98th Range Wing
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98th Range Wing
| 98th Range Wing | |
|---|---|
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| Active | January 28, 1942 – present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Type | Range Operation |
| Part of | Air Combat Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Nellis Air Force Base |
| Engagements |
  
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| Decorations |  DUC AFOUA.svg){kind=small} ROK PUC |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Colonel Christopher Haave |
The 98th Range Wing (98 RANW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Air Warfare Center. The unit is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada as a tenant unit.
The 98th RANW is a non-flying wing that provides command and control of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). The commander coordinates, prioritizes and is the approval authority for activities involving other governmental agencies, departments and commercial activities on the NTTR. The 98th RANW integrates and provides support for test and training programs that have a direct effect on the war-fighting capabilities of the combat air forces.
The history of the 98th can be traced to the World War II 98th Bombardment Group was a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb group that fought in North Africa and Italy. Two of its members, Colonel John R. (Killer) Kane and First Lieutenant Donald Pucket were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions in combat. The group flew a total of 417 missions and earning a total of 15 battle streamers as well as two Presidential Unit Citations. The lineage and history of this decorated unit is held by the wing's 98th Operations Group.
During the early years of the Cold War, the 98th Bombardment Wing Very Heavy, was formed 24 October 1947 as part of Strategic Air Command. The 98th BW was inactivated July 12, 1948, and redesignated the 98th BW Medium the same day. Further redesignations followed, including the 98th Strategic Aerospace Wing on 1 February 1964, and later the 98th Strategic Wing on 25 June 1966. The 98th Strategic Wing was inactivated on 31 December 1976 with the phaseout of SAC operations at Torrejon AB, Spain and replaced by the 306th Strategic Wing at Ramstein AB, West Germany.
The 98th Range Wing is commanded by Colonel John P. "Bama" Montgomery. Its superintendent is Chief Master Sergeant Mark T. Darden.
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Contents
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Units
- 98th Operations Group The 98th OG commands two squadrons with 55 military and civil service personnel and has functional responsibility for approximately 300 contract personnel. It provides day-to-day control of the NTTR, directly supports Air Force, joint and multi-national test and training activities, and operates two Air Combat Command bombing ranges, NTTR and Leach Lake Tactics Range, near Barstow, Calif. It prioritizes and schedules all range activities for all range users, provides ground control intercept operations, flight-following safety deconfliction, simulated threat command and control operations, communications, data link operations, and range access control. It also assists test customers by coordinating support activities, and coordinates airspace issues with military and federal agencies.
- 98th Mission Support Group The 98th MSG commands two squadrons with 70 military and civil service personnel, with functional responsibility for 507 contract personnel. It provides base operating support on the 3-million-acre (12,000 km2) Nevada Test and Training Range with contingents at several geographically separated locations, including Tonopah Test Range, Creech AFB, Point Bravo, Tolicha Peak Electronic Combat Range, and Range 63A. It operates a physical plant with two major airfields and 700 facilities, a 628-vehicle fleet, 1,214 bed spaces, one dining facility, one "all-ranks" club and three supply warehouses. It executes a $26-million budget to deliver range civil engineering, fire protection, security, dining, custodial, lodging, logistics, fuels and transportation services.
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- 98th Northern Range Support Squadron The 98th NRSS provides management oversight for Tonopah Test and Training Range airfield, Tolicha Peak and NTTR Northern Ranges and coordinates contractor support for tenant organizations. It also provides support to deployed forces, operates the airfield in support of deployed forces and as an emergency divert base for fighter, bomber and transport aircraft flying on the NTTR, authorizes airfield access, oversees NTTR Northern Range operational activities (1,800,000 acres (7,300 km2)) and controls range access and provides initial response on-scene command for security, fire protection, environmental incidents and medical responses.
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- The Tonopah Test Range Airfield-Northern Ranges Its mission is to provide domestic support for internal and external range customers, provide a capability for emergency divert landing and serve as a forward-support location for various Nellis training, testing and tactics development activities.
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- 98th Southern Range Support Squadron The 98th SRSS provides range maintenance and support for the Nevada Test and Training Range - Southern Ranges as well as Leach Lake Training Range located near Fort Irwin, Calif. The squadron also provides base operating support for Creech Air Force Base, Angel's Peak and Point Bravo.
History
- See 98th Operations Group for additional history and lineage prior to 1947
From November 1947 to July 1948 and July 1948 to July 1954, wing headquarters was often manned as a "paper" unit with most of its components attached to other establishments for long periods. The wing's tactical group was operational, but under control of other organizations from November 1947 to April 1950 and again from August 1950 through March 1951.
On 1 April 1951, wing headquarters deployed to Japan to assume control over combat operations of three tactical squadrons. Combat missions included interdiction of enemy communications and support of United Nations ground forces. Last combat mission flown 25 July 1953. Dropped propaganda leaflets on day of truce two days later.
During the Korean War, the squadrons of the 98th flew more than 5,000 sorties and dropped more than 40,000 tons of bombs (actual total unavailable). They earned 10 battle streamers and two Outstanding Unit Awards which are comparable to the Presidential Unit Citation. They also received the South Korean Presidential Citation. The 98th was credited with the destruction of 5 MiG 15 Jet Fighters and one propeller driven fighter. The 98th recorded 19 B-29 losses from August 1950 to July 1954.
Remaining at Yokota until July 1954. The 98th returned their B-29s and personnel to the U.S. in July 1954.
Cold War
Remained in Japan in combat-ready status for another year. Meanwhile, wing components not deployed in Japan moved to a reopened base in Nebraska to supervise construction in preparation for movement there of deployed wing components. In July 1954, wing components concentrated at Lincoln AFB, Nebraska. Air refueling operations were already underway by then. Began receiving with new B-47E Stratojet swept-wing medium bombers in January 1955, capable of flying at high subsonic speeds and primarily designed for penetrating the airspace of the Soviet Union. At this point the wing began an intensive training program to effect the conversion to combat ready status as soon as possible. This was achieved in July 1955.
During next decade, participated in Strategic Air Command's worldwide bombardment training and air refueling commitments. Deployed at RAF Lakenheath, England, 11 November 1955-29 January 1956. From January 1964 to April 1965, the wing also controlled an SM-65 Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) squadron. In the early 1960s, the B-47 was considered to be reaching obsolescence, and was being phased out of SAC's strategic arsenal. Beginning in 1964, began sending the wing's aircraft to Davis-Monthan AFB. Lincoln AFB was closed in 1966.
European mission
The wing was inactivated on June 25, 1966 at Lincoln AFB, but activated the same day at Torrejon Air Base, Spain replacing the 3970th Strategic Wing. The 3970th SW was established on 1 February 1964 at Torrejon as a provisional SAC MAJCOM Wing with a mission to support B-47 and KC-135 elements from SAC CONUS-based units deployed to Europe as part of REFLEX deployments and provide a refueling mission to USAFE tactical fighters.
In 1966, in order to retain the lineage of its provisional wing at Torrejon, Headquarters SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its MAJCOM wing and activate a regular AFCON wing which was inactive at the time which could carry a lineage and history of the mission at Anderson. On 5 June 1966, the 3970th SW was redesignated as the 98th Strategic Wing. For the next decade, the 98th had no tactical aircraft components assigned to it, but rather used attached KC-135 tankers and crews furnished by other SAC wings to provide air refueling support for the operational, alert exercise commitment of SAC, TAC, USAFE and NATO. These aircraft were deployed for 30 Day Temporary Duty as the Spanish Tanker Task Force. It’s operational area included the Eastern Atlantic Ocean, most of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
The Wing maintained a detachment at RAF Upper Heyford 1966-1970 and relocated to RAF Mildenhall April 1970 to December 1976 supporting RC-135 Reconnaissance Aircraft, and supporting KC-135 Tankers forwarded deployed from the Spanish Tanker Task Force . In October 1976, the 306th Strategic Wing, based at Ramstein AB, West Germany, assumed this support task and the 98th phased down at Torrejon and was inactivated December 31, 1976.
Past Cold War
In October 2001, the wing began operating the range facilities of the Air Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
Lineage
- Established as 98th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on October 24, 1947.
- Organized on November 10, 1947.
- Discontinued on July 12, 1948.
- Consolidated (October 1, 1984) with the 98th Bombardment Wing, Medium
- which was established on May 28, 1948.
- Activated on July 12, 1948.
- Redesignated 98th Strategic Aerospace Wing on February 1, 1964.
- Discontinued, and inactivated, on June 25, 1966.
- Redesignated 98th Strategic Wing, activated, and organized, on 25 June 1966.
- Assumed the resources (Manpower, Equipment, Weapons, & Facilities) of the 3970th Strategic Wing, 25 June 1966
- Inactivated on December 31, 1976.
- Redesignated 98th Range Wing on September 21, 2001.
- Activated on October 29, 2001.
Assignments
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Bases stationed
- Spokane AAFld (later, Spokane AFB; Fairchild AFB), Washington, 10 November 1947-15 August 1953
- Yokota AB, Japan, 15 August 1953-25 July 1954
- Lincoln AFB, Nebraska, 25 July 1954-25 June 1966
- Torrejon AB, Spain, 25 June 1966-31 December 1976
- Nellis AFB, Nevada, 29 October 2001–present
Components
Groups
- 98 Bombardment (later, 98 Air Refueling; 98 Operations): 10 November 1947-16 June 1952 (detached 10 November 1947-15 April 1950 and 2 August 1950-31 March 1951; not operational, 1 April 1951-16 June 1952); 29 October 2001–present.
Squadrons
- 343d Bombardment (later, 343 Strategic Aerospace) Squadron: attached 1 April 1951-15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952-25 June 1966 (not operational, 8 December 1965-25 June 1966)
- 344th Bombardment (later, 344 Strategic Aerospace) Squadron: attached 1 April 1951-15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952-25 June 1966 (not operational, 8 December 1965-25 June 1966)
- 345th Bombardment (later, 345 Strategic Aerospace) Squadron: attached 1 April 1951-15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952-25 June 1966 (not operational, 8 December 1965-25 June 1966)
- 415th Bombardment Squadron: 1 September 1958-1 January 1962
- 98th Air Refueling Squadron: 16 June 1952-1 July 1953 (detached); 18 February 1954-15 April 1963 (detached 18 February-31 July 1954, 7 January-21 February 1955, 27 December 1956-14 March 1957, 28 December 1957-25 March 1958, 1 April-c. 8 July 1959, and 2 October 1962-7 January 1963)
- 380th Air Refueling Squadron: attached 1 August-8 November 1954
- 307th Air Refueling Squadron: attached 8 November 1954-1 February 1955
- 551st Strategic Missile Squadron: 1 January 1964-25 June 1965.
Detachments
- Detachment 1, 98th Strategic Wing 25 June 1966 - 31 March 1970 RAF Upper Heyford, United Kingdom
- Detachment 1, 98th Strategic Wing 1 April 1970 - 31 December 1976 RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
Aircraft and missiles
- B-29 Superfortress (1950–1954)
- KC-97 Stratotanker (1954–1963)
- B-47E Stratojet (1955–1965)
- SM-65F Atlas (1964–1965)
- Boeing RC-135 (1966–1976)
- Detachment 1 Operations
- Boeing RC-135(1966–1976)
- KC-135 Stratotanker (1966–1976) Reconnaissance Aircraft Support
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
- Futrell, Robert Frank (1983) The United States Air Force In Korea, 1950–1953, Maxwell AFB, Alabama Office of Air Force History, ISBN 0-912799-71-4
- Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell
- [1] Air Force Historical Research Agency
External links
- Official Website of the 98th Bomb Group Veteran's Association
- 98th Range Wing's official factsheet
- Nellis AFB Home Page
- Lincoln Air Force Base Online Museum
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