77th Aeronautical Systems Wing

77th Aeronautical Systems Wing
Active	1942–1943; 1953–2001; 2005–2010
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Development of mission support equipment
Motto(s)	All Seeing (1942-1943) [1]
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award [2]
Insignia
77th Aeronautical Systems Wing emblem [a] [1] [2]

The 77th Aeronautical Systems Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit, last assigned to the Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

Its World War II predecessor unit, the 77th Reconnaissance Group supported ground units in training by flying reconnaissance, artillery adjustment, fighter, and bomber missions, and in the process trained reconnaissance personnel who later served overseas.

History

During World War II the 77th Observation Group supported ground units in training by flying reconnaissance, artillery adjustment, fighter, and bomber missions, and in the process trained reconnaissance personnel who later served overseas. The group's 5th Observation Squadron moved to Desert Center Army Air Field in March 1943, where it supported units training at the Desert Training Center, later relocating to Thermal Army Air Field in September. ^[3] It converted entirely to "Grasshopper" aircraft in April 1943, becoming the 5th Liaison Squadron. The 113th Observation Squadron flew antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico from March until June 1942 when it was relieved by another squadron (the [[[128th Observation Squadron]]). Still another squadron (the 120th Observation Squadron) patrolled the Mexican border from March–July 1942. A detachment of the 77th served in India from February until July 1943. The 77th was inactivated in 1943.

The 77th was redesignated the 77th Tactical Intelligence Wing in 1985, though it remained inactive. It was then consolidated with the 2852nd Air Base Wing in 1994 to provide services and support for McClellan Air Force Base, California with its satellite installations and the Sacramento Air Logistics Center with its tenant organizations (the 2852nd had been performing this duty since 1 August 1953) until the base was closed in 2001.

The 77th Aeronautical Systems Group moved from Brooks City-Base, Texas to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio in mid-2009. ^[4] It was inactivated on 30 June 2010 along with all aeronautical systems wings when the Aeronautical Systems Center was reorganized. ^[5]

Units

The wing supported the Aeronautical Systems Center. Its units perform a variety of missions

• Human Systems Group

Provided advanced performance, survival, and force protection capabilities to U.S. and allied air, ground, and naval forces through development, production, and sustainment of human-centered systems including aircrew life support, egress, survival, aeromedical equipment, medical information, aerovac equipment testing/certification, AF uniforms, and aircraft mishap analysis.

• Simulator Systems Group

Responsible for the development, production, test, integration, deployment, modification, and sustainment of common training solutions for joint ground-based training and mission rehearsal systems.

• Aging Aircraft Systems Squadron

Developed and fielded products that enhance the Air Force's aircraft fleet availability and mission capability while reducing total ownership cost. The squadron is responsible for the development, acquisition, and fielding of cross-enterprise materiel solutions that enhance fleet availability and mission capability.

• Propulsion Systems Squadron

Responsible for the development, production, test, and fielding of propulsion systems for the Joint Strike Fighter, F/A-22, and C-17. It also manages the Component Improvement Program, critical sustaining engineering for Air Force propulsion, and modernization of all Air Force propulsion systems, future propulsion capabilities, and allied F-15/F-16 engines.

• Combat Electronics Systems Squadron

Responsible for the development, testing, acquiring, fielding and sustainment of materiel capabilities for multiple Department of Defense and allied aircraft weapon systems.

Lineage

77th Reconnaissance Group

• Established as the 77th Observation Group on 5 February 1942

Activated on 2 March 1942

Redesignated 77th Reconnaissance Group on 2 April 1943

Redesignated 77th Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 11 August 1943

Disestablished on 30 November 1943

• Reestablished, and redesignated 77th Tactical Intelligence Wing on 31 July 1985 (remained inactive)
• Consolidated with the 2852d Air Base Wing on 16 September 1994 ^[2]

77th Air Base Wing

• Established as the 2852d Air Base Wing and organized on 1 August 1953

Redesignated: 2852d Air Base Group on 16 October 1964

Redesignated: 652d Support Group on 1 October 1992

Redesignated: 652d Air Base Group on 1 October 1993

• Consolidated with the 77th Tactical Intelligence Wing on 16 September 1994

Redesignated: 77th Air Base Wing on 1 October 1994

Inactivated on 13 July 2001

• Consolidated with the Agile Combat Support Systems Wing on 23 June 2006 ^[2]

77th Aeronautical Systems Wing

• Established as the Agile Combat Support Systems Wing on 23 November 2004

Activated on 18 January 2005

• Consolidated with the 77th Air Base Wing on 23 June 2006

Redesignated 77th Aeronautical Systems Wing on 14 July 2006 ^[6]

Inactivated on 30 June 2010

Assignments

• Air Force Combat Command, 2 March 1942
• 2nd Air Support Command, 12 March 1942
• 3d Ground Air Support Command, 24 May 1942
• Second Air Force, 21 August 1942
• 2nd Ground Air Support Command (later II Air Support Command), 7 September 1942 (attached to 3rd Ground Air Support Command (later III Air Support Command, III Reconnaissance Command), 7 September 1942 – 30 November 1943
• Sacramento Air Materiel Area (later Sacramento Air Logistics Center), 1 August 1953 – 13 July 2001
• Aeronautical Systems Center, 18 January 2005 – 30 June 2010 ^[6]

Components

• 5th Observation Squadron: 25 January – 2 April 1943
• 27th Observation Squadron (later, 27th Reconnaissance Squadron, 27th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron): 17 July 1942 – 30 November 1943
• 35th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron: 11 August – 30 November 1943 (detached 11 August – 31 October 1943)
• 113th Observation Squadron (later 113th Reconnaissance Squadron, 113th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron): 12 March 1942 – 30 November 1943
• 120th Observation Squadron (later 120th Reconnaissance Squadron, 120 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron)]]: 12 March 1942 – 30 November 1943
• 125th Observation Squadron (later 125th Liaison Squadron)]]: 12 March 1942 – 11 August 1943
• 128th Observation Squadron (later 21st Antisubmarine Squadron): 12 March 1942 – 8 March 1943 (detached 3 July – 7 September 1942 and 15 October 1942 – 3 March 1943) ^[2]

Stations

Salinas Army Air Base, California, 2 March 1942 Brownwood Army Airfield, Texas, c. 22 March 1942 DeRidder Army Air Base, Louisiana, 25 July 1942 Alamo Field, Texas, 28 September 1942 Abilene Army Air Field, Texas, 6 April 1943

Esler Field, Louisiana, 13 September 1943 Birmingham Army Air Field, Alabama, 14 – 30 November 1943 McClellan Air Force Base, California, 1 August 1953 – 13 July 2001 Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, 18 January 2005 – 30 June 2010 [6]

Aircraft

• Douglas O-38 (1942–1943)
• North American O-47 (1942–1943)
• Curtiss O-52 Owl (1942–1943)
• Stinson L-5 Sentinel (1942–1943)
• Douglas O-46 (1942)
• Douglas O-43 (1942)
• Curtiss A-18 Shrike (1942)
• Stinson L-1 Vigilant (1942–1943)
• Piper L-4 (1942–1943)
• Aeronca L-3 (1942–1943)
• Interstate L-6 (1942–1943)
• Douglas B-18 Bolo (1942–1943)
• Stinson O-49 Vigilant (1942)
• Bell P-39 Airacobra (1942–1943)
• North American B-25 Mitchell (1943)
• Douglas A-20 Havoc (1943)

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

1. Approved 28 February 1943 and modified to place on Air Force shield 15 June 1994. Description: Or, a broad-winged hawk volant proper holding in its beak a mullet gules and emitting from its eyes seven flashes of the last [color], issuant from base a mountain range of seven peaks azure

Citations

1. Maurer, Combat Units, p. 142
2. Butler, William M. (4 August 2006). "Factsheet 77 Aeronautical Systems Wing (AFMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
3. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 35-36
4. Mayer, Daryl (8 May 2009). "Group increases Wright-Patt footprint". 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
5. Mayer, Daryl (1 July 2010). "ASC inactivates aeronautical systems wings". 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
6. Lineage information through 2006 in Butler, Factsheet.

Bibliography

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

• 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. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 January 2021.
• 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 . Retrieved 17 December 2016.