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| 39th Air Base Wing | |
|---|---|
 39th Air Base Wing Insignia |
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| Active | November 20, 1940 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Role | Air Base Support |
| Size | Wing |
| Part of | United States Air Forces Europe |
| Garrison/HQ | Incirlik Air Base |
| Engagements |
   ;
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| Decorations |  DUCJapan, 10 May 1945, 23-29 May 1945  AFOUA10 Oak Leaf Clusters (1974-2003) |
The 39th Air Base Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Incirlik Airbase in Adana, a south east city of Turkey.
The mission of the 39th Air Base Wing is to support and protect United States and NATO assets and people throughout Turkey while providing a full spectrum of capabilities to the warfighter. The 39 ABW also supports three geographically separated units.
Contents |
Overview
Although the wing has no permanently assigned aircraft, it provides excellent facilities and supports the following areas:
- Training deployments and regional exercises -- besides its real-world operational support, Incirlik offers many training facilities. These facilities complement the area's cooperative weather, sparsely populated terrain and uncongested airspace. Pilots fly training sorties, including air-to-air, air-to-ground and low-altitude operations.
- Communications for National Command Authority taskings -- Incirlik is a key communications link in the southern region.
- Hub support for various units -- Incirlik provides vital support for numerous tenant and three geographically separated units located throughout Turkey. Key support includes medical services, supply, security and force protection, base infrastructure maintenance, communications support, transportation services, airlift, services and personnel support.
For US personnel stationed in other Turkish locations and surrounding countries, the 39th ABW acts as a hub of support. Key areas include supply, base infrastructure maintenance, security, medical services, airlift, and other services.
The 39th ABW has been providing support to Operation Enduring Freedom as C-17s supported by the unit provide airlifting of supplies and troops to Afghanistan.
Units
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History
The unit's origins begin with its predecessor, the World War II 39th Bombardment Group (39th BG) which was part of Twentieth Air Force. The 39th Bomb Group's aircraft engaged in very heavy bombardment B-29 Superfortress operations against Japan.
Lineage
- Established as 39th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 20 Nov 1940
- Activated on 15 Jan 1941
- Redesignated 39th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy), 28 Mar 1944
- Inactivated/Activated on 1 Apr 1944
- Inactivated on 27 Dec 1945.
- Established as 39th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 15 Nov 1962.
- Inactivated on 25 June 1965
- Established as 39th Tactical Group, and activated, on 14 Mar 1966
- Consolidated with 39th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, on 31 Jan 1984
- Consolidated organization retained designation of 39th Tactical Group
- Redesignated 39th Wing, 1 Oct 1993
- Deployed as: 39th Air & Space Expeditionary Wing (Sep 1997-May 2003)
- Redeisgnated 39th Air Base Group, 6 Jul 2003.
- Redesignated 39th Air Base Wing, 12 Mar 2004
Assignments
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Stations
- Fort Douglas, Utah, 15 Jan 1941
- Geiger Field, Washington, 2 Jul 1941
- Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 5 Feb 1942-1 Apr 1944
- Smoky Hill Army Airfield, Kansas, 1 Apr 1944-8 Jan 1945
- North Field, Guam, 18 Feb-17 Nov 1945
- Camp Anza, California, 15-27 Dec 1945
- Eglin AFB, Florida, 1 Feb 1963-25 Jun 1965
- Incirlik Air Base, 1 Apr 1966-
Operational Units
Groups
- 39th Operations Group: 1 Oct 1993-16 Jul 2003
- 39th Operations Squadron: 16 Jul 2003-
Squadrons
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Aircraft
- B-17 Flying Fortress, 1941-1942
- B-25 Mitchell, 1941
- B-24 Liberator, 1942-1944
- B-29 Superfortress, 1944-1945
- B-52 Stratofortress, 1963-1965
- Controlled deployed aircraft, 1966-1997.
Operational History
World War II
The 39th Bombardment Group was constituted on 20 November 1940 and activated on 15 January 1945 at Fort Douglas, Utah. Equipped with early-model B-17 Flying Fortresses, the group was sent to Geiger Field, Washington as part of Second Air Force's Fifth Bomb Wing, patrolling the northwest corner of the United States after the Attack on Pearl Harbor.
Reassigned to Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona in April 1942, the group performed operational training and replacement training for B-24 Liberator groups. With the phasedown of heavy bomber training, the group was inactivated on 1 April 1944.
The unit was redesignated as the 39th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) that same date and was assigned to Smokey Hill AAF, Kansas as part of the new B-29 Superfortress-equipped 17th Bombardment Operational Training Wing. For the next several months the group trained on the B-29 and prepared for overseas deployment. In January 1945 the group deployed to the Pacific Theater and was assigned to the XXI Bombardment Command, Twentieth Air Force on Guam. On 18 February, the group was assigned to its permanent unit, the 314th Bomb Wing, which had just arrived from Colorado.
The group conducted its first mission against the Japanese home islands in Apr 1945. Supported Allied invasion of Okinawa by attacking airfields that served as bases for kamikaze pilots. Bombed military and industrial targets in Japan and participated in incendiary raids on urban areas from mid-May until the end of the war.
The 39th Bomb Group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for an attack against the Otake oil refinery and storage area on Honshū on 10 May 1945. Received a second Distinguished Unit Citation for bombing industrial and dock areas in Yokohama and manufacturing districts in Tokyo, 23-29 May 1945.
Returned to the United States, Nov-Dec 1945 for inactivation.
Strategic Air Command
THe unit was Established as the 39th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, and activated on 15 November 1962 at Eglin AFB, Florida as a Strategic Air Command B-52 Stratofortress bombardment wing. It was assigned to SAC's the [[822nd Air Division [[at Turner AFB, Georgia.
The Wing trained to maintain combat readiness for strategic bombardment on global scale, maintaining airborne alert, ground alert, and participated in numerous exercises until being inactivated on 25 Jun 1965. The wing's 62d Bomb Squadron flew B-52G's from the time it acquired them from the 301st Bomb Squadron on February 1, 1963 until the squadron was transferred to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana on June 25, 1965. At this time the 39th Bomb Wing was inactivated.
USAFE
The 39th Tactical Group replaced the 7216th Combat Support Group on 1 Apr 1966 to control permanent support units and deployed weapons training detachments at Incirlik, Turkey. Known as TUSLOG (The United States Logistics Group) Detachment 10 within Turkey until 1 Oct 1982, it supported the USAFE and NATO operational missions in the Middle East. Provided disaster relief and mercy missions as required during fires, floods, earthquakes, and other such disasters. Provided support for US and NATO forces during operations in Southwest Asia, Eastern Europe, and Iraq, Aug 1990-. From Oct 1993, provided operational and logistical support for all U.S. forces in Turkey and operated a Supreme Allied Command Europe Quick Reaction Alert Force. From Sep 1997-May 2003, became major force provider for the 39th Air and Space Expeditionary Wing, which supported Operation Northern Watch, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
References
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This article incorporates text from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website which, as a United States government publication, is in the public domain. |
- 39th Bomb Wing At GlobalSecurity.org
- Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924
- Ravenstein, C. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings: Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Office of Air Force History: Washington, D.C. ISBN 0-912799-12-9
External links
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Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 30 October 2008, at 22:59.
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