377th Air Base Wing

377th Air Base Wing
Active	8 April 1966—present
Country	United States
Branch	Air Force
Type	Base Support
Size	2,300 Personnel
Part of	Air Force Material Command
Garrison/HQ	Kirtland Air Force Base
Motto(s)	Serving Freedom's Finest
Decorations	AFOUA RVGC w/ Palm
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Michael S. Duvall

The 377th Air Base Wing (377 ABW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.

Overview

The 377th Air Base Wing is the host unit at Kirtland AFB. It was activated on 1 January 1993, when Air Force Materiel Command assumed responsibility for operating the base from Air Mobility Command.

The wing's mission is to conduct nuclear operations; organize, train, equip and deploy expeditionary forces; and operate, secure and support Kirtland AFB.

Units

377th Mission Support Group (377 MSG)

• 377th Contracting Squadron (377 CONS)
• 377th Communications Squadron (377 CS)
• 377th Comptroller Squadron (377 CPTS)[1]
• 377th Civil Engineering Squadron (377 CES)
• 377th Logistics Readiness Squadron (377 LRS)
• 377th Mission Support Squadron (377 MSS)
• 377th Services Squadron (377 SVS)

377th Medical Group (377 MDG)

• 377th Aerospace Medicine Squadron (377 AMDS)
• 377th Dental Squadron (377 DS)
• 377th Medical Operations Squadron (377 MDOS)
• 377th Medical Support Squadron (377 MDSS)

377th Security Forces Group (377 SFG) [2]

• 377th Security Forces Squadron (377 SFS)
• 377th Weapons System Security Squadron (377 WSSS)

377th Maintenance Group (377 MXG)

• 377th Maintenance Squadron (377 MXS)
• 898th Munitions Squadron (898 MUNS)

History

World War II

The 377th Air Base Wing was first constituted as the 377th Bombardment Group at Fort Dix Army Air Base New Jersey on 13 August 1942, and was activated on 18 October. The group was assigned to the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command with a mission to fly aerial antisubmarine patrols over the northeast atlantic coast, flying North American O-47, and O-52 Owl light observation aircraft.

The 377th's operational squadrons were assigned to various airfields and airports scattered across the northeast. The group was inactivated on 9 December 1942, with its subordinate squadrons being absorbed by the 25th Antisubmarine Wing.

Vietnam War

Reactivated in April 1966, during the Vietnam War, the 377th replaced the 6250th Combat Support Group. It became responsible for operation and maintenance of USAF portion of Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam from April 1966-March 1973.

In Vietnam, 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, January–June 1972 and C-7s, March–October 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.

Modern era

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 to 1991.

It was again activated as the 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 worldwide.

In November 2009 the wing, commanded by Colonel Michael S. Duvall, failed its nuclear surety inspection. Duvall was kept on as commander to fix the problem and the wing subsequently passed its re-inspection less than 90 days later.

Lineage

• Constituted as 377th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 13 October 1942

Activated on 18 October 1942

Inactivated on 9 December 1942

• Established as 377th Combat Support Group, activated and organized on 8 April 1966.

Redesignated 377th Air Base Wing on 17 January 1972

Inactivated on 28 March 1973

• Redesignated 377th Combat Support Wing on 1 June 1985

Activated 14 June 1985

Inactivated on 1 May 1991

• Redesignated and activated as 377th Air Base Wing on 1 January 1993

Assignments

• Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, 18 October-9 December 1942
• Seventh Air Force: 8 April 1966 - 28 March 1973
• 316th Air Division: 14 June 1985 - 1 May 1991
• Space and Missile Systems Center: 1 January 1993 - 1 October 1998
• Air Armament Center: 1 October 1998 - 3 May 2004
• HQ Air Force Materiel Command, since 3 May 2004.

Components

• 8th Special Operations Squadron: assigned 15 January, - 1 October 1972; attached 12–25 October 1972
• 9th Special Operations Squadron: attached 12 January 1972 - 29 February 1972.
• 11th Antisubmarine (formerly 516th Bombardment) Squadron, 18 October-9 December 1942

Stationed at: Fort Dix AAB, New Jersey

• 12th Antisubmarine (formerly 517th Bombardment) Squadron, 18 October-9 December 1942

Stationed at: Atlantic City Airport, New Jersey

• 13th Antisubmarine (formerly 518th Bombardment) Squadron, 18 October-9 December 1942

Attached to: Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command

Stationed at: Grenier Field, New Hampshire

• 14th Antisubmarine (formerly 519th Bombardment) Squadron, 18 October-9 December 1942

Attached to: Hyannis Airport, Massachusetts

• 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron: 15 March 1972 - 23 February 1973 (not operational 21–23 February 1973).
• 310th Tactical Airlift Squadron: 15 January, - 15 November 1972 (not operational 1–15 November 1972)
• 360th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron: 1 February, - 24 November 1972 (not operational 15–24 November 1972)

Stations

• Fort Dix AAB, New Jersey, 18 October 1942 – 9 December 1942
• Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam: 8 April 1966 - 28 March 1973
• Ramstein Air Base, Federal Republic of Germany: 14 June 1985 - 1 May 1991
• Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico: since 1 January 1993.

Aircraft Operated

• C/VC-47 Skytrain (1966, 1972–1973)
• VC-54 Skymaster (1966)
• C/VC-123 Provider (1966, 1972)
• 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)

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Kirtland AFB 377th Air Base Wing Factsheet
• AFHRA 377th Air Base Wing Factsheet
• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4
• 377th Air Base Wing Fact Sheet

External links

• Kirtland AFB Home Page