The 438th Air Expeditionary Wing was a
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, 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 ...
unit operating in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
and assigned to
United States Air Forces Central
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 ...
. The wing trained
Afghan Air Force members, including pilots.
Subordinate units
*
438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group
The United States Air Force's 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group (438 AEAG) is assigned to the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing of USAFCENT and is stationed at Kabul Airport, Afghanistan.
The 438th Air Expeditionary Group stood up on in Novem ...
(
Kabul International Airport
, nativename-r =
, image = Flightline at Kabul International Airport.jpeg
, caption = The flightline at Kabul International Airport in January 2012
, IATA = KBL
, ICAO = OAKB
, ...
)
** 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron (
Mi-17 and
Mi-35
The Soviet and later Russian Mil Mi-24 helicopter has been produced in many variants, as described below.
History
In 1966, Soviet aircraft designer Mikhail Mil created a mock-up design of a new helicopter (derived from the Mil Mi-8) which was ...
training)
** 439th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron (mission support advisors)
** 440th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron (maintenance advisors)
**
538th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron
The 538th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron is provisional unit of United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, and is currently located at Kabul Airport, Afghanistan.
Overview
The squadron was activated by Unit ...
, (
C-208
The Cessna 208 Caravan is a utility aircraft produced by Cessna.
The project was commenced on November 20, 1981, and the prototype first flew on December 9, 1982.
The production model was certified by the FAA in October 1984 and its Cargoma ...
,
C-130
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 ...
)
*
738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group
Mission
The group's mission is to train the Afghan Air Force able to meet the security requirements of Afghanistan. As part of the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, the 738th advises the Kandahar Air Wing, which operates in the southern regions of A ...
(
Kandahar Airfield
Ahmad Shah Baba International Airport, also referred to as Kandahar International Airport ( ps, د کندهار نړيوال هوايي ډګر) and by some military officials as Kandahar Airfield, KAF) , is located about south-east of the city K ...
)
**
441st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron
Mission
The group's mission is to train the Afghan Air Force able to meet the security requirements of Afghanistan. As part of the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, the 738th advises the Kandahar Air Wing, which operates in the southern regions of A ...
(
Mi-17 training)
** 442d Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron (
Mi-17 training)
There was formerly a third group active at
Shindand Airfield
Sabzwar Air Base is an Afghan Air Base located in the western part of Afghanistan in the Sabzwar District of Herat Province, 7 miles northeast of the city of Shindand. The runway has a concrete surface. An all weather asphalt road connects it ...
:
*
838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group
The 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group (838 AEAG) was the ISAF host unit at Shindand Air Base that as part of NATO Air Training Command - Afghanistan was training and advising the Afghan Air Force Shindand Air Wing. It was a group of the Uni ...
**
801st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron
8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9.
In mathematics
8 is:
* a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2.
* a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number of t ...
(helicopters)
** 802d Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron (training trainers and maintainers)
**
803th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron
8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9.
In mathematics
8 is:
* a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2.
* a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number of t ...
(fixed-wing, was 444th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron)
** Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron (ESFS)
History
: ''For related history, see
438th Air Expeditionary Group
The United States Air Force's 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group is a provisional unit assigned to United States Air Forces Central to activate or inactivate as needed. It was last active in Al Anbar province, Iraq to provide close-air supp ...
''
Air Force Reserve
![Curtiss C-46D 44-77957 Hamilton USAF reserve (992616310)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Curtiss_C-46D_44-77957_Hamilton_USAF_reserve_%28992616310%29.jpg)
In 1949
Continental Air Command
Continental Air Command (ConAC) (1948–1968) was a Major Command of the United States Air Force (USAF) responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.
During the Korean War, ConAC provided the necessary augm ...
reorganized its reserve units under the
wing base organization, which placed support units under the same headquarters as the combat group they supported. As part of this reorganization, the
438th Troop Carrier Wing was activated at
Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. The wing absorbed the resources of the
381st Bombardment Group 381st may refer to:
* 381st Bombardment Squadron, inactive United States Air Force unit
*381st Fighter Squadron or 18th Reconnaissance Squadron, squadron of the United States Air Force
*381st Intelligence Squadron, intelligence unit located at Join ...
, which was simultaneously inactivated at Offutt.
[ Although the ]wing
A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is e ...
's manning, along with that of its component squadrons, was limited to 25% of active duty organization authorizations, it was assigned four squadrons, rather than three. The wing trained under the 2473d Air Force Reserve Training Center for troop carrier operations with the C-46, but also flew the North American T-6 Texan
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan is an American single-engined advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), United States Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force and other air force ...
trainer.[
All combat units of the Air Force Reserve were ordered to active service for 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 ...
. The 438th was called up in the second wave of mobilizations on 10 March 1951. Its personnel were used to man other organizations, primarily those of Strategic Air Command, and it was inactivated on 14 March 1951.[ Its aircraft were distributed to other organizations as well.
]
Little more than a year later the wing was redesignated the 438th Fighter-Bomber Wing and activated at Billy Mitchell Field
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is a civil–military airport south of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States., effective May 21, 2020. It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Ai ...
, Wisconsin, replacing the 924th Reserve Training Wing there. The reserve mobilization for the Korean War, however, had left the Reserve without airplanes, and the unit did not receive aircraft until July 1952. When it finally began to receive its planes, they were World War II era North American F-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter aircraft, fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team ...
s, which would serve until the group's Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star
The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of design, prod ...
s arrived.[ Once more, the 2473d Air Force Reserve Training Center was responsible for the training of the 438th Wing and other units at the station. Despite its designation as a fighter bomber unit, the group initially trained in the air defense role.
In 1957 the group began to upgrade to the ]North American F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing ...
. However, its time with this plane would be short. By 1956, the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, that advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and the ...
were pressuring the Air Force to provide more wartime airlift. At the same time, about 150 Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar (Navy and Marine Corps designation R4Q) was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechani ...
s became available from the active force. Consequently, in November 1956 the Air Force directed Continental Air Command to convert three fighter bomber wings to the troop carrier mission by September 1957. The wing inactivated one of its squadrons on in July and completed its inactivation on 16 November 1957, when most of its personnel transferred to the 440th Troop Carrier Group 44 may refer to:
* 44 (number)
* one of the years 44 BC, AD 44, 1944, 2044
Military
*44M Tas, a Hungarian medium/heavy tank design of World War II
*44M Tas Rohamlöveg, a Hungarian tank destroyer design of World War II, derived from the 44M Tas ta ...
, which was simultaneously activated.[
]
Strategic Airlift
The 438th Military Airlift Wing replaced the 1611th Air Transport Wing
The 1611th Air Transport Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the Eastern Transport Air Force, Military Air Transport Service, stationed at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. It was inactivated on 8 Ja ...
at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey in January 1966, equipped with Lockheed C-141 Starlifter
The Lockheed C-141 Starlifter is a retired military strategic airlifter that served with the Military Air Transport Service (MATS), its successor organization the Military Airlift Command (MAC), and finally the Air Mobility Command (AMC) of the ...
s. For the next 30 years, the 438th MAW and transported military cargo, mail and passengers worldwide, particularly in the Eastern United States, Atlantic, European and Mediterranean areas, with frequent special missions to the Arctic, the Antarctic, South America, the Far East, and to Southeast Asia combat areas during the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by 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 Vietnam a ...
.
On 1 December 1991, the wing was redesignated as the 438th Airlift Wing and implemented objective wing. On 1 June 1992, it was assigned to the new Air Mobility Command.
Post Cold War
On 1 October 1993, the 30th AS was moved without personnel or equipment (w/o/p/e) to the 374th Operations Group, Yokota AB Yokota ( ja, 横田, 與古田, etc.) may refer to:
* 6656 Yokota, an asteroid
* Yokota Shōkai, a Japanese film company
Places
* Yokota Air Base, a US Air Force Base located in Tokyo, Japan
* Harima-Yokota Station
* Iyo-Yokota Station
* Yoko ...
, Japan, replacing the 20th AS as part of the Air Force illustrious units realignment. It was replaced by the 13th Airlift Squadron at McGuire which was transferred without personnel or equipment from the 18th Operations Group, Kadena AB
(IATA: DNA, ICAO: RODN) is a highly strategic United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is often referred to as the "Keystone of the Pacific" because of its highl ...
, Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
.
A KC-10
The McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender is an American aerial refueling tanker aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). A military version of the three-engine DC-10 airliner, the KC-10 was developed from the Advanced Tanker Cargo A ...
air refueling squadron, the 2d ARS, was assigned to the wing from the former 2d Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB
Barksdale Air Force Base (Barksdale AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in northwest Louisiana, United States, in Bossier Parish. It is contiguous to Bossier City, Louisiana, along the base's western and northwestern edge. Barksdale AFB ...
, Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
as part of a major Air Force realignment on 1 October 1994 to have KC-10 bases with two squadrons of 10 aircraft each.
On 1 October 1994, the 438th Airlift Wing was inactivated, being replaced at McGuire by the 305th Air Mobility Wing
The 305th Air Mobility Wing is a United States Air Force strategic airlift and air refueling wing under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command. It generates, mobilizes and deploys C-17 Globemaster III and KC-10 Extender aircraft. ...
which was transferred from Grissom AFB
Grissom Air Reserve Base is a United States Air Force base, located about north of Kokomo in Cass and Miami counties in Indiana. The facility was established as a U.S. Navy installation, Naval Air Station Bunker Hill, in 1942 and was an active ...
, Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
when Grissom was realigned via a 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 ...
(BRAC) action to the Air Force Reserve Command as Grissom ARB.
The 438th Air Expeditionary Group was activated after the September 11 terror attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, Hijackers in the September 11 attacks, ninet ...
in 2001. Its people fought in Iraq and trained Iraqis and then moved to Afghanistan to train Afghan airmen at bases around the country.
In 2014 the wing won the Secretary of Defense Award for Excellence in Maintenance Training, Advice, and Assistance of Foreign Security Forces Award in the operational (large) category.
Lineage
* Established as the 438th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 10 May 1949
: Activated in the reserve on 27 June 1949
: Ordered to active service on 10 March 1951
: Inactivated on 14 March 1951
* Redesignated 438th Fighter-Bomber Wing on 26 May 1952
: Activated in the reserve on 15 June 1952
: Inactivated on 16 November 1957
* Redesignated 438th Military Airlift Wing and activated on 27 December 1965 (not organized)
: Organized on 8 January 1966
: Redesignated 438 Airlift Wing on 1 November 1991
: Inactivated on 1 October 1994
* Redesignated 438th Air Expeditionary Wing and converted to provisional status on 4 December 2001
* Activated on 1 February 2002
: Inactivated on 26 July 2002
* Activated on 8 November 2008[Lineage through September 2019 in Musser, Factsheet 438 Air Expeditionary Wing.]
* United States forces withdrawn from Afghanistan in 2021.
Assignments
* Tenth Air Force
The Tenth Air Force (10 AF) is a unit of the U.S. Air Force, specifically a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). 10 AF is headquartered at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base/Carswell Field (formerly Carswel ...
, 27 June 1949 – 14 March 1951
* Tenth Air Force, 15 June 1952 – 16 November 1957
* Military Air Transport Service, 27 December 1965 (not organized)
* Military Airlift Command
The Military Airlift Command (MAC) is an inactive United States Air Force major command (MAJCOM) that was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Established on 1 January 1966, MAC was the primary strategic airlift organization of th ...
, 1 January 1966 (not organized)
* Twenty-First Air Force
The 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force (21 EMTF) was one of two EMTFs assigned to the Air Force's Air Mobility Command. It was headquartered at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. The 21 EMTF was a redesignation of Twenty-First Air ...
, 8 January 1966 – 1 October 1994
* Air Combat Command, to activate or inactivate anytime after 4 December 2001
* 9th Aerospace Expeditionary Task Force-Southern Watch (later 9th Aerospace Expeditionary Task Force), 1 February – 26 July 2002
* 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force, 8 November 2008[ – c. 2021
]
Components
; Wing
* 514th Military Airlift Wing
The 514th Air Mobility Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. The 514th is an associate Air Force reserve unit. The wing flies aircraft assigned to the active-duty 305th Air Mobilit ...
; Attached, 1 July 1973[ – 1 October 1994
; Groups
* ]438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group
The United States Air Force's 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group (438 AEAG) is assigned to the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing of USAFCENT and is stationed at Kabul Airport, Afghanistan.
The 438th Air Expeditionary Group stood up on in Novem ...
* 438th Troop Carrier Group 438th may refer to:
* 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group (438 AEAG), assigned to the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing of USAFCENT, stationed at Kabul Airport, Afghanistan
* 438th Air Expeditionary Group, provisional unit assigned to United States A ...
(later 438th Fighter-Bomber Group, 438th Military Airlift Group, 438th Operations Group): 27 June 1949 – 14 March 1951; 15 June 1952 – 16 November 1957; 15 September 1978 – 1 June 1980; 1 November 1991 – 1 October 1994[
* 458th Operations Group: 1 April – 1 October 1994][
* ]738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group
Mission
The group's mission is to train the Afghan Air Force able to meet the security requirements of Afghanistan. As part of the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, the 738th advises the Kandahar Air Wing, which operates in the southern regions of A ...
* 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group
The 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group (838 AEAG) was the ISAF host unit at Shindand Air Base that as part of NATO Air Training Command - Afghanistan was training and advising the Afghan Air Force Shindand Air Wing. It was a group of the Uni ...
* 903d Military Airlift Group
The 903d Military Airlift Group is an inactive United States Air Force Reserve unit. It was last active with the 514th Military Airlift Wing at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, where it was inactivated on 1 July 1973.
History Need for rese ...
: attached 25 September 1968 – 1 July 1973[
; Squadrons
* ]6th Military Airlift Squadron
The 6th Airlift Squadron is part of the 305th Air Mobility Wing at the McGuire AFB section of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. It operates the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III supporting the United States Air Force global reach missio ...
: 8 April 1970 – 1 October 1978; 1 June 1980 – 1 November 1991
* 18th Military Airlift Squadron: 8 January – 15 June 1966 (not operational after 1 February 1966);[ 1 August 1968 – 1 October 1978; 1 June 1980 – 1 November 1991
* 29th Military Airlift Squadron: 8 January 1966 – 31 August 1968 (not operational after 12 August 1968)][
* 30th Military Airlift Squadron: 8 April 1967 – 1 October 1978; 1 June 1980 – 1 November 1991
* 40th Military Airlift Squadron: 8 January 1966 – 4 March 1968 (not operational after 1 December 1967)][
* 45th Military Airlift Squadron: 3 July 1967 – 31 August 1968 (not operational after 12 August 1968)][
* Military Airlift Squadron Provisional, 1645th: attached 15 March – 3 July 1967
* Naval Air Transport Squadron Three ( VR-3): attached 1 February 1966 – 1 July 1967][
* 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron: inactivated on 12 June 2014Air Advisors in Afghanistan-Inactivation of 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron]
/ref>
Stations
* Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, 27 June 1949 – 14 March 1951
* General Mitchell Field, Wisconsin, 15 June 1952
* Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 5 January 1953 – 16 November 1957
* McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, 8 January 1966 – 1 October 1994
* Jacobabad
Jacobabad ( ur, and sd, جيڪب آباد; formerly Khanger or Khangarh) is a city in Sindh, Pakistan, serving as both the capital city of Jacobabad District and the administrative center of Jacobabad Taluka, an administrative tehsil, subdi ...
, Pakistan, 1 February – 26 July 2002
* Kabul Airport
, nativename-r =
, image = Flightline at Kabul International Airport.jpeg
, caption = The flightline at Kabul International Airport in January 2012
, IATA = KBL
, ICAO = OAKB
, ...
, Afghanistan, 1 February – 26 July 2002
Aircraft
* C-46 Commando
The Curtiss C-46 Commando is a twin-engine transport aircraft derived from the Curtiss CW-20 pressurised high-altitude airliner design. Early press reports used the name "Condor III" but the Commando name was in use by early 1942 in company pub ...
, 1949–1951; 1953
* F-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...
, 1953–1954
* F-80 Shooting Star
The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of design, prod ...
, 1954–1957
* F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing Sov ...
, 1957
* C-130E Hercules, 1966–1968
* C-135
The Boeing C-135 Stratolifter is a Cargo aircraft, transport aircraft derived from the prototype Boeing 367-80 jet airliner (also the basis for the Boeing 707, 707) in the early 1950s. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boe ...
, 1966–1967
* C-141 Starlifter
The Lockheed C-141 Starlifter is a retired military strategic airlifter that served with the Military Air Transport Service (MATS), its successor organization the Military Airlift Command (MAC), and finally the Air Mobility Command (AMC) of the ...
, 1967–1994
References
Notes
; Explanatory notes
; Citations
Bibliography
*
*
*
External links
*
{{USAF Air Mobility Command
Air expeditionary wings of the United States Air Force