3918th Strategic Wing
Encyclopedia
The 3918th Strategic Wing (3918th SW) is an inactive United States Air Force
unit, being inactivated on 31 March 1965.
The 3918th SW was a ground service support element for the Strategic Air Command
7th Air Division, stationed at RAF Upper Heyford
, Oxfordshire
, in the United Kingdom
. It was established on 1 February 1964 and inactivated on 31 March 1965. When activated, the wing assumed the resources (Manpower, Equipment, Weapons, & Facilities) of 3918th Support Squadron, which was established on 1 January 1959. Throughout its existence it was in provisional status, controlled by Strategic Air Command
. Throughout its existence also it was subordinate to the 7th Air Division and stationed at RAF Upper Heyford
The wing provided host station support functions primarily for SAC B/RB-36 Peacemaker, B-47 Stratojet, B-52 Stratofortess, & KC-97 Tanker Wing and Support Elements deployed to Upper Heyford during REFLEX deployments from United States bases. Its major component units were the 3918th Air Base Squadron -(Redesignated: 3918th Combat Support Group), 1st Aviation Depot Squadron - (Redesignated: 1st Munitions Maintenance Squadron) / The 1st Munitions Maintenance Squadron was later replaced by the 11th Munitions Maintenance Squadron), 3918th Air Police Squadron -(Redesignated: 3918th Combat Defense Squadron), 3918th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 3918th Operations Squadron, 3918th Food Services Squadron, 3918th Infirmary, 3918th Installations Squadron - (Redesignated: 3918th Civil Engineering Squadron), 3918th Motor Vehicle Squadron - (Redesignated: 3918th Transportation Squadron), 3918th Operations Squadron, and the 3918th Supply Squadron.
It was inactivated in 1965 and replaced by USAFE's 7514th Tactical Group as the host base operating unit and the Detachment 1, 98th Strategic Wing assumed the SAC mission. The 7514th Tactical Group activated on 10 January 1966 when SAC turned control over Upper Heyford to the United States Air Forces in Europe
.
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...
unit, being inactivated on 31 March 1965.
The 3918th SW was a ground service support element for the 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...
7th Air Division, stationed at RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located north-west of Bicester near the village of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England. The base was brought into use for flying in July 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps. During World War II it was used by many units of the RAF, mainly as a training...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It was established on 1 February 1964 and inactivated on 31 March 1965. When activated, the wing assumed the resources (Manpower, Equipment, Weapons, & Facilities) of 3918th Support Squadron, which was established on 1 January 1959. Throughout its existence it was in provisional status, controlled by 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...
. Throughout its existence also it was subordinate to the 7th Air Division and stationed at RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located north-west of Bicester near the village of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England. The base was brought into use for flying in July 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps. During World War II it was used by many units of the RAF, mainly as a training...
The wing provided host station support functions primarily for SAC B/RB-36 Peacemaker, B-47 Stratojet, B-52 Stratofortess, & KC-97 Tanker Wing and Support Elements deployed to Upper Heyford during REFLEX deployments from United States bases. Its major component units were the 3918th Air Base Squadron -(Redesignated: 3918th Combat Support Group), 1st Aviation Depot Squadron - (Redesignated: 1st Munitions Maintenance Squadron) / The 1st Munitions Maintenance Squadron was later replaced by the 11th Munitions Maintenance Squadron), 3918th Air Police Squadron -(Redesignated: 3918th Combat Defense Squadron), 3918th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 3918th Operations Squadron, 3918th Food Services Squadron, 3918th Infirmary, 3918th Installations Squadron - (Redesignated: 3918th Civil Engineering Squadron), 3918th Motor Vehicle Squadron - (Redesignated: 3918th Transportation Squadron), 3918th Operations Squadron, and the 3918th Supply Squadron.
It was inactivated in 1965 and replaced by USAFE's 7514th Tactical Group as the host base operating unit and the Detachment 1, 98th Strategic Wing assumed the SAC mission. The 7514th Tactical Group activated on 10 January 1966 when SAC turned control over Upper Heyford to the United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
.