582nd Air Resupply and Communications Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 582d Air Resupply and Communications Wing


caption=
dates= 1951 - 1956
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Air Force
type=
role= Psychological Warfare
size=
command_structure= Military Air Transport Service
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=The 582d Air Resupply and Communications Wing (582d ARCS) is an inactive United States Air Force wing. Its last duty assignment was at RAF Molesworth, England.

Units

* 582d Air Resupply and Communications Group, 24 Sep 1952 - 25 Oct 1956: Not Operational, 15 Aug 1953 - 20 Feb 1954
* 582d Air Resupply Squadron, 20 May 1953 - 24 Oct 1956: Not Operational, 15 Aug 1953 - 20 Feb 1954: Other non-flying support squadrons

History

Lineage

* Established as the 582d Air Resupply and Communications wing on 3 Sep 1952: Activated on 24 Sep 1952: Inactivated on 14 Aug 1953.
* Redesignated 582d Air Resupply Group on 21 Feb 1954: Activated 21 Feb 1954: Inactivated 25 Oct 1956

Assignments

* Air Resupply And Communications Service, 24 Sep 1952 - 14 Aug 1953
* United States Air Forces in Europe, 21 Feb 1954 - 25 Oct 1956

Bases Assigned

* Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, 24 Sep 1952 - 1 May 1953
* Great Falls AFB, Montana, 1 May - 14 Aug 53
* RAF Molesworth, England, 21 Feb 1954 - 25 Oct 1956

Major Aircraft Assigned

* C-119 Flying Boxcar 1951 - 1956
* B-29 Superfortress 1951 - 1956
* SA-16 Albatross 1951 - 1956

Operational History

The 582d ARW was activated at Mountain Home AFB on 24 September 1952. As the previous two wings had done, the 582d spent its first year at Mountain Home AFB training and preparing assigned personnel for its PSYWAR mission. Having been newly redesignated the 582d Air Resupply Group, it deployed from Mountain Home AFB to RAF Molesworth, United Kingdom (UK), and set up operations in Europe in February 1954.

The 582d was assigned direclty to Third Air Force and provided the bulk of its air support to the Army 10th Special Forces Group, which had been transferred in total from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Bad Tölz, West Germany. For the next two and one-half years, the 582d worked closely with the 10th Group providing airdrop, resupply, and airland support with its assigned B-29 and C-119 aircraft.

The versatile SA-16 was utilized for amphibious missions, including night water-infiltration/exfiltration operations. Assigned SA-16s were also tasked to fly classified courier missions throughout the Mediterranean, Middle East, and southern Europe.

On October 25, 1956 the 582d was redesignated the 42d Troop Carrier Squadron. The 42d flew HU-16s, C-47s, C-119s and C-54 Douglas Skymaster cargo transport aircraft from Molesworth until May 3, 1957 when it moved 13 miles up the road to RAF Alconbury. However the squadron had a short life at Alconbury and was deactivated on December 8 1957. The C-54s and C-47s were sent to Rhein-Main Air Base West Germany, and the C-119s were sent to the 322nd Air Division at Evreux-Fauville Air Base France.

See also

* Air Force Special Operations Command

References

* [http://www.arcassn.org/index.html Air Resupply and Communications Association]
* Thigpen, Jerry L. (2001). The Praetorian STARShip: The untold story of the Combat Talon. Air University Press , Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ASIN: B000116LSI

External links

* [http://www.arcassn.org/index.html Air Resupply and Communications Association]