442d Fighter Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=442d Fighter Wing


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dates= 23 May 1943 — present
country=United States
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branch=Air Force
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size=1,100 personnel
command_structure=Air Force Reserve Command
current_commander=Colonel [http://www.442fw.afrc.af.mil/library/biographies/bio.asp?id=8688 Robert Arthur]
garrison=Whiteman Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
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identification_symbol=
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battles=
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The 442d Fighter Wing (442 FW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.

Mission

Train Air Force Reserve personnel and to operate, maintain and support the A-10 Thunderbolt II at the highest level of combat readiness.

History

WW 2

The 442d trained in the United States with C-47 and C-53 aircraft, then moved to England in March 1944 for duty with Ninth Air Force. The group flew its first combat missions during the Allied invasion of Normandy, dropping paratroops near Sainte-Mère-Église on 6 June 1944 and flying a resupply mission on 7 June. It was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for its part in the Normandy invasion.

The group hauled freight and evacuated casualties during the remainder of the summer. In Jul, however, a detachment flew to Italy where it transported cargo, evacuated casualties, and took part in the invasion of southern France on 15 August by dropping paratroops in the battle area and releasing gliders carrying reinforcements. The detachment returned to England in late August, and in September the group participated in the airborne attack in Holland, transporting paratroops and towing gliders with reinforcements.

Moving to France in October 1944, the group flew resupply missions, hauled freight, and evacuated casualties in support of the Allied effort to breach the Siegfried Line. While continuing its transport duties until V-E Day, it also released gliders filled with troops in the airborne assault across the Rhine River in March 1945, carried supplies to ground forces in Germany during April and May, and evacuated liberated prisoners of war. The group flew air transport missions throughout Europe and the Middle East until inactivated in 1946.

Post war reserve service

The 442d was reactivated as a Reserve troop carrier wing under supervision of the 2472nd Air Force Reserve Training (later, Air Reserve Flying) Center, June 1949-February 1951 and June 1952-March 1959. During the Korean War, 442d personnel transferred as replacements to other USAF organizations. By the mid-1950s, it participated regularly in troop/cargo drops, airlift operations and exercises. The wing converted to the Air Reserve Technician (ART) program in 1958-1959.

It was called to active service again during the Cuban Missile Crisis, October 1961-August 1962, during which time the tactical units completed conversion to C-124s. The wing also flew overseas missions, particularly to the Far East and Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. It flew humanitarian and mercy missions on numerous occasions in addition to worldwide airlift operations until conversion, in June 1982, to a fighter mission with A-10A aircraft. In October 1982, the wing was deactivated while its 442d Tactical Fighter Group continued to train. In February 1984, the wing was once again activated and it trained for A-10 fighter operations, including close air support, anti-armor, battlefield interdiction, and combat search and rescue missions. On a recurring basis from December 1993, the wing deployed personnel and aircraft to Aviano Air Base, Italy, to participate in operations over Bosnia. It also deployed personnel and aircraft to Kuwait in support of Operation Southern Watch, September-October 1998.

Operations

*World War II
*Vietnam War
*Operation Deny Flight
*Operation Deliberate Force

Previous designations

*442d Troop Carrier Group (1943 – 1949)
*442d Troop Carrier Wing (1949 – 1965)
*442d Air Transport Wing (1965 – 1966)
*442d Military Airlift Wing (1966 – 1971)
*442d Tactical Airlift Wing (1971 – 1983)
*442d Tactical Fighter Wing (1983 – 1992)
*442d Fighter Wing (1992 – Present)

Assignments

Major command

*European Air Transport Service (1945 – 1946)
*Air Force Reserve Command (1949 – 1961, 1962 – 1982, 1984 – Present))
*Tactical Air Command (1961 – 1962)

Numbered Air Force

*Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics (1942 – 1943)
*9th Air Force (1944 – 1946, 1961 – 1962)
*10th Air Force (1949 – 1952, 1984 – Present)
*12th Air Force (1962 – 1976)
*4th Air Force (1976 – 1982)

ubordinate organizations

Bases stationed

*Sedalia Army Airfield, Missouri (1943)
*Alliance Army Airfield, Nebraska (1943 – 1944)
*Pope Field, North Carolina (1944)
*Baer Field, Indiana (1944)
*RAF Fulbeck, England (1944)
*RAF Weston Zoyland, England (1944)
*Bonnetable, France (1944)
*St Andre-de-L'Eure, France (1944 – 1945)
*Munich Air Base, Germany (1945 – 1946)
*Fairfax Field, Kansas (1949 – 1950)
*Olathe Naval Air Station, Kansas (1950 – 1955)
*Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri (1955 – 1982, 1984 – 1994)
*Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri (1994 – Present)

Aircraft operated

*C-47 Skytrain (1943 – 1946, 1949 – 1957)
*C-53 Skytrooper (1943 – 1945)
*CG-4 Waco (1944 – 1945)
*C-109 (1945)
*L-4 Grasshopper (1945)
*L-3 Grasshopper (1945)
*CG-15 Waco (1945)
*T-6 Texan (1949 – 1950)
*T-7 (1949 – 1951)
*T-11 (1949 – 1951)
*C-47 Skytrain (1949 – 1950)
*C-119 Flying Boxcar (1957 – 1961, 1966 – 1967)
*C-124 Globemaster II (1961 – 1972)
*C-130 Hercules (1971 – 1982)
*A-10 Thunderbolt II (1982, 1984 – Present)

Unit shields

References

External links

* [http://www.442fw.afrc.af.mil/ 442 FW Home Page]