72d Air Base Wing

The 72d Air Base Wing (72 ABW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Materiel Command Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (OC-ALC). It is stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The wing is also the host unit at Tinker.

The diverse, multi-unit, multi-mission wing includes base services and support for the OC-ALC and associate organizations as well as dependents and retirees.

Established in 1941, the 72d is a successor unit to the World War II 72d Reconnaissance Group (Special) combat organization that had earned Antisubmarine and American Theater campaign streamers. The 72d Bombardment Wing, Heavy was a component wing of Strategic Air Command's heavy bomber deterrent force throughout the Cold War. The wing earned two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, flying RB-36, B-52 and KC-135 aircraft, before its inactivation on 30 June 1971 in Puerto Rico.

Its Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant Eric A. Harmon.

Components
Units of the 72d ABW are:


 * 72d Medical Group (MDG)
 * 72d Mission Support Group (MSG)
 * 72d Operations Support Squadron

Heraldry
Emblem: : Quarterly; first Azure a seme' of seven mullets Argent, second and third Or eleven lines radiant from honor point throughout Azure, fourth Azure two mullets in bend sinister Argent, overall a globe gridlines, surmounted by a stylized compass star Celeste outlined and detailed Blue; all within a diminished bordure Or. Approved on 29 June 1954; modified on 13 October 1995.

World War II
Activated during the summer-fall 1941 maneuvers in Louisiana as the 72d Observation Group; assigned to Third Air Force and stationed at Shreveport Airport, Louisiana with light observation and courier aircraft. Flew observation missions over Fort Polk and Army Maneuvers in Louisiana during 1941. Later assigned to Fort Riley, Kansas and supported Army maneuvers.

Reassigned to the Panama Canal Zone in January 1942 as part of the defense force of the Panama Canal; assigned to the new Sixth Air Force. The variety of missions assigned to the Group, and the aircraft on which they were carried out, was little short of amazing. Besides many, many coastal, maritime and anti-submarine patrols, the Group's airmen also carried mail routinely, conducted numerous search missions for missing—aircraft and vessels, provided reconnaissance and liaison support for the Army ground forces and coast-artillery units in the region, target-towing, and occasional photo-mapping work within Panama and the surrounding areas.

In February 1942, the Group was tasked to conduct periodic patrols of the Perlas Islands group in the Bay of Panama, as well as anti-submarine reconnaissance missions. These daily patrols, to be launched at irregular intervals by North American 0-47's, were specifically tasked to hunt for sub¬marines, while two other 0-47's were to be held on alert status (at Hangar 1) at Albrook Field for anti-submarine reconnaissance missions that might be handed down from Caribbean Air Force headquarters. Significantly, the results of each of these sub patrols was to be reported in person to the 6th Bomber Command S-2 (Intelligence) by the Flight Commander as soon as it returned.

Besides this vital work, the Group also conducted a courier service with 0-47's between Albrook and Guatemala City three times each week, stopping en route at Managua, Nicaragua and San Jose, Costa Rica, as well as daily courier services to all of the many aerodromes in the immediate Panama area. Additionally, courier service was operated between the remote Aircraft Warning Service sites that had airstrips and to the nearest aerodrome for those that did not.

The Group also detached small elements of Stinson 0-49's to the Interceptor and Bomber Command's to aid them in their own courier and liaison needs starting in January 1942. The Group also maintained one 0-47 at all times on readiness at Howard Field for search missions. Amongst others, this work was carried out on various models of the Douglas B-18, Bell P-39, North American 0-47, Stinson 0-49, Curtiss 0-52, the ubiquitous Piper L-4 and small numbers of Northrop A-17, Curtiss A-l8, Douglas A-20 and Douglas B-23 aircraft. Group strength varied greatly. As of 31 January 1942, it could count 18 0-47A's, three 0-47B's and six 0-49's.

Like other Group-size organizations in the Command, the 72nd Observation Group experi¬enced a dizzying series of contortions and changes, and was finally redesignated as the 72nd Recon¬naissance Group (Special) on 19 July 1943. By this time, however, it had lost the now redesignated 4th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and the 39th Observation Squadron to the Antilles Air Command (from 1 June).

Oddly enough, the Group itself apparently never adopted a unit insignia, although some of the subordinate squadrons did). The unit was inactivated on 1 November 1943.

Strategic Air Command
Activated in June 1952 as a Strategic Air Command very long range reconnaissance squadron at Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico, but not operational until it absorbed residual resources of 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing in October 1952 when the 55th was reassgigned to the newly activated Forbes AFB, Kansas administratively. Redesignated as 72d Strategic Reconnaissance Wing and received 3 (60th, 73rd and 301st) squadrons of RB-36D/E/F/H Peacemaker bombers. Conducted global strategic reconnaissance 1953–1955, gradually shifting to a bombardment training mission beginning in 1954, being upgraded to B-36J and B-36J(III) Featherweights by 1955. Redesignated 72d Bombardment Wing and received a squadron of KC-135A tankers in 1958.

With the phaseout of the B-36s in 1958, received B-52G Stratofortess intercontinental strategic bombers. Stood nuclear alert between 1959–1971 with the B-52G, was equipped with the AGM-28 Hound Dog cruise missile. Inactivated in 1971 due to a reduction of the number of B-52 wings, as ICBMs were taking over the nuclear alert duty. The wing earned two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, flying RB–36 [1952–1958], KC–135 [1958–1971] and B–52 [1959–1971] aircraft, before its inactivation.

In 1972 SAC activated the Strategic Wing, Provisional 72d at Andersen AFB, Guam. Although assigned the same number, this wing is unrelated to the 72d Air Base Wing.

Modern era
Reactivated as a base host wing under Air Force Materiel Command in 1994. Provides services and support for the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center and its tenant organizations.

Lineage

 * Established as 72d Observation Group on 21 August 1941
 * Activated on 26 September 1941
 * Redesignated 72d Reconnaissance Group (Special) on 25 June 1943
 * Disestablished on 1 November 1943


 * Reestablished as 72d Reconnaissance Group on 13 May 1947
 * Activated in the Reserve on 12 June 1947
 * Inactivated on 27 June 1949


 * Consolidated (31 January 1984) with the 72d Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Heavy, which was established on 4 June 1952.
 * Activated on 16 June 1952
 * Redesignated 72d Bombardment Wing, Heavy, on 1 October 1955
 * Inactivated on 30 June 1971


 * Redesignated 72d Air Base Wing on 16 September 1994 and returned to regular status.
 * Activated on 1 October 1994

Assignments

 * 2nd Air Service Command, 26 September 1941
 * Service Command, Caribbean Air Force (later, 6th Air Force Base Command; VI Air Force Base Command; VI Air Force Service Command), January 1942
 * VI Air Force Ground Support Command, 15 October 1942
 * VI Air Force Service Command, 21 August – 1 November 1943
 * 325th Reconnaissance Wing (later, 325th Air Division, Reconnaissance), 12 July 1947 – 27 June 1949
 * Second Air Force, 16 June 1952
 * Eighth Air Force, 1 January 1959
 * 823rd Air Division, 1 October 1962 – 30 June 1971
 * Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, 1 October 1994–present

Components
Squadrons
 * 1st Observation (later, 1st Reconnaissance) Squadron: 26 September 1941 – 1 November 1943
 * Detached 10 April-c. 20 June 1942


 * 4th Observation: 29 March 1942 – 1 June 1943
 * Detached 29 March 1942 – 1 June 1943


 * 39th Observation: 7 March 1942 – 1 June 1943
 * Detached 6 August 1942 – 1 June 1943


 * 60th Reconnaissance (later, 60th Strategic Reconnaissance, 60th Bombardment) Squadron: 12 July 1947 – 27 June 1949; 16 June 1952-30 June 1971
 * 73rd Fighter (later, 73rd Strategic Reconnaissance, 73rd Bombardment) Squadron: 1 August 1947 – 27 June 1949; 16 June 1952– 5 January 1959
 * 108th Observation (later, 108th Reconnaissance): 26 September 1941 – 1 November 1943
 * 124th Observation Squadron: 26 September 1941 – 12 March 1942
 * 301st Strategic Reconnaissance (later, 301 Bombardment) Squadron: 16 June 1952 – 17 June 1959
 * 915th Air Refueling Squadron: 1 September 1958 – 30 June 1971

Stations

 * Shreveport Municipal Airport, Louisiana, 26 September 1941
 * Adams Field, Arkansas, 2 October 1941
 * Marshall Field, Kansas, 11–27 December 1941
 * Howard Field, Panama Canal Zone, 18 January 1942 – 1 November 1943


 * Hamilton Field (later, AFB), California, 12 July 1947 – 27 June 1949
 * Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico, 16 June 1952 – 30 June 1971
 * Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, 1 October 1994–present

Aircraft

 * O-47, 1941–1943;
 * O-49 Vigilant, 1941–1943;
 * L-4 Grasshopper, 1942–1943;
 * B-18 Bolo, 1942–1943;


 * P-39 Airacobra, 1943.
 * RB-36 Peacemaker, 1952–1958;
 * KC-135 Stratotanker, 1958–1971
 * B-52 Stratofortress, 1959–1971