310th Space Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 310th Space Wing


caption= 310th Space Wing emblem
dates= 1942-Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Air Force
type= Space Operations
role= Combat Support
size=
command_structure= Tenth Air Force
current_commander=
garrison= Schriever Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=


* World War II: European Campaign (1942-1945)
tailcode=

The 310th Space Wing (310 SW) is a Reserve space wing of the United States Air Force. It's headquarters is at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado and reports to the Tenth Air Force.

Mission

Provide specialized expertise, continuity and combat ready personnel, projecting space power for U.S. interests worldwide [ [http://www.afspc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3644 310th SG Factsheet] ]

Subordinate units

* 6th Space Operations Squadron (DMSP backup for NOAA)
* 7th Space Operations Squadron (associate unit to 1 SOPS)
* 8th Space Warning Squadron (operates SBIRS at Buckley AFB)
* 9th Space Operations Squadron (supports the Fourteenth Air Force Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg AFB)
* 14th Test Squadron (associate unit to 17th Test Squadron)
* 19th Space Operations Squadron (associate unit to 2 SOPS)
* 310th Security Forces Squadron
* 310th Communications Flight (augments INOSC West at Peterson AFB)
* Reserve National Security Space Institute (associate unit to the NSSI)
* 380th Space Control Squadron (associate unit to 16th Space Control Squadron at Peterson AFB)

History

The 310th has a long and rich heritage dating back to World War II when it began as the 310th Bombardment Group on March 15, 1942 flying B-25 Mitchells. The 310th Bombardment Wing was reactivated in 1952 and trained on the B-29 Superfortress before converting to the B-47 Stratojet. It was deactivated in June 1965.

Lineage

* Established as 310th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 28 Jan 1942: Activated on 15 Mar 1942: Redesignated 310th Bombardment Group, Medium on 20 Aug 1943: Inactivated on 12 Sep 1945
* Redesignated 310th Bombardment Group, Light, and activated in the Reserve, on 27 Dec 1946. : Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949:: Consolidated (31 Jan 1984) with the 310th Bombardment Wing, Medium, :: which was established on 15 Mar 1952. Activated on 28 Mar 1952
* Redesignated 310th Strategic Aerospace Wing on 1 Mar 1962: Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Jun 1965
* Redesignated 310th Training and Test Wing on 29 Aug 1991: Activated on 1 Sep 1991: Inactivated on 1 Jul 1993
* Redesignated 310th Space Group on 22 Aug 1997: Activated in the Reserve on 1 Sep 1997: Redesignated 310th Space Wing 7 March 2008

Assignments

* Third Air Force: III Bomber Command, 15 Mar 1942
* Twelfth Air Force: XII Bomber Command, 2 May 1942:: Attached to 7 Fighter Wing, 1-17 Feb 1943: 7 Fighter (later, 47 Bombardment) Wing, 18 Feb-3 Nov 1943: XII Fighter Command, 3 Nov 1943: 57 Bombardment Wing, 20 Mar 1944
* Twelfth Air Force, 10 Aug 1945
* AAF Service Command, Mediterranean Theater of Operations, 15 Aug-12 Sep 1945
* Continental Air Command: First Air Force, 27 Dec 1946: 3 Bombardment Wing (later, 3 Air Division), 17 Oct 1947-27 Jun 1949
* Strategic Air Command: Fifteenth Air Force, 28 Mar 1952 :: Attached to 21st Air Division, 28 Mar 1952-:: 802d Air Division, 28 May 1952::: Remained attached to 21st Air Division to 4 Sep 1952::: Attached to 7th Air Division, 10 Mar-8 Jun 1955 and 3 Oct 1956-9 Jan 1957:: 819 Air (later, 819 Strategic Aerospace) Division, 20 Jun 1960:: 22 Strategic Aerospace Division, 1 Jul 1962-25 Jun 1965: Twentieth Air Force, 1 Sep 1991-1 Jul 1993:: Air Combat Command after 1 Jun 1992
*Air Force Reserve Command : Tenth Air Force, 1 Sep 1997-.

Stations

* Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 15 Mar 1942
* Jackson AAB, Mississippi, 15 Mar 1942
* Key Field, Mississippi, c. 25 Apr 1942
* Columbia AAB, South Carolina, 17 May 1942
* Walterboro AAF, South Carolina, 14 Aug 1942
* Greenville AAB, South Carolina, 18 Sep-17 Oct 1942 (ground echelon): RAF Hardwick, England, Sep-Nov 1942 (air echelon)
* Mediouna, French Morocco, 18 Nov 1942
* Telergma, Algeria, 21 Dec 1942
* Berteaux, Algeria, 1 Jan 1943
* Dar el Koudia, Tunisia, c. 6 Jun 1943
* Menzel Temime, Tunisia, c. 5 Aug 1943
* Philippeville, Algeria, 10 Nov 1943
* Ghisonaccia, Corsica, c. 10 Dec 1943
* Fano, Italy, 7 Apr 1945
* Pomigliano, Italy, c. 15 Aug-12 Sep 1945
* Bedford AAF, Massachusetts, 27 Dec 1946-27 Jun 1949
* Forbes AFB, Kansas, 28 Mar 1952
* Smoky Hill (later, Schilling) AFB, Kansas, 4 Sep 1952-25 Jun 1965
* Vandenberg AFB, California, 1 Sep 1991-1 Jul 1993
* Falcon (later, Schriever) AFB, Colorado, 1 Sep 1997-.

Components

Wings
* 40th Bombardment: attached 6 Feb-1 May 1953

Groups
* 310 Operations: 1 Sep 1991-1 Jul 1993

Squadrons
* 6 Space Operations: 1 Oct 1998-
* 7 Space Operations: 1 Sep 1997-
* 8 Space Operations: 1 Sep 1997-1 Oct 1998.
* 8 Space Warning: 1 Oct 1999-
* 9 Space Operations: 1 Oct 1999-
* 39 Reconnaissance (later, 428 Bombardment): 15 Mar 1942-12 Sep 1945: 1 Feb 1959-1 Jan 1962
* 40 Air Refueling: attached 9 Sep 1952-30 Apr 1953: assigned 1 Jun 1960-15 Mar 1963
* 310 Air Refueling: 8 Oct 1952-25 Jun 1965
* 379 Bombardment: 15 Mar 1942-12 Sep 1945: 11 Jun 1947-27 Jun 1949: 28 Mar 1952-25 Mar 1965
* 380 Bombardment: 15 Mar 1942-12 Sep 1945: 9 Aug 1947-27 Jun 1949: 28 Mar 1952-25 Mar 1965
* 381 Bombardmnt: 15 Mar 1942-12 Sep 1945: 9 Aug 1947-27 Jun 1949: 28 Mar 1952-25 Mar 1965: 550 Strategic Missile (ICBM-Atlas): 1 Apr 1961-25 Jun 1965.

Aircraft, Missiles, and Satellites Operated

* B-25 Mitchell, 1942-1945.
*B-29 Superfortress (1952-1954)
*KC-97 Stratotanker (1952-1963)
*B-47 Stratojet (1954-1965)
*CGM-16 Atlas Missile (1962-1965)
*KC-135 Stratotanker (1964-1965)
*Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (1997-Present)
*Global Positioning Satellite (1997-Present)
*Space-Based Infrared System (2006-Present)

Operational History

World War II

The unit was constituted as the 310th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 28 Jan 1942 and activated on 15 Mar 1942. Used B-25's in preparing for duty overseas.

Moved to the Mediterranean theater, Oct-Dec 1942, and assigned to Twelfth Air Force. Engaged primarily in support and interdictory operations in Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, Corsica, Sardinia, and southern France. The 310th Bomb Group also flew some missions to Austria and Yugoslavia.

The unit attacked harbors and shipping to help defeat Axis forces in North Africa, Dec 1942- May 1943. Bombed airdromes, landing grounds, and gun emplacements on Pantelleria, Lampedusa, and Sicily, May-Jul 1943. The unit supported the Allied landing at Salerno, Sep 1943. Assisted the drive toward Rome, Jan-Jun 1944.

Supported the invasion of Southern France, Aug 1944. Struck German communications— bridges, rail lines, marshalling yards, viaducts, tunnels, and road junctions in Italy, Aug 1943-Apr 1945. Also dropped propaganda leaflets behind enemy lines.

The 310th Bomb Group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission to Italy on 27 Aug 1943 when, in spite of persistent attacks by enemy interceptors and antiaircraft artillery, the group effectively bombed marshalling yards at Benevento and also destroyed a number of enemy planes. Received second DUC for another mission in Italy on 10 Mar 1945 when the group, maintaining a compact formation in the face of severe antiaircraft fire, bombed the railroad bridge at Ora, a vital link in the German supply line.

The 310th Bomb Group was inactivated in Italy on 12 Sep 1945.

The unit was redesignated the 310th Bombardment Group (Light) and allotted to the reserve. Activated in the US on 27 Dec 1946. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949.

Cold War

The 310th Bombardment Wing was activated in 1952 as a Strategic Air Command unit, receiving B-29 Superfortress bombardment training from 90th Bombardment Wing, Apr-Aug 1952. From Feb through May 1953, the 310th Bomb Wing provided bombardment training to the 40th Bombardment Wing.

Converted to B-47s in 1954 and participated in SAC REFLEX deployments, deploying to RAF Upper Heyford, England, 10 Mar-8 Jun 1955, and at RAF Greenham Common, England, 3 Oct 1956-9 Jan 1957.

The wing gained a strategic missile squadron in Apr 1961. First Atlas missiles went on alert in Sep 1962. Began phasing down for inactivation in early 1965.

Air Force Space Command

On 1 September 1991, the third wing to hold the "310" designation, the 310th Training and Test Wing (310 TTW), assumed the ICBM testing and training mission from the Strategic Missile Center at Vandenberg AFB, California under the Twentieth Air Force. After removal of ICBMs from alert status at the end of the Cold War, the 310 TTW continued to train Minuteman crews and to test accuracy and reliability of Minuteman and Peacekeeper missiles. The 310 TTW also assisted in testing the Global Positioning System (GPS) April 1992-May 1992. It was reassigned to Air Combat Command on 31 May 1992. It was inactivated on July 1 1993.

The 310th designator was again activated with the stand up of the 310th Space Group Sept. 4, 1997. The group was created around its original squadron, the 7th SOPS, and has grown rapidly with the realization of the critical role the Air Force Reserve can play in the future of space operations. The group has been tremendously successful in its initial missions and has been tasked with reviewing future active/Reserve partnerships in space to identify potential areas where the AF Reserve can add value in the space arena.

Air Force Reserve Command officials are expanding the role reservists play in space operations by establishing AFRC's first space wing at Schriever Air Force Base. Command officials activated the 310th Space Wing on March 7 2008. An activation ceremony is currently scheduled for April 4 at Peterson AFB. [http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123088966]

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

External links

* [http://www.afspc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3644 310th Space Wing official factsheet]