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399th Tactical Missile Wing
TM-61 Matador training missile
Active	1943–1944; 1957–1958
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	heavy bomber, then cruise missile training
Commanders
Notable commanders	Lewis S. Norman

The 399th Tactical Missile Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. The unit was formed in 1985 by the consolidation of two inactive units.

The 399th Bombardment Group was activated in March 1943 and served as an Operational Training Unit, then as a Replacement Training Unit until it was disbanded in March 1944 when the Army Air Forces reorganized its training and support units in the United States.

The 589th Tactical Missile Group was a TM-61 Matador training unit, which served in Florida from 1957 through 1958.

History

Bombardment training

The wing's first predecessor was the 399th Bombardment Group, which was activated at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona on 1 March 1943, but made two moves the following month, arriving at Wendover Field, Utah on 27 April. The group was composed of the 604th, 605th, 606th, and 607th Bombardment Squadrons. At Wendover, it served as an Operational Training Unit (OTU) for Consolidated B-24 Liberator units until August. The OTU program involved the use of an oversized parent unit to provide cadres to "satellite groups".

The group became a Replacement Training Unit (RTU). Like OTUs, RTUs were oversize units, however their mission was to train individual pilots and aircrews. Following this mission change, the 399th was reassigned from Second Air Force to Fourth Air Force, then moved to March Field, California in December.

However, the Army Air Forces was finding that standard military units like the 399th, which were assigned personnel and equipment based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were not proving well adapted to the training mission. Accordingly, it adopted a more functional system in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit, which was manned and equipped based on the station's requirements. The 399th Group was disbanded, and along with its elements and supporting units at March was used to form the 420th AAF Base Unit (Bombardment Replacement Training Unit-Heavy).

Missile training

The second predecessor of the wing was the 589th Tactical Missile Group, which was activated at Orlando Air Force Base, Florida on 8 March 1957 as a training unit for the TM-61 Matador cruise missile. The group formed part of the 4504th Tactical Missile Wing. In April 1958, the group's missile squadron, the 24th Tactical Missile Squadron was transferred to the 588th Tactical Missile Group, when the 588th's 17th Tactical Missile Squadron deployed to Taiwan independently and plans were developed to deploy the 588th to Osan Air Base, South Korea. Although the 24th engaged in crew training at Orlando, it never received any missiles. The squadron did, however, deploy to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, where it launched TM-61 Matador missiles under the guidance of the 6555th Guided Missile Squadron. The group was then inactivated on 8 June 58, when its training functions were assigned directly to the 4504th Wing's 4504th Missile Training Squadron.

The 399th Bombardment Group was reconstituted in July 1985 and consolidated with the 589th Tactical Missile Group as the 399th Tactical Missile Wing, but has not been active since.

Lineage

399th Bombardment Group

• Constituted as 399th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 15 February 1943

Activated on 1 March 1943

Disbanded on 31 March 1944

• Reconstituted and consolidated with the 589th Tactical Missile Group as the 399th Tactical Missile Wing on 31 July 1985

399th Tactical Missile Wing

• Constituted as the 589th Tactical Missile Group on 9 November 1956

Activated on 8 March 1957

Inactivated on 8 June 1958

• Consolidated with the 399th Bombardment Group as the 399th Tactical Missile Wing on 31 July 1985

Assignments

• II Bomber Command, 1 March 1943
• Second Air Force, 6 October 1943
• IV Bomber Command, 3 December 1943 – 31 March 1944
• 4504 Tactical Missile Wing, 8 March 1957 – 8 June 1958

Components

• 24th Tactical Missile Squadron: 15 March 1957 – 25 April 1958
• 589th Support Squadron: 15 March 1957 – 8 June 1958
• 604th Bombardment Squadron: 1 March 1943 – 31 March 1944
• 605th Bombardment Squadron: 1 March 1943 – 31 March 1944
• 606th Bombardment Squadron: 1 March 1943 – 31 March 1944
• 607th Bombardment Squadron: 1 March 1943 – 31 March 1944

Stations

• Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 1 March 1943
• Gowen Field, Idaho 10 April 1943
• Wendover Field, Utah, 27 April 1943
• March Field, California, 3 December 1943 – 31 March 1944
• Orlando Air Force Base, Florida, 8 March 1957 – 8 June 1958

Aircraft and missiles

• Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1943–1944
• Martin TM-61 Matador, 1957–1958

References

Notes

1. ^ Maurer, Combat Units, p. 285
2. ^ Craven & Cate, Introduction, p. xxxvi
3. Goss, p. 75
4. See Mueller, p. 370 (showing simultaneous disbanding and organization of units).
5. "Abstract, History 4504 Missile Training Wing Jul–Dec 1958". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
6. ^ Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 648q, 31 July 1985, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Organizations
7. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 682
8. Station information through 1944 in Maurer, Combat Units, p. 285

Bibliography

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

• Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L, eds. (1955). The Army Air Forces in World War II (PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48003657. OCLC 704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

  Goss, William A. "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F.; Cate, James L. (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes.

• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) . 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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) . 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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Mindling, George; Bolton, Robert (2008). U.S. Air Force Tactical Missiles, 1949-1969: The Pioneers. Raleigh, NC: Lulu Press, Inc. ISBN 978-0-557-00029-6. LCCN 2008908364.
• Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

v t e USAAF Fourth Air Force in World War II
Units	Commands IV Bomber Command IV Fighter Command IV Air Support Command Wings 21st Bombardment Los Angeles Fighter San Diego Fighter San Francisco Fighter Seattle Fighter Groups Bombardment 12th Bombardment 30th Bombardment 41st Bombardment 42nd Bombardment 47th Bombardment 380th Bombardment 385th Bombardment 389th Bombardment 392nd Bombardment 399th Bombardment 449th Bombardment 450th Bombardment 451st Bombardment 453rd Bombardment 454th Bombardment 455th Bombardment 456th Bombardment 461st Bombardment 463rd Bombardment 465th Bombardment 466th Bombardment 470th Bombardment 483rd Bombardment 486th Bombardment 491st Bombardment 492nd Bombardment Fighter 1st Fighter 14th Fighter 20th Fighter 35th Fighter 51st Fighter 55th Fighter 78th Fighter 81st Fighter 82nd Fighter 328th Fighter 329th Fighter 339th Fighter 354th Fighter 360th Fighter 363rd Fighter 364th Fighter 369th Fighter 367th Fighter 372nd Fighter 412th Fighter 473rd Fighter 474th Fighter 478th Fighter 479th Fighter Reconnaissance 68th Reconnaissance 69th Reconnaissance Troop Carrier 64th Troop Carrier
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v t e USAAF Second Air Force in World War II
Airfields	Airfields
Units	Commands II Air Support Command II Bomber Command II Fighter Command IV Air Support Command XX Bomber Command XXI Bomber Command XXII Bomber Command Wings 5th Bombardment 15th Bombardment Training 16th Bombardment Operational Training 17th Bombardment Training 18th Replacement 21st Bombardment 46th Bombardment Operational Training 58th Bombardment 73rd Bombardment 315th Bombardment 316th Bombardment Groups Bombardment 2nd Bombardment 6th Bombardment 7th Bombardment 9th Bombardment 12th Bombardment 16th Bombardment 17th Bombardment 19th Bombardment 25th Bombardment 29th Bombardment 34th Bombardment 39th Bombardment 40th Bombardment 42nd Bombardment 46th Bombardment 47th Bombardment 48th Bombardment 85th Bombardment 86th Bombardment 86th Bombardment 88th Bombardment 94th Bombardment 95th Bombardment 96th Bombardment 99th Bombardment 100th Bombardment 301st Bombardment 302nd Bombardment 303rd Bombardment 304th Bombardment 305th Bombardment 306th Bombardment 307th Bombardment 308th Bombardment 312th Bombardment 330th Bombardment 331st Bombardment 333rd Bombardment 346th Bombardment 351st Bombardment 376th Bombardment 379th Bombardment 381st Bombardment 382nd Bombardment 383rd Bombardment 384th Bombardment 385th Bombardment 388th Bombardment 390th Bombardment 393rd Bombardment 395th Bombardment 396th Bombardment 398th Bombardment 399th Bombardment 400th Bombardment 401st Bombardment 407th Bombardment 415th Bombardment 418th Bombardment 444th Bombardment 445th Bombardment 446th Bombardment 447th Bombardment 448th Bombardment 449th Bombardment 450th Bombardment 451st Bombardment 452nd Bombardment 453rd Bombardment 454th Bombardment 455th Bombardment 456th Bombardment 457th Bombardment 458th Bombardment 459th Bombardment 460th Bombardment 461st Bombardment 462nd Bombardment 464th Bombardment 467th Bombardment 468th Bombardment 469th Bombardment 470th Bombardment 471st Bombardment 472nd Bombardment 484th Bombardment 485th Bombardment 486th Bombardment 487th Bombardment 488th Bombardment 489th Bombardment 490th Bombardment 491st Bombardment 493rd Bombardment 494th Bombardment 497th Bombardment 498th Bombardment 499th Bombardment 500th Bombardment 501st Bombardment 502nd Bombardment 504th Bombardment 505th Bombardment 509th Composite Fighter 20th Fighter 54th Fighter 84th Fighter 85th Fighter 507th Fighter 508th Fighter Reconnaissance 2nd Reconnaissance 3rd Reconnaissance 4th Reconnaissance 5th Reconnaissance 6th Reconnaissance 7th Reconnaissance 8th Reconnaissance 71st Reconnaissance 77th Reconnaissance Troop Carrier 443nd Troop Carrier
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• Military units and formations established in 1985
• Missile wings of the United States Air Force
• 1985 establishments in the United States