It was last known to be active from 14 March – 30 April 2008 at Balotești, Romania, serving briefly as the USAF headquarters for a NATO Summit.[2][3][4]
The wing was ordered to active duty on 10 March 1951 as a result of the Korean War. Its personnel and equipment were used as fillers for other units and it was inactivated on 17 March 1951.
323rd Fighter-Bomber Wing
The wing was reactivated at Bunker Hill AFB, Indiana on 8 August 1955 and assigned to Tactical Air Command's Ninth Air Force. Initially training with North American F-86Fs, these were quickly upgraded to the North American F-86H Sabre and then to the North American F-100A/D Super Sabre in 1956 to become proficient in tactical air operations. Operational squadrons were the 453rd Fighter Bomber Squadron (453 FBS), 454th Fighter Bomber Squadron (454 FBS) and 455th Fighter Bomber Squadron (455 FBS).[5]
The wing's aircraft wore a band on the tail and around the nose edged with small black checkers.
In 1955, Strategic Air Command (SAC) began stationing units at the base and the Eighth Air Force claimed jurisdiction of Bunker Hill AFB in September 1957. With the turnover of the base from TAC to SAC, the 323rd was phased down and replaced by SAC's 401st Air Base Group on 1 September 1957.
323d Flying Training Wing
Emblem of the 323rd Flying Training Wing
The 323d was reactivated as the 323d Flying Training Wing (323 FTW), an Air Training Command (ATC) undergraduate navigator training (UNT) wing at Mather AFB, California on 1 April 1973, replacing the 3535th Navigator Training Wing which had existed at Mather since 1946. As the sole navigator training wing for the entire Air Force, the 323 FTW also conducted advanced training for newly-winged navigators slated for subsequent as navigator-bombardiers and electronic warfare officers in B-52, FB-111, B-1, EF-111 and RC-135 aircraft as well as weapon systems officers in F-4 Wild Weasel variants. The following operational squadrons were redesignated as a flying training squadrons as result of the 323rd's reactivation: 449th Flying Training Squadron (449 FTS), 450th Flying Training Squadron (450 FTS), 451st Flying Training Squadron (451 FTS), 452d Flying Training Squadron (452 FTS) and the 432d Flying Training Squadron (432 FTS).
The 323 FTW also operated Mather AFB as the "host" wing for the installation while the Strategic Air Command's 320th Bombardment Wing (320 BMW) and the Air Force Reserve's SAC-gained 940th Air Refueling Group (940 ARG), later 940th Air Refueling Wing (940 ARW), were "tenant" wings. The 323 FTW also had responsibility for publishing Navigator magazine, a USAF-wide professional publication. The 323 FTW also conducted operational test and evaluation of the T-43A aircraft from 1 August 1973 – 31 October 1973 and began conversion from the T-29 to the T-43 shortly afterwards. As the only USAF flight training school teaching air navigation, the wing served not only the active duty USAF, but also the Air National Guard, the Air Force Reserve and friendly foreign nations.
With the decommissioning of the U.S. Navy's Training Squadron TWENTY-NINE (VT-29) at NAS Corpus Christi, TX in 1975, the 323 FTW also began training U.S. Navy student Naval Flight Officers destined for land-based naval aircraft, NATO/Allied student naval flight officers under U.S. Navy responsibility also destined for land-based maritime aircraft, and U.S. Coast Guard enlisted navigators for that service's HC-130 aircraft starting in July 1976. Instructor Naval Flight Officers, mostly from the Navy's P-3 community, were administratively assigned to Naval Air Training Unit Mather (NAVAIRTU Mather) and embedded in the 323 FTW, teaching USAF, USN and NATO/Allied students.
Support of the Marine Aerial Navigation School (MANS) for U.S. Marine Corps enlisted KC-130 navigators also began in July 1976 when MANS moved from NAS Corpus Christi to Mather AFB. However, MANS conducted its own navigation training independently.
In view of this influx of naval personnel, Naval Air Training Unit Mather (NAVAIRTU Mather) was established in 1976 under the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA). In order to place the Navy organization on par with the 323 FTW commander, a USN Captain or Captain-selectee naval flight officer who had already had been the commanding officer of an operational combat P-3 squadron was placed as the commanding officer of NAVAIRTU Mather, with administrative claimancy over all naval personnel (students, instructors and support staff) assigned to the 323 FTW.
The 323 FTW began training female USAF navigators in March 1977 and female USN Naval Flight Officers (NFO) in 1981. Female USAF instructor navigators followed in the 1983–84 time frame. In 1986, LT Kathryn P. Hire, USN, a former navigator and aircraft mission commander in the RP-3D Orion oceanographic research aircraft, became the first female USN NFO Instructor in the 323 FTW. Of note is that in 1993, then-LCDR Hire would become the first female assigned to the combat version of the P-3C Orion, and as a CDR and CAPT, would become a NASA mission specialist astronaut, flying the STS-90 mission in 1998 and the STS-130 mission in 2010.
On 15 December 1991, the 323d implemented the objective wing concept and the 449th, 450th, 451st, 452d and 432d FTSs were transferred to the new 323d Operations Group, and as well as reorganized into single aircraft type squadrons. All T-43As were assigned to the 445 FTS and T-37Bs to the 455 FTS. On 1 July 1993, following the disestablishment of the Air Training Command, the wing was assigned to the new Air Education and Training Command (AETC).
Under AETC, the T-43 and T-37 aircraft assigned to the 445th and 455th FTSs were assigned tail codes of "NT", but due to the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC)-directed closure of Mather AFB on 30 September 1993, the 323 FTW was inactivated on 1 October 1993.
With the wing's inactivation, its mission and most of its T-43 aircraft were reassigned to the 12th Flying Training Wing (12 FTW) and the 558th Flying Training Squadron (558 FTS) at Randolph AFB, Texas. Because of the presence of T-37B aircraft at Randolph AFB for T-37 Pilot Instructor Training (PIT), the Mather T-37s were sent to long-term storage at AMARC at Davis–Monthan AFB, Arizona.
Expeditionary operations
Patch of the 323d AEW during Operation Noble Endeavor
The Wing was provisionally activated at Balotești in Romania from 14 March to 30 April 2008.[4] It supported Operation Noble Endeavor, a Romanian-led mission to police the skies above the NATO summit in Bucharest. The 332d directed the deployment of KC-135 Stratotankers, F-15C and F-15E Strike Eagles, E-3 Sentries, and F-16 Fighting Falcons to locations across eastern Europe, augmenting the Romanian Air Force efforts. The deployment also involved coordinating the support, maintenance, operations and medical personnel.[2][6]
323d Bombardment Group (later 323d Fighter-Bomber Group, 323d Operations Group), 27 June 1949 – 17 March 1951, 8 August 1955 – 1 September 1957, 15 December 1991 – 1 October 1993
386th Fighter-Bomber Group, 8 April 1956 – 9 April 1957 (Attached)
The Boeing T-43 is a retired modified Boeing 737-200 that was used by the United States Air Force for training navigators, now known as USAF combat systems officers, from 1973 to 2010. Informally referred to as the Gator and "Flying Classroom", nineteen of these aircraft were delivered to the Air Training Command (ATC) at Mather Air Force Base, California during 1973 and 1974. Two additional aircraft were delivered to the Colorado Air National Guard at Buckley Air National Guard Base and Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, in direct support of cadet air navigation training at the nearby U.S. Air Force Academy. Two T-43s were later converted to CT-43As in the early 1990s and transferred to Air Mobility Command (AMC) and United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), respectively, as executive transports. A third aircraft was also transferred to Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) for use as the "Rat 55" radar test bed aircraft and was redesignated as an NT-43A. The T-43A was retired by the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) in 2010 after 37 years of service.
The Air Education and Training Command (AETC) is one of the nine Major Commands (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF), reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force. It was established 1 July 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University.
Mather Air Force Base was a United States Air Force Base, which was closed in 1993 pursuant to a post-Cold War BRAC decision. It was located 12 miles (19 km) east of Sacramento, on the south side of U.S. Route 50 in Sacramento County, California. Mather Field was one of 32 Air Service training camps established after the United States entry into World War I in April 1917.
The 453d Electronic Warfare Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 850th Spectrum Warfare Group and is stationed at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
A Combat Systems Officer (CSO) is a flight member of an aircrew in the United States Air Force and is the mission commander in many multi-crew aircraft. The combat systems officer manages the mission and integrates systems and crew with the aircraft commander to collectively achieve and maintain situational awareness and mission effectiveness. CSOs are trained in piloting, navigation, the use of the electromagnetic spectrum, and are experts in weapon system employment on their specific airframe. Aircrew responsibilities include mission planning, mission timing, weapons targeting and employment, threat reactions, aircraft communications, and hazard avoidance.
The 320th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force District of Washington. It is stationed at Bolling AFB, District of Columbia. The 320 AEW may be activated or inactivated at any time.
The 405th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command. It may be activated or inactivated at any time.
The 398th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. The 398 AEG may be activated or inactivated at any time.
The 449th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the Third Air Force supporting United States Africa Command. It is stationed at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti. It flies missions for Africa Command and Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa, supporting varied U.S. objectives in the area.
The 479th Flying Training Group is a United States Air Force unit, stationed at Naval Air Station Pensacola. A component of Air Education and Training Command, the group was activated on 2 October 2009. The current commander of the 479th Flying Training Group is Colonel Shane “Shamus” Muscato.
The 449th Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the 322d Air Expeditionary Group. In 2008, it was converted to an expeditionary unit on provisional status for activation by Air Combat Command any time after 28 October 2008. Its current status is undetermined.
The 450th Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the 322d Air Expeditionary Group. In 2008 it was converted to an expeditionary unit on provisional status for activation by Air Combat Command any time after 28 October 2008. Its current status is undetermined.
The 452d Flight Test Squadron is a United States Air Force squadron. It is assigned to the 412th Operations Group, Air Force Materiel Command, stationed at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
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 401st Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe to be activated or inactivated at any time as needed. It is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
The 451st Flying Training Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. Its assigned to the 479th Flying Training Group, stationed at NAS Pensacola, Florida.
The 454th Flying Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 323d Flying Training Wing at Mather Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 1 October 1993.
The 455th Flying Training Squadron is a United States Air Force unit of Air Education and Training Command. It was most recently activated at NAS Pensacola as part of the 479th Flying Training Group, where it trains Combat Systems Officers with the Raytheon T-6 Texan II.
The 323d Expeditionary Operations Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time.
The 12th Flying Training Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force. It is headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. The wing is the parent organization for the 479th Flying Training Group, located at NAS Pensacola, Florida and the 306th Flying Training Group, at The United States Air Force Academy, Colorado. The 12th Wing is the only unit in the Air Force conducting both pilot instructor training and combat systems officer training.
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