499th Air Refueling Wing
Encyclopedia
The United States Air Force
's 499th Air Refueling Wing was an aerial refueling
unit located at Westover AFB, Massachusetts
. It was inactivated in 1966.
The unit's origins begin with its predecessor unit, the United States Army Air Force 499th Bombardment Group (499th BG) was part of Twentieth Air Force
during World War II
. The 499th BG engaged in very heavy (B-29 Superfortress
) bombardment operations against Japan
. It's aircraft were identified by a "V" and a square painted on the tail.
, being formed as a B-29 Superfortress
Very Heavy bombardment Group. Thu unit was formed with four bomb squadrons (877th, 878th, 879th and 880th), all being newly-constituted.
It moved to Smoky Hill Army Airfield, Kansas
in December 1943 to begin training. Due to a shortage of B-29s, the group was equipped with former II Bomber Command
B-17 Flying Fortresses already at Smoky Hill which were previously used for training heavy bomber replacement personnel. In the spring of 1944, it finally received newly-manufactured B-29 Superfortresses. In May shortages in aircraft and equipment led to the 880th Bomb Squadron being inactivated, with its personnel being consolidated into other group squadrons (the 880th would be reactivated in August as part of the 383d Bombardment Group
).
As a three squadron group, the 499thth was deployed to Pacific Theater of Operations
(PTO) in September 1944, being assigned to the XXI Bomber Command
73d Bombardment Wing in the Northern Mariana Islands
; being stationed at Isley Field, Saipan
. Upon arrival the group's personnel were engaged in Quonset hut construction. By mid-October most personnel were able to move into the huts from the initial tents which they were assigned on arrival. The group began operations with attacks in the Truk Islands and on Iwo Jima
. Took part in the first attack (24 November 1944) on Japan
by AAF planes based in the Marianas. Flew numerous missions in daylight, operating from high altitude to bomb strategic targets in Japan.
Received a Distinguished Unit Citation for striking the Mitsubishi aircraft engine plant at Nagoya on 23 January 1945. In March 1945 the group began to conduct night attacks, flying at low altitude to drop incendiaries on area targets in Japan. Completed a series of attacks against enemy airfields on Kyūshū
to aid the Allied assault on Okinawa in April 1945 and received another DUC for this action. The group released propaganda leaflets over the Japanese home islands, July–August, continuing strategic bombing raids and incendiary attacks until the Japanese Capitulation in August 1945.
After V-J Day, the 499th dropped supplies to Allied prisoners, participated in show-of-force missions, and flew over Japan to evaluate bombardment damage. In November 1945 the unit returned to the United States; initially being assigned to Continental Air Forces's Fourth Air Force
at March Field, California. However demobilization was in full swing and the group was inactivated on 17 January 1946.
. The wing replaced the provisional 4050th Air Refueling Wing on 1 January 1963, assigned to the Eighth Air Force
's 57th Air Division, and continued to support SAC
bombardment and TAC
fighter aircraft with air-to-air refueling. It was equipped with KC-97s, KC-135s. The 499th also flew the EC-135 Looking Glass
missions in support of the Post Attack Command and Control System
(PACCS) for Eighth Air Force
. From November 1965 until inactivated wing components operated under a bomb wing at Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts. The 499th Air Refueling Wing was inactivated on 25 June 1966.
Supported SAC bombardment and TAC fighter aircraft with air-to-air refueling and occasionally deployed segments of its tanker force overseas to support unit movement and special operations. Also flew EC-135s on a post attack command control system (PACCS) airborne command post mission in support of Eighth Air Force.
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...
's 499th Air Refueling Wing was an aerial refueling
Aerial refueling
Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....
unit located at Westover AFB, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. It was inactivated in 1966.
The unit's origins begin with its predecessor unit, the United States Army Air Force 499th Bombardment Group (499th BG) was part of Twentieth Air Force
Twentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The 499th BG engaged in very heavy (B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
) bombardment operations against Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It's aircraft were identified by a "V" and a square painted on the tail.
World War II
The unit was established in late 1943 at Davis-Monthan Field, ArizonaArizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, being formed as a B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
Very Heavy bombardment Group. Thu unit was formed with four bomb squadrons (877th, 878th, 879th and 880th), all being newly-constituted.
It moved to Smoky Hill Army Airfield, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
in December 1943 to begin training. Due to a shortage of B-29s, the group was equipped with former II Bomber Command
II Bomber Command
The II Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Fort George Wright, Washington. It was inactivated on 6 October 1943....
B-17 Flying Fortresses already at Smoky Hill which were previously used for training heavy bomber replacement personnel. In the spring of 1944, it finally received newly-manufactured B-29 Superfortresses. In May shortages in aircraft and equipment led to the 880th Bomb Squadron being inactivated, with its personnel being consolidated into other group squadrons (the 880th would be reactivated in August as part of the 383d Bombardment Group
383d Bombardment Group
The 383d Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Army Service Forces, being stationed at Camp Azna, California. It was inactivated on 3 January 1946....
).
As a three squadron group, the 499thth was deployed to Pacific Theater of Operations
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
(PTO) in September 1944, being assigned to the XXI Bomber Command
XXI Bomber Command
The XXI Bomber Command was a unit of the Twentieth Air Force in Guam for strategic bombing during World War II.- Lineage:* Constituted as XXI Bomber Command on 1 Mar 1944, and activated the same day.-Assignments:...
73d Bombardment Wing in the Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...
; being stationed at Isley Field, Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
. Upon arrival the group's personnel were engaged in Quonset hut construction. By mid-October most personnel were able to move into the huts from the initial tents which they were assigned on arrival. The group began operations with attacks in the Truk Islands and on Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
. Took part in the first attack (24 November 1944) on Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
by AAF planes based in the Marianas. Flew numerous missions in daylight, operating from high altitude to bomb strategic targets in Japan.
Received a Distinguished Unit Citation for striking the Mitsubishi aircraft engine plant at Nagoya on 23 January 1945. In March 1945 the group began to conduct night attacks, flying at low altitude to drop incendiaries on area targets in Japan. Completed a series of attacks against enemy airfields on Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
to aid the Allied assault on Okinawa in April 1945 and received another DUC for this action. The group released propaganda leaflets over the Japanese home islands, July–August, continuing strategic bombing raids and incendiary attacks until the Japanese Capitulation in August 1945.
After V-J Day, the 499th dropped supplies to Allied prisoners, participated in show-of-force missions, and flew over Japan to evaluate bombardment damage. In November 1945 the unit returned to the United States; initially being assigned to Continental Air Forces's Fourth Air Force
Fourth Air Force
The Fourth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve . It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California....
at March Field, California. However demobilization was in full swing and the group was inactivated on 17 January 1946.
Cold War
The 499th Air Refueling Wing was established on 15 November 1962 at Westover AFB, MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. The wing replaced the provisional 4050th Air Refueling Wing on 1 January 1963, assigned to the Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
's 57th Air Division, and continued to support SAC
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...
bombardment and TAC
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
fighter aircraft with air-to-air refueling. It was equipped with KC-97s, KC-135s. The 499th also flew the EC-135 Looking Glass
Looking Glass (airplane)
Looking Glass is the code name for an airborne command center currently operated by the U.S. Navy. It provides command and control of U.S. nuclear forces in the event that ground-based command centers are destroyed or otherwise rendered inoperable.The Looking Glass was initiated by the U.S...
missions in support of the Post Attack Command and Control System
Post Attack Command and Control System
The Post Attack Command and Control System was a network of communication sites for use before, during and after a nuclear attack on the United States. PACCS was designed to ensure that National Command Authority would retain sole, exclusive, and complete control over US nuclear weapons...
(PACCS) for Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
. From November 1965 until inactivated wing components operated under a bomb wing at Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts. The 499th Air Refueling Wing was inactivated on 25 June 1966.
Supported SAC bombardment and TAC fighter aircraft with air-to-air refueling and occasionally deployed segments of its tanker force overseas to support unit movement and special operations. Also flew EC-135s on a post attack command control system (PACCS) airborne command post mission in support of Eighth Air Force.
Lineage
- Constituted as 499th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) on 19 November 1943
- Activated on 20 November 1943
- Inactivated on 16 February 1946
- Established as 499th Air Refueling Wing on 15 November 1962
- Activated on 15 November 1962 Replacing the 4050th Air Refueling Wing
- Organized on 1 January 1963 Retaining at Manpower & Equipment from the 4050th Air Refueling Wing
- Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 June 1966
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....
, 20 November 1943-22 July 1944
- Attached to 17th Bombardment Operational Training Wing (Very Heavy), 1 December 1943-22 July 1944
- 73d Bombardment Wing73d Air DivisionThe 73d Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, based at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. It was inactivated on 1 April 1966.-World War II:...
, 18 September 1944-16 February 1946 - Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe 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...
, 15 November 1962 - 57th Air Division, 1 January 1963-25 June 1966
- 73d Bombardment Wing
Components
- 11th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium11th Air Refueling SquadronThe 11th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 340th Air Refueling Wing, stationed at Altus AFB, Oklahoma...
(1 January 1963-1 July 1964) Geographicly Separate Unit - KC-97 Dover AFB, DelawareDelawareDelaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania... - 19th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium19th Air Refueling SquadronThe 19th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. At the time of its inactivation, it was based at Otis Air Force Base.-Lineage:*19th Air Refueling Squadron...
(15 June 1963-1 July 1964) Geographicly Separate Unit - KC-97 Otis AFB, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010... - 99th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy99th Air Refueling SquadronThe 99th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 6th Air Mobility Wing at Birmingham Air National Guard Base, Alabama. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
(1 January 1963-1 January 1966) KC-135 Westover AFB, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010... - 303d Air Refueling Squadron, Medium303d Air Refueling SquadronThe 303d Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 19th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Homestead AFB, Florida. It was inactivated on 31 April 1961...
(1 January 1963-15 June 1963) Geographicly Separate Unit - KC-97 Kindley AFB, BermudaBermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, - 305th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium305th Air Refueling SquadronThe 305th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 305th Air Refueling Wing, stationed at McGuire AFB, New Jersey. It was inactivated on 1 September 1991...
(1 January 1963-1 July 1964) Geographicly Separate Unit - KC-97 McGuire AFB, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... - 384th Air Refueling Squadron, Medium384th Air Refueling SquadronThe 384th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
(1 January 1963-25 June 1966) KC-97 Westover AFB, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010... - 877th Bombardment Squadron877th Bombardment SquadronThe 877th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 499th Bombardment Group. It was inactivated at March Field, California on 16 February 1946.-History:...
, 20 November 1943-16 February 1946 - 878th Bombardment Squadron878th Bombardment SquadronThe 878th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 499th Bombardment Group. It was inactivated at March Field, California on 16 February 1946.-History:...
, 20 November 1943-16 February 1946 - 879th Bombardment Squadron879th Bombardment SquadronThe 879th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 499th Bombardment Group. It was inactivated at March Field, California on 16 February 1946.-History:...
, 20 November 1943-16 February 1946 - 880th Bombardment Squadron880th Bombardment SquadronThe 880th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 383d Bombardment Group. It was inactivated at Camp Anza, California on 3 Jan 1946.-History:...
, 20 Nov 1943-10 May 1944
Stations
- Davis-Monthan Field, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, 20 November 1943 - Smoky Hill AAFldSalina Municipal AirportSalina Municipal Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Salina, a city in Saline County, Kansas, United States. It is owned by the Salina Airport Authority....
, KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, 1 December 1943-22 July 1944 - Isley AirfieldSaipan International Airport- See also :* East Field * USAAF in the Central Pacific-References:* Dorr, Robert F. B-29 Units of World War II. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2002. ISBN 1-84176-285-7...
, SaipanSaipanSaipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
, Mariana IslandsMariana IslandsThe Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...
18 September 1944-9 November 1945 - March Field, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, c. 25 November 1945-16 February 1946 - Westover AFB, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
(1 January 1963-25 June 1966)
Aircraft flown
- B-29 SuperfortressB-29 SuperfortressThe B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
, 1943–1946 - EC-135 (1965)
- KC-135 (1963–1965)
- KC-97 (1963–1965)