582d Air Resupply and Communications Wing

The 582d Air Resupply and Communications Wing (582d ARCS) is an inactive United States Air Force wing. Its last duty assignment was at RAF Molesworth, England.

History
The 582d ARW was activated at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho on 24 September 1952. As the previous two wings had done, the 582d spent its first year at Mountain Home AFB training and preparing assigned personnel for its PSYWAR mission. Having been newly redesignated the 582d Air Resupply Group, it deployed from Mountain Home AFB to RAF Molesworth, United Kingdom (UK), and set up operations in Europe in February 1954.

The 582d was assigned directly to Third Air Force and provided the bulk of its air support to the Army 10th Special Forces Group, which had been transferred in total from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Bad Tölz, West Germany. For the next two and one-half years, the 582d worked closely with the 10th Group providing airdrop, resupply, and airland support with its assigned B-29 and C-119 aircraft.

The versatile SA-16 was utilized for amphibious missions, including night water-infiltration/exfiltration operations. Assigned SA-16s were also tasked to fly classified courier missions throughout the Mediterranean, Middle East and southern Europe.

On 25 October 1956 the 582d was reorganized and reflagged as the 42d Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium (Special). The 42d flew HU-16s, C-47s, C-119s and C-54 Douglas Skymaster cargo transport aircraft from Molesworth until 3 May 1957 when it moved 13 miles up the road to RAF Alconbury. However the squadron had a short life at Alconbury and was inactivated on 8 December 1957. The C-54s and C-47s were sent to Rhein-Main Air Base West Germany, and the C-119s were sent to the 322nd Air Division at Evreux-Fauville Air Base France.

Lineage
Wing
 * Established as the 582d Air Resupply and Communications Wing on 3 September 1952
 * Activated on 24 September 1952
 * Inactivated on 14 August 1953
 * Redesignated 472d Special Operations Wing on 31 July 1985

Group
 * Established as the 582d Air Resupply and Communications Group on 3 September 1952
 * Activated on 24 September 1952
 * Redesignated 582d Air Resupply Group on 14 August 1953
 * Inactivated 25 October 1956
 * Redesignated 472d Combat Support Group on 31 July 1985

Assignments
Wing
 * Air Resupply And Communications Service, 24 September 1952 – 14 August 1953

Group
 * 582d Air Resupply and Communications Wing, 24 September 1952
 * Military Air Transport Service, 14 August 1953
 * United States Air Forces in Europe, 25 January 1954 – 25 October 1956

Units

 * 582d Air Resupply and Communications Group, 24 September 1952 – 25 October 1956
 * 582d Air Resupply Squadron, 20 May 1953 – 24 October 1956

Bases Assigned

 * Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, 24 September 1952
 * Great Falls Air Force Base, Montana, 1 May 1953
 * Wiesbaden Air Base, Germany, 25 January 1954
 * RAF Molesworth, England, 21 February 1954 – 25 October 1956

Major Aircraft Assigned

 * Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar 1951–1956
 * Boeing B-29 Superfortress 1951–1956
 * Grumman SA-16 Albatross 1953–1956