This is an (incomplete) List of Major Command (MAJCOM) Wings of the United States Air Force, a designation system in use from c.1948 to the mid 1990s.
On the formation of the USAF from the USAAF, most wings were HQ USAF controlled - AFCON - units, with one, two, or three digit designations and continuing histories, which Air Force headquarters retained control over. However, HQ USAF recognised that its major subordinate formations, the Major Commands, needed some organizational flexibility in order to carry out their missions. Thus each command was allocated a block of numbers in a series running from 1000 to 9999 (for example, 3900 to 4399 for Strategic Air Command), and authorised to organise units as required within that block.[1] These organisation were called MAJCOM (major air command controlled) units.
The MAJCOM units, under the USAF organization and lineage system, for example, the 4137th Strategic Wing, lineage (histories, awards, and battle honors) ended with their discontinuance and could never be revived. MAJCOM wings were fundamentally 'temporary', though many stayed in existence for a very long time, and then were revived with a different name but the same number (note the two entries for the 4133rd Wing below). But under the USAF lineage system they could not carry on the histories of the previous units.
When the B-52 dispersal programme began in the fifties, the new Strategic Air Command units created to support this program were MAJCOM wings and given four-digit designations. Headquarters SAC was well aware of the historical significance of records and accomplishments of the strategic wings and the need to perpetuate this lineage as well as the lineage of many illustrious units that were no longer active.
In order to retain the lineage of the combat units and to perpetuate the lineage of many currently inactive units with illustrious World War II records, Headquarters SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its strategic wings that were equipped with combat aircraft and to activated AFCON units, most of which were inactive at the time.
The reorganization process, which took place from January to September 1963, was applied to 22 B-52 strategic wings, three air-refueling wings, and the 4321st Strategic Wing at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. "These units were discontinued and two and three-digit AFCON units were activated. In most cases, the bombardment squadron that had been assigned to the strategic wings were inactivated and bombardment squadrons that had previously been assigned to the newly-activated wings were activated. While these actions were almost tantamount to redesignation, they were not official redesignation. Therefore, the records, awards and achievements of the strategic wing could not be inherited by the bomb wings." [2]
During the Gulf War of 1990-91 MAJCOM wings, such as the 7440th Composite Wing (Prov) at Incirlik AB, Turkey, served alongside Provisional Wings such as the 801st Bomb Wing (Provisional) at Morón Air Base, Spain, and other AFCON wings.
The system was in existence up until 30 April 1991, when all such units became HQ Air Force controlled or AFCON. A number of MAJCOM wings were converted to AFCON status while retaining their four digit designation:
"At the same time, the Air Force withdrew the authorization for major commands to create MAJCON organizations. Those four digit organizations active on 30 April 1991, changed to organizations under the direct control of Headquarters USAF for organizational actions, eliminating all MAJCON organizations. Among the former MAJCON organizations were about twenty active four-digit wings. Within a few years, however all those wings were inactivated, consolidated with, or replaced by lower numbered wings."[3]
An example is the 4404th Wing in Saudi Arabia, which was only replaced by a three-digit AFCON wing, the 363d Air Expeditionary Wing, only in 1996 or later.
Wing | Location | MAJCOM | Date Activated | Date Inactivated | Replaced By |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1001st Air Base Wing | Andrews AFB | Headquarters Command | before 1957 | 1st Air Base Wing | |
1020th Special Activities Wing | Fort Myer | Headquarters Command | before 1954 | ||
1100th Air Base Wing | Bolling AFB | MAC | 1976 | 1985? | Air Force District of Washington |
1254th Air Transport Wing | Andrews AFB | MAC | 1 October 1948 | January 1961 | 89th Military Airlift Wing |
1370th Photographic Mapping Wing | Turner, then Forbes AFB | MATS | February 1959 | October 1968 | Aerospace Cartographic and Geodetic Service |
1501st Air Transport Wing | Travis AFB | MATS | 1958 | 6 January 1966 | 60th Military Airlift Wing |
1502nd Air Transport Wing | Hickam AFB | MATS | |||
1550th Aircrew Training and Test Wing | Hill, then Kirtland AFB | MAC | April 1 1971 | 1984 | 1550 CTW |
1600th Air Transport Wing | Westover AFB | MATS | Early 1950s | 1 April 1955(?) | Base transferred to SAC |
1602nd Air Transport Wing | Wiesbaden Air Base | MATS | Active 1952 | ||
1603rd Air Transport Wing | Wheelus Air Base, Libya | MATS | 1 June 1948 | Active 1952 | |
1605th Military Airlift Support Wing | Lajes Field | MAC | Unk | 1992 | 1/92: 606th MASWing; 6/92: 65th Support Wing |
1606th Air Base Wing | Kirtland AFB | MAC | 1 Jul 1977 | 1 Jun 1993 | 377th Air Base Wing |
1607th Air Transport Wing | Dover AFB | MATS | 1 April 1952 | 1 Jan 1966 | 436th Military Airlift Wing |
1608th Air Transport Wing | Charleston AFB | MATS | 1956 | 1966 | 437th Military Airlift Wing |
1611th Air Transport Wing | McGuire AFB | MATS | July 19, 1954 | ? | 438th Military Airlift Wing |
1707th Air Transport Wing | Palm Beach AFB | MATS | 30 June 1959 | Wing functions moved elsewhere | |
1776th Air Base Wing | Andrews AFB | MAC | July 12, 1991 | 89th Airlift Wing | |
1989th Information Systems Wing | Torrejon AB | AFCC(?) | ? | Active 1989 | Unk |
2005th Information Systems Wing | Europe | AFCC? | 1980s | Nov. 1986 | 1964th Communications Group |
2147th Information Systems Wing | ? | AFCC? | 1980s | ? | 2147th Communications Wing |
2750th Air Base Wing | Wright-Patterson AFB | AFLC | 1992 | 645th ABW | |
3079th Aviation Depot Wing | Wright-Patterson AFB | AMC | ? | 1962 | Special weapons storage and transport |
3246th Test Wing | Eglin AFB | ? | Before 1970 | October 1992 | 46th Test Wing |
3500th Pilot Training Wing | |||||
3510th Flying Training Wing | Randolph AFB | ATC | May 1, 1972 | 12th Flying Training Wing | |
3525th Pilot Training Wing | |||||
3500th Pilot Training Wing | Reese AFB | ATC | ? | 1972 | 64th Flying Training Wing |
3550th Pilot Training Wing | Moody AFB | ATC | 1 December 1973 | 38 Wing | |
3575th Pilot Training Wing | |||||
3640th Pilot Training Wing | Laredo AFB | ATC | 1 August 1972 | 38th Flying Training Wing | |
3800th Air Base Wing | Maxwell AFB | ATC | Jul 1948 | 1992 | 502d Air Base Wing |
3902d Air Base Wing | Offutt AFB | SAC | 1979 | 1 March 1986 | 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing; also active 1948 |
3904th Composite Wing | Camp Carson, CO | SAC | 1950 | 1 September 1954 | Moved in April 1952 to Stead AFB, NV; Reassigned to Air Training Command 1954. |
3918th Strategic Wing | RAF Upper Heyford, UK | SAC | 1952 as ABG | 31 March 1965 | Not replaced |
3920th Strategic Wing | RAF Brize Norton, UK | SAC | 31 March 1965 | ||
3960th Air Base Wing | Andersen AFB, Guam | SAC | 1 April 1955 | 1 July 1956 | 3960th Air Base Group |
3960th Strategic Wing | Andersen AFB, Guam | SAC | 1 April 1970 | 43d Strategic Wing | |
3970th Strategic Wing | Torrejon AB, Spain | SAC | 1 July 1957 | 25 June 1966 | 98th Strategic Wing |
3973d Strategic Wing | Moron AB, Spain | SAC | 15 April 1966 | Base transferred to USAFE | |
3977th Support Wing | Madrid, Spain | SAC | 1957 | 1 April 1958 | 3977th Support Group, Sixteenth Air Force |
4026th Strategic Wing | Wurtsmith AFB | SAC | 1 August 1958 | 9 January 1961 | 379th Bombardment Wing |
4038th Strategic Wing | Dow AFB | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 397th Bombardment Wing | |
4039th Strategic Wing | Griffiss AFB | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 416th Bombardment Wing | |
4042d Strategic Wing | K.I. Sawyer AFB | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 410th Bombardment Wing | |
4043d Strategic Wing | Wright-Patterson AFB | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 17th Bombardment Wing | |
4047th Strategic Wing | McCoy AFB | SAC | 1 Apr 1963 | 306th Bombardment Wing | |
4050th Air Refueling Wing | Westover AFB | SAC | 1 April 1955 | 1 Jan 1963 | See http://www.vermontel.net/~tomh/4050/4050.htm |
4060th Air Refueling Wing | Dow AFB, ME | SAC, Eighth Air Force | 8 March 1955 | 1 February 1960 | Reassigned to: Eighth Air Force, 820th Air Division on 1 January 1959;KC-97s. |
4061st Air Refueling Wing | Malmstrom AFB | SAC | 1 July 1957 | July 1961 | 341st Strategic Missile Wing |
4062d Strategic Missile Wing | Hill AFB, Utah | SAC | 20 Feb 1962 | ||
4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing | Laughlin AFB | SAC | 1 May 1956 | 1 June 1960 | 4080th Strategic Wing - moved to Laughlin AFB 1957 |
4080th Strategic Wing | Turner AFB | SAC | 1 June 1960 | 25 June 1966 | 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing |
4081st Strategic Wing | Ernest Harmon AFB | SAC | 1 April 1957 | 25 Jun 1966 | Not replaced (?) |
4082d Strategic Wing | Goose Bay AB | SAC | 2 Oct 1966 | 95th Strategic Wing | |
4083d Strategic Wing | Thule AB | SAC | 1 Jul 1959 | 4083rd Air Base Wing | |
4083rd Air Base Wing | Thule AB, Greenland | SAC | 1 July 1959 | 1 July 1960 | 4683rd Wing(?) |
4090th Air Refueling Wing | Clinton County AFB, OH | SAC | 1 August 1958 | 1 July 1960 | Unk |
4108th Air Refueling Wing | Plattsburgh AFB, NY | SAC | 1960 | 1 January 1963 | With 820th Air Division; replaced by 497th Air Refueling Wing |
4413th Troop Carrier Wing (P) | Sewart Air Force Base, TN | TAC | January 1966 | July 1966 | 64th Troop Carrier Wing |
4123d Strategic Wing | Clinton-Sherman AFB | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 70th Bombardment Wing | |
4126th Strategic Wing | Beale AFB, Calif. | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 456th Bombardment Wing | |
4128th Strategic Wing | Amarillo AFB | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 461st Bombardment Wing | |
4130th Strategic Wing | Bergstrom AFB | SAC | 1 Sep 1963 | 340th Bombardment Wing | |
4133d Strategic Wing | Grand Forks AFB | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 319th Bombardment Wing | |
4133rd Bomb Wing (Provisional) | Andersen AFB, Guam | SAC | 1 February 1966 | 1 July 1970 | |
4134th Strategic Wing | Mather AFB | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 320th Bombardment Wing | |
4135th Strategic Wing | Eglin AFB | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 39th Bombardment Wing | |
4136th Strategic Wing | Minot AFB | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 450th Bombardment Wing | |
4137th Strategic Wing | Robins AFB | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 465th Bombardment Wing | |
4138th Strategic Wing | Turner AFB | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 484th Bombardment Wing | |
4141st Strategic Wing | Glasgow AFB, MT | SAC | 1961 | 1 Feb 1963 | 91st Bombardment Wing |
4157th Strategic Wing | Eielson AFB | SAC | 25 Mar 1967 | 6th Strategic Aerospace Wing | |
4158th Strategic Wing | Elmendorf AFB | SAC | 25 Jun 1966 | ||
4170th Strategic Wing | Larson AFB | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 462d Bombardment Wing | |
4200th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing | Beale AFB, CA | SAC | 1965 | 25 June 1966 | SR-71s, 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing |
4228th Strategic Wing | Columbus AFB | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 454th Bombardment Wing | |
4231st Strategic Wing | Offutt AFB | SAC | |||
4238th Strategic Wing | Barksdale AFB | SAC | 1 Apr 1963 | 2d Bombardment Wing | |
4239th Strategic Wing | Kincheloe AFB | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 449th Bombardment Wing | |
4241st Strategic Wing | Seymour Johnson AFB | SAC | 15 Apr 1963 | 68th Bombardment Wing | |
4245th Strategic Wing | Sheppard AFB | SAC | 1 Feb 1963 | 494th Bombardment Wing | |
4252d Strategic Wing | Kadena AB | SAC | 1 Apr 1970 | 376th Strategic Wing | |
4258th Strategic Wing | U-Tapao AB | SAC | 2 June 1966 | 31 March 1970 | 307th Strategic Wing |
4300th Bomb Wing (Provisional) | Diego Garcia, BIOT | SAC | 17 January 1991 | ? | Not replaced(?); 6 B-52G from 42, 92 BWs |
4320th Strategic Wing (Missile) | F. E. Warren AFB | SAC | 1 February 1958 | 12 February 1958 | 706th Strategic Missile Wing, Atlas |
4320th Strategic Missile Wing | F. E. Warren AFB | SAC | 1963 | 90th Strategic Missile Wing | |
4321st Strategic Wing | Offutt AFB, NE | SAC | 1 October 1959 | 1 January 1963 | 454th Bomb Wing, Second Air Force |
4347th Combat Crew Training Wing | McConnell AFB | SAC | 1 July 1958 | 15 June 1963 | Not replaced |
4392d Aerospace Support Wing | Vandenburg AFB | SAC | 1991 | ||
4397th Air Refueling Training Wing | Randolph AFB | SAC | 1 July 1958 | 15 June 1963 | Unk |
4403rd Tactical Fighter Wing | England AFB | TAC | 15 Sep 1970 | 1 July 1972 | 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing |
4404th Wing | Prince Sultan AB | TAC | 1990s | 1998 | 363d Air Expeditionary Wing |
4413th Troop Carrier Wing (Prov) | Sewart AFB | TAC | July 1966 | 64th Tactical Airlift Wing | |
4505th Air Refueling Wing | Langley AFB | TAC | 8 Oct 1963 | ||
4600th Air Defense Wing | Peterson AFB | ADC | March 1975 | 46th Air Base Wing | |
4621st Air Defense Wing | McGuire AFB | ADC | 1 Apr 1956 | 1 Oct 1956 | Redesignated: New York Air Defense Sector, 1 Oct 1956-30 Sep 1968 |
4622d Air Defense Wing | Otis AFB | ADC | 1 Apr 1956 | 1 Oct 1956 | Redesignated: Boston Air Defense Sector, 1 Oct 1956-30 Jun 1963 |
4624th Air Defense Wing | Syracuse AFS | ADC | 1 Oct 1956 | 15 Aug 1958 | Redesignated: Syracuse Air Defense Sector, 15 Aug 1958-4 Sep 1963 |
4625th Air Defense Wing | Fort Lee AFS | ADC | 1 Dec 1956 | 1 Sep 1958 | Redesignated: Washington Air Defense Sector, 1 Sep 1958-1 Apr 1966 |
4700th Air Defense Wing | Geiger Field | ADC | 1 Sep 1958 | 30 Jun 1960 | Inactivated and mission merged into Spokane Air Defense Sector |
4702d Defense Wing | Hamilton AFB Geiger Field |
ADC | 6 Feb 1952 | 8 Oct 1954 | Placeholder unit until 566th Air Defense Group took control of Hamilton on 7 Nov 1952. Replaced by 84th Fighter Group at Geiger. |
4704th Air Defense Wing | McChord AFB | ADC | 1 Feb 1952 | 8 Oct 1954 | Replaced by 567th Air Defense Group |
4706th Air Defense Wing | O'Hare Airport | ADC | 6 Feb 1952 | 1 Oct 1959 | ADC ended flight operations at O'Hare. Mission was absorbed into 30th Air Division at K. I. Sawyer AFB. |
4707th Air Defense Wing | Otis AFB Niagara Falls Airport |
ADC | 6 Feb 1952 | 18 Oct 1956 | Redesignated as 33d Fighter Wing (Air Defense) as result of ADC "Project Arrow" notible unit redesignation program. |
4708th Air Defense Wing | Selfridge AFB | ADC | 6 Feb 1952 | 18 Oct 1956 | Redesignated as 1st Fighter Wing (Air Defense) as result of ADC "Project Arrow" notible unit redesignation program. |
4709th Air Defense Wing | McGuire AFB | ADC | 1 Feb 1952 | 1 Oct 1956 | Replaced by 4621st Air Defense Wing |
4710th Air Defense Wing | New Castle Airport | ADC | 6 Feb 1952 | 8 Jul 1956 | Redesignated as 82d Fighter Wing (Air Defense) as result of ADC "Project Arrow" notible unit redesignation program. |
4711th Air Defense Wing | Presque Isle AFB | ADC | 7 Feb 1952 | 16 Feb 1953 | Redesignated as 23d Fighter Wing (Air Defense) as result of ADC "Project Arrow" notible unit redesignation program. |
4752d Air Defense Wing | Selfridge AFB | ADC | 1 Sep 1961 | 25 Jun 1963 | Redesignated as Oklahoma City Air Defense Sector, 25 Jun 1963-1 Apr 1956. |
4756th Air Defense Wing | Tyndall AFB | ADC, ATC | 1 Jul 1957 | 30 Sep 1967 | Inactivated as part of phasedown of ATC Interceptor aircrew training program. |
4780th Air Defense Wing | Perrin AFB | ADC, ATC | 1 Jul 1962 | 30 Jun 1971 | Inactivated due to closure of Perrin AFB and phasedown of ATC Interceptor aircrew training program. |
4683d Air Base Wing | Thule Air Base | ADC(?) | 1 Oct 1960 | 1 Oct 1982 | ? |
4704th Air Defense Wing | McChord AFB | ADC | February 1, 1952 | February 16, 1953 | 567th Air Defense Group |
4800th Guided Missile Wing | Patrick AFB | ? | 29 December 1950 | May 1951 | Replaced by 6555th Guided Missile Wing |
4950th Test Wing | Wright-Patterson AFB | AFSC | March 1971 | 1994 | Not replaced (?) |
5010th Air Base Wing | Eielson AFB | AAC | 1949 | 1965 | 343d Tactical Fighter Wing |
5700th Air Base Wing | Panama Canal Zone | Air Forces South | ? | November 1967 | 24th Wing |
6200th Air Base Wing | Clark AB | PACAF | 1950 - 59 | 1968 - 71 | Unk |
6200th Materiel Wing | Clark AB | PACAF | 1965 | 1968 | 6200th Air Base Wing(?) |
6208th Depot Wing | Clark AB | PACAF | 1949 | 1950 | Unk |
6133d Tactical Support Wing | Iwakuni AB, Japan | FEAF | August 12, 1950 | December 1, 1950 | 3rd Bombardment Wing |
6486th Air Base Wing | Hickam AFB | PACAF | At least 1958 | 1 November 1971 | 15th Air Base Wing |
6510th Test Wing | Edwards AFB | AFSC | ? | 2 October 1992 | 412th Test Wing |
6555th Guided Missile Wing | Patrick AFB | May 1951 | Replaced by Eastern Space & Missile Center[1] | ||
6565th Test Wing | Vandenberg AFB | ARDC | November 1961 | 6595th Aerospace Test Wing | |
6940th Electronic Security Wing | Fort Meade | ESC | August 2000 | 70th Intelligence Wing | |
6960th Electronic Security Wing | |||||
7030th Combat Support Wing | Ramstein AB | USAFE | Mid 1960s | 26th TRW | |
7108th Tactical Wing | Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base | USAFE | 1961 | 1962 | 366th Tactical Fighter Wing |
7117th Tactical Wing | Dreux-Louvillier Air Base | USAFE | 1961 | July 1962 | 106th TRSq flying RF-84Fs |
7121st Tactical Wing | Etain AB | USAFE | 1961 | 166th TFSq; not replaced | |
7122nd Tactical Wing | Chambley-Bussieres Air Base | USAFE | 1961 | ||
7131st Tactical Wing | Toul-Rosières Air Base | USAFE | 1961 | 19 July 1962 | 110th TFS |
7272nd Air Base Wing | Wheelus Air Base, Libya | USAFE | 1 January 1953 | 11 June 1970 | Not replaced |
7440th Composite Wing (Provisional) | Incirlik AB, Turkey | USAFE | Jan. 16, 1991 | March 1991(?) | Not replaced; Operation Desert Storm prov unit |
7490th Wing (Provisional) | Aviano AB, Italy | USAFE | 30 June 1995 | Unk | Not replaced |
7499th Support Group | Wiesbaden | USAFE | 1950s-60s | (ELINT) | |
7602nd Support Wing | Madrid, Spain | SAC | 1 Jan 1957 | later in 1957 | Renamed 3977th Support Wing; equipped with KC-97s |