330th Aircraft Sustainment Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=330th Aircraft Sustainment Wing


caption= Emblem of the 330th Aircraft Sustainment Wing
dates= 1942 - Present
country=United States
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branch=Air Force
type=Equipment Support
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command_structure=Air Force Materiel Command
current_commander=
garrison=Robins Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
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* World War II: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (1945)
* Army of Occupation (Japan) (1945)
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
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battle_honours= The 330th Aircraft Sustainment Wing (330 ASW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.

Mission

The group serves as single focal point for cradle-to-grave sustainment management for the C-130 aircraft to sustain mission effectiveness throughout the system’s life cycle. Responsible for all sustainment activities required to ensure C-130 aircraft availability is adequate for the weapon system to fulfill its assigned missions.

Primary activities include engineering,worldwide logistics, weapon system readiness, and wartime support. Manages aircraft overhaul, modernization and modification programs, and unscheduled depot level maintenance for the C-130 aircraft to include foreign military sales.

The 330 ASW also provides weapon system logistics support, oversee unscheduled and programmed depot maintenance, and manage modification efforts for the Air Force’s fleet of C-5, C-130, C-17, F-15, U-2, and E-8C Joint STARS aircraft, Global Hawk, Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS), MC-130, HC-130 and various special operations combat search and rescue aircraft and helicopters to include AC-130H/U, MC-130E/H/P/W, EC-130J, MH-53J/M, HH-60G, UH-1N, TH-1H, and HC-130P/N.

History

The unit's origins begin with its predecessor, the World War II 330th Bombardment Group (330th BG) which was part of Twentieth Air Force. The 330th Bomb Group's aircraft engaged in very heavy bombardment B-29 Superfortress operations against Japan.

Operational Units

* [http://www.330th.org 457th Bombardment Squadron 1942-1944, 1944-1945]
* [http://www.330th.org 458th Bombardment Squadron 1942-1944, 1944-1945]
* [http://www.330th.org 459th Bombardment Squadron 1942-1944, 1944-1945]
* 460th Bombardment Squadron 1942-1944, 1944

Aircraft Flown

* Consolidated B-24 Liberator
* Boeing B-29 Superfortress
* Curtiss C-46 Commando (possibly 1951)

Stations assigned

* Salt Lake City AAB, Utah 6 Jul - 1 Aug 1942
* Alamogordo AAF, New Mexico 1 Aug 1942 - 1 Apr 1943
* Biggs Field, Texas 5 Apr 1943 - 1 Apr 1944
* Walker AAF, Kansas 1 Apr 1944-7 Jan 1945
* North Field, Guam 18 Feb-15 Nov 1945
* Camp Stoneman, California unkn-3 Jan 1946

Operational History

World War II

The 330th Bombardment Group was constituted on 1 July 1942 at Salt Lake City Army Air Base, Utah. It was assigned to Second Air Force as a B-24 Liberator Operational Training Unit (OTU) and later as a Replacement Training Unit (RTU). The group performed this training at Alamogordo Army Airfield in New Mexico, then later at Biggs Field near El Paso, Texas.

With the drawdown of heavy bomber training in 1944, the group was redesignated as the 330th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy and was designated as a B-29 Superfortress operational bomb group being assigned to the 314th Bombardment Wing, to be sent to the Pacific Theater as part of the war against the Japanese Empire. The group was assigned to Walker AAF, Kansas for equipping and training.

The group deployed to Guam in late 1944, and was assigned to XXI Bomber Command of Twentieth Air Force. It entered combat on 12 Apr 1945 with an attack on the Hodogaya chemical plant at Koriyama, Japan. From Apr to May 1945, struck airfields from which the Japanese were launching suicide planes against the invasion force at Okinawa. After that, operations were principally concerned with incendiary attacks against urban-industrial areas of Japan. Received a Distinguished Unit Citation for incendiary raids on the industrial sections of Tokushima and Gifu and for a strike against the hydroelectric power center at Kofu, Japan, in Jul 1945. Received another DUC for attacking the Nakajima-Musashino aircraft engine plant near Tokyo in Aug 1945.

Dropped food and supplies to Allied prisoners and participated in several show-of-force missions over Japan after the war.

The 330th Bomb Group returned to the United States during Nov-Dec 1945, and was inactivated on 3 Jan 1946.

Cold War

With the end of World War II, the 330th was allocated to the Air Force Reserve. It was redesignated as the 330th Bombardment Group (Medium) and assigned to March Air Force Base, California for training with B-29 Superfortresses of the active-duty Strategic Air Command 22d Bombardment Wing, being activated on 27 June 1949. The wing was assigned to Fifteenth Air Force on 27 June 1949. (Attached to the 22nd Bomb Wing 27 June 1949 to 30 April 1951) As a result of the Korean War its personnel were activated into Federal Service on 1 May 1951 and deployed to Kadena AB, Okinawa for combat duty. (Attached to the 12th Air Division from 1 May to 16 June 1951). With its personnel deployed overseas, the wing was inactivated on 16 June.

The 330th was again redesignated as the 330th Troop Carrier Group (Medium) and allotted to 1st Air Reserve District at Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania on 14 Jun 1952. The unit may have just existed on paper and wasn't manned. It was also possibly equipped with Curtiss C-46 Commando aircraft. Nevertheless, it was inactivated on 14 Jul 1952.

See also

* 314th Air Division

External links

* [http://www.Robins.af.mil/ Robins AFB Home Page]
* [http://usafengineers.com/modules.php?name=Units&file=details&id=266&unit=Aircraft 330th Aircraft Sustainment Wing]
* [http://www.330th.org 330th Bomb Group Website]