310th Space Wing

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310th Space Wing

A United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket blasts off with the Air Force’s Global Positioning System IIR-21 satellite from Space Launch Complex-17A
Active 15 March 1942-Present
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Type Wing
Role Space Operations
Part of   Air Force Reserve Command
Garrison/HQ Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado
Engagements
  • World War II (12th Air Force)
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign (1942–1945)
Insignia
310th Space Wing emblem
"310th Bombardment Wing" redirects here. For the 310th Bombardment Wing of World War II, see 310th Air Division.

The 310th Space Wing (310 SW) is an Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Tenth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado.

The 310th SW is mission partnered with the 21st Space Wing, Air Force Space Command (AFSPC), 30th Space Wing, (AFSPC), 50th Space Wing, (AFSPC) and 460th Space Wing, (AFSPC). If mobilized, the wing is gained by AFSPC.

Overview

The 310 SW is the only space wing in the Air Force Reserve. It provides specialized expertise, continuity and combat ready personnel, projecting space power for U.S. interests worldwide.

The 310th has a long and rich heritage dating back to World War II, when it began as the 310th Bombardment Group on 15 March 1942, flying B-25 Mitchell medium bombers. In October 1942, the 310th was the first 12th Air Force group sent overseas, initially to England and then to French Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, France, and Italy where the highly-decorated unit participated in the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign.[1] The 310th Bombardment Group was inactivated in September 1945.

The 310th Bombardment Wing was reactivated in 1952 as part of Strategic Air Command. It trained on the B-29 Superfortress before converting to the B-47 Stratojet. It was inactivated in June 1965 with the phaseout of the B-47 from the U.S. Air Force inventory.

The 310th became part of Air Force Space Command in 1991 when the 310th Training and Test Wing was activated for a short time at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.; the 310th designator was again activated with the stand up of the 310th Space Group on 4 September 1997. The 310th Space Group was re-designated the 310th Space Wing on 7 March 2008.

The 310th Space Wing is commanded by Col. Jeffrey Mineo. Its Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant Gary L. Brown.

Subordinate units

The wing is composed of 16 units, under the 310th Operations Group and 310th Mission Support Group, that support various military and other government organizations including, but not limited to, the Department of Commerce, Air Force Space Command, Air Combat Command, the Space Innovation and Development Center, 14th Air Force, 50th Space Wing, 21st Space Wing, and 460th Space Wing.

History

World War II

B-25Js of the 310th Bombardment Group release 1,000 pound bombs over a cloud-obscured Po Valley in northern Italy, 1944.

The unit was constituted as the 310th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 28 January 1942 and activated on 15 March 1942. Used B-25's in preparing for duty overseas.

Moved to the Mediterranean theater by single aircraft between October 1942 and March 1943 and assigned to Twelfth Air Force. Sufficient aircraft were on hand by 2 December, when it conducted its first operation against antiaircraft concentrations at Gabes, Tunisia. Engaged primarily in support and interdictory operations in Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, Corsica, Sardinia, and southern France. The 310th Bomb Group also flew some missions to Austria and Yugoslavia.

The unit attacked harbors and shipping to help defeat Axis forces in North Africa, December 1942 – May 1943. Bombed airdromes, landing grounds, and gun emplacements on Pantelleria, Lampedusa, and Sicily, May–July 1943. The unit supported the Allied landing at Salerno, September 1943. Assisted the drive toward Rome, January–June 1944.

Supported the invasion of Southern France, August 1944. Struck German communications— bridges, rail lines, marshalling yards, viaducts, tunnels, and road junctions in Italy, August 1943 – April 1945. Also dropped propaganda leaflets behind enemy lines.

The 310th Bomb Group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission to Italy on 27 August 1943 when, in spite of persistent attacks by enemy interceptors and antiaircraft artillery, the group effectively bombed marshalling yards at Benevento and also destroyed a number of enemy planes. Received second DUC for another mission in Italy on 10 March 1945 when the group, maintaining a compact formation in the face of severe antiaircraft fire, bombed the railroad bridge at Ora, a vital link in the German supply line.

The 310th Bomb Group was inactivated in Italy on 12 September 1945.

The unit was redesignated the 310th Bombardment Group (Light) and allotted to the reserve. Activated in the US on 27 December 1946. Inactivated on 27 June 1949.

Cold War

Emblem of the 310th Bombardment Wing

The 310th Bombardment Wing was activated in 1952 as a Strategic Air Command unit, receiving B-29 Superfortress bombardment training from 90th Bombardment Wing, April–August 1952. From February through May 1953, the 310th Bomb Wing provided bombardment training to the 40th Bombardment Wing.

Replaced the propeller-driven B-29s with new B-47E Stratojet swept-wing medium bombers in 1954, capable of flying at high subsonic speeds and primarily designed for penetrating the airspace of the Soviet Union. Participated in SAC REFLEX deployments, deploying to RAF Upper Heyford, England, 10 March – 8 June 1955, and at RAF Greenham Common, England, 3 October 1956 – 9 January 1957.

The wing gained a strategic missile squadron in April 1961. First Atlas missiles went on alert in September 1962. In the early 1960s, the B-47 was considered to be reaching obsolescence, and was being phased out of SAC's strategic arsenal. B-47s began being sent to AMARC at Davis-Monthan in early 1965; was inactivated in late June.

Air Force Space Command

Members of the 7th Space Operations Squadron check on the status of a satellite to ensure it is operating within normal parameters.

On 1 September 1991, the third wing to hold the "310" designation, the 310th Training and Test Wing (310 TTW), assumed the ICBM testing and training mission from the Strategic Missile Center at Vandenberg AFB, California under the Twentieth Air Force. After removal of ICBMs from alert status at the end of the Cold War, the 310 TTW continued to train Minuteman crews and to test accuracy and reliability of Minuteman and Peacekeeper missiles. The 310 TTW also assisted in testing the Global Positioning System (GPS) April 1992 – May 1992. It was reassigned to Air Combat Command on 31 May 1992. It was inactivated on 1 July 1993.

The 310th designator was again activated with the stand up of the 310th Space Group 4 September 1997. The group was created around its original squadron, the 7th SOPS, and has grown rapidly with the realization of the critical role the Air Force Reserve can play in the future of space operations. The group has been tremendously successful in its initial missions and has been tasked with reviewing future active/Reserve partnerships in space to identify potential areas where the AF Reserve can add value in the space arena.

Air Force Reserve Command officials are expanding the role reservists play in space operations by establishing AFRC's first space wing at Schriever Air Force Base. Command officials activated the 310th Space Wing on 7 March 2008.[4]

Lineage

  • Established as 310th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 28 January 1942
Activated on 15 March 1942
Redesignated 310th Bombardment Group, Medium on 20 August 1943
Inactivated on 12 September 1945
  • Redesignated 310th Bombardment Group, Light, and activated in the Reserve, on 27 December 1946.
Inactivated on 27 June 1949
Consolidated (31 January 1984) with the 310th Bombardment Wing, Medium,
which was established on 15 March 1952. Activated on 28 March 1952
  • Redesignated 310th Strategic Aerospace Wing on 1 March 1962
Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 June 1965
  • Redesignated 310th Training and Test Wing on 29 August 1991
Activated on 1 September 1991
Inactivated on 1 July 1993
  • Redesignated 310th Space Group on 22 August 1997
Activated in the Reserve on 1 September 1997
Redesignated 310th Space Wing 7 March 2008

Assignments

III Bomber Command, 15 March 1942
XII Bomber Command, 2 May 1942
Attached to 7th Fighter Wing, 1–17 February 1943
7 Fighter (later, 47th Bombardment) Wing, 18 February – 3 November 1943
XII Fighter Command, 3 November 1943
57th Bombardment Wing, 20 March 1944
First Air Force, 27 December 1946
3d Bombardment Wing (later, 3d Air Division), 17 October 1947 – 27 June 1949
Fifteenth Air Force, 28 March 1952
Attached to 21st Air Division, 28 March 1952 –
802d Air Division, 28 May 1952
Remained attached to 21st Air Division to 4 September 1952
Attached to 7th Air Division, 10 March – 8 June 1955 and 3 October 1956 – 9 January 1957
819th Air (later, 819th Strategic Aerospace) Division, 20 June 1960
22d Strategic Aerospace Division, 1 July 1962 – 25 June 1965
Twentieth Air Force, 1 September 1991 – 1 July 1993
Air Combat Command after 1 June 1992
Tenth Air Force, 1 September 1997 – .

Stations

RAF Hardwick, England, September–November 1942 (air echelon)

Components

Wings

Groups

  • 310th Operations: 1 September 1991 – 1 July 1993

Squadrons

15 March 1942 – 12 September 1945
1 February 1959 – 1 January 1962
attached 9 September 1952 – 30 April 1953
assigned 1 June 1960 – 15 March 1963
15 March 1942 – 12 September 1945
11 June 1947 – 27 June 1949
28 March 1952 – 25 March 1965
15 March 1942 – 12 September 1945
9 August 1947 – 27 June 1949
28 March 1952 – 25 March 1965
15 March 1942 – 12 September 1945
9 August 1947 – 27 June 1949
28 March 1952 – 25 March 1965

Aircraft, Missiles, and Satellites Operated

See also

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

  1. ↑ Story of the 12th Air Force
  2. ↑ Cyberspace exercise prepares 67th NWW for Guardian Challenge
  3. ↑ 380th BS re-activated for space duty
  4. ↑ 310th Space Wing activates, kicking off with an Air Force first
  • Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
  • Ravenstein, Charles A. Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories, 1947–1977. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1984. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
  • 310th Space Wing official factsheet

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