405th Air Expeditionary Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=405th Air Expeditionary Wing


caption=A B-52 being refuled over the Indian Ocean, as seen from the refueling operator on a KC-135. The KC-135 crew is from the 931st Air Refueling Group at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., and is deployed to the 405th Air Expeditionary Wing to support Operation Iraqi Freedom
dates= 2001-Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Air Force
type=
role= |size=
command_structure=
current_commander=
garrison= Thumrait AB, Oman
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot= NOVERE ET AGGREDI - "Deploy and Attack"
battles=
notable_commanders= James Ferguson
James E. Hill
William T. Hobbins
Chuck Horner
Chuck Yeager
anniversaries=

The United States Air Force's 405th Air Expeditionary Wing is an Air Expeditionary unit possibly located at Thumrait AB, Oman.

As the AEW concept operates under temporary orders by the owning MAJCOM for a specific purpose or mission, the specifics of the current mission and status of the AEW is unknown.

Mission

History

Lineage

The 405th Air Expeditionary Operations Group is the successor to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) 405th Bombardment Group (Dive), activated on 1 Mar 1943 at Drew Army Airfield, Florida.

The United States Air Force 405th Fighter-Bomber Wing was established and activated at Godman AFB, Kentucky on 1 December 1952. In 1952, the wing was bestowed the World War II honors and history of the USAAF 405th Bombardment (Later Fighter) Group. Inactivated: 1 July 1958.Redesignated: 405th Fighter Wing, Activated on 9 April 1959. Inactivated on 16 September 1974.Redesignated: 405th Tactical Training Wing, Activated 29 August 1979. Inactivated 1 October 1991.Reactivated as: 405th Air Expeditionary Wing in 2001.

Major Commands

* United States Army Air Forces
** Third Air Force (1943-44)
** Ninth Air Force (1944-45)

* United States Air Force
** Tactical Air Command (1952-58, 1979-91)
** Pacific Air Forces (1959-74)
** Air Combat Command, United States Central Command Air Forces (2001-?)

Stations

* United States Army Air Forces
** Drew Army Airfield, Florida (1943)
** Walterboro Army Airfield, South Carolina (1943-44)
** RAF Christchurch, England (1944)
** Various Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) locations in Europe (1944-45)
** Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia (1945)

* United States Air Force
** Godman AFB, Kentucky (1952-53)
** Langley AFB, Virginia (1953-58)
** Clark Air Base, Philippines (1959-74)
** Luke Air Force Base, Arizona (1979-91)
** Thumrait AB, Oman (2001-Present)

quadrons assigned

World War II:
* 624th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) (1943)
Redesignated: 509th Fighter Squadron (1943-46)
* 625th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) (1943)
Redesignated: 510th Fighter Squadron (1943-46)
* 626th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) (1943)
Redesignated: 511th Fighter Squadron (1943-46)
* 627th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) (1943)

Cold War:
* 1st Test: 30 April 1970-16 September 1974
* 8th Bombardment (later, 8th Special Operations; 8th Fighter): 18 November 1964-15 January 1968
* 13th Bombardment (later, 13th Fighter): 18 November 1964-15 January 1968
* 20th Operations: 31 December 1971-16 September 1974
* 64th Tactical Fighter: 10 June 1966-15 December 1969
* 90th Tactical Fighter: 15 December 1972-16 September 1974
* 425th Tactical Fighter Training: 29 August 1979-30 September 1991
* 426th Tactical Fighter Training: 1 January 1981-29 November 1990
* 461st Tactical Fighter Training: 29 August 1979-30 September 1991
* 508th: 8 October 1957-1 April 1958
* 509th: 8 October 1957-1 July 1958, 9 April 1959-24 July 1970
* 510th: 8 October 1957-1 July 1958, 9 April 1959-16 March 1964
* 511th: 8 October 1957-1 July 1958
* 523d Tactical Fighter: 8 October 1957-1 July 1958, 20 November 1965-31 August 1973
* 550th Tactical Fighter Training: 29 August 1979-30 September 1991
* 555th Tactical Fighter Training: 29 August 1979-30 September 1991
* 774th Tactical Airlift: 31 December 1971-15 September 1972
* Note: Numerous Temporary Duty (TDY) Squadrons Attached During Vietnam War.

Global War On Terrorism:
*405th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron (???-Present)

Aircraft Operated

*B-1B (2001-Present)
*KC-135R (2001-Present)
*F-15E (1979-1991)
*C-9A (1972-1974)
*C-118 (1972)
*C-130 (1972)
*B-57 (1964-1968)
*F-4 (1965; 1967-1974)
*F-102 (1960-1970)
*F-86 (1959-1960)
*F-100 (1956-1958; 1959-1967)
*KB-50 (1956-1958)
*VC-131 (1955)
*VC-54 (1955)
*C-119 (1954-1956)
*VC-47 (1954-1956)
*C-47 (1954-1956)
*C-45 (1954-1956)
*KB-29 (1954-1956)
*RB-29 (1954)
*B-57 (1954-1957)
*RB-57 (1954-1957)
*L-20 (1953-1956)
*H-19 (1953-1956)
*B-26 (1953-1956)
*B-45 (1953)
*F-84 (1953-1956)
*F-47 (1952)

Operations

405th Fighter Group (1943-45)

The 405th Fighter Group was a fighter bomber unit of the United States Army Air Force in World War II. They group flew P-47 Thunderbolts in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) starting with the buildup to the Invasion of Normandy ("D-Day") through the end of the war in Europe. The 405th was a unit of the Ninth Air Force, IX Fighter Command, IX Tactical Air Command, 84th Fighter Wing.cite web | url= http://www3.sympatico.ca/angels_eight/9tac.html |title= U.S.Ninth Tactical Air Force |accessdate= 2007-03-03] The 405th was primarily assigned to support Patton's Third Army. The group consisted of the 509th, 510th, and 511th Fighter Squadrons, plus headquarters elements. The group consisted of 73 aircraft.

The 405th Bombardment Group (Dive) was organized on 4 February 1943,cite book |author= Wyllie, Arthur |title= World War II Victories of the Army Air Force |publisher= Lulu Press, Inc. |year= 2005 |isbn= 978-1411648647 |pages= pp. 309–310 ] at Drew Field near Tampa, Florida, and activated on 1 March 1943. The group was initially equipped with a few Douglass Dauntless and Curtis Helldiver dive bombers. The group gained some P-39 Airacobras before they left Drew. The group was redisignated as the 405th Fighter Bomber Group on 15 August 1943.cite web |url= http://wing.chez-alice.fr/USAAF/405th_FG/405th_FG.html |title= 405th Fighter Group |language= french |accessdate= 2007-03-03 ] In September 1943 the group moved to Walterboro, South Carolina. In Walterboro the group was outfitted with the original "razorback" design P-47 Thunderbolts. In February 1944 the group moved by train to a point of embarkation (POE) camp near New York City. The group soon embarked the RMS "Mauritania for transport to England. After six days at sea, two of them in hurricane conditions, the group disembarked in Liverpool. The group traveled by train to Southampton then via lorrie to Christchurch, Dorset. [Henkels, pp. 78–111.]

From March to 29 June 1944, the 405th operated out of the RAF Christchurch. [cite web |url= http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/airfields/xchres.html |title= CHRISTCHURCH Resident Aircraft |accessdate= 2007-03-03] After setting up camp and training over England, the group began combat operations over France. During this period their primary task was ground attack ahead of the coming Operation Overlord invasion of Normandy. The group disrupted German positions and transportation infrastructure. Train locomotives were a favorite target. The group destroyed the Seine River bridge at Mantes-Gassicourt, northeast of Paris, just before the invasion, to inhibit movement of German materiel. [Henkels, p. 113.] The group was grounded during the 6 June invasion activities because Allied command was concerned that inexperienced anti-aircraft batteries would mistake P-47s for the German FW-190. The 405th resumed flying on 10 June, providing close air support to the beachhead. On 18 June 1944, [Wyllie lists this change as May.] the group was redesignated to the 405th Fighter Group. A few weeks after the invasion, the 405th packed up and moved to a POE near Southampton. [Henkels, pp. 161–164.]

While encamped at Christchurch, the Group officers bivouaced in Bure Homage, an English manor adjacent to the airfield that was requisitioned by the British Ministry of Defence for the war.cite web |url= http://www.users.freenetname.co.uk/~bgwells/BAEXCHSite/xchsite.htm |title= HISTORY OF THE BAE SYSTEMS CHRISTCHURCH SITE |accessdate= 2007-03-11]

The group's most notable action was the destruction of an entire German armored division near the town of [Avranches|Avaranches ["sic"] , France on 29 July 1944. After immobilizing leading and trailing elements of the 3 mile (4.8 km) long column, the rest of the tanks and trucks were systematically destroyed with multiple sorties.cite book |author= Henkels, John B. |title= They Also Serve: An Armorer's Life in the ETO |publisher= Dorrance Publishing Co. |location= Pittsburgh |year= 1997 |month= October |isbn= 0-8059-3998-9 |pages= p. 172]

The 405th also accepted the surrender of the highly decorated Luftwaffe ace, Hans Rudel, and his officers at the end of the war.

405th Fighter-Bomber Wing (1952-58)

Operated Godman AFB, Ky, Dec 1952-Apr 1953, and Langley AFB, Va, May 1953-Oct 1957. At the latter base, replaced 4430th Air Base Wing and operationally controlled numerous tactical and support components until Oct 1957.

Operations included gunnery and bombardment training, firepower demonstrations, weapons delivery training, and numerous tactical exercises, 1952-1958, plus air refueling, 1954-1958.

405th Fighter Wing (1959-74)

Replaced 6200th Air Base Wing at Clark AB, Philippines, in Apr 1959. Provided air defense and offensive fighter operations in the Philip-pines, Taiwan, and other Far Eastern points, Apr 1959-Jun 1962.

Operated Clark AB and its satellite facilities, Apr 1959-Mar 1965 and Dec 1971-Sep 1974.

Provided air defense training for Royal Thai Air Force personnel, from a base in Thailand, Nov 1961-Feb 1966.

From mid-1962 until the end of the conflict in Southeast Asia, frequently deployed assigned and attached components to bases in Southeast Asia for air defense and combat operations under operational control of other organizations.

405th Tactical Training Wing (1979-91)

Formed with the F-15B/D and F-5E squadrons of the 58th Tactical Training Wing and conducted Replacement Training Unit (RTU) operations. Later added the F-15E RTU mission and closed the F-5 school. Absorbed into the 58th TTW in 1991.

405th Air Expeditionary Wing (2001-?)

Supporting operations on three fronts of GWOT -- the Horn of Africa, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. B-1, KC-135, RJ-135 Aircraft, possibly others.

ee also

* 836th Air Division, 8 Oct 1957-1 Jul 1958

References

* ArmyAirForces.com 406th Fighter Group http://www.armyairforces.com/dbgroups.asp?Group=226
* Donald, David, "Century Jets. USAF Frontline Fighters Of The Cold War", 1995
* Endicott, Judy G., USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Office of Air Force History
* Freeman, Roger A., "UK Airfields of the Ninth: Then and Now", 1994
* Menard, David W., "Before Centuries. USAFE Fighters 1948-1959", 1992.
* Maurer Maurer, "Air Force Combat Units Of World War II", Office of Air Force History, 1983
* Ravenstein, Charles A., Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977, Office of Air Force History, 1984

External links