307th Bomb Wing

The 307th Bomb Wing (307 BW) 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 Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.

The 307th BW is an associate unit of the 2d Bomb Wing, Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) and if mobilized the wing is gained by AFGSC.

Overview
The 307th Bomb Wing is the only reserve unit that operates the B-52H Stratofortress. The 307 BW employs approximately 1,600 Air Force Reservists in a combination of full-time Active Guard & Reserve (AGR) and Air Reserve Technician (ART) and part-time Traditional Reservist (TR) personnel.

The 307th Strategic Wing (307th SW) was last assigned to the Strategic Air Command, 3d Air Division, being stationed at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield, Thailand. It was inactivated on 30 September 1975.

Units
The 307th Bomb Wing consists of the following major units:
 * 307th Operations Group
 * 93d Bomb Squadron
 * 343d Bomb Squadron


 * 307th Maintenance Group
 * 307th Mission Support Group

History

 * For additional lineage and history, see 307th Operations Group

The 307th replaced the 94th Combat Bombardment Wing VHB (Provisional) and other organizations in August 1947. From then until December 15, 1948 the 307th Wing controlled, in addition to its own units, the 82d Fighter Wing at Grenier Field, NH. In September 1947 it began training other SAC combat units in anti-submarine warfare. In February, it began operating a B-29 transition training school and standardized combat training for all SAC units.

Korean War
In August 1950, the 307th deployed to Okinawa. Detached from SAC, it began operations under Far East Air Forces (FEAF) Bomber Command, provisional. The attached 306th Bomb Group transferred to its parent wing on September 1, 1950 and until February 10, 1951 the 307th had no tactical mission. On that date, wing resources were used to train the 6th Air Division at MacDill and the wing deployed without personnel to Kadena AB, where it absorbed resources of the 307th Bomb Group and began flying combat missions.

During the Korean War, the 307th Bomb Wing received a Presidential Unit Citation for their extraordinary heroism in action against an enemy of the United Nations during the period of 11 to 27 July 1953. During this time it flew 93 sorties and dropped 860 tons of bombs on targets at the North Korean Simanju Airfield, where, despite severe airframe icing, intense enemy anti-aircraft fire and co-ordinated searchlight and fighter opposition, it rendered the airfield unserviceable. The 307th also flew the last B-29 Superfortress combat mission on 23 July 1953.

By the end of the hostilities, the wing (including its tactical group) had flown 5,810 combat sorties in 573 combat missions. The wing remained in the Far East in combat ready status and on August 15, 1953 Kadena AB, Okinawa became its permanent base.

Cold War
The 307th returned to the United States in November 1954 and disposed of its B-29's at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. It proceeded to its new base, Lincoln AFB, Nebraska. Replaced the propeller-driven B-29s with new B-47E Stratojet swept-wing medium bombers in 1955, capable of flying at high subsonic speeds and primarily designed for penetrating the airspace of the Soviet Union.

It conducted strategic bombardment training and air refueling operations to meet SAC's global commitments. 4362d Support Squadron later the 4352d Post Attack Command and Control Squadron was attached July 20, 1962 - December 24, 1964. of SAC's strategic arsenal. In January 1965 the wing began phasing down as Lincoln AFB was being closed and the wing's B-47s were retired. Discontinued and inactivated on March 25, 1965.

Vietnam War

 * See also: U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield

The wing was again activated in 1970 as the 307th Strategic Wing when it replaced the 4258th Strategic Wing (4258 SW) at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield, Thailand. The 4258th SW was established by SAC at U-Tapao on 2 June 1966 and attached to the 3d Air Division to supporting deployed Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers that deployed to Thailand from the United States to engage in combat operations over Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. The wing was assigned three maintenance squadrons and received administrative and logistics support from the 635th Combat Support Group of Pacific Air Forces. The following year, the wing added the 4258th Munitions Maintenance Squadron, which enabled it to support Boeing B-52 Stratofortress operations as well. In 1970, in order to perpetuate the lineage of inactive bombardment units with illustrious World War II records, SAC received authority from Headquarters, USAF to discontinue its two Major Command controlled (MAJCON) strategic wings in the Pacific and replace them with Air Force controlled (AFCON) units, which could carry a lineage and history. On 1 April 1970, the 4258th SW was discontinued and replaced by the 307th Strategic Wing which assumed its mission, personnel, and equipment on 1 February 1963. The 4258th's maintenance squadrons were replaced by ones with the 307th numerical designation of the newly established wing. Each of the new units assumed the personnel, equipment, and mission of its predecessor. The 307th was the only regular Air Force SAC Wing stationed in Southeast Asia.

Using aircraft and crews deployed from CONUS-based SAC wings, the 307th conducted conventional bombardment operations and provided KC-135 aerial refueling (Young Tiger Tanker Task Force) of U.S. aircraft in Southeast Asia as directed through the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. It ended all combat operations on August 14, 1973 as a result of the Congressionally mandated end of US Combat activities over Laos and Cambodia.

The final B-52 returned to its home unit in June 1975, but the wing continued some KC-135 and refueling operations supporting the USAF tactical units in Thailand until inactivated on September 30, 1975 as part of the USAF withdrawsl from its Thai bases.

Lineage

 * Established as 307th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy, on 28 July 1947
 * Organized on 15 August 1947
 * 307 Bombardment Group, Medium, assigned as subordinate unit on 28 May 1948
 * Discontinued on 12 July 1948
 * Group element remained active


 * Re-designated 307th Bombardment Wing, Medium, and activated on 12 July 1948
 * Group element assigned as subordinate unit
 * Group element inactivated on 16 June 1952
 * Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 March 1965


 * Re-designated 307th Strategic Wing on 21 January 1970
 * Activated on 1 April 1970 assuming the resources (Manpower, Aircraft, Equipment, Weapons, & Facilities) of the 4258th Strategic Wing.
 * Inactivated on 30 September 1975
 * Group element re-designated 307th Operations Group, 8 December 2010 (Remained inactive)


 * Re-designated 307th Bomb Wing and activated on January 8, 2011
 * Group element assigned as subordinate unit

Assignments

 * Strategic Air Command, 15 August 1947-12 July 1948; 12 July 1948
 * Fifteenth Air Force, 16 December 1948
 * Second Air Force, 1 April 1950
 * 6th Air Division, 10 February 1951
 * Attached to: Far East Air Forces Bomber Command, Provisional, 10 February-11 August 1951
 * Attached to: Far East Air Forces Bomber Command, Provisional, ADVON, 12 August-11 September 1951
 * Attached to: Far East Air Forces Bomber Command, Provisional, 12 September 1951-17 June 1954
 * Attached to: Twentieth Air Force, 18 June 1954-


 * 818th Air (later, 818th Strategic Aerospace) Division, 11 October 1954-25 March 1965
 * Remained attached to Twentieth Air Force to 19 November 1954
 * Attached to: 7th Air Division, 7 July-5 October 1956


 * Eighth Air Force, 1 April 1970
 * Attached to Air Division Provisional, 17th, 1 June 1972-31 December 1974


 * 3d Air Division, 1 January-30 September 1975
 * 10th Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, 1 January 2011 – Present

Components

 * Wing
 * 82d Fighter: attached 15 August 1947-12 July 1948; attached 12 July-15 December 1948


 * Groups
 * 306th Bombardment: attached 1 August 1948-31 August 1950 (not operational, 1–12 August 1948)
 * 307th Operations: 15 August 1947-12 July 1948; 12 July 1948-16 June 1952 (detached 16 July-3 November 1948 and 8 August 1950-9 February 1951; not operational, 10 February 1951-16 June 1952.)

'' Squadrons
 * 99th Strategic Reconnaissance: attached 1 January-30 September 1975
 * 307th Air Refueling Squadron: attached c. 1 August-15 September 1950 (not operational); assigned 16 June 1952-1 July 1953 (detached); assigned 8 November 1954-1 June 1960 (detached 8 November 1954-31 January 1955, 8 April-21 May 1955, 2 July-3 October 1957, c. 1 October 1958-9 January 1959, and c. 4 July-5 October 1969)
 * 364th Bombardment Squadron Provisional*: attached 1 July 1972-30 June 1975 (not operational, 1 July 1972-c. 29 January 1973 and 9–30 June 1975)
 * 365th Bombardment Squadron Provisional*: attached 1 July 1972-1 July 1974 (not operational, 1 July 1972-c. 29 January 1973)
 * 370th Bombardment Squadron: attached 10 February 1951-15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952-25 March 1965
 * 371st Bombardment Squadron: attached 10 February 1951-15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952-25 March 1965
 * 372d Bombardment Squadron: attached 10 February 1951-15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952-25 March 1965
 * 424th Bombardment Squadron: 1 September 1958-1 January 1962
 * 4180th: 1 October 1970-31 December 1971 (not operational)
 * 4181st: 1 April 1970-31 March 1972 (not operational)
 * 4362d Support (later, 4362d Post Attack Command Control): attached 20 July 1962-24 December 1964 (not operational, 20-c. 31 July 1962)
 * Young Tiger Tanker Task Force: 1 April 1970- 1 June 1972 (Detached: l June 1972 - 1 July 1974; 1 July 1974 - 30 September 1975
 * Air Refueling Squadron Provisional, 901st*: attached 1 July 1974-30 September 1975

.* Composed of aircraft deployed from multiple CONUS-based wings

Stations

 * MacDill AFB, Florida, 15 August 1947-12 July 1948; 12 July 1948-14 August 1953
 * Operational components operated from: Kadena AB, Okinawa, 8 August 1950-9 February 1951
 * Operated from: Kadena AB, Okinawa, 10 February 1951-14 August 1953


 * Kadena AB, Okinawa, 15 August 1953-19 November 1954;


 * Lincoln AFB, Nebraska, 20 November 1954-25 March 1965
 * U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield, Thailand, 1 April 1970-30 September 1975
 * Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, 1 January 2011 – Present

Aircraft flown

 * Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1947–1950
 * Boeing B-50 Superfortress, 1950
 * Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1955-1965 (EB-47, 1962–1964)


 * Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker, 1955–1960
 * Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, 1972-1972, 1974-1975 (RC-135, 1975)
 * Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, 1970–1975, 2011–present