554th Electronic Systems Wing

554th Electronic Systems Wing
Active	1943-1945; 1980-1991; 2004-2010
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Part of	Air Force Materiel Command ; Electronic Systems Center
Garrison/HQ	Hanscom Air Force Base
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
554th Electronic Systems Wing Emblem (approved 17 December 1980)

The 554th Electronic Systems Wing (554 ELSW) is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force. It was last stationed at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, where it was inactivated in 2010.

History[]

World War II[]

The wing was first activated in Northern Ireland under VII Air Force Composite Command as the 3d Combat Crew Replacement Center Group. It used Martin B-26 Marauders and Douglas A-20 Havocs to provide combat and theater indoctrination for Eighth Air Force combat crews from November 1943 until September 1944, when the need for dedicated Army Air Forces training units in the United Kindom was reduced.^[1]

The group's resources were used to man and equip provisional air disarmament units participating in Operation Lusty. These units moved to France in February 1945 and advanced with Allied ground forces, seizing, securing, inventorying, and disposing of captured Luftwaffe equipment and materiel through October 1945. The group inactivated the following month.It was disbanded in the fall of 1948.^[1]

Support for Nellis Air Force Base and the Continental Range[]

The group was reconstituted as the 554th Operations Support Wing in 1980. It provided base support functions for Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada and its associated ranges from 1980 to 1991. The wing developed, operated, and maintained all range facilities and threat simulators and provided combat support functions at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field.^[1]

Systems Management[]

The 554th Electronic Systems Wing was consolidated in 2006 with the Operations Support Systems Wing, which had been established in 2004 at Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts. The wing was inactivated in June 2010.

Lineage[]

554th Operations Support Wing

Constituted on 2 November 1943 as the 3d Combat Crew Replacement Center Group

Activated on 21 November 1943

Redesignated 3d Combat Crew Replacement Center Group (Bomber or Fighter, Special) on 17 July 1944

Inactivated on 22 November 1945

Disbanded on 8 October 1948
Reconstituted on 26 February 1980 and redesignated 554th Operations Support Wing

Activated on 1 March 1980

Inactivated on 1 November 1991

Consolidated on 6 April 2006 with the Operations Support Systems Wing^[2]

554th Electronic Systems Wing

Constituted as the Operations Support Systems Wing on 23 November 2004

Activated on 17 December 2004

Consolidated on 6 April 2006 with the 554th Operations Support Wing

Redesignated as the 554th Electronics Systems Wing on 17 April 2006

Inactivated on 30 June 2010^[2]

Assignments[]

VIII Air Force Composite Command, 21 November 1943
Air Disarmament Command (Provisional), ca. 23 September 1944
VIII Air Force Composite Command, 10 October 1944 (attached to Air Disarmament Command (Provisional) until 31 January 1945)
IX Air Force Service Command, 1 February 1945
1587th Quartermaster Battalion, Mobile (Aviation), 16 October 1945
Detachment B, 9th Base Air Depot Area, 12 November 1945 - 22 November 1945
USAF Tactical Fighter Weapons Center (later USAF Fighter Weapons Center), 1 March 1980 - 1 November 1991
Electronic Systems Center, 17 December 2004 - 30 June 2010^[2]

Stations[]

RAF Toome (AAF 236),^[3] Northern Ireland, 21 November 1943
RAF Chipping Ongar (AAF 162),^[3] England, September 1944
Vittel, France, by 15 March 1945
Öhringen, Germany, by 30 April 1945
Schwetzingen, Germany, by 1 May 1945
Fillingen, Germany, by 15 May 1945

Nellingen, Germany, by 31 May 1945
Kaufbeuren, Germany (R-70),^[4] 15 October 1945
Leipheim, Germany (R-59),^[4] ca. 31 October 1945 - 22 November 1945
Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, 1 March 1980 - 1 November 1991
Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, 17 December 2004 - 30 June 2010^[2]

Components[]

Groups

554th Combat Support Group, 1 March 1980 - 1 November 1991
554th Electronic Systems Group, 17 April 2006 - 30 June 2010
USAF Hospital, Nellis (later 554th Medical Group), 1 March 1980 - 1 November 1991
554th Range Group, 1 March 1980 - 1 November 1991
554th Security Police Group, 1 March 1980 - 1 November 1991
754th Electronic Systems Group, 17 April 2006 - 30 June 2010
2069th Communications Group (later 554th Communications Group, 554th Communications Squadron), 1 September 1990 - 1 November 1991

Operational Squadrons

3d Replacement and Training Squadron (later 3d Replacement and Training Squadron, CCRC Group (Bombardment)), 21 November 1943 - 22 November 1945 (not operational after 10 October 1945)
4460th Helicopter Squadron, 1 June 1985 - 31 December 1987

Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Airfield, Nevada

Systems Squadrons

Engineering and Integration Systems Squadron (later 643d Electronic Systems Squadron) 17 December 2004 - 30 June 2010

Gunter Annex, Alabama

Support Squadrons

554th Combat Support Squadron, 1 March 1986 - 31 December 1987
554th Supply Squadron, 1 March 1980 - 1 November 1991
554th Transportation Squadron, 1 March 1980 - 1 November 1991

Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Airfield, Nevada

Aircraft[]

Douglas A-20 Havoc, 1944
Martin B-26 Marauder, 1943-1944
Fairchild AT-23, 1944
Bell UH-1N Huey, 1985-1986

Awards and Campaigns[]

Award	Dates	Notes
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1983-30 June 1985	554th Operational Support Wing^[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1985-30 June 1987	554th Operational Support Wing^[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1987-30 June 1989	554th Operations Support Wing^[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1989-30 Jun e1991	554th Operations Support Wing^[1]

Campaign Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	Rhineland	5 September 1944 – 21 March 1945	3d Combat Crew Replacement Center Group^[5]
	Central Europe	22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945	3d Combat Crew Replacement Center Group^[5]

References[]

Notes[]

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 ^1.5 ^1.6 ^1.7 Bailey, Carl E. AFHRA Factsheet 554 Electronic Systems Wing 1/2/2008 Retrieved October 15, 2013
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 Lineage, assignments, stations, operational components, and aircraft through April 2008 in AFHRA Factsheet.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 Station Number in Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II. Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. http://www.afhra.af.mil./shared/media/document/AFD-081010-027.pdf. Retrieved July 7, 2012.
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day. Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-081010-027.pdf.
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC, 15 Jun 1971, p. 46

Bibliography[]

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

Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II. Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. http://www.afhra.af.mil./shared/media/document/AFD-081010-027.pdf. Retrieved July 7, 2012.
Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day. Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-081010-027.pdf.
AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC, 15 Jun 1971

External links[]

Official factsheet

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at 554th Electronic Systems Wing and the edit history here.

[554ESWfacts-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 ^1.5 ^1.6 ^1.7 Bailey, Carl E. AFHRA Factsheet 554 Electronic Systems Wing 1/2/2008 Retrieved October 15, 2013

[554ESWfacts2-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 Lineage, assignments, stations, operational components, and aircraft through April 2008 in AFHRA Factsheet.

[Anderson-3] 3.0 ^3.1 Station Number in Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II. Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. http://www.afhra.af.mil./shared/media/document/AFD-081010-027.pdf. Retrieved July 7, 2012.

[Johnson-4] 4.0 ^4.1 Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day. Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-081010-027.pdf.

[AFP9002-5] 5.0 ^5.1 AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC, 15 Jun 1971, p. 46

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