499th Air Refueling Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 499th Air Refueling Wing


caption= 499th Air Refueling Wing emblem
dates= 19 Nov 1943 - 16 Feb 1946
15 Nov 1962-25 Jun 1966
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Army Air Forces
United States Air Force
type= Combat Operations
role= Strategic Bombardment
Air Refueling
size=
command_structure=
current_commander=
garrison= Westover Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
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* World War II: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
(1944-1945)
anniversaries=The United States Air Force's 499th Air Refueling Wing was an aerial refueling unit located at Westover AFB, Massachusetts. It was inactivated in 1966.

History

The unit's origins begin with its predecessor unit, the United States Army Air Force 499th Bombardment Group (499th BG) was part of Twentieth Air Force during World War II. The 499th BG engaged in very heavy (B-29 Superfortress) bombardment operations against Japan.

Lineage

Bases assigned

* Davis-Monthan Field, AZ 20 Nov 1943
* Smoky Hill AAFld, KS 1 Dec 1943-22 Jul 1944
* Isley Field, Saipan 18 Sep 1944-9 Nov 1945
* March Field, CA c. 25 Nov 1945-16 Feb 1946
*Westover AFB, Massachusetts (1 Jan 1963-25 Jun 1966)

Major Commands

*Strategic Air Command (15 Nov 1962-25 Jun 1966)

quadrons assigned

*11th Air Refueling Squadron (1 Jan 1963-1 Jul 1964)
*19th Air Refueling Squadron (15 Jun 1963-1 Jul 1964)
*99th Air Refueling Squadron (1 Jan 1963-1 Jan 1966)
*303d Air Refueling Squadron (1 Jan 1963-15 Jun 1963)
*305th Air Refueling Squadron (1 Jan 1963-1 Jul 1964)
*384th Air Refueling Squadron (1 Jan 1963-25 Jun 1966)

Aircraft flown

*EC-135 (1965)
*KC-135 (1963-1965)
*KC-97 (1963-1965)

Operational history

World War II

The 499th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) was consitituted at Davis Monthan Field Arizona on 19 Nov 1943 and activated on 20 Nov. At Davis-Monthan, the group was organized and was reassigned to Smokey Hill AAF Kansas on 1 December for training on the B-29.

The 499th was assigned to the 73d Bombardment Wing and it deployed to the Pacific Theater, arriving at Saipan on 18 September 1944. It was assigned to the XXI Bomber Command, Twentieth Air Force.

The group began operations with attacks in the Truk Islands and on Iwo Jima. Took part in the first attack (24 November 1944) on Japan by AAF planes based in the Marianas. Flew numerous missions in daylight, operating from high altitude to bomb strategic targets in Japan.

Received a Distinguished Unit Citation for striking the Mitsubishi aircraft engine plant at Nagoya on 23 Jan 1945. In March 1945 the group began to conduct night attacks, flying at low altitude to drop incendiaries on area targets in Japan. Completed a series of attacks against enemy airfields on Kyushu to aid the Allied assault on Okinawa in April 1945 and received another DUC for this action.

Also dropped propaganda leaflets on Japan, and after the war dropped food and supplies to Allied prisoners of war.

Strategic Air Command

The group returned to the United States in November, 1945, being assigned to March Field, California. It was assigned to the Fourth Air Force of Continental Air Forces. Demobilization, however, was in full swing and the group turned in its aircraft and was inactivated on 16 February 1946.

Cold War

The 499th Air Refueling Wing was established on 15 Nov 1962 at Westover AFB, Massachusetts. The wing replaced the 4050th Air Refueling Wing on 1 Jan 1963, and continued to support SAC bombardment and TAC fighter aircraft with air-to-air refueling. The 499th also flew the EC-135 'Looking Glass' missions in support of the Post-Attack Command & Control System (PACCS) for Eighth Air Force. The 499th Air Refueling Wing was inactivated on 25 Jun 1966.

ee Also

* 73d Air Division

References

*Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings: Lineage and Honors Histories. Washington, D.C.: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9

External links

* [http://www.zianet.com/jpage/airforce/ Joe's USAF Blue Book]