464th Tactical Airlift Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 464th Tactical Airlift Wing


caption= 464th Tactical Airlift Wing Insignia
dates= 1943 - 1945, 1953 - 1971
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Air Force
type=
role= Bomber, Tactical Airlift
size=
command_structure= Tactical Air Command
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
anniversaries=The 464th Tactical Airlift Wing was a theater airlift unit of the United States Air Force during the Cold War. It served in the United States under Tactical Air Command between 1953 - 1971.

Its predecessor was the 464th Bombardment Group which 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.

History

Operational Units

World War II
* 776th Bombardment Squadron 1943-1945
* 777th Bombardment Squadron 1943-1945
* 778th Bombardment Squadron 1943-1945
* 779th Bombardment Squadron 1943-1945Cold War
* 777th Tactical Airlift Squadron (PB) 1954-1971
* 778th Tactical Airlift Squadron (PG) 1954-1971
* 779th Tactical Airlift Squadron (PR) 1954-1971

Stations Assigned

* Wendover Field, UT 1 Aug 1943
* Gowen Field, ID 22 Aug 1943
* Pocatello AAF, ID 2 Oct 1943-9 Feb 1944
* Pantanella Airfield, Italy Mar 1944
* Gioia, Italy 21 Apr 1944
* Pantanella Airfield, Italy c. 1 Jun 1944-c. May 1945
* Waller Field, Trinidad Jun-31 Jul 1945
* Lawson AFB, Georgia, 1 Feb 1953 - 21 Sep 1954
* Pope AFB, North Carolina, 21 Sep 1954 - 31 Aug 1971

Aircraft Flown

* Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1943-1945
* Curtiss C-46 Commando 1953-1954
* Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar 1953-1958
* Fairchild C-123 Provider 1955-1964
* Lockheed C-130 Hercules 1963-1971

Operational History

World War II

Constituted as 464th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943. Activated on 1 Aug 1943. Trained for combat with B-24's. Moved to the Mediterranean theater, Feb-Apr 1944, with the air echelon training for a few weeks in Tunisia before joining the remainder of the group in Italy.

Assigned to the 55th Bombardment Wing of Fifteenth Air Force, Apr 1944-May 1945, operating primarily as part of the strategic bombardment force that disrupted German industry and communications. Flew long-range missions to attack such objectives as marshalling yards, oil refineries, oil storage facilities, aircraft factories, and chemical plants in Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria, Romania, Yugoslavia, and Greece.

Received a Distinguished Unit Citation for leading the 55th Wing in compact formation through heavy opposition to bomb marshalling yards and an oil refinery at Vienna on 8 Jul 1944. Received another DUC for a mission on 24 Aug 1944 when the group scored hits not only on the target, an oil refinery at Pardubice, but also on nearby railroad tracks.

Sometimes engaged in support and interdictory operations. Supported Allied forces during the invasion of Southern France in Aug 1944. Hit railroad centers to assist the advance of Russian troops in southeastern Europe in Mar 1945. Bombed enemy supply lines to assist the advance of US Fifth and British Eighth Army in northern Italy in Apr 1945.

Moved to Trinidad in Jun 1945. Assigned to Air Transport Command. Inactivated on 31 Jul 1945.

Cold War

Redesignated 464th Troop Carrier Group (Medium). Activated in the US on 1 February 1953. Assigned to Tactical Air Command at Lawson AFB, Georgia. Used C-46 and C-119 aircraft.

On 21 September 1954, Ninth Air Force trasferred the 464th Troop Carrier Wing, which specialized in tactical airlift operations to Pope AFB, North Carolina.

The unit (later redesignated 464th Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 March 1966) provided tactical airlift of troops and cargo, participated in joint airborne training with Army forces, and took part in tactical exercises in the United States and overseas. The wing provided aeromedical airlift and flew humanitarian missions as required.

Until it was inacivated, the 464th usually had two or more tactical squadrons deployed overseas at any one time, supporting airlift operations in Central America, Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, and Southeast Asia.

At Pope, the 464th received the Mackay Trophy for humanitarian operations in the Congo in 1964. It participated in contingency airlift operations in the Dominican Republic, April 1965-September 1966.

During its time at Pope, a major period of facility expansion occurred. The main runway, the taxiways, and the ramp were all expanded to support the 464th’s Fairchild C-119 "Flying Boxcar"s operations. During the 1950s and 1960s, aircraft upgrade was the primary trend at the North Carolina installation. The Fairchild C-123 Provider started replacing the C-119 in 1958, and in 1963, the first C-130 Hercules arrived, appropriately named “The North Carolina.” The 778th TAS was tail coded "PG" and its C-130Es had a green tail stripe.

The Wing was inactivated on 31 August 1971, being replaced by the 317th TAW.

ee also

* 839th Air Division, 8 Oct 1957-1 Dec 1958
* 838th Air Division, 1 Jul 1963-9 Nov 1964

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

* [http://www.zplace2b.com/464th/index.htm 464th Bomb Group Website]