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The 37th Training Wing is a unit of the
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 ...
assigned to the 2nd Air Force and the
Air Education and Training Command Air Education and Training Command (AETC) is one of the nine Major Commands (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF), reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force. It was established 1 July 1993, with the realignment of Air Training ...
. As the host unit to
Lackland Air Force Base Lackland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located in Bexar County, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 802d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command (AETC) and an enclave of the city of Sa ...
,
Joint Base San Antonio Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) is a United States military facility located in San Antonio, Texas, USA. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 502d Air Base Wing, Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The win ...
,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, the 37th TRW is the predominant unit on the installation and is the largest training wing in the USAF. Known as the "Gateway to the Air Force", the 37th Training Wing's replaced the Lackland Training Center as the single
basic military training Military recruit training, commonly known as basic training or boot camp, refers to the initial instruction of new military personnel. It is a physically and psychologically intensive process, which resocializes its subjects for the unique deman ...
for the USAF.37th Training Wing factsheet
/ref> At the same time, the 37th TRW also conducts technical training for security forces, logistics, and professional military education and hosts the
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
component (
DLIELC The Defense Language Institute (DLI) is a United States Department of Defense (DoD) educational and research institution consisting of two separate entities which provide linguistic and cultural instruction to the Department of Defense, other f ...
) of the
Defense Language Institute The Defense Language Institute (DLI) is a United States Department of Defense (DoD) educational and research institution consisting of two separate entities which provide linguistic and cultural instruction to the Department of Defense, other f ...
. Its four primary training functions graduate more than 85,000 students annually. As of October 2021, Colonel Rockie K. Wilson is the commander of the 37th Training Wing, and Michael R. Morgan is the Command Chief Master Sergeant.


Units

The 37th Training Wing consists of five training groups and graduates more than 80,000 students annually. These five missions include basic military training of all enlisted recruits entering the Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard; technical training encompassing hundreds of courses for a wide array of career fields and functions; Nursing and Health Services Admin officer courses and enlisted medical courses; English language training for international military personnel attending the Defense Language Institute; and specialized maintenance and security training as well as the International Squadron Officer School and International Non-Commissioned Officer Academy conducted in Spanish by active-duty Airmen for Latin American students attending the Inter-American Air Forces Academy. * 37th Training Group USAF Technical School ** 37th Training Support Squadron ** 341st Training Squadron Provides trained military working dogs (MWDs) used in patrol, drug and explosive detection, and specialized mission functions for the Department of Defense (DoD) and other government agencies. Conduct operational training of MWD handlers and supervisors. Sustain DoD MWD program through logistical support, veterinary care, and research and development for security efforts worldwide. 37th Training Group units
/ref> ** 342d Training Squadron Home of all Air Force Battlefield Airman (BA) entry-level training for Pararescue (PJ), Combat Control (CCT), Special Operations Weather (SOWT), and Tactical Air Control Party (TACP). ** 343d Training Squadron Hosts the Air Force's Security Forces Training. Its training areas are housed on Lackland AFB and Camp Bullis, both located in the San Antonio area. ** 344th Training Squadron Provides technical training for more than 10,000 active duty, Reserve, Guard, international and civilian students annually in Career Enlisted Aviator, Vehicle Maintenance, Logistics Readiness Officer, Logistics Plans, Materiel Management, Contracting, Recruiting, Safety, Cryptological, and TEMPEST courses. ** 345th Training Squadron Trains, develops and educates technical training students into skilled graduates in the Services, Air Transportation, Hazardous Material Transportation School (HAZMAT) and Traffic Management Office career fields. * 737th Training Group USAF Enlisted Basic Training ** 737th Training Support Squadron ** 319th Training Squadron ** 320th Training Squadron ** 321st Training Squadron ** 322d Training Squadron ** 323d Training Squadron ** 324th Training Squadron ** 326th Training Squadron ** 331st Training Squadron * 937th Training Group Air Force component of the
Medical Education and Training Campus The Medical Education and Training Campus (METC) is a United States Department of Defense (DoD) integrated campus under a single university-style administration, with nearly 50 programs of study available to U.S. military enlisted students and a ...
located at
Fort Sam Houston Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas. "Fort Sam Houston, TX • About Fort Sam Houston" (overview), US Army, 2007, webpageSH-Army. Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the U.S. Senator from Texas, U.S. Represen ...
** 937th Training Support Squadron ** 381st Training Squadron ** 382d Training Squadron ** 383d Training Squadron * 37th Medical Group ** 37th Medical Operations Squadron **37th Aero-Medical Squadron * 37th Training Wing Staff Agencies **
Defense Language Institute The Defense Language Institute (DLI) is a United States Department of Defense (DoD) educational and research institution consisting of two separate entities which provide linguistic and cultural instruction to the Department of Defense, other f ...
English Language Center ** 318th Training Squadron Inter-American Air Forces Academy


History


World War II

The 37th Training Wing is entitled by temporary bestowal to the honors earned by the 37th Operations Group. The 37th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), was activated at
Albrook Field Albrook Air Force Station is a former United States Air Force facility in Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern ...
, Panama Canal Zone on 1 February 1940. Its mission being the defense of the
Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit ...
. The group was disbanded on 31 October 1943 when the threat to the Panama Canal was perceived to be lessened; its personnel being returned to the United States for reassignment to other units.Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 92–93Hagedorn,


Korean War

The 37th was established on 3 March 1953 as the
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 ...
37th Fighter-Bomber Wing as part of the buildup on the Air Force due to the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
. It was assigned to
Ninth Air Force The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint De ...
of
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 ...
and was activated on 8 April 1953 at
Clovis Air Force Base Cannon Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base, located approximately southwest of Clovis, New Mexico. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The host unit at Cannon is the 27th Special Operation ...
, New Mexico.Short History of the 37th Training Wing, Although activated, the 37th FBW was neither manned nor equipped and it was inactivated on 25 June as a result of the Armistice in Korea and the subsequent need for deployment to the war zone being unnecessary.


Vietnam War

With the escalation of the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
in 1965–1966, the Air Force re-activated the unit and re-designated it as the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW), and activated it on 26 October 1966. The wing was activated at the newly built
Phù Cát Air Base Phù Cát Air Base ( vi, Căn cứ không quân Phù Cát ) (1966–1975) was a United States Air Force (USAF) and Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) facility used during the Vietnam War (1959–1975). It is located north of the city of Qui Nh ...
, South Vietnam and it was assigned to
Pacific Air Forces Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (fo ...
. It was organized on 1 March 1967 and assigned to
Seventh Air Force The Seventh Air Force (Air Forces Korea) (7 AF) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Osan Air Base, South Korea. The command's mission is to plan and direct air component operations in ...
. Personnel for the wing headquarters and tactical components were in transit from the United States and elsewhere, and tactical operations did not commence until mid-April. The 37th TFW was assigned several
North American F-100 Super Sabre The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard (ANG) until 1979. The first of the Century Series of ...
squadrons, its mission was to provide tactical air power in support of South Vietnamese and United States Army and Marine units engaged in combat against communist forces attempting to overthrow the government of South Vietnam. Initial squadrons assigned were:Ravenstein, pp. 65–66 *
416th Tactical Fighter Squadron The 416th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The squadron was inactivated on 1 July 1993. The squadron was first activated ...
: 15 April 1967 – 27 May 1969 (F-100D/F Tail Code: HE) : Transferred from the 3d TFW at
Bien Hoa AB Bien Hoa Air Base (Vietnamese: ''Sân bay Biên Hòa'') is a Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) military airfield located in South-Central southern Vietnam about from Ho Chi Minh City, across the Dong Nai river in the northern ward of Tân Phong ...
.Martin, * Det 1, 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 8 June 1967 – 13 April 1969 (F-100D/F Tail Code: HS) : Transferred from the 35th TFW at
Phan Rang AB Phan may refer to: * Phan (surname), a Vietnamese family name * Phan District, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand * Phan River, Bình Thuận Province, Vietnam * Phan (tray) Phan ( th, พาน, ) is an artistically decorated tray with pedestal. It ...
. On 15 April, the 37TFW began combat operations with strikes by 416TFS (F-100D aircraft) en route from
Bien Hoa Air Base Bien Hoa Air Base (Vietnamese: ''Sân bay Biên Hòa'') is a Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) military airfield located in South-Central southern Vietnam about from Ho Chi Minh City, across the Dong Nai river in the northern ward of Tân Phon ...
to their new home. On 8 June, Det 1., 612th TFS began operations, also after flying a mission en route from their former home at
Phan Rang Air Base Phan Rang Air Base (also called Thành Sơn Air Base) is a Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) ''(Khong Quan Nhan Dan Viet Nam)'' military airfield in Vietnam. It is located north-northwest of Phan Rang – Tháp Chàm in Ninh Thuận Provi ...
. From June 1967 to May 1969, the 37th also used F-100F two-seat trainers for visual and weather reconnaissance and forward air control operations. The latter mission came to be known as "Fast FAC." Up until this time, the Air Force used slow propeller-driven O-1, O-2, and OV-10 aircraft for this mission. By 28 February 1968, the 37th TFW squadrons completed 18,000 combat hours and 13,000 combat sorties without a major aircraft accident. In the spring of 1968, the two squadrons of the 37th TFW were augmented by two additional squadrons temporarily deployed (TDY) from the United States. With this augmentation, the wing was then composed of four F-100 combat squadrons with approximately 90 aircraft being assigned. * 174th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 14 May 1968 – 11 May 1969 (Iowa ANG) (F-100C/F Tail Code: HA) : The 174th TFS was federalized
Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...
personnel and aircraft from the
185th Tactical Fighter Group The 185th Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the Iowa Air National Guard, stationed at Sioux City Air National Guard Base, Colonel Bud Day Field, Sioux City, Iowa. If activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force A ...
of the Iowa ANG at Sioux City MAP * 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 3 February 1968 – 15 May 1969 (F-100D/F Tail Code: HP) : Deployed from the 354th TFW at
Myrtle Beach AFB Myrtle Beach Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Early history On 16 October 1939, Myrtle Beach Town Council resolved that the community "is in dire need of a modern municipal airport". The ...
South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
. As 355th TFS personnel completed their TDY that same month the personnel and aircraft returned to Myrtle Beach AFB. They were replaced by Air National Guardsmen from
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
and Washington DC, who were manning Myrtle Beach at the time. These newly deployed personnel were sent to
Tuy Hoa Air Base Căn cứ không quân Tuy Hòa is a former air force base in Vietnam, being closed in 1970. It was built by the United States in 1966 and was used by the United States Air Force (USAF) during the Vietnam War in the II Corps Tactical Zone o ...
along with their F-100 D/F aircraft. In 1969, the Air Force began withdrawing the F-100 from combat duty in South Vietnam, replacing the Hun with the
McDonnell F-4D Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bow ...
. Two Phantom squadrons were transferred to the 37th from the 366th TFW, Da Nang Air Base: *
480th Tactical Fighter Squadron The 480th Fighter Squadron (480th FS), nicknamed the "Warhawks", is an active United States Air Force unit operating the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, General Dynamics F-16CJ Fighting Falcon. The 480 FS assigned to the 52nd Fighter Wing, ...
: 15 April 1969 – 31 March 1970 (F-4D Tail Code: HK) * 389th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 15 June 1969 – 31 March 1970 (F-4D Tail Code: HB) The wing continued its combat operations in South Vietnam until 30 March 1970 when the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing was inactivated, and its F-4D squadrons being withdrawn as part of the drawdown of American forces in South Vietnam. The wing was replaced by the 14th Special Operations Wing, a counter-insurgency and special operations organization. During the wing's combat tour in South Vietnam, it was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, eight Vietnam campaign streamers, two
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the Awards and decorations of the United States Department of the Air Force, unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the A ...
s with Valor, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm.


Tactical Air Command


George Air Force Base

The 37th was reactivated on 30 March 1981 by
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 ...
at
George Air Force Base George Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, 8 miles northwest, of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California. Established by the United States Army Air C ...
in Victorville, California. Its mission was to provide pilot transition training to the F-4G Phantom II "Wild Weasel" radar suppression aircraft. The mission was transferred to the 37th from the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, which was TAC's primary F-4E Phantom II training organization in a mission realignment. Both wings were under the TAC's 831st Air Division. Assigned squadrons of the 37th (Tail Code: "WW") at George were:Rogers, * 561st Tactical Fighter Squadron: 30 March 1981 – 5 October 1989 (Yellow Tail Stripe) * 562d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 30 March 1981 – 5 October 1989 (Blue Tail Stripe) * 563rd Tactical Fighter Squadron (red tail stripe) As the only "Wild Weasel" training wing in the world, it provided instructor pilots and qualified aircrews for the other two "Wild Weasel" wings in the Philippines (3d TFW) and West Germany (52d TFW). As part of the training mission, the wing participated in numerous tactical, maritime, and electronic warfare exercises locally and worldwide in hunter/killer tactics, suppression of enemy air defenses, force escort operations and dissimilar air combat training with
Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...
and
Air Force Reserve The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a MAJCOM, major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of ...
squadrons, and various allies. Wing aircrews and ground personnel won the United States Air Force Worldwide Fighter gunnery meet in 1985 and 1987. In 1988, George was scheduled in the first round of base closures passed by Congress under the
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 ...
program. On 5 October 1989, the 37th TFW turned over F-4G aircraft to the host 35th TFW at George.


Tonopah Test Range Airport

On 10 November 1988, the Air Force officially announced the existence of the Lockheed
F-117A Nighthawk The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk is a retired American single-seat, twin-engine stealth attack aircraft developed by Lockheed's secretive Skunk Works division and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). It was the first operational ai ...
to the public. With this announcement, the formerly clandestine Tactical Air Command 4450th Tactical Group, which had transitioned the F-117 from a development to operational weapons system was put on the road to inactivation when the Air Force decided to increase the 4450th TG to a Wing level organization. As part of the phasedown of operations at George, the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing moved without equipment or personnel to
Tonopah Test Range Airport Tonopah Test Range Airport , at the Tonopah Test Range (Senior Trend project site PS-66) is southeast of Tonopah, Nevada and northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a major airfield with a runway, instrument approach facilities, and nighttime i ...
, Nevada on 5 October 1989, and assumed the aircraft, personnel, equipment and mission of the provisional 4450th Tactical Group . As part of the transition from the provisional group to 37th TFW, the F-117A squadrons were inactivated and re-designated as follows: * 4450th Tactical Squadron; replaced by the 415th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Nightstalkers) * 4451st Tactical Squadron; replaced by the 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Ghostriders) * 4453d Test and Evaluation Squadron; replaced by the 417th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Bandits) The uncoded aircraft of the 4450th TG were given the USAF Tail Code of "TR", and subdued squadron emblems were affixed to the 37th TFW's aircraft. The choice of the 415th, 416th and 417th Tactical Fighter Squadrons were significant, as these were all
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
P-61 Black Widow The Northrop P-61 Black Widow is a twin-engine United States Army Air Forces fighter aircraft of World War II. It was the first operational U.S. warplane designed as a night fighter, and the first aircraft designed specifically as a night figh ...
night fighter squadrons. The mission of the F-117 was night stealth tactical fighter operations; the squadron designations were chosen to honor these pioneering World War II squadrons, which were bestowed their lineages and histories. The wing trained to integrate stealth technology with more conventional methods of combat operations. The 415th and 416th squadrons each flew 18 production F-117As, whereas the 417th flew the 6 pre-production F-117As (79-10780 – 79–10785). The 417th also operated Northrop T-38A Talon and AT-38B Talon trainers for chase and training.


=Operation Just Cause

= On 19 December 1989, just 13 months after the Pentagon had disclosed the existence of the F-117A, it was used in combat for the first time. This was in
Operation Just Cause Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...
, the invasion of Panama intended to dislodge and arrest General Manuel Noreiga.Pace, In early 1988, Panama's military dictator, Gen.
Manuel Noriega Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno (; February 11, 1934 – May 29, 2017) was a Panamanian dictator, politician and military officer who was the ''de facto'' List of heads of state of Panama, ruler of Panama from 1983 to 1989. An authoritaria ...
, had been indicted by two Florida grand juries on charges of laundering drug money. He laughed off the charges and dismissed Panama's president in February. During the May 1989 presidential election campaign, Noriega's "Dignity Battalion" goon squad beat up opposition candidate
Guillermo Endara Guillermo David Endara Galimany (May 12, 1936 – September 28, 2009) was a Panamanian politician who served as the President of Panama from 1989 to 1994. Raised in a family allied to Panameñista Party founder Arnulfo Arias, Endara attended s ...
. Endara won the election, but on 1 October, Noriega prevented him from taking office. Two days later, a coup attempt was made but collapsed when loyalist
Panamanian Defense Forces The Panamanian Public Forces ( es, Fuerza Pública de la República de Panamá) are the national security forces of Panama. Panama is the second country in Latin America (the other being Costa Rica) to permanently abolish standing armies, with Pa ...
(PDF) rescued Noriega. The coup leaders were executed the following day. On 15 December, Noriega declared a state of war between the United States and Panama. The following evening, PDF soldiers killed a marine lieutenant and arrested a navy lieutenant. The Lieutenant and his wife had witnessed the shooting. The officer was beaten and his wife was threatened with sexual abuse. In response to these events, President
George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...
issued orders to invade Panama. One of the targets was the Battalion 2000 barracks at Rio Hato Airfield.
United States Army Rangers United States Army Rangers, according to the US Army's definition, are personnel, past or present, in any unit that has the official designation "Ranger". The term is commonly used to include graduates of the US Army Ranger School, even if t ...
were to be dropped at the adjoining airfield. The PDF troops would have to be neutralized before the airdrop. Army Lt. Gen. Carl W. Stiner, the XVIII Airborne Corps commander, requested F-117As be used. The F-117s would not bomb the two barracks, but rather the 2,000-pound LBGs with time-delay fuzes would be directed to aim points near the buildings. They would act as "a giant stun grenade," to confuse the PDF troops without killing them. The use of F-117As was based on their night-bombing accuracy, rather than stealth, as the PDF lacked heavy air defenses. On the night of 19 December 1989, six F-117As from the 415th TFS took off from TTR Airport. The flight would require five in-flight refuelings. Two of the planes were targeted on Rio Hato Airfield, two more were to provide support for an attempt to capture Noriega, and the final pair were in-flight spares should any of the others suffer malfunctions. As the two F-117As approached the release point, a moment of confusion occurred that would mar their debut. The original plan was for the lead plane to drop its bomb in a field near the barracks on the left, while his wingman would drop his bomb in a field near a barracks on the right. Just before the drop, the wind direction changed. One bomb, intended to land about 100 yards from the 7th Company barracks, actually landed 260 yards away. This was only 18 yards from the 6th Company barracks, which was too close. The other bomb impacted near a basketball court, about 40 yards farther from the barracks than intended. Despite these problems, the explosions caused the desired confusion. Initial reports spoke of PDF soldiers running around in their underwear, while others threw down their weapons. Several Rangers were killed in the subsequent firefight, but the airfield was taken and U.S. aircraft were landing within two hours. However, it was revealed three months later that one of the bombs had missed its target by a considerable amount. It seems that there had been some mis-communication in the final stages of the mission planning, and the pilot had been given the wrong coordinates for the target. However, the media jumped on this event and concluded that the F-117A had been a failure on its first mission. On 21 April 1990, stung perhaps by the press criticism, the Pentagon released more information on the F-117A. More photos of better quality were released, and at Nellis AFB there was a public display of two F-117As.


=1991 Gulf War

= Less than a year after the 37th TFW saw combat in Panama, in response to the
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
i invasion of
Kuwait Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
on 2 August 1990, the 415th TFS of the 37th TFW was deployed to
King Khalid International Airport King Khalid International Airport ( ar, مطار الملك خالد الدولي ', ) is located north of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, designed by the architectural firm HOK, and Arabian Bechtel Company Limited served as the construction manager o ...
,
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
on 19 August to provide air defense over the Saudi capital of
Riyadh Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the R ...
. In November 1990, President Bush ordered
United States Central Command The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM or CENTCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense. It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Tas ...
to begin to prepare for offensive operations against Iraq after negotiations with President
Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein ( ; ar, صدام حسين, Ṣaddām Ḥusayn; 28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003. A leading member of the revolution ...
of Iraq were at an impasse. The 416th TFW was deployed from Tonopah in mid-December and in January 1991, a portion of the 417th TFS was also deployed to Saudi Arabia. In spite of the massive Coalition buildup, Saddam Hussein of Iraq stubbornly refused to withdraw his troops from Kuwait. In the early morning of 17 January 1991, the
United States Central Command Air Forces United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...
along with air forces from Coalition nations began an air offensive to remove Iraqi troops from Kuwait. F-117A Nighthawk stealth bombers, flying from Saudi Arabia, were the first aircraft to engage in offensive operations. The stealth technology of the plane allowed it to fly directly to the Iraqi capital of
Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...
without detection. Mission planners had assigned critical strategic Iraqi command and control installations to 37th TFW, counting on the aircraft's ability to hit precisely at well-defended targets without being seen or detected by Iraqi air defenses. Other vital targets included key communications centers, research and development facilities for nuclear and chemical weapons, plus hardened aircraft shelters on Iraqi airfields. On the first night of combat operations, an F-117A dropped a 2000-pound laser-guided
GBU-27 Paveway III The GBU-27 Paveway III (Guided Bomb Unit) is a laser-guided bomb with bunker buster capabilities, it is a GBU-24 Paveway III (fitted on the warhead of the BLU-109 bomb body) that has been redesigned to be used by the F-117A Nighthawk stealth groun ...
bomb right through the roof of the general communications building in downtown Baghdad. In another attack on the communications building next to the
Tigris River The Tigris () is the easternmost of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of the Armenian Highlands through the Syrian and Arabian Deserts, and empties into the P ...
, another GBU-27 Paveway III was dropped through an air shaft in the center of the roof atop the building and blew out all four walls. During the first three weeks of the air offensive, F-117As obliterated many hardened targets with unprecedented precision. The 37th TFW flew 1271 combat sorties and maintained an 85.5 percent mission-capable rate. The 43 F-117As of the 37th TFW dropped more than 2000 tons of precision ordnance and attacked some 40 percent of the high-value targets that were struck by the Coalition forces. Not one F-117A was hit, shot down, or lost to mechanical failure. There is no evidence that the F-117A was ever detected or tracked by Iraqi radar installations, either ground or airborne. After combat operations ceased in February 1991, some wing personnel and aircraft remained on indefinite alert in Saudi Arabia as a component member of the post-Desert Storm task force in Southwest Asia, although most returned to Tonopah by the end of March.


=F-117 transfer to Holloman AFB

= After Desert Storm, the 37th transitioned to the Air Force Objective Wing organization, and the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing was re-designated the 37th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1991. As a result of the end of the
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
, reduced defense budgets were the order of the day. In reviewing its tactical bases and the costs of maintaining them, It was determined that the 37th FW operations from Tonopah required considerable logistics support via commercial air and trucking. All military personnel were permanently assigned to Nellis AFB, Nevada, and were transported once each week by air. Also the security requirements of the F-117A had been lessened with its introduction into the Air Force inventory as an operational weapons system. It was determined that a considerable amount of money would be saved by moving the F-117 operations out of the remote site at Tonopah. Tactical Air Command also believed, while Tonopah Airport was adequate for testing and development of aircraft, it was unsuitable as a fully operational tactical base. Also, the Air Force wanted to retire the F-15A/B Eagles operated by the 49th Fighter Wing at
Holloman AFB Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base established in 1942 located six miles (10 km) southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, and a census-designated place in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. ...
, New Mexico, most of which were manufactured in the mid-1970s and were costing more and more to operate. As a result, plans were put in place to construct suitable facilities for the F-117A at Holloman AFB and to retire the F-15A/B models of the 49th FW. There was also debate about which unit designation would be adopted at Holloman. The 37th FW was a senior organization to the 49th FW, and initially it was announced that the 49th FW would be inactivated and the 37th would become the new host unit at Holloman. This was changed when General
Merrill McPeak Merrill Anthony "Tony" McPeak (born January 9, 1936) is a retired 4-star general in the United States Air Force whose final assignment before retirement was as the 14th Chief of Staff of the Air Force from 1990 to 1994. In 1993, McPeak served a ...
, USAF Chief of Staff, determined that the 49th had a more notable history than the 37th, would remain active and the 37th FW would be inactivated. On 8 July 1992, shortly after the inactivation of Tactical Air Command and the activation of
Air Combat Command Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...
(ACC), the assets of the 37th Fighter Wing was moved to Holloman AFB and was organization was inactivated; the aircraft, personnel, equipment and mission being transferred to the 49th Fighter Wing.


Air Education and Training Command

However, the inactivation was of short duration. On 1 July 1993, HQ USAF redesignated
Air Training Command Air Training Command (ATC) is a former United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command designation. It was headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, but was initially formed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. It was re-designated as Ai ...
(ATC) as
Air Education and Training Command Air Education and Training Command (AETC) is one of the nine Major Commands (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF), reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force. It was established 1 July 1993, with the realignment of Air Training ...
(AETC). At the same time, HQ AETC replaced all of its training centers with two-digit numbered wings. As a result, the 37th FW was re-designated as the 37th Training Wing (TW) and activated at
Lackland AFB Lackland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located in Bexar County, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 802d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command (AETC) and an enclave of the city of Sa ...
, Texas. The 37th TW replaced the Lackland Training Center and most of its units that had performed the training mission since 1949. Assigned to the 37th Training Wing were five group-level establishments. * 37th Technical Training Group * 37th Military Training Group * Defense Language Institute English Language Center * 37th Support Group * 37th Logistics Group Additional changes came on 1 April 1994 when HQ USAF re-designated the technical training group as the 37th Training Group and the military training group as the 737th Training Group. The 37th TW also inherited a fourth training mission, one which the Lackland Training Center had gained on 2 June 1993, when the Air Force decided to make Lackland the permanent home of the Inter-American Air Forces Academy (IAAFA). The academy had brought its technical training mission to Lackland in August 1992 from the hurricane-wrecked Homestead AFB in Florida. The Inter-American Air Forces Academy had trained officer and enlisted members of various air forces in Latin America since its organization in the Panama Canalm Zone on 31 October 1948. On 1 July 1993, IAAFA was reassigned to Lackland's new host, the 37th Training Wing. While the wing gained IAAFA's technical training missions, it lost the officer training mission which AETC reassigned to Air University on 1 July 1993 and shortly thereafter moved to
Maxwell AFB Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...
, Alabama. The wing also gained extensive technical training courses from two closing bases—
Chanute AFB Chanute Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force facility, located in Champaign County, Illinois, south of and adjacent to Rantoul, Illinois, about south of Chicago. Its primary mission throughout its existence was Air Force t ...
in Illinois and
Lowry AFB Lowry Air Force Base (Lowry Field in 1938–1948) is a former United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) training base during World War II and a United States Air Force (USAF) training base during the Cold War, serving as the initial 1955–1958 si ...
in Colorado. The courses consisted of much of the Air Force's training for base support and operations. As the new courses began to come on line in 1993, the wing's technical trainee accessions grew significantly. In 1994, technical training entries almost reached 20,000, while basic military training remained at its pre-1986 level of about 35,000. In 1995, the wing reached near parity between basic military and technical training missions in terms of members trained.


Lineage

* Established as the 37th Fighter-Bomber Wing on 3 March 1953 : Activated on 8 April 1953 : Inactivated on 25 June 1953 * Redesignated 37th Tactical Fighter Wing and activated on 26 October 1966 (not organized) : Organized on 1 March 1967 : Inactivated on 31 March 1970 * Activated on 30 March 1981 : Redesignated 37th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1991 : Inactivated on 8 July 1992 * Redesignated 37th Training Wing and activated on 1 July 1993


Assignments

* Ninth Air Force, 8 April – 25 June 1953 * Pacific Air Forces, 26 October 1966 (not organized) * Seventh Air Force, 1 March 1967 – 31 March 1970 * 831st Air Division, 30 March 1981 *
Twelfth Air Force The Twelfth Air Force (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The command is the air component to U ...
, 5 October 1989 – 8 July 1992 *
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 ...
, 1 July 1993–present


Components

Group * 37th Fighter-Bomber Group (later 37th Operations Group): 8 April – 25 June 1953; 1 November 1991 – 8 July 1992 Squadron * 174th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 14 May 1968 – 11 May 1969 * 355th Fighter Squadron: attached 3 February – 4 July 1968, assigned 5 July 1968 – 15 May 1969 * 389th Fighter Squadron: 15 June 1969 – 31 March 1970 * 415th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 5 October 1989 – 1 November 1991 * 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 15 April 1967 – 27 May 1969; 5 October 1989 – 1 November 1991 * 417th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (later 417th Fighter Squadron): 5 October 1989 – 1 November 1991 * 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 15 April 1969 – 31 March 1970 * 561st Tactical Fighter Squadron: 30 March 1981 – 5 October 1989 * 562d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 30 March 1981 – 5 October 1989 * 563d Tactical Fighter Squadron 30 March 1981 – 5 October 1989 Detachment * Detachment 1, 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron: attached 8 June 1967 – 13 April 1969.


Stations

* Clovis Air Force Base, New Mexico, 8 April −25 June 1953 * Phu Cat Air Base, South Vietnam, 1 March 1967 – 31 March 1970 * George Air Force Base, California, 30 March 1981 * Tonopah Test Range Airport, Nevada, 5 October 1989 – 8 July 1992 * Lackland Air Force Base (later Joint Base San Antonio–Lackland), Texas, 1 July 1993 – present


Aircraft

* North American F-100 Super Sabre (1967–1969) * McDonnell F-4 Phantom II (1969–1970, 1981–1989) * F-117 Nighthawk (1989–1992) * Northrop T-38 Talon (1989–1992)


See also

* YGBSM


References

; Notes


Bibliography

* * * * * * * *


External links


Lackland AFB Home Page
{{USAAF 6th Air Force World War II Military units and formations in Texas 0037