500th Air Refueling Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=500th Air Refueling Wing


caption= 500th Air Refueling Wing emblem
dates= 15 Nov 1962-15 Dec 1964
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Air Force
type=
role=
size=
command_structure=
current_commander=
garrison= Selfridge AFB, Michigan
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto= "Always Prepared"
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=


* World War II: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
(1944-1945)
anniversaries=The 500th Air Refueling Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It's last assignment was at Selfridge AFB, Michigan. It was inactivated on 15 December 1964.

History

The unit's origins begin with its predecessor unit, the United States Army Air Force 500th Bombardment Group (500th BG) was part of Twentieth Air Force during World War II. The 500th BG engaged in very heavy (B-29 Superfortress) bombardment operations against Japan.

Lineage

* Constituted as 500th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) on 19 Nov 1943: Activated on 20 Nov 1943: Inactivated on 17 Jan 1946
* Established as 500th Air Refueling Wing, and activated, on 15 Nov 1962: Discontinued, and inactivated, 15 Dec 1964

Bases Assigned

* Gowen Field, Idaho, 20 Nov 1943 - 12 Jan 1944
* Clovis AAF, New Mexico, 12 Jan - 16 Apr 1944
* Walker AAF, Kansas, 16 Apr - 23 Jul 1944
* Isley Field, Saipan, 18 Sep 1944 - 21 Oct 1945
* March Field, California, 24 Oct 1945 - 17 Jan 1946
* Selfridge AFB, Michigan , 1 Jan 1963 - 15 Dec 1964

Major Commands

* Army Air Forces Training Command, 20 Nov 1943 - Jul 1944
* Twentieth Air Force, 18 Sep 1944 - 21 Oct 1945
* Strategic Air Command, 24 Oct 1945 - 17 Jan 1946, 1 Jan 1963 -15 Dec 1964

Operational History

World War II

The 500th Bomb Group was formed at Gowen AAF, Idaho in November 1943. Numbered flying squadrons were the 881st, 882d, 883d and 884th Bombardment Groups. Designated as a Very Heavy (VH), B-29 Superfortress group. As no B-29s were initially available, the group initially trained with B-17 Flying Fortresses, later was equipped with B-29s at Walker AAF, Kansas in the late spring of 1944.

Deployed to the southwest pacific in August 1944, the group formed at Isley Field, Saipan as part of the Twentieth Air Force's 73d Bombardment Wing. It's unit tail code was a Z-Square. It entered combat on 11 Nov 1944 with an attack against a submarine base in the Truk Islands.

On 24 November, the 500th participated in the first attack on Japan by B-29's based in the Marianas. After that, conducted many daylight raids, operating from high altitude to bomb strategic targets in Japan. Struck the Mitsubishi aircraft engine plant at Nagoya in Jan 1945 and received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for the mission. Bombed enemy airfields and other installations on Kyushu in support of the Allied assault on Okinawa in April 1945.

Beginning in Mar 1945, the group flew missions at night and at low altitude to drop incendiaries on area targets in Japan. Received a second DUC for incendiary attacks on the urban-industrial section of Osaka, feeder industries at Hamamatsu, and shipping and rail targets on Kyushu during Jun 1945.

The group released propaganda leaflets over the Japanese home islands, Jul-Aug 1945. Afer hostilities ended, the 500th dropped food and supplies to Allied prisoners in Japan, Korea, China, and Formosa after the war. Returned to the US in Oct 1945.

The 500th Bomb Group was assigned first to Continental Air Forces's Fourth Air Force at March AFB, California, However demobilization was in full swing and the group was inactivated on 17 January 1946.

Cold War

The 500th was reactivated and established as the 500th Air Refueling Wing on 15 November 1962 as part of the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command's 17th Aerospace Division. It was based at Selfridge AFB, Michigan. It's numbered flyng squadrons were the 44th ane 307th Air Refueling Squadrons, both equipped with the KC-97 Stratotanker. When activated, the wing replaced the 4045th Air Refueling Wing, absorbing it's personnel and assets.

Reassigned to the 40th Air Division on 1 July 1963, the wing supported SAC bombardment and TAC fighter aircraft with air-to-air refueling and occasionally deployed segments of its tanker force overseas to support unit movements and special operations.

The unit was discontinued, and inactivated on 15 Dec 1964.

ee Also

* 73d Air Division

References

* [http://www.strategic-air-command.com/wings/0500rw.htm 500th ARW - Strategic Air Command.com]
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924
* Ravenstein, C. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings: Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Office of Air Force History: Washington, D.C. ISBN 0-912799-12-9

External links

* [http://www.powmiaff.org/20thAAF/More/index.html 500th Bomb Group Illustrated History Website]
* [http://www.marchfield.org/b29a.htm March Field Museum Boeing B-29A Superfortress 44-61669 from the 500th Bomb Group]