![100arw-tail](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/100arw-tail.jpg)
The 100th Air Refueling Wing (100th ARW), nicknamed ''the Bloody Hundredth'', is a
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
unit assigned to the
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force (Air Forces Europe) (3 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). Its headquarters is Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It is responsible for all U.S. air forces in E ...
,
United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa. It is stationed at
RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, United Kingdom. It is also the host wing at RAF Mildenhall.
The 100th ARW is the only permanent U.S. air refueling wing in the European theater, operating the
Boeing KC-135R/T Stratotanker.
During World War II, its predecessor unit, the 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy), was an
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Force ...
B-17 Flying Fortress
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...
unit in England, stationed at
RAF Thorpe Abbotts. Flying over 300 combat missions, the group earned two
Distinguished Unit Citation
The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enem ...
s (Regensburg, 17 August 1943; Berlin, 4/6/8 March 1944). The group suffered tremendous losses in combat, with 177 aircraft
missing in action (MIA), flying its last mission on 20 April 1945.
One of the wing's honors is that it is the only modern USAF operational wing allowed to display on its assigned aircraft the tail code (Square-D) of its World War II predecessor.
Units
USAFE's only
Boeing KC-135R/T air refueling wing, it is responsible for U.S.
aerial refueling
Aerial refueling, also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) while both aircraft a ...
operations conducted throughout the European theater. The unit supports some 16,000 personnel, including
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force (Air Forces Europe) (3 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). Its headquarters is Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It is responsible for all U.S. air forces in E ...
, four geographically separated units, and 15 associated units.
100th Operations Group (100th OG)
*
351st Air Refueling Squadron
The 351st Air Refueling Squadron (351st ARS) is part of the 100th Air Refueling Wing at RAF Mildenhall, England. Since 1992, it has operated the Boeing KC-135R/T Stratotanker aircraft conducting primarily aerial refueling but also airlift and a ...
(351st ARS)
* 100th Operations Support Squadron (100th OSS)
100th Maintenance Group (100th MXG)
* 100th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (100th AMXS)
* 100th Maintenance Squadron (100th MXS)
* 100th Maintenance Operations Flight (100th MOF)
100th Mission Support Group (100th MSG)
* 100th Civil Engineer Squadron (100th CES)
* 100th Communications Squadron (100th CS)
* 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron (100th LRS)
* 100th Security Forces Squadron (100th SFS)
* 100th Force Support Squadron (100th FSS)
History
World War II
![100thbombgroup-b17s-2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/100thbombgroup-b17s-2.jpg)
On 1 June 1942, the
Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
activated the 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy) (100th BG) as an unmanned paper unit assigned to
III Bomber Command
The III Bomber Command is a disbanded United States Air Force headquarters. It was established in September 1941, shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor to command bomber units assigned to 3rd Air Force. Following the entry of the United St ...
. The group remained unmanned until 27 October 1942, when a small number of men transferred from the
29th Bombardment Group
9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding .
Evolution of the Arabic digit
In the beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshatrapa, Andhra and ...
to
Gowen Field
Boise Airport (Boise Air Terminal or Gowen Field) is a joint civil-military airport in the western United States, south of downtown Boise in Ada County, Idaho. The airport is operated by the city of Boise Department of Aviation and is overseen ...
, Idaho, to serve as the group's initial cadre. Within four days, on 1 November, the small cadre forming the 100th BG moved the unit to
Walla Walla Army Air Base
Walla Walla Regional Airport is a public airport in Walla Walla County, Washington, in the western United States. It is northeast of central Walla Walla, and is owned by the Port of Walla Walla.
History World War II
The airport was the locatio ...
, Washington, where it received its first four aircrews and four
B-17Fs from the
Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
factory in
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
. Following receipt of crews and aircraft, the 100th BG relocated to
Wendover Field, Utah, on 30 November where it added additional personnel, aircraft, crews, and began operational training (bombing, gunnery, and navigation).
On New Year's Day of 1943, members of the fledgling group again transferred operations to two separate bases, with the aircraft and aircrews moving to
Sioux City
Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Iowa. The bulk of the city is in Woodbury County, ...
AAB, Iowa, while the ground echelon went to
Kearney Army Air Field
Kearney or Kearneys may refer to:
Places Australia
* Kearneys Falls, Queensland
* Kearneys Spring, Queensland
Canada
* Kearney, Ontario
* Kearney Lake, Nova Scotia
Northern Ireland
* Kearney, County Down, a townland in County Down
United St ...
, Nebraska. In both instances, members of the 100th BG assisted in air and ground training for other groups bound for overseas. In mid-April, the aircrew element joined its ground echelon at Kearney and received new B-17s. After additional training, the group's aircrews departed Kearney on 25 May 1943, flying the North Atlantic route to England and into the war in Europe. Prior to the departure of aircraft and aircrews from Kearney, the 100th BG's ground echelon departed for the East Coast on 2 May 1943. On 27 May 1943, the ground personnel set sail aboard the
RMS Queen Elizabeth bound for
Podington
Podington is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, United Kingdom. The village is within the electoral ward of Harrold in the Borough of Bedford. Podington lies around northwest of Bedford and is about east of the county border ...
, England from New York. At Podington the ground crews rendezvoused with the air echelon, and together moved to
Thorpe Abbotts
Thorpe Abbotts is a village and (as Thorpe Abbots) a former civil parish, now in the parish of Brockdish, in the South Norfolk district, in the county of Norfolk, England. The village is east of Diss, south south west of Norwich and north eas ...
, Norfolk, where they remained throughout World War II, operating as a strategic bombardment organization.
On 25 June 1943, the 100th BG flew its first
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Force ...
combat mission in a
bombing of the Bremen U-boat yards – the beginning of the "Bloody Hundredth"'s legacy. The group focused its bombing attacks against German airfields, industries, and naval facilities in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
,
the Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
,
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
, and
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
. The group inherited the "Bloody Hundredth" nickname from other bomb groups due to the number of losses it took from summer to fall 1943; for example only four of the original thirty-eight co-pilots assigned to the group completed their assigned twenty-five mission tour, and there were several instances where the group lost nearly a dozen aircraft on a single mission. One such raid on 10 October 1943, that the 100th BG made on
Münster
Münster (; nds, Mönster) is an independent city (''Kreisfreie Stadt'') in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also a state distr ...
, ended up with the only surviving 100th BG B-17, the ''Royal Flush'' (B-17F ''42-6087'') commanded for this mission by
Robert Rosenthal, returning safely to Thorpe Abbots.
![100thbombgroup-b17s-1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/100thbombgroup-b17s-1.jpg)
In August 1943, the group received its first
Distinguished Unit Citation
The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enem ...
(DUC) after
attacking the German aircraft factory at Regensburg on 17 August 1943, resulting in serious disruption to German fighter production. From January–May 1944, the 100th BG regularly bombed airfields, industries, marshaling yards, and missile sites in Western Europe. The group participated in the Allied campaign against German aircraft factories, Operation Argument, during "
Big Week
Big Week or Operation Argument was a sequence of raids by the United States Army Air Forces and RAF Bomber Command from 20 to 25 February 1944, as part of the Strategic bombing during World War II#US bombing in Europe, European strategic bombin ...
" in the last week of February 1944. In March 1944, aircrews completed a succession of attacks on Berlin and received its second DUC of the war.
While bombing during the
Oil Campaign of World War II as the summer of 1944 approached, the group also conducted interdictory missions such as the June bombing of bridges and gun positions to support the
Invasion of Normandy
Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 (D-Day) with the Norm ...
. The next month aircrews bombed enemy positions at
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô (, ; br, Sant Lo) is a commune in northwest France, the capital of the Manche department in the region of Normandy.[Brest
Brest may refer to:
Places
*Brest, Belarus
**Brest Region
**Brest Airport
**Brest Fortress
*Brest, Kyustendil Province, Bulgaria
*Břest, Czech Republic
*Brest, France
**Arrondissement of Brest
**Brest Bretagne Airport
** Château de Brest
*Brest, ...]
in August and September. In October 1944, the 100th BG attacked enemy and ground defenses in the allied drive on the
Siegfried Line
The Siegfried Line, known in German as the ''Westwall'', was a German defensive line built during the 1930s (started 1936) opposite the French Maginot Line. It stretched more than ; from Kleve on the border with the Netherlands, along the west ...
, then bombed
marshaling yards, German occupied villages, and communication targets in the
Ardennes
The Ardennes (french: Ardenne ; nl, Ardennen ; german: Ardennen; wa, Årdene ; lb, Ardennen ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Be ...
during the
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive (military), offensive military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted fr ...
from December 1944 to January 1945. For its extraordinary efforts in attacking heavily defended German installations in Germany and dropping supplies to the French Forces of the Interior from June through December 1944, the 100th BG received the French
Croix de Guerre
The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...
with Palm.
The 100th BG flew its last combat mission of World War II on 20 April 1945. The following month the unit's aircrews dropped food to the people in the west of the Netherlands, and in June transported French Allied former prisoners of war from Austria to France. In December 1945, the group returned to the U.S., where it inactivated at
Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, on 21 December 1945.
Cold War
On 29 May 1947, Headquarters Army Air Forces reactivated the 100th BG at
Miami Army Air Field
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically as Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the greater Miami metropolitan area with over 1,000 daily flights to 167 domestic and international destinations, including most co ...
. From the time of its activation, the group trained and operated as a reserve
B-29 Superfortress
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is an American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the B-17 Fl ...
unit being attached to the
49th Bombardment Wing (Later Air Division). It is not clear whether or not the unit was fully manned or equipped. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949 due to budget reductions.
100th Bombardment Wing
The 100th Bombardment Wing, Medium was established on 23 March 1953 as part of
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
, but the wing was not activated until 1 January 1956. The delay was due to construction at the unit's programmed base,
Portsmouth Air Force Base (later renamed Pease AFB),
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
. Construction was completed in late 1955 and, when activated, the 100th BW was assigned to the
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Force ...
817th Air Division
The 817th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, assigned to Second Air Force, at Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire, where it was inactivated on 30 June 1971.
The ...
.
The 100th Bomb Wing was assigned the new
B-47E Stratojet swept-wing medium bombers in 1954, capable of flying at high subsonic speeds and primarily designed for penetrating the airspace of the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
. The 100th Bomb Wing operated from Pease AFB for ten years. In official parlance, the establishment "...performed global strategic bombardment training and air refueling missions." One of the most significant overseas temporary duty assignments took place during the first four months of 1958, when the 100th participated in the last full wing B-47 deployment. During this time, the B-47s from New Hampshire operated from
RAF Brize Norton, in the United Kingdom. Subsequently, overseas deployments involved the simultaneous participation of several bomb wings engaging in global strategic bombardment training and global air refueling with the Stratojet.
In the early 1960s, the B-47 was considered to be reaching obsolescence and was being phased out of SAC's strategic arsenal. In October 1965, the Air Force initiated Project Fast Fly to oversee the inactivation of the last five B-47 wings and supporting tanker squadrons. The 100th ARS retired its last tanker on 21 December 1965, when aircraft 53-0282 flew to the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center at
Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. The following day, the 100th ARS inactivated. The 100th BW retained its ground alert commitment at Pease until 31 December 1965 and inactivated on 25 June 1966.
100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
Headquarters SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its Major Command controlled (MAJCOM) wings that were equipped with combat aircraft and to activate Air Force controlled (AFCON) units, most of which were inactive at the time, which could carry a lineage and history. On 11 February 1966, the 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing assumed the mission, equipment and personnel of the
4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
The 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing is a discontinued United States Air Force (USAF) wing last assigned to the 12th Strategic Aerospace Division of Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Davis–Monthan AFB, Arizona. It was SAC's high altitude rec ...
. The
349th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (SRS) took over the
Lockheed U-2
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "''Dragon Lady''", is an American single-jet engine, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It provides day ...
aircraft of the 4028th SRS and the
350th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron
35 or XXXV may refer to:
* 35 (number), the natural number following 34 and preceding 36
* one of the years 35 BC, AD 35, 1935, 2035
* ''XXXV'' (album), a 2002 album by Fairport Convention
* ''35xxxv'', a 2015 album by One Ok Rock
* "35" (song), ...
took over the
Ryan BQM-34 Firebee
The Ryan Firebee is a series of target drones developed by the Ryan Aeronautical Company beginning in 1951. It was one of the first jet-propelled drones, and remains one of the most widely used target drones ever built.
Development
Ryan Fireb ...
reconnaissance drones and
Lockheed DC-130 launch aircraft of the 4025th SRS. The 4080th was a SAC MAJCOM wing, and its lineage terminated when it was discontinued and could not be continued by reactivation at a later date. The 100th SRW was now at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona.
After its reactivation, the 100th SRW performed strategic reconnaissance with the Lockheed U-2 and drone aircraft. On 11 July 1970, the force was moved from Bien Hoa to
U-Tapao RTAFB
U-Tapao–Rayong–Pattaya International Airport ( th, ท่าอากาศยานอู่ตะเภา ระยอง–พัทยา; ) also spelled ''Utapao'' and ''U-Taphao'', is a joint civil–military public airport serving ...
(OL-RU) and then turned to (OL-UA in Nov. 1970) Thailand. Then after the move, in November 1972 they re-activated the 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron. In January 1973, the U-2s of the 99th SRS flew more than 500 combat hours. That was the first time any U-2 unit flew 500 hours in a single month. That was topped in December 1974 when they logged more than 600 hours. The 99th SRS deployed to forward operating locations as needed, earning the P.T. Cullen Award as the reconnaissance unit that contributed most to the photo and signal intelligence efforts of SAC in 1972. The U-2s were one of the last units to be pulled out of Thailand in March 1976,
With the end of United States combat operations in Southeast Asia in mid-1973, the Air Force formally transferred nuclear air sampling operations to the 100th SRW, and the 349th SRS converted its U-2s to the U-2R configuration for atmospheric sampling missions, replacing the WB-57s which it inherited from the 4028th SRS. The air sampling mission would be moved to
Osan AB
Hanja:)
, partof =
, location =
, nearest_town = Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province
, country = South Korea
, image = Osan Air Base 51 FW F-16 A-10 Flyby.jpg
, alt = US Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon and A-1 ...
, South Korea, although the deployment of U-2Rs to Osan could not take place until overflight and basing arrangements were concluded with the governments of
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
and the
Republic of Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its east ...
and hangar facilities made ready at Osan. Not until the
Communist Chinese
, anthem = "The Internationale"
, seats1_title = National People's Congress (13th)
, seats1 =
, seats2_title = NPC Standing Committee
, seats2 =
, flag = Flag of the Chinese Communist Pa ...
had actually exploded their sixteenth nuclear device on 17 June 1974, could Headquarters USAF announce that all negotiations were concluded. At the same time, it directed Headquarters SAC to deploy the 349th SRS "OLYMPIC RACE" assets to Osan and begin collecting from that location on 18 June 1974. The sampling mission continued at Osan, and the U-2s in South Korea became the 100th SRW OL-A.
In addition to the Drone and Air Sampling missions, the 100th SRW performed worldwide surveillance missions like the monitoring of the ceasefire between the Israelis and the Egyptians following the 1973
Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was an armed conflict fought from October 6 to 25, 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egy ...
. This operation was operated from
RAF Akrotiri
RAF Akrotiri ( el, Βασιλική Πολεμική Αεροπορία Ακρωτηρίου) is a large Royal Air Force base on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located in the Western Sovereign Base Area, one of two areas which compr ...
, Cyprus and was named operation OLIVE HARVEST – Operating Location OL-OH.
A detachment also operated from
McCoy AFB, Florida until that installation's closure in 1975, followed by a move to nearby
Patrick AFB
Patrick Space Force Base is a United States Space Force installation located between Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach, in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It is named in honor of Major General Mason Patrick, USAAC. It is home to Space Lau ...
, Florida, designated Operating Location LF. These U-2s engaged in OLYMPIC FIRE missions over
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
, which were coordinated with the Joint Air Reconnaissance Control Center at
NAS Key West, Florida.
100th Air Refueling Wing
In 1976 due to budget reductions, SAC consolidated its Strategic Reconnaissance assets. The 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron and its U-2s were returned from U-Tapao and assigned to the
9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
The 9th Reconnaissance Wing (9 RW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command and Sixteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Beale Air Force Base, California. The wing is also the host unit at Beale.
Its mission is to ...
(9 SRW) on 1 July 1976. This brought all the Strategic Reconnaissance assets of SAC under one wing at
Beale AFB, California. The 9th SRW already controlled the
1st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron
The 1st Reconnaissance Squadron is a United States Air Force squadron, assigned to the 9th Operations Group, Beale Air Force Base, California.
The 1st Reconnaissance Squadron is the United States military's oldest flying unit, first establishe ...
, which operated the
SR-71 Blackbird
The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a long-range, high-altitude, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed and manufactured by the American aerospace company Lockheed Corporation. It was operated by the United States Air Force ...
.
The U-2Rs of the 349th SRS and the
AQM-34 Firebee
The Ryan Firebee is a series of target drones developed by the Ryan Aeronautical Company beginning in 1951. It was one of the first jet-propelled drones, and remains one of the most widely used target drones ever built.
Development
Ryan Fireb ...
/
DC-130 Hercules
The Lockheed DC-130 was a variant of the C-130 Hercules, designed for drone control. It could carry four Ryan Firebee drones underneath its wings.
Development
Origin of the design
Since World War I many nations' air forces have investigat ...
drone operations of the 350th SRS were discontinued, with the squadrons becoming KC-135 tanker squadrons of the 100th Air Refuelling Wing in support of the 9th SRS SR-71 Blackbird. The U-2Rs in South Korea became the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing Detachment 2. The AQM-34s, associated
DC-130 Hercules
The Lockheed DC-130 was a variant of the C-130 Hercules, designed for drone control. It could carry four Ryan Firebee drones underneath its wings.
Development
Origin of the design
Since World War I many nations' air forces have investigat ...
launch aircraft and
CH-3 Jolly Green Giant
The Sikorsky S-61R is a twin-engine helicopter used in transport or search and rescue roles. A developed version of the S-61/SH-3 Sea King, the S-61R was also built under license by Agusta as the AS-61R. The S-61R served in the United States ...
recovery helicopters were reassigned to the
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...
's
22d Tactical Drone Squadron
The 22d Intelligence Squadron (22 IS) is a non-flying squadron of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 691st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland.
The 22 IS is one of the oldest ...
and remained at Davis-Monthan AFB.
With the redesignation, the 100th and its 349th and 350th Air Refueling Squadrons were moved administratively to Beale, taking over the assets of the
17th Bombardment Wing
17 (seventeen) is the natural number following 16 (number), 16 and preceding 18 (number), 18. It is a prime number.
Seventeen is the sum of the first four prime numbers.
In mathematics
17 is the seventh prime number, which makes seventeen the ...
which was inactivated. The 349th and 350th assumed the KC-135s of the 903d and 922d Air Refueling Squadrons. With the re-designation, the 100th ARW assumed responsibility for providing worldwide air refueling support for the 9th SRW's
SR-71
The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a Range (aeronautics), long-range, high-altitude, Mach number, Mach 3+ military strategy, strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed and manufactured by the American aerospace company Lockheed Corporati ...
s and U-2s on 30 September 1976
The 100th ARW was inactivated on 15 March 1983 when its two KC-135 squadrons were reassigned to the host
9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
The 9th Reconnaissance Wing (9 RW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command and Sixteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Beale Air Force Base, California. The wing is also the host unit at Beale.
Its mission is to ...
at Beale, which became a composite wing under the one-base, one-wing concept.
Post-Cold War
After an inactive status for over seven years, SAC again reactivated the 100th, but this time as the 100th Air Division at
Whiteman AFB,
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
, on 1 July 1990, an intermediate command echelon of Strategic Air Command. It assumed host unit responsibilities at Whiteman. In addition, the division controlled the
509th Bombardment Wing
The 509th Bomb Wing (509 BW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command, Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.
The 509 BW is the host unit at Whiteman, and operates th ...
, a former
FB-111
The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark is a retired supersonic, medium-range, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole combat aircraft. Production variants of the F-111 had roles that included attack aircraft, ground attack (e.g. Air interdiction, i ...
unit that had relocated from the former
Pease Air Force Base
Pease, in Middle English, was a noun referring to the vegetable pea; see that article for its etymology. The word survives into modern English in pease pudding.
Pease may also refer to:
People
* Pease family (Darlington), a prominent family in D ...
(now
Pease Air National Guard Base
Pease Air National Guard Base is a New Hampshire Air National Guard base located at Portsmouth International Airport at Pease in New Hampshire. It occupies a portion of what was once Pease Air Force Base, a former Strategic Air Command facility ...
) due to
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) is a process by a United States federal government commission to increase United States Department of Defense efficiency by coordinating the realignment and closure of military installations following the end o ...
(BRAC) Commission action and which was not operational while waiting for production
B-2 Spirit
The Northrop (later Northrop Grumman) B-2 Spirit, also known as the Stealth Bomber, is an American heavy strategic bomber, featuring low-observable stealth technology designed to penetrate dense anti-aircraft defenses. A subsonic flying ...
stealth bombers to arrive and appropriate facilities for the B-2s to be constructed. It also controlled the
351st Missile Wing
The 351st Missile Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit, which was last based at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. Assigned to Strategic Air Command for most of its existence, the wing maintained LGM-30F Minuteman II ICBMs in a sta ...
, an
LGM-30F Minuteman II
The LGM-30 Minuteman is an American land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in service with the Air Force Global Strike Command. , the LGM-30G Minuteman III version is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States and re ...
ICBM wing at Whiteman.
Air Force reorganization in 1991 put the 351st MW under the reactivated
Twentieth Air Force on 29 March 1991, and the 509th Bomb Wing took over host duties at Whiteman. As a result, SAC inactivated the 100th AD again on 1 August 1991.
Air Refueling in Europe
Six months after its inactivation as an Air Division, and over 46 years after departing England at the end of World War II, the Air Force activated the 100th ARW, stationed at
RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom, on 1 February 1992. It was assigned to Strategic Air Command, Fifteenth Air Force, 14th Air Division. It was then reassigned to Third Air Force on 1 February 1992. Becoming the host wing at RAF Mildenhall, the 100th ARW took over the management of the
European Tanker Task Force
European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to:
In general
* ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe
** Ethnic groups in Europe
** Demographics of Europe
** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe a ...
(ETTF).
On 31 March 1992, the 351st Air Refueling Squadron was activated and assigned to the 100th Operations Group. The 100th received its first aircraft when KC-135R ''58-0100'' arrived from
Loring Air Force Base,
Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
, in May 1992. The wing reached full strength by September 1992, when its ninth KC-135R was delivered.
The ETTF was ended on 28 November 1998, seeing the number of KC-135R/Ts assigned to ''the Bloody Hundredth'' increased to 15 tankers.
Since its reactivation in 1992, the 100th ARW has served as United States Air Forces Europe's lone air refueling wing.
As of 2022, there is only one surviving original WW2 member of the group still living, John Luckadoo.
[https://www.military.com/off-duty/books/2022/04/04/hear-100-year-old-wwii-hero-john-lucky-luckadoo-share-his-story.html]
Lineage
![100thbombwing-emblem](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/100thbombwing-emblem.jpg)
100th Bombardment Group
* Established as 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 January 1942.
: Activated on 1 June 1942.
: Redesignated 100th Bombardment Group, Heavy on 20 August 1943
: Inactivated on 21 December 1945.
* Redesignated 100th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 13 May 1947.
: Activated in the Reserve on 29 May 1947.
: Inactivated on 27 June 1949.
100th Air Refueling Wing
* Constituted as 100th Bombardment Wing, Medium on 23 March 1953.
: Activated on 1 January 1956.
: Inactivated on 30 April 1966
: Redesignated 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing on 25 June 1966
: Redesignated 100th Air Refueling Wing, Heavy on 30 September 1976.
: Inactivated on 15 March 1983.
* Consolidated with the 100th Bombardment Group on 31 January 1984 (remained inactive)
* Redesignated 100th Air Division on 15 June 1990.
: Activated on 1 July 1990.
: Inactivated on 26 July 1991.
* Redesignated 100th Air Refueling Wing, and activated, on 1 February 1992.
* Personnel designated 100th Air Expeditionary Wing when supporting
Operation Allied Force effective 24 March 1999
Assignments
*
III Bomber Command
The III Bomber Command is a disbanded United States Air Force headquarters. It was established in September 1941, shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor to command bomber units assigned to 3rd Air Force. Following the entry of the United St ...
, 1 June 1942
*
Second Air Force
The Second Air Force (2 AF; ''2d Air Force'' in 1942) is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and non-flying officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defended ...
, 18 June 1942
*
II Bomber Command, 26 June 1942
* 15 Bombardment (later, 15 Bombardment Training; 15 Bombardment Operational Training) Wing, 30 November 1942
* Eighth Air Force, c. 2 June 1943
* VIII Bomber Command, c. 4 June 1943
*
4th Bombardment Wing 004, 0O4, O04, OO4 may refer to:
* 004, fictional British 00 Agent
* 0O4, Corning Municipal Airport (California)
* O04, the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation
* Abdul Haq Wasiq, Guantanamo detainee 004
* Junkers Jumo 004 turbojet engine
* Lauda ...
, 6 June 1943
: Attached to: 402d Provisional Combat Bombardment Wing, 6 June 1943
*
3d Bombardment Division
3-D, 3D, or 3d may refer to:
Science, technology, and mathematics Relating to three-dimensionality
* Three-dimensional space
** 3D computer graphics, computer graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data
** 3D film, a ...
, 13 September 1943
*
13th Combat Bombardment Wing
The 13th Strategic Missile Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Fifteenth Air Force, based at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It was inactivated on 2 July 1966.
Initially formed in 1940 a ...
(Heavy), 14 September 1943
*
3d Air Division
The 3rd Air Division (3d AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, assigned to Fifteenth Air Force, being stationed at Hickam AFB, Hawaii. It was inactivated on 1 April 1992.
...
, 18 June 1945
*
1st Air Division
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
, 12 August 1945
*
3d Air Division
The 3rd Air Division (3d AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, assigned to Fifteenth Air Force, being stationed at Hickam AFB, Hawaii. It was inactivated on 1 April 1992.
...
, 28 September 1945
*
VIII Fighter Command, 1 November–December 1945
*
49th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy (later, 49 Air Division, Bombardment), 29 May 1947 – 27 June 1949
*
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Force ...
, 1 January 1956
*
817th Air Division
The 817th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, assigned to Second Air Force, at Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire, where it was inactivated on 30 June 1971.
The ...
, 1 February 1956 – 30 April 1966
: Attached to
7th Air Division
The 7th Air Division (7 AD) served the United States Air Force with distinction from early 1944 through early 1992, earning an outstanding unit decoration and a service streamer along the way.
History
Hawaii
As the 7th Fighter Wing, the divis ...
, 29 December 1957 – 1 April 1958
*
12th Strategic Aerospace Division
The 12th Air Division an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Eighth Air Force, based at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. It was inactivated on 31 July 1990.
History
The division was established as the ...
, 25 June 1966
*
14th Strategic Aerospace Division
The 14th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Fifteenth Air Force, stationed at Beale Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 14 June 1989.
History
World War II
The organization was in ...
, 30 June 1971
*
12th Strategic Missile (later, 12 Air) Division, 1 August 1972
*
14th Air Division
The 14th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Fifteenth Air Force, stationed at Beale Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 14 June 1989.
History
World War II
The organization was in ...
, 30 September 1976 – 15 March 1983
*
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Force ...
, 1 July 1990 – 26 July 1991
*
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force (Air Forces Europe) (3 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). Its headquarters is Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It is responsible for all U.S. air forces in E ...
, 1 February 1992–present
*
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri.
Air Mobility Command was established on 1 June 1992, and was formed from elements ...
(forward deployed 100 AEW only), 24 March 1999 – present
Components
Wings
*
351st Strategic Missile Wing: 1 July 1990 – 26 July 1991
*
509th Bombardment Wing
The 509th Bomb Wing (509 BW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command, Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.
The 509 BW is the host unit at Whiteman, and operates th ...
: 30 September 1990 – 26 July 1991
Groups
*
100th Operations Group: 1 February 1992–present
Squadrons
*
9th Air Refueling Squadron: 30 September 1976 – 27 January 1982
*
99th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron: 1 November 1972 – 30 June 1976
*
100th Air Refueling Squadron
The 100th Fighter Squadron (100 FS) is a unit of the Alabama Air National Guard 187th Fighter Wing located at Dannelly Field, Alabama. The 100th is equipped with the General Dynamics F-16C+ Fighting Falcon.
The 100th FS was one of the Tuskeg ...
: 16 August 1956 – 25 June 1966
*
349th Bombardment (later, 349 Strategic Reconnaissance; 349 Air Refueling) Squadron (XR): 1 June 1942 – 1 December 1945; 29 May 1947 – 27 June 1949; 1 January 1956 – 15 March 1983
*
350th Bombardment (later, 350 Strategic Reconnaissance; 350 Air Refueling) Squadron (LN) : 1 June 1942 – 15 December 1945; 16 July 1947 – 27 June 1949; 1 January 1956 – 1 July 1976 (detached 4 March-c. 4 April 1958); 28 January 1982 – 15 March 1983
*
351st Bombardment Squadron (EP): 1 June 1942 – 15 December 1945; 17 July 1947 – 27 June 1949; 1 January 1956 – 25 June 1966
*
418th Bombardment Squadron 418th may refer to:
*418th Bombardment Group, inactive United States Air Force unit
*418th Flight Test Squadron (418 FLTS), part of the 412th Test Wing based at Edwards Air Force Base, California
*418th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, inactive ...
(LD): 1 June 1942 – 19 December 1945; 29 May 1947 – 27 June 1949; 1 March 1959 – 1 January 1962
*
509th Air Refueling Squadron
5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. It has attained significance throughout history in part because typical humans have five digits on eac ...
: attached 8 April – 8 July 1958.
100 AEW Components
* 100th Expeditionary Operations Group, RAF Mildenhall, England (34 KC-135)
: 351st Air Refueling Squadron (various ANG resources), 24 March – 8 April 1999
:
100th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron
The 100th Fighter Squadron (100 FS) is a unit of the Alabama Air National Guard 187th Fighter Wing located at Dannelly Field, Alabama. The 100th is equipped with the General Dynamics F-16C+ Fighting Falcon.
The 100th FS was one of the Tuskege ...
, 9 April – 20 June 1999
* 100th Expeditionary Group,
RAF Brize Norton, England (12 KC-135)
:
106th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, 24 March 1999 – present
* 2nd Air Expeditionary Group,
RAF Fairford, England (5 KC-135)
:
22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron
The 22d Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit, assigned to Air Mobility Command. It is engaged in combat operations as part of the Global War on Terrorism in Afghanistan. Its current status and loca ...
, 24 March 1999 – present
Stations
*
Orlando Army Air Base, Florida 1 June 1942
*
Barksdale Field, Louisiana, c. 18 June 1942
*
Pendleton Field
Eastern Oregon Regional Airport (Eastern Oregon Regional Airport at Pendleton) is a public airport three miles northwest of Pendleton, in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. Commercial service is provided by Boutique Air to Portland, subsidi ...
, Oregon c. 26 June 1942
*
Gowen Field
Boise Airport (Boise Air Terminal or Gowen Field) is a joint civil-military airport in the western United States, south of downtown Boise in Ada County, Idaho. The airport is operated by the city of Boise Department of Aviation and is overseen ...
, Idaho, 28 August 1942
*
Walla Walla Walla Walla can refer to:
* Walla Walla people, a Native American tribe after which the county and city of Walla Walla, Washington, are named
* Place of many rocks in the Australian Aboriginal Wiradjuri language, the origin of the name of the tow ...
, Washington, c. 1 November 1942
*
Wendover Field,
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, c. 30 November 1942
*
Sioux City AAB, Iowa, c. 28 December 1942
*
Kearney AAFld, Nebraska, c. 30 January – May 1943
*
RAF Thorpe Abbotts (AAF-139), England, 9 June 1943 – December 1945
*
Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, c. 20–21 December 1945
*
Miami AAFld, Florida, 29 May 1947 – 27 June 1949
*
Portsmouth (later, Pease) AFB, New Hampshire, 1 January 1956 – 25 June 1966
*
Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, 25 June 1966 – 30 September 1976
*
Beale AFB, California, 30 September 1976 – 15 March 1983
*
Whiteman AFB, Missouri, 1 July 1990 – 26 July 1991
*
RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom, 1 February 1992 – present
Aircraft/missiles assigned
*
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...
, 1942–1945
*
Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1956–1966
*
Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter is a four-engined, piston-powered United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It replaced the KB-29 and was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.
Design and developm ...
, 1956–1965
*
Lockheed U-2
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "''Dragon Lady''", is an American single-jet engine, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It provides day ...
, 1966–1976 (WU-2, 1966–1969)
*
Lockheed DC-130, 1966–1976
*
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transpor ...
, 1976–1983, 1992–present
*
Minuteman II, 1990–1991
See also
*
List of B-47 units of the United States Air Force
The Boeing B-47 Stratojet was operational with the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command beginning in May 1951 with the first operational B-47Bs to the 306th Bombardment Wing, Medium, based at MacDill AFB, Florida.
In March 1961, Preside ...
*
100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum
*
Home Front Heroes Day, a day of recognition originated by the last living original member of the World War II Eighth Air Force 100th Bomb Group, John "Lucky" Luckadoo
Notes
References
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). ''Air Force Combat Units of World War II''. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. .
* Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). ''Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977''. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. .
* Rogers, Brian (2005). ''United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978''.
USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers—1908 to present
March marks 10th anniversary of Operation Allied Force* Harry H. Crosby, a
navigator
A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation.Grierson, MikeAviation History—Demise of the Flight Navigator FrancoFlyers.org website, October 14, 2008. Retrieved August 31, 2014. The navigator's primar ...
in the 100th BG ("Bloody Hundredth") during World War II, wrote ''A Wing and a Prayer: The Bloody 100th Bomb Group of the US Eighth Air Force in Action over Europe in World War II'
(Harpercollins 1993 / Hdcvr / Ppbk ). The account is an insightful look into the life of a typical air officer assigned to one of the 8th Air Force's most revered units.
*
Ray Bowden
Edwin Raymond Bowden (13 September 1909 – 23 September 1998) was an English footballer who played as an inside forward. He scored 130 goals from 316 appearances in the Football League, playing for Plymouth Argyle, Arsenal and Newcastle Un ...
, Plane Names & Bloody Noses – 100th Bomb Group. Nose art and named planes of the 100BG with brief histories and 400 black/white photos. Se
www.usaaf-noseart.co.ukfor fuller details.
External links
*http://www.100thbg.com – 100th Bomb Group Foundation
{{Authority control
0100
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
Units and formations of Strategic Air Command
Military units and formations established in 1942
Military units and formations established in 1956
1942 establishments in Florida
1949 disestablishments in Florida
1956 establishments in New Hampshire