461st Bombardment Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 461st Bombardment Wing


caption= 454th Bombardment Wing Insignia
dates= 1943 - 1945, 1953 - 1968
country= United States
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branch= United States Air Force
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role= Bomber
size=
command_structure= Strategic Air Command
current_commander=
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colonel_of_the_regiment=
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* World War II: European Campaign (1943-1945)
* Vietnam Service (1967)
anniversaries=The 461st Bombardment Wing was a Cold War bombardment unit of the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command. It was active between 1953 and 1968.

History

Its direct predecessor was the 461st 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.

Lineage

* Constituted as 461st Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943. : Activated on 1 Jul 1943.: Inactivated on 18 Aug 1945
* Established as 461st Bombardment Wing, Light on 11 Dec 1953: Activated on 23 Dec 1963: Redesignated: 461st Bombardment Wing, Tactical on 1 Oct 1955: Inactivated on 1 Apr 1958
* Redesignated: 461st Bombardment Wing, Heavy and activated on 15 Nov 1962: Organized 1 Feb 1963: Discontinued and inactivated on 25 May 1968

Assignments

* Second Air Force, 1 Jul - 30 Sep 1943
* Fourth Air Force, Oct 1943 - Feb 1944
* Fifteenth Air Force, Feb 1944 - Jul 1945: 49th Bombardment Wing, 30 April 1944 – 1 July 1945.
* Tactical Air Command: Ninth Air Force, 23 Dec 1953 - 1 Apr 1958
* Strategic Air Command, 15 Nov 1962: Fifteenth Air Force:: 22d Air Division, 1 Feb 1963:: 819th Air Division, 1 Jul 1964
* Second Air Force, 1 Jul 1965: 19th Air Division, 2 Jul 1966 - 25 Mar 1968

Stations

* Wendover Field, UT 1 Jul 1943
* Gowen Field, ID 29 Jul 1943
* Kearns, UT 11 Sep 1943
* Wendover Field, UT 30 Sep 1943
* Hammer Field, CA 30 Oct 1943-Jan 1944
* Torretto Airfield, Italy c. 20 Feb 1944-Jul 1945
* Sioux Falls AAF, SD 22 Jul-18 Aug 1945
* Hill AFB, Utah, 23 Dec 1953-8 Apr 1956
* Blytheville AFB, Ark, 8 Apr 1956-1 Apr 1958
* Amarillo AFB, Texas, 1 Feb 1963-28 Mar 1968

Components

* 764th Bombardment Squadron 1943-1945, 1953-1968
* 765th Bombardment Squadron 1943-1945
* 766th Bombardment Squadron 1943-1945
* 767th Bombardment Squadron 1943-1945
* 909th Air Refueling Squadron 1963-1966

Aircraft flown

* Consolidated B-24 Liberator 1943-1945
* Douglas B-26 Invader 1953-1956
* Douglas C-47 Skytrain 1954-1956
* Martin B-57 Canberra 1955-1958
* Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
* Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

Operational history

World War II

Constituted as 461st Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943. Activated on 1 Jul 1943. Moved to the Mediterranean theater, Jan-Feb 1944, the air echelon flying B-24's via the South Atlantic and stopping in North Africa before joining the ground echelon in Italy. Began combat with Fifteenth Air Force in Apr 1944.

Engaged chiefly in bombardment of communications, industries, and other strategic objectives in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria, Romania, Yugoslavia, and Greece. Supported Fifteenth AF's counter-air operations by bombing enemy airdromes and aircraft centers, receiving a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission on 13 Apr 1944 when the group battled its way through enemy defenses to attack an aircraft components plant in Budapest. Participated in the effort against the enemy's oil supply by flying missions to such oil centers as Brux, Blechhammer, Moosbierbaum, Vienna, and Ploesti.

Received second DUC for a mission against oil facilities at Ploesti in Jul 1944 when, despite flak, clouds, smoke, and fighter attacks, the group bombed its objective. Also operated in support of ground forces and flew some interdictory missions.

Hit artillery positions in support of the invasion of Southern France in Aug 1944 and flew supply missions to France in Sep. Aided the Allied offensive in Italy in Apr 1945 by attacking gun emplacements and troop concentrations. Dropped supplies to prisoner-of-war camps in Austria during May 1945.

Returned to the US in Jul. Inactivated on 18 Aug 1945.

Cold War

Established as the 461st Bombardment Wing, Light on Dec. 11, 1953. Assigned to Tactical Air Command. Activated December 23, 1953 at Hill AFB, Utah. Redesignated 461st Bombardment wing, Tactical on October 1, 1955, at Blytheville AFB, Arkansas.

The wing flew flew B-26s from 1953 to 1956 and B-57s from 1955 to 1958.

Assigned to the Strategic Air Command on November 15, 1962 and redesigned the 461st Bombardment Wing, Heavy. Organized February 1, 1963 at Amarillo AFB, Texas, where it absorbed the personnel and equipment of the 4128th Strategic Wing. Trained with B-52s maintained heavy bombardment proficiency and participated in numerous operational readiness inspections and actual and simulated exercises.

Deployed B-52 aircraft and crews to Andersen AFB, Guam from January 18, to July 4, 1967 for combat operations in Southeast Asia.

Inactivated March 25, 1968.

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.

External links