Homestead Air Reserve Base
Encyclopedia
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...
base located approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) east-northeast of Homestead, Florida
Homestead, Florida
Homestead is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States nestled between Biscayne National Park to the east and Everglades National Park to the west. Homestead is primarily a Miami suburb and a major agricultural area....
.
The host unit at Homestead is the 482d Fighter Wing
482d Fighter Wing
The 482d Fighter Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command. It is the host wing at Homestead Air Reserve Base in Florida.-Mission:...
(482 FW) assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
Tenth Air Force
Tenth Air Force
The Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
. The 482 FW is a fully combat-ready unit capable of providing F-16C multi-purpose fighter aircraft, along with mission ready pilots and support personnel, for short-notice worldwide deployment. The wing has more than 1,500 members, including approximately 1,200 reservists, of which 250 are full-time reservists, in addition to 300 full-time civilians.
Homestead ARB was established in 1942 as Homestead Army Airfield (AAF). After its destruction by Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was the third Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States, after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Andrew was the first named storm and only major hurricane of the otherwise inactive 1992 Atlantic hurricane season...
in August 1992, the base was taken off active status and rebuilt, reopening as an Air Force Reserve facility in 1994. The 482d Fighter Wing is commanded by Colonel Donald R. Lindberg.
Units
The mission of the 482nd Fighter Wing is to train and equip Air Force Reservists to respond to wartime and peacetime taskings as directed by higher headquarters. The wing specifically trains for: Mobility, Deployment, and Employment. The operational component of the 482 FW is the 93rd Fighter Squadron (93 FS), which flies the General Dynamics Block 30 F-16C/D Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
. The squadron's aircraft can be identified by the letters “FM” (“Fighting Makos”) and the Mako shark
Shortfin mako shark
The shortfin mako shark, Isurus oxyrinchus , is a large mackerel shark. Along with the closely related longfin mako it is commonly referred to as a "mako shark".-Etymology:...
emblem displayed on the tail.
The 482 FW is part of the Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
(AFRC) and Tenth Air Force
Tenth Air Force
The Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
(10 AF) and functions as the host wing for the installation. The 482 FW also supports operations of several “tenant” units at Homestead ARB, including the “scramble” capability of Detachment 1, 125th Fighter Wing
125th Fighter Wing
The United States Air Force's 125th Fighter Wing is a unit of the Florida Air National Guard, operationally-gained by the Air Combat Command . Its primary installation is Jacksonville Air National Guard Base at Jacksonville International Airport, Florida...
(125 FW), of the Florida Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
. In this United States Northern Command
United States Northern Command
United States Northern Command is a Unified Combatant Command of the United States military. Created on 1 October 2002 in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks, its mission is to protect the United States homeland and support local, state, and federal authorities...
(USNORTHCOM) / North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) mission, F-15C/D Eagle
F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
fighter interceptors stand ready alert to intercept unidentified or potentially hostile aircraft. Since 11 September 2001, this mission has primarily been in support of Operation NOBLE EAGLE.
In addition to the 125 Fighter Wing's Det 1, other tenant activities at Homestead ARB include:
- Headquarters, U.S. Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH), the special operations component of U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM)
- 50th Area Support Group, Florida Army National Guard
Florida Army National Guard
The Florida Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
- U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team
Maritime Safety and Security Team
A Maritime Safety and Security Team or MSST is a United States Coast Guard anti-terrorism team established to protect local maritime assets...
Miami
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. regulations, including trade, customs and immigration. CBP is the...
's Miami Air Branch, whose aircraft conduct drug enforcement air interdiction missions from Homestead ARB
During the Atlantic hurricane season, the 482 FW routinely supports forward deployment of the Air Force Reserve’s 403rd Wing (403 WG) from Keesler AFB, Mississippi, flying the WC-130 Hercules aircraft in the “Hurricane Hunters” weather reconnaissance mission. The 482 FW has also hosted joint relief operations with the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
(FEMA). In October 2005, Homestead Air Reserve Base teamed up with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to bring over 1 million tons of relief supplies to South Floridians recovering from Hurricane Wilma.
History
Homestead Airfield began as a United States Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
facility on 16 September 1942 when the Army Air Forces assumed control of an isolated airstrip located about a mile inland from the shore of Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay is a lagoon that is approximately 35 miles long and up to 8 miles wide located on the Atlantic coast of South Florida, United States. It is usually divided for purposes of discussion and analysis into three parts: North Bay, Central Bay, and South Bay. Its area is...
. The airstrip had been turned over to the government by Coconut Grove-based Pan American Ferries, Inc., which had carved it out of the rocky landscape in the 1940s. Returned to civilian control after World War II, it was used as Dade County Airport until 5 January 1953 when the United States 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...
reopened it as Homestead Air Force Base. Nearly destroyed by Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was the third Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States, after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Andrew was the first named storm and only major hurricane of the otherwise inactive 1992 Atlantic hurricane season...
in August 1992, the facility was non-operational until March 1994 when it was reopened as Homestead Air Reserve Station.
World War II
Shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl HarborPearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, Army Air Forces officials decided the site would better serve defense needs as a maintenance stopover point for aircraft being ferried to the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
.
For its first six months of existence, Homestead Army Airfield served as a scheduled stop on a well traveled air route from northeast U.S. to the Caribbean and Africa. The 54th, 75th and 76th Ferrying Squadrons were assigned to the airfield in support of that mission.
On 30 January 1943, the base assumed a more vital wartime role with the activation of the 2nd Operational Training Unit (2nd OTU). The mission of the permanently assigned cadre of nine officers, 15 enlisted men, and 12 civilian flight instructors was to provide advanced training for aircrew members who would one day pilot Douglas C-54 Skymaster
C-54 Skymaster
The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff...
, Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
and Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando
C-46 Commando
The Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando was a transport aircraft originally derived from a commercial high-altitude airliner design. It was instead used as a military transport during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces as well as the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps under the designation R5C...
transport aircraft along the 188,000 miles of the USAAF Air Transport Command's (ATC) globe-girdling routes.
During this period of time the base was under two commands. The runway itself, Homestead Army Air Field, belonged to Station 8, Caribbean Caribbean Wing of ATC, while the 2nd OTU fell under the War Department’s Domestic Transportation Division with the 1st and 3rd Air Transport Squadrons bring its flying components.
As the need for trained transport pilots grew during 1943, officials in Washington decided to beef up the training program at Homestead. As a result, the entire base was transferred to ATC’s Ferrying Division, and by the end of the year, the 2nd OTU’s sole mission was to prepare C-54 transport air crews to fly the famed “Hump” from Burma to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
On 15 August 1944 command of Homestead AAF consolidated under the 563d AAF Base Unit. By 1945, Homestead AAF represented the largest four-engine transport training operation in the entire ATC - the 2nd OTU had graduated 2,250 C-54 pilots, 14,505 copilots, 224 navigators, 85 radio operators and 1,375 flight engineers. But it all came to a rather abrupt end.
On 15 September 1945, three years to the day of the base’s founding, a massive hurricane
1945 Southeast Florida hurricane
The 1945 Southeast Florida hurricane was the most intense tropical cyclone of the 1945 Atlantic hurricane season. It made landfall on Homestead, Florida with estimated sustained winds of 140 mph . The ninth tropical storm, third Atlantic hurricane, and third major hurricane of the season, it...
barreled through, sending winds of up to 145 mph whistling through the cinderblock buildings. Enlisted housing facilities, the nurses' dormitory and the base exchange were all destroyed. The roof was ripped off what would later be Building 741, also known as the "Big Hangar." The base laundry and fire station were both declared total losses. The few remaining aircraft were tossed about like leaves.
On 25 October 1945, following an evaluation of the damage caused by the storm, officials announced that Homestead AAF would shut down, with a target date for complete closure of December 1945. Military control of Homestead officially ended on 14 December 1945.
After being closed by the military, Homestead was known as Dade County Airport, and operated as a civilian facility for almost a decade.
Strategic Air Command
In the early 1950s, as the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
was winding down, defense officials once again looked toward Homestead with an eye at making the site a key player in continental defense. In mid-1954, an advance party arrived at the old airfield to begin cleaning it up, and on 8 February 1955 the 4226th Air Base Squadron was activated.
On 1 November 1955, the now-Homestead AFB was upgraded to a group level facility with the activation of the 379th Air Base Group which managed a major construction and rehabilitation program through 1957. 51 buildings on the base were rehabilitated by February 1955, and the base was readied for two 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) Boeing 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...
jet bomber wings.
The 379th Bomb Wing
379th Air Expeditionary Wing
The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time....
was activated at Homestead on 1 November 1955. It consisted of the following squadrons:
- 524th Bomb Squadron
- 525th Bomb Squadron
- 526th Bomb Squadron
- 527th Bomb Squadron (1 November 1958 - 9 January 1961)
The 379th BMW inherited the honors, history and colors of the 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...
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....
379th Bomb Group upon activation.
During the first five months, the 379th BMW concentrated on the manning and equipping of the unit and formulated a training schedule on 20 April 1956. The squadrons received their B-47s in April 1956 and commenced training for air refueling and strategic bombardment operations.
Beginning in mid 1957, the wing deployed aircraft, crews, and support personnel to North African bases under the REFLEX ACTION program. This requirement continued throughout the rest of the wing's assignment at Homestead AFB.
The 379th Combat Support Group, including six squadrons bearing the same numerical designation, was organized for the wing 1 April 1960, and during that same year, the 920th Air Refueling Squadron was transferred from Carswell AFB, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
flying the KC-135A Stratotanker
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
.
Within a year, the 19th Bomb Wing was transferred to Homestead on 1 June 1956 from Pinecastle AFB
McCoy Air Force Base
With McCoy's closure as an active air force installation in 1975, the site was redeveloped and is known today as Orlando International Airport, which carries the airport code MCO .- History :...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. It consisted of the following squadrons:
- 28th Bomb Squadron (B-47, 1956–1962) (B-52H February 1962 - 1968)
- 30th Bomb Squadron (1956 - 1 January 1962, assigned to 4133rd Strategic Wing, Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota)
- 93rd Bomb Squadron (1956 - 1 August 1961, assigned to 4239th Strategic Wing, Kincheloe AFB, Michigan)
- 525th Bomb Squadron (9 January 1961 - 15 March 1961, assigned to 4136th Strageic Wing, Minot AFB, North Dakota)
- 526th Bomb Squadron (9 January 1961 - 1 June 1961, assigned to 4139th Strategic Wing, K. I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan)
- 659th Bomb Squadron (1 November 1958 - 1 July 1961)
- 19th Air Refueling Squadron (KC-97) (1 June 1956 - 1 April 1960)
- 303rd Air Refueling Squadron (KC-135) (1 November 1959 - 1 April 1961)
- 407th Air Refueling Squadron (KC-135) (1 April 1962 - 2 July 1968)
With the activation of the 19th BW, the 823d Air Division
823d Air Division
The 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...
was activated to command the two bomb wings at Homestead. The units were initially under Second Air Force
Second Air Force
The 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....
until 1 January 1959, when the 823rd was placed under 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....
.
In 1957 both the 347th and 19th wings deployed to the Refelx Base at Sidi Slimane AB, French Morocco
French Morocco
French Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
, in January, then to Ben Guerir Air Base
Ben Guerir Air Base
Ben Guerir Air Base is a former United States Air Force base located in Morocco, later operated by the Royal Moroccan Air Force, which served as a Transatlantic Abort Landing site for the Space Shuttle...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, from April though July. By 1960, Homestead housed more than 6,000 permanently assigned members, twice the size of its busiest World War II days, and a fleet of Boeing 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...
bombers. The 19th BW maintained a portion of its tactical resources on continual overseas alert until April 1961.
The 379th BW transferred its B-47s beginning in October 1960 and moved without personnel or equipment to Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
in January 1961. With the departure of the 379th, the 19th Bomb Wing became the host unit at Homestead.
The 28th Bomb Squadron converted to the new Boeing B-52H Stratofortress aircraft in 1961, with the remaining squadrons of the 19th being transferred to various SAC Strategic Wings. This left the 19th with one squadron of B-52s. It was, in effect, a strategic wing, but was not redesignated as such.
The 19th wing won the Fairchild Trophy in the SAC bombing and navigation competition of 1966. The B-52s of the 28th BS participated in the "Chrome Dome" Mission wherein some flew Airborne Alert 24/7.
The 28th Bomb Squadron deactivated when 19th Bomb Wing was moved without personnel or equipment to Robins AFB, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
when Homestead AFB was transferred to Tactical Air Command
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...
(TAC) on 25 July 1968. The 823d Air Division was transferred to McCoy Air Force Base
McCoy Air Force Base
With McCoy's closure as an active air force installation in 1975, the site was redeveloped and is known today as Orlando International Airport, which carries the airport code MCO .- History :...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
on 2 July 1968.
Cuban Missile Crisis
On 1 June 1962 the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing31st Fighter Wing
The 31st Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at Aviano Air Base, Italy where it is also the host unit....
was deployed to Homestead from George AFB
Southern California Logistics Airport
Southern California Logistics Airport , also known as Victorville Airport, is a public airport located in the city of Victorville in San Bernardino County, California approximately north of San Bernardino...
, California
California
California 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...
in response to the growing Communist threat from Cuba. At the time, the 31st TFW flew the North American F-100 Super Sabre
F-100 Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
.
In October 1962, Homestead was a major staging base for the contemplated invasion of Cuba
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
. The newly-built B-52H aircraft from the 19th Bomb Wing were evacuated to Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan, where they stood on Nuclear Alert. F-100 Super Sabre
F-100 Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
fighter-bombers armed for ground attack filled the runways for immediate deployment to Cuba, while U.S. Army troops with heavy equipment arrived by road, rail, and a vast air-lift - accommodated in a tent city built on all available open space.
The 31st TFW, in cooperation with two other tactical fighter wings assigned here for the duration of the crisis, had already identified targets on Cuba and were prepared to strike at a moment’s notice. The world was on the brink of war, with Homestead at the very edge.
After several weeks of tension, the Soviets backed down. The missiles were removed. The crisis was over, but many of the changes to Homestead spawned by the Soviet threat remained. Though still nominally an SAC Base, Homestead was now tasked with a dual mission: to stand ready to project strategic air power around the globe, and to maintain an operationally ready tactical air force.
Air Defense Command
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the 48th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron deployed its F-106s to Homestead. Air Defense Command (ADC) headquarters decided after the crisis to establish permanently assigned units to counter any air intrusion by Soviet/Cuban fighters. ADC established three Fighter-Intereceptor squadrons at Homestead as part of ADC's 32nd Air Division. These squadrons were:- 319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron319th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronThe 319th Fighter Interceptor Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Aerospace Defense Command's Interceptor Weapons School at Tyndall AFB, Florida...
(1963–1969) - 331st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron331st Fighter-Interceptor SquadronThe 331st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command stationed at Webb Air Force Base, Texas. It was inactivated on March 1, 1967-History:...
(1963–1969) - 482d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron482d Fighter-Interceptor SquadronThe 482d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Montgomery Air Defense Sector, stationed at Homestead Air Force Base, Florida. It was inactivated on 30 June 1969.-History:...
(1965–1969)
The 331st was stationed at Webb AFB, Texas and was at Homestead in 1962 during the Cuban Crisis with F-102A Delta Daggers. All other squadrons flew the Lockheed F-104A/B Starfighter.
In late 1967, 26 aircraft of the 319th FIS were retrofitted with the more powerful J79-GE-19, rated at 17,900 lbs static thrust with afterburner, which was the same type of engine fitted to the F-104S version developed for Italy.
These redesignated Aerospace Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1946 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the integrated air defense system of the Continental United States , exercise direct control of all active...
(ADC) squadrons remained at Homestead until 1969, when the F-104s were retired and the squadrons deactivated. These were the last F-104 squadrons in the Regular U.S. Air Force, although the F-104 did continue in service with the Puerto Rico Air National Guard
Puerto Rico Air National Guard
The Puerto Rico Air National Guard is the air force militia of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. It is, along with the Puerto Rico Army National Guard, an element of the Puerto Rico National Guard.History=...
until 1975.
The F-106s of Detachment 2 of the 48th Fighter Interceptor Squadron were still deployed at Homestead AFB through 1975 and pulled alert sorties as well as escorting President Nixon's Air Force One in and out of Homestead AFB.
Tactical Air Command
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...
at Homestead AFB increased rapidly. F-100D/F squadrons of the 31st TFW were:
- 306th Tactical Fighter Squadron (red colors)
- 307th Tactical Fighter Squadron307th Fighter SquadronThe 307th Fighter Squadron is part of the 414th Fighter Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina.-Mission:...
(blue colors) - 308th Tactical Fighter Squadron308th Fighter SquadronThe 308th Fighter Squadron is part of the 56th Operations Group at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.-Mission:The 308th FS , fly Block 42 F-16C/Ds, wearing the dark green and white checkerboard fin band onducting F-16 Fighting Falcon crew training for active duty USAF pilots.-World War II:Initially...
(green colors) - 309th Tactical Fighter Squadron309th Fighter SquadronThe 309th Fighter Squadron is part of the 56th Operations Group at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting advanced fighter training.-Mission:...
(yellow colors)
Vietnam War
In 1966, demands from NATO and the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
led to the division of the 31st TFW into several segments. In April, the 307th TFS was permanently reassigned to the 401st TFW at Torrejon Air Base
Torrejon Air Base
Madrid-Torrejón Airport is a commercial airport in Spain. It is a joint-use facility between the Spanish Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Public Works. The civil part is dedicated primarily to executive and private aviation. The airport is located northeast of Madrid, west of Alcalá de...
Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
to accommodate USAFE requirements. The 31st TFW and its remaining three fighter squadrons were deployed to Tuy Hoa Air Base
Tuy Hoa Air Base
Tuy Hoa Air Base is a former air force base in Vietnam, being closed in 1970. It was built by the United States between 1965-1966 and was used by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War in the II Corps Tactical Zone of South Vietnam. It was seized by the Vietnam People's Army in April...
South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
on 16 December 1966.
During its time in Vietnam, a placeholder unit, the 4531st Tactical Fighter Wing assumed the host duties at Homestead to perform the air defense mission. For the next several years, squadrons from various TAC bases were assigned to Homestead to fulfill that role. These squadrons were:
- Reassigned from the 474th TFW, Cannon AFB, New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
- 478th Tac Ftr Sq 1 November 1966-21 May 1970 (ZE, F-4D, F-4E, green tails)
Aircraft assigned to the 309th TFS, 21 May 1970. Squadron transferred to 474th TFW at Takhli RTAFBTakhli Royal Thai Air Force BaseTakhli Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force facility. It is located in Central Thailand, approximately 144 miles northwest of Bangkok in Takhli district, Nakhon Sawan Province, near the city of Nakhon Sawan.- Units :...
ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, then deployed TDY to 354th TFW, Kusan AB, South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south... - 430th Tac Ftr Sq 15 November 1966-15 September 1968 (F-4D, red tails)
Aircraft sent to 474th TFW, Det. 1 at Tan Son Nhut Air BaseTan Son Nhut Air BaseTan Son Nhut Air Base was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force facility. It is located near the city of Saigon in southern Vietnam. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War , stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there...
South VietnamSouth VietnamSouth Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
. Squadron transferred to 474th TFW at Takhli RTAFBTakhli Royal Thai Air Force BaseTakhli Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force facility. It is located in Central Thailand, approximately 144 miles northwest of Bangkok in Takhli district, Nakhon Sawan Province, near the city of Nakhon Sawan.- Units :...
ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
as F-111A squadron
- 478th Tac Ftr Sq 1 November 1966-21 May 1970 (ZE, F-4D, F-4E, green tails)
- Reassigned from the 479th TTW, George AFB, 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...
- 436th Tac Ftr Sq436th Tactical Fighter Training SquadronThe 436th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 479th Fighter Group, stationed at Holloman AFB, New Mexico. It was inactivated on 2 August 1991.-World War II:...
15 July 1968-30 October 1970 (ZD, F-4D, F-4E)
Assets of 560th TFW assigned to 306th TFS, 31 October 1970. Squadron transferred w/o/p/e to Holloman AFB New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
as 436th TTS. - 68th Tac Ftr Sq68th Fighter SquadronThe 68th Fighter Squadron was one of the most long-serving Fighter Squadrons in U.S. Air Force history, remaining activated almost continually for 60 years. Known as the "Lightning Lancers", the squadron pioneered radar interception while flying the P-61 Black Widow during World War II...
1 October 1968-20 June 1969 (ZG, F-4D, F-4E)
Squadron and Aircraft deployed TDY to 354th TFW, Kunsan AB, South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
Returned to 4531st TFW from 354th TFW 9 December 69
Remained at Homestead until 30 October 1970 with squadron and Assets transferred to 4403d TFW England AFB, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
- 436th Tac Ftr Sq
- Reassigned from the 23d TFW, McConnell AFB, 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...
- 560th Tactical Fighter Squadron560th Flying Training SquadronThe 560th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 12th Flying Training Wing of the United States Air Force based at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. It operates the T-38 Talon conducting flying training.-History:...
25 September 1968-23 June 1969(ZF, F-4D, F-4E)
Squadron and Aircraft deployed TDY to 354th TFW, Kunsan AB, South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
Returned to 4531st TFW from 354th TFW 17 December 69
Remained at Homestead until 30 October 1970 when squadron and assets of 560th TFS assigned to 308th TFS, 31 October 1970,
- 560th Tactical Fighter Squadron
On 1 July 1968 TAC officially took control of Homestead AFB and placed it under Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
. The SAC 19th Bomb Wing transferred to Robins Air Force Base
Robins Air Force Base
Robins Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force base located in Houston County, Georgia, United States. The base is located just east of and adjacent to the city of Warner Robins, Georgia, SSE of Macon, Georgia, and about SSE of Atlanta, Georgia...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, and the 823d Air Division was transferred to McCoy Air Force Base
McCoy Air Force Base
With McCoy's closure as an active air force installation in 1975, the site was redeveloped and is known today as Orlando International Airport, which carries the airport code MCO .- History :...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Post Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
on 15 October 1970 as an McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
organization. Its deployed squadrons were reactivated at Homestead from assets of the deactivated 4531st TFW
- 436th TFS -> 306th Tactical Fighter Squadron (ZD, Inactivated 15 July 1971)
- 307th Tactical Fighter Squadron307th Fighter SquadronThe 307th Fighter Squadron is part of the 414th Fighter Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina.-Mission:...
(ZD/ZF, red tail stripe, Activated 15 July 1971 from assets of 306th TFS) - 560th TFS -> 308th Tactical Fighter Squadron (ZF, green tail stripe)
- 478th TFS -> 309th Tactical Fighter Squadron (ZE/ZF, blue tail stripe)
The 31st TFW standardized on the "ZF" tail code in 1972. On 1 July 1978 the 306th TFS was reactivated as an F-4E squadron (ZF, yellow tail stripe)
The 482d Tactical Fighter Wing (482 TFW) was activated at Homestead in 1978 and was the first Air Force Reserve (AFRES) unit to receive the F-4 Phantom II
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
jet fighter.
An additional AFRES unit at Homestead was the 301st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, which operated HC-130
HC-130
The Lockheed HC-130 is an extended-range, search and rescue and Combat search and rescue version of the C-130 Hercules transport. The HC-130H and HC-130J versions are operated by the United States Coast Guard in a SAR and maritime reconnaissance role. The HC-130P and HC-130N Combat King models...
Hercules and HH-3E "Jolly Green Giant" aircraft. This unit was redesignated as the 301st Air Rescue Squadron in 1990 and as the 301st Rescue Squadron
301st Rescue Squadron
The 301st Rescue Squadron is part of the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. It operates HH-60 Pave Hawk aircraft conducting search and rescue missions.-History:...
in 1992.
An equipment change in 1980 brought the F-4D to the 31st TFW, and in 1981, the 31st TFW and Homestead AFB again took on a new task: the training of F-4 aircrews as a Formal Training Unit (FTU). On 31 March 1981 the 31st TFW became the 31st Tactical Training Wing.
Training was to remain the base’s primary mission until 1 October 1985 when the wing converted to the General Dynamics Block 15 F-16A/B Fighting Falcon and returned to an operational tactical fighter wing status. However, with the arrival of the F-16s, the 306th TFS was again deactivated. The tail code of the 31st was also changed to "HS" on 1 December 1986.
In October 1991 the wing upgraded to the Block 40 F-16C/D and was redesignated at the 31st Fighter Wing (31 FW) and on 1 June 1992 the wing was assigned to the newly-established 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) following the disestablishment of TAC. The 482 TFW was similarly redesignated the 482 FW and became operationally-gained by ACC.
Hurricane Andrew
August 1992's Hurricane AndrewHurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was the third Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States, after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Andrew was the first named storm and only major hurricane of the otherwise inactive 1992 Atlantic hurricane season...
was the second most destructive hurricane in U.S. history, and the final of three Category 5 hurricanes to make landfall in the United States in the 20th century.
Just prior to the storm's landfall in Southeast Florida, the 31 FW dispersed its fighter squadrons to safe areas away from the storm's path. These locations were:
- 307th FS -> to 347th FW, Moody AFB, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
- 308th FS -> to 347th FW, Moody AFB, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
- 309th FS -> to 363d FW, Shaw AFB, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
The 482 FW and the 301 RQS also dispersed their F-16, HC-130 and HH-3E aircraft to MacDill AFB, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and Patrick AFB, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, respectively.
The effects of Hurricane Andrew caused the almost total destruction of Homestead Air Force Base. Although both President George H. W. Bush and President Clinton promised to rebuild Homestead AFB, the BRAC
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...
designated the installation for realignment to the Air Force Reserve, with the 31st Fighter Wing's squadrons being permanently reassigned to their dispersal bases, Moody AFB and Shaw AFB, on 1 October 1992.
Civilian personnel and Civil Engineer units of the 31 FW worked to reconstruct Homestead in 1993 and 1994. In March 1994, Homestead officially reopened, however the 31st FW aircraft squadrons did not return to the base. On 1 April 1994, 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) inactivated the 31st Fighter Wing base support units, effectively ending principal ACC ownership of the base. The base was then transferred to the control of Air Force Reserve (AFRES) . Homestead AFB was initially re-designated as Homestead Air Reserve Station, followed by re-designation as Homestead Air Reserve Base. The base and its units are normally under AFRES control, but remain operationally-gained by ACC. The 482 FW became the host unit for Homestead ARB, while the 301 RQS permanently changed its home station to Patrick AFB, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. In 1997, the Air Force Reserve transitioned from being a Field Operating Agency (FOA) to a major command (MAJCOM), renamed as the Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
(AFRC). With this change, all functions and responsibilities at Homestead ARB previously assigned to AFRES were shifted to AFRC.
The 31st Fighter Wing was transferred without personnel or equipment to Aviano Air Base
Aviano Air Base
Aviano Air Base is a NATO Air Base under U.S. Air Force administration in northeastern Italy, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. It is located in Aviano municipality, at the foot of the Carnic Pre-Alps, or Southern Carnic Alps, about 15 kilometers from Pordenone.-Units:Aviano is hosted by the...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, taking over the host wing duties there.
Air Force Reserve Command
During the reconstruction period after Hurricane Andrew (1992–1994), the 482nd operated from MacDill AFB, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, while the 301st Rescue Squadron
301st Rescue Squadron
The 301st Rescue Squadron is part of the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. It operates HH-60 Pave Hawk aircraft conducting search and rescue missions.-History:...
operated from Patrick AFB, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The 301st was later expanded, replaced their HH-3Es with HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters and redesignated the 920th Rescue Group. Later redesignated as the 920th Rescue Wing
920th Rescue Wing
The 920th Rescue Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida with additional geographically separated units located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona and Portland International Airport/Air Reserve Station, Oregon...
, they currently operate both HC-130N/P and HH-60G aircraft and are now permanently reassigned to Patrick AFB, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
with additional geographically separated units (GSUs) located at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona
Arizona
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...
and Portland International Airport
Portland International Airport
Portland International Airport is a joint civil-military airport and the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of passenger travel and more than 95% of air cargo of the state. It is located within Portland's city limits just south of the Columbia River in Multnomah...
Air Reserve Station, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
In 2000, 482nd Security Forces Squadron (482 SFS) personnel were deployed in support Operation SOUTHERN WATCH at Ali Al Salem Air Base and Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, for air base defense.
In 2001, the 482 FW deployed to Laage Air Base, Germany, for Exercise Millennium Falcon, which provided dissimilar-in-combat training with German Mig-29s. Since 11 September 2001, the 482 FW has also been active in support of the continental air defense mission, Operation NOBLE EAGLE, alongside their Florida Air National Guard
Florida Air National Guard
The Florida Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Florida. It is, along with the Florida Army National Guard, an element of the Florida National Guard...
counterparts from Detachment 1, 125th Fighter Wing
125th Fighter Wing
The United States Air Force's 125th Fighter Wing is a unit of the Florida Air National Guard, operationally-gained by the Air Combat Command . Its primary installation is Jacksonville Air National Guard Base at Jacksonville International Airport, Florida...
.
In 2003, the Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
changed the name of Homestead Air Reserve Base to that of Homestead Air Reserve Base, only to change it back to Homestead Air Reserve Base in 2005.
Elements of the 482nd Fighter Wing deployed in October 2001 to the Al Jaber Air Base in Kuwait as part of a regularly scheduled Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF) rotation to enforce the no-fly zone over southern Iraq. While there, the 482 FW reservists also began flying additional combat missions as part of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) over Afghanistan. Throughout the 90-day deployment, 482 FW pilots, as part of a larger Air Reserve Component "rainbow wing" at Al Jaber, flew between nine and fifteen hours a day. OEF sorties typically consisted of launch from Al Jaber with a combination of air-to-air and air-to-ground ordnance, a flight path south along the Arabian/Persian Gulf, an eastward turn over the Indian Ocean, a northern turn and overflight of Pakistan, then execution of combat operations over Afghanistan. Upon conclusion of time on station over Afghanistan, pilots would then reverse their route and return to Al Jaber. Despite the addition of auxiliary fuel tanks, these long duration missions often required four to five aerial refuelings from KC-135 or KC-10 tankers and pressed 482 FW flight crews and maintenance crews to their physical limits.
Major commands to which assigned
- Air Transport CommandMilitary Air Transport ServiceThe Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...
, 16 September 1942 - 14 December 1945 - 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...
, 5 January 1953 - 1 July 1968
- Air Defense Command/Aerospace Defense CommandAerospace Defense CommandAerospace Defense Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1946 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the integrated air defense system of the Continental United States , exercise direct control of all active...
(Attached), 25 April 1960 - 31 December 1969- Tactical Air CommandTactical Air CommandTactical 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...
, 1 July 1968 - 1 June 1992 - 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 ....
, 1 June 1992 - 1 April 1994 - Air Force Reserve CommandAir Force Reserve CommandThe Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
, 1 April 1994–present
- Tactical Air Command
Major units assigned
- 427th Base HQ and Air Base Squadron, 16 September 1942 - 1 November 1943
- Redesignated: Station 8, Caribbean Division, Air Transport CommandAir Transport CommandAir Transport Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its mission was to meet the urgent demand for the speedy reinforcement of the United States' military bases worldwide during World War II, using an air supply system to supplement surface transport...
, 20 October 1943 - 1 April 1944- 54th Ferrying (later Transport) Squadron, 16 September 1942 - 7 November 1943
- 390th Sub Depot, 1 November 1942 - 1 August 1944
- 75th Ferrying (later Transport) Squadron, 8 February 1943 - 31 March 1944
- 76th Ferrying (later Transport) Squadron, 8 February 1943 - 31 March 1944
- 2d Operational Training Unit, 8 February 1943 - 31 March 1944
- Port of Aerial Embarkation, 15 December 1943 - 27 May 1946
- 563d AAF Base Unit, 1 April 1944 - 5 March 1945
- 564th AAF Base Unit, 1 April 1944 - 5 March 1945
- 4226th Air Base Squadron, 8 February - 1 November 1955
- 379th Bombardment Wing379th Air Expeditionary WingThe 379th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time....
, 1 November 1955 - 9 January 1961 - 19th Bombardment Wing, 1 June 1956 - 25 July 1968
- 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...
, 1 June 1956 - 2 July 1968 - 435th Troop Carrier Wing435th Air Base WingThe 435th Air Ground Operations Wing is an active unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. It is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.The current commander is Colonel John S. Shapland, USAF....
, 25 July 1960 - 1 December 1965 - 644th Radar Squadron (SAGE), 25 April 1960 - 1 April 1978
- 31st Tactical Fighter Wing31st Fighter WingThe 31st Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at Aviano Air Base, Italy where it is also the host unit....
, 1 June 1962 - 6 December 1966 - 15 October 1970 - 1 April 1994 - 319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1 March 1963 - 31 December 1969
- 4531st Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 November 1966 - 30 June 1971
- 15th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron15th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronThe 15th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command Phoenix Air Defense Sector stationed at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona...
, 30 June 1967 - 30 March 1968 - 482d Tactical Fighter Wing482d Fighter WingThe 482d Fighter Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command. It is the host wing at Homestead Air Reserve Base in Florida.-Mission:...
, 1 April 1981–present
References for history introduction, major commands and major units
Other sources
- Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office 1961 (republished 1983, Office of Air Force History, ISBN 0-912799-02-1).
- Ravenstein, Charles A. Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell Air Force BaseMaxwell Air Force BaseMaxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force installation under the Air Education and Training Command . The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, US. It was named in honor of Second Lieutenant William C...
, 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...
: Office of Air Force History 1984. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. - Mueller, Robert, Air Force Bases Volume I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982, Office of Air Force History, 1989
- Donald, David (2004) Century Jets: USAF Frontline Fighters of the Cold War. AIRtime ISBN 1880588684
- Martin, Patrick (1994). Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings. Schiffer Military Aviation History. ISBN 0887405134.
- Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
- http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers-1908 to present
- http://www.csd.uwo.ca/~pettypi/elevon/baugher_us/ Joe Baugher's Encyclopedia Of Military Aircraft
External links
- Homestead Air Force Base at Strategic Air Command.com website
- Article about new Airport Authority in Miami