542nd Combat Sustainment Wing
A member of a Navy SEAL team climbs aboard a 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing MH-53J Pave Low III helicopter at Elephant Butte Lake
Active1943–1945, 1971–1994, 2005–2010
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleLogistics Support
Part ofAir Force Materiel Command
EngagementsEuropean Theater of World War II
DecorationsAir Force Outstanding Unit Award
Commanders
Notable
commanders		General Hunter Harris, Jr.
Insignia
542nd Combat Sustainment Wing emblem (approved 9 June 2005)[1]
1550th Combat Crew Training Wing emblem (approved 30 Aug 1972[note 1]

The 542nd Combat Sustainment Wing, sometimes written as 542d Combat Sustainment Wing, is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force last stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It was inactivated in June 2010.

The wing was first organized in England as the 92nd Bombardment Wing, a heavy bombardment headquarters of VIII Bomber Command during World War II and took part in the air offensive against Germany until the surrender of Germany in 1945. In 1973, Military Airlift Command (MAC) activated the 1550th Aircrew Test and Training Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The wing trained aircrews for MAC, Air Mobility Command and Air Education and Training Command from 1971 to 1994 for search and rescue and special operations missions. In 1991 the wing was renumbered and consolidated with the 92nd Bombardment Wing as the 542nd Crew Training Wing. It was inactivated in 1994 and its mission, personnel and equipment were transferred to the 58th Special Operations Wing, which was simultaneously activated. The wing was redesignated the 542nd Combat Sustainment Wing in 2005 and activated as a logistics support organization, part of the Air Force Materiel Command Transformation project.

History

World War II

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 The wing entered combat on 11 December 1943, but its groups were withdrawn and it was not operational again until May 1944, although it conducted flying training operations in April.[1] The wing flew in combat in the European Theater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

Crew Training

The 1550th Aircrew Test and Training Wing was activated in 1973 at Hill Air Force Base, 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.[1] It moved to Kirtland Air Force Base, 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.[3] In 1983, the wing deployed three aircraft to support Operation Urgent Fury, the invasion of Grenada in the Windward Islands.[4]

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.[5] It also deployed personnel to support Operation Provide Hope in Somalia. At the start of 1993, Kirtland Air Force Base transferred to Air Force Materiel Command, and the wing lost its responsibility to act as host together with two of its groups.[6]

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.[7]

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 assigned 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.[8]

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.[9]
  • Reconstituted on 31 July 1985 and redesignated 542d Combat Crew Training Wing
Consolidated with 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing on 1 October 1991[1]

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[1]

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.[1]
Inactivated on 30 June 2010

Assignments

Stations

  • Polebrook, England (Station 110),[11] 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[9]
  • Hill Air Force Base, Utah, 1 April 1971
  • Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico 15 March 1976 – 1 April 1994
  • Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, 4 March 2005 – 30 Jun 2010[10]

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

Squadrons

Aircraft

Awards

Award streamerAwardDatesNotes
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 April 1974 – 31 March 19761550th Aircrew Test and Training Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 April 1976 – 31 March 19781550th Aircrew Test and Training Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1985 – 30 June 19871550th Combat Crew Training Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1987 – 30 June 19891550th Combat Crew Training Wing[1]
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
Air Offensive, Europe2 November 1943 – 5 June 194492d Bombardment Wing[9]
Normandy6 June 1944 – 24 July 194492d Bombardment Wing[9]
Northern France25 July 1944 – 14 September 194492d Combat Bombardment Wing[9]
Rhineland15 September 1944 – 21 March 194592d Combat Bombardment Wing (later 92d Bombardment Wing)[9]
Ardennes-Alsace16 December 1944 – 25 January 194592d Bombardment Wing[9]

References

Notes

  1. ↑ This emblem was retained by the 542nd Crew Training Wing.
  2. ↑ This wing is not related to the 92d Bombardment Wing, which was active from 1947 to 1991. Ravenstein, pp. 128–130

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Haulman, Daniel L. (2 March 2009). "Factsheet 542 Combat Sustainment Wing (AFMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  2. 1 2 Maurer, p. 411
  3. ↑ "Abstract, History 1550 Combat Crew Training Wing, Jan–Jun 1990". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  4. ↑ "Abstract, History 1550 Aircrew Training & Test Wing, Jul-Dec 1983". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  5. ↑ "Abstract, History 542 Crew Training Wing, Jan-Jun 1991". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  6. ↑ "Abstract, History 542 Crew Training Wing, Jul 1991-Dec 1992". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  7. ↑ Blyth, p. vii
  8. ↑ Briefing 542d Combat Sustainment Wing Requirement Symposium 2006 (retrieved 1 January 2013)
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Lineage, station, and campaign information through 1945 are in Maurer, p. 411
  10. 1 2 Lineage, Station, Aircraft, Assignment information not included in Maurer, Combat Units is from the AFHRA Factsheet through 2009
  11. ↑ United Kingdom AAF station numbers are in Anderson
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 See Mueller, p. 244
  13. 1 2 3 4 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
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