14th Flying Training Wing

14th Flying Training Wing
Active	1947-1966; 1972-Present
Country	United States
Branch	Air Force
Type	Training
Part of	Air Education and Training Command
Garrison/HQ	Columbus Air Force Base
Nickname(s)	Blaze
Motto(s)	Day and Night - Peace and War
Engagements	Vietnam Service (1966–1971)
Decorations	PUC MUA AFOUA File:GallantryCrossRibbon.jpg RVGC w/ Palm
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Roger Watkins
Notable commanders	Robert H. Foglesong

Northrup T-38C formation from the 50th Flying Training Squadron. 66-4327, 68-8162 and 68-8187 identifiable.

See 14th Operations Group for complete lineage and timeline information.

The 14th Flying Training Wing (14 FTW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi.

Mission

The 14th Operations Group and its six squadrons are responsible for the 52-week Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) mission. The group also performs quality assurance for contract aircraft maintenance.

The 14th Mission Support Group provides essential services with a 5-squadron/2-division, 750+ person work force and $38 million budget. It operates/maintains facilities and infrastructure for a 6,013-acre (24.33 km²) pilot training base and provides contracting, law enforcement, supply, transportation, fire protection, communications, education, recreation and personnel management for 9,500 people. The group is also responsible for wartime preparedness and contingency operations.

Units

14th Operations Group (14 OG)

• 37th Flying Training Squadron (37 FTS)
• 41st Flying Training Squadron (41 FTS)
• 43d Flying Training Squadron (43 FTS)
• 48th Flying Training Squadron (48 FTS)
• 49th Fighter Training Squadron (49 FTS)
• 50th Flying Training Squadron (50 FTS)
• 14th Operations Support Squadron (14 OSS)

14th Mission Support Group (14 MSG)

• 14th Civil Engineering Squadron (14 CES)
• 14th Communications Squadron (14 CS)
• 14th Contracting Squadron (14 CONS)
• 14th Logistics Readiness Squadron (14 LRS)
• 14th Security Forces Squadron (14 SFS)
• 14th Mission Support Squadron (14 MSS)

14th Medical Group (14 MDG)

Additionally, the 14th Comptroller Squadron (14 CPTS) reports directly to the 14 TFW.

History

Lineage

• Established as 14 Fighter Wing on 29 Jul 1947

Organized on 15 Aug 1947

Inactivated on 2 Oct 1949

• Redesignated 14 Air Commando Wing, and activated, on 28 Feb 1966

Organized on 8 Mar 1966

Redesignated 14 Special Operations Wing on 1 Aug 1968

Inactivated on 30 Sep 1971

• Redesignated 14 Flying Training Wing on 22 Mar 1972

Activated on 1 Jun 1972

Assignments

• First Air Force, 15 Aug 1947-2 Oct 1949
• Pacific Air Forces, 28 Feb 1966
• 2d Air Division, 8 Mar 1966
• Seventh Air Force, 1 Apr 1966-30 Sep 1971
• Air Training (later, Air Education and Training) Command, 1 Jun 1972
• Nineteenth Air Force, 1 Jul 1993-Present

Components

Group

• 14 Fighter (later, 14 Operations): 15 Aug 1947-2 Oct 1949; 15 Dec 1991-Present

Squadrons

• 1 Air Commando: 8 Mar 1966-20 Dec 1967
• 3 Air Commando (later, 3 Special Operations): 1 May 1968-15 Sep 1969
• 4 Air Commando (later, 4 Special Operations): 8 Mar 1966-15 Dec 1969
• 5 Air Commando (later, 5 Special Operations): 8 Mar 1966-15 Oct 1969
• 6 Air Commando: 29 Feb-15 Jul 1968
• 9 Air Commando (later, 9 Special Operations): 25 Jan 1967-30 Sep 1971
• 14 Air Commando: 25 Oct 1967-1 May 1968
• 15 Air Commando (later, 15 Special Operations): 15 Mar 1968-31 Oct 1970
• 17 Special Operations: 1 Jun 1969-30 Sep 1971
• 18 Special Operations: 1 Oct 1969-25 Aug 1971
• 20 Air Commando (later, 20 Special Operations): 8 Mar 1966-1 Sep 1971
• 37 Flying Training: 1 Jun 1972-15 Dec 1991
• 42 Flying Training: 25 Jun 1990-15 Dec 1991
• 43 Flying Training: 25 Jun 1990-15 Dec 1991
• 49 Flying Training: 25 Jun 1990-15 Dec 1991
• 50 Flying Training: 1 Jun 1972-15 Dec 1991
• 71 Special Operations: 20 Dec 1968-10 Jun 1969
• 90 Special Operations: 31 Oct 1970-1 Sep 1971
• 602 Air Commando: 8 Mar 1966-8 Apr 1967
• 604 Air Commando (later, 604 Special Operations): 15 Nov 1967- 1 Mar 1970 (detached)
• 3588 Flying Training: 1 Oct 1990-18 Oct 1991

Stations

• Dow Field (later, AFB), Maine, 15 Aug 1947-2 Oct 1949
• Nha Trang AB, South Vietnam, 8 Mar 1966
• Phan Rang AB, South Vietnam, 15 Oct 1969-30 Sep 1971
• Columbus AFB, Mississippi, 1 Jun 1972-Present

Aircraft operated

• F-84 Thunderjet (1947–1949)
• A-1 Skyraider (1966–1968)
• AC-47 Spooky (1966–1969)
• C-47 Skytrain (1966–1971)
• HC-47 (1966–1969)
• U-10 Super Courier (1966–1969)
• CH-3 Jolly Green Giant (1966–1969)
• O-2 Skymaster (1967–1971)
• UH-1 Iroquois (1967–1971)
• C-130E(I) Combat Talon (1968–1971)

• C-123 Provider (1968–1971)
• AC-130 Spectre (1968)
• AC-119 Shadow (1968–1971)
• T-41 Mescalero (1972–1973)
• T-37 (1972–2008)
• T-38 Talon (1972–Present)
• AT-38 Talon (1993–2000 and 2007–present)
• T-1 Jayhawk (1996–Present)
• T-6 Texan II (2006–Present)

Operational History

Fairchild AC-119G "Shadow" gunship Serial 53-3178 17th Special Operations Squadron - 1969. Sold to South Vietnamese Air Force in 1971.

File:AC-47D-44-76625-4thSOS-NhaTrang-Mar69.jpg

Douglas AC-47B-30-DK "Spooky" gunship Serial 44-76625 of the 4th Special Operations Squadron- March 1969

The 14th Fighter Wing was established on 29 Jul 1947. It provided air defense for the northeastern United States, 1947-1949.

The unit was redesignated as the 14th Air Commando Wing and was reactivated at Nha Trang AB Republic of Vietnam on March 8, 1966. On August 1, 1968 it was renamed the 14th Special Operations Wing and was the host unit at the base until September 30, 1971. From October 15, 1969 through September 30, 1971 the 14th SOW also operated and conducted missions from Phan Rang Air Base Republic of Vietnam

Operations included close and direct air support, interdiction, combat airlift, aerial resupply, visual and photographic reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, counterinsurgency operations, psychological warfare (including leaflet dropping and aerial broadcasting), forward air control operations and escort, search and rescue, escort for convoy and defoliation operations, flare drops, civic actions, and humanitarian actions.

The 14th Air Commando Wing distinguished itself by extraordinary heroism, exceptional gallantry and outstanding performance of duty in action against hostile forces in Southeast Asia from March 8, 1966 to March 7, 1967, earning a Presidential Unit Citation. Flying thousands of widely diversified sorties, elements of the Wing caused many enemy casualties and destroyed or damaged more than 8,500 structures, 500 trucks and 60 fuel sites as well as numerous automatic weapon positions, radio stations, bridges and boats.

Flying the venerable C-47 aircraft, one squadron of the Wing helped abort a large number of night hostile operations against friendly forts and hamlets through flare drops and minigun saturation fire. Despite the often heavy and accurate enemy antiaircraft fire, the search and rescue missions of the Wing recovered 91 skilled airmen during this period. In addition, the Wing's psychological warfare missions directly or indirectly influenced the surrender of thousands of enemy soldiers.

The wing also provided maintenance support for a number of tenants. The wing trained Vietnam Air Force (VNAF) personnel in AC-119 operations and maintenance, February–August 1971, and transferred some of its AC-119s to the VNAF, August–September 1971 as part of a phase-down for inactivation.

Air Training/Air Education and Training Command

The 14th replaced, and absorbed resources of, the 3650th Pilot Training Wing in June 1972 at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, and assumed an undergraduate pilot training program, plus base operations and maintenance.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

Bibliography

• Endicott, Judy G. Active Air Force wings as of 1 October 1995; USAF active flying, space, and missile squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1999. CD-ROM.
• Lambert, John W. The 14th Fighter Group in World War II. Atglen, PA: Schiffer, 2008. ISBN 978-0-7643-2921-0.
• Martin, Patrick. Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings. Schiffer Military Aviation History, 1994. ISBN 0-88740-513-4.
• Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories, 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1984. ISBN 0-91279-912-9.

External links

• Columbus AFB Home Page
• USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to present