314th Airlift Wing

The wing was activated in November 1948 as the 314th Troop Carrier Wing at Smyrna Air Force Base, Tennessee.[2]

The wing served in Japan during the Korean War, participating in two major airborne operations, at Sunchon in October 1950 and at Munsan-ni in March 1951. It later transported supplies to Korea and evacuated prisoners of war.

During the post Korean War and the continuation of the Cold War period in 1954, it again transferred, without personnel or equipment back to the U.S. where it served as a primary troop carrier unit in the eastern U.S., participating in joint airborne training with Army forces, developing assault airlift operations, and performing in aerial demonstrations, exercises, maneuvers, and joint operations. Between January 1966 and May 1971, it operated from Ching Chuan Kang Air Base Taiwan as part of the 315th Air Division to provide passenger and cargo airlift throughout the Far East and combat airlift in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War period.

Again returning to the U.S. in May 1971, the 314th acquired the assets of the inactivated 64th Tactical Airlift Wing and incurred host organization responsibilities of Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. It has since operated C-130 training schools, providing classroom instruction and flying training to all branches of the U.S. military and allied nations and served as a tactical airlift wing involved in worldwide airborne training, airlift, and special operations including deployments in support of the Commander-in-Chief, United States Air Forces in Europe. It also provided joint airborne communications center and command post support for the United States Readiness Command. In October 1983, the wing provided Joint Airborne Communications Center/Command Post equipment in support of the rescue of U.S. nationals in Grenada. During December 1989 and January 1990, it provided airlift support during the intervention in Operation Just Cause in Panama.

The 314th conducted airlift control support in addition to airlift of troops and equipment to the Middle East in support of the liberation of Kuwait, August 1990 – March 1991.

From 1991 to present, in addition to its primary mission of aircrew training, the wing conducted numerous disaster relief and humanitarian support missions including airdrop of U.S. Army Troops; humanitarian aid; emergency supplies; and medical evacuations in addition to airlifting passengers and equipment.

• Korean War
• Operation Urgent Fury
• Operation Just Cause
• Operation Desert Shield
• Operation Desert Storm

Groups

• 34th Tactical Airlift Training Group: 15 September 1978 – 1 December 1991
• 309th Troop Carrier Group: (attached 26 June 1949 – 20 February 1951 – Recerve Corollary Unit)
• 313th Troop Carrier Group (attached 1 October 1953 – 8 June 1955)
• 314th Air Base Group (later 314th Combat Support Group, 314th Support Group, 314th Mission Support Group): 1 November 1948 – 8 October 1957, 1 October 1964 – 1 December 1965, 1 May 1971 – present
• 314th Maintenance and Supply Group (later 314th Logistics Group, 314th Maintenance Group): 1 November 1948 – 8 October 1957, 1 December 1991 – present
• 314th Medical Group (see 314th Station Medical Group and USAF Hospital, Little Rock)[3]
• 314th Station Medical Group (later 314th Medical Group, 314th Tactical Infirmary, 314th Tactical Hospital): 1 November 1948 – 8 October 1957, 1 May 1971 – 1 March 1975
• 314th Troop Carrier Group (later 314th Tactical Airlift Group, 314th Operations Group: 1 November 1948 – 8 October 1957, 15 September 1978 – 15 June 1980, 1 December 1991 – present

Attached to Far East Air Forces, 7 September 1950, FEAF Combat Cargo Command, 10 September 1950, 314th Air Division, 1 December 1950, 315th Air Division, 25 January 1951 – c. 1 November 1952; attached to 483d Troop Carrier Wing, 1 January 1953 – 15 November 1954)[4]

• 316th Troop Carrier Group: 4 November 1949 – 14 November 1954
• 513th Troop Carrier Group: (attached 8 November 1955 – 8 October 1957)
• 516th Troop Carrier Group: (attached 8 May 1955 – 9 July 1956)

Hospital

• USAF Hospital, Little Rock (later 314th Medical Group); 1 April 1971 – present

• Smyrna Air Force Base (later Sewart Air Force Base), 1 November 1958 – c. 15 January 1966
• Ching Chuan Kang Air Base, Taiwan, 22 January 1966
• Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, 31 May 1971 – present[1]

 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.