Description
Computer made-mounted on velcro 3.5 inch-90mm
403d WING
Lineage. Established as 403 Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 10 May 1949. Activated in the Reserve on 27 Jun 1949. Ordered to active duty on 1 Apr 1951. Inactivated on 1 Jan 1953. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Jan 1953. Ordered to active duty on 28 Oct 1962. Relieved from active duty on 28 Nov 1962. Redesignated as: 403 Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 Jul 1967; 403 Composite Wing on 31 Dec 1969; 403 Tactical Airlift Wing on 29 Jun 1971; 403 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing on 15 Mar 1976; 403 Rescueand Weather Reconnaissance Wing on 1 Jan 1977; 403 Tactical Airlift Wing on 31 Dec 1987; 403 Airlift Wing on 1 Feb 1992; 403 Wing on 1 Jul 1994.
Assignments. Fourth Air Force, 27 Jun 1949; Tactical Air Command, 2 Apr 1951; Eighteenth Air Force, 1 Jun 1951 ‑1 Jan 1953 (attached to 315 Air Division, 14 Apr 1952 1 Jan 1953). Fourth Air Force, 1 Jan 1953; Tenth Air Force, 16 Nov 1957; Fifth Air Force Reserve Region, 1 Sep 1960; Twelfth Air Force, 28 Oct 1962; Fifth Air Force Reserve Region, 28 Nov 1962; Central Air Force Reserve Region, 31 Dec 1969; Eastern Air Force Reserve Region, 1 Apr 1971; Western Air Force Reserve Region, 15 Mar 1976; Fourth Air Force, 8 Oct 1976; Fourteenth Air Force, 1 Aug 1992; Twenty‑Second Air Force, 1 Jul 1993; Tenth Air Force, 1 Oct 1994; Twenty‑Second Air Force, 1 Apr 1997‑.
Operational Components. Groups. 314 Troop Carrier: attached 14 Apr‑31 Dec 1952. 403 Troop Carrier (later, 403 Operations): 27 Jun 1949‑1 Jan 1953; 1 Jan 1953‑14 Apr 1959; 1 Aug 1992‑. 908 Airlift: 1 Aug 1992‑1 Oct 1994. 913 Tactical Airlift (later, 913 Airlift): 21 Apr 1971‑8 Jan 1976; 1 Aug 1992‑1 Oct 1994. 914 Tactical Airlift: 21 Apr 1971‑8 Jan 1976. 920 Weather Reconnaissance: I Jan 1977‑1 Jul 1981; 1 Mar 1983‑1 Nov 1983. 927 Troop Carrier (later, 927 Tactical Airlift; 927 Tactical Air Support; 927 Tactical Airlift): 11 Feb 1963‑31 Dec 1969; 1 Jun 1970‑15 Mar 1976. 928 Troop Carrier (later, 928 Tactical Airlift): 11 Feb 1963‑1 Dec 1969. 929 Troop Carrier: 11 Feb 1963‑1 Jan 1964. 930 Special Operations: 1 Jun 1970‑15 Jan 1971. 931 Tactical Air Support: 1 Jun 1970‑15 Jan 1971. 934 Tactical Airlift (later, 934 Airlift): 31 Dec 1987‑1 Aug 1992. 939 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery: 1 Apr 1985‑1 Oct 1987. Squadrons. 21 Troop Carrier: attached 14 Apr‑ 1 Dec 1952. 53 Troop Carrier: attached 14 Apr‑c. 12 Sep 1952. 63 Troop Carrier: 14 Apr 1959-11 Feb 1963. 64 Troop Carrier: 14 Apr 1959-11 Feb 1963. 65 Troop Carrier: 14 Apr 1959-11 Jan 1963. 301 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery: 15 Mar 1976‑1 Oct 1987. 303 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery: 15 Mar 1976‑1 Apr 1985. 304 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery: 15 Mar 1976‑8 Apr 1985. 305 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery: 15 Mar 1976‑1 Oct 1987. 815 Weather Reconnaissance (later, 815 Tactical Airlift; 815 Airlift): 1 Nov 1983‑1 Aug 1992. 6461 Troop Carrier: attached 1‑31 Dec 1952.
Stations. Portland Arpt (later, IAP), OR, 27 Jun 1949‑25 Mar 1952; Ashiya AB, Japan, 14 Apr 1952‑1 Jan 1953. Portland IAP, OR, 1 Jan 1953; Selfridge AFB (later, AGB), MI, 16 Nov 1957; Keesler AFB, MS, 1 Nov 1983‑.
Aircraft. T‑7, 1949‑1951; T‑ 11, 1949‑1951; C/TC‑46, 1949‑1952; C‑46, 1952; C/VC‑47, 1952; C‑54, 1952; C‑119, 1952. C‑46, 1953‑1957; TC‑47, 1957‑unkn; C‑119,1957‑1969, 1970; U‑3, 1969, 1970‑1971; O‑2, 1970‑1971; A‑37, 1970‑1971; C‑130, 1971-1976, 1977, 1987‑; HH‑1, 1976‑1987; HH‑3, 1976‑1987; CH‑3, 1976‑1977; HC‑130, 1976‑1987; WC‑130, 1977‑1981, 1983‑; UH‑1, 1979‑1987.
Operations. Trained in the CONUS for airlift operations, 1949‑1952. During 1952, from a base in Japan, managed troop carrier resources in support of the Far East Command and the United Nations in the Korean War. Performed airborne assault, airdrop, air‑landed resupply, medical air evacuation, and other transport missions. Routine airlift training in the Reserve, 1953‑1962. During that time, the wing also supported Army airdrop training, ferried aircraft to various parts of the country and the world, took part in training exercises, and performed humanitarian missions as needed. Served on active duty during Cuban Missile Crisis, Oct‑Nov 1962. In 1963, it moved US troops to the Dominican Republic and airlifted Christmas gifts destined for US servicemen in Vietnam. After a period of uncertainty from 1969 to 1971, when it served as a composite wing with a variety of missions and aircraft, the 403d returned to tactical airlift missions. From 1971 to 1976, the wing took part in several tactical exercises and humanitarian airlift operations. During that time it also ferried aircraft, supplies, and equipment to US forces in Vietnam and other points in the Far East. In 1976 and 1977, the wing began to perform search and rescue, aeromedical evacuation, and weather reconnaissance missions. Its crews and aircraft flew into hurricanes to determine their intensities and movements. In 1978, after a mass suicide at Jonestown in Guyana, the wing helped recover the bodies of US citizens. After the eruption of Mount St. Helens (Washington) in 1980, the wing participated in search and rescue efforts. It supported deployments and the first shuttle launches in the 1980s by flying precautionary search and rescue missions. Occasionally the wing was called on to provide weather reconnaissance data to supplement that provided by satellites. In 1987, the wing gave up its search and rescue functions and returned to tactical airlift missions, but retained its weather reconnaissance capability. Supported rotations to Panama during the 1990s. The wing continued to fly tactical airlift missions as needed worldwide, including contingency and humanitarian airlift operations and weather reconnaissance for the National Hurricane Center. After the 11 Sep 2001 terrorist attack on the US, the 403 Wing supported the Global War on Terrorism in various capacities with some personnel deployed to Southwest Asia while other personnel deployed within the CONUS. On 29 Aug 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused extensive wind and water damage to Keesler AFB; the wing’s 53 Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew 12 operational missions into the eye of Hurricane Katrina between 23-30 Aug 2005.
Service Streamers. Korean Theater.
Campaign Streamers. None.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. Panama, 1989‑1990.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1977‑31 Dec 1978; 1 Jul 1984‑30 Jun 1986; 1 May 1992‑30 Apr 1994; 1 May 1994‑30 Apr 1996; 1 May 1996‑31 Aug 1997; 1 Jan 2004-31 Dec 2005; 1 Oct 2008-30 Sep 2010. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: [1952]. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 14 Feb‑11 Mar 1968.
Bestowed Honors. Authorized to display honors earned by the 403 Troop Carrier Group prior to 15 Aug 1947. Service Streamers. None. Campaign Streamers. World War II: New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines. Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Philippine Islands, 17 Apr‑30 Jun 1945. Navy Unit Commendation [Sep 1943]‑15 Jul 1944. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.
Emblem. Approved on 19 Dec 1995.