| Unit Name: | 542nd Combat Sustainment Wing |
| Dates: | 1943–1945, 1971–1994, 2005–2010 |
| Country: |  United States |
| Role: | Logistics Support |
| Command Structure: | Air Force Materiel Command |
| Notable Commanders: | General Hunter Harris, Jr. |
| Decorations: | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Battles: | European Theater of World War II |
| Identification Symbol Label: | 542nd Combat Sustainment Wing emblem (approved 9 June 2005)[1] |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing emblem (approved 30 Aug 1972[2] |
The 542nd Combat Sustainment Wing, sometimes written as 542d Combat Sustainment Wing, is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force last stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It was inactivated in June 2010.
The wing was first organized in England as the 92nd Bombardment Wing, a heavy bombardment headquarters of VIII Bomber Command during World War II and took part in the air offensive against Germany until the surrender of Germany in 1945. In 1973, Military Airlift Command (MAC) activated the 1550th Aircrew Test and Training Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The wing trained aircrews for MAC, Air Mobility Command and Air Education and Training Command from 1971 to 1994 for search and rescue and special operations missions. In 1991 the wing was renumbered and consolidated with the 92nd Bombardment Wing as the 542nd Crew Training Wing. It was inactivated in 1994 and its mission, personnel and equipment were transferred to the 58th Special Operations Wing, which was simultaneously activated. The wing was redesignated the 542nd Combat Sustainment Wing in 2005 and activated as a logistics support organization, part of the Air Force Materiel Command Transformation project.
The wing was originally organized in 1943 as the 92d Bombardment Wing,[3] an operational command wing for Eighth Air Force. The wing entered combat on 11 December 1943, but its groups were withdrawn and it was not operational again until May 1944, although it conducted flying training operations in April.[1] The wing flew in combat in the European Theater until November 1944 when its assigned bombardment groups were attached to another wing.[1] In February 1945 the groups were reassigned.[4] The wing returned to the United States in July 1945 and was disbanded the following month.[4]
The 1550th Aircrew Test and Training Wing was activated in 1973 at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, where it trained all USAF helicopter aircrews and trained HC-130 crews for search and rescue missions. It also provided pararescue training and, operational test and evaluation of materiel, and performed local search and rescue missions.[1] It moved to Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. in 1976 and expanded its mission to include special operations training. By 1990, the wing's primary focus would be on special operations training.[5] In 1983, the wing deployed three aircraft to support Operation Urgent Fury, the invasion of Grenada in the Windward Islands.[6]
From 1984 it focused on the training mission and was redesignated the 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing. In 1991, as the Air Force abolished the MAJCON (four-digit) unit system, the wing was merged with the 92d Bombardment Wing and renamed the 542d Crew Training Wing. Along with the new name, the wing acquired three groups and assumed host responsibility for Kirtland from the 1606th Air Base Wing as it reorganized as a USAF Objective Wing. That same year it deployed aircrew, maintenance personnel and operations personnel to support Operation Desert Storm. Wing aircrews were responsible for the rescue of seven aircrew during the operation.[7] It also deployed personnel to support Operation Provide Hope in Somalia. At the start of 1993, Kirtland Air Force Base transferred to Air Force Materiel Command, and the wing lost its responsibility to act as host together with two of its groups.[8]
With General Merrill McPeak's call to retain historic United States Air Force units on the active list, the 542d was inactivated on 1 April 1994, while the newly redesignated 58th Special Operations Wing took over its training mission.[9]
The wing was again activated in 2005 as the 542d Combat Sustainment Wing as part of the Air Force Materiel Command Transformation project, which replaced the staff agencies at Air Logistics Centers with wings, groups, and squadrons. Its mission was to design, acquire, install, and sustain electronic warfare, avionics, support equipment, vehicles, missiles, automatic test systems and weapons. It was responsible for supply chain management for F-15, C-130 and C-5 aircraft and provided calibration standards and certification of Precision Measurement Laboratories worldwide. It was responsible for life-cycle management of over 800 systems valued at over $56 Billion. Its 542d Combat Sustainment Group supported assigned electronic warfare systems, the 642d Combat Sustainment Group supported assigned support equipment systems, the 752d Combat Sustainment Group supported assigned electronics systems, the 762d Combat Sustainment Group managed logistics support for all assigned systems, and its 782d Combat Sustainment Group supported assigned armament systems. the 742d Combat Sustainment Group supported precision measurement equipment worldwide.[10]
92d Bombardment Wing
Activated on 1 November 1943
Redesignated 92d Combat Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 24 August 1944
Redesignated 92d Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 22 November 1944
Disbanded on 28 August 1945.[11]
Consolidated with 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing on 1 October 1991[1]
1550th Combat Crew Training Wing
Redesignated 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing on 15 May 1984
Consolidated with the 542d Combat Crew Training Wing on 1 October 1991[1]
Consolidated Wing
Inactivated on 1 April 1994
Activated on 4 March 2005.[1]
Inactivated on 30 June 2010
World War II
Crew Training
Crew Training and Logistics Operations
Logistics Operations
Lockheed JC-130 Hercules, 1986–1987
Lockheed MC-130 Hercules, 1993–1994
Bell TH-1 Iroquois (Huey), 1971–1977
Bell UH-1 Iroquois (Huey), 1971–1994
Sikorsky CH-3, 1976–1994
Sikorsky HH-3 (Jolly Green Giant), 1973–1994
Sikorsky CH-53, 1973–1994
Sikorsky HH-53 (Super Jolly), 1973–1994
Sikorsky MH-53 PAVE LOW, 1983–1994
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Offensive, Europe | 2 November 1943 – 5 June 1944 | 92d Bombardment Wing | ||
| Normandy | 6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944 | 92d Bombardment Wing | ||
| Northern France | 25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944 | 92d Combat Bombardment Wing | ||
| Rhineland | 15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 | 92d Combat Bombardment Wing (later 92d Bombardment Wing) | ||
| Ardennes-Alsace | 16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 | 92d Bombardment Wing |
Further reading