The 908th Flying Training Wing is the
Boeing MH-139A Grey Wolf
The Boeing MH-139 Grey Wolf is a twin-engine helicopter operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) for security and support missions. Developed by Boeing, the Grey Wolf is a variant of the Leonardo AW139, an Italian-built multi-role helicopt ...
Formal Training Unit assigned to 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 ...
. It was formerly a
Lockheed C-130H Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designe ...
theater airlift unit. The wing is stationed at
Maxwell Air Force Base
Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. ...
, Alabama.
908th Flying Training Wing's mission is to recruit, organize and train Air Force reservists for active duty in time of war, national emergency or when otherwise required. When mobilized, the mission of the 908th Airlift Wing is to provide theater airlift forces to the supported theater commander.
Units
The 908th Airlift Wing consists of the following major units:
* 908th Operations Group
::
703d Helicopter Squadron
The 703d Helicopter Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 908th Flying Training Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, where it was activated in July 2024 to conduct training on the MH-139 Grey Wolf helicopter.
The first ...
:: 908th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron
:: 908th Operations Support Squadron
* 908th Maintenance Group
:: 908th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
:: 908th Maintenance Squadron
:: 908th Maintenance Operations Flight
* 908th Mission Support Group
:: 25th Aerial Port Squadron
:: 908th Civil Engineering Squadron
:: 908th Logistics Readiness Squadron
:: 908th Force Support Squadron
:: 908th Security Forces Squadron
* 908th Aeromedical Staging Squadron
Mission
The 908th Flying Training Wing is the
Boeing MH-139A Grey Wolf
The Boeing MH-139 Grey Wolf is a twin-engine helicopter operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) for security and support missions. Developed by Boeing, the Grey Wolf is a variant of the Leonardo AW139, an Italian-built multi-role helicopt ...
Formal Training Unit
History
Need for reserve troop carrier groups
During the first half of 1955, the Air Force began detaching Air Force Reserve squadrons from their parent wing locations to separate sites. The concept offered several advantages. Communities were more likely to accept the smaller
squadrons
Squadron(s) may refer to:
Military
* Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies
* Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 ...
than the large
wings
A wing is a type of fin that produces both lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-drag ratio, which compares the bene ...
and the location of separate squadrons in smaller population centers would facilitate recruiting and manning.
Continental Air Command
Continental Air Command (ConAC) (1948–1968) was a Major Command of the United States Air Force (USAF) responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.
During the Korean War, ConAC provided the necessary aug ...
(ConAC)'s plan called for placing Air Force Reserve units at fifty-nine installations located throughout the United States. When these relocations were completed in 1959, reserve wing
headquarters
Headquarters (often referred to as HQ) notes the location where most or all of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. The term is used in a wide variety of situations, including private sector corporations, non-profits, mil ...
and wing support elements would typically be on one base, along with one (or in some cases two) of the wing's flying squadrons, while the remaining flying squadrons were spread over thirty-five Air Force, Navy and civilian airfields under what was called the Detached Squadron Concept.
Although this dispersal 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
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 ...
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 ...
, with the units being released on 22 November 1962. The formation of troop carrier groups occurred in January 1963 for units that had not been mobilized, but was delayed until February for those that had been.
Activation of 908th Troop Carrier Group
As a result, the 908th Troop Carrier Group was established at
Bates Field, Alabama on 11 February 1963, as the headquarters for the
357th Troop Carrier Squadron 357th may refer to:
* 357th Air & Missile Defense Detachment, brigade level Air Defense unit of the United States Army
* 357th Airlift Squadron (357 AS), part of the 908th Airlift Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
* 357th Fighter Group, air c ...
, which had been stationed there since May 1961. Along with group headquarters, a Combat Support Squadron, Materiel Squadron and a Tactical Infirmary were organized to support the 357th.
The group's mission was to organize, recruit and train Air Force Reserve personnel in the tactical airlift of airborne forces, their equipment and supplies and delivery of these forces and materials by airdrop, landing or cargo extraction systems. The group was equipped with
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 ...
s for
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 ...
airlift operations.
In October 1964, the unit moved to
Brookley Air Force Base
: ''For the civil use of Brookley AFB after 1969, see: Mobile Downtown Airport''
Brookley Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in Mobile, Alabama. After it closed in 1969, it became what is now known as the Mobile Aero ...
also in Mobile. There, the 908th built a substantial record of humanitarian airlifts, as well as taking care of regular cargo and mail missions to free
Military Airlift Command
The Military Airlift Command (MAC) is an inactive United States Air Force major command (MAJCOM) that was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Established on 1 January 1966, MAC was the primary strategic airlift organization of ...
aircraft committed to Southeast Asia.
On 16 July 1966, a 908th C-119 crashed near
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...
, after losing an engine in a fire. The four crewmen and all 30 Florida
National Guard
National guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards.
...
members on board bailed out safely, thanks to the pilot, Maj Robert C. Coyle of
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi ( ; ) is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It lies on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast in southern Mississippi, bordering the city of Gulfport, Mississippi, Gulfport to its west. The adjacent cities ar ...
. Before ditching the aircraft, Major Coyle saw to it that every passenger and his three crewmen had jumped. For his heroism, he was awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross and the Florida Cross.
In February 1969, another move was announced. The 908th would move to
Maxwell Air Force Base
Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. ...
,
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama. Named for Continental Army major general Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River on the Gulf Coastal Plain. The population was 2 ...
, the following spring and fly the small, twin-engine
Cessna U-3 Blue Canoe, a forward control aircraft.
The 800-member unit dropped down to a mere 275 people. However, another change was planned: to switch from the U-3H to the
Cessna O-2 Skymaster
The Cessna O-2 Skymaster (nicknamed "Oscar Deuce") is a military version of the Cessna 337 Super Skymaster, used for forward air control (FAC) and psychological operations (PSYOPS) by the US military between 1967 and 2010.
Design and develop ...
, another twin-engine forward air control aircraft.
A year after the March 1970 conversion to O-2As, word arrived that the unit would convert to
Cessna A-37 Dragonfly
The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly, or Super Tweet, is a jet-powered, light attack aircraft designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer Cessna.
It was developed during the Vietnam War in response to military interest in new counter-i ...
jets. Amid plans for receiving the jets, there was yet another change: the 908th would return to the airlift business flying the
de Havilland Canada C-7 Caribou
The de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou (designated by the United States military as the CV-2 and later C-7 Caribou) is a Canadian specialized cargo aircraft with short takeoff and landing (STOL) capability. The Caribou was first flown in 1958 an ...
, a twin-engine utility transport. In December 1971, the 908th was redesignated the 908th Tactical Airlift Group, and the first "Bou" came on board in March 1972.
The 908 TAG was declared combat ready in February 1973, the first C-7 unit in the Air Force Reserve to achieve that status. In its nearly 10 years in the C-7, the 908th won three
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 ...
s and dozens of other unit and individual honors.
In October 1983, the 908th converted to
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 ...
aircraft in its C-130E version. Less than three years later, in June 1986, the unit began receiving new C-130Hs. The transition to the new aircraft culminated in May 1987 at the International
Airlift Rodeo competition at
Pope Air Force Base
Pope Field is a U.S. military facility located northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, in Spring Lake, Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.. Federal Aviation Administration. effective 15 November 2012. Forme ...
, N.C., where the 908th placed as first overall C-130 unit in the world, and fourth place overall among all aircraft competing. This winning tradition continued in 2000 with the 908th winning best C-130/C-160 airdrop aircrew.
The 908th operated eight
Lockheed C-130H Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designe ...
cargo aircraft. It had approximately 1,200 officers and airmen who serve the unit as reservists, normally spending one weekend a month and two weeks of annual tour per year with the unit. The day-to-day operations of the 908th were handled by a group of 175 civil servants known as Air Reserve Technicians, who also served as reservists, and a small number of civilian employees who do not have reserve status. 908th reservists trained and performed
airlift
An airlift is the organized delivery of Materiel, supplies or personnel primarily via military transport aircraft.
Airlifting consists of two distinct types: strategic and tactical. Typically, strategic airlifting involves moving material lo ...
missions in support of U.S. humanitarian and peacekeeping efforts worldwide.
[
In January 1991, medical support personnel from the 908th Medical Squadron and the ]35th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron
The 35th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron was an aeromedical evacuation unit assigned to 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 a ...
were activated and deployed in support of Desert Storm. Sixty-two members (doctors, nurses, dentist and lab technicians) of the 908th Medical Squadron were deployed. About 20 members went to Saudi Arabia; the remainder went to Andrews AFB, MD. Members of the 35th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (flight nurses and medical technicians) were deployed to the United Kingdom to provide in-flight medical care aboard C-130s and C-141s, to casualties evacuated from the battle zone to hospitals in Europe and CONUS.
In 1992 the 908th Tactical Airlift Group was redesignated the 908th Airlift Group (AG), reporting directly to Tenth Air Force
The Tenth Air Force (10 AF) is a unit of the U.S. Air Force, specifically a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). 10 AF is headquartered at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base/Carswell Field (formerly Carswel ...
. In 1994, under an Air Force Reserve restructuring, the 908 AG was upgraded to wing status.
Throughout the 1990s the 908 AW supported numerous contingencies, including repeated deployments of volunteers to Europe in support of airlift operations into the former Yugoslavia.
From November 1998 to January 1999, the 908 AW assisted in relief and recovery efforts following Hurricane Mitch
Hurricane Mitch was an extremely deadly and catastrophic Atlantic hurricane, which became the second-deadliest tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin on record. Mitch caused 11,374 fatalities in Central America in 1998, including approximately ...
in Central America
Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...
.[
Within two days of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and the ]Pentagon
In geometry, a pentagon () is any five-sided polygon or 5-gon. The sum of the internal angles in a simple polygon, simple pentagon is 540°.
A pentagon may be simple or list of self-intersecting polygons, self-intersecting. A self-intersecting ...
, 26 908th Security Forces Squadron members were called to active duty primarily augmenting the security forces at Maxwell and Gunter in their heightened security efforts. On 8 November, fifty-two 908th SFS personnel joined the legions of reservists and Guard members called to active duty in support of the homeland defense effort, Operation Noble Eagle.
In 2002, volunteers from the wing's 908th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. They were the first group of airmen to deploy to the war from the wing and received numerous awards including the Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issu ...
and the Outstanding Unit Award with Valor.
In December 2003, nearly 250 unit personnel from the wing's C-130 operations and maintenance units were called to active duty to support Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response ...
, with more than 180 aircrew members and maintenance and support personnel initially deploying to Central Asia. During the mobilization, the units also supported Operation Iraqi Freedom
The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...
, deploying to the Persian Gulf region. The units demobilized in November 2005.
Mission change
The 908th Wing is the preferred location to host the Air Force's Boeing MH-139A Grey Wolf formal training unit, according to an announcement made by the Secretary of the Air Force
The secretary of the Air Force, sometimes referred to as the secretary of the Department of the Air Force, (SecAF, or SAF/OS) is the head of the Department of the Air Force and the service secretary for the United States Air Force and United Sta ...
on 20 November 2020. The final decision is expected in 2021 following an environmental impact statement
An environmental impact statement (EIS), under United States environmental law, is a document required by the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for certain actions "significantly affecting the quality of the human environment". An E ...
. The wing mission will be to train pilots in providing security and support for Air Force intercontinental ballistic missile fields. The MH-139 mission will replace the mission of the wing's aging C-130Hs, with the first MH-139s arriving in 2023.
The first MH-139A Grey Wolf arrived on April 3, 2024.
Lineage
* Established as the 908th Troop Carrier Group, Medium and activated on 15 January 1963 (not organized)
: Organized in the Reserve on 11 February 1963
: Redesignated 908th Tactical Airlift Group on 1 July 1967
: Redesignated 908th Tactical Air Support Group on 25 April 1969
: Redesignated 908th Tactical Airlift Group on 15 December 1971
: Redesignated 908th Airlift Group on 1 February 1992
: Redesignated 908th Airlift Wing on 1 October 1994[
: Redesignated 908th Flying Training Wing 20 July 2024][
]
Assignments
* Continental Air Command, 15 January 1963 (not organized)
* 302d Troop Carrier Wing
3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious and cultural significance in many societies ...
, 11 February 1963
* 435th Troop Carrier Wing, 18 March 1963
* 446th Troop Carrier Wing (later 446th Tactical Airlift Wing), 1 December 1965
* 433d Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 March 1968
* Third Air Force Reserve Region, 25 April 1969
* Eastern Air Force Reserve Region, 31 December 1969
* 434th Special Operations Wing, 1 July 1971
* 302d Tactical Airlift Wing, 25 October 1971
* 94th Tactical Airlift Wing (later 94th Airlift Wing), 1 July 1972
* 403d Airlift Wing (later 403d Wing), 1 August 1992
* Tenth Air Force
The Tenth Air Force (10 AF) is a unit of the U.S. Air Force, specifically a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). 10 AF is headquartered at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base/Carswell Field (formerly Carswel ...
, 1 October 1994
* Twenty-Second Air Force, 1 April 1997 – present[
]
Components
* 908th Operations Group: 1 August 1992 – present
* 357th Troop Carrier Squadron (later 357th Tactical Airlift Squadron, 357th Tactical Air Support Squadron, 357th Tactical Airlift Squadron, 357th Airlift Squadron): 11 February 1963 - 1 August 1992[
]
Stations
* Bates Field, Alabama, 11 February 1963
* Brookley Air Force Base, Alabama, 1 October 1964
* Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, 25 April 1969 – present[
]
Aircraft
* 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 ...
, 1963–1969
* Cessna U-3 Blue Canoe, 1969–1971
* Cessna O-2 Skymaster, 1970–1971
* de Havilland Canada C-7 Caribou
The de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou (designated by the United States military as the CV-2 and later C-7 Caribou) is a Canadian specialized cargo aircraft with short takeoff and landing (STOL) capability. The Caribou was first flown in 1958 an ...
, 1971–1983
* Lockheed C-130 Hercules, 1983–2022[
* Boeing MH-139A Grey Wolf, 2024–Present][
]
References
Notes
: Explanatory notes
; Citations
Bibliography
*
*
*
External links
908th Airlift Wing's official website
{{USAF Air Force Reserve Command
Military units and formations in Alabama
0908
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 ...
Military units and formations of the United States Air Force Reserves
1963 establishments in Alabama