3920th Strategic Wing

3920th Strategic Wing
3920th Strategic Wing
Active	1952-1965
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	MAJCOM organization
Role	Support for deployed strategic units
Part of	7th Air Division
Garrison/HQ	RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire

The 3920th Strategic Wing (3920th SW) is an inactive United States Air Force unit, discontinued on 31 March 1965. The 3920th SW was a non-flying ground service support element for the 7th Air Division (AD) of Strategic Air Command (SAC), based at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, in the United Kingdom. It was established on 1 December 1952 as the 3920th Air Base Group. When activated, the wing assumed the resources (Manpower, Equipment, Weapons, & Facilities) of the 7503d Air Support Wing, which had been established on 25 May 1951. Throughout its existence it was controlled by Strategic Air Command and served as the host for deployed SAC bombardment, strategic reconnaissance, and air refueling units.

Strategic Air Command Support

The group, which was upgraded to a wing in 1964, provided host station support functions primarily for SAC B-47 / RB-47 Stratojet and KC-97 Stratofreighter elements deployed to RAF Brize Norton during REFLEX deployments from United States bases. It was organized when SAC assumed responsibility to support its deployed elements from United States Air Forces Europe )USAFE) in 1952 and was responsible for managing the Brize Norton Task Force, Provisional. Special weapons support was provided by the 4th Aviation Field Depot Squadron (later 4th Aviation Depot Squadron) from 1951 to 1956 and by the 2nd Aviation Depot Squadron (later 2nd Munitions Maintenance Squadron) after 1956. These squadrons were assigned to the 7th AD, but attached to the wing.

On 1 July 1960 an RB-47 (53-4281) deployed from the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Forbes AFB, Kansas was shot down by the Soviet Air Forces while operating from the 3920th at RAF Brize Norton. The 3920th was inactivated in 1965 when SAC reassigned the remaining assets of unit to the Detachment 1, 98th Strategic Wing at RAF Upper Heyford and returned control of Brize Norton to the Royal Air Force.

Lineage

Designated as the 3920th Air Base Group and organized on 1 November 1952
Redesignated 3920th Combat Support Group on 1 January 1959
Redesignated 3920th Strategic Wing on 1 February 1964
Discontinued on 31 March 1965.

Assignment

7th Air Division, 1 November 1952 – 31 March 1965

Station

RAF Brize Norton, 1 November 1952 – 31 March 1965

Components

3920th Air Police Squadron (later 3920th Combat Defense Squadron), 1 November 1952 – 1 January 1959
3920th Field Maintenance Squadron (later 3920th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron), 1 November 1952 – 31 March 1965
3920th Food Service Squadron, 1 November 1952 – 1 January 1959
3920th Installations Squadron (later 3920th Civil Engineering Squadron), 1 November 1952 – 31 March 1965
3920th Medical Squadron later 3920th USAF Infirmary, 3920th USAF Dispensary, 1 November 1952 – 1 January 1959
3920th Motor Vehicle Squadron (later 3920th Transportation Squadron), 1 November 1952 – 1 January 1959
3920th Operations Squadron, 1 November 1952 – 31 March 1965
3920th Supply Squadron, 1 November 1952 – 1 January 1959
3920th Air Base Squadron (later 3920th Combat Support Squadron), 1961 - 31 Mar 1965

References

Notes

Bibliography

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

Willard, TSG Richard R. (1988) [1968]. Location of United States Military Units in the United Kingdom, 16 July 1948 – 31 December 1967. USAF Air Station, South Ruislip, United Kingdom: Historical Division, Office of Information, Third Air Force. LCCN 68061579.