39th Air Base Wing

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39th Air Base Wing

39th Air Base Wing Insignia
Active November 20, 1940
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Role Air Base Support
Size Wing
Part of United States Air Forces Europe
Garrison/HQ Incirlik Air Base

The 39th Air Base Wing of the USAF is positioned at Incirlik Airbase in Adana, a south east city of Turkey.

Contents

[edit] History and Lineage

The 39th was established as the 39th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 20 Nov 1940 and activated on 15 Jan 1941. It was redesignated 39th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, on 28 Mar 1944. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1944. Activated on 1 Apr 1944. Inactivated on 27 Dec 1945. Redesignated 39th Tactical Group, and activated, on 14 Mar 1966. Organized on 1 Apr 1966. The 39th Tactical Group was consolidated on 31 Jan 1984 with the 39th Bombardment Wing, Heavy.

The 39th Bombardment Wing, Heavy had been established, and activated, on 15 Nov 1962, organized on 1 February 1963 at Eglin AFB, FL, and assigned to Strategic Air Command. It was equipped with B-52s. The Wing was reassigned to: Eighth Air Force, 822nd Air Division on 1 February 1963, but inactivated on 25 June 1965. The 39th Bombardment Wing trained to maintain combat readiness for strategic bombardment. It maintained airborne alert, ground alert and participated numerous exercises until inactivated.

The consolidated organization retained the designation 39th Tactical Group from 1984. Redesignated 39th Wing on 1 Oct 1993 later with the termination of combat operations over Iraq as the 39th Air Base Group on 16 Jul 2003 and finally 39th Air Base Wing on 12 Mar 2004.

[edit] Assignments

5th Bombardment Wing, 15 Jan 1941; II Bomber Command, 5 Sep 1941; 16th Bombardment Operational Training Wing, 4 Sep 1943-1 Apr 1944. XXI Bomber Command, 1 Apr 1944 (attached to 17th Bombardment Operational Training Wing, Very Heavy, c. 15 Apr 1944-8 Jan 1945); 314th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy, c. 18 Feb-27 Dec 1945. Strategic Air Command, 15 Nov 1962; 822d Air Division, 1 Feb 1963-25 Jun 1965. United States Air Forces in Europe, 14 Mar 1966; 7217th Air Division (Command), 1 Apr 1966; Sixteenth Air Force, 9 Sep 1970; TUSLOG, [The United States Logistics Group], 15 Oct 1971 (attached to Composite Wing Provisional, 7440, 16 Jan 1991-30 Nov 1995); Sixteenth Air Force, 17 Jul 1992-.

[edit] Components

[edit] Group

  • 39th Operations Group: 1 Oct 1993-16 Jul 2003.

[edit] Squadron

  • 12th Reconnaissance Squadron (later, 402d Bombardment): attached 15 Jan 1941-24 Feb 1942, assigned 25 Feb 1942-1 Apr 1944; assigned 1 Apr-10 May 1944.
  • 60th Bombardment Squadron: 15 Jan 1941-1 Apr 1944; 1 Apr 1944-27 Dec 1945.
  • 61st Bombardment Squadron: 15 Jan 1941-1 Apr 1944; 1 Apr 1944-27 Dec 1945.
  • 62d Bombardment Squadron: 15 Jan 1941-1 Apr 1944; 1 Apr 1944-27 Dec 1945; 1 Feb 1963-25 Jun 1965.

[edit] Station

[edit] Aircraft

  • B-17, 1941-1942
  • B-25, 1941
  • B-24, 1942-1944
  • B-29, 1944-1945
  • B-52, 1963-1965
  • Controlled deployed aircraft, 1966-1997.

[edit] Operations

The 39th Bombardment Group patrolled the northwest coast after the United States entered World War II. Served as an operational training and later as a replacement training unit, 1942-Apr 1944. Trained as a heavy bombardment unit in 1944. Moved to Guam early in 1945 as part of Twentieth Air Force. Conducted its first mission against the Japanese home islands in Apr 1945. Supported Allied invasion of Okinawa by attacking airfields that served as bases for kamikaze pilots. Bombed military and industrial targets in Japan and participated in incendiary raids on urban areas from mid-May until the end of the war. Received a Distinguished Unit Citation for an attack against the Otake oil refinery and storage area on Honshu on 10 May 1945. Received a second Distinguished Unit Citation for bombing industrial and dock areas in Yokohama and manufacturing districts in Tokyo, 23-29 May 1945. Returned to the United States, Nov-Dec 1945 for inactivation.

The 39th Tactical Group replaced the 7216th Combat Support Group on 1 Apr 1966 to control permanent support units and deployed weapons training detachments at Incirlik, Turkey. Known as TUSLOG (The United States Logistics Group) Detachment 10 within Turkey until 1 Oct 1982, it supported the USAFE and NATO operational missions in the Middle East. Provided disaster relief and mercy missions as required during fires, floods, earthquakes, and other such disasters. Provided support for US and NATO forces during operations in Southwest Asia, Eastern Europe, and Iraq, Aug 1990-. From Oct 1993, provided operational and logistical support for all U.S. forces in Turkey and operated a Supreme Allied Command Europe Quick Reaction Alert Force. From Sep 1997-May 2003, became major force provider for the 39th Air and Space Expeditionary Wing, which supported Operation Northern Watch, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

[edit] Awards

[edit] Service Streamer

  • World War II American Theater.

[edit] Campaign Streamers

  • World War II: Western Pacific
  • Air Offensive, Japan.

[edit] Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers

  • None

[edit] Decorations

  • Distinguished Unit Citations
  • Japan, 10 May 1945
  • Japan, 23-29 May 1945
  • Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards
  • 1 Jul 1974-30 Jun 1975
  • 1 Jul 1981- 30 Jun 1983
  • 24 Jun-1 Jul 1985
  • 1 Sep 1985-31 Aug 1987
  • 1 Sep 1988-31 Jul 1990
  • 1 Jul 1993-30 Jun 1995
  • 1 Jan 1996-30 Aug 1997
  • 27 Jun-29 Sep 1998
  • 24 Mar-10 Jun 1999
  • 15 Dec 1999-14 Dec 2001
  • 15 Dec 2001-14 Jul 2003

[edit] Emblem

Approved on 21 Nov 1994.

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