377th Air Base Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=377th Air Base Wing


caption=
dates= 8 April 1966 — present
country=United States
allegiance=
branch=Air Force
type=Base Support
role=
size=2,300 Personnel
command_structure=Air Force Material Command
current_commander=Colonel [http://www.kirtland.af.mil/library/biographies/bio.asp?id=9073 Robert Suminsby Jr.]
garrison=Kirtland Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=Serving Freedom’s Finest
colors=
identification_symbol=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours= The 377th Air Base Wing (377 ABW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.

Mission

Provide world-class nuclear surety, expeditionary forces, and support to base operations.

History

The 377th replaced 6250th Combat Support Group in April 1966. It became responsible for operation and maintenance of USAF portion of Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam from April 1966-Mar 1973. The group's responsibilities included housing numerous tenant organizations including Seventh Air Force, base defense, and liaison with South Vietnamese Air Force. While serving in this capacity the 377th underwent numerous enemy attacks. It was also responsible for Binh Thuy Air Base, South Vietnam, 12 May-1 July 1970. The group provided support for Seventh Air Force flying operations with C-47, C-123, and C-54 aircraft from, June-December 1966. In September 1971, it again became responsible for supporting base flight T-39, C-54, C-47, C-118, as well as C-130 aircraft of 834th Air Division. The 377th was elevated to Air Base Wing in January 1972 and gained a tactical mission and combat units. The wing operated the Southeast Asia Central Instructor Pilots School, in which the 360th TEWS used C/EC-47s, 15 February-c. November 1972. The wing also operated a Combat Crew Training School at Phù Cát Air Base, South Vietnam, with C-7 aircraft, 15 March-October 1972. It resumed base flight operations at Tan Son Nhut in January 1972, operating and maintaining C-47, C-118, and T-39 aircraft. With the 8th Special Operations Squadron (A-37s), the 377th performed strike missions from, January-October 1972; the 9th Special Operations Squadron (O-2s and C-47s) conducted psychological warfare operations, January-February 1972; the 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron (Light) conducted air liaison and forward air control operations, March 1972-28 January 1973; the 310th Tactical Airlift Squadron (C/UC-123s, Jan-Jun 1972 and C-7s, Mar-Oct 1972) performed airlift and airdrop missions, January-October 1972; the 360th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron (C/EC-47s) conducted airborne radio-direction finding operations, February-November 1972, and psychological warfare operations, February-August 1972. The wing established an operating location of the wing headquarters at Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam, on 14 April 1972, to provide turn-around service for F-4s of other organizations. It was replaced on 20 June 1972 by Detachment 1 of the wing headquarters, which continued the F-4 turn-around service and added A-7 turn-around service on 30 October 1972. The detachment continued operations through 11 February 1973. As the wing phased down for inactivation, from February-March 1973, it transferred many assets to South Vietnamese Air Force.

The wing was reactivated to replace the 86th Combat Support Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on 14 June 1985. It provided support services for Ramstein and other locations in the Kaiserslautern military community and beyond from, 1985-1991.

It was again activated as host wing at Kirtland Air Force Base on 1 January 1993. The 377th Air Base Wing has since provided support to base operations to more than 100 associate units in more than 2000 buildings. To support this mission, the 377th Air Base Wing has the largest security forces squadron in the command. Additionally, members of the 377th are continually deployed to numerous locations supporting Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, and other requirements world-wide.

Operations

*Vietnam War

Previous designations

*377th Combat Support Group (1966 – 1972)
*377th Air Base Wing (1972 – 1985)
*377th Combat Support Wing (1985 – 1993)
*377th Air Base Wing (1993 – Present)

Assignments

Major Command

*Pacific Air Forces (1966 - 1973)
*United States Air Forces in Europe (1985 - 1991)
*Air Force Material Command(1993 - 2006)

Numbered Air Force

*7th Air Force (1966 – 1973)
*Space and Missile Systems Center (1993 – 1998)
*Air Armament Center (1998 – Present)

ubordinate Organizations

377th Mission Support Group (377 MSG)
*377th Contracting Squadron (377 CONS)
*377th Communications Squadron (377 CS)
*377th Comptroller Squadron (377 CPTS)
*377th Civil Engineering Squadron (377 CES)
*377th Logistics Readiness Squadron (377 LRS)
*377th Mission Support Squadron (377 MSS)
*377th Security Forces Squadron (377 SFS)
*377th Services Squadron (377 SVS)

377th Medical Group (377 MDG)
*377th Aerospace Medicine Squadron (377 AMDS)
*377th Medical Operations Squadron (377 MDOS)
*377th Medical Support Squadron (377 MDSS)

Bases stationed

*Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam (1966 – 1973)
*Ramstein Air Base, Germany (1985 – 1991)
*Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico (1993 – Present)

Aircraft Operated

*C/VC-47 Skytrain (1966, 1972 – 1973)
*VC-54 Skymaster (1966)
*C/VC-123 Provider (1966, 1972)
*C-118 Liftmaster|C/VC-118 (1972 – 1973)
*T-39 Sabreliner (1972 – 1973)
*A-37 Dragonfly (1972)
*C-7 Caribou (1972)
*EC-47 Skytrain (1972)
*O-2 Skymaster (1972 – 1973)

Unit Shields

External links

* [http://www.Kirtland.af.mil/ Kirtland AFB Home Page]