434th Air Refueling Wing, US Air Force
434TH AIR REFUELING WING, US AIR FORCE
History: Established as 434 Troop Carrier Wing, Medium, and activated in the Reserve, on 1 Jul 1949. Ordered to Active Service on 1 May 1951. Inactivated on 1 Feb 1953. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Feb 1953. Ordered to Active Service on 28 Oct 1962. Relieved from Active Duty on 28 Nov 1962. Redesignated as 434 Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 Jul 1967. Inactivated on 31 Dec 1969. Redesignated as 434 Special Operations Wing on 12 Jan 1971. Activated in the Reserve on 15 Jan 1971. Redesignated as: 434 Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 Oct 1973; 434 Air Refueling Wing, Heavy, on 1 Jul 1987; 434 Air Refueling Wing on 1 Feb 1992; 434 Wing on 1 Aug 1992; 434 Air Refueling Wing on 1 Oct 1994.
Operations. Trained as a Reserve troop carrier wing under supervision of the 2466 Air Reserve Training Center, Jul 1949-Feb 1951. Ordered to active service and flew airlift missions and participated in tactical exercises, May 1951-Jan 1953. Also provided C-46 combat crew training in support of Far East requirements, Sep 1952-Jan 1953. Trained as a Reserve troop carrier wing, Feb 1953-Oct 1958, using C-46s as primary training aircraft to Jan 1957 and C-119s thereafter. Began Air Reserve Technician (ART) program in Oct 1958 and soon began flying overseas missions. Went on one-month active duty in 1962 during the Cuban missile crisis. Converted to tactical groups in Feb 1963; 932 Troop Carrier Group transferred in 1966, and 930 Troop Carrier Group went on active duty from May 1968 to Jun 1969. The 931 Tactical Airlift Group became a tactical air support group in Jun 1969, and converted to U-3A aircraft, with a forward air control training mission. Trained for special operations missions, 1971-1973 and for close air support missions, 1973-1987. Provided combat crew training in A-37 aircraft for USAF and friendly foreign nations until Jun 1980. Provided the bulk of fighter missions needed for forward air controller training at Patrick AFB, FL, 1975-Jun 1987. Provided A-10 tactical fighter training for reserve and guard pilots, Oct 1981-Jun 1987. On 1 Jul 1987 the wing redesignated to an air refueling wing, absorbing the personnel and equipment of the inactivated 931 Air Refueling Group at Grissom AFB. Lost all tactical fighter organizations and gained the 72 Air Refueling Squadron at Grissom, flying KC-135 aircraft and two Air Refueling Groups (98 and 916), flying KC-10s. Since mid-1987, performed worldwide air refueling missions. Deployed personnel and equipment to Southwest Asia and to locations within the U.S. in support of operations in the Persian Gulf, 1990-1991. Between mid-1992 and Sep 1994, also controlled the 930 Operations Group flying A/OA-10 fighter aircraft. Since late 1993, periodically deployed personnel and equipment to Italy and other European locations in support of operations in the Balkans. Provided mid-air refueling to long-range bombers, fighters and cargo aircraft, 1994-.
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Origin/meaning
Emblem approved on 27 Jun 1975; modified on 5 Jun 1995.
Literature:Image from Wikimedia Commons. Inforamtion from https://www.afhra.af.mil/
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