320th AIR EXPEDITIONARY WING

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Computer made   3.0 inch-77mm

 

320th AIR EXPEDITIONARY WING

Lineage. Constituted as 320 Bombardment Group (Medium) on 19 Jun 1942. Activated on 23 Jun 1942. Redesignated 320 Bombardment Group, Medium on 31 Aug 1944. Inactivated on 4 Dec 1945. Redesignated 320 Bombardment Group, Light and allotted to the reserve. Activated on 6 Jul 1947. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949. Established as 320th Bombardment Wing, Medium and activated, on 1 Dec 1952. Discontinued on 15 Sep 1960. Redesignated 320 Bombardment Wing, Heavy, on 15 Nov 1962. Organized on 1 Feb 1963. Inactivated 30 Sep 1989. Converted to provisional status, allotted to Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate at any time, and redesignated as 320 Air Expeditionary Group on 19 Nov 1998. Activated on 1 Dec 1998. Inactivated on 1 Dec 2001. Redesignated: 320 Air Expeditionary Wing on 1 Feb 2002 and allotted to Air Force District of Washington in 2006 to activate or inactivate at any time.

Assignments. III Bomber Command, 23 Jun 1942; XII Bomber Command, 14 Sep 1942; 7 Fighter Wing (later 47 Bombardment Wing), 18 Feb 1943; 2686 Medium Bombardment Wing (Provisional), 6 Jun 1943; 42 Bombardment Wing, 25 August 1943 XII Bomber Command, 1 Jan 1944 42 Bombardment Wing, 1 Mar 1944; IX Air Force Service Command, 29 May 1945-20 Nov 1945; Army Service Forces, Boston Port of Embarkation, 3 Dec 1945-4 Dec 1945; 4 Bombardment Wing (later 4th Air Division), 9 Jun 1947-27 Jun 1949. 12 Air Division, 1 Dec 1952-15 Sep I960 (attached to 7 Air(Division, 3 Jun-4 Sep 1954; 3 Air Division, 5 Oct 1956-11 Jan 1957); Department of the Air Force, 16 Sep 1960-14 Nov 1962; Strategic Air Command, 15 Nov 1962; 14 Strategic Aerospace Division, 1 Feb 1963; 18 Strategic Aerospace Division, 1 Jul 1965; 47 Air Division, 2 Jul 1966; 14 Strategic Aerospace Division, 31 Mar 1970; 47 Air Division, 30 Jun 1971; 14 Air Division, 1 Oct 1972-30 Sep 1989. 9 Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force (later 9th Aerospace Expeditionary Task Force SOUTHERN WATCH, 1 Dec 1998-1 Dec 2001; 1 Aerospace Expeditionary Task Force NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION, 30 Jan 2006-4 Feb 2006; 28 Dec 2006-15 Jan 2007; 14 Jan 2008-10 May 2010;  21 Jan 2011-29 Jan 2011; ?-26 Jan 2012; 9 Apr 2012-?. (attached to Northwest African Strategic Air Force, May 1943; Northwest African Strategic Air Force until Sep 1943; Mediterranean Allied Tactical Bomber Force,  Feb 1944; 1 Air Disarmament Wing (Provisional) until 1 Oct 1945).

Components. Squadrons. 320 Air Refueling: 1 Dec 1952-16 Jun 1960 (detached 2 May—15 Jun 1955,1-c. 25 Oct 1955, 3 Mar-7 May 1956, 5 Oct 1956-11 Jan 1957, and 3 Jan-10 Apr 1958). 441: 23 Jun 1942-4 Dec 1945; 9 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949; 1 Dec  1952-15 Sep 1960 (not operational, 16 May-15 Sep 1960); 1 Feb 1963-30 Sep 1989 (not operational, 11 Feb-c. 1 Jul 1965,1 Dec 1965-c. 21 Mar 1966, and c. 3 Jun 1972-25 Oct 1973). 442: 23 Jun 1942-4 Dec 1945; 9 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949; 1 Dec 1952-15 Sep 1960 (not operational, 1-15 Sep 1960). 443: 23 Jun 1942-4 Dec 1945; 9 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949; 1 Dec 1952-15 Sep 1960 (not operational, 1-15 Sep 1960). 444: 23 Jun 1942-4 Dec 1945; 9 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949; 1 Jan 1959-15 Sep 1960 (not operational, 1 Jul-15 Sep 1960). 904 Air Refueling: 1 Feb 1963-30 Sep 1989 (not operational, 11 Feb-c. 1 Jul 1965, 7 Dec 1965-31 Mar 1966, and c. 3 Jun 1972-25 Oct 1973).

Stations. March AFB, CA, 1 Dec 1952-15 Sep 1960. Mather AFB, CA, 1 Feb 1963-30 Sep 1989. Eskan Village, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 1 Dec 1998-1 Dec 2001; Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, 2001-2006. Seeb International Airport, Oman

Al Daftra AB, Abu Dhabi, UAE, undetermined dates

Bolling AFB, District of Columbia, 30 Jan 2006-4 Feb 2006; 28 Dec 2006-15 Jan 2007; 14 Jan 2008-10 May 2010. Andrews AFB, MY, 21 Jan 2011-29 Jan 2011, 9 April 2012-?. unknown, c. Jan 2012-26 Jan 2012.

Aircraft. B-29, 1952-1953; KC-97, 1952-1960; YRB-47, 1953-1954; B-47, 1953-1960. B-52, 1963-1989; KC-135, 1963-1989; T-29, 1973. C-130, 2001-2006.

Operations. Replaced 106th Bombardment Wing, Medium, in Dec 1952. Conducted global bombardment training and air refueling operations to meet SAC commitments, 1952-1960. Trained B-47 cadre for 96th Bombardment Wing, Medium, Dec 1953-Jan 1955. Deployed as a wing to Brize Norton RAF Station, England, 5 Jun-4 Sep 1954, and Andersen AFB, Guam, 5 Oct 1956-11 Jan 1957. Replaced 4134th Strategic Wing in Feb 1963. Performed global bombardment training and air refueling operations to meet SAC commitments, Feb 1963-1965 and later. Entire wing drastically reduced Feb-Jul 1965, Dec 1965-Mar 1966, and Jun 1972-Oct 1973, when all aircraft, crews, and most support personnel loaned to other SAC units for operations in Southeast Asia. During the latter period, trained T-29 pilots for Fifteenth Air Force. Trained in the employment of, the US Navy’s AGM-84 Harpoon missile and various types of anti-ship mines as part of a joint USN-USAF initiative to employ USAF bomber aircraft in maritime operations. Provide liaison with Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense and Aviation. Supported United States Military Training Mission (USMTM) Saudi Arabia. When the Joint Forces Headquarters transitions to become the Joint Task Force National Capital Region, the 320th Air Expeditionary Wing activates and becomes the Air Force service component of the task force.

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. None.

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 18 Jun-31 Jul 1965 and 1 Dec 1965-1 Mar 1966; 2 Mar-1 Apr 1966; 1 Jun 1974-30 Jun 1976.

Emblem. Originally approved on23 Nov 1951 for 106th Bombardment Wing, Medium; officially transferred to 320th Wing by mutual consent of both units on 5 Dec 1952. Motto: STRENGTH THROUGH AWARENESS.