July 1937, or even the Japanese invasion of Manchuria on 19 September 1931. Others follow the British historian A. J. P. Taylor, who held that the Sino-Japanese War and war in Europe and its colonies occurred simultaneously and this article uses the conventional dating. Other starting dates sometimes used for World War II include the Italian invasion of Abyssinia on 3 October 1935. The British historian Antony Beevor views the beginning of World War II as the Battles of Khalkhin Gol fought between Japan and the forces of Mongolia and the Soviet Union from May to September 1939, the exact date of the wars end is also not universally agreed upon. It was generally accepted at the time that the war ended with the armistice of 14 August 1945, rather than the formal surrender of Japan
8.
60th Operations Group
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The 60th Operations Group is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the 60th Air Mobility Wing. It is stationed at Travis Air Force Base, California, established prior to World War II, its predecessor unit, the 60th Transport Group engaged in combat operations, first with the Eighth Air Force and primarily with Twelfth Air Force during the war. It received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its actions in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations,28 March-15 September 1944. While attempting to organize effective fighting forces in Yugoslavia, Greece, and Albania, the Allies tasked the 60th for an immediate, substantial, the group lost 10 aircraft and 34 members of the 60th were either killed or listed as missing. The 60th Operations Group is the component of the Air Mobility Command 60th Air Mobility Wing. The 60 OG is the largest Operations Group in Air Mobility Command and it operates and maintains C-5 Galaxy, C-17 Globemaster III transports and KC-10 Extender air refueling aircraft supporting global engagement of troops, supplies, and equipment. After a brief stay at Westover Field, Massachusetts, the 60th moved to Chelveston, England, the group was redesignated as the 60th Troop Carrier Group on 1 July 1942. The units next moved to Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria, and was assigned to Twelfth Air Force, during the war in Europe, the 60 TCG also served from bases in Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy before moving to Waller Field, Trinidad, in June 1945. When not engaged in operations, the group transported troops and supplies. In October 1943, for instance, the 60th dropped supplies to men who had escaped from prisoner-of-war camps, received a DUC for supporting partisans in the Balkans, March–September 1944, making unarmed night missions to provisional airfields in Yugoslavia, Albania, and Greece. On return flights evacuated wounded partisans and escaped Allied personnel, in June 1945, the 60 TCG moved to Trinidad and came under the command of the Air Transport Command. The group inactivated on 31 July 1945, after just 15 months on the inactive list, the 60th activated again on 30 September 1946, this time at Munich, Germany. Shortly after moving to Kaufbeuren Air Base, Germany, on 14 May 1948, during the Berlin Airlift, the 60th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium, activated at Kaufbeuren AB on 1 July 1948. At that time the 60 TCG became a unit assigned to the new wing. Through its subordinate operations group—the 60th Troop Carrier Group, Heavy—the 60 TCW managed three flying squadrons, the 10th, 11th, and 12th Troop Carrier Squadrons, the 60th became operational at Wiesbaden on 1 October 1949. On 2 June 1951, the replaced the 61 TCW at Rhein-Main AB. At this time, the group resumed a role and assumed responsibility for controlling all U. S. tactical airlift resources in Europe. The 60 TCG provided logistic services to U. S
9.
Travis Air Force Base
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The base is named for Brigadier General Robert F. Travis, who died in the crash of a B-29 Superfortress while transporting a nuclear weapon. The host unit at Travis AFB is the 60th Air Mobility Wing, the 60th AMW is the largest wing in the Air Forces Air Mobility Command, with a versatile fleet of C-5 Galaxies, KC-10 Extenders, and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. Today, Travis AFB includes approximately 7,260 active USAF military personnel,4,250 Air Force Reserve personnel and 3,770 civilians. Travis AFB has an impact on the community as a number of military families and retirees have chosen to make Fairfield their permanent home. Travis AFB is the largest employer in the City and Solano County as well, the Base also contributes a large number of highly skilled people to the local labor pool. The facility has undergone numerous anti-terror upgrades since 9/11/01 including extensive installation of barriers, inspection stations. In September 2015, Nick Champi Enterprises of Hanford, California completed a 5-year project to install crash rated fencing, gates, and traffic controls at the main entrance to the facility. The base is also host to David Grant USAF Medical Center, a 265-bed, $200 million Air Force teaching hospital, Travis AFB also plays host to the Travis Air Force Base Heritage Center, one of the largest collections of military aircraft on the west coast. Museum of Military Aviation History, The Museum has a collection of American military aircraft from various periods, fighters, bombers, trainers, cargo. Originally named Fairfield-Suisun Army Air Base, construction began on Travis in June 1942, initially, Fourth Air Force intended to station medium attack bombers at the new air base, and in the autumn of 1942, some of its aircraft used the runways for practice landings. During this period, United States Navy planes also practiced maneuvers at the same field, for a few months, in fact, the outline of the deck of an aircraft carrier was painted on one runway. This helped newly commissioned Navy pilots, flying F6F Hellcats and SB2C Helldivers, practice carrier landings, despite its plans, Fourth Air Force never officially occupied the base. Its proximity to rail, highway, and water transportation plus its location near San Francisco figured heavily in this decision, ATC assigned the airfield to the West Coast Sector of its Pacific Wing. The first unit to take up permanent residence at the airfield was a group of ten enlisted men and these supply and food service workers arrived on 10 May 1943 to prepare the base for the arrival, in turn, of the first ATC personnel. One week later, on 17 May, ATC officially activated Fairfield-Suisun AAB, the bases primary mission during World War II was ferrying aircraft and supplies to the Pacific Theater. The installations first commander was Lt Col. Arthur Stevenson, by the end of World War II, Fairfield-Suisun AAB had become the West Coasts largest aerial port. The airlift of troops and supplies to occupied Japan and Korea, following the establishment of the United States Air Force as a separate service in 1947, the installation was renamed Fairfield-Suisun Air Force Base. On 1 June 1948, the Military Air Transport Service assumed jurisdiction of the base, in July, two of the bases air transport squadrons left for USAFE to assist in the Berlin Airlift
10.
7th Airlift Squadron
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The 7th Airlift Squadron is part of the 62d Airlift Wing as McChord Air Force Base, Washington. It operates C-17 Globemaster III aircraft supporting the United States Air Force global reach mission worldwide, train and equip C-17 aircrews for global air-land and airdrop operations. The squadrons origins begin on 1 October 1933 when it was constituted in the Regular Army Reserve, activated on 14 October 1939 in the United States Army Air Corps and activated at the Sacramento Air Depot, California as the 7th Transport Squadron, assigned to the 10th Transport Group. It was assigned Douglas C-33 transports with a mission for transporting supplies, after the Pearl Harbor Attack, the squadron was transferred to the 62d Troop Carrier Group and re-equipped with C-47 Skytrain transports. Initially transferred to Selfridge Field, Michigan for training, the squadron trained for combat resupply and casualty evacuation mission at several airfields during the spring, was ordered deployed to England, assigned to Eighth Air Force in September 1942. In combat, performed resupply and evacuation missions across Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia during North African Campaign and it returned to Twelfth Air Force control in Algeria at the end of May. During June 1943, the unit training with gliders in preparation for Operation Husky. It towed gliders to Syracuse, Sicily and dropped paratroopers at Catania during the operation, after moving to Sicily, the squadron airdropped supplies to escaped prisoners of war in Northern Italy in October. Operated from Sicily until December until moving to Italian mainland in December, supported the Italian Campaign during balance of 1944 supporting partisans in the Balkans. Its unarmed aircraft flew at night over uncharted territory, landing at small unprepared airfields to provide guns, ammunition, clothing, medical supplies, gasoline and it even carried jeeps and mules as cargo. On return trips it evacuated wounded partisans, evadees and escaped prisoners, during the spring of 1944, the squadron was transferred to 10th Air Force in India where it carried combat cargo during the Siege of Myitkyina, Burma. Returning to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations in July 1944, it carried paratroopers during the Invasion of Southern France in August,1944, the squadron then returned to operations over Italy and in the Balkans until end of combat in Europe, May,1945. In all the 4th earned nine campaign ribbons during operations in both the European and China-Burma-India theaters in the Second World War, the squadron returned to the United States in September 1946, being assigned to the troop carrier squadron training school at Bergstrom Field, Texas. When the school closed in July 1947, it was moved to McChord Field and it was deployed to Alaska in September 1947 where it flew airlift missions from Elmendorf Field during the winter of 1947-1948, returning to McChord in March 1948. During the Korean War, the squadron flew long, over-water trans-Pacific missions to Japan from McChord AFB, in 1951, it was upgraded to the new C-124 Globemaster II strategic airlifter. It moved to nearby Larson AFB when McChord was taken over by Air Defense Command in 1952, during the balance of the 1950s, the squadron supported the French forces in French Indochina, transporting a replacement French garrison to Dien Bien Phu in 1954. By 1955 the Cold War was well under way, and the North American Air Defense Command set out to build a chain of stations on the northernmost reaches of the continent. Between 1955 and 1957, the squadron began to fly missions to the Alaskan arctic regions, carrying 13 million pounds of supplies, the resupply of the DEW Line stations kept the squadron occupied until 1969
11.
Seventh Air Force
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United States Air Forces Korea and USAFK redirect here. The Seventh Air Force is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Pacific Air Forces and it is headquartered at Osan Air Base, South Korea. The commands mission is to plan and direct air component operations in the Republic of Korea and in the Northwest Pacific. It was assigned units engaging enemy forces in the Gilbert Islands, Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands, and in the last major battle of the Pacific War, the Battle of Okinawa. Returning to its role in Hawaii after the war,7 AF became the primary USAF command. 7 AF is commanded by Lt. Gen. Thomas W. Bergeson, the Vice Commander is Brig Gen Kyle W. Robinson Command Chief Master Sergeant is Anthony W. Johnson. Since then, both as U. S. Air Forces Korea, under the joint U. S and it develops the total air campaign and reinforcement plans for ROK defense and sustains mission readiness of 117 operational units and 8,300 U. S. Air Force personnel. It operates in conjunction with United States Pacific Command, United Nations Command, U. S. Forces, Korea/Combined Forces Command and United States Forces Korea. Airplanes assigned to the 6th Aero Squadron consisted of three Curtiss N-9 seaplanes which were single-engine biplanes carrying a crew of two and capable of a top speed of 70 miles an hour. The first inter-island flight occurred in February 1919 and by 1920 inter-island flights were used for training purposes. Early in 1920 the 4th Observation Squadron arrived at Ford Island, known by then as Luke Field, also by this time, Luke Field was used jointly by the aerial forces of the Army and Navy. The year 1920 marked an advance in aviation in the Islands. The first night flight over Oahu took place on 30 June 1920, also air power began to take its place in the Hawaiian Departments military maneuvers. The first detachment of twenty men started clearing land south of Schofield Barracks for Wheeler Field in February 1922 and this Field was named for Major Sheldon H. Wheeler, who had assumed command of Luke Field in 1920 and was killed in an air accident in 1921. By June 1923, Wheeler boasted six 112x200 foot hangars, three used for housing shops and three others for planes, plus four hangars used as warehouses, and oil tanks holding 50,000 gallons. Tents and huts housed the men, the First commander of Wheeler Field was Major George E. Stratemeyer, who by 1941 was a brigadier general and Acting Chief of the Army Air Corps. The first known reforesting by plane was accomplished for the Department of Agriculture by a plane from Wheeler in 1926, the first non-stop Hawaiian flight from Oakland, California to Wheeler Field was made in June 1927 by L. J. Maitland and A. F. Hegenberger. The famous Dole flight also took place in 1927, with Art Goebel and Lt. W. V. Davis, USN, during the period from 1917 to 1931, the military air component in Hawaii grew to seven tactical squadrons and two service squadrons
12.
403d Operations Group
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The 403d Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force Reserve 403d Wing. It is stationed at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, the 403 OG performs missions including airlift of personnel, equipment and supplies. Additionally, the group is the unit in the Department of Defense tasked to organize, equip, train. Transported men and supplies to areas in the Solomon Islands and flew passenger and cargo routes to New Zealand, Australia, Fiji. The group also moved personnel of Thirteenth Air Force units to the Southwest Pacific theater, supported campaigns in New Guinea and the Philippines by transporting men and cargo to combat areas, evacuating casualties, and landing or dropping supplies for guerrilla forces. On 23 February 1945, dropped paratroops at Laguna de Bay, Luzon, from the Philippines, ferried occupation troops to Japan, evacuated liberated prisoners, and flew cargo and passenger routes to Japan and Australia. From June 1949 until 1 April 1951, when it was called the active duty, in Mar and April 1952, moved to Japan for operations against communist forces in Korea. Using C-119s, the group dropped paratroops and supplies, transported personnel and equipment, on 1 January 1953, relieved from active duty and inactivated in Japan. It activated again as a unit, training for airlift, air evacuation. From 1992, the group flew Air Force Reserve airlift and weather reconnaissance missions, including Hurricane Hunter missions. afhra. af. mil/
13.
374th Troop Carrier Group
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The 374th Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 374th Airlift Wing. It is stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan, the group employed a large variety of aircraft to perform air transport of troops, cargo, and evacuation of the wounded, earning two United States Distinguished Unit Citations in Papua New Guinea. In January–February 1943, the group supplied Allied forces during the battle of Wau airstrip, making landings at the airstrip under enemy fire, when the Korean War broke out in June 1950, was the only air transport group in the Far East. During the Cold War, the group airlifted wounded French troops from Indo-China to Japan, inactivated in 1958, the group was reactivated in 1966 at Naha AB, Okinawa as part of 315th Air Division and was active in the Vietnam War. The group has never been assigned to the United States, the 374 OG maintains a forward presence by providing rapid responsive movement of personnel, equipment and operational support in the Asia-Pacific region. Ensures the combat readiness of three operational squadrons using C-130H, C-12J and UH-1N aircraft, conducts three distinct missions, intratheater airlift, aeromedical evacuation and distinguished visitor transport for U. S. Pacific Command and other agencies in support of security policy. The unit consists of the squadrons, 36th Airlift Squadron C-130H/J Only forward-based tactical airlift squadron in the Pacific. Maintains a forward presence and supports combat operations by providing responsive movement of personnel and equipment through aerial delivery, Maintains C-130H mission-ready aircrew to conduct theater airlift, special operations, aeromedical evacuation, search and rescue, repatriation and humanitarian relief missions. Maintains both UH-1N and C-12J mission-ready aircrews to conduct aeromedical evacuation, search and rescue and priority airlift missions throughout the Pacific, 374th Operations Support Squadron Maintains a forward presence in the Western Pacific, supporting U. S. Supports the group staff and two squadrons operating UH-1N, C-12J and C-130H aircraft. It had four troop carrier squadrons assigned, the 21st and 22d were veterans of the South Pacific Area, in January–February 1943, the group supplied Allied forces during the battle of Wau airstrip, making landings at the airstrip under enemy fire and earning its third DUC. During Jul and August 1943, the group trained elements of the 375th, 403d, when the campaign against Lae opened on 5 September 1943, the 374th led aircraft of those groups in a drop of US airborne troops and Australian artillery paratroops at Nadzab airdrome. The next day, as vegetation around the captured airdrome still burned, the group landed engineer troops and equipment to repair the damaged runways, and artillery to protect the captured airstrip. After the capture of Lae ten days later, the group flew 303 trips moving large stores of ammo, supplies, and equipment for use of advancing ground troops. From October 1943 – May 1944, the 374th maintained a flow of troops and equipment, including arms and ammunition, to units scattered throughout Australia. It continued to provide services and in November 1944 commenced cargo and personnel flights to Leyte in the Philippines. The group participated in training maneuvers with army and naval forces in the Pacific Theater until May 1946, from October 1946 – April 1947, it provided troop carrier and air courier services and participated in joint maneuvers in the Pacific
14.
Ninth Air Force
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The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces Air Combat Command. It has been headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, from 1990, units were deployed to the Middle East against Iraq, and from 2001 against threats emanating from Afghanistan. In this role, the organization was known as United States Air Forces Central, until August 2009, the Ninth Air Force shared its commander with USAFCENT. S. This article deals with the current organization, as the lineage of the organization currently belongs to USAFCENT. This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http, archives of the Ninth Air Force Association Digital Collection at The University of Akron Archival Services Ninth Air Force Association
15.
315th Operations Group
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The 315th Operations Group is a United States Air Force Reserve unit assigned to the 315th Airlift Wing. The unit is stationed at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina, the 315th Group controls all operational McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III flying squadrons of the 315th Airlift Wing. It was activated in 1992, when Air Force Reserve Command implemented the Objective Wing organization, the unit was first activated during World War II as the 315th Troop Carrier Group, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain transport unit assigned to IX Troop Carrier Command in Western Europe. It was inactivated three years later, when US flying operations at Brady Air Base ended, the group again was activated in 1962, when it replaced the Combat Cargo Group, Provisional 6492d in managing airlift operations during the Vietnam War. After being redesignated the 315th Air Commando Group in 1965, the group was inactivated and replaced by the larger 315th Air Commando Wing in 1966, the 315th Operations Group includes the following units. Its original elements were the 33d, 34th and 35th Transport Squadrons, one month later, the 6th Transport Squadron at Camp Williams, Wisconsin was added to the group. In April, the became part of I Troop Carrier Command and began training with Douglas C-47 Skytrain. In June, the 315th moved to Bowman Field, Kentucky, the move to Bowman was accompanied by a shuffling of assigned units. The 6th Squadron in Wisconsin was reassigned, as was the 35th and their place was taken by the 43d Transport Squadron, which was activated at Bowman and the 54th Transport Squadron, which moved to Bowman a few days after its activation at Hamilton Field. The group and its squadrons became Troop Carrier units in July, the 54th Squadron was moved to reinforce Eleventh Air Force in Alaska, and only the 34th and 43d Squadrons moved with the group to Europe. While flying the North Atlantic ferry route, the air echelon encountered bad winter weather, while there it searched for missing aircraft and dropped supplies to downed crews. The ground echelon arrived in England in November 1942 for service with Eighth Air Force, after the air and ground echelons were united in December, the group began ferrying cargo in the British Isles and training with airborne troops and gliders. Although the group did not participate in the phase of the invasions. In March 1944 the detachment returned to England and rejoined the group, on 7 February 1944, the group moved to RAF Spanhoe. It became part of the 52d Troop Carrier Wing of IX Troop Carrier Command, the group prepared for the invasion of the Continent. In April the group formation flying training and a month later began paratroop-dropping exercises. The group continued training until 26 May, the group earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for its actions. The group also dropped 82d Airborne Division commander Matthew Ridgway and his staff, during the drop, the group did not lose any planes as German anti-aircraft fire was sporadic and ineffectual
16.
316th Tactical Airlift Group
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The 316th Operations Group was the flying component of the Air Force District of Washington 316th Wing, stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. Its World War II predecessor unit, the 316th Troop Carrier Group was a highly decorated C-47 Skytrain unit that served with Ninth and Twelfth Air Force in the European and the Mediterranean theaters. As part of Operation Avalanche, the Allied invasion of Italy, later during Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of France, the group dropped paratroops near Ste-Mere-Eglise a few hours before the main landings on 6 June 1944. It also dropped paratroops and released gliders carrying reinforcements during the invasion of the Netherlands. By the end of the war, the 316th Troop Carrier Group was awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations, the 316th Operations Support Squadron provides the necessary support infrastructure for the Group and the 25 other tenant flying units on Andrews AFB. Moved to the Mediterranean theater, assigned to Ninth Air Force, flew combat missions in North Africa Egypt/Libya campaign. Transported supplies and evacuated casualties in support of the Allied drive across North Africa and they received another DUC for supporting aerial and ground operations in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and Sicily,25 November 1942 –25 August 1943, by transporting reinforcements and supplies. During this period, the group was under the command of Colonel Jerome McCauley and they transported cargo in the theater until February 1944, then joined Ninth AF in England and prepared for the invasion of France. The unit dropped paratroops near Ste-Mere-Eglise on D—Day 1944 and flew a reinforcement mission on 7 June, during Operation Market Garden, they dropped paratroops and released gliders carrying reinforcements. Again they dropped paratroops near Wesel on 24 March 1945 when the Allies made the assault across the Rhine. Returned to the US in May 1945, trained with C-47 C-82 and later C-119 aircraft as part of Tactical Air Command. Transferred, without personnel and equipment, to Japan on 15 November 1954, assigned to Far East Air Forces, manned, and equipped with C-119s and performed theater airlift missions primarily to Japan, Okinawa, Philippines and South Korea. Reactivated in 2006 to be operational flying component of AFDW 316th Wing in Washington D. C. area. afhra. af. mil/, Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama, Office of Air Force History, Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama, Office of Air Force History, http, //olive-drab. com/od_history_ww2_ops_battles_1944normandy_invasionstripes. php The 316th Troop Carrier Group
17.
374th Airlift Wing
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The 374th Airlift Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force assigned to Fifth Air Force. It is stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan and it is part of Pacific Air Forces. The 374th Airlift Wing is the only wing in PACAF. It also provides transport for people and equipment throughout the Kantō Plain, the Wing participates in operations involving air, land and airdrop of troops, equipment, supplies, and support or augment special operations forces, when appropriate. It fields a provisional airlift wing or group headquarters to command airlift resources as units in support of contingencies or exercises and it also supports assigned, attached, and associate units on Yokota Air Base and satellite installations according to higher headquarters direction. The 374th Airlift Wing has never been stationed in the United States and it operated Harmon Field, Guam, until March 1949, and provided troop carrier operations in the Pacific and Far East. It moved to Japan in March 1949, and assumed control over Tachikawa Air Base, when the Korean War broke out in June 1950, the 374th was the only air transport group in the Far East. During the war, the components of the unit were, 1st Troop Carrier Group. 21st Troop Carrier Squadron, attached 29 June 1951 –28 March 1952, 47th Troop Carrier Squadron, Provisional, attached 10–26 January 1951. 6142d Air Transport Unit, attached 1 August –1 October 1950, 6143d Air Transport Unit, attached 26 July –1 October 1950. 6144th Air Transport Unit, attached 26 July –1 October 1950, the Wing performed routine transport operations. With assigned and attached components, the wing performed combat airlift, airdrops, for its work between 27 June and 15 September 1950, transporting vital cargo, personnel and evacuating wounded men, the 374th earned its fourth DUC. It also flew courier flights throughout the Pacific area, in April 1953, the 347th transported the first of several groups of repatriated prisoners of war from Korea to Japan, and subsequently transported United Nations prisoners of war from North Korea. Following hostilities, the wing resumed its normal troop carrier and airlift operations in the Far East and Pacific area, including participation in tactical exercises, beginning in January 1954, the 374th airlifted wounded French troops from Indochina to Japan, en route to France. Principal operations from 1955 until 1958 consisted of numerous mobility exercises, routine theater airlift and it trained C-46 pilots of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force, from November 1954 through May 1955. In addition, the wing supported Army Special Forces training, participated in tactical exercises, the wing controlled four troop carrier squadrons, the 21st, 35th, 41st and 817th. The 21st included a flight which supplied aircraft for CIA operations. The Wing also supported special missions, including psy-ops, flare support, HALO and other missions
18.
Hickam Air Force Base
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Hickam Field is a United States Air Force installation, named in honor of aviation pioneer Lieutenant Colonel Horace Meek Hickam. The base merged with the Naval Base Pearl Harbor to become part of the Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, the base neighbors Honolulu International Airport and currently shares runways with the airport for its activities and purposes. Hickam is home to the 15th Wing and 67 partner units including Headquarters of Pacific Air Forces, Hawaii Air National Guard, the Air Mobility Commands 515th Air Mobility Operations Wing provides tactical and strategic airlift within the Pacific region. In addition, Hickam supports 140 tenant and associate units, the 15th Wing is composed of four groups each with specific functions. The 15th Operations Group controls all flying and airfield operations, the 15th Maintenance Group performs aircraft and aircraft ground equipment maintenance. The 15th Medical Group provides medical and dental care and these units are structured according to the Total Force Integration concept, and as such have both an active duty Commander and a Guard Commander. They share missions as well as equipment.78 and it was the largest peacetime military construction project in the United States to that date and continued through 1941. The Quartermaster Corps was assigned the job of constructing a modern airdrome from tangled algaroba brush, planning, design, and supervision of construction were all conducted by Capt. Howard B. Construction was still in progress when the first contingent of 12 men, Hickam Field was completed and officially activated on September 15,1938. In early 1939 construction began on the barracks, a single three-story nine-winged structure to house 3,200 men at a cost of $1,039,000. Personnel began moving into the barracks in January 1940, and by its completion on 30 September 1940, it was fully occupied, Hickam was the principal army airfield in Hawaii and the only one large enough to accommodate the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. In connection with plans for the Pacific, aircraft were brought to Hawaii throughout 1941 to prepare for potential hostilities. The first mass flight of bombers from Hamilton Field, California arrived at Hickam on 14 May 1941, Hickam suffered extensive damage and aircraft losses, with 189 people killed and 303 wounded. During World War II, the became a major center for training pilots. Hickam is home to the 65th Airlift Squadron which transports theater senior military leaders throughout the world in the C-37B and C-40 Clipper aircraft. In mid-2003, the 15th Air Base Wing was converted to the 15th Airlift Wing as it prepared to beddown and fly the Air Forces newest transport aircraft, the first Hickam-based C-17 arrived in February 2006, with seven more to follow during the year. The C-17s will be flown by the 535th Airlift Squadron, on September 16,1985, the Secretary of the Interior designated Hickam Field a National Historic Landmark, recognizing its key role in the World War II Pacific campaign. A bronze plaque reflecting Hickams national significance in commemorating the history of the United States of America took its place among other memorials surrounding the base flagpole, dominating the area is a large bronze tablet engraved with the names of those who died as a result of the 1941 attack
19.
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport
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Honolulu International Airport is the principal aviation gateway of the City & County of Honolulu on Oahu in the State of Hawaii. It is identified as one of the busiest airports in the United States, with traffic now exceeding 21 million passengers a year and it is located in the Honolulu census-designated place three miles northwest of Honolulus central business district. Main roads leading to the airport are Nimitz Highway and the Queen Liliuokalani Freeway of Interstate H-1, Honolulu International Airport serves as the principal hub of Hawaiian Airlines, the largest Hawaii-based airline. It is host to major United States and international airlines, with flights to North American, Asian. It is also the base for Aloha Air Cargo, which offered both passenger and cargo services under the name Aloha Airlines. It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021, HNL opened in March 1927 as John Rodgers Airport, named after World War I naval officer John Rodgers. From 1939 to 1943, the adjacent Keehi Lagoon was dredged for use by seaplanes, the U. S. military grounded all civil aircraft and took over all civil airports after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and Rodgers Field was designated Naval Air Station Honolulu. The Navy built a tower and terminal building, and some commercial traffic was allowed during daylight hours. Rodgers Field was returned to the Territory of Hawaii in 1946, at the time, at 4,019 acres, it was one of the largest airports in the United States, with four paved land runways and three seaplane runways. John Rodgers Airport was renamed Honolulu Airport in 1947, International was added to the name in 1951, being near the center of the Pacific Ocean it was a stop for many transpacific flights. By 1950 it was the third-busiest airport in the United States in terms of aircraft operations, in summer 1959 Qantas began the first jet service to Honolulu on its flights between Australia and California. Aeronautical engineer and airline consultant, Frank Der Yuen, advised in the design of the original building and founded its aerospace museum. The original terminal building on the southeast side of runways 4 was replaced by the John Rodgers Terminal, by the mid-1970s Pan Am offered nonstop service from Honolulu to Japan, Guam, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, as well as to cities on the West Coast. Continental Airlines used Honolulu as a point for charter service to Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War era. American Airlines also operated flights to Australia and the South Pacific through Honolulu from 1970 to 1975, many foreign carriers used Honolulu as a transpacific stopover point, including Air New Zealand, China Airlines, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Philippine Airlines, Qantas and Singapore Airlines. On March 24,2006 Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle unveiled a $2.3 billion modernization program for Hawaii airports over a 12-year period, the plan involves implementing short-term projects within the first five years to improve passenger service and increase security and operational efficiencies. Current projects include an international arrivals corridor with moving sidewalks built atop the breezeway leading to the Ewa Concourse, the first phase of the project was completed in October 2009, while the remainder of the two phase project was completed in 2010. This renovation project was funded by Hawaiian Airlines and not a part of the modernization program
20.
Bergstrom Air Force Base
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It was activated during World War II as a troop carrier training airfield, and was a front-line Strategic Air Command base during the Cold War. In its later years, it was transferred to the Tactical Air Command, at the time of its closure, it was assigned to the Air Combat Command. The airfield was converted for civilian use, with Austin-Bergstrom International Airport beginning passenger flights in 1999. Del Valle Airfield was activated on 19 September 1942 on 3,000 acres leased from the City of Austin, the lease agreement stipulated that the land would revert to the city if the government abandoned it. He was the first Austinite killed in World War II, the base was again renamed Bergstrom Field on 11 November 1943. With the establishment of the United States Air Force in September 1947, generally, aircrews were formed at other airfields and received their primary training there. Once that was completed, they received advanced training at Bergstrom before moving on to their operational units overseas, the airfield support groups at Bergstrom provided all the support functions necessary for the administration and operation of the airfield. After leaving Bergstrom it transferred to the Mediterranean theater, being assigned to Ninth Air Force, the group transported supplies and evacuated casualties in support of the Allied drive across North Africa. It provided transition training for pilots, using DC-3s and later C-47s, began training replacement crews in March 1944. The unit was disbanded on 14 April 1944 and its mission was to train Nationalist Chinese crews to operate the C-46 Commando transport aircraft. It was inactivated on 7 September 1946, once training was completed, it transferred to McChord Field, Washington in August 1947. At Bergstrom,15 July 1947 –22 October 1948 Flew, C-82 Squadrons, once training was completed, it transferred to the RAF base at Fassberg Germany, arriving on 9 November 1948 to take part in the airlift. With the end of World War II, and the creation of the U. S. Air Force in 1947, with the departure of the 347th TCG in 1948, the runways were extended to accommodate the new generation of jet aircraft. The first SAC unit to use Bergstrom was the 447th Bombardment Group equipped with the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, operational squadrons were, 708th Bombardment Squadron 709th Bombardment Squadron The 447th was a former Eighth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress unit that was allocated to the Reserves in 1945. It was activated at Bergstrom on 12 August 1947 with two squadrons of B-29s and returned to operational flying training missions. On 26 June 1949, the unit was transferred to Castle AFB, on 16 March 1949, the 27th Fighter Wing was transferred to Bergstom AFB from Kearney AFB, Nebraska under the 8th Air Force. The F-82F/G models operated as night fighters equipped with radar and they were painted black and had flame-dampened exhausts. The 27th SFW transitioned to jet aircraft with Republic Aviation F-84E Thunderjet in 1950, and was redesignated the 27th Fighter-Escort Wing on 1 February
21.
Rhein-Main Air Base
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Rhein-Main Air Base was a United States Air Force air base near the city of Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It was a United States Air Forces in Europe installation, occupying the side of Frankfurt Airport. Its military airport codes are discontinued, established in 1945, Rhein-Main Air Base was the primary airlift and passenger hub for United States forces in Europe. It was billed as the Gateway to Europe, after the U. S. 7th Army moved through the Frankfurt area, the 826th Engineer Aviation Battalion, a unit of the IX Engineer Command, arrived at Frankfurt/Rhein-Main Airfield on 26 April 1945. It was classified as Advanced Landing Ground Y-73, on 11 May 1945, the engineers began the task of clearing rubble and reconstructing major buildings. The Army engineers also built new runways and extended and widened the runway, constructed aprons. Initially Frankfurt/Rhein-Main Airfield was used by the Ninth Air Force as a fighter base. The 466th operated the port, with a mixture of C-47 Skytrain, C-46 Commando. Troop Carrier Squadrons of the 61st TCG were the 14th, 15th, the ongoing dispute over Berlin strained relations between the Soviet Union and the Western Allies. The commander of the American occupation zone in Germany, General Lucius D. Clay, USA, Rhein-Main Air Base became the main American terminal in western Germany for the airlift. The aircraft of the 61st TCG participated using C-54 Skymasters to ferry coal, flour, additional Troop Carrier Squadrons were assigned to the 61st group, these being the 20th, 48th, and 54th. On 19 November 1948, the 513th Troop Carrier Group was activated at Rhein-Main Air Base to assist in the airlift, Squadrons of the 513th were the 313th, 330th, 331st, 332d, and 333d. The Soviet Union lifted its blockade at 00,01, on 12 May 1949, however, the airlift did not end until 30 September, as the Western nations wanted to build up sufficient amounts of supplies in West Berlin in case the Soviets blockaded it again. Although originally envisioned as a base by USAFE, as a result of the Berlin Airlift. With the end of the blockade, the 513th TCG was inactivated on 16 October 1949, the 61st TCG returned to routine transport operations until the outbreak of the Korean War. The 61st was reassigned to McChord Air Force Base, Washington on 21 July 1950, the 61st was replaced by the 60th Troop Carrier Wing, which transferred from Wiesbaden Air Base, West Germany on 2 June 1950. The 60th was equipped with the heavier C-82 Packet cargo aircraft, in 1953, the C-119 Flying Boxcar arrived, bringing an increased cargo capability to the wing. The 60th Troop Carrier Wing relocated to Dreux-Louvillier Air Base, France on 15 October 1955, Rhein-Main was placed under the 7310th Air Base Wing, and for over a decade provided ground service as well as cargo and passenger loading and unloading for USAFE and MATS transports
22.
Brady Air Base
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Fukuoka Airport, formerly known as Itazuke Air Base, is an international and domestic airport located 1.6 NM east of Hakata Station in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. Fukuoka Airport is the airport on the island of Kyushu and is the fourth busiest passenger airport in Japan. It is also the third busiest single-runway airport in the world by passenger traffic, the airport is surrounded by residential areas, flights stop at 10 p. m. at the request of local residents and resume operation at 7 a. m. The domestic terminal is connected to the city by the Fukuoka City Subway, the international terminal is only accessible by road, although there is scheduled bus service to Hakata Station and the Tenjin area. Alternatives to access the Fukuoka area include Saga Airport and Kitakyushu Airport, the airport was built in 1944 by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force as Mushiroda Airfield. After the war, the United States Air Force used the airfield as Itazuke Air Base from 1945 to 1972, Itazuke actually comprised three installations, Itazuke AB, Itazuke Administration Annex and Brady Air Base. Itazuke and the Kasuga Annex were on the mainland while Brady was in Saitozaki, part of the confusion with the names stem from the days when the annex and Brady AB were Army installations before the USAF took command in 1956. At its height, Itazuke AB was the largest USAF base on Kyūshū, but was closed in 1972 due to budget reductions, Mushiroda was built on farmland that once grew bumper rice crops during 1943. The base was first used by trainer aircraft, the airfield soon proved unserviceable for the fledgling flyers because of the high water level of the former rice lands. Frequent rain showers flooded the runway making it unsafe for the novice aviators, the Japanese Air Forces 6th Fighter Wing replaced the trainers and Mushiroda became an air defense base. The 6th Wing had 30 single engine fighters and several aircraft to patrol the Okinawa-Kyūshū aerial invasion corridor. In April 1945 the Tachiarai Airfield at Kurume was destroyed by American B-29s, the first American units moved into the facility in November 1945, when the 38th Bombardment Group stationed B-25 Mitchells on the airfield. Along with the 38th, the 8th Fighter Group was assigned to the airfield on 1 April 1946 which performed occupation duties until April 1947. Due to the destruction of the facility during the War. Designated Base Two, the aircraft company was converted to barracks, dining halls, a post exchange. Additional facilities and billets were housed in a tent city at the airfield, the 38th Bomb Group remained at Itazuke until October 1946 also during with time several reconstruction units worked on the former IJAAF base rebuilding and constructing new facilities. Headquarters, 315th Bombardment Wing moved into the base during May 1946, when the 38th Bomb Group moved to Itami Airfield, it was replaced by the P-61 Black Widow-equipped 347th Fighter Group that moved from Nagoya Airfield. The 347ths mission was to air defense of Japanese airspace with the long range former night fighter
23.
Yokota Air Base
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Yokota Air Base, is a United States Air Force base in the city of Fussa, one of 26 cities in the Tama Area, or Western Tokyo. The base occupies an area of 7.07 km2 and has a 3,353 m ×61 m runway. The host unit at Yokota is the 374th Airlift Wing and is used for airlift missions throughout East Asia. The 374th includes four groups, operations, mission support, maintenance, each group manages a various number of squadrons in order to carry out the wings mission. 374th Operations Group The 374th Operations Group maintains a presence by providing rapid responsive movement of personnel, equipment. 374th Maintenance Group The 374th Maintenance Group maintains C-130H1, C-12 and UH-1N aircraft supporting intratheater airlift, 374th Medical Group The 374th Medical Group, ensures medical readiness of 374 AW,5 AF, and US Forces Japan personnel. They also maintain 64 War Reserve Materiel projects, including the USAFs largest Patient Movement Item inventory, associate/Tenant Units U. S. Forces, Japan -- a nonoperational, politico-military unit that serves as the USPACOM front for US-Japanese military discussions. Fifth Air Force -- the air component to USFJ, 730th Air Mobility Squadron Air Force Band of the Pacific-Asia Stars & Stripes American Forces Network U. S. Coast Guard Activities Far East. Yokota Cadet Squadron, Civil Air Patrol The Civil Air Patrols Yokota Cadet Squadron conducts operations at Yokota Air Base, the newly renovated Air Mobility Command Passenger Terminal is on the main part of the base next to the flightline. The facility which houses Yokota Air Base was originally constructed by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1940 as Tama Airfield, and used as a flight test center. During World War II Yokota became the center of Japanese Army Air Forces flight test activities, Tama was first identified by United States military forces in November 1944 by a 3d Reconnaissance Squadron F-13 Superfortress photo-reconnaissance aircraft, flying from Tinian in the Marianas. It was identified as being associated with a nearby Musashino-Nakajima aircraft manufacturing plant, along with the Showa Air Base to the northwest, and Tachikawa Air Base to the east, it was compared to the aircraft development complex of the USAAF Wright-Paterson Field in Ohio. According to the USAAF intelligence at the time, the three bases conducted all IJA flight testing, in the spring of 1945, XXI Bomber Command attacked the base eight times along with the aircraft manufacturing plant, but each time heavy clouds forced the bombers to attack secondary targets. The Nakajima plant was attacked in April 1945, but the Tama airfield never was bombed. With the end of hostilities and the Japanese surrender in September 1945, the airfields buildings were largely intact, and some 280 of the IJAs most modern aircraft were discovered in hangars. When the old runway deteriorated under heavy usage, the runway was repaired, additional construction during the 1940s and 1950s was completed and the base reached its current size around 1960. On the occasion of extension, the course of Hachiko Line and national highway Route 16 was changed, 6th Night Fighter Squadron Inactivated and personnel, mission and equipment transferred to 339th Fighter Squadron with F-82F/G Twin Mustangs at Nagoya AB Japan. During the Korean War, Yokota was used for missions over North and South Korea
24.
Douglas DC-2
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The Douglas DC-2 is a 14-seat, twin-engined airliner that was produced by the American company Douglas Aircraft Corporation starting in 1934. It competed with the Boeing 247, in 1935, Douglas produced a larger version called the DC-3, which became one of the most successful aircraft in history. In the early 1930s, fears about the safety of aircraft structures drove the US aviation industry to develop all-metal airliners. United Airlines had exclusive right to the all metal twin-engine Boeing 247, the Douglas response was more radical. When it flew on July 1,1933, the prototype DC-1 had a robust tapered wing, retractable landing gear, TWA accepted the basic design and ordered twenty of the upgraded DC-2s which were longer, had more powerful engines, and carried 14 passengers in a 66-inch-wide cabin. The design impressed American and European airlines and further orders followed, although Fokker had purchased a production licence from Douglas for $100,000, no manufacturing was done in Holland. Another licence was taken by the Nakajima Aircraft Company in Japan, unlike Fokker and Airspeed, a total of 130 civil DC-2s were built with another 62 for the United States military. In 1935 Don Douglas stated in an article that the DC-2 cost about $80,000 per aircraft if mass-produced, although overshadowed by its ubiquitous successor, it was the DC-2 that first showed that passenger air travel could be comfortable, safe and reliable. As a token of this, KLM entered its first DC-2 PH-AJU Uiver in the October 1934 MacRobertson Air Race between London and Melbourne, out of the 20 entrants, it finished second behind only the purpose-built de Havilland DH.88 racer Grosvenor House. During the total time of 90 hours,13 min, it was in the air for 81 hours,10 min. DC-2156 civil DC-2s, variously powered by two Wright R-1820-F2 -F2A -F3 -F3A -F3B -F52 -F53 Cyclone radial piston engines varying in power from 710 to 875 hp, dC-2A Two civil DC-2s, powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet SD-G, S1E-G or S2E-G radial piston engines. DC-2B Two DC-2s sold to LOT Polish Airlines, fitted with two 750 hp Bristol Pegasus VI radial piston engines, nakajima-Douglas DC-2 Transport DC-2 transports license built in Japan by Nakajima. Airspeed AS.23 The designation reserved for proposed license-built production by Airspeed Ltd. in Great Britain, c-32A Designation for 24 commercial DC-2s impressed at the start of World War II. YC-34 VIP transport for the Secretary of War, basically similar to XC-32, later designated C-34, c-38 The first C-33 was modified with a DC-3 style tail section and two Wright R-1820-45 radial piston engines of 975 hp each. Originally designated C-33A but redesignated as prototype for C-39 variant, one built, C-39 16-seat passenger variant, a composite of DC-2 & DC-3 components, with C-33 fuselage and wings and DC-3 type tail, center-section and landing gear. Powered by two 975 hp Wright R-1820-45 radial piston engines,35 built, R2D-1710 hp Wright R-1820-12 powered transport similar to the XC-32, three built for the United States Navy and two for the United States Marine Corps. Poland LOT Polish Airlines ♠ operated three DC-2B aircraft between 1935 and 1939 Spanish Republic Líneas Aéreas Postales Españolas ♠ received five aircraft, Pan American-Grace Airways ♠ used its DC-2s on routes within South America. Transcontinental & Western Air was the first DC-2 operator, receiving 30 aircraft, ♠ Uruguay PLUNA operated two DC-2s acquired from Panair do Brasil
25.
Douglas C-47 Skytrain
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The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II, the specialized C-53 Skytrooper troop transport started production in October 1941 at Douglas Aircrafts Santa Monica, California plant. It lacked the cargo door, hoist attachment and reinforced floor of the C-47, only a total of 380 aircraft were produced in all because the C-47 was found to be more versatile. During World War II, the forces of many countries used the C-47 and modified DC-3s for the transport of troops, cargo. The U. S. Naval designation was R4D, more than 10,000 aircraft were produced in Long Beach and Santa Monica, California and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Between March 1943 and August 1945 the Oklahoma City plant produced 5,354 C-47s, additionally, C-47s were used to airlift supplies to the embattled American forces during the Battle of Bastogne. Possibly its most influential role in aviation, however, was flying The Hump from India into China. The expertise gained flying The Hump was later be used in the Berlin Airlift, in which the C-47 played a major role, until the aircraft were replaced by Douglas C-54 Skymasters. A C-47 flown by the China National Airways Corporation pilot Moon Chin, Moon Chin was tasked with flying from Chungking to Myitkyina, a military base in Burma. His aircraft was jumped by Japanese fighters and, after landing at a small airstrip to wait for his pursuers to give up the game. When Chins DC-3 arrived at Myitkyina, he found that the base had, indeed, been severely bombed by the Japanese, eventually, Chin would carry sixty-eight passengers and a crew of four on the final leg to India. After arriving in India, the tattered American approached Captain Chin, believe me, Chin, he began, if I had had any idea that you were going to jam that many people into this old crate I would have gone home the way I came. Chin inquired as to how that might have been and the American replied I flew in, the short, balding, bedraggled American was none other than Lt Col Jimmy Doolittle returning from the historic raid on Tokyo. In Europe, the C-47 and a specialised paratroop variant, the C-53 Skytrooper, were used in vast numbers in the stages of the war, particularly to tow gliders. During the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, C-47s dropped 4,381 Allied paratroops, more than 50,000 paratroops were dropped by C-47s during the first few days of the invasion of Normandy, France, in June 1944. In the Pacific War, with use of the island landing strips of the Pacific Ocean. About 2,000 C-47s in British and Commonwealth service took the name Dakota, the C-47 also earned the informal nickname gooney bird in the European theatre of operations. The United States Air Forces Strategic Air Command had Skytrains in service from 1946 through 1967, the US Air Forces 6th Special Operations Squadron was flying the C-47 until 2008
26.
Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar
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The Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar is a passenger transport aircraft of the World War II era. In order to improve the economics, Lockheed decided to stretch the aircrafts fuselage by 5 feet 6 inches. The modified aircraft first flew in this form on September 21,1939, a total of 625 Lodestars of all variants were built. The Lodestar received its Type certificate on March 30,1940, allowing it to service with the first customer. As hoped, the extra seats greatly improved the Model 18s economics, reducing its costs to a similar level to that of the DC-3. Despite this, sales to US domestic customers were slow as most US airlines were already committed to the DC-3. Overseas sales were a better, with 29 bought by the government of the Netherlands East Indies. South African Airways, New Zealand National Airways Corporation, Trans-Canada Air Lines, various Pratt & Whitney and Wright Cyclone powerplants were installed. When the United States started to build up its air strength in 1940–41. This was followed by the construction of many new-build Lodestars which were flown by the Army Air Force as the C-60, lend-lease aircraft were used by the RNZAF as transports. One was purchased in 1942 to serve as Brazilian President Getúlio Vargas personal aircraft and this aircraft was specially designed for that purpose and had 11 seats. A few of the latter were converted to tricycle landing gear, many of the New Zealand aircraft were later used for aerial topdressing. A single Lodestar served with the Israeli Air Force during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, a number of skydiving operations in the United States used Lodestars during the 1970s and 1980s. 18-07 Powered by two 875 hp Pratt & Whitney Hornet S1E2-G engines,25 built plus two prototypes, 18-08 Powered by two 1,200 hp Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp S1C3-G engines,33 built. 18-10 Powered by two 1,200 hp Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp S1C3-G engines,39 built, 18-14 Powered by two 1,200 hp Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp S4C4-G engines, four built. 18-40 Powered by two 1,200 hp Wright Cyclone G-1820-G104A engines,26 built, 18-50 Powered by two 1200hp Wright Cyclone G-1820-G202A engines,13 built. C-56 Powered by 1,200 hp Wright 1820-89 engines, one Model 18-50 for evaluation, c-56A One impressed Model 18-07 with two Pratt & Whitney R-1690-54 engines. C-56B Thirteen impressed Model 18-40s with two Wright 1820-97 engines, c-56E Two Model 18-40s impressed in 1943
27.
Beechcraft Model 18
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The Beechcraft Model 18 is a 6- to 11-seat, twin-engined, low-wing, tailwheel light aircraft manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. Continuously produced from 1937 to November 1969, over 9,000 were produced, sold worldwide as a civilian executive, utility, cargo aircraft, and passenger airliner on tailwheels, nosewheels, skis or floats, it was also used as a military aircraft. In World War II, over 90% of USAAF bombardiers and navigators trained in these aircraft, in the early postwar era, the Beech 18 was the pre-eminent business aircraft and feeder airliner. Many are now owned, around the world, with over 300 in the U. S. still on the FAA Aircraft Registry in December 2014. The design was conventional for the time, including twin radial engines, all-metal semimonocoque construction with fabric-covered control surfaces. Less conventional was the twin-tailfin configuration, the Model 18 can be mistaken for the larger Lockheed Electra series of airliners which closely resemble it. Early production aircraft were powered either by two 330-hp Jacobs L-6s or 350-hp Wright R-760Es, the 450-hp Pratt & Whitney R-985 became the definitive engine from the prewar C18S onwards. The Beech 18 prototype first flew on January 15,1937, prior to the Pearl Harbor attack, the Beech 18 was outsold by the Lockheed 12 by two-to-one. However, war priorities forced Lockheed to concentrate on its heavier aircraft, the aircraft has used a variety of engines and has had a number of airframe modifications to increase gross weight and speed. At least one aircraft was modified to a 600-hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340 powerplant configuration, nearly every airframe component has been modified. In 1955, deliveries of the Model E18S commenced, the E18S featured a fuselage that was extended 6 in higher for more headroom in the passenger cabin, all later Beech 18s featured this taller fuselage, and some earlier models have been modified to this larger fuselage. The Model H18, introduced in 1963, featured optional tricycle undercarriage, unusually, the undercarriage was developed for earlier-model aircraft under an STC by Volpar, and installed in H18s at the factory during manufacture. A total of 109 H18s were built with tricycle undercarriage, construction of the Beechcraft Model 18 ended in 1970 with a final Model H18 going to Japan Airlines. Through the years,32 variations of the design had flown, over 200 improvement modification kits were developed. In one case, the aircraft was modified to a tail, trigear, humpbacked configuration. Another distinctive conversion was carried out by PacAero as the Tradewind and this featured a lengthened nose to accommodate the tricycle nosewheel, and the Model 18s twin tailfins were replaced by a single fin. Work began in earnest on a variant specifically for training pilots, bombardiers. The effort resulted in the Army AT-7 and Navy SNB, further development led to the AT-11 and SNB-2 navigation trainers and the C-45 military transport
28.
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
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The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces in World War II and the Korean War. Like the Douglas C-47 Skytrain, the C-54 Skymaster was derived from a civilian airliner, besides transport of cargo, the C-54 also carried presidents, prime ministers, and military staff. Dozens of variants of the C-54 were employed in a variety of non-combat roles such as air-sea rescue, scientific and military research. During the Berlin Airlift it hauled coal and food supplies to West Berlin, after the Korean War it continued to be used for military and civilian uses by more than 30 countries. This was one of the first aircraft to carry the President of the United States, the first, a C-54, flew from Clover Field in Santa Monica, California on 14 February 1942. To meet military requirements the first civil aircraft had four additional auxiliary fuel tanks in the main cabin which reduced the passenger seats to 26. The following batch of aircraft were designated C-54A and were built with a floor, cargo door with a hoist. The first C-54A was delivered in February 1943, with the introduction of the C-54B in March 1944 the outer wings were changed to hold integral fuel tanks allowing two of the cabin tanks to be removed, this allowed 49-seats to be fitted. The C-54C was a hybrid for Presidential use, it had a C-54A fuselage with four fuel tanks. The most common variant was the C-54D which entered service in August 1944, with the C-54E the last two cabin fuel tanks were moved to the wings which would allow more freight or 44 passenger seats. Aircraft transferred to the United States Navy were designated Douglas R5D, with the introduction of the Tri-Service aircraft designation system in 1962, all R5Ds were re-designated C-54. C-54s began service with the USAAF in 1942, carrying up to 26 passengers, the C-54 was one of the most commonly used long-range transports by the U. S. armed forces in World War II. Of the C-54s produced,515 were manufactured in Santa Monica, California and 655 were manufactured at Orchard Place/Douglas Field, in unincorporated Cook County, Illinois, during World War II, the C-54 was used by Franklin D. Roosevelt, Douglas MacArthur, and Winston Churchill. The American delegates to the Casablanca Conference used the Skymaster, the C-54 was also used by the Royal Air Force, the French Air Force, and the armed forces of at least 12 other nations. More than 300 C-54s and R5Ds formed the backbone of the US contribution to the Berlin Airlift in 1948 and they also served as the main airlift during the Korean War. After the Korean War, the C-54 was replaced by the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, the last active C-54 Skymaster in U. S. Navy service was retired on 2 April 1974. In late 1945, several hundred C-54s were surplus to U. S. military requirements, the aircraft were sold to airlines around the world. By January 1946, Pan American Airways was operating their Skymasters on transatlantic scheduled services to Europe, trans-Pacific schedules from San Francisco to Auckland began on 6 June 1946
29.
Curtiss C-46 Commando
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The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a transport aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurised high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name Condor III but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company publicity. It was used as a transport during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces and also the U. S. Navy/Marine Corps. The C-46 served in a role to its Douglas-built counterpart, the C-47 Skytrain. At the time of its mass-production, the C-46 was the second-largest, the type continued in U. S. Air Force service in a secondary role until 1968. The C-46 continues in operation as a cargo transport for Arctic. The prototype for what would become the C-46, the Curtiss CW-20, was designed in 1937 by George A, page Jr. the chief aircraft designer at Curtiss-Wright. The CW-20 was a private venture intended to compete with the four-engined Douglas DC-4, the CW-20 had a patented fuselage conventionally referred to as a figure-eight which enabled it to better withstand the pressure differential at high altitudes. This was done by having the sides of the fuselage creased at the level of the floor that not only separated the two portions but shared in the stress of each, rather than just supporting itself. The main spar of the wing could pass through the section which was mainly intended for cargo without intruding on the passenger upper compartment. Engineering work involved a commitment from the company and incorporated an extensive amount of wind tunnel testing at the California Institute of Technology. The resultant design was a large but aerodynamically sleek airliner, incorporating the cockpit in a glazed dome. The engines featured a unique nacelle tunnel cowl where air was ducted in and expelled through the bottom of the cowl, reducing turbulent airflow, after a mockup was constructed in 1938, Curtiss-Wright exhibited the innovative project as a display in the 1939 New York Worlds Fair. The company approached many airlines in order to obtain their requirements for an advanced airliner, no firm orders resulted, although 25 letters of intent were received, sufficient to begin production. The design of a 24–34 passenger airliner proceeded to stage as the CW-20 at the St. Louis. Powered by two 1,700 hp R-2600-C14-BA2 Wright Twin Cyclones, the prototype, registered NX-19436 flew for the first time on 26 March 1940 with test pilot Edmund T. After testing, modifications were instituted, including the fitting of a single tail to improve stability at low speeds. The first prototype was purchased by the United States Army Air Forces to serve as a master for the series and was designated C-55, after military evaluation, the sole example was returned to Curtiss-Wright and subsequently re-sold to the British Overseas Airways Corporation
30.
Beechcraft C-12 Huron
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The C-12 Huron is the military designation for a series of twin-engine turboprop aircraft based on the Beechcraft Super King Air and Beechcraft 1900. C-12 variants are used by the United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Navy and these aircraft are used for various duties, including embassy support, medical evacuation, as well as passenger and light cargo transport. Some aircraft are modified with surveillance systems for various missions, including the Cefly Lancer, Guardrail, the first C-12A models entered service with the U. S. Army in 1974 and were used as a liaison and general personnel transport. The aircraft was essentially an off-the-shelf Super King Air 200, powered by the types standard Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-41 engines, the cabin can readily accommodate cargo, passengers or both. It is also equipped to accept litter patients in medical evacuation missions, through 1982, the Navy ordered 64 of these aircraft. A U. S. Air Force variant of the plane for surveillance roles primarily over Afghanistan, as of 2013 the Liberty program had exceeded 300,000 combat flying hours. With its roles taken over by the growing MQ-9 Reaper fleet, Special Operations Command, which was completed by October 2015. The Air Forces final MC-12W deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom ended on 13 October 2015, to meet the needs of transporting larger groups, the U. S. Army purchased six C-12J aircraft, based on the Beechcraft 1900C commuter airliner. One of the military C-12Js is used for GPS jamming tests at the 586th Flight Test Squadron, Holloman Air Force Base, another is based at the 517th Airlift Squadron, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. Three were based at the 55th Airlift Flight, Osan Air Base and they have been relocated to the 459th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan. The remaining two are used by U. S. Army Aviation, C-12A Used by the U. S. Army for liaison and attache transport. Based on the King Air A200, Marine Corps version with an additional cargo door. Based on the King Air A200C, nC-12B U. S. Navy single-aircraft version, UC-12B BuNo 161311 equipped with four P-3C type Sonobuoy launchers. TC-12B U. S. Navy training version developed by conversion of UC-12B airframes, c-12C U. S. Army and U. S. Air Force version of the C-12A with upgraded engines. Based on the King Air A200, c-12D U. S. Army and U. S. Air Force version. Based on the King Air A200CT, changes include larger cargo door, rC-12D Special mission, SIGINT aircraft for the U. S. Army. UC-12D Based on the King Air A200CT, c-12E Upgraded C-12A aircraft for the USAF. 29 C-12As were retro-fitted with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42 turboprop engines, C-12F U. S. Air Force transport version
31.
Learjet 35
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The Learjet Model 35 and Model 36 are a series of American multi-role business jets and military transport aircraft manufactured by Learjet. When used by the United States Air Force they carry the designation C-21A, the aircraft are powered by two Garrett TFE731-2 turbofan engines. Its cabin can be arranged for 6-8 passengers, the longer-range Model 36 has a shortened passenger area to provide more space in the aft fuselage for fuel tanks. The engines are mounted in nacelles on the sides of the aft fuselage, the wings are equipped with single-slotted flaps. The wingtip fuel tanks distinguish the design from other aircraft having similar functions, the concept which became the LJ35 began as the Learjet 25BGF, a Learjet 25 with a then-new TFE731 turbofan engine mounted on the left side in place of the 25s General Electric CJ610 turbojet engine. This testbed aircraft first flew in May,1971, as a result of the increased power and reduced noise of the new engine, Learjet further improved the design, and instead of being simply a variant of the 25, it became its own model, the 35. In 1976 American professional golfer Arnold Palmer used a Learjet 36 to establish a new class record of 22,894 miles completed in 57 hours 25 minutes 42 seconds. Learjet 35s made the bulk of Escuadrón Fénix during the 1982 Falklands War mainly on diversion flights, production on the 35/36 series ceased in 1994. As of January,2007, the U. S. National Transportation Safety Board database lists 19 fatal accidents for the 35/35A, the original Model 35 was powered by two TFE731-2-2A engines and was 13 inches longer than its predecessor, the Model 25. First flight of the prototype Model 35 was on 22 August 1973, and it could carry up to eight passengers. There were 64 base-model 35s built and it was introduced in 1976, replacing the 35. Over 600 35As were built, with a line that ended with serial number 677. The record remains standing as of 2015 and this aircraft is now on display in Terminal C of Denver International Airport. Learjet 36 The Model 36 is essentially identical to the 35, except that it has a fuselage fuel tank, giving it 500 miles longer range. It was certified, along with the 35, in July,1974, Learjet 36A Like the 35A, the Model 36A has upgraded engines and a higher maximum gross weight. It was introduced in 1976, replacing the 36, C-21A The C-21A is a United States military designation for an off the shelf variant of the Learjet 35A for the United States Air Force, with room for eight passengers and 42 ft³ of cargo. In addition to its role, the aircraft is capable of transporting litters during medical evacuations. Delivery of the C-21A fleet began in April 1984 and was completed in October 1985, there are 38 Air Force active duty aircraft, and 18 Air National Guard aircraft in the C-21A fleet
32.
International Standard Book Number
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The International Standard Book Number is a unique numeric commercial book identifier. An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation of a book, for example, an e-book, a paperback and a hardcover edition of the same book would each have a different ISBN. The ISBN is 13 digits long if assigned on or after 1 January 2007, the method of assigning an ISBN is nation-based and varies from country to country, often depending on how large the publishing industry is within a country. The initial ISBN configuration of recognition was generated in 1967 based upon the 9-digit Standard Book Numbering created in 1966, the 10-digit ISBN format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization and was published in 1970 as international standard ISO2108. Occasionally, a book may appear without a printed ISBN if it is printed privately or the author does not follow the usual ISBN procedure, however, this can be rectified later. Another identifier, the International Standard Serial Number, identifies periodical publications such as magazines, the ISBN configuration of recognition was generated in 1967 in the United Kingdom by David Whitaker and in 1968 in the US by Emery Koltay. The 10-digit ISBN format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization and was published in 1970 as international standard ISO2108, the United Kingdom continued to use the 9-digit SBN code until 1974. The ISO on-line facility only refers back to 1978, an SBN may be converted to an ISBN by prefixing the digit 0. For example, the edition of Mr. J. G. Reeder Returns, published by Hodder in 1965, has SBN340013818 -340 indicating the publisher,01381 their serial number. This can be converted to ISBN 0-340-01381-8, the check digit does not need to be re-calculated, since 1 January 2007, ISBNs have contained 13 digits, a format that is compatible with Bookland European Article Number EAN-13s. An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation of a book, for example, an ebook, a paperback, and a hardcover edition of the same book would each have a different ISBN. The ISBN is 13 digits long if assigned on or after 1 January 2007, a 13-digit ISBN can be separated into its parts, and when this is done it is customary to separate the parts with hyphens or spaces. Separating the parts of a 10-digit ISBN is also done with either hyphens or spaces, figuring out how to correctly separate a given ISBN number is complicated, because most of the parts do not use a fixed number of digits. ISBN issuance is country-specific, in that ISBNs are issued by the ISBN registration agency that is responsible for country or territory regardless of the publication language. Some ISBN registration agencies are based in national libraries or within ministries of culture, in other cases, the ISBN registration service is provided by organisations such as bibliographic data providers that are not government funded. In Canada, ISBNs are issued at no cost with the purpose of encouraging Canadian culture. In the United Kingdom, United States, and some countries, where the service is provided by non-government-funded organisations. Australia, ISBNs are issued by the library services agency Thorpe-Bowker
33.
OCLC
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The Online Computer Library Center is a US-based nonprofit cooperative organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the worlds information and reducing information costs. It was founded in 1967 as the Ohio College Library Center, OCLC and its member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the largest online public access catalog in the world. OCLC is funded mainly by the fees that libraries have to pay for its services, the group first met on July 5,1967 on the campus of the Ohio State University to sign the articles of incorporation for the nonprofit organization. The group hired Frederick G. Kilgour, a former Yale University medical school librarian, Kilgour wished to merge the latest information storage and retrieval system of the time, the computer, with the oldest, the library. The goal of network and database was to bring libraries together to cooperatively keep track of the worlds information in order to best serve researchers and scholars. The first library to do online cataloging through OCLC was the Alden Library at Ohio University on August 26,1971 and this was the first occurrence of online cataloging by any library worldwide. Membership in OCLC is based on use of services and contribution of data, between 1967 and 1977, OCLC membership was limited to institutions in Ohio, but in 1978, a new governance structure was established that allowed institutions from other states to join. In 2002, the structure was again modified to accommodate participation from outside the United States. As OCLC expanded services in the United States outside of Ohio, it relied on establishing strategic partnerships with networks, organizations that provided training, support, by 2008, there were 15 independent United States regional service providers. OCLC networks played a key role in OCLC governance, with networks electing delegates to serve on OCLC Members Council, in early 2009, OCLC negotiated new contracts with the former networks and opened a centralized support center. OCLC provides bibliographic, abstract and full-text information to anyone, OCLC and its member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat—the OCLC Online Union Catalog, the largest online public access catalog in the world. WorldCat has holding records from public and private libraries worldwide. org, in October 2005, the OCLC technical staff began a wiki project, WikiD, allowing readers to add commentary and structured-field information associated with any WorldCat record. The Online Computer Library Center acquired the trademark and copyrights associated with the Dewey Decimal Classification System when it bought Forest Press in 1988, a browser for books with their Dewey Decimal Classifications was available until July 2013, it was replaced by the Classify Service. S. The reference management service QuestionPoint provides libraries with tools to communicate with users and this around-the-clock reference service is provided by a cooperative of participating global libraries. OCLC has produced cards for members since 1971 with its shared online catalog. OCLC commercially sells software, e. g. CONTENTdm for managing digital collections, OCLC has been conducting research for the library community for more than 30 years. In accordance with its mission, OCLC makes its research outcomes known through various publications and these publications, including journal articles, reports, newsletters, and presentations, are available through the organizations website. The most recent publications are displayed first, and all archived resources, membership Reports – A number of significant reports on topics ranging from virtual reference in libraries to perceptions about library funding
34.
Air Staff (United States)
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The Air Staff is one of the Department of the Air Forces two statutorily designated headquarters staffs, the other staff is the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, also known as the Secretariat. The Air Staff is headed by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Air Staff is primarily composed of uniformed U. S. The Air Staff was reorganized in 2006 to be numbered in accordance with the Joint Staff system, for the most part, the Joint Staff numbering system applies to the air staff. For reference, the organization of the Joint Staff follows, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff of the U. S. S. Board members also include the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the office responds to Combat Air Force and combatant command requirements. The RCO reports to a board of directors comprising the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, the office is staffed with a variety of functional specialists who form a collaborative melting pot of expertise. The Secretary of the Air Force activated the office 28 April 2003, one of its first projects was to deploy significant upgrades to the Integrated Air Defense System, now operational around the National Capital Region. Currently, RCO is working on the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle to demonstrate a reliable, reusable, additionally, RCO, in conjunction with MIT Lincoln Lab and other partners, is developing a sensitive airborne receiver system. The system is scheduled for evaluation during the summer of 2009. The RCO Red Team assesses current and future threats to U. S. combat operations by providing independent technical assessments, Joint Chiefs of Staff Organization of the U. S. Air force Countdown to A10 staff Air Force Staff Restructures to Improve Joint Ops, Communication
35.
United States Secretary of the Air Force
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The Secretary of the Air Force is the head of the Department of the Air Force, a component organization within the Department of Defense of the United States. The Secretary of the Air Force is appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with the advice, the salary of SECAF IS $179,700, Level II. On December 13,2013, Deborah Lee James was confirmed by the United States Senate to be the next Secretary of the Air Force and she was sworn in by Timothy Beyland on December 20. Undersecretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning assumed the role of acting secretary when then-Secretary of the Air Force Michael B, President Obama nominated James on August 1,2013. At that time, she was serving as president of the technology, the Secretary is the head of the Department of the Air Force, analogous to that of a chief executive officer of a corporation. The Department of the Air Force is defined as a Military Department, the exclusive responsibilities of the Secretary of the Air Force are enumerated in Title 10 Section 8013 of the United States Code. They include, but are not limited to, Recruiting, the construction, outfitting, and repair of military equipment. Air Force units while assigned to Combatant Commands may only be reassigned by authority of the Secretary of Defense, Air Force Officers have to report on any matter to the Secretary, or the Secretarys designate, when requested. The Office of the Secretary of the Air Force is one of the Department of the Air Forces two headquarter staffs at the seat of government, the one is the Air Staff. Definitions Subtitle D - Air Force CHAPTER6 - COMBATANT COMMANDERS §162, Combatant command, assigned forces, chain of command CHAPTER803 - DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE §8011. Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, under Secretary of the Air Force. CHAPTER805 - THE AIR STAFF §8032, the Air Staff, general duties §8033. Department of Defense Directive 5101.2, DoD Executive Agent for Space, leaders Through the Years,2012 USAF Almanac US Air Force Senior Leadership at Archive. is
36.
United States Under Secretary of the Air Force
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In the absence of the Secretary, the Under Secretary exercises all the powers and duties of the Secretary and serves as Acting Secretary when the position of Secretary is vacant. The Under Secretary of the Air Force is appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent the Senate, the Secretary and Under Secretary, together with two military officers, constitute the senior leadership team of the Department of the Air Force. Leadership of the National Reconnaissance Office HAF MISSION DIRECTIVE 1–2, UNDER SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE,8 SEPTEMBER2008, Department of Defense Key Officials 1947–2004. Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense,2004 Office of the Secretary of the Air Force – Organizational and Functional Charts 1947–1984, Office of Air Force History,1985 Report To The Congress – Use of Missile Procurement Funds To Finance Research And Development Efforts – B-146876. Comptroller General of the United States,1969 Watson, George M. Office of the Secretary of the Air Force 1947–65, center for Air Force History,1993 United States Air Force biography
37.
Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
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The Chief of Staff is typically the highest-ranking officer on active-duty in the U. S. Air Force unless the Chairman and/or the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are Air Force officers. The current Chief of Staff of the Air Force is General David L. Goldfein, the Chief of Staff may also perform other duties as assigned by either the President, the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of the Air Force. The Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, also a general, is the Chief of Staffs principal deputy. The Chief of Staff of the Air Force is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as prescribed by 10 U. S. C, when performing his JCS duties the Chief of Staff is responsible directly to the Secretary of Defense. Like the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the CSAF is an administrative position, the CSAF is nominated for appointment by the President and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate. By statute, the CSAF is appointed as a four-star general, the Chief of Staff is also authorized to wear a special service cap with clouds and lightning bolts around the band of the hat. Prior to the creation of this position, General Henry H, arnold was designated first Chief of the Army Air Forces and Commanding General of the Army Air Forces during World War II. *Three former chiefs of staff would serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Brown served as the Chairman from July 1974 to June 1978, jones served as the Chairman from June 1978 to June 1982. The fourth Air Force officer to have served as the Chairman, myers, did not serve as Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Department of Defense Key Officials 1947–2015, washington DC, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Historical Office. HAF MISSION DIRECTIVE 1-4 - CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE AIR FORCE, washington DC, Secretary of the Air Force. Headquarters United States Air Force Key Personnel, washington DC, Air Force Historical Studies Office. Air Force History Support Office, Air Force Chiefs of Staff
38.
Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
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The Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force is the second highest-ranking military officer in the United States Air Force. In the event that the Chief of Staff of the Air Force is absent or is unable to perform his duties, the VCSAF may also perform other duties that the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Air Force or the CSAF assigns to him. The VCSAF is appointed by the President of the United States, by statute, the VCSAF is appointed as a four-star general. The current Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force is General Stephen W. Wilson
39.
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
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The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force is a unique non-commissioned rank in the United States Air Force. In this instance, the SEAC would outrank the CMSAF, while the CMSAF is a non-commissioned officer, the billet is protocol equivalent to a lieutenant general. The current Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force is Chief Kaleth O. Wright, on February 17,2017, Chief Kaleth O. Wright succeeded Chief James A. Cody, to become the 18th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. On November 1,2004, the CMSAFs rank insignia was updated to include the Great Seal of the United States of America and this puts the insignia in line with those of the Army and Marine Corps which have similar insignia to denote their senior enlisted servicemen. The laurel wreath around the star in the field remained unchanged. The CMSAF wears distinctive collar insignia, traditionally, enlisted airmens collar insignia was silver-colored U. S. within a ring. The CMSAFs collar brass replaced the ring with a silver laurel wreath. The CMSAF also wears a distinctive cap device, enlisted airmens cap device is the Coat of Arms of the United States, surrounded by a ring, all struck from silver-colored metal. Much as with the distinctive collar brass, the ring is replaced with a laurel wreath for the CMSAF. The Sergeant Major of the Army wears an identical cap device, first considered in 1992, the SMAs color has been authorized since 22 March 1999. The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force colors were authorized in January 2013, the official term of address for the CMSAF is Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force or Chief
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United States Senate Committee on Armed Services
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The Armed Services Committee was created as a result of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 following U. S. victory in the Second World War. It merged the responsibilities of the Committee on Naval Affairs and the Committee on Military Affairs, Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force, generally. Maintenance and operation of the Panama Canal, including administration, sanitation, national security aspects of nuclear energy. Naval petroleum reserves, except those in Alaska, pay, promotion, retirement, and other benefits and privileges of members of the Armed Forces, including overseas education of civilian and military dependents. Strategic and critical materials necessary for the common defense
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Air Force Reserve Command
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The Air Force Reserve Command is a Major Command of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federally controlled Air Reserve Component of the U. S. Air Force, consisting of duly appointed commissioned officers, AFRC supports the Air Force mission to defend the United States through the control and exploitation of air and space by supporting Global Engagement. AFRC also plays an role in the day-to-day Air Force mission and is not strictly a force held in reserve for possible war or contingency operations. The inventory, both AFRC-controlled and active duty Regular Air Force-controlled, includes the latest, most capable models of aircraft that are assigned to the U. S. Air Force. On any given day,99 percent of AFRCs aircraft are mission-ready, in addition to flying units, AFRC has numerous ground organizations ranging from medical units to civil engineers, intelligence and space operations, and security forces, just to name a few. In combination with the Air National Guard, the Air Force Reserve comprises half of what is known as the Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force, AFRC forces are under the administrative control of the Commander, Air Force Reserve Command. The Air Force Reserve also contains other specialized capabilities not found in active duty Air Force units. A third unique mission set in the Air Force Reserve, Aerial Firefighting, is conducted in tandem with the Air National Guard, there are several categories of service for personnel in the Air Force Reserve. However, many Air Force Reservists, especially those in a flying status, serve well in excess of this minimum duty requirement. A smaller but equally important category of TR is the Individual Mobilization Augmentee and their job is to bring Air Force Reserve expertise to the planning and decision-making processes at senior levels within the Air Force, other services, and the Unified Combatant Commands. Like the Air National Guard, the Air Force Reserve Command also requires two categories of personnel to perform functions that require full-time manning. These full-time positions are filled via the two programs as employed by the Air National Guard, the Active Guard and Reserve program. Air Force Reservists who become members of the Active Guard and Reserve receive full active duty pay, the majority of AGRs are former TRs and they serve four-year controlled tours of special duty that can be renewed. S. Air Force, on the staffs of Unified Combatant Commands, on the Joint Staff, AFRC Recruiting is another field that employs AGR personnel. AGRs also have the option with good performance to serve 20 or more years on duty and receive a retirement after 20 or more years. Another category of Air Force Reservists serving full-time are those in the Air Reserve Technician Program, ARTs are accessed from either the active duty Regular Air Force, the AGR program, Traditional Guardsmen in the Air National Guard, or TRs in the Air Force Reserve. This category also includes all full-time ART personnel and they are predominantly assigned to the Unit Program or as IMAs. Standby Reserve Includes Reservists whose civilian jobs are considered key to defense or who have temporary disability or personal hardship
United States
United States Air Force
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
