Its initial mission was to coordinate Berlin Airlift operations for USAFE in conjunction with units deployed from the United States and the Royal Air Force.[citation needed] With the end of Berlin Airlift operations in 1949, flew theater airlift missions within USAFE and participated in numerous exercises.[1] With the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, wing deployed its operational component, the 61st Troop Carrier Group to Ashiya Air Base, Japan on 21 July 1950 to reinforce Far East Air Forces transport units and perform combat transport operations within South Korea and Japan. With the group deployed to Japan, the wing was inactivated in West Germany in June 1951.[1]
The wing was reactivated as the 61st Military Airlift Wing at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii in 1966 under Military Airlift Command, replacing the discontinued Military Air Transport Service1502d Air Transport Wing in January 1966. It "provided air transport and support functions for airlift operations in the entire Pacific Ocean area, Alaska to Antarctica, and the United States to Southeast Asia. Supported airlift, primarily in support of United States military forces in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.[1] The Hickam Aerial Port was a primary destination for United States military personnel on Rest and Recreation leave from South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, the 61st MAW operating the aerial port and coordinating flights by civilian contract airlines to and from bases in South Vietnam.[citation needed]
The wing's assigned airlift squadrons were inactivated in 1968 and 1969, after which became the 61st Military Airlift Support Wing[1] for Military Airlift Command flights within Pacific Air Forces as well as Naval and Marine Transports supporting their respective organizations in Hawaii.[citation needed] Inactivated 1 April 1980[1] and is equipment and most personnel being reassigned to the 834th Airlift Division.
61st Maintenance & Supply Group: 1 July 1948 – 2 June 1951
61st Station Medical Group (later 61st Medical Group): 1 July 1948 – 2 June 1951, 1 August 2006 – 30 July 2010
61st Troop Carrier Group (later 61st Military Airlift Group, 61st Air Base Group, 61st Mission Support Group): 1 July 1948 – 1 January 1951 (attached to 1st Airlift Task Force 5 November 1948, Airlift Wing (Provisional) 20 November 1948, 7497th Airlift Wing 10 January 1949 – 9 July 1949, Military Air Transport Service 21 July 1950, North Pacific Wing (Provisional) 26 July 1950, 1705th Air Transport Wing 24 August 1950, Far East Air Force Combat Cargo Command (Provisional) 10 December 1950 – 1 January 1951); 1 August 2006 – 30 July 2010
Military Airlift Support Squadrons were support units that had no aircraft of its own, but rather supported the forward operations of aircraft from other MAC units, principally from the CONUS. Furthermore, the support squadron was a consolidation of all the operations and maintenance functions that state-side airlift wings had organized as separate units.
Stationsedit
Rhein-Main Air Force Base (later Rhein-Main Air Base), Germany (later West Germany), 1 July 1948 – 2 June 1951
Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, 8 January 1966 – 1 April 1980
Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, 1 August 2006 – 30 July 2010
Aircraftedit
Primarily C-47, 1948, C-54, 1948, 1949–1950; and C-82, 1949–1951; but also flew (in single or small numbers) B-17, 1948–1949
^ abcdefghijRobertson, Patsy (29 October 2009). "Factsheet 61 Air Base Wing (AFSPC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
^The wing adopted this emblem from the 1502d Air Transport Wing. It is entitled to the history honors of the 1502d, but not its lineage.
^All components stationed with wing headquarters except as noted
^This group is not related to the 61st Air Base Group (originally 61st Troop Carrier Group).
Bibliographyedit
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
Rogers, Brian. (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
External linksedit
A History and Memory of the 610th Military Airlift Support Squadron (610 MASS)