435th Air Base Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 435th Air Base Wing


caption= 435th Air Base Wing Insignia
dates= 1943 - Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Air Force
type=
role= Administrative
size=
command_structure= United States Air Forces in Europe
current_commander= Col Donald "Bits" Bacon
garrison= Ramstein Air Base Germany
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
decorations=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot= Flamingos
battles=
anniversaries=The 435th Air Base Wing (435 ABW), a wing of the United States Air Force, is the host unit at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The Wing provides rapid mobility and agile combat support for military operations, and maintains expeditionary forces and infrastructure.

The current commander is Colonel Donald "Bits" Bacon , USAF. [http://www.ramstein.af.mil/library/biographies/bio.asp?id=11320]

Units

The 435 ABW is divided into 5 groups, 20 squadrons, and 14 geographically separated units and more than 7,200 personnel. Each of the groups assumes a specific portion of the wing's multifaceted mission.

* The 435th Civil Engineer Group supports and maintains the base's buildings and infrastructure.
* The 435th Logistics Readiness Group provides training, planning, supply, and transportation insuring wing readiness.
* The 435th Medical Group through healthcare and preventive services.
* The 435th Mission Support Group supports the overall mission by providing for security, communications, services, and personnel services.
* The 431st Air Base Group provides world-class contracting and air postal support for the European Theater, force protection and police services in the Kaiserslautern Military Community, and personnel support to Airmen assigned to NATO. Together these four groups form the pillars that support the wing as it supports the community.

The 435th Air Base Wing also provides crucial support to ensure its associate units can successfully accomplish their mission. There are dozens of such units on Ramstein and in the KMC; the primary organizations supported are: the 86th Airlift Wing, U.S. Air Forces in Europe headquarters, NATO's Allied Air Forces North headquarters and elements of Air Mobility Command.

The 721st Air Mobility Operations Group provides cargo and maintenance support for Air Mobility Command throughout the European theater. The 723rd Air Mobility Squadron at Ramstein moves incoming and outgoing cargo via C-5, C-17, and C-130 aircraft. It also handles a variety of civilian contract carriers and provides maintenance for transient aircraft and for some home-based aircraft.

History

Lineage

* 435th Troop Carrier Group, 30 Jan 1943 - 15 Nov 1945
* 435th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 10 May 1949.
** Activated in the Reserve on 26 Jun 1949.
** Ordered to Active Service on 1 Mar 1951. Inactivated on 1 Dec 1952.
** Activated in the Reserve on 1 Dec 1952.
** Redesignated 435 Troop Carrier Wing, Heavy on 18 Sep 1961. Ordered to Active Service on 1 Oct 1961.
** Relieved from Active Duty on 27 Aug 1962.
** Redesignated 435 Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 1 Jul 1963.
** Discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 Dec 1965.
* Redesignated 435th Military Airlift Support Wing on 25 Nov 1968. Activated on 24 Dec 1968.
** Redesignated 435th Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 Jul 1975
** Redesignated 435th Airlift Wing on 1 Apr 1992. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1995.
* Redesignated 435th Air Expeditionary Wing, and converted to provisional status, on 5 Feb 2001.
** Returned to permanent status on 10 Dec 2003.
* Redesignated 435 Air Base Wing on 15 Dec 2003. Activated on 15 Jan 2004.

Bases Assigned

* Bowman Field, KY 25 Feb 1943
* Sedalia AAF, MO 4 May 1943
* Pope Field, NC 2 Jul 1943
* Baer Field, IN 6-13 Oct 1943
* RAF Langar, England 3 Nov 1943
* RAF Welford, England 25 Jan 1944
* Bretigny, France c. 13 Feb-25 Jun 1945
* Baer Field, IN 5 Aug 1945
* Kellogg Field, MI 13 Sep-15 Nov 1945
* Miami International Airport, FL, 26 Jun 1949-1 Dec 1952
* Homestead AFB, FL, 25 Jul 1960-1 Dec 1965
* RAF High Wycombe, England, 24 Dec 1968
* Rhein-Main AB, Germany, 1 Jul 1969-1 Apr 1995
* Ramstein AB, Germany, 15 Jan 2004- Present

Major Weapons Systems

* Douglas C-47 Skytrain 1943-1945
* Douglas C-46 Commando, 1949-1951, 1952-1957
* Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar 1951-1952, 1957-1965
* Douglas C-124 Globemaster II 1961-1963
* Lockheed C-130 Hercules 1975-1994
* McDonnell Douglas C-9 1975-1994
* Boeing VC-135 Stratolifter 1977-1978
* Lockheed VC-140 Jet Star 1977-1978
* Beech C-12 Huron 1978
* Learjet C-21A 1986-1994
* Boeing CT-43A 1990-1994
* North American CT-39 Sabreliner 1978-1986
* Lockheed C-141 Starlifter 1994.

Operational History

World War II

Constituted as 435th Troop Carrier Group on 30 Jan 1943. Activated on 25 Feb 1943. Used C-47's and C-53's in preparing for duty overseas with Ninth Air Force. Moved to RAF Langar England, Oct-Nov 1943. Operational squadrons of the group were:

* 75th Troop Carrier Squadron (SH)
* 76th Troop Carrier Squadron (CW)
* 77th Troop Carrier Squadron (IB)
* 78th Troop Carrier Squadron (CM)

The 435th TCW was assigned to the 53rd Troop Carrier Wing.

As part of the IX TCC's desire to have its C-47 groups commence training with paratroops of the 101st Airborne Division deployed in the Salisbury Plain area, the group was moved on 25 January 1944 to RAF Welford.

At Welford, the group began training for participation in the airborne operation over Normandy. On 6 February the 435th took part in the first joint airborne exercise when British and U.S. paratroops were dropped at Winterbourne Stoke. Intensive training activities continued, dropping paratroops and towing CG-4A Waco assault gliders.

The group entered combat on D-Day by dropping paratroops of 101st Airborne Division near Cherbourg in the early hours of 6 June, losing three aircraft. Later that same day, the group towed 12 Waco and 38 Horsa gliders carrying reinforcements to that area on the afternoon of D-Day and on the following morning. For these actions, the 435th received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its part in the Battle of Normandy.

In support of ground forces on the continent, the group carried out transport services following the landings in France and intermittently engaged in missions of this type until V-E Day. It hauled supplies such as serum, blood plasma, radar sets, clothing, rations, and ammunition, and evacuated wounded personnel to Allied hospitals.

The group interrupted supply and evacuation missions to train for and participate in three major airborne assaults. On 20 July, about half of the crews and aircraft were sent to Tarquinia Italy to prepare for the the invasion of Southern France on 15 August. They were replaced temporarily at Welford by the 90th TCS/438th TGG until 23 August. During the invasion, the group dropped paratroops over the assault area on and released gliders carrying troops and equipment such as jeeps, guns, and ammunition. It flew a resupply mission over France on 16 August and then transported supplies to bases in Italy before returning to England at the end of the month.

On 17 September 1944 the group participated in the air attack on Holland, dropping paratroops of 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions and releasing gliders carrying reinforcements. Heavy flak knocked down and damaged 10 C-47s dropping the 82d, and damaged another eight in the 101st drop. Two squadrons of 30 C-47s each towing gliders were sent out with reinforcements on September 18 and although 17 were damaged, all managed to return. On 19 September more missions were flown with gliders and three aircraft were lost.The 435th TCG moved to its Advanced Landing Ground at Bretigny, France on 13 February 1945 for the airborne assault across the Rhine River on 24 March.

After the Market-Garden activities, the 435th returned to the task of hauling supplies and equipment to and from the Continent. This continued until early February when the group was moved to an Advanced Landing Ground at Breigny France (A-48). From France the group supported the advance across Germany delivering supplies to the ground forces.

After V-E Day the group transported supplies to occupation forces in Germany and evacuated Allied prisoners of war.

The group returned to Baer AAF, Indiana on 5 August and was inactivated on 15 November 1945.

Cold War

The 435th Troop Carrier Wing (435th TCW) was established and activated as a wing in the Air Force Reserve (AFRES) at Miami International Airport on May 10, 1949. Trained in the Air Force Reserve as a troop carrier wing from Jul 1949 to Feb 1951, and again from Dec 1952-Dec 1958.

The 435th was called to active duty with Tactical Air Command (TAC) in 1951 to train aircrews on C-46 Commandos for duty in Korea, though the wing itself was not tasked to deploy for the conflict there. The 435th was replaced by the 456th Troop Carrier Wing (456 TCW) in Dec 1952 and the 456th TCW was later replaced by the 482nd TCW as the Miami-based Air Force Reserve wing. By 1956, the 435th TCW was capable of flying overseas missions, particularly in the Caribbean area to Central America. In 1960, the wing moved to Homestead Air Force Base, Florida.

Over the many years of serving in Florida, the 435th Troop Carrier Wing came to be known as the Flamingo Wing - a name still used today by the 435th's veterans association. [http://www.usafe.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123053804] . Two squadrons converted to the C-124 Globemaster in 1961 just before being ordered to active service. After training to become combat ready, participated in worldwide airlift and tactical exercises. Returned to reserve status in Aug 1962 and regained its C-119 Flying Boxcar squadron that had not been on active duty. Switched completely to C-119s in 1963. Inactivated in 1965.

Reactivated first at RAF High Wycombe, England, 24 Dec 1968, then reassigned to Rhein-Main AB, West Germany on 1 July 1969, the 435th served as a support wing of Military Airlift Command, providing deployed airlift control elements and aircraft maintenance at aerial ports in portions of Europe, the Middle East, Southwest Asia, and Africa. Airlift squadrons of the wing at Rhein-Main were:

* 55th Aeromedical Airlift Squadron 31 Mar 1975 - 1 Oct 1993 (C-9A)
* 58th Tactical Airlift Squadron 1 Sep 1977 - 1 Oct 1993 (C-12, C-20, C-21, CT-43)
* 37th Tactical Airlift Squadron 15 December 1978 - Present (C-130E)

The redesignated 435th Tactical Airlift Wing had host responsibilities for Rhein-Main AB, beginning Jul 1975, which included operating the busiest U.S. air terminal in Europe and supporting CONUS-based strategic airlift transiting Rhein-Main AB. While continuing to function as a tactical and support wing, the 435th TAW gained the mission of aeromedical evacuation in Europe and the Middle East. Provided airlift support for United States European Command (EUCOM) and Headquarters, United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), from Mar 1977 until Jun 1978.

Provided airlift for the theater, first with rotational C-130 forces until early 1978, afterward with an assigned airlift squadron. Participated in joint and combined paratroop training and exercises, as well all manner of theater humanitarian airlift, including relief for natural disasters, evacuation of civilians from hostile situations, and aeromedical evacuation from combat areas.

During Operation Desert Shield/Storm, the wing's 37th Tactical Airlift Squadron, plus additional wing personnel, deployed to Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, from mid-Aug 1990 to late Mar 1991 to provide theater airlift during the Persian Gulf War.

On 1 April 1992, the wing was again redesignated as the 435th Airlift Wing and implemented the objective wing concept. With the disestablishment of Military Airlift Command (MAC) in 1992, the wing and Rhein-Main AB returned to USAFE control, while an Air Mobility Command (AMC) airlift support group was activated to take over operation of the air terminal and support transiting air mobility (airlift and air refueling) aircraft.

Post Cold War

From Jul 1992 through Sep 1994, the wing controlled the massive airlift effort (Operation Provide Promise) to provide airland and airdrop humanitarian airlift to war-torn areas of the former Yugoslavia.

On 1 October 1993 the 55 AAS and 58 AS were inactivated as part of the general drawdown in Europe at the end of the Cold War. In Feb 1994, USAF began returning portions of Rhein-Main AB to German control and the wing's remaining airlift squadron was reassigned to the 86th Wing (86 WG) at Ramstein AB. The 86 WG was redesignated as the 86th Airlift Wing (86 AW) on 1 Oct 1994. The 435 AW was inactivated effective 1 Apr 1995 and its responsibilities turned over to the 469th Air Base Group (469 ABG) under USAFE and the 726th Air Mobility Squadron (726 AMS) under AMC. The last commander of the 435th Airlift Wing was Col Donald A. Philpitt, USAF.

The 435 AW was converted to a provisional expeditionary wing between Feb 2003 and Dec 2003 in preparation for, and execution of, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, but was never activated.

In late 2003, the wing was reactivated as the 435th Air Base Wing (435 ABW) and assumed the overall host base support responsibilities at Ramstein AB, Germany as a non-flying unit.

Unit Awards

*Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

References

* Freeman, Roger A. (1994) UK Airfields of the Ninth: Then and Now 1994. After the Battle ISBN 0900913800
* Freeman, Roger A. (1996) The Ninth Air Force in Colour: UK and the Continent-World War Two. After the Battle ISBN 1854092723
* 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.

External links