64th Flying Training Wing

64th Flying Training Wing

64th Flying Training Wing Northrop T-38A Talon
Active 1952-1954; 1961–1963; 1966-1971; 1972-1997
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Role Pilot training
Decorations
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat V device
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
64th Flying Training Wing (approved 20 February 1973)[1]

The 64th Flying Training Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last active at Reese Air Force Base, Texas, where it conducted pilot training for twenty-five years before it was inactivated in September 1997.

The wing was first activated in as the 64th Troop Carrier Wing in 1952 at Donaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina, but was inactivated within two years. It was again active twice as an airlift unit in the 1960s. In 1972, Air Training Command replaced its four digit Major Command controlled flying training units with units whose heritage could be continued and the wing was activated at Reese, where it conducted pilot training until it was inactivated.

History

Airlift

The 64th performed airlift and airdrop/airlanding of troops and cargo, routinely and during frequent maneuvers, 1952–1953. It began phasing down for inactivation in mid-October 1953, at which time tactical operations passed to 63d Troop Carrier Wing.[1] In February 1954, however, the wing began building up again in preparation for an overseas movement, but was inactivated instead.

The 64th was activated at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas in February 1961 with a troop carrier/airlift mission, plus resupply of Distant Early Warning Line sites on the Greenland ice cap. The wing was again inactivated on 1 January 1963.[1]

It was reactivated and replaced Troop Carrier Wing Provisional, 4413th, in July 1966 at Sewart Air Force Base, Tennessee. The wing provided global airlift and aeromedical evacuation, July 1966 – May 1971. It also provided Lockheed C-130 Hercules combat crew training for other units from, 1 July 1966 – 6 March 1970, with this being the wing’s primary activity from 9 August 1968 to 6 March 1970. It was replaced at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, in May 1971 by 314th Tactical Airlift Wing.[1]

Flying training

The 64th was renamed the 64th Flying Training Wing and replaced the 3500th Pilot Training Wing in October 1972, assuming the mission of undergraduate pilot training and operation and maintenance of Reese Air Force Base, Texas.[1] It also supported Strategic Air Command's Accelerated Co-Pilot Enrichment Program through operating locations at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota]]; Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota; and Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota from 1976 until 1991.

The 64th began specialized undergraduate pilot training in July 1992, using T–1A Jayhawk to prepare students for airlift tanker/transport training and the Northrop T-38 Talon aircraft for students in fighter/bomber track. Air Education and Training Command inactivated the wing on 30 September 1997 with the closure of Reese Air Force Base pursuant to Base Realignment and Closure Commission action.

Lineage

Activated on 14 July 1952
Inactivated on 21 July 1954
Activated on 24 October 1960 (not organized)
Organized on 8 February 1961
Discontinued and inactivated, on 1 January 1963
Organized on 1 July 1966
Redesignated 64th Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 May 1967
Inactivated on 31 May 1971
Activated on 1 October 1972[2]
Inactivated on 30 September 1997

Assignments

Stations

Components

Groups

Squadrons

Aircraft

Awards

Award streamer Award Dates Notes
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device1 July 1966–30 June 196764th Troop Carrier Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 June 1969–31 May 197164th Tactical Airlift Wing[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award30 April 1981–29 April 198364th Flying Training Wing
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 April 1984–31 March 198664th Flying Training Wing
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 April 1988–31 March 199064th Flying Training Wing
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1992–30 June 199364th Flying Training Wing
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 October 1995–30 September 199764th Flying Training Wing

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ravenstein, pp. 102-103
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Lineage, including assignments, stations and aircraft through 1977 in Ravenstein

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

External links

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