316th Wing

The 316th Wing (316 WG) is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force. It was the host wing at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility, Maryland. As host wing, the 316 WG operated, administered and maintained the base.

The wing's Operations Group was a highly-decorated C-47 Skytrain unit that served with Ninth Air Force and Twelfth Air Force in the European Theater of Operations and the Mediterranean theaters during World War II.

The wing's officially stated mission was to provide contingency response capability critical to national security to include emergency reaction rotary-wing airlift for the National Capital Region, combat-ready Airmen to Air and Space Expeditionary Forces, and a secure installation and robust infrastructure to support Andrews Air Force Base organizations.

History
The wing was originally established as the 316th Troop Carrier Wing in 1947 at the former Greeneville AFB, SC, primarily operating the C-47 and C-82. It was subsequently inactivated in 1949. In 1966, the unit was reactivated at Langley AFB, VA as the 316th Tactical Airlift Wing (316 TAW) of the Tactical Air Command (TAC). The 316 TAW conducted C-130 replacement training from January 1966 to November 1967 and C-130 maintenance training from February to Dececember 1966. In late 1967, the 316 TAW relinquished its training mission and became a typical operational tactical airlift wing with the C-130E Hercules. As an operational wing, the organization operated three tactical airlift squadrons in addition to its various maintenance and support squadrons.

The 316 TAW participated in joint airborne training, glider training, exercises maneuvers, and ferried freight in the United States and overseas. It also participated in worldwide tactical airlift operations, humanitarian missions, and special exercises and maneuvers, including joint airborne training. In 1973, the wing also participated in repatriation of South Vietnamese and American prisoners of war from North Vietnam.

In 1975, all tactical airlift assets in TAC were transferred to the Military Airlift Command (MAC). With TAC Headquarters being at Langley AFB, and with the pending arrival of the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing (1 TFW) and the first operational F-15A Eagles at Langley, MAC and TAC agreed to inactivate the 316 TAW and two of its three tactical airlift squadrons. All of the wing's C-130 aircraft assets were redistributed to other C-130 wings with the exception of the 36th Tactical Airlift Squadron (36 TAS), now known as the 36th Airlift Squadron, which was reassigned with its personnel and C-130E aircraft to the 62nd Military Airlift Wing (62 MAW), now known as the 62nd Airlift Wing (62 AW), a then-C-141 Starlifter strategic airlift wing at McChord AFB, WA in the summer of 1975.

From 1980-1991, the 1776th Air Base Wing (1776 ABW) was the host wing that operated, administered and maintained Andrews AFB, MD for all its tenant commands. The 1776 ABW wing was consolidated with the newly established 316th Wing (316 WG) on 21 June 2006. In addition to base operations and support of Andrews AFB, the 316 WG also operated UH-1N Twin Huey aircraft for quick-reaction rotary-wing airlift in the National Capital Region. Upon the recommendation of Base Realignment and Closure, 2005, the 11th Wing of Bolling Air Force Base merged with the 316th Wing and was redesignated the 11th Wing at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility.

Units
316th Operations Group (316 OG)
 * 1st Helicopter Squadron (1 HS)
 * 316th Operations Support Squadron (316 OSS)

316th Mission Support Group (316 MSG)
 * 316th Civil Engineering Squadron (316 CES)
 * 316th Security Forces Squadron (316 SFS)
 * 316th Contracting Squadron (316 CONS)
 * 316th Logistics Readiness Squadron (316 LRS)
 * 316th Force Support Squadron (316 FSS)

History

 * See the 316th Operations Group for additional history and lineage and history prior to 1947

Lineage

 * Established as 316th Troop Carrier Wing on 29 July 1947
 * Organized on 15 August 1947
 * Discontinued on 25 August 1948


 * Redesignated 316th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium, and activated on 23 August 1948
 * Inactivated on 20 October 1949


 * Redesignated 316th Troop Carrier Wing, Assault, and activated, on 15 November 1965
 * Organized on 25 November 1965
 * Redesignated: 316th Troop Carrier Wing on 1 March 1966
 * Redesignated: 316th Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 May 1967
 * Inactivated on 1 October 1975


 * Consolidated (21 June 2006) with 1776th Air Base Wing which activated on 15 December 1980
 * Inactivated on 12 July 1991


 * Redesignated 316th Wing on 21 June 2006
 * Activated on 22 June 2006
 * Inactivated on 30 September 2010

Assignments

 * Ninth Air Force, 15 August 1947-25 August 1948; 23 August 1948
 * Fourteenth Air Force, 1 February-20 October 1949
 * Tactical Air Command, 15 November 1965
 * 840th Air Division, 25 November 1965
 * Ninth Air Force, 24 December 1969
 * 839th Air Division, 31 March 1970


 * Twenty-First Air Force, 31 December 1974-1 October 1975
 * Attached to Operating Location A, Headquarters Twenty-First Air Force, 31 December 1974-30 June 1975


 * 76th Airlift Division, 15 December 1980
 * Twenty-First Air Force, 1 October 1985-12 July 1991
 * Air Force District of Washington, 22 June 2006–30 September 2010

Components
Groups
 * 316th Troop Carrier (later, 316th Operations) Group: 15 August 1947-25 August 1948; 23 August 1948-20 October 1949; 22 June 2006–30 September 2010

Squadrons
 * 29th Tactical Airlift Squadron: 1 April-15 November 1971
 * 36th Troop Carrier (later, 36th Tactical Airlift) Squadron: 1 April 1966-25 March 1968 (detached 28 March-29 June 1967); 5 July 1968-1 July 1975 (detached 25 February-15 June 1969, 24 November 1969-7 February 1970, 13 August-18 October 1970, 12 July-10 September 1971, 20 May-8 September 1972, 12 March-18 May 1973, 14 January-16 March 1974, and 13 August-16 October 1974
 * 37th Troop Carrier (later, 37th Tactical Airlift) Squadron: 1 October 1966-15 September 1975 (detached 24 September-21 December 1967, 27 April-13 May 1968, 24 November 1968-5 March 1969, 13 July-26 September 1969, 1 March-11 May 1970, 7 February-13 April 1971, 5 January-13 March 1972, 30 November 1972-15 March 1973, 31 August-16 November 1973, 12 April-29 June 1974, and 5 April-15 June 1975)
 * 38th Troop Carrier (later, 38th Tactical Airlift) Squadron: 1 January 1967-1 July 1969 (detached 5 February-22 July 1968); 15 November 1971-31 August 1975 (detached 13 March-16 May 1972, 31 August-5 December 1972, 18 May-13 July 1973, 29 August-3 October 1973, 13 December 1974-15 February 1975; not operational, 1 July-31 August 1975)

Stations

 * Greenville AAB (later, AFB), South Carolina, 15 August 1947-25 August 1948
 * Greenville AFB, South Carolina, 23 August 1948-20 October 1949
 * Langley AFB, Virginia, 25 November 1965-1 October 1975
 * Andrews AFB, Maryland, 15 December 1980-12 July 1991; 22 June 2006–30 September 2010

Aircraft

 * C-47 Skytrain (1947–1949)
 * C-82 Packet (1947–1949)
 * CG-15 Waco (1947–1949)
 * C-130 Hercules (1966–1975)
 * UH-1N Twin Huey (2006 – present)