| 98th Range Wing | |
|---|---|
| Active | January 28, 1942 – present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Type | Range Operation |
| Part of | Air Combat Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Nellis Air Force Base |
| Engagements |
|
| Decorations | DUC AFOUA ROK PUC |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Colonel Christopher Haave |
The 98th Range Wing (98 RANW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Air Warfare Center. The unit is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada as a tenant unit.
The 98th RANW is a non-flying wing that provides command and control of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). The commander coordinates, prioritizes and is the approval authority for activities involving other governmental agencies, departments and commercial activities on the NTTR. The 98th RANW integrates and provides support for test and training programs that have a direct effect on the war-fighting capabilities of the combat air forces.
The history of the 98th can be traced to the World War II 98th Bombardment Group was a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb group that fought in North Africa and Italy. Two of its members, Colonel John R. (Killer) Kane and First Lieutenant Donald Pucket were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions in combat. The group flew a total of 417 missions and earning a total of 15 battle streamers as well as two Presidential Unit Citations. The lineage and history of this decorated unit is held by the wing's 98th Operations Group.
During the early years of the Cold War, the 98th Bombardment Wing Very Heavy, was formed 24 October 1947 as part of Strategic Air Command. The 98th BW was inactivated July 12, 1948, and redesignated the 98th BW Medium the same day. Further redesignations followed, including the 98th Strategic Aerospace Wing on 1 February 1964, and later the 98th Strategic Wing on 25 June 1966. The 98th Strategic Wing was inactivated on 31 December 1976 with the phaseout of SAC operations at Torrejon AB, Spain and replaced by the 306th Strategic Wing at Ramstein AB, West Germany.
The 98th Range Wing is commanded by Colonel John P. "Bama" Montgomery. Its superintendent is Chief Master Sergeant Mark T. Darden.
Contents |
From November 1947 to July 1948 and July 1948 to July 1954, wing headquarters was often manned as a "paper" unit with most of its components attached to other establishments for long periods. The wing's tactical group was operational, but under control of other organizations from November 1947 to April 1950 and again from August 1950 through March 1951.
On 1 April 1951, wing headquarters deployed to Japan to assume control over combat operations of three tactical squadrons. Combat missions included interdiction of enemy communications and support of United Nations ground forces. Last combat mission flown 25 July 1953. Dropped propaganda leaflets on day of truce two days later.
During the Korean War, the squadrons of the 98th flew more than 5,000 sorties and dropped more than 40,000 tons of bombs (actual total unavailable). They earned 10 battle streamers and two Outstanding Unit Awards which are comparable to the Presidential Unit Citation. They also received the South Korean Presidential Citation. The 98th was credited with the destruction of 5 MiG 15 Jet Fighters and one propeller driven fighter. The 98th recorded 19 B-29 losses from August 1950 to July 1954.
Remaining at Yokota until July 1954. The 98th returned their B-29s and personnel to the U.S. in July 1954.
Remained in Japan in combat-ready status for another year. Meanwhile, wing components not deployed in Japan moved to a reopened base in Nebraska to supervise construction in preparation for movement there of deployed wing components. In July 1954, wing components concentrated at Lincoln AFB, Nebraska. Air refueling operations were already underway by then. Began receiving with new B-47E Stratojet swept-wing medium bombers in January 1955, capable of flying at high subsonic speeds and primarily designed for penetrating the airspace of the Soviet Union. At this point the wing began an intensive training program to effect the conversion to combat ready status as soon as possible. This was achieved in July 1955.
During next decade, participated in Strategic Air Command's worldwide bombardment training and air refueling commitments. Deployed at RAF Lakenheath, England, 11 November 1955-29 January 1956. From January 1964 to April 1965, the wing also controlled an SM-65 Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) squadron. In the early 1960s, the B-47 was considered to be reaching obsolescence, and was being phased out of SAC's strategic arsenal. Beginning in 1964, began sending the wing's aircraft to Davis-Monthan AFB. Lincoln AFB was closed in 1966.
The wing was inactivated on June 25, 1966 at Lincoln AFB, but activated the same day at Torrejon Air Base, Spain replacing the 3970th Strategic Wing. The 3970th SW was established on 1 February 1964 at Torrejon as a provisional SAC MAJCOM Wing with a mission to support B-47 and KC-135 elements from SAC CONUS-based units deployed to Europe as part of REFLEX deployments and provide a refueling mission to USAFE tactical fighters.
In 1966, in order to retain the lineage of its provisional wing at Torrejon, Headquarters SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its MAJCOM wing and activate a regular AFCON wing which was inactive at the time which could carry a lineage and history of the mission at Anderson. On 5 June 1966, the 3970th SW was redesignated as the 98th Strategic Wing. For the next decade, the 98th had no tactical aircraft components assigned to it, but rather used attached KC-135 tankers and crews furnished by other SAC wings to provide air refueling support for the operational, alert exercise commitment of SAC, TAC, USAFE and NATO. These aircraft were deployed for 30 Day Temporary Duty as the Spanish Tanker Task Force. It’s operational area included the Eastern Atlantic Ocean, most of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
The Wing maintained a detachment at RAF Upper Heyford 1966-1970 and relocated to RAF Mildenhall April 1970 to December 1976 supporting RC-135 Reconnaissance Aircraft, and supporting KC-135 Tankers forwarded deployed from the Spanish Tanker Task Force . In October 1976, the 306th Strategic Wing, based at Ramstein AB, West Germany, assumed this support task and the 98th phased down at Torrejon and was inactivated December 31, 1976.
In October 2001, the wing began operating the range facilities of the Air Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
|
|
Groups
Squadrons
Detachments
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||