61st Air Base Wing

61st Air Base Wing
	C-124 Globemaster II at Hickam AFB in 1967
Active	1948–1951; 1966–1980; 1994–2010
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Base support
Part of	Air Force Space Command
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
61st Air Base Wing emblem (Approved 30 November 2006)
61st Military Airlift Wing emblem (Approved 4 May 1966)

Last updated December 17, 2020

The 61st Air Base Wing is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force, last stationed at Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo, California. The 61st was the host unit at Los Angeles Air Force Base, and commanded all the Air Force support groups and units assigned to the base. When active. the wing is entitled to temporary bestowal of the history and honors stems of the 61st Troop Carrier Group.

History

The wing was first activated as the 61st Troop Carrier Wing by the United States Air Forces in Europe in 1948 to control C-47 Skytrain and C-54 Skymaster units. The wing was the host organization at Rhein-Main Air Base, West Germany. It also operated Tempelhof Air Base, in Occupied Berlin until 5 November 1948 and Tulln Air Base in the American Occupation Zone of Austria until 10 December 1948.^[1]

Its initial mission was to coordinate Berlin Airlift operations for USAFE in conjunction with units deployed from the United States and the Royal Air Force.^{[ citation needed ]} With the end of Berlin Airlift operations in 1949, flew theater airlift missions within USAFE and participated in numerous exercises.^[1] With the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, wing deployed its operational component, the 61st Troop Carrier Group to Ashiya Air Base, Japan on 21 July 1950 to reinforce Far East Air Forces transport units and perform combat transport operations within South Korea and Japan. With the group deployed to Japan, the wing was inactivated in West Germany in June 1951.^[1]

The wing was reactivated as the 61st Military Airlift Wing at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii in 1966 under Military Airlift Command, replacing the discontinued Military Air Transport Service 1502d Air Transport Wing in January 1966. It "provided air transport and support functions for airlift operations in the entire Pacific Ocean area, Alaska to Antarctica, and the United States to Southeast Asia. Supported airlift, primarily in support of United States military forces in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.^[1] The Hickam Aerial Port was a primary destination for United States military personnel on Rest and Recreation leave from South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, the 61st MAW operating the aerial port and coordinating flights by civilian contract airlines to and from bases in South Vietnam.^{[ citation needed ]}

The wing's assigned airlift squadrons were inactivated in 1968 and 1969, after which became the 61st Military Airlift Support Wing^[1] for Military Airlift Command flights within Pacific Air Forces as well as Naval and Marine Transports supporting their respective organizations in Hawaii.^{[ citation needed ]} Inactivated 1 April 1980^[1] and is equipment and most personnel being reassigned to the 834th Airlift Division.

On 1 August 2006, it was reactivated as the 61st Air Base Wing, a non-flying unit at Los Angeles Air Force Base under Air Force Space Command.^[1] It supported the Space and Missile Systems Center from 2006 to 2010, when it was inactivated and base support assigned to the 61st Air Base Group.^{[ citation needed ]}

Lineage

Established as the 61st Troop Carrier Wing, Medium and activated on 1 July 1948

Redesignated 61st Troop Carrier Wing, Heavy on 15 August 1948

Inactivated on 2 June 1951

Redesignated 61st Military Airlift Wing and activated on 27 December 1965 (not organized)

Organized on 8 January 1966

Redesignated 61st Military Airlift Support Wing on 22 December 1969

Inactivated 1 April 1980

Redesignated 61st Air Base Wing on 20 June 2006

Activated on 1 August 2006^[1]

Inactivated on 30 July 2010

Assignments

United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 July 1948

Attached to: Berlin Airlift Task Force until 29 July 1948

Attached to: Airlift Task Force (Provisional), 22 July - 4 November 1948

Attached to: 1st Air Lift Task Force, 5 November 1948 – 9 July 1949

1st Air Lift Task Force, 10 July 1949
United States Air Forces in Europe, 26 September 1949
Twelfth Air Force, 21 January-2 June 1951
Military Air Transport Service, 27 December 1965 (not organized)
Twenty-Second Air Force, 8 January 1966 – 1 April 1980
Space and Missile Systems Center, 1 August 2006 - 30 July 2010^[1]

Components

Groups^[4]

60th Troop Carrier Group: attached 26 September 1949 – 2 June 1951
61st Air Base Group: 1 July 1948 - 2 June 1951^[5]
61st Maintenance & Supply Group: 1 July 1948 – 2 June 1951
61st Station Medical Group (later 61st Medical Group): 1 July 1948 – 2 June 1951, 1 August 2006 – 30 July 2010
61st Troop Carrier Group (later 61st Military Airlift Group, 61st Air Base Group, 61st Mission Support Group): 1 July 1948 – 1 January 1951 (attached to 1st Airlift Task Force 5 November 1948, Airlift Wing (Provisional) 20 November 1948, 7497th Airlift Wing 10 January 1949 – 9 July 1949, Military Air Transport Service 21 July 1950, North Pacific Wing (Provisional) 26 July 1950, 1705th Air Transport Wing 24 August 1950, Far East Air Force Combat Cargo Command (Provisional) 10 December 1950 – 1 January 1951); 1 August 2006 – 30 July 2010
65th Military Airlift Group (later 65th Military Airlift Support Group): 8 January 1966 – 1 January 1972
513th Troop Carrier Group: attached 10 July - 16 October 1949
1422d Air Transport Group, Provisional: attached 2 August - 5 November 1948
7350th Air Base Group: 1 July 1948 – 5 November 1948

Tempelhof Central Airport, Berlin

7360th Air Base Group: 1 July 1948 – 10 December 1948

Tulln Air Base, Austria

C-54 Troop Carrier Group, Provisional: attached 1 July - 2 August 1948

Squadrons

6th Military Airlift Squadron: 8 January 1966 – 8 June 1968 (not operational after 16 May 1968)
50th Military Airlift Squadron: 8 January 1966 – 22 December 1969 (not operational after 1 December 1969)
6th Aerial Port Squadron: 1 March 1975 – 1 June 1975
61st Aerial Port Squadron: 8 January 1966 – 22 December 1969
602d Military Airlift Support Squadron: 8 January 1966 – 1 November 1975

Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska

603d Military Airlift Support Squadron: 8 January 1966 – 8 July 1966, 1 January 1972 – 1 April 1980

Kadena Air Base, Okinawa

604th Military Airlift Support Squadron: 8 January 1966 – 8 July 1966, 1 January 1972 – 1 June 1975

Clark Air Base, Philippines

605th Military Airlift Support Squadron: 8 January 1966 – 8 July 1966, 1 August 1972 – 1 April 1980

Andersen Air Force Base, Guam

606th Military Airlift Support Squadron: 8 January 1966 – 8 July 1966

Mactan Island Airfield, Philippines

607th Military Airlift Support Squadron: 8 January 1966 – 1 October 1980

Naval Air Facility Midway

608th Military Airlift Support Squadron: 8 January 1966 – 8 July 1966, 1 January 1972 – 30 April 1972

Cam Ranh Air Base, South Vietnam

610th Military Airlift Support Squadron: 1 January 1972 – 1 October 1978

Yokota Air Base, Japan

611th Military Airlift Support Squadron: 1 January 1972 – 1 October 1978

Osan Air Base, South Korea

616th Military Airlift Support Squadron: 8 January 1966 – 8 July 1966, 1 January 1972 – 26 March 1973

Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam

Detachment 1 Phu Cat Air Base, South Vietnam

Detachment 2 Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam

617th Military Airlift Support Squadron: 8 January 1966 – 8 July 1966, 1 January 1972 – 1 October 1972

Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam

Detachment 1 Pleiku Air Base, South Vietnam

618th Military Airlift Support Squadron: 1 January 1972 – 1 June 1975

U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield, Thailand

619th Military Airlift Support Squadron: 22 December 1969 – 30 April 1972

Det D, later Det 2, Christchurch International Airport, New Zealand

Military Airlift Support Squadrons were support units that had no aircraft of its own, but rather supported the forward operations of aircraft from other MAC units, principally from the CONUS. Furthermore, the support squadron was a consolidation of all the operations and maintenance functions that state-side airlift wings had organized as separate units.

Stations

Rhein-Main Air Force Base (later Rhein-Main Air Base), Germany (later West Germany), 1 July 1948 – 2 June 1951
Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, 8 January 1966 – 1 April 1980
Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, 1 August 2006 – 30 July 2010

Aircraft

Primarily C-47, 1948, C-54, 1948, 1949–1950; and C-82, 1949–1951; but also flew (in single or small numbers) B-17, 1948–1949
C-47 Skytrain, 1949–1951
C-119 Flying Boxcar, August 1950
C-54 Skymaster, 1951
C-121 Constellation, 1966
C-124 Globemaster II, 1966–1969

Related Research Articles

The 374th Airlift Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force assigned to Fifth Air Force. It is stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is part of Pacific Air Forces. The 374th Airlift Wing is the only airlift wing in PACAF and provides airlift support to all Department of Defense agencies in the Pacific theater of operation. It also provides transport for people and equipment throughout the Kantō Plain and the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Sewart Air Force Base (1941–1971) is a former United States Air Force base located in Smyrna, about 25 miles southeast of Nashville, Tennessee. During World War II, it was known as Smyrna Army Airfield.

The 316th Wing is an active wing of the United States Air Force. It is the host wing at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility, Maryland. As host wing, the 316 WG operates, administers and maintains the base. The 316th Wing was activated on June 11, 2020, becoming the host wing for JBA and taking on the Airmen and units of the 11th Wing.

The 60th Air Mobility Wing is the largest air mobility organization in the United States Air Force and is responsible for strategic airlift and aerial refueling missions around the world. It is the host unit at Travis Air Force Base in California. Wing activity is primarily focused on support in the Middle East region, however it also maintains operations in areas of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

The 89th Airlift Wing of the United States Air Force is based at Joint Base Andrews and has an operational force of over 1,000 personnel. The 89th provides global Special Air Mission (SAM) airlift, logistics, aerial port and communications for the President, Vice President, Combat Commanders, senior leaders and the global mobility system as tasked by the White House, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and Air Mobility Command.

The 94th Airlift Wing is a reserve unit of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Twenty-Second Air Force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) and is stationed at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia. When mobilized, most of the wing would be assigned to Air Mobility Command, while a smaller proportion would be retained by AFRC.

The 302nd Airlift Wing, sometimes written as 302d Airlift Wing, is an Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to Twenty-Second Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.

The 314th Airlift Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based at Little Rock Air Force Base in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The 514th Air Mobility Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. The 514th is an associate Air Force reserve unit. The wing flies aircraft assigned to the active-duty 305th Air Mobility Wing, also based at McGuire. The 514th shares the responsibility of maintaining and flying the McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender and the McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III.

The 513th Air Control Group is an Air Reserve Component unit of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Tenth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, and is stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.

The 15th Airlift Squadron is part of the 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina. It operates Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft supporting the United States Air Force global reach mission worldwide.

The 53d Airlift Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, part of the 19th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. It operates Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft for airlift and airdrop operations.

The 310th Airlift Squadron was part of the 6th Air Mobility Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. Nicknamed the Flamigos, the unit operated C-37 Gulfstream V aircraft providing executive airlift for Combatant Commanders.

The 457th Airlift Squadron was part of the 375th Air Mobility Wing and was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. It operated C-21 aircraft providing executive airlift.

The 315th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Pacific Air Forces, based at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan. It was inactivated in April 1969.

The 61st Air Base Group is a United States Space Force unit assigned to the Space and Missile Systems Center. The unit is stationed at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California.

The 438th Air Expeditionary Wing is an active United States Air Force unit operating in Afghanistan and assigned to United States Air Forces Central. The wing trains Afghan Air Force members, including pilots.

The 305th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to Air Mobility Command, and operates from New Castle Air National Guard Base, Delaware.

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 63d Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to Air Mobility Command to activate or inactivate as needed. No publicly available information indicates it has been active as an expeditionary unit. The wing was last active as the 63d Airlift Wing at Norton Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 1 April 1994.

References

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Robertson, Patsy (29 October 2009). "Factsheet 61 Air Base Wing (AFSPC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
↑ Ravenstein, pp. 97-98
↑ The wing adopted this emblem from the 1502d Air Transport Wing. It is entitled to the history honors of the 1502d, but not its lineage.
↑ All components stationed with wing headquarters except as noted
↑ This group is not related to the 61st Air Base Group (originally 61st Troop Carrier Group).

Bibliography

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

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.
Rogers, Brian. (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.

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.

[61ABWfacts-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Robertson, Patsy (29 October 2009). "Factsheet 61 Air Base Wing (AFSPC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2015.

[Ravenstein-2] Ravenstein, pp. 97-98

[3] The wing adopted this emblem from the 1502d Air Transport Wing. It is entitled to the history honors of the 1502d, but not its lineage.

[4] All components stationed with wing headquarters except as noted

[5] This group is not related to the 61st Air Base Group (originally 61st Troop Carrier Group).

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]