The 314th Airlift Wing (314 AW) is a

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 ...

of the

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 ...

based at

Little Rock Air Force Base Little Rock Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately northeast of Little Rock, Arkansas. Little Rock AFB is the primary C-130 Hercules training base for the Department of Defense, training C-130 pilots, naviga ...

Little Rock ( The "Little Rock") , government_type = Council-manager , leader_title = Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_party = D , leader_title2 = Council , leader_name2 ...

, Arkansas. Its mission is to carry out

Lockheed C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally desig ...

combat airlift training. The wing was activated in November 1948 as the 314th Troop Carrier Wing at Smyrna Air Force Base, Tennessee, but traces earlier history to the creation of the 314th Troop Carrier Group in 1942.

Subordinate units

314th Operations Group The 314th Operations Group (314 OG) is the flying component of the Air Education and Training Command 314th Airlift Wing, stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. Overview The group provides C-130 initial and tactical aircrew trainin ...

: 48th Airlift Squadron (48 AS) - C-130J :

62d Airlift Squadron The 62nd Airlift Squadron is part of the 314th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. Originally constituted in 1942 as the ''62nd Troop Carrier Squadron'', it first deployed to Morocco in 1943, remaining in Europe until its ina ...

(62 AS) - C-130J : 714th Training Squadron (714 TRS) * 314th Maintenance Group : 314th Maintenance Squadron : 314th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron : 314th Maintenance Operations Squadron * 314th Mission Support Group : 314th Contracting Squadron : 314th Security Forces Squadron : 314th Services Squadron : 314th Logistics Readiness Squadron : 314th Mission Support Squadron : 314th Communications Squadron : 314th Civil Engineer Squadron * 314th Medical Group : 314th Medical Operations Squadron : 314th Medical Support Squadron

History

: ''See the

for related history and lineage''

Korean War

The wing was activated in November 1948 as the 314th Troop Carrier Wing at Smyrna Air Force Base, Tennessee. The wing served in Japan during 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 ...

, participating in two major airborne operations, at

Sunchon Sunch'ŏn () is a city in South Pyongan province, North Korea. It has a population of 297,317, and is home to various manufacturing plants. The city is on the Taedong River. History In 1413, the name of the city became Sunchon, due to a renam ...

in October 1950 and at Munsan-ni in March 1951. It later transported supplies to

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

and evacuated prisoners of war.

Early Cold War and Vietnam War periods

The wing was transferred without personnel or equipment back to the U.S. in 1954. There it served as a primary troop carrier unit in the eastern U.S., participating in joint airborne training with

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

forces, developing assault airlift operations, and performing in aerial demonstrations,

exercises Exercise is a body activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovascular system, hone athletic s ...

, maneuvers, and joint operations. Between January 1966 and May 1971, it operated from

Ching Chuan Kang Air Base Ching Chuan Kang Air Base ( zh, t=清泉崗空軍基地, CCK) is a Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) base located in Taichung, Taiwan. It is the home to the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, with three squadrons of AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo fi ...

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

as part of the

315th Air Division The 315th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force formation. Originally designated the 315th Bombardment Wing, it was activated in July 1944 at Peterson Field, Colorado as a command and control organization for four very heavy B-29 Su ...

to provide passenger and cargo airlift throughout the Far East and combat airlift in Southeast Asia 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 ...

period.

Later Cold War period

Again returning to the U.S. in May 1971, the 314th acquired the assets of the inactivated 64th Tactical Airlift Wing and incurred host organization responsibilities of

, Arkansas. It has since operated C-130 training schools, providing classroom instruction and flying training to all branches of the U.S. military and allied nations and served as a tactical airlift wing involved in worldwide airborne training, airlift, and

special operations Special operations (S.O.) are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment". Special operations may include ...

including deployments in support of the Commander-in-Chief,

United States Air Forces in Europe 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 ...

. It also provided joint airborne communications center and command post support for the United States Readiness Command. In October 1983, the wing provided Joint Airborne Communications Center/Command Post equipment in support of the rescue of U.S. nationals in Grenada. During December 1989 and January 1990, it provided airlift support during the intervention 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 ...

in Panama.

Post Cold War period

The 314th conducted airlift control support in addition to airlift of troops and equipment to the Middle East in support of the liberation 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 ...

, August 1990 – March 1991. From 1991 to present, in addition to its primary mission of aircrew training, the wing conducted numerous disaster relief and humanitarian support missions including airdrop of U.S. Army Troops; humanitarian aid; emergency supplies; and medical evacuations in addition to airlifting passengers and equipment.

Operations

* Operation Urgent Fury *

Operation Desert Shield The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...

Operation Desert Storm 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 ...

Lineage

* Established as the 314th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 4 October 1948 : Activated on 1 November 1948 * Redesignated 314th Troop Carrier Wing on 1 January 1967 * Redesignated 314th Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 August 1967 * Redesignated 314th Airlift Wing on 1 December 1991

Assignments

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 ...

, 1 November 1948 * Fourteenth Air Force, 1 February 1949 * Tactical Air Command, 1 August 1950 *

Eighteenth Air Force Eighteenth Air Force (Air Forces Transportation) (18 AF) is the only Numbered Air Force (NAF) in Air Mobility Command (AMC) and one of the largest NAFs in the United States Air Force. 18 AF was activated on 28 March 1951, inactivated on 1 Janu ...

, 1 June 1951 * Ninth Air Force, 1 September 1957 * 839th Air Division, 8 October 1957 (attached to

after 22 January 1966) * 315th Air Division, 27 January 1966 *

327th Air Division The 327th Air Division is an inactive air division of the United States Air Force (USAF). It was assigned to Thirteenth Air Force throughout its existence. It was last stationed at Taipei Air Station in Gongguan, Taipei Taiwan, where it was in ...

, 1 November 1968 *

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 ...

, 31 May 1971 *

834th Air Division The 834th Airlift Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Military Airlift Command, assigned to Twenty-Second Air Force at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, where it was inactivated on 1 April 199 ...

, 15 March 1972 *

Twenty-Second Air Force Twenty-Second Air Force (22 AF) is a Numbered Air Force component of Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). It was activated on 1 July 1993 and is headquartered at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia. In the event of mobilization, some of the Twenty ...

, 31 December 1974 * Fifteenth Air Force, 1 July 1993 * Eighth Air Force, 1 October 1993 *

Nineteenth Air Force The Nineteenth Air Force (19 AF) is an active Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force. During the Cold War it was a component of Tactical Air Command, with a mission of command and control over deployed USAF forces in support of Unit ...

, 1 April 1997 *

Air Education and Training Command Air Education and Training Command (AETC) is one of the nine List of major commands of the United States Air Force, Major Commands (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF), reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force. It was establis ...

, 12 July 2012 * Nineteenth Air Force, 1 October 2014 – present

Components

; Groups * 34th Tactical Airlift Training Group: 15 September 1978 – 1 December 1991 *

309th Troop Carrier Group 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...

: (attached 26 June 1949 – 20 February 1951 – Recerve Corollary Unit) * 313th Troop Carrier Group (attached 1 October 1953 – 8 June 1955) * 314th Air Base Group (later 314th Combat Support Group, 314th Support Group, 314th Mission Support Group): 1 November 1948 – 8 October 1957, 1 October 1964 – 1 December 1965, 1 May 1971 – present * 314th Maintenance and Supply Group (later 314th Logistics Group, 314th Maintenance Group): 1 November 1948 – 8 October 1957, 1 December 1991 – present * 314th Medical Group (see 314th Station Medical Group and USAF Hospital, Little Rock) * 314th Station Medical Group (later 314th Medical Group, 314th Tactical Infirmary, 314th Tactical Hospital): 1 November 1948 – 8 October 1957, 1 May 1971 – 1 March 1975 * 314th Troop Carrier Group (later 314th Tactical Airlift Group, 314th Operations Group: 1 November 1948 – 8 October 1957, 15 September 1978 – 15 June 1980, 1 December 1991 – present :: Attached to

Far East 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 ...

, 7 September 1950, FEAF Combat Cargo Command, 10 September 1950, 314th Air Division, 1 December 1950,

, 25 January 1951 – c. 1 November 1952; attached to 483d Troop Carrier Wing, 1 January 1953 – 15 November 1954) * 316th Troop Carrier Group: 4 November 1949 – 14 November 1954 *

513th Troop Carrier Group 513th may refer to: *513th Air Control Group, United States Air Force Reserve unit assigned to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma *513th Electronic Warfare Squadron, United States Air Force unit assigned to the 53d Electronic Warfare Group at Eglin Air Force Bas ...

: (attached 8 November 1955 – 8 October 1957) * 516th Troop Carrier Group: (attached 8 May 1955 – 9 July 1956) ; Hospital * USAF Hospital, Little Rock (later 314th Medical Group); 1 April 1971 – present

Stations

* Smyrna Air Force Base (later Sewart Air Force Base), 1 November 1958 – c. 15 January 1966 *

, Taiwan, 22 January 1966 *

, Arkansas, 31 May 1971 – present

Aircraft operated

Douglas C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF, RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF, and SAAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained ...

(1948–1953) * Fairchild C-82 Packet (1948–1951) * Waco CG-15 (

glider Glider may refer to: Aircraft and transport Aircraft * Glider (aircraft), heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight ** Glider (sailplane), a rigid-winged glider aircraft with an undercarriage, used in the sport of glidin ...

) (1949–1951) * Chase YG-18 (glider) (1949–1951) *

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 ...

(1949–1951) *

Douglas C-54 Skymaster The Douglas C-54 Skymaster is a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces in World War II and the Korean War. Like the Douglas C-47 Skytrain derived from the DC-3, the C-54 Skymaster was derived from a civilian a ...

(1949–1951, 1954–1955) * Curtiss C-46 Commando (1952) * Curtiss TC-46 Commando (1950) * Chase YC-122 Avitruc(1950–1954) * YH-12 (1951) *

Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw The Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw (company model number S-55) was a multi-purpose helicopter used by the United States Army and United States Air Force. It was also license-built by Westland Aircraft as the Westland Whirlwind in the United Kingdom ...

(1952–1955) *

L-5 Sentinel The Stinson L-5 Sentinel is a World War II-era liaison aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces, U.S. Army Ground Forces, U.S. Marine Corps and the British Royal Air Force. It was produced by the Stinson Division of the Vultee Aircr ...

(1952–1953) *

Aeronca L-16 The Aeronca L-16 was a United States Army liaison aircraft built by Aeronca. It saw extensive service during the Korean War. It was essentially a militarized version of the Aeronca Champion. From 1955 large numbers were transferred to the Civil A ...

(1952–1953) *

De Havilland Canada L-20 Beaver The de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver is a single-engined high-wing propeller-driven short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft developed and manufactured by de Havilland Canada. It has been primarily operated as a bush plane and has been used ...

(1952–1954) * Piasecki H-21 (1955–1959) *

Fairchild C-123 Provider The Fairchild C-123 Provider is an American military transport aircraft designed by Chase Aircraft and then built by Fairchild Aircraft for the U.S. Air Force. In addition to its USAF service, which included later service with the Air Force Re ...

(1956–1961) *

(1956 – present) * Lockheed DC-130 Hercules (1979–1981) *

Learjet C-21 The Learjet Model 35 and Model 36 are a series of American multi-role business jets and military transport aircraft manufactured by Learjet. When used by the United States Air Force they carry the designation C-21A. The aircraft are powered b ...

(1999–2011)

Unit emblems

Image:314 Operations Gp gaggle patch.jpg, 314 OG Image:41_AS.jpg, 41 AS Image:45_AS.jpg, 45 AS Image:48_AS.jpg, 48 AS Image:53_AS.jpg, 53 AS Image:62_AS.jpg, 62 AS Image:714 Training Sq.jpg, 714 TRS Image:314 Operations Support Sq.jpg, 314 OSS Image:314 Mission Support Sq.jpg, 314 MSS

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

Little Rock AFB Home Page
{{US Air Force navbox Military units and formations in Arkansas 0314 Military units and formations of the United States Air Force in the Vietnam War