454th Bombardment Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 454th Bombardment wing


caption= 454th Bombardment Wng Insignia
dates= 1943 - 1945, 1962 - 1969
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Air Force
type=
role= Bomber
size=
command_structure= Strategic Air Command
current_commander=
garrison= Columbus AFB, Mississippi
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
anniversaries=The 454th Bombardment Wing was a United States Air Force Strategic Air Command wing during the Cold War.

History

The 454th Bombardment Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces combat organization. It served primarily in the Mediterranean, African, and The Middle East Theatres of World War II. As part of the reserves after World War II, it was activated during the Korean War, with its personnel and equipment being sent to Japan for combat operations.

Lineage

* Constituted as 454th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 14 May 1943: Activated on 1 Jun 1943: Redesignated 454th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) in Aug 1945: Inactivated on 17 Oct 1945.
* Allotted to the reserve. Activated on 27 Apr 1947: Redesignated 454th Bombardment Group (Medium) in Jun 1949: Inactivated on 16 Jun 1951
* Established as 454th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium, on 26 May 1952: Activated on 13 Jun 1952: Inactivated on 1 Jan 1953
* Redesignated 454th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, and activated, on 15 Nov 1962: Organized on 1 Feb 1963: Inactivated on 2 Jul 1969.

Assignments

* Fourth Air Force 1 Jun - 31 Jul 1943
* Second Air Force 31 Jul - Oct 1943
* Third Air Force Oct - Dec 1943
* Fifteenth Air Force : 304th Bombardment Wing, 25 Jan 1944-c. 19 Jul 1945
* Continental Air Forces 1 Aug - 17 Oct 1945
* Air Defense Command: (ADC made a subordinate organization of Continental Air Command, 1 Dec 1948.
Reestablished as a major command on 1 January 1951): Fourth Air Force:: 25 Air Defense (later, 25 Air) Division:: 27 Apr 1947 - 1 May 1951:: 13 Jun 1952 - 1 Jan 1953
* Strategic Air Command: 1 May - 16 Jun 1951 : 15 Nov 1962 - 1 Feb 1963: 4th Air Division, 1Feb 1963: 42d Air Division, 1 Jul 1963-2 Jul 1969.

tations

* Alamogordo AAF, New Mexico 1 Jun 1943
* Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona 1 Jul 1943
* McCook AAF, Nebraska c. 31 Jul 1943
* Charleston AAF, South Carolina 3 Oct-Dec 1943
* San Giovanni, Italy Jan 1944-Jul 1945
* Sioux Falls AAF, South Dakota 1 Aug 1945
* Pyote AAF, Texas 17 Aug-17 Oct 1945
* McChord Field, Washington, 27 Apr 1947 - 27 June 1949
* Spokane AFB, Washington, 27 Jun 1949-16 Jun 1951
* Portland International Airport, Oregon 13 Jun 1952-1 Jan 1953

* Columbus AFB, Mississippi, 1 Feb 1963-2 Jul 1969

Components

* 81st Bombardment Squadron, 1947-1951
* 736th Bombardment Squadron 1943-1945, 1947-1951, 1952-1953, 1963-1969
* 454th Troop Carrier Squadron 1952-1953
* 737th Bombardment Squadron 1943-1945, 1947-1951, 1952-1953, 1963-1969
* 738th Bombardment Squadron 1943-1945, 1947-1951, 1952-1953, 1963-1969
* 739th Bombardment Squadron 1943-1945, 1947-1951
* 901st Air Refueling Squadron 1963-1969

Aircraft Flown

* Consolidated B-24 Liberator
* Boeing B-29 Superfortress
* Curtiss C-46 Commando
* Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
* Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

Operational History

World War II

Constituted as 454th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 14 May 1943. Activated on 1 June 1943 at Davis-Monthan Field, near Tucson, Arizona. Training began immediately on B-24 Liberators and the Ground Cadre was sent on 3 July to Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics, Orlando AAB, Florida. On 15 July, planes were sent from Davis-Monthan to join them at Pinecastle AAF, Florida for Practical Field Training.

From their bases in Florida, the Ground Echelon was transferred on 28 July 1943 to McCook Army Air Base near McCook, Nebraska and, on 1 August, the Air Echelon joined them. This was the first operational unit to use the newly constructed McCook Air Base. On 28 September the Group was reassigned to Charleston AAB, Charleston, South Carolina

On 2 December 1943 the aircrews and some key ground personnel were sent to Mitchel Field, New York on 2 December 43 in preparation for deployment overseas. These personnel were subsequently transferred to Morrison Field, near West Palm Beach, Florida and flew the southern route to North Africa. After additional training in Tunisia, the Air Echelon joined the Ground Echelon, who had previously departed from Camp Patrick Henry by Liberty Ship, at San Giovanni AAF, west of Cerignola, Italy, being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force.

Flying from Italy, the group flew 243 missions on over 150 primary targets in Italy, Yugoslavia, Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Rumania, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Greece, and Poland. During this time, 13,389.19 tons of bombs were dropped during 7,091 sorties on enemy marshalling yards, oil refineries, bridges, installations, airdromes and rail lines.

Participated in the drive to Rome, the invasion of Southern France, and the defeat of Axis forces in northern Italy. The 454th was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for "outstanding performance of duty in armed conflict with the enemy" as a result of their mission against the Hermann Goering Steel Works in Linz, Austria on 25 July 1944. The Group received a second Unit Citation on 24 May 1945, for similar action on the high priority Messerschmidt Aircraft Factory at Bad Voslau, Austria on 12 April 44.

On 8 July 45, the 454th returned to the United States and was designated 454th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy), being programmed for reassignment to Twentieth Air Force and the invasion of Japan as a B-29 group. The end of the war in August led to the group's inactivation on 17 Oct 45 and allocation to the reserve.

Korean War

The 454th was reactivated on 27 Apr 47 at McChord Field, Washington and redesignated the 454th Bombardment Group (Medium), as part of the reserves and equipped with B-29s. The group was reassigned in July 1949 to Spokane AFB, Washington. The 454th was ordered into active service on 1 May 1951 and assigned to Strategic Air Command. It was inactivated on 16 Jun 1951 after personnel and equipment were reassigned to the 98th Bombardment Wing and deployed to Yokota AB, Japan as part of Far East Air Forces.

The 454th was redesignated as 454th Troop Carrier Group (Medium) at Portland Columbia Airport, Oregon and allocated to the reserve. Again activated on 13 Jun 1952, it was inactivated on 1 Jan 1953, being replaced by the 403d Troop Carrier Wing.

Cold War

The 454th was redesignated as the 454th bombardment Wing, Heavy and activated November 15, 1962 at Columbus AFB, Mississippi, where it replaced the Strategic Air Command (SAC) 4228th Strategic Wing and received the Boeing B-52Fs flown by the 4228th SW. Conducted air refuelling operations and trained in bombardment operations.

Converted to B-52D in 1965 for Vietnam operations. Once operationally ready with the B-52D, the 454th wing headquarters, staff, tactical aircraft and crews and maintenance personnel were integrated into SAC's combat forces in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. The 454th Bombardment Wing completed more than 100 missions to South Vietnam without losing a single bomber to enemy aircraft fire. In May 1967 General Edward O. Martin assumed command of the 454th Bombardment Wing at Columbus, and one month later he led the wing on its second deployment to the Western Pacific area in support of Southeast Asia operations and returned to Columbus in December 1967. In May 1968 the 454th Wing made its third deployment to the Western Pacific area, its second under the command of General Martin.

Some upgraded B-52Cs were also transferred from the 99th Bomb Wing during 1968-69 and were operated as crew trainers.

As the demand for pilots to support the war in Southeast Asia increased, the number of B-52s based stateside fell because they were needed overseas. At the same time, Minuteman and Polaris missiles were taking their places in strategic deterrence, replacing much of the bomber alert force. So, after 14 years under Strategic Air Command, Columbus Air Force Base rejoined Air Training Command July 1, 1969, and resumed the mission for which it was originally activated—training pilots. The wing began phasing down for inactivation in May 1969 and ceased flying operations two days before deactivation on 1 July 1969.

References

* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air
* Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.

External links