66th Air Base Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 66th Air Base Wing


caption= 66th Air Base Wing emblem
dates= 1941-Present
country= United States
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branch= United States Air Force
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command_structure=Air Force Materiel Command
current_commander=
garrison= Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
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The United States Air Force's 66th Air Base Wing is the host unit at Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts, USA.

The 66th ABW supports the Electronic Systems Center and outstanding quality-of-life opportunities for US military personnel, their family members, and the DOD civilian staff at Hanscom AFB.

Mission

The men and women of the 66th Air Base Wing provide outstanding services to over 3,000 active duty, Reserve and National Guard military personnel and DoD civilians who work and live at Hanscom Air Force Base. Additionally, the 66 ABW supports over 100,000 retired military personnel, annuitants and spouses living in the seven-state New England area.

Units

* 66th Mission Support Group
* 66th Medical Group
* 66 ABW Public Affairs
* 66th Services Squadron
* 66th Contracting Squadron
* 66 ABW Legal

History

Lineage

* 66th Observation Group (1941-43)
* 66th Reconnaissance Group (1943)
* 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Group (1943-44) (1946-49)
* 66th Strategic Reconnaissance Group (1949-51)
* 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (1953-70)
* 66th Electronic Combat Wing (1985-92)
* 66 Air Base Wing (1994-Present)

Bases Assigned

* Southeast United States (1943-44)
* McGuire AFB, New Jersey (1949)
* Barksdale AFB, Louisiana (1949-51)
* Shaw AFB, South Carolina (1953)
* Sembach AB, West Germany (1953-58), (1985-92)
* Laon-Couvron Air Base, France (1958-66)
* RAF Upper Heyford, England (1966-70), (1985-92)
* Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts (1994-Present)

World War II

The 66th ABW has its origins as the 66th Observation Group which was activated on 1 September 1941. It was redesignated 66th Reconnaissance Group in April 1943, and 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Group in August 1943. The unit trained personnel in aerial reconnaissance and artillery adjustment methods. Also flew antisubmarine patrols off the east coast, Jan-Aug 1942.

The group was equipped at various times with O-46, O-47, A-20, P-39, P-40, B-25, L-5, and L-6 aircraft. It supported ground units on maneuvers, including the Carolina Maneuvers of 1942, the Tennessee Maneuvers of 1942 and 1943, and the Second Army Maneuvers of 1943-1944.

The 66th was disbanded on 20 April 1944.

In the immediate postwar years, the 66th was reconstituted and redesignated as the 66th Reconnaissance Group. Initially allocated to the USAF reserve, the unit was a part of Strategic Air Command from July 1947 - May 1951, at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana as an Air Force Reserve corollary unit under the guidance of active duty units in order to train and maintain currency in reconnaissance operations for its reserve personnel.

The 66th was again inactivated on 16 May 1951.

Shaw AFB

On 1 January 1953 the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was activated at Shaw AFB, South Carolina from the 363d TRW's Douglas RB-26 Invader assets of 18th TRS and Lockheed RF-80A Shooting Stars which were transferred from South Korea. The wing and squadrons trained at Shaw prior to deployment to NATO. The squadrons formed and activated were:

* 30th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (Night Photo) (RB-26)
* 302nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (Jet Photo) (RF-80A)
* 303rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (RF-51D, RF-80A)

On 25 June 1953 the 66th TRW departed Shaw, being reassigned to Sembach Air Base West Germany. Just prior to the wing's deployment to NATO, the 303d TRS was reequipped with RF-80As.

United States Air Forces in Europe

Sembach Air Base

Major General B. C. Struther, commander of 12th Air Force, welcomed the Wing upon its arrival in Europe. The Wing Commander landed at 1509 hours in a T-33, bringing the remainder of the wing’s aircraft with him: 32 RF-80 Shooting Stars and 4 additional T-33s.

At Sembach, the 66th TRW had three operational squadrons: the 30th, 302nd and 303rd TRS. The 30th TRS flew the RB-26's, while the 302nd and 303rd flew the RF-80A.

On 30 November 1954, the 30th TRS received the first Martin RB-57A Canberra, to replace its World War II vintage RB-26 Invaders. In August 1955, the 302nd and 303rd TRS’ started to receive the Republic RF-84F Thunderflash.

On 1 January, 1957 a fourth squadron, the 19th TRS was transferred from the 47th Bombardment Wing (SAC) at RAF Sculthorpe to the 66th TRW. The 47th TRS flew the RB-45C Tornado, however the squadron remained at Sculthrope and did not physically transfer its assets to Sembach. At Sculthorpe, the 19th TRS transitioned to the Douglas RB-66 Destroyer aircraft.

In February 1957, the RB-57's of the 30th TFS at Sembach were also being replaced by the RB-66. The heavier RB-66's however, did not land well on Sembach's runway, and the 30th TRS was deployed to Landstuhl AB (now Ramstein AB) for their operations.

As 1957 progressed USAFE HQ decided to reorganise its tactical reconnaissance assets. Both the 66th TRW and the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base were flying dissimilar types of aircraft: the RF-84F and the RB-66. This was counterproductive not only in terms of operational efficiency, but also in terms of maintenance and supply. On 6 December 1957 HQ, USAFE transferred the 19th and 30th TRS and their RB-66's to the 10th TRW.

In return the 32nd and 38th TFS at Phalsbourg AB, France were transferred from the 10th TRW which made the 66th TRW a four-squadron RF-84 wing. However due to space restrictions at Sembach, the 32nd and 38th would remain in France, as a separate detachment of the 66th.

In January 1958, it was announced that the 66th TRW would transition to the McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo. However the poor flying weather of the German winter was causing an excessive amount of operational delays due to the inclement weather. The 66th was directed to utilise Nouasseur AB, Morocco to its limits in detachments of USAFE aircraft. At Nouasseur all training missions were accomplished as required. The very favourable North African weather provided the ideal environment in which new pilots could be transitioned on to the squadron aircraft in the minimum of time. In addition, the 66th TRW used Nouasseur to transition all its pilots onto the RF-101C aircraft.

In July 1958, the 66th TRW, was reassigned from Sembach to Laon Air Base, France. This move was in accordance with USAFEs plan to realign the posture of various bases in anticipation of the 66th's pending aircraft conversion to the RF-101.

Another reason for the move to France was the unsuitability of Sembach's runway, which was barely adequate for the RF-84, but absolutely unsuitable for the higher performance RF-101 aircraft

Laon Air Base

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thumb|left|McDonnell RF-101F-56-MC Voodoo 56-0217 of the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Laon Air Base France, 1959. The combination green, yellow, blue and red stripes on the tail signify the wing commander's aircraftOn 10 July 1958 66th TRW Wing Headquarters was transferred to Laon, however it's flying squadrons, (32nd, 38th, 302nd and 303rd) were located at Phalsbourg AB until considerable runway improvements, in particular the preparation of runway overuns could be made at Laon.

Just prior to the move to France, in a public relations exercise, the 66th TRW engaged in some large scale oblique photo coverage of all towns and cities within a 30 mile radius of Laon. The processed photos were presented to the various town and city officials as a means of introducing the newcomers to the community.

In early 1959 it was announced that the RF-84 equipped 302nd and 303rd TRS were to be deactivated and their places in the 66th taken by the RF-101 equipped 17th and 18th TRS from Shaw AFB, South Carolina. These two units arrived at Laon in May, 1959, with the 302nd and 303rd officially deactivated on 20 June. All the RF-84s were ferried to the IRAN facility at Naples for eventual distribution to NATO forces.

In January 1959 the announcement was made that the 32nd and 38th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons were to receive the McDonnell RF-101C "Voodoo". Many of the pilots of the 302nd and 303rd squadrons were transferred to the new Voodoo squadrons. These moves made the 66th TRW a four squadron RF-101C wing.

Routine training operations were flown from Laon for over seven years. On 7 March 1966, French President Gen Charles De Gaulle announced that France would withdraw from NATO's military structure but not leave the political organization. He gave NATO forces one year (until 1 April 1967) to depart France.

However there was no space available in Germany to relocate the 66th TRW, so it was decided by HQ, USAF that the Strategic Air Command's standby base at RAF Upper Heyford, England, would be transferred to USAFE and the 66th TRW would be relocated to the UK from Laon AB.

The relocation of the 66th TFW was completed by November 1966. On 17 March 1967 the remaining USAF equipment and personnel were transferred out of Laon and the base was turned over to the French government.

RAF Upper Heyford

After two years at Upper Heyford, in 1968 it was announced that the 66th TRW was to convert to the McDonnell Douglas RF-4C Phantom II in the following year. On 27 March 1969, the first two Phantoms flew into Upper Heyford. and the 66th became a mixed reconnaissance force. The RF-101C's were assigned to the 18th TRS and were limited to the daylight role. The RF-4C's were assigned to the 17th TRS and were capable of an all weather day and night operation.

The advent of the RF-4C gave the 66th TRW a longer arm in terms of target access. In the event of a ‘hot’ war the longer reach of the wing’s aircraft would have made many previously inaccessible targets behind the iron curtain easily acquired from the bases in West Germany to which they would have been deployed.

The Phantoms did not stay for long, however, as in January 1970 the inactivation of the 66th TRW commenced. On 10 December 1969, Detachment 1, 20th Tactical Fighter Wing was established at RAF Upper Heyford as part of congressional budget cutbacks; a USAFE-wide base realignment/consolidation of units, as the 20th's base at RAF Wethersfield had a limited potential for development and was awkwardly close to the expanding London Stansted Airport. The relocation also served the need to reorganize the USAFE base structure after the French withdrawal from NATO and the eviction of non-French military forces from French soil.

As part of the budget reductions and to consolidate all of the wing's elements at a larger facility, the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing was relocated from RAF Wethersfield to Upper Heyford, replacing and absorbing the 66th TRW. The RF-4Cs of the 17th TRS were reassigned to the 26th TRW at Zweibrücken Air Base in West Germany, and the RF-101Cs of the 18th TRS were reassigned to the 363rd TRW at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina.

Some support elements of the deactivated 66th TRW, primarily Civil Engineering, were reassigned to Wethersfield, being designated the 66th Combat Support Group. The group was again redesignated 66th Combat Support Squadron (CSS) and became the host unit at the station.

The 66th CSS performed whatever duties were necessary to keep the base in a usable, operational state. It was inactivated in 1976 when the 10th TRW at RAF Alconbury assumed caretaker responsibilities at Wethersfield.

66th Electronic Combat Wing

On 1 June 1985, the 66th was reactivated again at Sembach AB, West Germany as the 66th Electronic Combat Wing. The 66th ECW trained (43d ECS) Lockheed EC-130 Hercules aircrews at Sembach; administratively controlled (42d ECS) General Dynamics/Grumman EF-111A Raven aircrews based at RAF Upper Heyford, England, and operationally controlled the 20th FW. The 66th provided tactical and electronic combat operations during Operation Desert Storm.

The 66th ECW was inactivated on 31 March 1992.

Hanscom AFB

In 1994, the 66th Air Base Wing was designated as the host unit at Hanscom AFB, MA. It is a non-flying wing with a mission to support the numerous organiztions assigned to the base.

ee also

* Tactical Air Command
* United States Air Forces in Europe
* Air Force Materiel Command

References

*
* Endicott, Judy G. (1999) Active Air Force wings as of 1 October 1995; USAF active flying, space, and missile squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. CD-ROM.
* Mueller, Robert (1989). Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 USAF Reference Series, Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6
* Martin, Patrick (1994). Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings. Schiffer Military Aviation History. ISBN 0887405134.
* McAuliffe, Jerome J. (2005). US Air Force in France 1950-1967. San Diego, California: Milspec Press, Chapter 13, Laon-Couvron Air Base. ISBN 0-9770371-1-8.
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
* Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.
* Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
* [http://www.csd.uwo.ca/~pettypi/elevon/baugher_us/] Joe Baugher's Encyclopedia Of Military Aircraft
* [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html] USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to Present

External links

* [http://www.hanscom.af.mil/ Hanscom AFB Official Website]
* [http://www.f-4.nl/ USAF RF-4C]