The 459th Air Refueling Wing is a
wing
A wing is a type of fin that produces both Lift (force), lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform (aeronautics), planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-d ...
of the
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a MAJCOM, major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of ...
of the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
. It is assigned to the
Fourth Air Force
The Fourth Air Force (4 AF) is a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California.
4 AF directs the activities and supervises the training of more than 30,000 Air Force Reserv ...
and stationed at
Joint Base Andrews
Joint Base Andrews (JBA) is a United States military facility located in Prince George's County, Maryland. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force (USAF) 316th Wing, Air Force District of Washington (AFDW). The bas ...
, Maryland. If mobilized, the wing would be gained by the
Air Mobility Command
The Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri, ...
. The wing flies and maintains
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling tanker aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave ...
s, providing
air refueling
Aerial refueling (American English, en-us), or aerial refuelling (British English, en-gb), also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from ...
.
The wing, over the years, is a six-time recipient of the
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and was the first independent Air Force ...
. There are about 1,200 traditional Reservists stationed at the wing. A full-time civilian and
Air Reserve Technician staff of approximately 230 personnel provide wing day-to-day administration and management.
Units
The 459th Air Refueling Wing consists of the following major units:
*
459th Operations Group
::
756th Air Refueling Squadron
::459th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron
* 459th Maintenance Group
::459th Maintenance Operations Flight
::459th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
::459th Maintenance Squadron
* 459th Mission Support Group
::69th Aerial Port Squadron
::459th Force Support Squadron
::459th Logistics Readiness Squadron
::459th Security Forces Squadron
::759th Logistics Readiness Flight*459th Medical Group
::459th Aerospace Medicine Squadron
::459th Aeromedical Staging Squadron
[
]
History
The World War II predecessor to the 459th Air Refueling Wing was the 459th Bombardment Group. The 459th Air Refueling Wing is entitled to display the honors of the group by temporary bestowal.[
]
Activation in the Air Force Reserve
The reserve flying mission began at Andrews Air Force Base
Andrews Air Force Base (Andrews AFB, AAFB) is the airfield portion of Joint Base Andrews, which is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force (USAF). In 2009, Andrews Air Force Base merged with Naval Air Facility Washington to form ...
in the summer of 1954, when the 756th Troop Carrier Squadron was activated and equipped with Curtiss C-46 Commando
The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a low-wing, twin-engine aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurized high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company p ...
aircraft and began training under the supervision of the 2259th Air Force Reserve Combat Training Center.[ Nearly 8 months later, the unit had grown enough to activate its parent, the 459th Troop Carrier Wing.][
In the summer of 1956, the wing participated in Operation Sixteen Ton during its two weeks of active duty training. Sixteen Ton was performed entirely by reserve troop carrier units and moved ]United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and Admiralty law, law enforcement military branch, service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight Uniformed services ...
equipment From Floyd Bennett Naval Air Station to Isla Grande Airport in Puerto Rico and San Salvador
San Salvador () is the Capital city, capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its San Salvador Department, eponymous department. It is the country's largest agglomeration, serving as the country's political, cultural, educational and fin ...
in the Bahamas. After the success of this operation, the wing began to use inactive duty training periods for Operation Swift Lift, transporting high priority cargo for the Air Force and Operation Ready Swap, transporting aircraft engines between Air Materiel Command
Air Materiel Command (AMC) was a United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force command. Its headquarters was located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. In 1961, the command was redesignated the Air Force Logistics Command ...
's depots.
In 1958, the 2259th Center was inactivated and some of its personnel were absorbed by the wing. In place of active duty support[Air reserve centers training reserve units were regular air force units.] for reserve units, ConAC adopted the Air Reserve Technician program, in which a cadre of the unit consisted of full-time personnel who were simultaneously civilian employees of the Air Force and also held military rank as members of the reserves.
Detached Squadron Concept
During the first half of 1955, the Air Force began detaching Air Force Reserve squadrons from their parent wing locations to separate sites. Communities were more likely to accept the smaller squadrons than the large wings and the location of separate squadrons in smaller population centers would facilitate recruiting and manning. The wing
A wing is a type of fin that produces both Lift (force), lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform (aeronautics), planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-d ...
's 757th Troop Carrier Squadron, which was activated in April 1955 was located at Byrd Field, Virginia, rather than at Andrews.[Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 739–740] was one of the first three squadrons activated under this program. When the wing activated its third flying squadron, the 758th Troop Carrier Squadron, in 1957, it was located at Greater Pittsburgh Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport —originally Greater Pittsburgh Airport and later Greater Pittsburgh International Airport—is a civil-military international airport in Findlay Township and Moon Township, Pennsylvania, United States. Abou ...
, Pennsylvania. In November 1957, the 757th relocated from Byrd Field, which also hosted an Air National Guard
The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia (United States), militia of each U.S. ...
group, to Youngstown Municipal Airport, Ohio.
In April 1959, the wing reorganized under the Dual Deputy system. Its 459th Troop Carrier Group was inactivated and the 756th, 757th and 758th Troop Carrier Squadrons were assigned directly to the wing.[
]
Activation of groups under the wing
Although the dispersal of flying units was not a problem when the entire wing was called to active service, mobilizing a single flying squadron and elements to support it proved difficult. This weakness was demonstrated in the partial mobilization of reserve units during the Berlin Crisis of 1961
The Berlin Crisis of 1961 () was the last major European political and military incident of the Cold War concerning the status of the German capital city, Berlin, and of History of Germany (1945–90), post–World War II Germany. The crisis cul ...
To resolve this, at the start of 1962, ConAC determined to reorganize its reserve wings by establishing groups with support elements for each of its troop carrier squadrons. This reorganization would facilitate mobilization of elements of wings in various combinations when needed. However, as this plan was entering its implementation phase, another partial mobilization occurred for the Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis () in Cuba, or the Caribbean Crisis (), was a 13-day confrontation between the governments of the United States and the Soviet Union, when American deployments of Nuclear weapons d ...
. The formation of troop carrier groups was delayed until January for wings that had not been mobilized.[Cantwell, pp. 189–191] The 909th Troop Carrier Group
9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding .
Evolution of the Hindu–Arabic digit
Circa 300 BC, as part of the Brahmi numerals, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bot ...
at Andrews, the 910th Troop Carrier Group at Youngstown, and the 911th Troop Carrier Group at Pittsburgh were all assigned to the wing on 17 January.[
]
Airlift Operations
On 1 July 1966, the 459th was redesignated the 459th Military Airlift Wing and converted to a strategic, long-range mission with the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II
The Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, nicknamed "Old Shaky", is a retired American heavy-lift cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California.
The C-124 was the primary heavy-lift transport for United States Air Forc ...
aircraft.
In June 1971, the 459th converted to the Lockheed C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 w ...
and was redesignated as the 459th Tactical Airlift Wing. In December 1974, with the consolidation of all Air Force strategic and tactical airlift resources under a single manager, the 459th's active duty gaining command switched from Tactical Air Command to Military Airlift Command.
In July 1986, the wing converted to the Lockheed C-141B Starlifter aircraft and became the first Air Force Reserve unit to be equipped with own C-141s. The conversion resulted in an increase of wing personnel at Andrews from 900 to a level of almost 1,600.
In 1989, a 459th C-141 was the first aircraft to fly troops and supplies into Howard Air Force Base
Howard Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in Panama. It discontinued military operations on 1 November 1999 as a result of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which specified that US military facilities in the former P ...
, Panama during Operation Just Cause; the following year the wing was named the Air Force Reserve Outstanding Unit of the Year by the Air Force Association. In August 1990 wing aircrews were some of the first reservists activated in Support of Operation Desert Shield and many additional members were called to active service at the start of Operation Desert Storm with many deployed through the summer of 1991.
Post Cold War era
In 1993, the 459th continued to support Operation Restore Hope and mobilized members in support of the operations in Somalia. The wing provided humanitarian airlift relief in Rwanda and in support of the Cuban refugees at Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In addition, 459th personnel supported Operation Uphold Democracy
Operation Uphold Democracy was a multinational military intervention designed to remove the military regime led and installed by Raoul Cédras after the 1991 Haitian coup d'état overthrew the elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The op ...
in Haiti as well as various other significant missions around the globe.
The 459th has been engaged in the Global War on Terrorism since September 2001. As a result of these operations, the Wing has participated in places around the globe to include: Iraq, Afghanistan, Qatar, Cuba, Bosnia, Kosovo, Turkey and Guam. Re-designated in 2003 as an air refueling wing, the 459th is equipped with KC-135Rs.
In 2017, the 459th worked with the Naval Air Systems Command
The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) provides materiel support for aeronaval aircraft and airborne weapon systems for the United States Navy. It is one of the Echelon II Navy systems commands (SYSCOM), and was established in 1966 as the succe ...
to certify operationally the Navy's Boeing P-8 Poseidon
The Boeing P-8 Poseidon is an American maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft developed and produced by Boeing Defense, Space & Security. It was developed for the United States Navy as a derivative of the civilian Boeing 737 Next Generati ...
Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft for aerial refueling. Also in 2017,
459th Air Refueling Wing commemorative challenge coin
was created to be "Presented by the Unit Commander" and consists of the 459th emblem. The front says" AIR FORCE RESERVE COMMAND, JOINT BASE ANDREWS On the back of the antique brass challenge coin is the rarely seen 459th AMDS "yellow lion" with yellow and red crosses on its blue background. The words included are: HEALTH - VALOR - PRIDE, INTEGRITY • EXCELLENCE • SERVICE
Lineage
* Established as the 459th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 30 December 1954
: Activated in the Reserve on 26 January 1955
: Redesignated 459th Military Airlift Wing on 1 July 1966
: Redesignated 459th Tactical Airlift Wing on 29 June 1971
: Redesignated 459th Military Airlift Wing on 1 July 1986
: Redesignated 459th Airlift Wing on 1 February 1992
: Redesignated 459th Air Refueling Wing on 1 October 2003[
]
Assignments
* First Air Force
The First Air Force (Air Forces Northern & Air Forces Space; 1 AF-AFNORTH & AFSPACE) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Its primary mission i ...
, 26 January 1955
* Fourteenth Air Force
The Fourteenth Air Force (14 AF; Air Forces Strategic) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). It was headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
The command was responsible for the organizatio ...
, 25 March 1958
* Second Air Force Reserve Region, 15 August 1960
* First Air Force Reserve Region, 24 June 1966
* Eastern Air Force Reserve Region, 31 December 1969
* Fourteenth Air Force, 8 October 1976
* Twenty-Second Air Force, 1 July 1993
* Fourth Air Force
The Fourth Air Force (4 AF) is a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California.
4 AF directs the activities and supervises the training of more than 30,000 Air Force Reserv ...
, 1 April 2003 – present[
]
Components
;; Groups
* 459th Troop Carrier Group (later, 459th Operations Group): 26 January 1955 – 14 April 1959; 1 August 1992 – present
* 904th Troop Carrier Group (later 904th Military Airlift Group): 1 July 1966 – 26 January 1968; 2 June – 31 December 1969
* 905th Military Airlift Group (later 905th Tactical Airlift Group): 25 February 1972 – 1 April 1974.
* 907th Tactical Airlift Group (later 907th Airlift Group): 1 October 1989 – 1 October 1994
* 909th Troop Carrier Group (later 909th Military Airlift Group): 17 January 1963 – 1 September 1975
* 910th Troop Carrier Group (later 910th Tactical Fighter Group, 910th Tactical Airlift Group): 17 January 1963 – 1 July 1966; 1 April 1981 – 1 October 1989.
* 911th Troop Carrier Group (later 911th Military Airlift Group): 17 January 1963 – 21 April 1971 (detached 1 – 21 April 1971)
* 913th Tactical Airlift Group (later 913th Airlift Group): 8 January 1976 – 1 August 1992.
* 915th Military Airlift Group: 26 January 1968 – 1 September 1969.
* 918th Military Airlift Group: attached 1–20 April 1971, assigned 21 April 1971 – 1 July 1972
* 919th Military Airlift Group (later 919th Tactical Airlift Group): 30 July 1971 – 1 December 1974
* 920th Tactical Airlift Group: 25 April 1973 – 1 January 1976
* 927th Tactical Airlift Group: 15 March 1976 – 1 July 1981[
;; Squadrons
* 756th Troop Carrier Squadron (later 756th Military Airlift Squadron, 756th Airlift Squadron): 14 April 1959 – 17 January 1963, 1 September 1975 – 1 August 1992
* 757th Troop Carrier Squadron: 8 April 1955 – 17 January 1963
* 758th Troop Carrier Squadron: 14 April 1959 – 17 January 1963][
]
Stations
* Andrews Air Force Base (later Joint Base Andrews), Maryland, 26 January 1955 – present[
]
Aircraft
* Curtiss C-46 Commando, 1955–1957
* Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (Navy and Marine Corps designation R4Q) is an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, Litter (rescue basket), litte ...
, 1957–1967
* Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, 1966–1972
* Lockheed RC-130 Hercules, 1971–1973
* Lockheed C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 w ...
, 1971–1986
* de Havilland Canada C-7 Caribou, 1972
* Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, 1986–2003
* Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling tanker aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave ...
, 2003 – present[
]
References
; Notes
; Citations
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
Attribution
External links
459th Air Refueling Wing
{{USAF air refueling units
Military units and formations in Maryland
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