View source for 914th Air Refueling Wing

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 914th Air Refueling Wing[[File:Air Force Reserve Command.png|center|60px]]
| image = A KC-135 Stratotanker arrives at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y., marking its official arrival (32006032823).jpg
| image_size = 300
| caption = A wing [[KC-135 Stratotanker]] arrives at [[Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station]]
| dates = 1963—present
| country = United States
| branch = {{air force|USA}}
| type = [[Airlift]]
| role =
| size =
| command_structure = [[Air Force Reserve Command]]
| current_commander = Colonel Joseph “20 Grit” Contino
| garrison = [[Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station]]
| ceremonial_chief =
| colonel_of_the_regiment =
| nickname =
| patron =
| motto =
| colors =
| march =
| mascot =
| battles = [[Desert Storm]]<ref name=914AREFWfacts/>
| notable_commanders =
| anniversaries =
| decorations = [[Air Force Outstanding Unit Award]] <br />[[Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross|Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm]]<ref name=914AREFWfacts>{{cite web |url= http://www.afhra.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/434158/914-airlift-wing-afrc/ |last1=Haulman|first1=Daniel|title=Factsheet 914 Air Refueling Wing (AFRC)|date=May 27, 2017|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=July 24, 2017}}</ref>
| battle_honours = <!-- Insignia -->
| identification_symbol = [[File:914 Airlift Wg.png|165px]]
| identification_symbol_label = 914th Air Refueling Wing emblem <small>(approved 25 April 1996</small><ref name=914AREFWfacts/>
| identification_symbol_2 = [[File:914th Tactical Airlift Group - Emblem.png|165px]]
| identification_symbol_2_label = Patch with 914th Tactical Airlift Group emblem <small>(approved 2 November 1966</small><ref name=914AREFWfacts/>
}}
The '''914th Air Refueling Wing''' is a [[wing (air force unit)|wing]] of the [[United States Air Force]] based out of the [[Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station]], New York.  Assigned to [[Air Force Reserve Command]], it is operationally-gained by [[Air Mobility Command]].
Prior to June 2017, the unit was known as the 914th Airlift Wing, flying [[Lockheed C-130H Hercules]] airlift aircraft.  After that date, it transitioned to an aerial refueling mission with the [[Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker]] and was redesignated the 914th Air Refueling Wing.<ref name=aircraftswitch>{{cite web |url= http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/461/255.xml |author=Staff writer, no by-line|title=KC-135 aircraft switch to add 27 jobs at New York air base|date=February 23, 2016|publisher=Air Force Times (from Associated Press)|access-date=July 24, 2017}}</ref><ref name=airmenconductrtaining>{{cite web |url= http://www.niagara.afrc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1252468/niagara-airmen-conduct-kc-135-in-flight-training/ |last=Sawyer|first=TSG Steph|title=Niagara Airmen conduct KC-135 in-flight training|date=July 20, 2017|publisher=914th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs|access-date=July 24, 2017}}</ref>
==Overview==
The 914th Air Refueling Wing trains and equips [[Military reserve force|air force reservists]] to perform the [[combat]] mission of [[air refueling]] of combat and mobility aircraft.
==Units==
::914th Aeromedical Staging Squadron
* 914th Operations Group
::[[328th Air Refueling Squadron]]
::914th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron
::914th Operations Support Squadron
* 914th Maintenance Group
::914th Maintenance Squadron
::914th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
::914th Maintenance Operations Flight
* 914th Mission Support Group
::30th Aerial Port Squadron
::914th Civil Engineering Squadron
::914th Communications Squadron
::914th Contracting Squadron
::914th Force Support Squadron
::914th Logistics Readiness Squadron
::914th Security Forces Squadron<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.niagara.afrc.af.mil/Units/ |title=Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station - Units |website=www.niagara.afrc.af.mil |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060727013654/http://www.niagara.afrc.af.mil/units/ |archive-date=2006-07-27}} </ref>
==History==
===Need for reserve troop carrier groups===
During the first half of 1955, the Air Force began detaching Air Force Reserve squadrons from their parent wing locations to separate sites. The concept offered several advantages.  Communities were more likely to accept the smaller [[squadron (aviation)|squadrons]] than the large [[wing (military aviation unit)|wings]] and the location of separate squadrons in smaller population centers would facilitate recruiting and manning.  [[Continental Air Command]] (ConAC)'s plan called for placing Air Force Reserve units at fifty-nine installations located throughout the United States.  When these relocations were completed in 1959, reserve wing headquarters and wing support elements would typically be on one base, along with one (or in some cases two) of the wing's flying squadrons, while the remaining flying squadrons were spread over thirty-five Air Force, Navy and civilian airfields under what was called the Detached Squadron Concept.<ref>Cantwell, pp. 156, 169</ref>
Although this dispersal was not a problem when the entire wing was called to active service, mobilizing a single flying squadron and elements to support it proved difficult.  This weakness was demonstrated in the partial mobilization of reserve units during the [[Berlin Crisis of 1961]] To resolve this, at the start of 1962, ConAC determined to reorganize its reserve wings by establishing [[group (military aviation unit)|groups]] with support elements for each of its troop carrier squadrons.  This reorganization would facilitate mobilization of elements of wings in various combinations when needed. However, as this plan was entering its implementation phase, another partial mobilization occurred for the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]], with the units being released on 22 November 1962.  The formation of troop carrier groups occurred in January 1963 for units that had not been mobilized, but was delayed until February for those that had been.<ref>Cantwell, pp. 189–191</ref>
===Activation of 914th Troop Carrier Group===
As a result, the '''914th Troop Carrier Group''' was established at [[Willow Grove Naval Air Station|Naval Air Station Willow Grove]], Pennsylvania on 11 February 1963,<ref name=914AREFWfacts/> as the headquarters for the 328th Troop Carrier Squadron, which had been stationed there since March 1958.<ref>Maurer, p. 20</ref> Along with group headquarters, a Combat Support Squadron, Materiel Squadron and a Tactical Infirmary were organized to support the 328th.
The group's mission was to organize, recruit and train Air Force Reserve personnel in the tactical airlift of airborne forces, their equipment and supplies and delivery of these forces and materials by airdrop, landing or cargo extraction systems.   The group was equipped with [[Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar]]s for [[Tactical Air Command]] airlift operations.
The 914th was one of three C-119 groups assigned to the [[512th Troop Carrier Wing]] in 1963, the others being the [[912th Troop Carrier Group|912th]] and [[913th Troop Carrier Group]]s at [[Willow Grove Naval Air Station|Naval Air Station Willow Grove]], Pennsylvania.
The group trained for and participated in air transport of [[airborne forces]], equipment and supplies with delivery by [[airdrop]], extraction, and airlanding, as well as air evacuation within a [[theater (warfare)|theater]] of [[Military operation|operations]].
It provided airlift to Southeast Asia during the [[Vietnam War]] and for other contingency operations, as well as numerous [[Humanitarian aid|humanitarian]] missions.  Beginning in 1978 the 914th supported the [[U.S. Southern Command]] by periodically fulfilling airlift requirements throughout Latin America.  Between September 1990 and April 1991 the group deployed all aircraft and numerous aircrews and support personnel to [[Sharjah (emirate)|Sharjah]], United Arab Emirates, to provide airlift in support of the war in Southwest Asia, including a [[Military tactics|tactical]] resupply airdrop to troops of the [[XVIII Airborne Corps]].  A 314th crew provided the first [[medevac]] mission of the war.  Other personnel deployed to Saudi Arabia and backfilled positions in the U.S. and Europe.  Since the early 1990s the wing has frequently deployed personnel in support of contingency operations in Southwest Asia and the [[Balkans]].
[[File:C-130H New York ANG at Guantanamo 2010.jpg|thumb|A wing C-130H Hercules at [[Naval Base Guantanamo Bay]] in 2010]]
Following recommendations from the [[Base Realignment and Closure]] program, the wing's [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules]] aircraft were pooled with the [[107th Airlift Wing]] of the [[New York Air National Guard]], also stationed at Niagara Falls. In 2014, the [[107th Airlift Wing]] began transition to their new mission.<ref>[http://www.107aw.ang.af.mil/history/index.asp 107th AW]</ref>{{Failed verification|Talk:914th Airlift Wing|reason=No mention of the 914th Airlift wing or conversion to another mission in web page|date=July 2016}}
In 2016, the 914th was identified for a change of mission and aircraft.<ref name=aircraftswitch/>  Later in 2016 and into 2017, the 914th initiated transition training in the KC-135R Stratotanker, with the 914th Airlift Wing and the 328th Airlift Squadron being officially redesignated the 914th Air Refueling Wing and 328th Air Refueling Squadron in June 2017.<ref name=airmenconductrtaining/><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.niagara.afrc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1202973/914th-re-designates-as-an-air-refueling-wing/ |author=Staff writer, no by-line|title=914th redesignates as an air refueling wing|date=June 5, 2017|publisher=914th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs|access-date=July 24, 2017}}</ref>
==Lineage==
* Established as the '''914th Troop Carrier Group''', Medium and activated on 15 January 1963 (not organized)
: Organized in the Reserve on 11 February 1963
: Redesignated '''914th Tactical Airlift Group''' on 1 July 1967
: Redesignated '''914th Airlift Group''' on 1 February 1992
: Redesignated '''914th Airlift Wing''' on 1 October 1994
: Redesignated '''914th Air Refueling Wing''' on 1 June 2017<ref name=914AREFWfacts/>
===Assignments===
* [[Continental Air Command]], 15 January 1963
* [[512th Troop Carrier Wing]], 11 February 1963
* [[94th Troop Carrier Wing]], 1 January 1964
* [[302d Troop Carrier Wing]] (later 302d Tactical Airlift Wing), 1 July 1966
* [[440th Tactical Airlift Wing]], 1 September 1969
* [[403d Composite Wing]] (later 403d Tactical Airlift Wing), 21 April 1971
* [[439th Tactical Airlift Wing]] (later 439th Military Airlift Wing, 439th Airlift Wing), 25 January 1976
* 94th Airlift Wing, 1 August 1992
* [[Tenth Air Force]], 1 October 1994
* [[Twenty-Second Air Force]], 1 April 1997 – 31 May 2017
* [[Fourth Air Force]], 1 June 2017 – Present<ref name=914AREFWfacts/>
===Components===
* 914th Operations Group: 1 August 1992 – present
* [[328th Tactical Airlift Squadron]]: 11 February 1963 – 1 August 1992<ref name=914AREFWfacts/>
===Stations===
*  Niagara Falls International Airport (later Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station), New York, 11 February 1963 – present<ref name=914AREFWfacts/>
===Aircraft===
* Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (1963–1971)
* Lockheed C-130 Hercules (1971–2017)<ref name=914AREFWfacts/>
* Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker (2017–present)
==References==
===Notes===
{{Reflist|40em}}
===Bibliography===
{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}
* {{cite book|last=Cantwell|first=Gerald T.|title=Citizen Airmen: a History of the Air Force Reserve, 1946–1994|url=https://archive.org/details/citizenairmenhis00cant|access-date=1 October 2014|year=1997|publisher=Air Force History and Museums Program|location=Washington, D.C.|isbn=0-16049-269-6|url-access=registration}}
* {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II|orig-year=1969|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf|edition= reprint|year=1982|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-405-12194-6|oclc=72556|lccn=70605402}}
==External links==
* [http://www.niagara.afrc.af.mil/ Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station Home Page]
{{US Air Force navbox}}
{{USAF Air Force Reserve Command}}
[[Category:Military units and formations in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Airlift wings of the United States Air Force|0914]]
[[Category:1963 establishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of the United States Air Force Reserves]]