The 14th Operations Group and its six squadrons are responsible for the 52-week Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) 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.
History
Air Defense
The 14th Fighter Wing was established on 29 July 1947. It provided air defense for the northeastern United States, 1947–1949.[1]
Vietnam War
The unit was redesignated as the 14th Air Commando Wing and was reactivated at Nha Trang Air Base Republic of Vietnam on 8 March 1966. On 1 August 1968 it was renamed the 14th Special Operations Wing and was the host unit at the base until 30 September 1971. From 15 October 1969 through 30 September 1971 the 14th SOW also operated and conducted missions from Phan Rang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam.[1]
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 8 March 1966 to 7 March 1967, earning a Presidential Unit Citation. Flying thousands of different 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 Douglas 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 Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) personnel in AC-119 operations and maintenance, February–August 1971, and transferred some of its AC-119s to the RVNAF, August–September 1971 as part of a phase-down for inactivation.[1]
Flying training at Columbus
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.[1]
Units
The 14th Flying Training Wing is currently made up of:
^Northrop T-38C Talons serials 66-4327, 68–8162 and 68-8187 are identifiable.
Citations
^ a b c d e f g h i j k lRobertson, Patsy (23 August 2011). "Factsheet 14 Flying Training Wing (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
^"14th Operations Group". Columbus Air Force Base. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^"14th Mission Support Group". Columbus Air Force Base. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^"14th Medical Group - Columbus Air Force Base > About Us". columbus.tricare.mil. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
^1968–1971 designation. Combat Talons prior to their MC- designation in 1977 are now referred to as "UWC-130E", for "Unconventional Warfare".
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Endicott, Judy G. (1998). Active Air Force Wings as of 1 October 1995 and USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995 (PDF). Air Force History and Museums Program. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ASIN B000113MB2. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
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, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
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
Columbus AFB Home Page
USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers—1908 to present