64th Flying Training Wing

The 64th Flying Training Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last active at Reese Air Force Base, Texas, where it conducted pilot training for twenty-five years before it was inactivated in September 1997.

64th Flying Training Wing
64th Flying Training Wing Northrop T-38A Talon
Active	1952-1954; 1961–1963; 1966-1971; 1972-1997
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Pilot training
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat V device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
64th Flying Training Wing (approved 20 February 1973)[1]

The wing was first activated in as the 64th Troop Carrier Wing in 1952 at Donaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina, but was inactivated within two years. It was again active twice as an airlift unit in the 1960s. In 1972, Air Training Command replaced its four digit Major Command controlled flying training units with units whose heritage could be continued and the wing was activated at Reese, where it conducted pilot training until it was inactivated.

History

Airlift

The 64th performed airlift and airdrop/airlanding of troops and cargo, routinely and during frequent maneuvers, 1952–1953. It began phasing down for inactivation in mid-October 1953, at which time tactical operations passed to 63d Troop Carrier Wing.[1] In February 1954, however, the wing began building up again in preparation for an overseas movement, but was inactivated instead.

The 64th was activated at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas in February 1961 with a troop carrier/airlift mission, plus resupply of Distant Early Warning Line sites on the Greenland ice cap. The wing was again inactivated on 1 January 1963.[1]

It was reactivated and replaced Troop Carrier Wing Provisional, 4413th, in July 1966 at Sewart Air Force Base, Tennessee. The wing provided global airlift and aeromedical evacuation, July 1966 – May 1971. It also provided Lockheed C-130 Hercules combat crew training for other units from, 1 July 1966 – 6 March 1970, with this being the wing's primary activity from 9 August 1968 to 6 March 1970. It was replaced at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, in May 1971 by 314th Tactical Airlift Wing.[1]

Flying training

The 64th was renamed the 64th Flying Training Wing and replaced the 3500th Pilot Training Wing in October 1972, assuming the mission of undergraduate pilot training and operation and maintenance of Reese Air Force Base, Texas.[1] It also supported Strategic Air Command's Accelerated Co-Pilot Enrichment Program through operating locations at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota]]; Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota; and Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota from 1976 until 1991.

The 64th began specialized undergraduate pilot training in July 1992, using T–1A Jayhawk to prepare students for airlift tanker/transport training and the Northrop T-38 Talon aircraft for students in fighter/bomber track. Air Education and Training Command inactivated the wing on 30 September 1997 with the closure of Reese Air Force Base pursuant to Base Realignment and Closure Commission action.

Lineage

• Established as the 64th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 3 July 1952

Activated on 14 July 1952

Inactivated on 21 July 1954

Activated on 24 October 1960 (not organized)

Organized on 8 February 1961

Discontinued and inactivated, on 1 January 1963

• Redesignated 64th Troop Carrier Wing and activated on 7 March 1966 (not organized)

Organized on 1 July 1966

Redesignated 64th Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 May 1967

Inactivated on 31 May 1971

• Redesignated 64th Flying Training Wing on 14 April 1972

Activated on 1 October 1972[2]

Inactivated on 30 September 1997

• Redesignated 64th Air Expeditionary Wing and converted to provisional status on 4 December 2001

Assignments

• Eighteenth Air Force, 14 July 1952 – 21 July 1954 (attached to 63d Troop Carrier Wing, 15 October 1953 – 1 March 1954)
• Tactical Air Command, 24 October 1960 (not organized)
• Ninth Air Force, 8 February 1961
• Twelfth Air Force, 1 January 1962 – 1 January 1963
• Tactical Air Command, 7 March 1966 (not organized)
• 839th Air Division, 1 July 1966
• Twelfth Air Force, 9 March 1970 – 31 May 1971
• Air Training Command (later Air Education and Training Command), 1 October 1972[2]
• Nineteenth Air Force, 1 July 1993 – 30 September 1997
• Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate any time after 4 December 2001

Stations

• Donaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina, 14 July 1952 – 21 July 1954
• Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, 1 January 1962 – 1 January 1963
• Sewart Air Force Base, Tennessee, 1 July 1966
• Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, 9 March 1970 – 31 May 1971
• Reese Air Force Base, Texas, 1 October 1972[2] - 30 September 1997

Components

Groups

• 64th Air Base Group (later 64th Support Group): 14 July 1952 – 21 July 1954, 9 March 1970 – 30 September 1997
• 64th Maintenance & Supply Group (later 64th Logistics Group): 14 July 1952 – 21 July 1954
• 64th Troop Carrier Group (later 64th Operations Group): 14 July 1952 – 21 July 1954,[2] 15 May 1991 – 30 September 1997
• 443d Troop Carrier Group: attached 8 January – 1 February 1953[2]
• 465th Troop Carrier Group: attached 1 February – 15 October 1953[2]

Squadrons

• 4th Liaison Squadron: attached 22 July 1952 – 23 January 1953[2]
• 7th Liaison Squadron: attached 20 October 1952 – 9 January 1953[2]
• 17th Troop Carrier Squadron: 8 February 1961 – 1 January 1963[2]
• 18th Troop Carrier Squadron: 8 January 1962 – 1 January 1963[2]
• 33d Flying Training Squadron: 11 May 1990 – 15 December 1991
• 35th Flying Training Squadron: 1 October 1972[2] – 15 December 1991
• 41st Flying Training Squadron: 10 January 1990 – 15 May 1991
• 52d Flying Training Squadron: 11 May 1990 – 15 December 1991
• 54th Flying Training Squadron: 1 October 1972[2] – 15 December 1991
• 61st Troop Carrier Squadron (later 61st Tactical Airlift Squadron): 1 July 1966 – 31 May 1971 (detached 5 May – 14 August 1967; 28 March – 29 June 1968; 28 May – 7 July 1970, 12 October – 19 December 1970)[2]
• 62d Troop Carrier Squadron (later 62d Tactical Airlift Squadron): 1 July 1966 – 31 May 1971 (detached 13 December 1967 – c. 28 March 1968; 1 July – 2 October 1968; 5 November 1969 – 17 January 1970; 2 July – 31 August 1970; 2 April – 31 May 1971)[2]

Aircraft

• C-82 Packet (1952–1953)
• L-20 (1952–1953)
• C-119 Flying Boxcar (1953–1954)
• C-130 Hercules (1961–1963, 1966–1971)
• T-41 Mescalero (1972–1973)
• T-37 Tweet (1972–1997)
• T-38 Talon (1972–1997)[2]
• T-1 Jayhawk (1992–1997)

Awards

Award streamer	Award	Dates	Notes
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device	1 July 1966 – 30 June 1967	64th Troop Carrier Wing[1]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 June 1969 – 31 May 1971	64th Tactical Airlift Wing[1]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	30 April 1981 – 29 April 1983	64th Flying Training Wing
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 April 1984 – 31 March 1986	64th Flying Training Wing
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 April 1988 – 31 March 1990	64th Flying Training Wing
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1992 – 30 June 1993	64th Flying Training Wing
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 October 1995 – 30 September 1997	64th Flying Training Wing

See also

• List of MAJCOM wings of the United States Air Force
• List of C-130 Hercules operators

References

Notes

1. Ravenstein, pp. 102-103
2. Lineage, including assignments, stations and aircraft through 1977 in Ravenstein

Bibliography

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

• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.

External links

• "C-130 Dyess timeline". Abeline Reporter News. 23 April 2011. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2014.