442nd Fighter Wing

The 442nd Fighter Wing (442nd FW sometimes 442d) is an Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Tenth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. If mobilized, the wing is gained by the Air Combat Command.

Overview
The 442nd Fighter Wing trains Air Force Reserve personnel and to operate, maintain and support the A-10 Thunderbolt II at the highest level of combat readiness.

Units
The 442nd Fighter Wing is organized like most Air Force wings. There are three groups under the wing that are physically located at Whiteman AFB:


 * 442nd Operations Group
 * 442nd Maintenance Group
 * 442nd Mission Support Group
 * 442nd Medical Squadron

There are also several geographically separated units (GSUs) that report to the 442nd Fighter Wing:


 * 476th Fighter Group, Moody AFB, Georgia (admin and mission support needs not provided by 23rd Wing at Moody AFB)
 * 76th Fighter Squadron
 * 917th Fighter Group, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
 * 47th Fighter Squadron
 * 710th Medical Squadron, Offutt AFB, Nebraska
 * 610th Intelligence Operations Flight, Offutt AFB, Nebraska

History

 * For additional lineage and history, see 442nd Operations Group

The 442nd was activated as a reserve troop carrier wing under supervision of the 2472nd Air Force Reserve Training (later, Air Reserve Flying) Center, June 1949 - February 1951 and June 1952 - March 1959. During the Korean War, 442nd personnel transferred as replacements to other USAF organizations. By the mid-1950s, it participated regularly in troop/cargo drops, airlift operations and exercises. The wing began incorporating the Air Reserve Technician Program (ART) for full-time support personnel in 1958 and completed same in 1959.

The wing was called to active service again during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 and continued to remain on active duty until August 1963, during which time the wing completed conversion to the C-124 Globemaster. The wing also flew overseas missions, particularly to the Far East and Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. In 1971, the wing began phasing out the C-124 and by 1972, had fully transitioned to the C-130 Hercules. In 1975, the wing's gaining command shifted from Tactical Air Command (TAC) to Military Airlift Command (MAC) as part of a USAF-wide shift of tactical airlift assets between the two major commands.

The 442nd flew humanitarian and mercy missions on numerous occasions in addition to worldwide airlift operations until conversion, in June 1982, to a fighter mission with the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. The 442nd again returned to the operational control of TAC and in October 1982, the wing was inactivated while its 442nd Tactical Fighter Group continued to train on the new aircraft. In February 1984, the wing was once again activated as the 442nd Tactical Fighter Wing and trained for A-10 fighter operations, including close air support, anti-armor, battlefield air interdiction, and combat search and rescue missions.

In 1992, as part of another USAF-wide reorganization, TAC was inactivated and the 442nd was renamed as the 442nd Fighter Wing (442 FW) under the newly established Air Combat Command (ACC). With the pending closure of Richards-Gebaur Air Reserve Station due to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) action, the 442 FW began relocation of its home base to Whiteman AFB, Missouri in 1993, completing said move by 1994.

On a recurring basis from December 1993, the wing deployed personnel and aircraft to Aviano Air Base, Italy, to participate in operations over Bosnia. It also deployed personnel and aircraft to Kuwait in support of Operation Southern Watch, in September and October 1998.

Lineage

 * Established as 442nd Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 10 May 1949
 * Activated in the reserve on 27 June 1949
 * Ordered to active service on 10 March 1951
 * Inactivated on 12 March 1951


 * Activated in the reserve on 15 June 1952
 * Redesignated 442nd Troop Carrier Wing, Heavy on 8 May 1961
 * Ordered to active service on 1 October 1961
 * Relieved from active duty on 27 August 1962
 * Redesignated: 442nd Air Transport Wing, Heavy on 1 December 1965
 * Redesignated: 442nd Military Airlift Wing on 1 January 1966
 * Redesignated: 442nd Tactical Airlift Wing on 29 June 1971
 * Inactivated on 1 October 1982


 * Redesignated 442nd Tactical Fighter Wing on 21 November 1983
 * Activated in the reserve on 1 February 1984
 * Redesignated 442nd Fighter Wing on 1 February 1992.

Assignments

 * Tenth Air Force, 27 June 1949 – 12 March 1951; 15 June 1952
 * Fifth Air Force Reserve Region, 1 September 1960
 * Ninth Air Force, 1 October 1961
 * Twelfth Air Force, 1 February 1962
 * Fifth Air Force Reserve Region, 27 August 1962
 * Central Air Force Reserve Region, 31 December 1969
 * Fourth Air Force, 8 October 1976 – 1 October 1982
 * Tenth Air Force, 1 February 1984 – present

Components
Groups
 * 442nd Troop Carrier (later, 442nd Operations) Group: 27 June 1949 – 12 March 1951; 15 June 1952 – 14 April 1959; 1 August 1992–present
 * 507th Tactical Fighter Group: 20 May – 25 July 1972
 * 916th Troop Carrier Group: 1 July 1963 – 8 January 1965
 * 917th Troop Carrier Group: 1 July 1963 – 5 February 1965
 * 926th Troop Carrier Group: 1 July 1972 – 1 January 1978; 1 February 1984 – 1 July 1987
 * 930th Tactical Fighter Group: 1 July 1987 – 1 August 1992
 * 932nd Troop Carrier Group: 1 October 1966 – 1 April 1969
 * 934th Tactical Airlift Group: 1 April 1978 – 1 October 1981
 * 935th Troop Carrier Group: 17 January 1963 – 1 November 1974
 * 936th Troop Carrier Group: 17 January 1963 – 30 June 1974
 * 937th Troop Carrier Group: 17 January 1963 – 5 February 1965; 21 April 1971 – 20 May 1972.

Squadrons
 * 65th Troop Carrier Squadron: 16 November 1957-14 April 1959
 * 303rd Troop Carrier (later, Military Airlift; Tactical Airlift) Squadron: 14 April 1959 – 17 January 1963; 1 November 1974 – 1 October 1982; 1 February 1984 – 1 August 1992
 * 304th Troop Carrier Squadron: 14 April 1959 – 17 January 1963
 * 305th Troop Carrier Squadron: 14 Apr 1959 - 17 January 1963

Stations

 * Fairfax Field, Kansas, 27 June 1949
 * NAS Olathe, Kansas, 27 May 1950 – 12 March 1951; 5 June 1952
 * Grandview (later, Richards-Gebaur) AFB, Missouri, 3 April 1955 – 1 October 1982
 * Richards-Gebaur AFB, Missouri, 1 February 1984
 * Whiteman AFB, Missouri, 1 April 1994 – present

Aircraft

 * TC/C-46 Commando, 1949, 1950–1951; 1952–1957
 * C-47 Skytrain, 1949–1950
 * C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1957–1961, 1966–1967
 * C-124 Globemaster II, 1961–1972
 * C-130 Hercules, 1971–1982
 * A-10 Thunderbolt II, 1982–present