34th Training Wing

34th Training Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=34th Training Wing


caption=
dates= 20 November 1940 — present
country=United States
allegiance=
branch=Air Force
type=Training
role=
size=
command_structure=United States Air Force Academy
current_commander=
garrison=Air Force Academy
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
identification_symbol=
march=
mascot=The Bird
battles=
notable_commanders= Patrick K. Gamble
anniversaries=
decorations=Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
battle_honours=

The 34th Training Wing (34 TRW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Mission

To educate and train potential United States Air Force officers.

History

Lineage

*34th Bombardment Group (1940 – 1945)
*34th Tactical Group (1963 – 1965)
*34th Training Wing (1994 – Present)

tations assigned

*Langley Field, Virginia (1941)
*Westover Field, Massachusetts (1941 - 1942)
*Pendleton Field, Oregon (1942)
*Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona (1942)
*Geiger Field, Washington (1942)
*Ephrata, Washington (1942)
*Blythe, California (1942 - 1944)
*RAF Mendlesham, England (1944 - 1945)
*Sioux Falls Field, South Dakota (1945)
*Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam (1963 - 1965)
*United States Air Force Academy, Colorado (1994 - Present)

Aircraft operated

*B-17 Flying Fortress (1941 – 1942, 1944 – 1945)
*B-18 Bolo (1941)
*B-24 Liberator (1942 – 1944)
*B-26 Invader (1963 – 1964)
*B-57 Canberra (1964 – 1965)
*O-1 Bird Dog (1963 – 1965)
*U-10 Super Courier (1963 – 1965)
*T-28 Trojan (1963 – 1964)
*C-47 Skytrain (1963 – 1965)
*A-1 Skyraider (1964 – 1965)

World War II

The 34th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 15 January 1941, almost a year before American entry into World War II. The group was the first B-17 equipped unit in the U.S. Army Air Corps and was created to prepare the nation for possible combat in Europe. [http://www.usafa.af.mil/df/dfmi/history.cfm]

The 34th flew patrol missions along the east coast after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. It served as a replacement training unit from mid-1942 until the end of 1943, and then prepared for overseas duty with B-24s.

The group moved to RAF Mendlesham England in April 1944 and entered combat on 23 May 1944. The 34th was assigned to the 93d Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a "Square-S". It's operational squadrons were:

* 4th Bomb Squadron (Q6)
* 7th Bomb Squadron (R2)
* 18th Bomb Squadron (8I)
* 391st Bomb Squadron (3L)

The group flew both B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign. The 34th flew 170 operations from the station, the first sixty-two while flying B-24 Liberators and the remainder with B-17G Fortresses. The change-over was made during the summer of 1.944 when, in common with other groups assigned to the 93rd Combat Wing, the 3rd Division standardised on the Fortress. The group helped to prepare for the invasion of Normandy by bombing airfields in France and Germany, and supported the landing in June by attacking coastal defences and communications. Continued to take part in the campaign in France by supporting ground forces at St Lo, 24-25 Jul, and by striking V-weapon sites, gun emplacements, and supply lines throughout the summer of 1944.

The group converted to B-17's in September 1944 and engaged primarily in bombardment of strategic objectives from October 1944 to February 1945. Targets included marshalling yards in Ludwigshafen, Hamm, Osnabruck, and Darmstadt; oil centres in Bielefeld, Merseburg] , Hamburg, and Misburg; factories in Berlin, Dalteln, and Hannover; and airfields in Münster, Neumünster, and Frankfurt. During this period the group also supported ground forces during the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944-Jan 1945. In March 1945, with few industrial targets remaining and with Allied armies advancing across Germany, the 34th turned almost solely to interdicting enemy communications and supporting Allied ground forces.

After V-E Day it carried food to flooded areas of Holland and transported prisoners of war from German camps to Allied centres. The 34th Bomb Group returned to Sioux Falls AAF South Dakota on 28 August 1945 and was deactivated.

Cold War

The 34th was reactivated in July 1963 as the 34th Tactical Group to train Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) personnel in counter-insurgency operations. It provided training for RVNAF strike pilots, forward air controllers, and observers. The 34th also flew a variety of combat missions, including close air support, escort and interdiction, psychological warfare, aerial supply, forward air control and tactical liaison. The group pioneered tactical weapons and munitions, such as the A-1 Skyraider, the minigun, the daisycutter, and the gunship. Aircrews of the 1st Air Commando Squadron performed the first combat tests of the FC-47 gunship beginning December 1964. The 6251st Tactical Fighter Wing replaced the group in July 1965, and the 34th was again deactivated.

Post Cold War

In late 1994, the 34th Training Wing was activated to encompass the Commandant of Cadets at the United States Air Force Academy as the administrative organization responsible for cadet leadership and military training programs, instruction in military and airmanship courses, and general supervision of cadet life activities.

References

* Freeman, Roger A. (1978) Airfields of the Eighth: Then and Now. After the Battle ISBN 0900913096
* Freeman, Roger A. (1991) The Mighty Eighth The Colour Record. Cassell & Co. ISBN 0-304-35708-1
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • 17th Training Wing — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 17th Training Wing caption= 17th Training Wing emblem dates= May 8, 1952 country= United States allegiance= branch= United States Air Force type= role= Training size= command structure= Air Education and Training… …   Wikipedia

  • 34th Fighter Squadron — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 34th Fighter Squadron caption= 34th Fighter Squadron Patch dates= 15 October 1944 15 October 1946 11 November 1954 15 March 1959 2 May 1966 Present country= United States allegiance= branch=United States Air Force …   Wikipedia

  • 34th Bomb Squadron — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 34th Bomb Squadron caption= 34th Bomb Squadron Patch dates= 11 June 1917 10 June 1919 15 July 1931 26 November 1945 19 March 1947 10 September 1948 10 May 1952 25 June 1958 15 November 1962 30 September 1976 1… …   Wikipedia

  • 35th Fighter Wing — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 35th Fighter Wing caption= 35th Fighter Wing Insignia dates= 1940 Present country= United States allegiance= branch= United States Air Force type= role= Fighter size= command structure= Pacific Air Forces current… …   Wikipedia

  • 57th Wing — Infobox Military Unit unit name=57th Wing caption= 57th Wing Shield dates= 20 November 1940 present country=United States allegiance= branch=Air Force type=Operational Test and Evaluation role= size= command structure=Air Combat Command current… …   Wikipedia

  • 366th Fighter Wing — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 366th Fighter Wing caption=Emblem of the 366th Fighter Wing dates= 1943 present country= United States allegiance= branch= U.S. Air Force type= role= size= command structure= garrison=Mountain Home AFB garrison… …   Wikipedia

  • 306th Flying Training Group — Infobox Military Unit unit name=306th Flying Training Group caption= 306th Flying Training Group Emblem dates= 1 March 1942 present country=United States allegiance= branch=United States Air Force type=Aircraft Flight Training role= size= command …   Wikipedia

  • 1st Fighter Wing — Infobox Military Unit unit name= 1st Fighter Wing caption= 1st Fighter Wing emblem dates= 1947 1952, 1956 present country= United States allegiance= branch= United States Air Force type= role= Fighter: air dominance size= 40 F 22 Raptor 45 F 15… …   Wikipedia

  • 388th Fighter Wing — Infobox Military Unit unit name=388th Fighter Wing caption= 388th Fighter Wing Shield dates= 19 December 1942 present country=United States allegiance= branch=Air Force type= role= size=2,700 command structure=Air Combat Command current commander …   Wikipedia

  • New York Fighter Wing — Active 1942–1944 Country United States Branch United States Air Force Role Fighter Engagements …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”