14th Flying Training Wing

14th Flying Training Wing
14th Flying Training Wing
	Northrop T-38C formation from the 50th Flying Training Squadron
Active	1947–1949; 1966–1971; 1972–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT)
Part of	Air Education and Training Command Nineteenth Air Force ;
Garrison/HQ	Columbus Air Force Base
Nickname(s)	Team Blaze
Motto(s)	"Cultivate Airman, Create Pilots and Connect"
Engagements	Vietnam War
Decorations	Presidential Unit Citation (United States) ; Air Force Meritorious Unit Award ; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device ; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award; Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Commanders
Current; commander	Col. James J. Blech
Deputy Commander	Col. Jonathan Cato
Command Chief	CMSgt Todd R. Rosenzweig
Notable; commanders	Robert H. Foglesong
Insignia
14th Flying Training Wing emblem (approved 19 June 1967, restored 21 December 2007)
14th Flying Training Wing (approved 16 September 1994)

Last updated August 25, 2024

The 14th Flying Training Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi.

The 14th Mission Support Group provides essential services with a 5-squadron/2-division, 750+ person work force and $38 million budget. It operates/maintains facilities and infrastructure for a 6,013-acre (24.33 km²) pilot training base and provides contracting, law enforcement, supply, transportation, fire protection, communications, education, recreation and personnel management for 9,500 people. The group is also responsible for wartime preparedness and contingency operations.

History

Air Defense

The 14th Fighter Wing was established on 29 July 1947. It provided air defense for the northeastern United States, 1947–1949.^[1]

Vietnam War

Douglas AC-47B-30-DK "Spooky" gunship Serial 44-76625 of the 4th Special Operations Squadron- March 1969

The unit was redesignated as the 14th Air Commando Wing and was reactivated at Nha Trang Air Base Republic of Vietnam on 8 March 1966. On 1 August 1968 it was renamed the 14th Special Operations Wing and was the host unit at the base until 30 September 1971. From 15 October 1969 through 30 September 1971 the 14th SOW also operated and conducted missions from Phan Rang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam.^[1]

Operations included close and direct air support, interdiction, combat airlift, aerial resupply, visual and photographic reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, counterinsurgency operations, psychological warfare (including leaflet dropping and aerial broadcasting), forward air control operations and escort, search and rescue, escort for convoy and defoliation operations, flare drops, civic actions, and humanitarian actions.^[1]

The 14th Air Commando Wing distinguished itself by extraordinary heroism, exceptional gallantry and outstanding performance of duty in action against hostile forces in Southeast Asia from 8 March 1966 to 7 March 1967, earning a Presidential Unit Citation. Flying thousands of different sorties, elements of the Wing caused many enemy casualties and destroyed or damaged more than 8,500 structures, 500 trucks and 60 fuel sites as well as numerous automatic weapon positions, radio stations, bridges and boats.

Flying the venerable Douglas C-47 aircraft, one squadron of the Wing helped abort a large number of night hostile operations against friendly forts and hamlets through flare drops and minigun saturation fire. Despite the often heavy and accurate enemy antiaircraft fire, the search and rescue missions of the Wing recovered 91 skilled airmen during this period. In addition, the Wing's psychological warfare missions directly or indirectly influenced the surrender of thousands of enemy soldiers.

The wing also provided maintenance support for a number of tenants. The wing trained Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) personnel in AC-119 operations and maintenance, February–August 1971, and transferred some of its AC-119s to the RVNAF, August–September 1971 as part of a phase-down for inactivation.^[1]

Flying training at Columbus

The 14th replaced, and absorbed resources of, the 3650th Pilot Training Wing in June 1972 at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, and assumed an undergraduate pilot training program, plus base operations and maintenance.^[1]

Units

The 14th Flying Training Wing is currently made up of:

14th Operations Group (14 OG)^[2]

37th Flying Training Squadron (37 FTS)

41st Flying Training Squadron (41 FTS)

48th Flying Training Squadron (48 FTS)

49th Fighter Training Squadron (49 FTS)

50th Flying Training Squadron (50 FTS)

14th Operations Support Squadron (14 OSS)

14th Student Squadron (14 STUS)

14th Mission Support Group (14 MSG)^[3]

14th Civil Engineering Squadron (14 CES)

14th Communications Squadron (14 CS)

14th Contracting Squadron (14 CONS)

14th Force Support Squadron (14 FSS)

14th Logistics Readiness Squadron (14 LRS)

14th Security Forces Squadron (14 SFS)

14th Medical Group (14 MDG)^[4]

14th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron (14 OMRS)

14th Healthcare Operations Support Squadron (14 HCOSS)

Additionally, the 14th Comptroller Squadron (14 CPTS) reports directly to the wing.

Lineage

Established as the 14th Fighter Wing on 29 July 1947

Organized on 15 August 1947

Inactivated on 2 October 1949

Redesignated 14th Air Commando Wing and activated on 28 February 1966 (not organized)

Organized on 8 March 1966

Redesignated 14th Special Operations Wing on 1 August 1968

Inactivated on 30 September 1971

Redesignated 14th Flying Training Wing on 22 March 1972

Activated on 1 June 1972^[1]

Assignments

First Air Force, 15 August 1947 – 2 October 1949
Pacific Air Forces, 28 February 1966
2d Air Division, 8 March 1966
Seventh Air Force, 1 April 1966 – 30 September 1971
Air Training (later, Air Education and Training) Command, 1 June 1972
Nineteenth Air Force, 1 July 1993 – present^[1]

Components

Group

14th Fighter (later, 14th Operations): 15 August 1947 – 2 October 1949; 15 December 1991 – present^[1]

Squadrons

1st Air Commando: 8 March 1966 – 20 December 1967
3d Air Commando (later, 3d Special Operations): 1 May 1968 – 15 September 1969
4th Air Commando (later, 4th Special Operations): 8 March 1966 – 15 December 1969
5th Air Commando (later, 5th Special Operations): 8 March 1966 – 15 October 1969
6th Air Commando: 29 February – 15 July 1968
9th Air Commando (later, 9th Special Operations): 25 January 1967 – 30 September 1971
14th Air Commando: 25 October 1967 – 1 May 1968
15th Air Commando (later, 15th Special Operations): 15 March 1968 – 31 October 1970
17th Special Operations: 1 June 1969 – 30 September 1971
18th Special Operations: 1 October 1969 – 25 August 1971
20th Air Commando (later, 20th Special Operations): 8 March 1966 – 1 September 1971
37th Flying Training: 1 June 1972 – 15 December 1991
42d Flying Training: 25 June 1990 – 15 December 1991
43d Flying Training: 25 June 1990 – 15 December 1991
49th Flying Training: 25 June 1990 – 15 December 1991
50th Flying Training: 1 June 1972 – 15 December 1991
71st Special Operations: 20 December 1968 – 10 June 1969
90th Special Operations: 31 October 1970 – 1 September 1971
602d Air Commando: 8 March 1966 – 8 April 1967
604th Air Commando (later, 604th Special Operations): 15 November 1967 – 1 March 1970 (detached)
3588th Flying Training: 1 October 1990 – 18 October 1991^[1]

Stations

Dow Field (later Dow Air Force Base), Maine, 15 August 1947 – 2 October 1949
Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam, 8 March 1966
Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam, 15 October 1969 – 30 September 1971
Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, 1 June 1972 – present^[1]

Aircraft

F-84 Thunderjet (1947–1949)
A-1 Skyraider (1966–1968)
AC-47 Spooky (1966–1969)
C-47 Skytrain (1966–1971)
HC-47 (1966–1969)
U-10 Super Courier (1966–1969)
CH-3 Jolly Green Giant (1966–1969)
O-2 Skymaster (1967–1971)
UH-1 Iroquois (1967–1971)
C-130E(I) Combat Talon ^[5] (1968–1971)

C-123 Provider (1968–1971)
AC-130 Spectre (1968)
AC-119G Shadow /AC-119K Stinger (1968–1971)
T-41 Mescalero (1972–1973)
T-37 (1972–2008)
T-38 Talon (1972–present)
AT-38 Talon (1993–2000 and 2007–present)
T-1 Jayhawk (1996–present)
T-6 Texan II (2006–present)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">434th Air Refueling Wing</span> US Air Force unit, part of Air Force Reserve

The 434th Air Refueling Wing is an Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Fourth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Grissom Air Reserve Base, Indiana. The 434th Air Refueling Wing principal mission is air refueling. If mobilized, the Wing is gained by the Air Mobility Command. In July 1949, Continental Air Command (ConAC) reopened Atterbury Air Force Base, Indiana, a World War II field, as a training base for reserve flying units and activated the 434th Troop Carrier Wing there the wing initially flew the Douglas C-47 Skytrain, but soon converted to Curtiss C-46 Commandos, and is now operating the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">58th Special Operations Wing</span> Military unit

The 58th Special Operations Wing is a combat unit of the United States Air Force stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The 58 SOW is part of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) Nineteenth Air Force.

The 340th Flying Training Group is a reserve component of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Twenty-Second Air Force of Air Force Reserve Command, at Randolph Air Force Base, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. The group is the headquarters for reserve flying training squadrons that are associate squadrons of Air Education and Training Command flying training squadrons.

The 454th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 42d Air Division of Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. It was inactivated on 25 July 1969.

The 464th Tactical Airlift Wing was a theater airlift unit of the United States Air Force during the Cold War. It served in the United States under Tactical Air Command between 1953 and 1971. Its predecessor was the United States Army Air Forces 464th Bombardment Group of World War II.

The 310th Special Operations Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, based at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. It was most recently activated in 2021 as part of the 27th Special Operations Group, flying the U-28A for Air Force Special Operations Command.

The 5th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 919th Special Operations Wing. The 5th is based at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It operates U-28 aircraft providing special operations capability.

The 6th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. The squadron operates MC-130J Commando II aircraft in support of special operations. The 6th SOS specializes in the use of night vision goggles and formation tactics to refuel large helicopter and tilt-rotor formations.

The 15th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It operates Lockheed MC-130J Commando II aircraft in support of special operations.

Bakalar Air Force Base is a former U.S. Air Force base located 4.4 miles (7.1 km) northeast of Columbus, Indiana. During World War II, the base was known as Atterbury Air Field and Atterbury Army Air Base, but it was renamed Bakalar Air Force Base in 1954 in honor of First Lieutenant John Edmond Bakalar, USAAF. Established in 1942, the airfield served as a training base for medium-range C-46 Commando and C-47 Skytrain troop carrier planes and glider pilots. It also was used for training B-25 Mitchell and B-26 Marauder bomber crews. Reactivated during the Cold War, it was used as an Air Force Reserve training base for troop carrier, tactical airlift, and special operations flying units. The military base was closed in 1970. The present-day facility operates as the Columbus Municipal Airport.

The 71st Special Operations Squadron is part of the 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operates Bell Boeing CV-22 Osprey conducting special operations flying training.

The 14th Fighter Squadron is part of the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting Wild Weasel missions. The squadron has been stationed at Misawa since 1987.

The 41st Flying Training Squadron is part of the 14th Flying Training Wing based at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. It operates Beechcraft T-6 Texan II aircraft conducting flight training.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">49th Fighter Training Squadron</span> Military unit

The 49th Fighter Training Squadron is part of the 14th Flying Training Wing based at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. It operates T-38 Talon aircraft conducting flight training.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">14th Operations Group</span> Military unit

The 14th Operations Group is the flying component of the 14th Flying Training Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force's Air Education and Training Command. The group is stationed at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi.

The 14th Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the USAF Weapons School, stationed at Hurlburt Field, Florida.

The 3rd Special Operations Squadron is part of the 27th Special Operations Group of the Air Force Special Operations Command at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. It flies MQ-9 Reaper unmanned combat aerial vehicles or "drones"; the 3rd SOS is the first Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) squadron within the AFSOC.

The 333d Special Operations Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was active from July 1968 through March 1970 at Pleiku Air Base, South Vietnam. In 1985, the wing was consolidated with the 333d Bombardment Group as the 333d Special Operations Wing.

The 65th Military Airlift Support Group is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. It was last active as part of Military Airlift Command at Yokota Air Base, Japan, where it was inactivated on 1 June 1972.

The 56th Fighter Wing is a fighter wing in the United States Air Force. It is the world's largest Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II wing and one of two Air Force F-35 training locations. Additionally, it is one of two active-duty F-16 training bases. The 56th graduates dozens of F-35 and General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots and 300 air control professionals annually.

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

↑ Northrop T-38C Talons serials 66-4327, 68–8162 and 68-8187 are identifiable.

Citations

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Robertson, Patsy (23 August 2011). "Factsheet 14 Flying Training Wing (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
↑ "14th Operations Group". Columbus Air Force Base. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
↑ "14th Mission Support Group". Columbus Air Force Base. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
↑ "14th Medical Group - Columbus Air Force Base > About Us". columbus.tricare.mil. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
↑ 1968–1971 designation. Combat Talons prior to their MC- designation in 1977 are now referred to as "UWC-130E", for "Unconventional Warfare".

Bibliography

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

Endicott, Judy G. (1998). Active Air Force Wings as of 1 October 1995 and USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995 (PDF). Air Force History and Museums Program. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ASIN B000113MB2 . Retrieved 2 July 2014.
Lambert, John W. The 14th Fighter Group in World War II. Atglen, PA: Schiffer, 2008. ISBN 978-0-7643-2921-0.
Martin, Patrick. Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings. Schiffer Military Aviation History, 1994. ISBN 0-88740-513-4.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977 . Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.

External links

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] Northrop T-38C Talons serials 66-4327, 68–8162 and 68-8187 are identifiable.

[14FTWfacts-2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Robertson, Patsy (23 August 2011). "Factsheet 14 Flying Training Wing (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 24 October 2016.

[3] "14th Operations Group". Columbus Air Force Base. Retrieved 3 July 2022.

[4] "14th Mission Support Group". Columbus Air Force Base. Retrieved 3 July 2022.

[5] "14th Medical Group - Columbus Air Force Base > About Us". columbus.tricare.mil. Retrieved 3 July 2022.

[6] 1968–1971 designation. Combat Talons prior to their MC- designation in 1977 are now referred to as "UWC-130E", for "Unconventional Warfare".

[note 1]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

v t e Air Education and Training Command
Air Forces	Second Nineteenth Air University
Bases	Altus Columbus Goodfellow Gunter Annex Holloman Keesler Lackland Laughlin Luke Maxwell Randolph Sheppard Tyndall Vance
Wings	12th Flying Training 14th Flying Training 17th Training 33d Fighter 37th Training 42d Air Base 47th Flying Training 49th Wing 56th Fighter 58th Special Operations 59th Medical 71st Flying Training 80th Flying Training 81st Training 82d Training 97th Air Mobility 314th Airlift 502d Air Base
Groups	336th Training Group 381st Training Group