| 72d Air Base Wing | |
|---|---|
Official emblem |
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| Active | 21 August 1941–1 November 1943 13 May 1947–27 June 1949 16 June 1952–30 June 1971 1 October 1994– |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Part of | Air Force Material Command Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center |
| Garrison/HQ | Tinker Air Force Base |
| Equipment | see "Aerospace vehicles" section below |
| Decorations | see "Lineage and honors" section below |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Colonel Allen J. Jamerson |
| Notable commanders |
Lucius D. Clay, Jr. |
The 72d Air Base Wing (72 ABW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Materiel Command Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (OC-ALC). It is stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The wing is also the host unit at Tinker.
The diverse, multi-unit, multi-mission wing includes base services and support for the OC-ALC and associate organizations as well as dependents and retirees.
Established in 1941, the 72d is a successor unit to the World War II 72d Reconnaissance Group (Special) combat organization that had earned Antisubmarine and American Theater campaign streamers. The 72d Bombardment Wing, Heavy was a component wing of Strategic Air Command's heavy bomber deterrent force throughout the Cold War. The wing earned two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, flying RB-36, B-52 and KC-135 aircraft, before its inactivation on 30 June 1971 in Puerto Rico.
Its Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant Eric A. Harmon.
Contents |
Units of the 72d ABW are:
Emblem: : Quarterly; first Azure a seme' of seven mullets Argent, second and third Or eleven lines radiant from honor point throughout Azure, fourth Azure two mullets in bend sinister Argent, overall a globe gridlines, surmounted by a stylized compass star Celeste outlined and detailed Blue; all within a diminished bordure Or. Approved on 29 June 1954; modified on 13 October 1995.
Activated during the summer-fall 1941 maneuvers in Louisiana as the 72d Observation Group; assigned to Third Air Force and stationed at Shreveport Airport, Louisiana with light observation and courier aircraft. Flew observation missions over Fort Polk and Army Maneuvers in Louisiana during 1941. Later assigned to Fort Riley, Kansas and supported Army maneuvers.
Reassigned to the Panama Canal Zone in January 1942 as part of the defense force of the Panama Canal; assigned to the new Sixth Air Force. In the Panama Canal Zone, the group flew antisubmarine patrol missions, carried mail, searched for missing aircraft, provided reconnaissance support to ground forces, and occasionally did photographic mapping work until late 1943 when inactivated. Activated again as part of the reserve forces of Fourth Air Force in 1947. The organization participated in routine reserve training. Inactivated in 1949 due to budget reductions.
Activated in June 1952 as a Strategic Air Command very long range reconnaissance squadron at Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico, but not operational until it absorbed residual resources of 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing in October 1952 when the 55th was reassgigned to the newly activated Forbes AFB, Kansas administratively. Redesignated as 72d Strategic Reconnaissance Wing and received 3 (60th, 73rd and 301st) squadrons of RB-36D/E/F/H Peacemaker bombers. Conducted global strategic reconnaissance 1953–1955, gradually shifting to a bombardment training mission beginning in 1954, being upgraded to B-36J and B-36J(III) Featherweights by 1955. Redesignated 72d Bombardment Wing and received a squadron of KC-135A tankers in 1958.
With the phaseout of the B-36s in 1958, received B-52G Stratofortess intercontinental strategic bombers. Stood nuclear alert between 1959–1971 with the B-52G, was equipped with the AGM-28 Hound Dog cruise missile. Inactivated in 1971 due to a reduction of the number of B-52 wings, as ICBMs were taking over the nuclear alert duty. The wing earned two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, flying RB–36 [1952–1958], KC–135 [1958–1971] and B–52 [1959–1971] aircraft, before its inactivation.
Reactivated in 1972 at Andersen AFB, Guam, as a provisional combat wing due to Andersen going back on alert due to the North Vietnamese Easter Offensive and the commencement of Operation Linebacker I and later Linebacker II in December 1972 Received 100 B-52G aircraft assigned to 4 combat squadrons. Wing's aircraft flew over 8,000 sorties over Indochina during 1972, ending combat operations on 15 August 1973 with the wing flying the last B-52 raid over Cambodia. Inactivated in November 1973 after combat operations ended over Indochina.
Reactivated as a base host wing under Air Mobility Command in 1994. Provides services and support for the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center and its tenant organizations.
Squadrons
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
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