72d Air Base Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 72d Air Base Wing


caption= Official emblem
dates= 21 August 1941–1 November 1943
13 May 1947–27 June 1949
16 June 1952–30 June 1971
1 October 1994–
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= Air Force
type=
role=
size=
command_structure= MAJCOM
NAF
OPCOM
DIVISION
current_commander=Colonel Mark A. Correll
garrison= Tinker Air Force Base
garrison_label=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
colors_label=
march=
mascot=
equipment= see "Aerospace vehicles" section below
equipment_label=
battles=
anniversaries=
notable_commanders= Lucius D. Clay, Jr.
decorations= see "Lineage and honors" section below
battle_honours=

History

Activated during the summer-fall 1941 maneuvers in Louisiana. Manned from its component Observation Squadrons: 1st, 108th, and 124th. In the Panama Canal Zone, the group flew antisubmarine patrol missions, carried mail, searched for missing aircraft, provided reconnaissance support to ground forces, and occasionally did photographic mapping work until late 1943. Activated again as part of the reserve forces of Fourth Air Force, the organization participated in routine reserve training. Activated on paper in 1952, but not operational until it absorbed residual resources of 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing in Oct 1952. Conducted global strategic reconnaissance 1953-1955, gradually shifting to a bombardment training mission beginning in 1954. Activated as a bombardment wing on 1 October 1955 at Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico, and assigned to Second Air Force. Equipment was RB-36s, RBG-36s, and KC-97s. Added air refueling to its global mission in 1958.

*Changed equipment in: 1959 to B-52s, KC-135s.
*Reassigned to: Eighth Air Force on 1 January 1959.
*Reassigned to: Eighth Air Force, 823rd Air Division on 1 October 1962.
*Reassigned to: Second Air Force, 823rd Air Division on 31 March 1970.The 72nd Bombardment Wing was inactivated on 30 June 1971. Provided services and support for the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center and its tenant organizations, 1 October 1994-.

Mission

Operations

Lineage and honors

Established as 72d Observation Group on 21 August 1941.Activated on 26 September 1941.Redesignated 72d Reconnaissance Group (Special) on 25 June 1943.Disestablished on 1 November 1943.

Reestablished as 72d Reconnaissance Group on 13 May 1947.Activated in the Reserve on 12 June 1947.Inactivated on 27 June 1949.

Consolidated (31 January 1984) with the 72d Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Heavy, which was established on 4 June 1952.Activated on 16 June 1952.Redesignated 72d Bombardment Wing, Heavy, on 1 October 1955.Inactivated on 30 June 1971.

Redesignated 72d Air Base Wing on 16 September 1994.Activated on 1 October 1994.

Service streamers

This unit earned the following organizational service streamers:

none.

Campaign streamers

This unit earned the following organizational campaign streamers:

* World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater.

Armed forces expeditionary streamers

This unit earned the following organizational expeditionary streamers:

none.

Decorations

This unit earned the following organizational decorations:

* Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (4): 1 October 1957-1 June 1958; 1 July 1968-30 June 1969; 1 January 1995-31 December 1996; 1 January 1997-31 December 1998.

Awards

Emblem

: "Quarterly; first Azure a seme' of seven mullets Argent, second and third Or eleven lines radiant from honor point throughout Azure, fourth Azure two mullets in bend sinister Argent, overall a globe gridlines, surmounted by a stylized compass star Celeste outlined and detailed Blue; all within a diminished bordure Or."

Approved on 29 June 1954; modified on 13 October 1995.

Assignments

2d Air Service Command, 26 September 1941; Service Command, Caribbean Air Force (later, 6th Air Force Base Command, VI Air Force Base Command, VI Air Force Service Command), January 1942; VI Air Force Ground Support Command, 15 October 1942; VI Air Force Service Command, 21 August 1943–1 November 1943.

325th Reconnaissance Wing (later, 325th Air Division, Reconnaissance), 12 July 1947–27 June 1949.

Second Air Force, 16 June 1952; Eighth Air Force, 1 January 1959; 823d Air Division, 1 October 1962–30 June 1971.

Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, 1 October 1994–.

Components

Historic

Squadrons:
* 1st Observation (later, 1st Reconnaissance): 26 September 1941–1 November 1943 (detached 10 April–c.20 June 1942).
* 4th Observation: 29 March 1942–1 June 1943 (detached 29 March 1942–1 June 1943).
* 39th Observation: 7 March 1942–1 June 1943 (detached 6 August 1942–1 June 1943).
* 60th Reconnaissance (later, 60th Strategic Reconnaissance, 60th Bombardment): 12 July 1947–27 June 1949; 16 June 1952–30 June 1971.
* 73d Fighter (later, 73d Strategic Reconnaissance, 73d Bombardment): 1 August 1947–27 June 1949; 16 June 1952–5 January 1959.
* 108th Observation (later, 108th Reconnaissance): 26 September 1941–1 November 1943.
* 124th Observation: 26 September 1941–12 March 1942.
* 301st Strategic Reconnaissance (later, 301st Bombardment): 16 June 1952–17 June 1959.
* 915th Air Refueling: 1 September 1958–30 June 1971.

Current

* 72nd Medical Group
* 72nd Support Group
* 72nd Operations Support Squadron

Stations

* Shreveport Municipal Airport, Louisiana, 26 September 1941
* Adams Field (later, Little Rock National Airport), Arkansas, 2 October 1941
* Marshall Field, Kansas, 11 December 1941–27 December 1941
* Howard Field (later, Howard Air Force Base), Canal Zone (Panama), 18 January 1942–1 November 1943
* Hamilton Field (later, Hamilton Air Force Base), California, 12 July 1947–27 June 1949
* Ramey Air Force Base, Puerto Rico, 16 June 1952–30 June 1971
* Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 1 October 1994–

Aerospace vehicles

O-47, 1941–1943;
O-49 Vigilant, 1941–1943;
L-4 Grasshopper, 1942–1943;
B-18 Bolo, 1942–1943;
P-39 Airacobra, 1943.

Unknown, 1947–1949.

RB-36 Peacemaker, 1952–1958;
KC-135 Stratotanker, 1958–1971;
B-52 Stratofortress, 1959–1971.

Commanders

Lieutenant Colonel Jasper K. McDuffie, 16 October 1941;Colonel Perry B. Griffith, 1 February 1942;Colonel Vernon C. Smith, 19 May–1 November 1943.

Unknown, 12 July 1947–27 June 1949.

Brigadier General Alfred F. Kalberer, 16 June 1952 (additional duty), 1 October 1952 (permanent);Colonel Virgil M. Cloyd, 29 April 1953;Colonel William E. Ruark, Jr., 22 May 1953;Brigadier General Alfred F. Kalberer, 24 May 1953;Colonel Virgil M. Cloyd, 10 June 1953;Colonel Frederick T. Prasse, 30 June 1953;Colonel Virgil M. Cloyd, 7 July 1953;Brigadier General Alfred F. Kalberer, 11 July 1953;Brigadier General Bertram C. Harrison, 2 July 1955;Brigadier General Henry R. Sullivan, Jr., 14 September 1957;Major General William K. Martin, 28 June 1958;Brigadier General Joseph J. Preston, 13 July 1959;Colonel Samuel G. Porterfield, 20 August 1959;Major General Joseph J. Preston, 12 October 1959;Brigadier General William E. Creer, 28 September 1960;Brigadier General Howard A. Davis, 6 August 1962;Colonel William H. Reddell, 27 July 1963;Brigadier General Roland A. Campbell, 1 May 1964;Colonel Madison M. McBrayer, 21 July 1965;Brigadier General Timothy J. Dacey, Jr., 1 August 1965;Colonel James M. Keck,14 July 1966;Colonel George H. McKee, 6 July 1967;Colonel Clifford W. Hargrove, 1 July 1968;Colonel Frank L. Voigtmann, 6 May 1969;Colonel Kenneth E. Wehrman, 20 March 1970–30 June 1971.

Colonel Randy W. Mills, 1 October 1994;Colonel Robert L. Smolen, 26 July 1996;Colonel Gary W. Davis, 27 January 1998;Colonel Robert L. Gambrell Jr., 30 July 1999;Colonel Dennis M. Kaan, 9 July 2001;Colonel Roy A. Cleland, 25 June 2003;Colonel Joan M Cunningham, 14 September 2004–.

References

External links

* [http://www.maxwell.af.mil/au/afhra/rso/wings_groups_pages/0072abw.asp Air Force Historical Research Agency: 72d Air Base Wing]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/index.html GlobalSecurity.org]