321st Air Expeditionary Wing
Encyclopedia
The 321st Air Expeditionary Wing (321 AEW) is a provisional United States Air Force
United States Air Forces Central unit. The unit was reestablished on 1 Nov 2008. The unit is a nexus of all Coalition Air Force Training Teams and the Iraqi Air Force
.
. It was believed to be active between 2001 and 2004, and deployed to Masirah Island Air Base, Oman
. Its operational component was believed to be the 355th Air Expeditionary Group.
However, the task of developing a comprehensive listing of AEW units present in Southwest Asia and other combat areas is particularly difficult as the events of 11 September 2001 and the Global War on Terrorism has made such an effort significantly difficult. The USAF seeks to improve operations security
(OPSEC) and be sensitive to host nation politics.
The 321st Air Expeditionary Wing trains, advises, and assists the Iraqi Air Force to develop as a professional and credible regional airpower partner, with the foundational and enduring capabilities to maintain internal security and defend against external threats; provide aerial port, airfield operations, base and medical support, and command and control in support of USF-I; on order transition designated missions, organizations and functions to other US Government agencies no later than December 31, 2011.
s and KC-97 tankers of the deactivated 4240th Flying Training Wing. Two weeks later, on 1 January 1954, the wing was assigned to Strategic Air Command
a B-47 combat crew training mission was transferred to SAC. Colonel Michael N.W. McCoy was appointed commander of the 321st Bombardment Wing on 24 May 1954. He previously commanded the 306th Bombardment Wing
at MacDill AFB and was considered the "dean" of Strategic Air Command’s B-47 Stratojet
operational wing commanders.
Known squadrons of the 321st Bomb Wing were:
In November 1957 the base was host to the medium bombers participating in the annual Strategic Air Command Bombing Navigation and Reconnaissance Competition. During the competition, a B-47 aircraft mishap north of downtown Orlando took the lives of Colonel McCoy, Group Captain John Woodroffe of the Royal Air Force
, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Joyce and Major Vernon Stuff during preparations for the event. Despite this tragedy, the 321st Bomb Wing, under the direction of its new commander, Colonel Robert W. Strong, Jr., won the top honors of the meet, including the coveted Fairchild and McCoy trophies, distinguishing the 321st as the top B-47 Wing in SAC.
On 7 May 1958 Pinecastle AFB was renamed McCoy Air Force Base in memory of the late Colonel Michael N. W. McCoy. Formal dedication ceremonies were held on 21 May 1958 in conjunction with a mammoth open house, during which an estimated 30,000 Floridians attended.
In the summer of 1961, a complete reorganization of McCoy AFB began. A program got under way to convert the base from the B-47 Stratojet
to heavy B-52 "Stratofortress" bombers. The 321st Bomb Wing began phasing out its operations in June 1961 and was deactivated in October 1961. Its operations at McCoy AFB were temporarily assumed by the 4047th Strategic Wing until replaced by the 306th Bombardment Wing
when the latter organization relocated from MacDill AFB, Florida in 1963.
On 1 November 1963, 321st Strategic Missile Wing was organized as the first Strategic Air Command
(SAC) LGM-30 Minuteman
II intercontinental ballistic missile wing, at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota
.
During 1965, the wing’s three missile squadrons were activated and crew training and certification began at Vandenberg AFB, California. In August 1965, the base received its first Minuteman II missile, shipped by train from Assembly Plant 77 at Hill AFB, Utah
. During the following March, the base received the first Minuteman II to be shipped via aircraft, an Air Force first.
On 25 April 1966, the 447th Strategic Missile Squadron and its 50 Minuteman II missiles were declared operational. Additional flights came on line throughout 1966. On 7 December 1966, the wing, with its component 446th, 447th, and 448th Strategic Missile Squadrons, became fully operational with a complement of 150 Minuteman missiles.
As the first base to deploy Minuteman II missiles, Grand Forks AFB hosted “Project Long Life II,” a unique reliability test in which modified Minuteman missiles were fueled to travel a few hundred yards. The first launch from a Grand Forks silo occurred on 19 October 1966 and was declared unsuccessful. Nine days later, a second attempt also failed. A third attempt under “Project Giant Boost” occurred in August 1968 and again proved unsuccessful.
Crews from the 321 SMW competed in SAC’s first Missile Combat Competition held at Vandenberg AFB from 2 through 7 April 1967. Later that month, members from the wing launched its first Minuteman II from Vandenberg. Despite the wing’s relative youth, it quickly established a reputation for excellence by winning numerous honors during its first few years. For example, in 1969, the unit received numerous significant honors, including the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, and SAC Outstanding Missile Wing Award. Throughout the next two decades, the unit would score additional triumphs at Olympic Arena missile competitions and receive numerous “best” accolades.
From December 1971 to March 1973, the wing converted to Minuteman III missiles. These missiles represented a significant technological advancement, having multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs). Coordinating the missile changeover required complex planning and execution. In 1972 alone, 250 separate nuclear weapon convoys motored over the roads of North Dakota.
Modifications continued that enhanced readiness and improved survivability. For instance, about mid-August 1975, “Wing Six Integrated Program” (WSIP) was implemented. WSIP included a silo upgrade that improved the missile suspension system to withstand greater blast-shock and provided the 321st with a remote targeting capability.
The wing underwent continual readiness inspections and participated in numerous training exercises on base and at Vandenberg. Training improved with the expansion of on-base simulator facilities. For example, in 1970, wing crews conducted tests using “Modified Operational Missiles” which enabled them to exercise all aspects of a missile launch except igniting the engine.
Mother Nature often threatened wing readiness. The organizational history referred to “the Great Blizzard of ‘66,” “ the storm of ‘75 that caused $10,000 in damages,” and “one of the harshest winters 119771 which ‘hampered maintenance efforts’ and had ‘ice storms snapping power lines’.” When the heavy snows melted, floods occasionally resulted. A quick thaw in April 1979 created one of the most devastating floods within the Red River valley basin during this century. In addition to protecting the silos from flood waters, wing personnel volunteered to join the mostly successful 2-week struggle to keep Grand Forks and East Grand Forks dry. This effort was repeated in April 1989.
With the restructuring of the Air Force and the disestablishment of Strategic Air Command
(SAC) in the early 1990s the wing first came under Air Combat Command
(ACC) in 1992 and then under Air Force Space Command
(AFSPC) in 1993.
In March 1995, the Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) Commission selected the 321st Strategic Missile Wing for deactivation. The wing was downgraded to group status, and the 321st Missile Group was given a dual mission: To operate, maintain and secure combat-ready ICBM forces for the National Command Authority and to safely and securely transfer its alert responsibilities to the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base
, Montana.
When the decision was made to reduce the ICBM force, Grand Forks was placed on the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) list. While the base survived, the missile field and 321st did not. The 321st Missile Group inactivated on 30 September 1998.
On the evening of Aug. 31, 2010, a C-130 crew completed the last mission of a U.S. aircraft in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) as they departed from Ali Al Salem, Kuwait, for Sather Air Base, Baghdad International Airport, Iraq. That same aircrew flew back to Kuwait, refueled, and then returned to Sather AB on Sept. 1 to complete the first sortie of an American aircraft in support of Operation New Dawn (OND). With the dawn of a new day and a new operation, the relationship between the U.S. and Iraq reached a new level. Under Operation New Dawn, American combat forces redeployed from the country, and the focus for the remaining U.S. Forces-Iraq (ISF-I) shifted to train, mentor, advise and assist the armed forces of Iraq in preparation for the anticipated exodus of U.S. military forces from Iraq by December 2011.
While Operation New Dawn brought a shift in mission for many of the remaining forces in Iraq, the 321st AEW and ITAM-Air Force were poised to continue their mission to train, mentor, advise and assist the Iraqi air force (IqAF) to develop into a professional and credible regional airpower partner. When the Iraqi Ministry of Defense (IqMOD) made the decision to split fixed-wing and rotary-wing operations in late 2010, the Iraqi Army Aviation Command (IqAAC) was created. Because U.S. Airmen continued to advise for both IqAF and IqAAC, the name was changed from ITAM-Air Force to ITAM-Air and addressed the fully comprehensive scope of training.
The wing and ITAM-Air encouraged the development of Iraqi airpower with the foundational and enduring capabilities to maintain internal security and defend against external threats. At the same time, the 321st AEW provided aerial port, airfield operations, base and medical support, in addition to command and control capabilities to support USF-I. The wing and ITAM-Air also prepared to transition designated missions and functions to other U.S. government agencies and the IqAF no later than December 2011.
The 321st AEW consists of four groups, geographically separated from wing headquarters; the 321st Air Expeditionary Advisory Group (321 AEAG) headquartered at Kirkuk AB, the 321st Expeditionary Mission Support Advisory Group (321 EMSAG) with headquarters at Tikrit, the 407th Air Expeditionary Group (407 AEG) at Ali Base and the 447th Air Expeditionary Group (447 AEG) at Sather AB.
At the beginning of October 2010, the commanding general of USF-I issued his operational guidance for the entire command following the completion under the first month of Operation New Dawn. The general stressed that “we will demonstrate our commitment through a continued partnership with the Iraqis. We will help the Iraqis develop their capability to provide for their own national defense."
In April 2010, the 407th AEG at Ali Air Base and the 447th AEG at Sather Air Base realigned for drawdown operations leading up to Operation New Dawn.
On January 6, 2011, General Anthony Rock, who most recently served as Air Command and Staff College
commandant and Spaatz Center for Officer Education vice commander, assumed command of the 321 AEW and ITAM-Air. The general urged those under his command to finish strong as the December 31, 2011, deadline established under the 2008 U.S.-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement quickly approaches.
The IqAAC held a ribbon cutting ceremony in Taji Jan. 17 to formally begin operations in their newest maintenance facility. The massive aircraft hangar is a $9.8 million project that began in 2009. The collaboration between the IqAAC and the United States provided a maintenance hangar large enough for current and growing future aviation mission requirements. At more than 240 feet long and 50 feet tall, the hangar is the largest maintenance hangar in Iraq and the largest clear-span building in the entire Middle East. The hangar bay is large enough to support multiple airframes and activities that have a logical work flow relationship simultaneously. It is also part of a larger complex that includes numerous offices and maintenance shops.
Squadrons
LGM-30 Minuteman III Missile Alert Facilities (MAF) (each controlling 10 missiles) are located as follows:
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
United States Air Forces Central unit. The unit was reestablished on 1 Nov 2008. The unit is a nexus of all Coalition Air Force Training Teams and the Iraqi Air Force
Iraqi Air Force
The Iraqi Air Force or IQAF is the military branch in Iraq responsible for the policing of international borders, surveillance of national assets and aerial operations...
.
Overview
In 2001, the wing was converted to provisional status and allocated to Air Combat CommandAir Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
. It was believed to be active between 2001 and 2004, and deployed to Masirah Island Air Base, Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
. Its operational component was believed to be the 355th Air Expeditionary Group.
However, the task of developing a comprehensive listing of AEW units present in Southwest Asia and other combat areas is particularly difficult as the events of 11 September 2001 and the Global War on Terrorism has made such an effort significantly difficult. The USAF seeks to improve operations security
Operations security
Operations security is a process that identifies critical information to determine if friendly actions can be observed by adversary intelligence systems, determines if information obtained by adversaries could be interpreted to be useful to them, and then executes selected measures that eliminate...
(OPSEC) and be sensitive to host nation politics.
The 321st Air Expeditionary Wing trains, advises, and assists the Iraqi Air Force to develop as a professional and credible regional airpower partner, with the foundational and enduring capabilities to maintain internal security and defend against external threats; provide aerial port, airfield operations, base and medical support, and command and control in support of USF-I; on order transition designated missions, organizations and functions to other US Government agencies no later than December 31, 2011.
History
- See the 321st Air Expeditionary Group321st Air Expeditionary GroupThe 321st Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force Air Combat Command unit. It now appears to be the 321st Air Expeditionary Training Group at COB Speicher, Iraq, supervising Iraqi Air Force training....
for additional history and lineage and World War II history
Bombardment Wing
On 30 May 1954, the 321st Bombardment Wing (Medium) was activated at Pinecastle Air Force Base, Florida, absorbing the B-47 StratojetB-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
s and KC-97 tankers of the deactivated 4240th Flying Training Wing. Two weeks later, on 1 January 1954, the wing was assigned to Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
a B-47 combat crew training mission was transferred to SAC. Colonel Michael N.W. McCoy was appointed commander of the 321st Bombardment Wing on 24 May 1954. He previously commanded the 306th Bombardment Wing
306th Flying Training Group
The 306th Flying Training Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force...
at MacDill AFB and was considered the "dean" of Strategic Air Command’s B-47 Stratojet
B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
operational wing commanders.
Known squadrons of the 321st Bomb Wing were:
- 445th, 446th, 447th, 448th Bombardment Squadron (1 June 1954 – 24 October 1961)
- 307th Air Refueling Squadron (28 September – 8 November 1954)
- Redesignated: 321st Air Refueling Squadron (8 November 1954 – 16 Sept 1956)
In November 1957 the base was host to the medium bombers participating in the annual Strategic Air Command Bombing Navigation and Reconnaissance Competition. During the competition, a B-47 aircraft mishap north of downtown Orlando took the lives of Colonel McCoy, Group Captain John Woodroffe of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Joyce and Major Vernon Stuff during preparations for the event. Despite this tragedy, the 321st Bomb Wing, under the direction of its new commander, Colonel Robert W. Strong, Jr., won the top honors of the meet, including the coveted Fairchild and McCoy trophies, distinguishing the 321st as the top B-47 Wing in SAC.
On 7 May 1958 Pinecastle AFB was renamed McCoy Air Force Base in memory of the late Colonel Michael N. W. McCoy. Formal dedication ceremonies were held on 21 May 1958 in conjunction with a mammoth open house, during which an estimated 30,000 Floridians attended.
In the summer of 1961, a complete reorganization of McCoy AFB began. A program got under way to convert the base from the B-47 Stratojet
B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
to heavy B-52 "Stratofortress" bombers. The 321st Bomb Wing began phasing out its operations in June 1961 and was deactivated in October 1961. Its operations at McCoy AFB were temporarily assumed by the 4047th Strategic Wing until replaced by the 306th Bombardment Wing
306th Flying Training Group
The 306th Flying Training Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force...
when the latter organization relocated from MacDill AFB, Florida in 1963.
Strategic Missile Wing
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC) LGM-30 Minuteman
LGM-30 Minuteman
The LGM-30 Minuteman is a U.S. nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile . As of 2010, the version LGM-30G Minuteman-III is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States...
II intercontinental ballistic missile wing, at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
.
During 1965, the wing’s three missile squadrons were activated and crew training and certification began at Vandenberg AFB, California. In August 1965, the base received its first Minuteman II missile, shipped by train from Assembly Plant 77 at Hill AFB, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. During the following March, the base received the first Minuteman II to be shipped via aircraft, an Air Force first.
On 25 April 1966, the 447th Strategic Missile Squadron and its 50 Minuteman II missiles were declared operational. Additional flights came on line throughout 1966. On 7 December 1966, the wing, with its component 446th, 447th, and 448th Strategic Missile Squadrons, became fully operational with a complement of 150 Minuteman missiles.
As the first base to deploy Minuteman II missiles, Grand Forks AFB hosted “Project Long Life II,” a unique reliability test in which modified Minuteman missiles were fueled to travel a few hundred yards. The first launch from a Grand Forks silo occurred on 19 October 1966 and was declared unsuccessful. Nine days later, a second attempt also failed. A third attempt under “Project Giant Boost” occurred in August 1968 and again proved unsuccessful.
Crews from the 321 SMW competed in SAC’s first Missile Combat Competition held at Vandenberg AFB from 2 through 7 April 1967. Later that month, members from the wing launched its first Minuteman II from Vandenberg. Despite the wing’s relative youth, it quickly established a reputation for excellence by winning numerous honors during its first few years. For example, in 1969, the unit received numerous significant honors, including the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, and SAC Outstanding Missile Wing Award. Throughout the next two decades, the unit would score additional triumphs at Olympic Arena missile competitions and receive numerous “best” accolades.
From December 1971 to March 1973, the wing converted to Minuteman III missiles. These missiles represented a significant technological advancement, having multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs). Coordinating the missile changeover required complex planning and execution. In 1972 alone, 250 separate nuclear weapon convoys motored over the roads of North Dakota.
Modifications continued that enhanced readiness and improved survivability. For instance, about mid-August 1975, “Wing Six Integrated Program” (WSIP) was implemented. WSIP included a silo upgrade that improved the missile suspension system to withstand greater blast-shock and provided the 321st with a remote targeting capability.
The wing underwent continual readiness inspections and participated in numerous training exercises on base and at Vandenberg. Training improved with the expansion of on-base simulator facilities. For example, in 1970, wing crews conducted tests using “Modified Operational Missiles” which enabled them to exercise all aspects of a missile launch except igniting the engine.
Mother Nature often threatened wing readiness. The organizational history referred to “the Great Blizzard of ‘66,” “ the storm of ‘75 that caused $10,000 in damages,” and “one of the harshest winters 119771 which ‘hampered maintenance efforts’ and had ‘ice storms snapping power lines’.” When the heavy snows melted, floods occasionally resulted. A quick thaw in April 1979 created one of the most devastating floods within the Red River valley basin during this century. In addition to protecting the silos from flood waters, wing personnel volunteered to join the mostly successful 2-week struggle to keep Grand Forks and East Grand Forks dry. This effort was repeated in April 1989.
With the restructuring of the Air Force and the disestablishment of Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC) in the early 1990s the wing first came under Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
(ACC) in 1992 and then under Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command is a major command of the United States Department of the Air Force, with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations....
(AFSPC) in 1993.
In March 1995, the Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
(BRAC) Commission selected the 321st Strategic Missile Wing for deactivation. The wing was downgraded to group status, and the 321st Missile Group was given a dual mission: To operate, maintain and secure combat-ready ICBM forces for the National Command Authority and to safely and securely transfer its alert responsibilities to the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base
Malmstrom Air Force Base
Malmstrom Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place in Cascade County, Montana, United States. It was named in honor of World War II POW Colonel Einar Axel Malmstrom...
, Montana.
When the decision was made to reduce the ICBM force, Grand Forks was placed on the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) list. While the base survived, the missile field and 321st did not. The 321st Missile Group inactivated on 30 September 1998.
321st Air Expeditionary Wing
The Air Force activated the 321st in August 2002 as the 321st Air Expeditionary Wing, assigned to AFCENT. The wing inactivated in 2004, but was activated again in 2008 to assume the mission of Iraq Trianing and Advisory Mission (ITAM)-Air Force.On the evening of Aug. 31, 2010, a C-130 crew completed the last mission of a U.S. aircraft in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) as they departed from Ali Al Salem, Kuwait, for Sather Air Base, Baghdad International Airport, Iraq. That same aircrew flew back to Kuwait, refueled, and then returned to Sather AB on Sept. 1 to complete the first sortie of an American aircraft in support of Operation New Dawn (OND). With the dawn of a new day and a new operation, the relationship between the U.S. and Iraq reached a new level. Under Operation New Dawn, American combat forces redeployed from the country, and the focus for the remaining U.S. Forces-Iraq (ISF-I) shifted to train, mentor, advise and assist the armed forces of Iraq in preparation for the anticipated exodus of U.S. military forces from Iraq by December 2011.
While Operation New Dawn brought a shift in mission for many of the remaining forces in Iraq, the 321st AEW and ITAM-Air Force were poised to continue their mission to train, mentor, advise and assist the Iraqi air force (IqAF) to develop into a professional and credible regional airpower partner. When the Iraqi Ministry of Defense (IqMOD) made the decision to split fixed-wing and rotary-wing operations in late 2010, the Iraqi Army Aviation Command (IqAAC) was created. Because U.S. Airmen continued to advise for both IqAF and IqAAC, the name was changed from ITAM-Air Force to ITAM-Air and addressed the fully comprehensive scope of training.
The wing and ITAM-Air encouraged the development of Iraqi airpower with the foundational and enduring capabilities to maintain internal security and defend against external threats. At the same time, the 321st AEW provided aerial port, airfield operations, base and medical support, in addition to command and control capabilities to support USF-I. The wing and ITAM-Air also prepared to transition designated missions and functions to other U.S. government agencies and the IqAF no later than December 2011.
The 321st AEW consists of four groups, geographically separated from wing headquarters; the 321st Air Expeditionary Advisory Group (321 AEAG) headquartered at Kirkuk AB, the 321st Expeditionary Mission Support Advisory Group (321 EMSAG) with headquarters at Tikrit, the 407th Air Expeditionary Group (407 AEG) at Ali Base and the 447th Air Expeditionary Group (447 AEG) at Sather AB.
At the beginning of October 2010, the commanding general of USF-I issued his operational guidance for the entire command following the completion under the first month of Operation New Dawn. The general stressed that “we will demonstrate our commitment through a continued partnership with the Iraqis. We will help the Iraqis develop their capability to provide for their own national defense."
In April 2010, the 407th AEG at Ali Air Base and the 447th AEG at Sather Air Base realigned for drawdown operations leading up to Operation New Dawn.
On January 6, 2011, General Anthony Rock, who most recently served as Air Command and Staff College
Air Command and Staff College
The Air Command and Staff College is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate professional military education school. It prepares field grade and equivalent officers of all U.S...
commandant and Spaatz Center for Officer Education vice commander, assumed command of the 321 AEW and ITAM-Air. The general urged those under his command to finish strong as the December 31, 2011, deadline established under the 2008 U.S.-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement quickly approaches.
The IqAAC held a ribbon cutting ceremony in Taji Jan. 17 to formally begin operations in their newest maintenance facility. The massive aircraft hangar is a $9.8 million project that began in 2009. The collaboration between the IqAAC and the United States provided a maintenance hangar large enough for current and growing future aviation mission requirements. At more than 240 feet long and 50 feet tall, the hangar is the largest maintenance hangar in Iraq and the largest clear-span building in the entire Middle East. The hangar bay is large enough to support multiple airframes and activities that have a logical work flow relationship simultaneously. It is also part of a larger complex that includes numerous offices and maintenance shops.
Lineage
- Established as 321st Bombardment Wing, Medium, on 23 March 1953
- Activated on 15 December 1953
- Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 October 1961
- Redesignated 321st Strategic Missile Wing, and activated, on 14 August 1964
- Organized on 1 November 1964.
- Redesignated: 321st Missile Wing, 1 September 1991
- Redesignated: 321st Missile Group, 1 July 1994
- Inactivated: 30 September 1998
- Converted to provisional status and allocated to Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate any time after 1 Oct 2001.
- Redesignated as 321st Air Expeditionary Wing on 1 Oct 2001.
Assignments
- Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, 15 December 1953
- Attached to Air Division Provisional, 813th, 11 June – 14 July 1954
- 813th Air Division, 15 July 1954
- Attached to 7th Air Division, 9 December 1954 – 5 March 1955
- Attached to 5th Air Division, 9 April – 3 July 1956
- 6th Air Division, 1 January 1959
- 6th Air Division, 1 July 1959
- 823d Air Division823d Air DivisionThe 823d Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, assigned to Second Air Force, being stationed at McCoy Air Force Base, Florida...
, 6 February – 25 October 1961 - 4th Strategic Aerospace (later, 4th Strategic Missile; 4th Air) Division, 1 November 1964
- 57th Air Division, 22 January 1975 – 30 September 1998
- Air Combat CommandAir Combat CommandAir Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
, since 1 Oct 2001
- Probably attached to Air Forces Central
Components
Groups- 355th Air Expeditionary Group (2001–2004) (Dates Unconfirmed)
- 321st Air Expeditionary Advisory Group
Squadrons
- 307th Air Refueling Squadron307th Air Refueling SquadronThe 307th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 410th Bombardment Wing, stationed at K.I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan. It was inactivated on 1 August 1990.-History:...
: attached 28 September – 8 November 1954 - 321st Air Refueling Squadron321st Air Refueling SquadronThe 321st Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 301st Bombardment Wing, stationed at Lockbourne AFB, Ohio. It was inactivated on 15 March 1965...
: GSU Maxwell AFB, AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
8 November 1954 – 16 September 1956 - 445th Bombardment Squadron445th Bombardment SquadronThe 445th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 321st Bombardment Wing, stationed at Pinecastle Air Force Base, Florida. It was inactivated on 25 October 1961.-History:...
: 1942–1945; 1947–1949; 15 December 1953 – 25 October 1961 - 446th Bombardment (later Strategic Missile, Missile) Squadron446th Missile SquadronThe 446th Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 321st Missile Group, stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. It was inactivated on 30 September 1998-History:...
: 1942–1945; 1947–1949; 15 December 1953 – 25 October 1961; 1 Jul 1965-30 Sep 1998 - 447th Bombardment (later Strategic Missile, Missile) Squadron447th Missile SquadronThe 447th Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 321st Missile Group, stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. It was inactivated on 30 September 1998-History:...
: 1942–1945; 1947–1949; 15 December 1953 – 25 October 1961; 1 February 1965 – 30 September 1998 - 448th Bombardment (later Strategic Missile, Missile Squadron)448th Missile SquadronThe 448th Missile Squadron is an inactive squadron in the United States Air Force. It was most recently assigned to the 321st Missile Group based at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota...
: 1942–1945; 1947–1949; 1 February 1954 – 25 October 1961; 15 September 1965 – 30 September 1998 - 321st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron
Stations
- Pinecastle AFB/McCoy AFB, Florida (1953–1961)
- 321st Air Refueling Squadron321st Air Refueling SquadronThe 321st Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 301st Bombardment Wing, stationed at Lockbourne AFB, Ohio. It was inactivated on 15 March 1965...
Maxwell AFB, AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
GSU
- 321st Air Refueling Squadron
- Grand Forks AFB, North DakotaNorth DakotaNorth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
(1963–1998) - Masirah Island Air Base, OmanOmanOman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
(2001–2004) (Dates Unconfirmed)
Aircraft and missiles
- B-25 MitchellB-25 MitchellThe North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
, 1942–1945 - B-47 StratojetB-47 StratojetThe Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
, 1954–1961 - KC-97 StratotankerKC-97 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker was a United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.-Design and development:...
, 1954–1956 - C-124 Globemaster, 1959–1961
- LGM-30F Minuteman II, 1965–1973
- LGM-30G Minuteman III, 1972–1998
LGM-30 Minuteman III Missile Alert Facilities (MAF) (each controlling 10 missiles) are located as follows:
- 446th Missile Squadron446th Missile SquadronThe 446th Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 321st Missile Group, stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. It was inactivated on 30 September 1998-History:...
- A-00 6.7 mi SE of Wales ND, 48°49′17"N 098°30′48"W
- B-00 6.8 mi NxNW of Osnabrock ND, 48°45′49"N 098°11′36"W
- C-00 5.7 mi NW of Edinburg ND, 48°32′43"N 097°57′50"W
- D-00 1.7 mi SxSW of Nekoma ND, 48°33′14"N 098°22′50"W
- E-00 4.3 mi SxSW of Hampden ND, 48°29′01"N 098°41′46"W
- 447th Missile Squadron447th Missile SquadronThe 447th Missile Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 321st Missile Group, stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. It was inactivated on 30 September 1998-History:...
- F-00 6.3 mi E of Lawton ND, 48°17′27"N 098°13′52"W
- G-00 5.3 mi SW of Fordville ND, 48°09′14"N 097°52′06"W
- H-00 5.1 mi N of Michigan ND, 48°05′46"N 098°06′56"W
- I-00 6.6 mi ExNE of Tolna ND, 47°50′54"N 098°17′53"W
- J-00 6.0 mi SW of Brocket ND, 48°09′14"N 098°27′03"W
- 448th Missile Squadron448th Missile SquadronThe 448th Missile Squadron is an inactive squadron in the United States Air Force. It was most recently assigned to the 321st Missile Group based at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota...
- K-00 9.6 mi NE of Finley ND, 47°37′01"N 097°42′14"W
- L-00 10.5 mi W of Hope ND, 47°20′03"N 097°56′24"W
- M-00 3.8 mi SxSE of Hope ND, 47°16′17"N 097°41′19"W
- N-00 6.1 mi S of Hannaford ND, 47°13′24"N 098°11′30"W
- O-00 3.6 mi N of Cooperstown ND, 47°29′51"N 098°07′37"W
See also
- List of B-47 units of the United States Air Force
- 321st Missile Wing LGM-30 Minuteman Missile Launch Sites321st Missile Wing LGM-30 Minuteman Missile Launch SitesThis is a list of the LGM-30 Minuteman missile Missile Alert Facilities and Launch Facilities of the 321st Missile Wing, 20th Air Force, assigned to Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota.-Overview:...
External links
- 321st Air Expeditionary Wing on FlickrFlickrFlickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...