| 82d Training Wing | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1947-present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Training |
| Part of | Air Education and Training Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Sheppard Air Force Base |
| Decorations | DUC AFOUA |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | Brigadier General Darryl W. Burke |
| Vice-Commander | Colonel David W. Norsworthy |
| Command Chief | Chief Master Sergeant Kenneth W. Sallinger |
The 82d Training Wing (82 TW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command Second Air Force. It is stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas where it also is the host unit.
The wing conducts all ground-based technical training at the base. The primary training is medical, maintenance and support training conducted by the four assigned training groups. It also hosts the 80th Flying Training Wing. It also conducts technical and health-care training for men and women of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps, as well as several allied nations.
The units' history goes back to the 82d Fighter Group, which was a Twelfth and Fifteenth Air Force combat unit that fought in North Africa and Italy during World War II. During the early years of the Cold War, the 82d Fighter Wing was a Strategic Air Command unit that trained in fighter escort and tactical fighter operations in the postwar era.
The commander of the 82d Training Wing is Brig. Gen. Darryl W. Burke. The Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant Kenneth W. Sallinger.
Contents |
The 82 TW is the largest of four technical training wings in Air Education and Training Command and is the most diversified in scope of training. The 82d, 782d, and 882d Training Groups conduct training at Sheppard and at geographically separated locations around the country. The 982d Training Group conducts training at locations worldwide.
|
82d Training Group (82 TRG)
782d Training Group (782 TRG)
882d Training Group (882 TRG) (Located at Fort Sam Houston, Texas)
|
982d Training Group (982 TRG)
82d Mission Support Group (82 MSG)
82d Medical Group (82 MDG)
|
Additionally, the 82d Comptroller Squadron (82 CPTS) reports directly to the 82 TRW.
During World War II, the 82d Flying Training Wing (Flexible Gunnery) instructed thousands of aerial gunners the skill of air-to-air combat using .50 caliber machine guns.
Among the training devices used in this instruction was the manipulation trainer—12 towers arranged to resemble a formation of planes. The towers ranged in height from 10 to 40 feet, each equipped with 2 nose, 2 tail, 2 ring sighting, and 4 blister positions. As students in these positions faced simulated attacks from PT-13 and PT-17 aircraft, they "fired" camera guns at the attacking fighters.
The 82d was established as a Strategic Air Command fighter wing on 28 July 1947 at Grenier Air Force Base, New Hampshire. The 82d Fighter Wing was established in accordance with the Hobson Plan which established a controlling wing at each Air Force Base that commanding all groups and support units on the facility. However, the Air Force did not organize (assign personnel) to the wing until 15 August 1947. The wing was attached to the 307th Bomb Wing from 15 August 1947 to 15 December 1948. On 16 December 1948 the wing was reassigned to Fifteenth Air Force.
The operational flying component of the wing was the 82d Fighter Group, composed of the 95th; 96th and 97th Fighter Squadrons and were equipped with P-51H Mustang aircraft. Most officers that arrived were rated pilots that had recently returned to military life. Many had World War II combat experience. Many officers and enlisted men arrived at Grenier from 62nd Fighter Squadron, a unit that had just returned from a winter test in Alaska.
The wing was relieved of its responsibilities to the Fifteenth Air Force on 22 August 1949 and was inactivated on 20 October 1949. Its component 82d Fighter Group was redesignated as the 82d Fighter Group (Air Defense), and was activated on 18 August 1955 and assigned to Air Defense Command (ADC) at New Castle County Airport, Delaware.
The 82d replaced and absorbed resources of the 3525th Pilot Training Wing in February 1973 at Williams AFB, Arizona and assumed undergraduate pilot training operations in T-37 and T-38 aircraft. Assigned to the wing were the 96th and 97th Flying Training Squadrons.
On 19 September 1976, the first women entered undergraduate pilot training. Ten female students were in Class 77-08. First Lieutenant Christine E. Schott became the first woman to solo in the T-38. On 2 September 1977, Class 77-08 graduated. The ten women received their wings along with 36 male classmates. In March 1978, the 82d’s first female instructor pilot, Capt Connie Engel, was assigned to the 97th Fighter Training Squadron to instruct T-38 students.
Air Training Command activated the 98th and the 99th Flying Training Squadrons on 1 June 1988 to test a four-squadron organization. The test showed the wing needed a fifth squadron to provide operational support. On 1 September 1989, ATC activated the 100th Flying Training Squadron.
In 1991 Congress approved the second round of base closures, as identified by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. On that list was Williams AFB. The base was to cease operation as of 30 September 1993. With Williams AFB, Arizona, scheduled to close, ATC decided to move part of that base’s T-38 fleet to Sheppard during 1992.
HQ USAF redesignated the 82d Flying Training Wing as the 82d Training Wing and assigned the designation to Air Education and Training Command on 1 July 1993. The 82d was inactivated at Williams and HQ AETC activated the 82d Training Wing at Sheppard AFB and assigned it to Second Air Force. The 82d’s new mission was to conduct ground technical training. The 82d also became the host unit at Shepphard AFB.
The 782d Training Group was activated on 23 March 1994 and assigned it to the 82d Training Wing. At the same time, the 396th Technical Training Group changed its name to the 82d Training Group, the 82d Medical Group became the 882d Training Group, and the 82d Field Training Group became the 982d Training Group. On 30 March, the wing began providing mission ready technician training, first in the C-141 crew chief course and, a day later, in the F-16 crew chief course. The C-141 program graduated its first class in August, followed in September by the F-16 class.
Groups
Squadrons
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||