Military Wiki
Register
Advertisement
542d Combat Sustainment Wing Air Force Materiel Command
542 Combat Sustainment Wing
542d Combat Sustainment Wing emblem
Active 1943–1945, 1971–1994, 2005–2010
Country Flag of the United States United States
Branch Flag of the United States Air Force United States Air Force
Part of Air Force Materiel Command
Warner Robins Air Logistics Center
Garrison/HQ Robins AFB, Georgia
Engagements European Theater of World War II
Decorations Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Commanders
Notable
commanders
General Hunter Harris, Jr.

The 542d Combat Sustainment Wing (CSW) is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force last stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It was inactivated in June 2010. It was first organized as a heavy bombardment headquarters of VIII Bomber Command during World War II. It was active a second time as part of Military Airlift Command, then Air Mobility Command and Air Education and Training Command from 1971 to 1994, training aircrew for search and rescue and special operations missions. It was most recently a logistics support organization from 2005 to 2010.

History[]

World War II[]

The wing was originally organized in 1943 as the 92d Bombardment Wing,[1] an operational command wing for Eighth Air Force. The wing entered combat on 11 December 1943, but its groups were withdrawn and it was not operational again until May 1944, although it conducted flying training operations in April.[2] The wing flew in combat in the European Theater until November 1944 when its assigned bombardment groups were attached to another wing.[2] In February 1945 the groups were reassigned.[3] The wing returned to the United States in July 1945 and was disbanded the following month.[3]

Crew Training[]

542d Crew Training Wing

emblem approved 30 Aug 1972 for the 1550th Wing, retained by the 542d Crew Training Wing

The 1550th Aircrew Test and Training Wing was activated in 1973 at Hill AFB, Utah, where it trained all USAF helicopter aircrews and trained HC-130 crews for search and rescue missions. It also provided pararescue training and, operational test and evaluation of materiel, and performed local search and rescue missions.[2] It moved to Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. in 1976 and expanded its mission to include special operations training. By 1990, the wing's primary focus would be on special operations training.[4] In 1983, the wing deployed three aircraft to support Operation Urgent Fury, the invasion of Grenada in the Windward Islands.[5]

From 1984 it focused on the training mission and was redesignated the 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing. In 1991, as the Air Force abolished the MAJCON (four-digit) unit system, the wing was merged with the 92d Bombardment Wing and renamed the 542d Crew Training Wing. Along with the new name, the wing acquired three groups and assumed host responsibility for Kirtland from the 1606th Air Base Wing as it reorganized as a USAF Objective Wing. That same year it deployed aircrew, maintenance personnel and operations personnel to support Operation Desert Storm. Wing aircrews were responsible for the rescue of seven aircrew during the operation.[6] It also deployed personnel to support Operation Provide Hope in Somalia. At the start of 1993, Kirtland AFB transferred to Air Force Materiel Command, and the wing lost its responsibility to act as host together with two of its groups.[7]

With General Merrill McPeak's call to retain historic United States Air Force units on the active list, the 542d was inactivated on 1 April 1994, while the newly redesignated 58th Special Operations Wing took over its training mission.[8]

Logistics Operations[]

The wing was again activated in 2005 as the 542d Combat Sustainment Wing as part of the Air Force Materiel Command Transformation project, which replaced the staff agencies at Air Logistics Centers with wings, groups, and squadrons. Its mission was to design, acquire, install, and sustain electronic warfare, avionics, support equipment, vehicles, missiles, automatic test systems and weapons. It was responsible for supply chain management for F-15, C-130 and C-5 aircraft and provided calibration standards and certification of Precision Measurement Laboratories worldwide. It was responsible for life-cycle management of over 800 systems valued at over $56 Billion. Its 542d Combat Sustainment Group supported assugned electronic warfare systems, the 642d Combat Sustainment Group supported assigned support equipment systems, the 752d Combat Sustainment Group supported assigned electronics systems, the 762d Combat Sustainment Group managed logistics support for all assigned systems, and its 782d Combat Sustainment Group supported assigned armament systems. the 742d Combat Sustainment Group supported precision measurement equipment worldwide.[9]

Lineage[]

92d Bombardment Wing

  • Constituted as 92d Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 25 October 1943
Activated on 1 November 1943
Redesignated 92d Combat Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 24 August 1944
Redesignated 92d Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 22 November 1944
Disbanded on 28 August 1945.[10]
  • Reconstituted on 31 July 1985 and redesignated 542d Combat Crew Training Wing
Consolidated with 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing on 1 October 1991[2]

1550th Combat Crew Training Wing

  • Designated as the 1550th Aircrew Test and Training Wing and activated on 1 April 1971
Redesignated 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing on 15 May 1984
Consolidated with the 542d Combat Crew Training Wing on 1 October 1991[2]

Consolidated Wing

  • Redesignated 542d Crew Training Wing on 1 October 1991
Inactivated on 1 April 1994
  • Redesignated 542d Combat Sustainment Wing on 31 January 2005
Activated on 4 March 2005.[2]
Inactivated on 30 June 2010

Assignments[]

Stations[]

  • Polebrook, England (Station 110),[12] 1 November 1943
  • Camp Blainey, England (Station 116), ca. 12 December 1943
  • Sudbury, England (Station 174), ca, 2 March 1944
  • Bury St Edmunds (Station 468), England, ca. 18 November 1944
  • Elveden Hall (Station 116), England, 12 February 1945 – ca. 13 July 1945
  • Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, 23 July 1945 – 28 August 1945[10]
  • Hill AFB, Utah, 1 April 1971
  • Kirtland AFB, New Mexico 15 March 1976 – 1 April 1994
  • Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, 4 March 2005 – 30 Jun 2010[11]

Components[]

Groups[]

World War II

Crew Training

  • 542d Medical Group, 1 October 1991 – 1 January 1993
  • 542d Operations Group, 1 October 1991 – 1 October 1994
  • 542d Support Group, 1 October 1991 – 1 January 1993

Crew Training and Logistics Operations

  • 542d Logistics Group (later 542d Electronic Warfare Systems Sustainment Group, 542d Combat Sustainment Group), 1 October 1991 – 1 October 1994, 4 March 2005 – 30 June 2010

Logistics Operations

  • 542d Armament Sustainment Gp, 4 March 2005 – 28 April 2006
  • 542d Automatic Test Sustainment Gp, 4 March 2005 – 28 April 2006
  • 542d Electronics Sustainment Gp, 4 March 2005 – 28 April 2006
  • 542d Materiel Sustainment Gp, 4 March 2005 – 28 April 2006
  • 542d Support Equipment and Vehicle Sustainment Gp, 4 March 2005 – 28 April 2006
  • 562d Combat Sustainment Group, 17 Apr 2006 – 30 Jun 2010

  • 642d Combat Sustainment Group, 17 Apr 2006 – 30 Jun 2010
  • 742d Combat Sustainment Group, 17 Apr 2006 – 30 Jun 2010
  • 752d Combat Sustainment Group, 17 Apr 2006 – 30 Jun 2010
  • 762d Combat Sustainment Group, 17 Apr 2006 – 30 Jun 2010
  • 782d Combat Sustainment Group, 17 Apr 2006 – 30 Jun 2010

Squadrons[]

  • 589th Combat Sustainment Squadron, 17 Apr 2006 – 30 Jun 2010
  • 1550th Flying Training Squadron, 1 April 1971 – 1 October 1991[2]
  • 1551st Flying Training Squadron, 1 April 1971 – 1 October 1991[2]
  • 1552d Flying Training Squadron, 1 April 1971 – 31 December 1972[2]
  • 1550th Avionics Maintenance Squadron, 1 April 1971 – 30 Sep 1973[13]
  • 1550th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 1 July 1974 – 1 April 1977[13][14]

  • 1550th Field Maintenance Squadron, 1 April 1971 – 1 July 1974,[13] 1 April 1977 – 1 October 1991[14]
  • 1550th Organizational Maintenance Squadron, 1 April 1971 – 1 July 1974,[13] 1 April 1977 – 1 October 1991[14]
  • 1550th Student Squadron, 1 April 1971 – 1 March 1973[13]
  • 1550th Technical Training Squadron, 1 March 1973 – 1 October 1991[13][14]

Aircraft[]

Lockheed JC-130 Hercules, 1986–1987
Lockheed MC-130 Hercules, 1993–1994

  • Bell HH-1 Iroquois (Huey), 1973–1975
Bell TH-1 Iroquois (Huey), 1971–1977
Bell UH-1 Iroquois (Huey), 1971–1994
  • H-3, 1971–1972
Sikorsky CH-3, 1976–1994
Sikorsky HH-3 (Jolly Green Giant), 1973–1994

Sikorsky CH-53, 1973–1994
Sikorsky HH-53 (Super Jolly), 1973–1994
Sikorsky MH-53 PAVE LOW, 1983–1994

Awards[]

1 April 1974 – 31 March 1976
1 April 1976 – 31 March 1978

1 July 1985 – 30 June 1987
1 July 1987 – 30 June 1989

Air Offensive Europe
Normandy
Northern France

Rhineland
Ardennes-Alsace

References[]

Notes[]

  1. This wing is not related to the 92d Bombardment Wing, which was active from 1947 to 1991. Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 128–130. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_wings.pdf. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 AFHRA Factsheet, 542d Combat Sustainment Wing 3/2/2009 (retrieved 31 December 2012)
  3. 3.0 3.1 Maurer, Maurer, ed (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 411. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/af_combat_units_wwii.pdf. 
  4. Abstract, History of 1550th CCTW, Jan–Jun 1990 (retrieved 1 January 2013)
  5. Abstract, History of 1550th ATTW Jul–Dec 1983 (retrieved 1 January 2013)
  6. Abstract,, History of 542d CTW, Jan–Jun 1991 (retrieved 1 January 2013)
  7. Abstract, History of 542d CTW Jul 1991 – Dec 1992 (retrieved 1 January 2013)
  8. Blyth, Lance R. (2006). A Brief History of the 58th Special Operations Wing. Kirtland AFB, NM: History Office. 58th Special Operations Wing. p. vii. http://www.aetc.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070202-057.pdf. 
  9. Briefing 542d Combat Sustainment Wing Requirement Symposium 2006 (retrieved 1 January 2013)
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Lineage, Station, and Campaign information through 1945 are in Maurer, Combat Units, p. 411
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Lineage, Station, Aircraft, Assignment information not included in Maurer, Combat Units is from the AFHRA Factsheet through 2009
  12. United Kingdom AAF station numbers are in Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II. Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. http://www.afhra.af.mil./shared/media/document/AFD-081010-027.pdf. Retrieved 7 July 2012. 
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 See Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 244. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. http://www.afhso.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-100921-026.pdf. 
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Mueller, Air Force Bases, p. 293

Bibliography[]

Further reading

  • Rogers, Brian. (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0. 
  • World Airpower Journal. (1992). US Air Force Air Power Directory. Aerospace Publishing: London, UK. ISBN 1-880588-01-3

External links[]




All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at 542d Combat Sustainment Wing and the edit history here.
Advertisement