| 500th Air Refueling Wing | |
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500th Air Refueling Wing emblem |
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| Active | 1943–1946; 1962–1964 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Garrison/HQ | Selfridge AFB, Michigan |
| Motto | "Always Prepared" |
| Engagements |
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The 500th Air Refueling Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was at Selfridge AFB, Michigan. It was inactivated on 15 December 1964.
The unit's origins begin with its predecessor unit, the United States Army Air Force 500th Bombardment Group (500th BG) was part of Twentieth Air Force during World War II. The 500th BG engaged in very heavy (B-29 Superfortress) bombardment operations against Japan. It's aircraft were identified by a "Z" and a square painted on the tail.
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The unit was established in late 1943 at Gowen Field, Idaho, being formed as a B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy bombardment Group. Thu unit was formed with four bomb squadrons (881st, 882d, 883d and 884th), all being newly-constituted.
Due to a shortage of B-29s, the group was equipped with former II Bomber Command B-17 Flying Fortresses already at Gowen Field which were previously used for training heavy bomber replacement personnel. In January the unit moved to Clovis Army Airfield, New Mexico due to the poor flying weather during the winter in Idaho; making a third move to Walker Army Airfield, Kansas in April 1944 where it finally received newly-manufactured B-29 Superfortresses from Boeing-Wichita. In May shortages in aircraft and equipment led to the 884th Bomb Squadron being inactivated, with its personnel being consolidated into other group squadrons (the 884th would be reactivated a month later as part of the 383d Bombardment Group).
As a three squadron group, the 504th was deployed to Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) in September 1944, being assigned to the XXI Bomber Command 73d Bombardment Wing in the Northern Mariana Islands; being stationed at Isley Field, Saipan. Upon arrival the group's personnel were engaged in Quonset hut construction. By mid-October most personnel were able to move into the huts from the initial tents which they were assigned on arrival. Its unit tail code was a Z-Square. It entered combat on 11 November 1944 with an attack against a submarine base in the Truk Islands.
On 24 November, the 500th participated in the first attack on Japan by B-29's based in the Marianas. After that, conducted many daylight raids, operating from high altitude to bomb strategic targets in Japan. Struck the Mitsubishi aircraft engine plant at Nagoya in January 1945 and received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for the mission. Bombed enemy airfields and other installations on Kyūshū in support of the Allied assault on Okinawa in April 1945.
Beginning in March 1945, the group flew missions at night and at low altitude to drop incendiaries on area targets in Japan. Received a second DUC for incendiary attacks on the urban-industrial section of Osaka, feeder industries at Hamamatsu, and shipping and rail targets on Kyūshū during June . The group released propaganda leaflets over the Japanese home islands, July–August, continuing strategic bombing raids and incendiary attacks until the Japanese Capitulation in August 1945.
After V-J Day, the 500th dropped supplies to Allied prisoners, participated in show-of-force missions, and flew over Japan to evaluate bombardment damage. In October 1945 the unit returned to the United States; initially being assigned to Continental Air Forces's Fourth Air Force at March Field, California. However demobilization was in full swing and the group was inactivated on 17 January 1946.
The 500th was reactivated and established as the 500th Air Refueling Wing on 15 November 1963 as part of the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command's 17th Strategic Aerospace Division, Second Air Force. It was based at Selfridge AFB, Michigan. Its numbered flyng squadrons were the 44th and 307th Air Refueling Squadrons, both equipped with the KC-97 Stratotanker. When activated, the wing replaced the 4045th Air Refueling Wing, absorbing its personnel and assets.
Reassigned to the 40th Air Division on 1 July 1963, the wing supported SAC bombardment and TAC fighter aircraft with air-to-air refueling and occasionally deployed segments of its tanker force overseas to support unit movements and special operations.
The unit was discontinued, and inactivated on 15 December 1964.
The 500th Air Expeditionary Group was activated in the early 2000s (decade) to conduct Operation Deep Freeze activities under Thirteenth Air Force command, before being superseded by the 13th Air Expeditionary Group. It is not clear whether the 500th AEG and the former 500th Wing share an organizational relationship.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
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