01113661
UNCLASSIFIED
2430530
06-19-1942
2448622
12-31-1991
2448623
01-01-1992
WING/0319/
HISTORY
K-WG-319-HI
45355
1694
1717
24
35
2450441
12-23-1996
COMBINED HISTORY OF 319 WING AND OF GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE ND. TRACES HISTORY TO CONSTITUTION OF 319 BOMBARDMENT GROUP (MEDIUM), 19 JUN 42. GROUP ACTIVATED 26 JUN 42 AT BARKSDALE FIELD LA. ACQUIRED MARTIN B-26 MARAUDER AIRCRAFT AND CONDUCTED MOVEMENT TO HARDING FIELD LA AND THENCE OVERSEAS IN AUG 42. STATIONED AT RAF (ROYAL AIR FORCE STATION) SHIPDHAM AND RAF HORSHAM SAINT FAITH, UNITED KINGDOM. ASSIGNED TO 12 AIR FORCE. DEPLOYED TO NORTH AFRICA GOING ASHORE 8 NOV 42. STATIONED TAFARAOUI AIRDROME, ALGERIA, 18 NOV 42. MOVED TO MAISON BLANCHE, ALGERIA. CONDUCTED FIRST COMBAT MISSION, ATTACK ON SFAX HARBOR, TUNISIA, 28 NOV 42. OPERATIONS CONDUCTED AGAINST AIRDROMES, MARSHALING YARDS, RAILROAD BRIDGES, SHIPPING AND HARBOR INSTALLATIONS IN TUNISIA. MOVED TO TELERGMA, ALGERIA, 14 DEC 42. OPERATIONS CONDUCTED AGAINST AXIS SHIPPING IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA BETWEEN SICILY AND NORTH AFRICA. MOVED TO OUJDA, FRENCH MOROCCO, FOR REORGANIZATION. MOVED TO SEDRATA, ALGERIA, JUN 43 TO CONDUCT OPERATIONS AGAINST PANTELLERIA ISLAND, SARDINIA ISLAND AND AXIS SHIPPING IN MEDITERRANEAN. 26 JUN 43 MOVED TO DJEDEIDA, TUNISIA, TO CONDUCT OPERATIONS AGAINST AIRDROMES, ROADS, MARSHALING YARDS, COMMUNICATIONS LINES AND DOCKS IN SICILY AND ITALY. MOVED TO DECIMOMANNU, SARDINIA AND ASSIGNED TO 15 AIR FORCE, 1 NOV 43, TO CONDUCT OPERATIONS AGAINST TARGETS IN CENTRAL ITALY AND SOUTHERN FRANCE. REASSIGNED TO 12 AIR FORCE, JAN 44. PROVIDED CLOSE SUPPORT TO ALLIED OPERATIONS AT ANZIO AND MONTE CASINO IN ITALY. RECEIVED FIRST DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION (DUC) FOR ATTACK AGAINST OSTIENNE RAIL FACILITIES IN ROME, ITALY. RECEIVED SECOND DUC FOR ATTACK ON MAIN MARSHALING YARDS IN FLORENCE, ITALY. AWARDED CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM, 6 SEP 44, FOR OPERATIONS AGAINST TARGETS IN FRANCE. ON 17 SEP 44 BEGAN STRATEGIC BOMBING OPERATIONS AGAINST TARGETS IN PO RIVER VALLEY, ITALY. MOVED TO SERRAGIA, CORSICA, 21 SEP 44. FLEW LAST B-26 OPERATION 31 OCT 44. CONVERTED TO NORTH AMERICAN B-25 MITCHELL AIRCRAFT. CONDUCTED FIRST COMBAT OPERATION IN B-25 AIRCRAFT AGAINST RAILROAD BRIDGES IN PO RIVER VALLEY, 4 NOV 44. CONDUCTED OPERATIONS AGAINST TARGETS N NORTHERN ITALY AND YUGOSLAVIA. BEGAN PREPARATIONS FOR REDEPLOYMENT TO PACIFIC THEATER 31 DEC 44. REDESIGNATED 319 BOMBARDMENT GROUP LIGHT, 2 FEB 45. CONVERTED TO DOUGLAS A-26 INVADER AIRCRAFT AT COLUMBIA ARMY AIR BASE SC. CONDUCTED MOVEMENT TO KADENA AIR BASE, OKINAWA, APRIL 45. CONDUCTED FIRST A-26 COMBAT OPERATION AGAINST MIYAZAKI AIRDROME, KYUSHU ISLAND, JAPAN, 16 JUL 45. MOVED TO MACHINATO AIRDROME, OKINAWA, 20 JUL 45. ATTACKED TARGETS IN SHANGHAI, CHINA, RYUKU ISLANDS, KYUSHU ISLAND, CHUSAN ARCHIPELAGO, CHINA, AND NAGASAKI, JAPAN. GROUP INACTIVATED IN UNITED STATES, 18 DEC 45. ACTIVATED AS RESERVE UNIT AT MITCHEL FIELD NY. MOVED TO READING MUNICIPAL AIRPORT PA, 27 JUN 49. 319 BOMBARDMENT WING (LIGHT) ESTABLISHED 10 MAY 49. WING ACTIVATED (INCLUDING 319 BOMBARDMENT GROUP (LIGHT) IN THE AIR FORCE RESERVE (AFRES) AT READING MUNICIPAL AIRPORT PA, 27 JUN 49. INACTIVATED 2 SEP 49. ACTIVATED IN AFRES WITH A-26 AIRCRAFT AT BIRMINGHAM MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AL. ORDERED TO ACTIVE SERVICE FOR KOREAN CONFLICT BUT INACTIVATED AFTER PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT TRANSFERRED OUT TO OTHER UNITS. ACTIVATED AS 319 FIGHTER BOMBER WING IN AFRES ASSIGNED TO AEROSPACE DEFENSE COMMAND EQUIPPED WITH REPUBLIC F-84 THUNDERJET AIRCRAFT AT MEMPHIS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT TN, 18 MAY 55. CONVERTED TO NORTH AMERICAN F-86 SABERJET AIRCRAFT IN 1957. INACTIVATED 16 NOV 57. ACTIVATED AT GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE (GFAFB) ND AS 319 BOMBARDMENT WING (HEAVY), 15 NOV 62. ORGANIZED WITH PERSONNEL AND B-52H STRATOFORTRESS AND KC-135A STRATOTANKER AIRCRAFT FROM 4133 STRATEGIC WING. PROVIDED B-52 AND KC-135 AIRCRAFT AND AIRCREW TO SOUTHEAST ASIAN CONFLICT ON TEMPORARY DUTY (TDY) STATUS. PERSONNEL FLEW B-52D AIRCRAFT FROM GUAM, OKINAWA AND THAILAND FOR ARC LIGHT IN 1968 AND LINEBACKER I AND LINEBACKER II IN 1972. REPLACED HOUND DOG MISSILES WITH SRAM MISSILES (SRAM) IN 1973. MADE PART OF STRATEGIC PROJECTION FORCE IN 1980. CONDUCTED STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND'S LONGEST NONSTOP BOMBING MISSION IN OPERATION BRIGHT STAR, 1981. CONVERTED FROM B-52H AIRCRAFT TO B-52G AIRCRAFT IN 1983. BECAME OPERATIONALLY READY WITH AIR LAUNCHED CRUISE MISSILES (ALCM) IN 1984. CONVERTED TO ROCKWELL B-1B LANCER AIRCRAFT AND BOEING KC-135R STRATOTANKER AIRCRAFT IN 1987. FIRST B-1B AIRCRAFT ALERT, 1 OCT 88. DEPLOYED AIRCRAFT TO MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE ID IN EXERCISE MIGHTY WARRIOR TO DEMONSTRATE OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES FROM FORWARD OPERATING LOCATIONS. DEPLOYED KC-135R AIRCRAFT IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION JUST CAUSE IN PANAMA, DEC 89, AND IN DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM, 1990/1991. 42 AIR DIVISION INACTIVATED AND WING WAS ASSIGNED DIRECTLY TO 8 AIR FORCE, 9 JUL 91. 319 OPERATIONS GROUP, 319 LOGISTICS GROUP, 319 SUPPORT GROUP AND 319 MEDICAL GROUP ASSIGNED TO WING WHICH BECAME HOST UNITED AT GRAND FORKS AFB AND ACQUIRED RESPONSIBILITIES OF SUPPORT OF 321 STRATEGIC MISSILE WING. REDESIGNATED 319 WING, 1 SEP 91. 28 SEP 91, QUICK REACTION ALERT ENDED. GRAND FORKS CHOSEN AS FUTURE SITEOF AIR DEFENSE COMMAND FIGHTER/INTERCEPTOR BASE IN 1954. CONSTRUCTION BEGAN 6 FEB 56 AND IN THE SAME MONTH IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND WOULD BASE BOMBER AND TANKER AIRCRAFT AT GFAFB. 478 FIGHTER INTERCEPTOR GROUP ACTIVATED AT GFAB. GRAND FORKS AIR DEFENSE SECTOR OF NORTH AMERICAN AIR DEFENSE COMMAND ACTIVATED. SECTOR BECAME OPERATIONAL WITH SEMIAUTOMATIC GROUND ENVIRONMENT (SAGE) SYSTEM 15 DEC 58. 4133 STRATEGIC WING (PROVISIONAL) ACTIVATED AS TENANT ORGANIZATION AT GFAFB, 1 SEP 58. FIRST FLYING UNIT STATIONED AT GFAFB WAS 905 AIR REFUELING SQUADRON (HEAVY) (905 ARS) ACTIVATED 1 FEB 60 AND ACQUIRING FIRST KC-135A AIRCRAFT 6 MAY 60. 18 FIGHTER INTERCEPTOR SQUADRON (18 FIS) WITH F-101B VOODOO AIRCRAFT TRANSFERRED FROM WURTSMITH AIR FORCE BASE MI TO GFAFB, 1 MAY 60. 28 DEC 60, 478 FIGHTER WING (478 FW) ACTIVATED. 1 JAN 62, 30 BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (HEAVY) (30 BS) WITH B-52H AIRCRAFT FROM HOMESTEAD AIR FORCE BASE FL ASSIGNED 4133 STRATEGIC WING 1 JAN 62. 319 BOMBARDMENT WING WITH 46 BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (REPLACING INACTIVATED 30 BS) AND 905 ARS ACTIVATED 1 FEB 63. 478 FW AND GRAND FORKS AIR DEFENSE SECTOR INACTIVATED 1 JUL 63. 804 COMBAT SUPPORT GROUP (804 CSG) ACTIVATED AS HOST UNIT OF GFAFB, 19 AUG 64. 4 AIR DIVISION STATIONED AT GFAFB, 1 SEP 64. 321 STRATEGIC MISSILE WING (321 SMW) ORGANIZED AT GFAFB, 1 NOV 64. 321 SMW BECAME OPERATIONAL WITH MINUTEMAN II MISSILES DEC 66. 18 FIS INACTIVATED 15 APR 71. 4 STRATEGIC AEROSPACE DIVISION TRANSFERRED TO FRANCIS E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE WY 30 JUN 71. 804 CSG AND HOST UNIT RESPONSIBILITIES ASSIGNED TO 321 SMW 1 JUL 71. 321 SMW CONVERTED TO MINUTEMAN III MISSILES 8 MAR 73.
NONE
INCLUDES 319 WING HISTORY; 319 WING LINEAGE AND HONORS STATEMENT; ASSIGNMENTS; STATIONS; LIST OF AIRCRAFT TYPES FLOWN; LIST OF PREVIOUS WING COMMANDERS; AWARDS AND DECORATIONS; EMBLEM AND MOTTO; AND HISTORY OF GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE ND.