498th Armament Systems Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=498th Armament Systems Wing


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country=United States
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branch=Air Force
type=Equipment Support
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command_structure=Air Force Material Command
current_commander=Colonel [http://www.kirtland.af.mil/library/biographies/bio.asp?id=9071 Henry Andrews Jr.]
garrison=Kirtland Air Force Base
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* World War II: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
(1944-1945)
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The 498th Armament Systems Wing (498 ASW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.

Mission

The 498 ASW is a reporting unit of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center. It is responsible for sustainment of nuclear munitions and cruise missiles, including operation of two munitions maintenance and storage complexes (at Kirtland AFB and Nellis AFB, Nevada) and the 498th Missile Sustainment Group at Tinker AFB, Oklaholma. This encompasses the entire scope of nuclear weapon system support functions to include sustainment, modernization and acquisition support activities for both the Department of Defense and Department of Energy.

The 498th Munitions Maintenance Group squadrons perform in-depth maintenance on Air Force and Department of Energy assets from around the world. Their objective is to deliver all munitions and support to the correct location on time and in prime operating condition.

History

The unit's origins begin with its predecessor unit, the United States Army Air Force 498th Bombardment Group (498th BG) was part of Twentieth Air Force during World War II. The 498th BG engaged in very heavy (B-29 Superfortress) bombardment operations against Japan.

Lineage

* Constituted as 498th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) on 19 Nov 1943: Activated on 20 November 1943: Inactivated 4 August 1946

Assignments

* Second Air Force (1943-1944)
* Twentieth Air Force (1944-1945)
* Continental Air Forces (1945-1946)
* Strategic Air Command (1946)
* Air Force Material Command

Squadrons

* 514th Bombardment Squadron: 1945-1946
* 873d Bombardment Squadron: 1943-1946
* 874th Bombardment Squadron: 1943-1946
* 875th Bombardment Squadron: 1943-1946
* 876th Bombardment Squadron: 1943-1944

Stations

* Clovis AAF, New Mexico, 20 Nov 1943
* Great Bend AAF, Kansas, 13 Apr - 13 Jul 1944
* Isley Field, Saipan, 6 Sep 1944 - 2 Nov 1945
* March Field, California Dec 1945 - 5 Jan 1946
* MacDill Field, Florida 5 Jan - 4 Aug 1946
* Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico

Operational History

World War II

The 498th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) was constituted on 19 November and activated on 20 November 1943 at Clovis AAF, New Mexico. At Clovis the group was organized and obtained its initial training on the B-29. After completion, it was reassigned to Great Bend AAF, Kansas on 13 April 1944 where it received new aircraft from Boeing-Wichita.

The 498th was assigned to the 73d Bombardment Wing and it deployed to the Pacific Theater, arriving at Saipan on 6 September 1944. It was assigned to the XXI Bomber Command, Twentieth Air Force.

The group began operations with its first combat missions against Iwo Jima and the Truk Islands. Took part in the first attack (24 November 1944) on Japan by AAF planes based in the Marianas. Conducted numerous attacks against industrial targets in Japan, flying in daylight and at high altitude to carry out these missions.

Received a Distinguished Unit Citation for striking an aircraft engine plant at Nagoya on 13 December 1944. Began flying missions at night in March 1945, operating from low altitude to drop incendaries on area targets in Japan. The 498th BG received second DUC for incendiary raids. on urban industries near Kobe and Osaka during June 1945. Operations also included strikes against Japanese airfields during the Allied invasion of Okinawa in April 1945.

Strategic Air Command

The group returned to the United States in November, 1945, being assigned initailly to March Field, California, then to MacDill Field, Florida on 5 January 1946. It was assigned to the Third Air Force of Continental Air Forces which would later evolve into the Strategic Air Command on 21 March 1946.

Demobilization, however, was in full swing and the group turned in its aircraft and was inactivated on 4 August 1946. Many of the assets of the group eventually went to the Strategic Air Command's Fifteenth Air Force 307th Bombardment Group, which was activated at MacDill on 4 August.

Pacific Air Forces

The unit was briefly reactivated as the 498th Tactical Missile Group at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa on 8 February 1961. Two squadrons, the 873d and 874th were equipped with the TM-76B Mace Surface to Surface Missile. The unit was inactivated on 8 July 1965

See also

* 73d Air Division

References

* 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

* [http://www.kirtland.af.mil/ Kirtland AFB Home Page]
* [http://usafengineers.com/modules.php?name=Units&file=details&id=395&unit=Armament 498th Armament Systems Wing]
* [http://www.mace-b.com/38TMW/Kadena/kadena.htm 498th Tactical Missile Group]