4128th Strategic Wing

On 5 January 1959, SAC established the 4128th Strategic Wing at Amarillo Air Force Base, Texas and assigned it to the 47th Air Division^[9] as part of SAC's plan to disperse its Boeing B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for the Soviet Union to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike. The wing initially comprised three maintenance squadrons and a squadron to provide security for special weapons. On 1 July, the 58th Aviation Depot Squadron was activated to oversee the wing's special weapons and the wing was transferred to the 810th Air Division.^[10]

The wing became operational on 1 February 1960 when the 718th Bombardment Squadron, consisting of 15 B-52s moved to Amarillo from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota where it had been one of the three squadrons of the 28th Bombardment Wing.^[11][12] One third of the wing's aircraft were maintained on fifteen-minute alert, fully fueled, armed, and ready for combat.^[13] In 1962, this was increased to half the wing's aircraft.^[14] The 4128th (and later the 461st) continued to maintain an alert commitment until inactivated, except for periods when the wing's aircraft were deployed. On 1 July 1962 the 4128th Wing was reassigned to the 22d Air Division.^[15]

Soon after detection of Soviet missiles in Cuba, On 20 October 1962, the 4128th Wing was directed to put two additional bombers on alert.^[16] Two days later 1/8 of SAC's B-52s were placed on airborne alert.^[17] On 24 October SAC went to DEFCON 2, placing all its combat aircraft on alert.^[18] On 21 November tensions from the Cuban Missile Crisis had eased, and SAC returned to normal airborne alert posture.^[19] Meanshile, because SAC Strategic Wings could not carry a permanent history or lineage^[20] SAC looked for a way to make its Strategic Wings permanent.

461st Bombardment Wing

B-52 Stratofortresses on a mission in Southeast Asia

In 1962, in order to perpetuate the lineage of many currently inactive bombardment units with illustrious World War II records, Headquarters SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its Major Command controlled (MAJCON) strategic wings that were equipped with combat aircraft and to activate Air Force controlled (AFCON) units, most of which were inactive at the time, but which could carry a lineage and history.^[20] As a result, the 4128th was replaced by the reactivated 461st Bombardment Wing, Heavy, which assumed its mission, personnel, and equipment on 1 February 1963.^{[2][note 2]}

In the same way the 764th Bombardment Squadron, one of the unit's World War II historical bomb squadrons, replaced the 718th Bombardment Squadron. Under the Dual Deputate organization,^{[note 3]} all flying and maintenance squadrons were directly assigned to the wing, so no operational group element was activated. The 58th Munitions Maintenance Squadron was reassigned to the 461st, while The 4128th's other maintenance and security squadrons were replaced by ones with the 461st numerical designation of the new wing. Each of the new units assumed the personnel, equipment, and mission of its predecessor.

In April 1963, the wing gained an air refueling capability for its bombers when the 909th Air Refueling Squadron was activated with KC-135 tankers. The 909th remained with the wing until June 1966, when it moved to March Air Force Base, California and was reassigned.^[21] The wing trained with B-52s, maintained heavy bombardment proficiency and participated in numerous operational readiness inspections and military exercises.^[2]

In January 1967, the wing deployed its aircraft and crews to Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, where they carried out missions in Southeast Asia as part of a provisional bombardment wing participating in Operation Arc Light. The wing's planes and personnel returned to Amarillo in July, where they returned to nuclear alert.^[2] However, "[i]n December 1965, a few months after the first B-52Bs started leaving the operational inventory, Robert S. McNamara, Secretary of Defense [announced] another phaseout program that would further reduce SAC's bomber force. Basically, this program called for the mid-1971 retirement of all B-52Cs and of several subsequent B-52 models."^[22] In addition, in January 1968, announcement was made that Amarillo would close at the end of the year.^[23] The wing's last operational B-52 was transferred to another unit on 21 January 1968, and the wing inactivated on 25 March.^[2]

Groups

• 461st Bombardment Group (later 461st Operations Group), 23 December 1953 – 8 January 1958, 1 October 2011 – present^[1]
• 461st Maintenance & Supply Group (later 461st Maintenance Group), 23 December 1953 – 8 January 1958, 1 October 2011 – present^[24][25]
• 461st Air Base Group, 23 December 1953 – 1 April 1958^[24][25]

Squadrons

Operational Squadrons

• 764th Bombardment Squadron, 1 February 1963 – 25 March 1968^[2]
• 909th Air Refueling Squadron, 1 April 1963 – 25 June 1966^[2]

Maintenance Squadrons

• 58th Munitions Maintenance Squadron, 1 February 1963 – 25 March 1968
• 461st Armament & Electronics Maintenance Squadron, 1 February 1963 – 25 March 1968
• 461st Combat Defense Squadron (later 461st Security Police Squadron), 1 February 1963 – 25 March 1968
• 461st Field Maintenance Squadron, 1 February 1963 – 25 March 1968
• 461st Organizational Maintenance Squadron, 1 February 1963 – 25 March 1968

Other units

• 461st Tactical Infirmary (later 461st Tactical Hospital), 8 April 1956 – 1 April 1958^[26]
• 4463d USAF Infirmary, 8 April 1956 – 1 April 1958^[26]