499th Air Refueling Wing
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The 499th Air Refueling Wing is an inactive
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 ...
(USAF) unit that was last active at
Westover AFB Westover Air Reserve Base is an Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) installation located in the Massachusetts communities of Chicopee and Ludlow, near the city of Springfield, Massachusetts. Established at the outset of World War II, today Westo ...
, Massachusetts in June 1966. The wing was first activated as the 499th Bombardment Group of the
United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
, which flew combat in the Pacific Theater of Operations as part of
Twentieth Air Force The Twentieth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) (20th AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. 20 AF's primary mission is Intercon ...
during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The 499th BG engaged in very heavy
Boeing B-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a retired American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the Bo ...
bombardment operations against Japan for which it earned two
Distinguished Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed e ...
s. Its aircraft were identified by a "V" and a square painted on the tail. The 499th Air Refueling Wing was an
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 ...
and airborne command and control unit active from 1963 to 1966. In 1984 USAF consolidated the group and wing into a single unit sharing a common history.


History


World War II

The 499th Bombardment Group was established in late 1943 at Davis–Monthan Field, Arizona as a
Boeing B-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a retired American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the Bo ...
very heavy bombardment group. The unit's original operational squadrons were the 877th,Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 794–795 878th,Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 795 879th,Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 795–796 and 880th Bombardment Squadrons.Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 796Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 365–366 It was also assigned four bombardment maintenance squadrons''See'' Mueller, pp. 101–102 (one paired with each of its operational squadrons) and a photographic laboratory, The
group A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together. Groups of people * Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity * Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic iden ...
moved to
Smoky Hill Army Air Field Salina Regional Airport , formerly Salina Municipal Airport, is located in Salina, Kansas, United States. The airport is owned by the Salina Airport Authority. It is used for general aviation, and has service by one passenger airline, SkyWest ...
, Kansas in December 1943 to begin training. Due to a shortage of B-29 Superfortresses, the group was equipped with
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is an American four-engined heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). A fast and high-flying bomber, the B-17 dropped more bombs than any other aircraft during ...
es already at Smoky Hill that had been previously used for training heavy bomber replacements. In the spring of 1944, the 499th finally received newly manufactured B-29s. In May the
United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
reorganized its very heavy bombardment units. The 880th Bombardment Squadron and the bombardment maintenance squadrons were inactivated and their personnel absorbed into the remaining three squadrons. The 499th deployed in September 1944, and became part of the
XXI Bomber Command The XXI Bomber Command was a unit of the Twentieth Air Force in the Mariana Islands for strategic bombing during World War II. The command was established at Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas on 1 March 1944. After a period of organization and ...
in the Northern Mariana Islands at
Isely Field Saipan International Airport , also known as Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport, is a public airport located on Saipan Island in the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The airport is owned by Commonwealth Po ...
,
Saipan Saipan () is the largest island and capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, an unincorporated Territories of the United States, territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. According to 2020 estimates by the United States Cens ...
, in the
Central Pacific Area Pacific Ocean Areas (POA) was a major Allied military command in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II. It was one of four major Allied commands during the Pacific War and one of three United States commands in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. ...
. Upon arrival the group's personnel were engaged in Quonset hut construction. By mid-October most personnel were able to move into the huts from the initial tents which they were assigned on arrival. The group began operations with attacks in the Truk Islands and on
Iwo Jima is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands, which lie south of the Bonin Islands and together with them make up the Ogasawara Subprefecture, Ogasawara Archipelago. Together with the Izu Islands, they make up Japan's Nanpō Islands. Although sout ...
. It took part in the first attack on Japan by AAF planes based in the Marianas. The group flew numerous missions in daylight, operating from high altitude to bomb strategic targets in Japan. The 499th received a
Distinguished Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed e ...
(DUC) for striking the Mitsubishi aircraft engine plant at
Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...
on 23 January 1945. In March 1945 the group began to conduct night attacks, flying at low altitude to drop incendiaries on area targets in Japan. It completed a series of attacks against enemy airfields on
Kyūshū is the third-largest island of Japan's four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa and the other Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regio ...
to aid the Invasion of Okinawa in April 1945 and received another DUC for this action. The group released propaganda leaflets over the Japanese home islands, in July and August, continuing strategic bombing raids and incendiary attacks until the
Japanese surrender The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally signed on 2 September 1945, ending the war. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) was incapable of condu ...
in August 1945. After
V-J Day Victory over Japan Day (also known as V-J Day, Victory in the Pacific Day, or V-P Day) is the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II, in effect bringing the war to an end. The term has been applied to both of the days on wh ...
, the 499th dropped supplies to Allied prisoners. In November 1945 the unit returned to the United States; where it was assigned to
Continental Air Forces Continental Air Forces (CAF) was a United States Army Air Forces major command, active 1944–1946. It was tasked with combat training of bomber and fighter personnel, and for Continental United States (CONUS) air defense after the Aircraft Wa ...
's
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 ...
at
March Field March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March. The March equinox on the 20 or 21 m ...
, California. However demobilization was in full swing and the group was inactivated on 17 January 1946.


Cold War

The origins of the 499th Air Refueling Wing date to 1 April 1955, when
Strategic Air Command Strategic Air Command (SAC) was a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile compon ...
(SAC) organized the 4050th Air Refueling Wing at
Westover Air Force Base Westover may refer to: People *Al Westover (born 1954), American professional basketball player in Australia *Arthur Westover (1864–1935), Canadian sport shooter and 1908 Olympian *Charles Westover (1934–1990), better known as Del Shannon, Amer ...
, Massachusetts and assigned it to
Eighth Air Force The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Forces S ...
and later the 57th Air Division. The 4050th became the host organization when Westover transferred to SAC from
Military Air Transport Service The Military Air Transport Service (MATS) is an inactive United States Department of Defense, Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy's Naval Air Transport Service (NA ...
.Mueller, pp. 577–582 In addition to the
384th Air Refueling Squadron The 384th Air Refueling Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, where it is assigned to the 92d Operations Group and operates the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting air ...
, flying
Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter The Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter is a four-engined, piston-powered United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It replaced the KB-29 and was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker. Design and developme ...
s, 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 ...
was assigned three maintenance squadrons and an air base group. Three weeks later the wing added a second KC-97 squadron, the
26th Air Refueling Squadron The 26th Air Refueling Squadron (26 AREFS) was a squadron of the United States Air Force that flew the KC-97E/F/G Stratofreighter, An early Cold War air refueling squadron, it primarily supported B-47 Stratojets of the Strategic Air Command E ...
, which moved to Westover from Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio. A little over a year later, the wing became a tenant of the 99th Bombardment Wing and the personnel, equipment, and mission of its 4050th Air Base Group were transferred on 4 September 1956 to 57th Air Division's 814th Air Base Group (Later redesignated as the 814th Combat Support Group), and then finally transferred to the newly activated 99th Combat Support Group on 2 January 1968. On 1 July 1957, the wing was assigned the newly activated
99th Air Refueling Squadron The 99th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 6th Air Mobility Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, but is stationed at Birmingham Air National Guard Base, Alabama. It is an Active Associate Unit, an active duty component attached to the A ...
, located at
Turner Air Force Base Turner may refer to: People and fictional characters * Turner (surname), a common surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Turner (given name), a list of people with the given name *One who uses a lathe for tur ...
, Georgia. In August, the 99th moved to Westover and replaced the 26th Air Refueling Squadron, which moved to
Plattsburgh Air Force Base Plattsburgh Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force (USAF) Strategic Air Command (SAC) base covering 3,447 acres (13.7 km) in the extreme northeast corner of New York, located on the western shore of Lake Champlain opposite Burl ...
, New York and was reassigned from the wing. Unlike the wing's other squadrons, the 99th was a
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 ...
Squadron whose mission was to support the
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic aircraft, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the ...
es of the co-located 99th Bombardment Wing. In 1960, the wing added the mission of commanding SAC
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 ...
squadrons that were forward positioned in the middle Atlantic states at bases hosted by other Major Commands. In January the 305th Air Refueling Squadron was reassigned to the wing when it moved from
MacDill Air Force Base MacDill Air Force Base (MacDill AFB) is an active United States Air Force installation located 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida. The "host wing" for MacDill AFB is the 6th Air Refueling Wing (6 ARW), assig ...
, Florida to
McGuire Air Force Base McGuire AFB/McGuire, the common name of the McGuire unit of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, is a United States Air Force base in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, approximately south-southeast of Trenton. McGuire is unde ...
, New Jersey. and in June the 11th Air Refueling Squadron at
Dover Air Force Base Dover Air Force Base or Dover AFB is a United States Air Force (USAF) base under the operational control of Air Mobility Command (AMC), located southeast of the city of Dover, Delaware. The 436th Airlift Wing is the host wing, and runs the bu ...
, Delaware was reassigned to the wing. In April the 19th Air Refueling Squadron at
Otis Air Force Base Otis may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Otis'' (film), a direct-to-DVD 2008 American comedy horror film * "Otis" (''The Jeffersons''), a television episode * "Otis" (''Prison Break''), a television episode Music * ...
, Massachusetts was assigned to the wing after the 4060th Air Refueling Wing at
Dow Air Force Base Bangor Air National Guard Base is a United States Air National Guard base located on the grounds of Bangor International Airport in Bangor, Maine. Created in 1927 as the commercial Godfrey Field, the airfield was taken over by the U.S. Army ju ...
, Maine was discontinued. With five air refueling squadrons assigned, the 4050th (and later the 499th) became the largest operational wing in SAC. The following April, the wing added a squadron in the mid Atlantic, the 303d Air Refueling Squadron at
Kindley Air Force Base Kindley Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base in Bermuda from 1948–1970, having been operated from 1943 to 1948 by the United States Army Air Forces as ''Kindley Field''. History World War II Prior to American entry into th ...
,
Bermuda Bermuda is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. The closest land outside the territory is in the American state of North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. Bermuda is an ...
. The 19th was transferred to the 4038th Strategic Wing the same day in preparation for conversion to KC-135s to support the 4038th's B-52s. However, SAC Major Command Controlled (MAJCON) units could not carry a permanent history or lineage.Ravenstein, ''Guide to Air Force Lineage and Honors'', p. 12 and SAC looked for a way to make its these wings permanent. In 1962, in order to perpetuate the lineage of many currently inactive bombardment units with illustrious
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
records, SAC received authority from USAF to discontinue its MAJCON wings that were equipped with combat aircraft and to activate Air Force Controlled (AFCON) units, most of which were inactive at the time which could carry a lineage and history. As a result, the 4050th was replaced by the newly constituted 499th Air Refueling WingRavenstein, ''Combat Wings'', p. 272 which assumed its mission, personnel, and equipment on 1 January 1963.Although the 499th Wing was a new organization, it continued, through temporary bestowal, the history, and honors of the World War II 499th Bombardment Group. It was also entitled to retain the honors (but not the history or lineage) of the 4050th. The temporary bestowal of the 499th Group's honors ended in January 1984, when the 499th Wing and Group were consolidated into a single unit. The 4050th's air refueling squadrons were reassigned to the 499th. Component support units were replaced by units with numerical designation of the newly established wing. The 499th Air Refueling Wing continued to support SAC bombardment and
Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Lang ...
aircraft with air refueling. The wing also deployed parts of its tanker force overseas to support unit movements and special operations. In addition to its tankers the 499th also flew the Boeing EC-135
Looking Glass A mirror, also known as a looking glass, is an object that Reflection (physics), reflects an image. Light that bounces off a mirror forms an image of whatever is in front of it, which is then focused through the lens of the eye or a camera ...
missions in support of the
Post Attack Command and Control System Post, POST, or posting may refer to: Postal services * Mail, the postal system, especially in Commonwealth of Nations countries **An Post, the Irish national postal service **Canada Post, Canadian postal service **Deutsche Post, German postal s ...
airborne command post for Eighth Air Force. As SAC phased out its KC-97 aircraft, the wing began to shrink. The 303d Air Refueling Squadron inactivated in late spring 1963 and in July 1964 the three squadrons located at other bases were transferred to other SAC headquarters. In December 1965 the last KC-97 squadron assigned to the wing became non-operational, although it remained with the wing on paper. The 499th's KC-135 squadron was reassigned to the 99th Bombardment Wing the following month. The 499th Air Refueling Wing was inactivated on 25 June 1966.


Lineage

499th Bombardment Group * Constituted as 499th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 19 November 1943 : Activated on 20 November 1943 : Inactivated on 16 February 1946 * Consolidated on 31 January 1984 with 499th Air Refueling Wing as 499th Air Refueling Wing on 31 January 1984.Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 539q, 31 January 1984, Subject: Consolidation of Units (remained inactive) 499th Air Refueling Wing * Constituted as 499th Air Refueling Wing on 15 November 1962 and activated (not organized) : Organized on 1 January 1963 : Discontinued and inactivated on 25 June 1966Lineage assignments, operational components, stations and aircraft through 1966 in Ravenstein, ''Combat Wings'' * Consolidated on 31 January 1984 with 499th Bombardment Group (remained inactive) * Redesignated 499th Air Expeditionary Group and converted to provisional status on 12 June 2002Department of the Air Force/XPM Letter 303s, 12 June 2002, Subject: Air Mobility Command Expeditionary Units


Assignments

*
73d Bombardment Wing __NOTOC__ AD 73 ( LXXIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Domitian and Messalinus (or, less frequently, year 826 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination AD ...
, 20 November 1943 – 16 February 1946 (attached to
17th Bombardment Operational Training Wing 017 may refer to: * DOL-017, GameCube console * ''Global Underground 017'', DJ mix album * Road FC 017, 2014 Mixed Martial Arts event * Swift 017.n, racing car * Tyrrell 017, Formula One racing car See also

* 17 (disambiguation) {{disambigu ...
15 April 1944 – 22 July 1944) * Strategic Air Command, 15 November 1962 (not organized) * 57th Air Division, 1 January 1963 – 25 June 1966 *
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, ...
to activate or inactivate as needed


Components

Operational Squadrons * 11th Air Refueling Squadron, 1 January 1963 – 1 July 1964 :: Dover Air Force Base, Delaware * 19th Air Refueling Squadron, 15 June 1963 – 1 July 1964 :: Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts * 99th Air Refueling Squadron, 1 January 1963 – 1 January 1966 * 303d Air Refueling Squadron, 1 January 1963 – 15 June 1963 :: Kindley Air Force Base, Bermuda * 305th Air Refueling Squadron, 1 January 1963 – 1 July 1964 :: McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey * 384th Air Refueling Squadron, 1 January 1963 – 25 June 1966 (not operational after 21 December 1965) * 877th Bombardment Squadron, 20 November 1943 – 16 February 1946 * 878th Bombardment Squadron, 20 November 1943 – 16 February 1946 * 879th Bombardment Squadron, 20 November 1943 – 16 February 1946 * 880th Bombardment Squadron, 20 November 1943 – 10 May 1944 Maintenance Squadrons * 25th Bombardment Maintenance Squadron, 20 November 1943 – 10 May 1944 * 26th Bombardment Maintenance Squadron, 20 November 1943 – 10 May 1944 * 27th Bombardment Maintenance Squadron, 20 November 1943 – 10 May 1944 * 28th Bombardment Maintenance Squadron, 20 November 1943 – 10 May 1944 * 499th Armament and Electronics Maintenance Squadron, 1 January 1963 – 25 June 1966 * 499th Field Maintenance Squadron, 1 January 1963 – 25 June 1966 * 499th Organizational Maintenance Squadron, 1 January 1963 – 25 June 1966 Other * 17th Photographic Laboratory (Bombardment, Very Heavy), 20 November 1943 – 16 February 1946


Stations

* Davis–Monthan Field, Arizona, 20 November 1943 * Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas, 1 December 1943 – 22 July 1944 * Isely Field, Saipan, Mariana Islands, 18 September 1944 – 9 November 1945 *
March Field March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March. The March equinox on the 20 or 21 m ...
, California, c. 25 November 1945 – 16 February 1946 * Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, 1 January 1963 – 25 June 1966


Aircraft flown

* Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1943–1946 * Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter, 1963–1965 *
Boeing EC-135 The Boeing EC-135 is a retired family of command and control aircraft derived from the Boeing C-135 Stratolifter. During the Cold War, the EC-135 was best known for being modified to perform the Operation Looking Glass, Looking Glass mission whe ...
, 1965 * Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, 1963–1965


References


Notes

; Esplanatory notes ; Citations


Bibliography

* * * * * {{USAF air refueling units Military units and formations in Massachusetts 0499