65th Air Base Group

65th Air Base Group

65th Medical Group Airmen medevac US Navy Sailor
Active 1952-1953, 1982-present
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Type Base Support
Part of 86th Airlift Wing
Garrison/HQ Lajes Air Base
Decorations Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Commanders
Current
commander		 Colonel Daniel Furleigh
Insignia
65th Air Base Group emblem
65th Air Base Wing emblem (Approved 15 June 2007)[1]

The 65th Air Base Group is a group of the United States Air Force based at Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal.

The group provides base and en route support for Department of Defense, allied nations and other authorized aircraft in transit, including those from the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Colombia, Germany, Venezuela and Great Britain.

Components

History

The 65th was first organized at Mitchel Air Force Base, New York as the 65th Troop Carrier Wing in 1952. It conducted "reserve training toward proficiency with troop carrier aircraft from 1952–1953. However, the wing was never fully manned or equipped."[1]

The 1605th Military Airlift Support Wing replaced the 1605th Air Base Wing as the Military Airlift Command unit managing facilities at Lajes Field in January 1982. Ten years later, the two units were consolidated as the 65th Support Wing.[1]

It has "provided en route support for aircraft transiting Lajes Air Base from 1982 to the present." Its commander also serves as Commander, United States Forces Azores. The unit also "provided base support to elements of the United States Army and U.S. Navy in the area." The 65th "supported deployment of personnel and equipment through Lajes during operations in the Persian Gulf from August 1990 – April 1991"[1] and in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom since 2001 and 2003 respectively.

On 14 August 2015, the wing was redesignated as a group and reassigned to the 86th Airlift Wing.[2]

On 21 August 2015, Airman 1st Class Spencer Stone, a medical technician of the 65th Medical Operations Squadron was one of 6 passengers, including three Americans who thwarted the attack on a high speed train travelling from Brussels to Paris by an armed gunman by tackling and subduing him, then helping to provide medical aid to a wounded passenger.[3] On September 16, 2015, he received the Airman's Medal and a Purple Heart medal from U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter at the Pentagon.[4]

Lineage

65th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing

Activated in the Reserve on 14 June 1952
Inactivated on 1 April 1953

65th Air Base Group

Redesignated 65th Support Wing on 27 January 1992
Redesignated 65th Air Base Wing on 1 October 1993[1]
Redesignated 65th Air Base Group 11 August 2015[2]

Assignments

Components

Groups
Squadrons
Flights

Stations

Aircraft

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Robertson, Patsy (November 24, 2009). "Factsheet 65 Air Base Wing (USAFE)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 Trobe, 1 Lt Alexandra (August 14, 2015). "65th ABW redesignates at Lajes Field". USAFE/AF Africa Public Affairs. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Lajes Field Airman, fellow travelers stop attack on French train". Usafe.af.mil. August 22, 2015. Retrieved 2015-08-24.
  4. ↑ "Pentagon to give medals to three U.S. train heroes". digitaljournal.com. Digital Journal. Retrieved 14 September 2015.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

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