42d Air Base Wing
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| 42d Air Base Wing | |
|---|---|
 42d Air Base Wing emblem |
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| Active | 1994-Present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Air Base |
| Role | Combat support |
| Part of | Air Education and Training Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Maxwell Air Force Base |
| Motto | Aethera Nobis - "The Skies for Us" |
The United States Air Force's 42d Air Base Wing is an administrative support unit for Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. The USAF's Air University is headquartered there and the 42d Air Base Wing is the host wing for all Air Force activities supporting Air University.
Contents |
[edit] Mission
[edit] History
The unit was established as the 42d Bombardment Wing (Heavy) in February 1953 at Limestone AFB, Maine with the B-36 and KC-97, which were respectively replaced by the B-52 in 1956 and the KC-135A one year later. The unit was awarded the MacKay Trophy in 1983 for the 'most meritorious flight of the year' when a KC-135A crew successfully refueled an F-4E 2,000 ft above the ocean, towing the aircraft 160 miles while continuing to refuel until the fighter pilot could regain sufficient thrust to maintain flight of his own. The wing deployed most of its B-52Gs during Operation Desert Shield/Storm, with operations mainly conducted at Diego Garcia. The Unit became the 42d Wing in Oct 1991 and inactivated in Sept 1994 with the closing of Loring AFB, Maine. The B-52Gs were relocated to the 410th Bomb Wing, while the KC-135s were redistributed among the force
[edit] Assignments
[edit] Major Command
- Air Education and Training Command (1994-Present)
- Air Combat Command (1992-1994)
- Strategic Air Command (1953-1992)
[edit] Numbered Air Force
- 2nd AF, 8th AF
[edit] Air Division
- [[]] ()
[edit] Previous designations[1]
- 42d Air Base Wing (1994-Present)
- 42d Bomb Wing (1992-1994)
- 42d Wing (1991-1992)
- 42d Bombardment Wing (Heavy) (1953-1991)
[edit] Combat Squadrons assigned
- 69th Bombardment Squadron (1956-1994)
- 42d Air Refueling Squadron (1957-1994)
- 407th Air Refueling Squadron (1957-1994)
[edit] Bases stationed
- Maxwell AFB, Alabama (1994-Present)
- Loring AFB, Maine (???-1994)
[edit] Aircraft & Missiles Operated[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. ISBN: 1-85780-197-0
- ^ World Airpower Journal. (1992). US Air Force Air Power Directory. Aerospace Publishing: London, UK. ISBN: 1-880588-01-3
[edit] External links
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