MacDill Air Force 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 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. The "host wing" for MacDill AFB is the 6th Air Mobility Wing
6th Air Mobility Wing
The United States Air Force's 6th Air Mobility Wing is the host wing for MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. It is part of Air Mobility Command's Eighteenth Air Force....
(6 AMW) of the Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
(AMC), part of AMC's Eighteenth Air Force
Eighteenth Air Force
Eighteenth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force component of the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It was activated on 1 October 2003 and headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois...
(18 AF).
The 6th Air Mobility Wing is commanded by Colonel Lenny Richoux. The Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant Derrick D. Crowley.
Overview
The host unit at MacDill AFB is the 6th Air Mobility Wing6th Air Mobility Wing
The United States Air Force's 6th Air Mobility Wing is the host wing for MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. It is part of Air Mobility Command's Eighteenth Air Force....
(6 AMW), assigned to the Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
's 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force. In addition to operating KC-135R 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...
and C-37A Gulfstream aircraft, the 6 AMW provides day-to-day mission support to more than 3,000 personnel in its immediate command, along with more than 50 Mission Partners comprising over 12,000 additional personnel, to include the United States Central Command
United States Central Command
The United States Central Command is a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U.S. armed forces, established in 1983 under the operational control of the U.S. Secretary of Defense...
(USCENTCOM), United States Special Operations Command
United States Special Operations Command
The United States Special Operations Command is the Unified Combatant Command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Commands of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps of the United States Armed Forces. The command is part of the Department of Defense...
(USSOCOM), and a detachment of United States Africa Command
United States Africa Command
The United States Africa Command is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Armed Forces, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for U.S. military operations and military relations with 53 African nations – an area of responsibility covering all...
(AFRICOM). It is a force capable of rapidly projecting air refueling power anywhere in the world. MacDill also bases the Aircraft Operations Center
Aircraft Operations Center
The Aircraft Operations Center is the main base for the approximately 15 aircraft of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government.It is the home base of the NOAA Hurricane Hunters....
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
, whose NOAA Corps
NOAA Corps
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps is one of seven federal uniformed services of the United States, which operates under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , a scientific agency within the Department of Commerce...
flies "Hurricane Hunter" missions in WP-3D Orion
P-3 Orion
The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner. The aircraft is easily recognizable by its distinctive tail stinger or...
and Gulfstream IV
Gulfstream IV
The Gulfstream IV and derivatives are a family of twin-jet aircraft, mainly for private or business use. The aircraft was designed and built by Gulfstream Aerospace, a General Dynamics company based in Savannah, Georgia, United States from 1985 until 2003.-Design and development:Gulfstream, in...
aircraft.
The 6 AMW is a 3,000-person force capable of rapidly projecting air refueling power anywhere in the world. They are organized into four groups, in addition to the wing commander's immediate staff, in order to carry out their mission to be America's premier mobility team providing world-class air refueling, responsive airlift and airbase support to Headquarters USCENTCOM, Headquarters USSOCOM and 51 other mission partners that all call MacDill home.
The 6 AMW also has a collocated "Associate" wing at MacDill, the 927th Air Refueling Wing
927th Air Refueling Wing
The 927th Air Refueling Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command flying unit, operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command , located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida-History:...
(927 ARW) 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). The 6 AMW and the 927 ARW operate and share the same assigned KC-135 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...
aircraft.
6th Air Mobility Wing
The 6 AMW consists of:- 6th Operations Group (6 OG)
- 91st Air Refueling Squadron91st Air Refueling SquadronThe 91st Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 6th Air Mobility Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
(91 ARS)
Operates the Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker. The KC-135R is a long-range tanker aircraft capable of refueling a variety of other aircraft in mid-air, anywhere in the world and under any weather condition. MacDill KC-135s have supported US military operations all over the world, including refueling US and coalition aircraft during the wars in BosniaBosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
- 310th Airlift Squadron310th Airlift SquadronThe 310th Airlift Squadron is part of the 6th Air Mobility Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. It operates C-37 aircraft providing executive airlfit for Combatant Commanders.-Mission:...
(310 AS)
Operates three Gulfstream C-37A Gulfstream VGulfstream G500/G550The Gulfstream G500 and G550 are business jet aircraft produced by General Dynamics' Gulfstream Aerospace unit, located in Savannah, Georgia, USA. They are variants of the Gulfstream V. There are nine G500s, and 198 G550s in active service as of ....
aircraft utilizing highly experienced flight crews to provide global transportation on special assignment airlift missions (SAAM) directly supporting the Combatant Commanders of U.S. Central Command, U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command, U.S. Joint Forces Command, and U.S. Strategic Command.
- 6th Operations Support Squadron (6 OSS)
Provides airfield management responsibilities for MacDill AFB, to include staffing and operation of the air traffic control tower, weather forecasting services, transient alert services and other flight operations and aircrew support functions.
- 6th Maintenance Group (6 MXG)
- 6th Medical Group (6 MDG)
- 6th Mission Support Group (6 MSG)
927th Air Refueling Wing
The 927 ARW consists of:- 927th Operations Group (927 OG)
- 63d Air Refueling Squadron63d Air Refueling SquadronThe 63d Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 927th Air Refueling Group at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions as the reserve associate to the 6th Air Mobility Wing....
(63 ARS)
Operates the Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker. The KC-135R is a long-range tanker aircraft capable of refueling a variety of other aircraft in mid-air, anywhere in the world and under any weather condition. - 927th Operations Support Flight (927 OSF)
- 927th Maintenance Group (927 MXG)
- 927th Mission Support Group (927 MSG)
The 927 ARW is commanded by Colonel Kenneth D. Lewis, Jr., USAF.
Other major tenant units at MacDill are:
- Headquarters, United States Central Command (USCENTCOMUnited States Central CommandThe United States Central Command is a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U.S. armed forces, established in 1983 under the operational control of the U.S. Secretary of Defense...
) - Headquarters, United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOMUnited States Special Operations CommandThe United States Special Operations Command is the Unified Combatant Command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Commands of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps of the United States Armed Forces. The command is part of the Department of Defense...
) - Headquarters, United States Special Operations Central Command (USSOCCENTUnited States Special Operations Command CentralThe United States Special Operations Command Central is a subordinate unified command of joint forces for the U.S. Central Command...
) - Headquarters, United States Marine Corps Forces Central Command (USMARCENTUnited States Marine Forces Central CommandMarine Forces Central Command commands all United States Marine Corps forces assigned to United States Central Command. They do not have any actual combat units but do command units that are attached from other Marine Commands...
) - Tampa Det, Headquarters, United States Africa Command (USAFRICOMUnited States Africa CommandThe United States Africa Command is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Armed Forces, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for U.S. military operations and military relations with 53 African nations – an area of responsibility covering all...
) - National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's Aircraft Operations CenterNOAA ships and aircraftThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine and Aviation Operations operates a wide variety of specialized aircraft and ships to complete NOAA's environmental and scientific missions...
(AOC), which includes the NOAA WP-3D OrionP-3 OrionThe Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner. The aircraft is easily recognizable by its distinctive tail stinger or...
and Gulfstream VGulfstream VThe Gulfstream V is a business jet aircraft produced by Gulfstream Aerospace. It is also used by the US military under the designation C-37A. The G500 and G550 are improved versions which are currently in production...
hurricane hunter aircraft fleet, commanded by a rated aviator and Captain in the commissioned NOAA CorpsNOAA CorpsThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps is one of seven federal uniformed services of the United States, which operates under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , a scientific agency within the Department of Commerce...
.
Also located at MacDill are a division of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States with the primary mission of collecting, analyzing and distributing geospatial intelligence in support of national security. NGA was formerly known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency ...
(NGA), the Joint Communications Support Element (JCSE), the Air Force Reserve Command's 622nd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (622 AES), the 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...
's 290th Joint Communications Support Squadron (290 JCSS), the Navy Reserve Forces Command
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
's Navy Operational Support Center Tampa (NOSC Tampa), the US Army's 297th Military Intelligence Battalion, the Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory, activities of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, elements of the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
, the anti-medfly
Tephritidae
Tephritidae is one of two fly families referred to as "fruit flies", the other family being Drosophilidae. Tephritidae does not include the biological model organisms of the genus Drosophila , which is often called the "common fruit fly". There are nearly 5,000 described species of tephritid...
operation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Detachment 1 of the 23d Wing
23d Wing
The 23d Wing is a front-line United States Air Force Air Combat Command wing currently assigned to Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.-Mission:The mission of the 23d Wing is to organize, train and employ combat-ready A-10, HC-130 and HH-60, as well as pararescuemen and force protection assets...
from Moody Air Force Base
Moody Air Force Base
Moody Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation located in Lowndes County and Lanier County, about northeast of Valdosta, Georgia, United States.Moody Air Force Base is home to the 23d Wing...
, GA, among numerous other organizations, activities and agencies.
Detachment 1 of the 23d Wing is unique in that it hosts the Deployed Unit Complex (DUC) at MacDill AFB, providing flight line and logistical support for detachments of Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps tactical jet fighter and attack aircraft (to include Reserve and 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...
) utilizing the nearby Avon Park Air Force Range
Avon Park Air Force Range
The Avon Park Air Force Range is a United States Air Force bombing range and air-ground training complex in the U.S. state of Florida located east of the city of Avon Park.-History:...
facility, the Avon Range also being operated and maintained by Det 1, 23d Wing. An 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) organization, Det 1 reports to the Commander, 23d Wing, at Moody AFB, Georgia.
The base also supports the large military retiree community in the Tampa Bay area and surrounding environs.
History
MacDill AFB was established in 1939 as Southeast Air Base, Tampa. It is named in honor of ColonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Leslie MacDill (1889–1938). A World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
aviator, Colonel MacDill was killed in a crash of his North American BC-1 at Anacostia, D.C. on 8 November 1938 at Anacostia, D.C. During World War I he commanded an aerial gunnery school in St Jean de Monte, France.
Origins
Though the south end of Interbay Peninsula was used as a military staging areaStaging area
A staging area is a location where organisms, people, vehicles, equipment or material are assembled before use.- In construction :...
as early as the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, the land at the end of the peninsula was not formally declared a military installation until it was given to the War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
in 1939 by the state and Hillsborough County.
MacDill Field was dedicated on April 16, 1941. It was named in honor of Colonel Leslie MacDill, one of the U.S. Army's aviation pioneers who had been killed in an aircraft accident in 1938. The initial host unit was the 28th Air Base Squadron.
The initial assignment of the airfield was to Air Defense Command. As a component of the U.S. First Army, its mission was to plan for and execute the air defense of the continental United States. MacDill was the headquarters of ADC Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
and its primary mission was to fly antisubmarine patrols. Units supporting this mission were:
- 29th Bombardment Group
Flew antisubmarine patrol missions over the CaribbeanCaribbeanThe 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...
. These missions initiated on 21 May 1940 and continued until the group was transferred to Gowen AAF, IdahoIdahoIdaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
in June 1942 when the group was transitioned into a B-24 Operational Training Unit (OTU).
- 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy)44th Missile WingThe 44th Missile Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Twentieth Air Force, being assigned to Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. It was deactivated on 4 July 1994....
Trained with Consolidated B-24 Liberators and flew antisubmarine missions (January 1941 - February 1942). Transferred to Barksdale AAF, 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...
.
By the fall of 1942 these patrols, in conjunction with naval operations, had succeeded in driving off the German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
packs that had been taking such a heavy toll of shipping in the western Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
Another prewar mission of MacDill was "Project X;' the ferrying of combat aircraft eastward to the Philippines via the South Atlantic and South Africa. These operations began in February 1941 and were performed by the 6th Bomb Squadron and 43d Bomb Squadron flying the Douglas B-18 "Bolo"
B-18 Bolo
The Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
and Boeing B-17C/D "Flying Fortress" by way of Ascension Island
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
and Africa.
Other prewar units based at MacDill were:
- 53rd Pursuit Group (Interceptor)53d WingThe 53d Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.-Mission:The 53d Wing serves as the focal point for the Combat Air Forces in electronic warfare, armament and avionics, chemical defense, reconnaissance, and aircrew training devices...
Provided air defense with Curtiss P-40 Warhawk and Seversky P-35Seversky P-35The Seversky P-35 was a fighter aircraft built in the United States by the Seversky Aircraft Company in the late 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-35 was the first single-seat fighter in U.S...
s (January - May 1941). Transferred to Tallahassee AAF, Florida.
'76th Observation Group
76th Reconnaissance Group
The 76th Reconnaissance Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces organization. It served primarily in the American Theatre.The unit was constituted on 5 February 1942 and activated on 27 February. The group was a Third Air Force training unit for Reconnaissance and Observation...
Flew North American B-25 Mitchells. Performed aerial reconnaissance and air support techniques and aided ground units in their training (February 1942 - May 1943). Transferred to Key AAF, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
.
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 antisubmarine mission was turned over to the Navy and for the balance of the war, MacDill trained aircrews for overseas deployments to the various war theaters. The first units trained at the base were Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber groups. Known units which trained at MacDill were:
- 97th Bombardment Group (Heavy)97th Air Mobility WingThe 97th Air Mobility Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The wing is also the host unit at Altus...
(February - March 1942) - 92d Bombardment Group (Heavy) (March - May 1942)
- 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy)91st Space WingThe 91st Missile Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command Twentieth Air Force. It is stationed at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota as a tenant unit....
(May - June 1942) - 99th Bombardment Group (Heavy)99th Air Base WingThe 99th Air Base Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command United States Air Force Warfare Center. It is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada...
(June 1942) - 94th Bombardment Group (Heavy)94th Airlift WingThe United States Air Force's 94th Airlift Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command Twenty-Second Air Force organization stationed at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia....
(June - July 1942)
In the summer of 1942 the 21st Bombardment Group (Medium) was activated and served at MacDill as the OTU for Martin B-26 Marauder
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
training. As well as the main training unit, the group flew antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. It disbanded on 10 October 1943. Known B-26 units that trained at the base were:
- 320th Bombardment Group (Medium)320th Air Expeditionary WingThe 320th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force District of Washington. It is stationed at Bolling AFB, District of Columbia...
(June - August 1942) - 336th Bombardment Group (Medium)336th Training GroupThe 336th Training Group is a United States Air Force group with the mission to provide Air Force survival training. The group is located at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, with one subordinate unit at Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL, and one at Eielson Air Force Base, AK.The unit's...
(July - August 1942)
(Served as OTU at Lake Charles AAF, Louisiana after training at MacDill) - 322nd Bombardment Group (Medium)322d Air Expeditionary GroupThe 322d Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time....
(July - September 1942) - 323rd Bombardment Group (Medium) (August - November 1942)
- 344th Bombardment Group (Medium)126th Air Refueling WingThe United States Air Force's 126th Air Refueling Wing is a Illinois Air National Guard air refueling wing located at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois....
(September - December 1942) - 386th Bombardment Group (Medium)386th Air Expeditionary WingThe 386th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to United States Air Forces Central. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time. It is currently stationed at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait in Southwest Asia...
(December 1942 - February 1943) - 387th Bombardment Group (Medium)387th Air Expeditionary GroupThe 387th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait under USAFCENT...
(December 1942 - April 1943) - 391st Bombardment Group (Medium)391st Bombardment GroupThe 391st Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Army Service Forces stationed at Camp Shanks, New York...
(January - May 1943) - 394th Bombardment Group (Medium)394th Bombardment GroupThe 394th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the XII Fighter Command stationed at AAF Station Kitzingen, Germany. It was inactivated on 15 February 1946...
(March - July 1943) - 397th Bombardment Group (Medium)397th Bombardment WingThe 397th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit, last assigned to the Strategic Air Command 45th Air Division. It was last stationed at Dow Air Force Base, Maine, and was inactivated on 25 April 1968....
(April - October 1943) - 477th Bombardment Group (Medium)477th Fighter GroupThe 477th Fighter Group is the Air Force Reserve Command's first F-22A Raptor unit. The unit is assigned to Tenth Air Force and is based at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.-Overview:...
(June - August 1943)
(Group inactivated 25 August 1943)
B-26 training ceased in October 1943 and the base reverted to a primary B-17 aircrew replacement training training facility. The OTU which performed the training was the 488th Bombardment Group (Heavy) which was activated in November 1943. Groups which trained were:
- 463rd Bombardment Group (Heavy)463d Airlift GroupThe United States Air Force's 463d Airlift Group is a tactical airlift unit headquartered in Little Rock AFB, Arkansas.During World War II as the 463d Bombardment Unit, it was one of the last B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber groups deployed to Southern Italy as part of the Fifteenth Air Force in...
(November 1943 - January 1944) - 483rd Bombardment Group (Heavy)483d Composite WingThe 483d Composite Wing was a tactical airlift and composite wing assigned to Pacific Air Forces during the Vietnam War. It was the host organization at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base South Vietnam from 1970–1972....
(November 1943 - March 1944)
B-17 Aircrew training ended at MacDill during May 1944 with the inactivation of the 488th Bomb Group.
Beginning in January 1944, the 11th Photographic Group used MacDill for its mission of photographic mapping in the US and sent detachments to carry out similar operations in Africa, the CBI theater, the Near and Middle East, Mexico, Canada, Alaska, and the Caribbean. The unit flew a mixture of B-17, B-24, B-25, B-29, F-2, F-9, F-10, and A-20 aircraft. The 11th PG inactivated in October 1944, being replaced by several intelligence and mapping training units at the airfield from 1945 through 1948.
During the war, MacDill also served as a Prisoner of War camp, holding as many as 488 German POWs.
Strategic Air Command
In 1945, with the war in Europe over, B-17 training assignment ended. On 16 April 1945 MacDill was assigned to Continental Air CommandContinental Air Command
Continental Air Command was a Major Command of the United States Air Force responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.-Lineage:...
and became the primary training facility for aircrew assigned to the 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...
.
With the end of hostilities in September 1945, the base became a reception facility for returning 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...
groups from the Marianas. These groups were:
- 462nd Bombardment Group (Very Heavy)462d Bombardment GroupThe 462d Strategic Aerospace Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to Strategic Air Command, based at Larson Air Force Base, Washington....
(November 1945) - 497th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy)497th Air Refueling WingThe 497th Air Refueling Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was assigned to Strategic Air Command, based at Plattsburgh AFB, New York. The unit was inactivated on 15 September 1964...
(January 1946) - 498th Bombardment (Group (Very Heavy)498th Armament Systems WingThe 498th Nuclear Systems Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. It was formerly known as the 498th Armament Systems Wing.-Superfortress operations 1943-1946:...
(January 1946)
The rapid demobilization after the war led these units to be inactivated during 1946. On 21 March 1946, Continental Air Command was redesignated as 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).
307th Bombardment Wing
On 4 August 1946, SAC activated the 307th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) as the host unit at MacDill, being initially equipped with Boeing B-29 Superfortresses. Known initial operational squadrons of the group were the 370th, 371st and 372d Bombardment Squadrons.The group selected as SAC's first antisubmarine unit in December 1946. Precursor to similar SAC units, the group began training other SAC combat units in anti-submarine warfare and operational procedures. In February 1947 the wing began operating a B-29 transition training school and standardized combat training for all SAC units.
The unit was redesignated as the 307th Bombardment Wing, Medium on 12 July 1948. Under the wing designation, the 306th Bombardment Group (eff: 12 August 1948) and 307th Bombardment Group (eff: 12 July 1948) were attached to the wing. This brought three additional operational squadrons (367th, 368th and 369th Bombardment Squadrons) under the wing's command. In 1952, the 307th Bombardment Wing was bestowed the lineage, honors and history of the USAAF World War II 307th Bombardment Group.
On 1 September 1950, the 307th Bomb Group with its three squadrons of B-29s was deployed to Far East Air Force (FEAF) Bomber Command, Provisional at Kadena Air Base
Kadena Air Base
, is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Kadena Air Base is the hub of U.S. airpower in the Pacific, and home to the USAF's 18th Wing and a variety of associate units.-Units:The 18th Wing is the host unit at Kadena...
, Okinawa, engaging in combat operations during the Korean War
Korean 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...
. From Kadena, the 307th staged attacks against the rapidly advancing communist forces in South Korea
South Korea
The 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...
. While in Okinawa, the 307th was awarded the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for its air strikes against enemy forces in Korea. It was also awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation and several campaign streamers.
The 307th BG returned from deployment on 10 February 1951, however elements of the group remained deployed in Okinawa on a permanent basis. Later in 1951, the B-29s of the group at MacDill were replaced by the Boeing B-50D Superfortress
B-50 Superfortress
The Boeing B-50 Superfortress strategic bomber was a post-World War II revision of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, fitted with more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, stronger structure, a taller fin, and other improvements. It was the last piston-engined bomber designed by Boeing for...
.
Also on 1 September 1950 the 306th Bomb Group was transferred to the newly activated 306th Bombardment Wing at MacDill and continued the wing's training mission.
The 307th Bomb Wing was inactivated at MacDill on 16 June 1952. The 307th Bomb Group was permanently reassigned to Kadena Air Base upon the inactivation of the wing at MacDill.
306th Bombardment Wing
On 1 September 1950 the 306th Bombardment Wing306th Flying Training Group
The 306th Flying Training Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force...
was activated at MacDill and became SAC's first operational B-47 jet bomber wing. Upon activation, operational units of the wing were the 367th, 368th and 369th Bombardment Squadrons under the 306th Bombardment Group which was transferred from the 307th BMW.
Deliveries of the new Boeing B-47A Stratojet Stratojet to the USAF began in December 1950. It entered service in May 1951 with the 306th Bombardment Wing. The 306th was intended to act as a training outfit to prepare future B-47 crews. The B-47As were primarily training aircraft and were not considered as being combat ready, and none of the B-47As ever saw any operational duty.
On 19 November 1951 the Wing received its first operational Boeing B-47B and christened it "The Real McCoy" in honor of Colonel Michael N. W. McCoy, the wing commander who flew it from the Boeing Wichita plant to MacDill. During 1952, the 306th developed combat procedures and techniques for the new bomber and soon emerged as a leader in jet bombardment tactics and strategies.
The first Boeing KC-97E Stratotanker assigned to Strategic Air Command was delivered to the 306th Air Refueling Squadron at MacDill on 14 July 1951. In-flight refueling operations started in May 1952 with KC-97s refueling B-47s on operational training missions leading toward combat-ready status.
In 1953, the 306th became the first operational B-47 Wing. The wing became the backbone of the US Nuclear Deterrence Strategy by maintaining high levels of ground alert in the US and at overseas bases. The Wing was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit citation for its role as a pioneer and leader in jet bombardment tactics.
In 1954, SAC designated specific air refueling organizations and the 306th Air Refueling Squadron became ready to support B-47 operations across the command. During 1954, the more advanced B-47Es, with ejection seats, improved electronics and a white reflective paint scheme, replaced the 306th BMW B-47Bs.
During 1954-55, MacDill and the wing also served as a backdrop for part of the Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
film Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (film)
Strategic Air Command is a 1955 American film starring James Stewart and June Allyson, and directed by Anthony Mann. Released by Paramount Pictures, it was the first of four films that depicted the role of the Strategic Air Command in the Cold War era....
starring James Stewart
James Stewart (actor)
James Maitland Stewart was an American film and stage actor, known for his distinctive voice and his everyman persona. Over the course of his career, he starred in many films widely considered classics and was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one in competition and receiving one Lifetime...
and June Allyson
June Allyson
June Allyson was an American film and television actress, popular in the 1940s and 1950s. She was a major MGM contract star. Allyson won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her performance in Too Young to Kiss . From 1959–1961, she hosted and occasionally starred in her own CBS anthology...
.
The wing deployed to RAF Fairford
RAF Fairford
RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire, England. It is a standby airfield, not in everyday use. Its most prominent use in recent years has been as an airfield for United States Air Force B-52s during the 2003 Iraq War, Operation Allied Force in 1999, and the first Gulf War in...
England, June – September, 1953, at Ben Guerir AB
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...
, French Morocco (later Morocco), January - February, 1955, October 1956 - January 1957 and October 1957.
As SAC's B-47s were being phased out of the inventory, inactivation planning of the 306th BMW began. Phase down and transfer of B-47s was started, and by 15 February 1963 the wing was no longer capable of fulfilling its part of the strategic war plan. On 1 April 1963, SAC inactivated the 306th BMW at MacDill and reactivated it the same day at McCoy AFB, Florida as a B-52D and KC-135A
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...
heavy bombardment wing. McCoy AFB was the former Pinecastle AFB, having been renamed after Colonel Michael N. W. McCoy following his death in a B-47 mishap near the base in 1957.
305th Bombardment Wing
On 2 January 1951 the 305th Bombardment Wing305th Air Mobility Wing
The 305th Air Mobility Wing is a United States Air Force strategic airlift and air refueling wing under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command...
was activated at MacDill. The unit became the second Strategic Air Command wing to receive the B-47 jet bomber. Operational squadrons of the wing were the 305th, 364th, 365th and 366th Bombardment Squadrons.
Initially training with the Boeing B-29 and B-50 Superfortress, later that year the 305th received its first Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter. Following this, the group began training heavily in its new dual mission of strategic bombardment and aerial refueling.
The 809th Air Division (809th AD) took over host unit responsibilities at MacDill on 16 June 1952. The 809th AD consisted of the 305th and 306th Bombardment Wings which were both assigned to the base.
In June 1952, the wing upgraded to the all-jet Boeing B-47 Stratojet. The wing continued strategic bombardment and refueling operations from MacDill. The wing deployed overseas three times, once to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(September–December 1953) and twice to 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...
(November 1955-January 1956 and January–March 1957), in keeping with its mission of global bombardment and air refueling operations.
Two wing B-47s set speed records on 28 July 1953 when one flew from RCAF Goose Bay
CFB Goose Bay
Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay , is a Canadian Forces Base located in the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador....
, Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
, to RAF Fairford
RAF Fairford
RAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire, England. It is a standby airfield, not in everyday use. Its most prominent use in recent years has been as an airfield for United States Air Force B-52s during the 2003 Iraq War, Operation Allied Force in 1999, and the first Gulf War in...
, England, in 4:14 hours and the other flew from Limestone AFB, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, to RAF Fairford in 4:45 hours
In May 1959, the 305th Bomb Wing with B-47's was reassigned to Bunker Hill AFB, later Grissom AFB, Indiana. The 809th AD inactivated on 1 June 1959 with the reassignment of the 305th Bomb Wing.
Air Defense Command
Air Defense Command became a major tenant unit at MacDill in 1954 with the establishment of a Mobile radar station on the base to support the permanent ADC Radar network in the United States sited around the perimeter of the country. This deployment was projected to be operational by mid-1952. Funding, constant site changes, construction, and equipment delivery delayed deployment.This site at MacDill, designated as M-129 became operational on 1 August 1954 when the 660th Airborne Control and Warning Squadron was assigned to the base by the 35th Air Division. MacDill became the first operational mobile radar under the first phase of the program. The 660th ACWS initially used an AN/MPS-7 radar. By 1958 MacDill also had AN/GPS-3 and AN/MPS-14 radars. During the following year the AN/GPS-3 and AN/MPS-7 sets were replaced by AN/FPS-20A search and AN/FPS-6B height-finder sets.
During 1961 MacDill AFB joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
Semi Automatic Ground Environment
The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment was an automated control system for tracking and intercepting enemy bomber aircraft used by NORAD from the late 1950s into the 1980s...
(SAGE) system, initially feeding data to DC-09 at Gunter AFB, Alabama. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the 660th Radar Squadron
660th Radar Squadron
The 660th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 20th NORAD Region , Tactical Air Command, stationed at MacDill AFB, Florida...
(SAGE) on 1 March 1961. Also, in 1961 an AN/FPS-7B assumed search duties, and an additional height-finder radar was added in the form of an AN/FPS-26.
In 1963 an AN/FPS-90 height-finder radar replaced the AN/FPS-6B, and n 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-129. In addition to the main facility, Z-129 operated several unmanned Gap Filler sites:
- Winter Garden, FL (M-129A): 28°29′24"N 081°30′29"W
- Inverness, FL (M-129B): 28°41′17"N 082°24′06"W
In 1966 the AN/FPS-26 was modified into an AN/FSS-7 SLBM D&W radar, part of the 14th Missile Warning Squadron. Around 1966 Z-129 became a joint-use facility with the Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
(FAA), and the search radar was modified to an AN/FPS-7E model.
Z-129 came under 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...
jurisdiction in 1979 with the inactivation of Aerospace Defense Command and the activation of ADTAC. It was inactivated 15 Nov 1980.
The FSS-7 (the final one in the USAF inventory) remained in use for about a year after the host 660th Radar Squadron inactivated, reassigned as Det 1, 20th Missile Warning Squadron. The GATR site was retained until the Joint Surveillance System
Joint Surveillance System
The Joint Surveillance System is a joint United States Air Force and Federal Aviation Administration system for the atmospheric air defense of North America...
(JSS) switch-over (circa 1984), with the radios being maintained by the 1928th Communications Squadron (AFCC).
Tactical Air Command
In 1962, MacDill AFB was transferred to Tactical Air CommandTactical 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). Bomber aircraft would remain at MacDill until the 306th Bombardment Wing's transfer to McCoy AFB, and SAC would continue to maintain a tenant presence at MacDill through the 1980s, utilizing their Alert Facility as a dispersal location for B-52 and KC-135 aircraft. But for all practical purposes, the 1960s marked MacDill's transition to a fighter-centric TAC installation. Under TAC, MacDill remained a fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
base for almost 30 years, but other changes went on in the background.
12th Tactical Fighter Wing
Upon MacDill AFB's transfer to TAC, the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing12th Flying Training Wing
The 12th Flying Training Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas...
was reactivated on 17 April and assigned to 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....
. Initially, its only operational squadron was the 559th Tactical Fighter Squadron.
The mission of the 12th TFW was to be prepeared for tactical worldwide deployments and operations. Until 1964 the wing flew obsolete Republic F-84F Thunderjets reclaimed from the Air National Guard.
In January 1964, the wing was chosen to be the first Air Force combat wing to convert to the new McDonnell-Douglas F-4C 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,...
. It was expanded as follows:
- 557th Tactical Fighter Squadron
- 558th Tactical Fighter Squadron
- 559th Tactical Fighter Squadron
- 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron555th Fighter SquadronThe 555th Fighter Squadron is part of the 31st Operations Group at Aviano Air Base, Italy. It operates F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting an air superiority mission.-Mission:...
(Activated on 8 January 1964 as part of a wing transition from three squadrons of 25 aircraft each to four squadrons of 18 aircraft each.)
The wing was soon involved in F-4C firepower demonstrations, exercises and, ultimately, the Paris Air Show.
The first attempt to close MacDill was made in 1960, when it was listed as surplus and slated for closure. However, the Cuban Missile Crisis
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...
of 1962 pointed up the base's strategic location and usefulness as a staging area, and the cuts were stayed. In response to the Missile Crisis, the United States Strike Command
United States Strike Command
In 1961 the United States Strike Command was established at MacDill Air Force Base as a unified combatant command capable of responding to global crises. The name of the command was originally derived from the acronym for Swift Tactical Reaction In Every Known Environment...
was established at MacDill as a crisis response force; it was one of the first unified commands, a command that draws manpower and equipment from all branches of the U.S. military.
The conflict in Southeast Asia was escalating and throughout 1965 the wing supported Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Contingency Operations by rotating combat squadrons quarterly to Naha AB in the Ryuku Islands. The 12th began its permanent deployment to the first Air Force expeditionary airfield at Cam Ranh Bay
Cam Ranh Bay
Cam Ranh Bay is a deep-water bay in Vietnam in the province of Khánh Hòa. It is located at an inlet of the South China Sea situated on the southeastern coast of Vietnam, between Phan Rang and Nha Trang, approximately 290 kilometers / 180 miles northeast of Hồ Chí Minh City / Saigon.Cam Ranh is...
Air Base, 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 6 November 1965.
12th TFW Combat squadrons initially scheduled for deployment to Vietnam were the 555th, 557th and 558th TFS. Ultimately, the 559th TFS took the place of the 555th when the squadron was diverted to a second TDY with the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing at Naha Air Base
Naha Air Base
Naha Air Base is an airbase of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. It was formerly under control of the United States Air Force. It is located at Naha Airport, Okinawa, Japan....
, Okinawa, followed by a re-assignment to the 8th TFW at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base
Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base
Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force facility and is the home of Wing 21 of the RTAF 2nd Air Division. It is located in East-Central Thailand, near the city of Ubon Ratchathani, in the Ubon Ratchathani Province. It is approximately 305 miles North-East of Bangkok...
, Thailand. Still later the 555th was assigned to the 432d TRW at Udon Royal Thai Air Force Base
Udon Thani International Airport
Udonthani International Airport is an airport located near the city of Udon Thani in Udon Thani Province in the northeast region of Thailand. It is approximately 280 miles northeast of Bangkok...
.
15th Tactical Fighter Wing
15th Airlift Wing
The 15th Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. It is the airlift arm of Pacific Air Forces and United States Pacific Command and reports directly to the commander, Pacific Air Forces.-Mission:...
was activated at MacDill and assigned to Ninth Air Force. Operational squadrons of the wing and squadron tail codes were:
- 45th Tactical Fighter squadron (FC)
- 46th Tactical Fighter squadron46th Tactical Fighter Squadronthumb|Planes and hangars burning at [[Wheeler Field]] during the Japanese attack on [[Pearl Harbor]], 7 December 1941.The 46th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Tactical Air Command 1st Tactical Fighter Wing stationed at MacDill...
(FD) - 47th Tactical Fighter squadron47th Fighter SquadronThe 47th Fighter Squadron is part of the 917th Fighter Group at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, and falls under the operational control of the 442nd Fighter Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.-World War II:...
(FE) - 43rd Tactical Fighter Squadron43d Fighter SquadronThe 43d Fighter Squadron is part of the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. It conducts advanced fighter training for F-22 Raptor pilots.-Mission:...
(FB)
(Activated on 8 January 1964 as part of a wing transition from three squadrons of 25 aircraft each to four squadrons of 18 aircraft each.)
The 12th and 15th TFWs constituted the 836th Air Division at MacDill AFB 1 July 1962.
Initially equipped with the Republic F-84F Thunderjet, in 1964 the wing upgraded to the tail-coded McDonnell-Douglas F-4C 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,...
.
The mission of the 15th TFW was to conduct tactical fighter combat crew training. The wing participated in a variety of exercises, operations and readiness tests of Tactical Air Command, and trained pilots and provided logistical support for the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing. Reorganized as a mission-capable unit at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, it returned afterwards to a training mission.
With the departure of the 12th TFW in 1965, the 15th TFW became the host unit at MacDill with unit's mission becoming a training unit for F-4 aircrews prior to their deployment to Southeast Asia. The wing deployed 16 F-4s to Seymour Johnson AFB, NC during the USS Pueblo Crisis in 1968.
In 1965, the wing deployed its 43rd, 45th, 46th and 47th Tactical Fighter Squadrons to Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, where they participated in the air defense commitment for the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
from Clark AB and flew combat missions from Cam Rahn Bay Air Base in 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...
and Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base
Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base
Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force facility and is the home of Wing 21 of the RTAF 2nd Air Division. It is located in East-Central Thailand, near the city of Ubon Ratchathani, in the Ubon Ratchathani Province. It is approximately 305 miles North-East of Bangkok...
in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , 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...
. Members of the 45th TFS achieved the first U.S. Air Force aerial victories of the Vietnam War
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...
when they destroyed two MiGs on 10 July 1965.
Captains Thomas S. Roberts, Ronald C. Anderson, Kenneth E. Holcombe and Arthur C. Clark received credit for these kills.
Beginning on 8 February 1969, the 13th Bombardment Squadron, Tactical began Martin B-57G
B-57 Canberra
The Martin B-57 Canberra was a United States-built, twin jet engine light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, which entered service with the United States Air Force in 1953. The B-57 was initially a version of the English Electric Canberra built under license. However, the Glenn L...
(Tail Code: FK) light bomber aircrew training. The squadron was inactivated on 1 October 1970 and redesignated as the 4424th Combat Crew Training Squadron.
Also in 1970, Strike Command was renamed United States Readiness Command.
The 43rd TFS was reassigned to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska on 4 January 1970. The 15th was inactivated on 1 October 1970, being replaced by the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing.
Cuban Missile Crisis
During the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, the following units were deployed to MacDill in addition to the assigned 12th and 15th TFWs in preparation for planned airstrikes on Cuba:- 27th Tactical Fighter Wing, 60 F-100s
(Deployed from Cannon AFB, New Mexico) - 363d Tac Reconnaissance Wing, 33 RF-101s, 31 RB-66s
(Deployed from Shaw AFB, South Carolina) - 622d Air Refueling Squadron, 20 KB-50Js
(Aerial Tankers deployed from England AFB, Louisiana)
The MacDill-based 12th and 15th Tac Fighter Wings, were designated as the 836th Air Division. The 836th AD was committed to provide one hundred F-84F sorties in the planned first strike. They were to press napalm and rocket attacks against SAM sites at Mariel and Sagua La Grande as well as the airfields at Santa Clara, Los Banos and San Julien.
The 836th commitment for the second strike was to provide sixty-four sorties concentrating on the Los Banos airfield, two AAA sites and the SSM launchers at San Diego de los Vegas and Pinar Del Rio.
Finally, forty-two F-84Fs were to strike Los Banos MiG base a third time and the Santa Clara MiG base, Sagua La Grande and Mariel SAM sites each a second time.
The Cuban missile confrontation was ultimately resolved and the air strikes, which would have been followed by an invasion of Cuba, were never launched.
1st Tactical Fighter Wing
1st Fighter Wing
The 1st Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Ninth Air Force. It is stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Va...
was reassigned without personnel or equipment to MacDill, the wing being transferred from Air Defense Command (ADC) to TAC from Hamilton AFB, 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...
. Initially, the 1st TFW operated with the same Tactical Fighter Squadron designations used by the 15th TFW until 1 July 1971 when they were redesignated as follows:
- 45th TFS -> 27th Tactical Fighter Squadron (FD/FF) (F-4E)
- 46th TFS -> 71st Tactical Fighter Squadron (FB/FF) (F-4E)
- 47th TFS -> 94th Tactical Fighter Squadron (FE/FF) (F-4E)
- 4424Th TFTS -> 4530th Combat Crew Training Squadron (FK/FS) (B-57G)
(Note: squadron discontinued 30 June 1972.)
In 1972, the 1st TFW standardized on the common wing tail code "FF".
At MacDill, the 1st TFW was an operational TAC fighter wing, assuming operational commitments of the 15th TFW. Assumed an F-4 transitional and replacement pilot training role in 1971, some of its aircrews and equipment being deployed from time to time in a variety of tactical exercises.
On 1 July 1975 the 1st TFW and its operational squadrons were reassigned to Langley AFB, Virginia without personnel or equipment.
56th Tactical Fighter Wing
56th Fighter Wing
The 56th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona where it also is the host unit....
became the new host unit at MacDill, being reassigned from Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base
Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base
Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Navy Base , formerly Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, is a Royal Thai Navy facility used for riverine patrols along the Mekong River. It is located approximately 365 miles northeast of Bangkok, 9 miles west of Nakhon Phanom city in Nakhon Phanom Province in the...
, Thailand. Operational squadrons of the wing were:
- 61st Tactical Fighter Squadron61st Fighter SquadronThe 61st Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit, last assigned to the 56th Operations Group, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona...
(former 27th TFS, yellow tail stripe) - 62d Tactical Fighter Squadron62d Fighter SquadronThe 62d 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:...
(former 73rd TFS, blue tail stripe) - 63d Tactical Fighter Squadron63d Fighter SquadronThe 63d Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit, last assigned to the 56th Operations Group, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona...
(former 94th TFS, red tail stripe) - 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron13th Fighter SquadronThe 13th Fighter Squadron is part of the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan.-History:The 13th flew antisubmarine patrols in the Gulf of Mexico from, June–August 1942 and served as an operational and replacement training unit from, April 1942–October 1943...
(white tail stripe, inactivated at MacDill during conversion from F-4D to F-16A/B in 1981 and reactivated at Misawa AB, Japan as an F-16 squadron) - 72nd Tactical Fighter Squadron (black tail stripe)
(F-16A/B/C/D Activated 1 July 1981, inactivated 19 June 1992)
The 56th TFW assumed the F-4E aircraft of the reassigned 1st TFW. Tail codes were changed to "MC".
The wing conducted F-4E replacement training for pilots, weapon systems officers, and maintenance personnel and conducted a service test of TAC's "production oriented maintenance organization" in 1976 and converted to the POMO concept in March 1977. In addition, the wing converted from the F-4E to F-4D between October 1977 and September 1978.
In 1980 and 1981, the wing upgraded to the Block 10 General Dynamics F-16A/B Fighting Falcon. With the arrival of the F-16, the wing designation was changed to 56th Tactical Training Wing on 1 October 1981. The aircraft were upgraded to the more capable Block 30 and 42 F-16C/D in 1991.
In 1983, the new Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force
Rapid Deployment Forces
The Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force is an inactive United States Department of Defense Joint Task Force. It was inactivated in 1983, and re-organized as the United States Central Command .- Origins :...
(RDJTF) was activated, and in 1987 it became U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
On 1 October 1991, the 56th TTW was redesignated as the 56th Fighter Wing (56 FW). Following inactivation of Tactical Air Command (TAC), the 56 FW and was reassigned to the newly-established Air Combat Command (ACC) on 1 June 1992.
Modern era
By the 1990s, the U.S. was looking to downsize the military and eliminate a large number of bases. MacDill AFB figured prominently in this: the TampaTâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
area saw substantial commercial air traffic at two international airports within ten nautical miles of MacDill, creating hazardous conditions for F-16 training, and the noise associated with the high-performance jets was deemed unsuitable for high-density residential areas like those around MacDill. As a result the 1991 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission
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...
ordered that all flightline activities cease at MacDill AFB by 1993.
As a result of the BRAC decision, the F-16 training mission and the 56th Fighter Wing
56th Fighter Wing
The 56th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona where it also is the host unit....
were moved without personnel or equipment to Luke Air Force Base
Luke Air Force Base
Luke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located seven miles west of the central business district of Glendale, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is also about west of Phoenix, Arizona....
, outside of Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, and was reassigned to Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
(AETC). The wing's F-16 aircraft were transferred to other Regular U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard wings and squadrons.
6th Air Mobility Wing and 927th Air Refueling Wing (Associate)
In August 1992, just prior to the landfall of 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...
in southern Florida, the 31st Fighter Wing
31st 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....
and the Air Force Reserve's 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:...
, both based at Homestead AFB, executed an emergency hurricane evacuation of all of their F-16C aircraft, with the bulk of those aircraft temporarily staging at MacDill.
In 1993, with the help of local Congressman Bill Young
Bill Young
Charles William "Bill" Young is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1971. He is a member of the Republican Party, and is currently the longest-serving Republican member of Congress...
(R-FL), the flight line closure order for MacDill was rescinded and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) transferred from their former air facility at Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
to Hangar 5 at MacDill AFB in order to use the base and its flight line as their new home station for weather and research flights.
On 1 January 1994, the Air Mobility Command's 6th Air Base Wing (6 ABW) stood up at MacDill to operate the base and provide support services for CENTCOM, SOCOM, and the large and growing number of other tenant units, as well as to provide services for transient air units. Later that year, the base served as the primary staging facility for Operation Uphold Democracy
Operation Uphold Democracy
Operation Uphold Democracy was an intervention designed to remove the military regime installed by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état that overthrew the elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide...
in Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
.
This staging was considered evidence of the quality and usefulness of the MacDill runway and flight line, even in light of the high civilian air traffic levels in the Tampa Bay area from nearby Tampa International Airport
Tampa International Airport
Tampa International Airport is a major public airport located six nautical miles west of the central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority...
, St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in unincorporated Pinellas County, Florida, north of St. Petersburg, serving St...
and Peter O'Knight Airport. With further Congressional prodding and lobbying, MacDill was chosen as the site for a KC-135 air refueling mission. With the arrival of 12 KC-135R tankers and the 91st Air Refueling Squadron from Malmstrom Air Force Base
Malmstrom Air Force Base
Malmstrom Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place in Cascade County, Montana, United States. It was named in honor of World War II POW Colonel Einar Axel Malmstrom...
, Montana, the 6th Air Base Wing was renamed the 6th Air Refueling Wing on 1 October 1996.
In January 2001, the 310th Airlift Squadron (310 AS) was activated at the base, flying the CT-43A
Boeing T-43
|-See also:-External links:* http://www.militaryaircraft.de/pictures/military/aircraft/T-43/T-43A_Gator.html* http://www.gruntsmilitary.com/t43a.shtml* http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usaf/12ftw.htm...
and EC-135, the former aircraft providing executive transport to the commander of United States Southern Command
United States Southern Command
The United States Southern Command , located in Miami, Florida, is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands in the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for providing contingency planning and operations in Central and South America, the Caribbean The United States Southern Command...
(USSOUTHOM) in Miami and the latter aircraft providing executive transport and airborne command post capabilities to the commanders of USCENTCOM and USSOCOM at MacDill. New C-37A
Gulfstream G500/G550
The Gulfstream G500 and G550 are business jet aircraft produced by General Dynamics' Gulfstream Aerospace unit, located in Savannah, Georgia, USA. They are variants of the Gulfstream V. There are nine G500s, and 198 G550s in active service as of ....
aircraft were delivered starting in 2001, and the CT-43 and EC-135s were subsequently removed from service. The 310th's primary mission is dedicated airlift support for the commanders of USCENTCOM, USSOCOM and USSOUTHCOM. With the addition of the 310 AS, the wing was given its current designation as the 6th Air Mobility Wing.
In late 2003/early 2004, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command
United States Naval Forces Central Command is the United States Navy element of United States Central Command . Its area of responsibility includes the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, and Arabian Sea...
vacated its Tampa "rear headquarters" at MacDill AFB, a complex that was normally occupied by the USNAVCENT/US 5th Fleet Deputy Commander (DEPCOMUSNAVCENT/DEPCOMFIFTHFLT) and his staff when they were not forward deployed to the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
region. In vacating the MacDill AFB facility, USNAVCENT staff activities were consolidated at COMUSNAVCENT/COMFIFTHFLT headquarters in Manama, Bahrain. This facility was then turned over to the Deputy Commander, U.S. Marine Forces Central Command (DEPCOMUSMARCENT) and his staff. It would subsequently become the overall Headquarters, U.S. Marine Forces Central Command, although the Commanding General for MARCENT (COMUSMARCENT) would remain a dual-hatted function of the Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) at Camp Pendleton, California. While the Commanding General remains in California, his MARCENT staff primarily resides at MacDill AFB with an additional forward element at the Naval Support Activity in Manama, Bahrain.
Also in late 2004, Naval Reserve Center Tampa relocated from its obsolescent waterfront location in downtown Tampa to a newly constructed facility on the south side of MacDill AFB. In 2006, this facility was renamed Navy Operational Support Center Tampa, concurrent with the shift in name of the Naval Reserve to the Navy Reserve and its greater integration into the Fleet and shore establishment of the Regular Navy. Under the command of an active duty full-time support (FTS) Navy Captain, NOSC Tampa provides administrative support for all Navy Reserve personnel assigned to various joint and service commands and activities at MacDill AFB, CGAS Clearwater and Marine Corps Reserve Center Tampa.
In April 2008, pursuant to Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
(BRAC) action, the Air Force Reserve Command's 927th Air Refueling Wing
927th Air Refueling Wing
The 927th Air Refueling Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command flying unit, operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command , located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida-History:...
(927 ARW) relocated from Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan to MacDill AFB, where it became an associate wing to the 6 AMW, flying the same KC-135R aircraft.
Cyberwarfare
In early 2011, several news outlets, primaily in the United Kingdom, reported that NtrepidNtrepid
Ntrepid is an American software, hardware, and cyber security company, registered in Los Angeles and based in San Diego.-Operation Earnest Voice:...
, a Californian software and hardware company, had been awarded a $2.76 million U.S. government contract to create false online personas to counter the threat of terrorism and could possibly run their operation from MacDill.
BRAC 2005
In its 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Recommendations, DoD recommended to realign Grand Forks Air Force BaseGrand Forks Air Force Base
Grand Forks Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located north of Emerado, North Dakota and approximately west of Grand Forks, North Dakota...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. It would distribute the 319th Air Refueling Wing
319th Air Refueling Wing
The 319th Air Base Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command's USAF Expeditionary Center. It is stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. The wing is also the host unit at Grand Forks....
’s KC-135R aircraft to the 6th Air Mobility Wing (6 AMW) at MacDill AFB, FL (four aircraft) and several other installations. The 6 AMW would also host a Reserve association with the Air Mobility Command-gained 927th Air Refueling Wing
927th Air Refueling Wing
The 927th Air Refueling Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command flying unit, operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command , located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida-History:...
(927 ARW) of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC), which would be realigned and relocated from Selfridge ANGB, Michigan to MacDill AFB. Under the Reserve Associate arrangement, both the 6 AMW and the 927 ARW would share the same KC-135R aircraft, while the 927 ARW would turn over their KC-135R aircraft to the 127th Wing
127th Wing
The United States Air Force's 127th Wing is a fighter and air refueling unit located at Selfridge ANGB, Michigan. It is part of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command's First Air Force.-Mission:...
(127 WG) at Selfridge ANGB.
The 927 ARW began relocation from Selfridge ANGB to MacDill AFB in 2007 and formally established itself at MacDill in April 2008.
Previous names
- Established as Southeast Air Base, Tampa, c. 24 May 1939
- MacDill Field, 1 December 1939
- MacDill Air Force Base, 13 January 1948
Major commands to which assigned
- GHQ Air Force, 8 April 1940
- Third Air Force, 21 July 1942
- Continental Air Forces, 16 April 1945 (redesignated 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...
, 21 March 1946)
- 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 1962 - 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 - Air Mobility CommandAir Mobility CommandAir Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
, 4 January 1994–present
Base operating units
- 27th Air Base Sq, 11 March 1940
- 27th Air Base Gp, 1 September 1940
- 28th Base HQ and Air Base Sq, c. 15 July 1942
- MacDill Field Base Det, 13 December 1943
- 326th AAF Base Unit, 1 May 1944
- 307th Airdrome Gp, 15 August 1947
- 307th Air Base Gp, 12 July 1948
- 306th Air Base Gp, 1 September 1950
- 809th Air Base Gp, 16 June 1952 (rdsgd 809th Combat Support Gp, 1 January 1959)
- 306th Combat Support Gp, 1 June 1959
- 836th Combat Support Gp, 1 July 1962
- 15th Combat Support Gp, 8 June 1969
- 1st Combat Support Gp, 1 October 1970
- 56th Combat Support Gp, 1 July 1975
- 6th Mission Support Group. 4 January 1994–present
Major units assigned
- 3d Bomb Wing, 3 October 1940-5 September 1941
- 44th Bombardment Group, 15 January 1941-15 February 1942
- 55th Bombardment Training Wing, 13 March 1943-3 February 1944
- 89th Combat Crew Training Wing, 19 June 1944-8 April 1946
- 323d Combat Crew Training Wing, 22 February 1945-4 August 1946
- 311th Reconnaissance Wing, 17 April 1946-31 May 1947
- 8th Bomber Command, 14 May-10 November 1946
- Eighth Air Force, 7 June-1 November 1946
- Tactical Air Command, 21 March-26 May 1946
- 307th Bombardment Wing, 15 August 1947-16 May 1951
- 306th Bombardment Group, 1 August 1848-16 June 1952
- 306th Bombardment Wing, 1 September 1950-1 April 1953
- 305th Bombardment Wing, 2 January 1951-1 June 1959
- 4750th Air Defense Wing, 25 June 1959-25 June 1960
- 12th Tactical Fighter Wing, 25 April 1962-8 November 1965
- 15th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 July 1962-1 October 1970
- 836th Air Division, 1 July 1962-30 June 1971
- 1st Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 October 1970-30 June 1975
- 56th Tactical Fighter Wing, 30 June 1975-4 January 1994
- 6th Air Mobility Wing, 4 January 1994–present
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,692 people, 638 households, and 600 families residing in the district. The racial makeup of the district was 61.8% white, 24.5% African American, 12.0% Latin American, 0.6% American Indian, 2.9% Asian American, 0.4% Pacific Islander American, 5.1% from some other race
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.8% from two or more races.
There were 608 households out of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 87.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, and 1.5% were non-families. 88.5% of all households were made up of individuals over 18 and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.75 and the average family size was 3.76.
See also
- Florida World War II Army Airfields
- List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations
Other sources
- Maurer, Maurer (ed.). 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 ISBN 0-912799-53-6
- 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.
- Cornett, Lloyd H. and Johnson, Mildred W., A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
- Winkler, David F. (1997), Searching the skies: the legacy of the United States Cold War defense radar program. Prepared for United States Air Force Headquarters Air Combat Command.
- USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to present
- www.f-16.net
- www.armyairforces.com
External links
- MacDill AFB, official site
- MacDill AFB at GlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...
- F-4 Phantoms