62d Airlift Wing

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62d Airlift Wing

Active 20 November 1940 — present
Country United States
Branch Air Force
Type Airlift
Size ~3000 Airmen
Part of Air Mobility Command
Garrison/HQ McChord Air Force Base
Motto Combat Airlift
Decorations Air Force Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Commanders
Current
commander		 Colonel Jeffrey Stephenson
Notable
commanders		 Duncan McNabb
George Scratchley Brown

The 62d Airlift Wing (62 AW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of McChord Air Force Base in northwestern Washington.

Contents

[edit] Mission

Deliver global airlift, focused logistics, and agile combat support for America.

[edit] History

After activation, the group transported military freight, supplies, and official passengers in North and South America. In England the 62d provided training for airborne and glider troops. In Algeria, 62d flew its first combat mission on 29 November 1942, dropping British paratroopers on airdromes in Tunisia. The group then trained with gliders for several months, before towing them to Syracuse. The 62d dropped paratroops behind enemy lines at Catania during the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943. It dropped paratroops in northern Italy in June 1944, to harass the retreating enemy and prevent them from destroying bridges. The group flew two missions during the Allied invasion of Southern France in August 1944, releasing gliders and parachute troops in the battle area. It also towed gliders to and dropped paratroops in Greece during the Allied assault in October 1944. Additionally, the 62d evacuated wounded personnel, and delivered ammunition, food, clothing, medical supplies, and other materials to the partisans behind enemy lines in Italy and in the Balkans as well as propaganda leaflets. After the war, the group flew various humanitarian aid missions, hauled freight and mail, and aided in the redeployment of personnel.

After the wing was established in 1947 it conducted troop carrier operations, tactical exercises, and humanitarian missions. The wing trained at McChord Air Force Base, Washington until late 1951 when it moved to Larson Air Force Base. From Larson the 62d routinely performed troop carrier, air transport, and humanitarian missions on a global scale: fling mail to Japan for U.S. troops in Korea in 1952; bringing medical supplies to the flooded areas of Pakistan in 1954; and transporting French troops and equipment from France to Indochina as part of Operation Bali-Hai from April-May 1954. The wing airlifted radar equipment and supplies for the construction of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line in northern Alaska and Canada from, 1955-1956, and thereafter periodically resupplied DEW stations. During the International Geophysical Year 1957-1958, and subsequently through 1962 the wing supported scientific stations in the Arctic Ocean by airlanding and airdropping supplies on the drifting ice. It helped transport United Nations troops and supplies to the Congo in 1960. In 1963 the wing assumed responsibility for worldwide airlift of nuclear weapons and associated equipment, continuing this mission through early 1971. It also assumed airlift of Minuteman missiles from depots to operating sites in April 1971. In 1972 it supported Presidential trips to China and the Soviet Union. From 12 February to 1 April 1973 the wing transported former prisoners of war from North Vietnam to the Philippines and the United States. That same year it transported United Nations troops from Indonesia to Israel and Egypt as part of a peacekeeping effort. From October 1975 to October 1977, the wing maintained a detachment of C-130s in the Panama Canal Zone to support USAF needs in Central and South America. The 62d airlifted troops and supplies during invasion of Grenada and airlifted university students to safety from, October-November 1983. During 1988 62 AW aircraft were used to transport inspectors to the Soviet Union under terms of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. 62 AW aircraft were also used that year to transport firefighters and supplies to Wyoming to fight major forest fires in Yellowstone National Park. It participated in the airdrop of heavy equipment and personnel during military action in Panama, 20 December 1989. During Operation Desert Shield the 62d airlifted personnel and equipment to Southwest Asia and operated airlift control elements at Zaragoza, Spain, to direct cargo and personnel destined for Southwest Asia from, August 1990-March 1991. Additionally, during 1991 62 AW personnel and aircraft facilitated the evacuation of Clark Air Base and Subic Bay Naval Station following the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines. In 1992 the 62 AW flew relief mission to Guam following Typhoon Omar, Hawaii following Hurricane Iniki, Florida following Hurricane Andrew, as well as Somalia, the former Yugoslavia, and the former Soviet Union. In 1994 the 62 AW dispatched personnel and aircraft to deliver equipment and supplies in support of Operation Support Hope in Rwanda. During 1995 the 62 AW deployed personnel and aircraft to the U.S. Virgin Islands following Hurricane Marilyn and to Bosnia in support of Operation Joint Endeavor. 62 AW personnel delivered relief supplies to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam following torrential following spawned by Typhoon Linda in 1997. In 1998 the 62 AW delivered relief supplies to Guam following Super Typhoon Paka, to Papua New Guinea following tidal waves, to Changsha, China following sever flooding, and to Nairobi, Kenya following the bombing of the U.S. Embassy there. Following the 11 September 2001 attacks the 62 AW has been flying missions in support of the Global War on Terror, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Nobel Eagle, and Operation Infinite Justice. In 2003 the 62 AW assisted in the troop buildup leading up to Operation Iraqi Freedom and conducted the airdrop of the 173rd Airborne Brigade into northern Iraq at the onset of the war. In late 2004 and early 2005 the 62 AW was dispatched with emergency relief supplies to areas throughout Southeast Asia in response to the tsunami that struck on 26 December 2004.

[edit] Operations

C-141 participating in Operation Deep Freeze
C-141 participating in Operation Deep Freeze

[edit] Previous designations

  • 62nd Transport Group (1940 – 1942)
  • 62nd Troop Carrier Group (1942 – 1947)
  • 62nd Troop Carrier Wing (1947 – 1965)
  • 62nd Air Transport Wing (1965 – 1966)
  • 62nd Military Airlift Wing (1966 – 1991)
  • 62d Airlift Wing (1991 – Present)

[edit] Assignments

[edit] Major command

[edit] Numbered Air Force

[edit] Subordinate organizations

62d Operations Group (62 OG)

C-124, C-130, and C-141 with Mt. St. Helens in the background
C-124, C-130, and C-141 with Mt. St. Helens in the background

62d Maintenance Group (62 MXG)

  • 62d Maintenance Squadron (62 MXS)
  • 62d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (62 AMXS)
  • 62d Maintenance Operations Squadron (62 MOS)

62d Mission Support Group (62 MSG)

  • 62d Contracting Squadron (62 CONS)
  • 62d Security Forces Squadron (62 SFS)
  • 62d Services Squadron (62 SVS)
  • 62d Aerial Port Squadron (62 APS)
  • 62d Logistics Readiness Squadron (62 LRS)
  • 62d Mission Support Squadron (62 MSS)
  • 62d Communications Squadron (62 CS)
  • 62d Civil Engineering Squadron (62 CES)

62d Medical Group (62 MDG)

  • 62d Medical Operations Squadron (62 MDOS)
  • 62d Medical Support Squadron (62 MDSS)

Additionally, the 62d Comptroller Squadron (62 CPTS) reports directly to the wing staff.

[edit] Bases stationed

C-17 with Mt. Rainier in the background
C-17 with Mt. Rainier in the background

[edit] Aircraft operated

[edit] Unit shields

62 AW

62 CPTS

62 OG

4 AS

7 AS

8 AS

10 AS

62 OSS

62 MXG

62 AMXS

62 MXS

62 MOS

62 MSG

62 APS

62 CES

62 CS

62 CONS

62 LRS

62 MSS

62 SFS

62 SVS

62 MDG

Historical Wing Shields

[edit] External links

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