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521st Air Mobility Operations Wing
Members of the Wing's 721st Aerial Port Squadron load luggage onto an aircraft at Ramstein AB, Germany during Operation Allies Refuge in 2021
Active	4 July 1942 – 25 September 1947 10 June 1949 – 18 November 1960 4 September 2008 – present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Logistics Coordination
Size	1800 airmen permanently assigned plus 900 deployed to wing
Part of	Air Mobility Command United States Air Force Expeditionary Center
Garrison/HQ	Ramstein Air Base, Germany
Engagements	European theater of World War II
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Commanders
Current commander	Col Charles D. Cooley
Command Chief	CCM Jeremiah F. Grisham
Insignia
521st Air Mobility Operations Wing emblem

The 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing (521 AMOW) is part of Air Mobility Command and is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It coordinates logistical air movements into, out of, and through Europe.

The 521st AMOW expedites warfighting and humanitarian efforts by the United States Air Force throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. It provides all command and control, en route maintenance support, aeromedical evacuation and air transportation services for air mobility operations in its area of responsibility. It performs this through aircraft maintenance units, maintenance operations centers, quality assurance, regional training center, fuel cell, aerospace ground equipment, forward supply location, and maintenance recovery teams. It operates air terminal operations centers, providing passenger and fleet services, cargo processing, special handling, ramp services, and load planning.

The Wing is composed of two groups. These groups are assigned nine squadrons and fourteen other geographically separated units.

History

The wing was originally constituted as the 555th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion. The unit served as an aircraft warning unit in defense of the continental United States from 1942 to 1943. The battalion moved to England in 1944 where it provided communications support until the day after the Normandy landings when it moved to support the invading forces in France. It moved frequently to support elements of Ninth Air Force, arriving in Belgium in September and Germany in March 1945. It continued it mission during the occupation of Germany from 1945. At the end of 1945, the battalion was converted to an Air Corps unit, redesignated the 501st Tactical Control Group and its component companies replaced by Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons. It provided radar coverage and navigational aid to allied aircraft flying over the U.S. Zone of Occupied Germany in 1946 and 1947. It was inactivated in 1947.

The unit was reactivated as the 501st Aircraft Control and Warning Group in 1949 to replace the 7402d Aircraft Control and Warning Group. Between 1949 and 1960, it provided tactical control systems, including aircraft control and warning facilities, passive detection devices and guidance units in central Europe. In 1952, it became a tactical control group again. In 1954, the group moved to Landstuhl Air Base. Starting in 1955, it and the 526th Tactical Control Group provided personnel for a provisional Tactical Control Wing, which it replaced as the 501st Tactical Control Wing in 1957 to provide radar and aircraft control for all of Twelfth Air Force. It operated the Tactical Control System to exercise operational control of offensive and defensive units in Europe. In the 1960s, its mission, personnel, and equipment were combined with those of the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, which was redesignated the 86th Air Division (Defense).

Today the two subordinate groups include:

• The 521st Air Mobility Operations Group (Naval Station Rota, Spain)
  • 724th Air Mobility Squadron (Aviano AB, Italy)
  • 725th Air Mobility Squadron (Naval Station Rota, Spain)
  • 728th Air Mobility Squadron (Incirlik Air Base, Turkey)
  • 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron
• The 721st Air Mobility Operations Group (Ramstein AB, Germany)
  • 721st Aerial Port Squadron
  • 721st Mobility Support Squadron
  • 721st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
  • 726th Air Mobility Squadron (Spangdahlem AB, Germany)
  • 727th Air Mobility Squadron (RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom)

Lineage

• Constituted as the 555th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion (Separate) on 28 February 1942

Activated on 4 July 1942

Redesignated as 555th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion on 11 March 1943

Converted from the Signal Corps to the Air Corps and redesignated 501st Tactical Control Group on 31 December 1945

Inactivated on 25 September 1947

• Redesignated 501st Aircraft Control and Warning Group on 11 May 1949

Activated on 10 June 1949

Redesignated 501st Tactical Control Group on 16 March 1952

Redesignated 501st Tactical Control Wing on 18 December 1957

Inactivated on 18 November 1960

• Redesignated 521st Tactical Control Wing 31 July 1985 (remained inactive)
• Redesignated 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing on 18 August 2008

Activated on 4 September 2008

Assignments

Stations

Components

Groups

• 521st Air Mobility Operations Group, 4 September 2008 – present
• 721st Air Mobility Operations Group, 4 September 2008 – present

Squadrons

• 3d SHORAN Beacon Squadron, 18 December 1957 – 1 May 1958

Bremerhaven, Germany

• 6th SHORAN Beacon Squadron, 18 December 1957 – 1 May 1958
• 601st Tactical Control Squadron (Formed from Company A, 555th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion, later 601st Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron), 31 December 1945 – 25 September 1947, 10 June 1949 – 18 November 1960 (detached to Tactical Control Wing, Provisional 1955–1957)

Rothwesten AB, Germany

• 602d Tactical Control Squadron (Formed from Company B, 555th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion, later 602d Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron), 31 December 1945 – 25 September 1947, 10 June 1949 – 18 November 1960 (detached to Tactical Control Wing, Provisional 1955–1957)

Giebelstadt AB, Germany

• 603d Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (Formed from Company C, 555th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion, later 603d Tactical Control Squadron, 603d Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron), 31 December 1945 – 25 September 1947, 10 June 1949 – 18 November 1960 (detached to Tactical Control Wing, Provisional 1955–1957)

Langerkopf, Germany

• 604th Tactical Control Squadron (Formed from Company D, 555th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion, later 604th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron), 31 December 1945 – 25 September 1947, 10 June 1949 – 18 November 1960 (detached to Tactical Control Wing, Provisional 1955–1957)

Freising AB, Germany

• 615th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, Fixed, 18 December 1957 – 18 November 1960

Schonfeld, Germany

• 616th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, 18 December 1957 – 18 November 1960

Ulm, Germany; Turkheim, Germany

• 619th Tactical Control Squadron, 18 December 1957 – 18 January 1959

Birkenfeld, Germany

• 807th Tactical Control Squadron, 1 August 1951 – 18 November 1960

Awards

• 
• Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

1 October 2008 – 30 September 2009

• 
• American Theater of World War II
• 
• European theater of World War II
• Campaigns:

• 
• World War II Army of Occupation

Notes

1. ^ "521st Air Mobility Operations Wing". 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing Public Affairs. 20 June 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
2. Saldukas, Scott (10 September 2008). "Wing activation of the 521st AMOW". 435th Air Base Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
3. ^ Lacomia, John M. (2 November 2017). "521 Air Mobility Operations Wing (AMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
4. "Abstract, History of the 501st Aircraft Warning & Control Group, July–August 1951". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
5. ^ "Abstract, History of the 501st Tactical Control Wing, January–June 1957". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
6. "Abstract, History of the 501st Tactical Control Wing, Calendar Year 1958". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
7. "Abstract, History of the 86th Air Division, July–December 1960". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
8. "521st Air Mobility Operations Group".
9. Haulman, Daniel (26 April 2011). "725 Air Mobility Squadron (AMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
10. "728 Air Mobility Squadron (AMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
11. Lacomia, John M. (3 January 2018). "521 Air Mobility Operations Group (AMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
12. Lacomia, John M. (27 April 2018). "721 Air Mobility Operations Group (AMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
13. "Abstract, History of the 501st Tactical Control Wing, January–June 1959". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
14. "Air Force Recognition Programs". Air Force Personnel Center. Retrieved 20 December 2012. (search)

Bibliography

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

• Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2012. (for designation of airfields in the United Kingdom)
• Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 September 2016.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) (for designation of airfields in France, Belgium, and Germany)
• 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. (86th Air Division organization)

Further reading

• Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L, eds. (1955). "Introduction". The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. III, Argument to V-E Day. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. p. xxxvi. LCCN 48-3657. (Ninth Air Force operations in Europe)
• Fletcher, Harry R (1993). Air Force Bases, Vol. II, Air Bases Outside the United States of America (PDF). Washington, DC: Center for Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6.

v t e Air Mobility Command (AMC)
Numbered Air Forces	Eighteenth (Transportation)
Command Organizations	618th Air and Space Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center) USAF Expeditionary Center Special Air Mission
Bases	Andrews Charleston Dover Dyess Fairchild Hickam Little Rock MacDill McChord McConnell McGuire Pope Ramstein Scott Travis
Group	43d Air Mobility Operations 317th Airlift Group
Wings	Air Base 87th 628th Air Mobility 60th 305th 375th Air Refueling (Tanker) 6th 22d 92d Airlift 19th 62d 89th 436th 437th Air Mobility Operations 515th 521st Contingency Response 621st

v t e United States Air Force in Germany
Bases	Active Stations Kapaun Bases Ramstein Spangdahlem Former Stations Lindsey Bases Bitburg Erding Fürstenfeldbruck Kaufbeuren Hahn Landsberg Neubiberg Rhein-Main Tempelhof Central Airport Wiesbaden Zweibrücken
Organizations	Active United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) Third Air Force 52nd Fighter Wing 86th Airlift Wing HQ 435th Air Expeditionary Wing 435th Air Ground Operations Wing 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing 603rd Air and Space Operations Center 693rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group Former HQ Air Command Europe Sixteenth Air Force Seventeenth Expeditionary Air Force
Part of the United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) Non-USAFE-AFRICA bases and organizations shown in italics

v t e United States Air Force
Leadership	Department of the Air Force Secretary of the Air Force Under Secretary of the Air Force Air Staff Chief of Staff Vice Chief of Staff Director of Staff Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Four-star generals Three-star generals 1940–1959 2000–2009 2010–2019 2020–present House Armed Services Committee House Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces Senate Committee on Armed Services Senate Subcommittee on Airland Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
Structure	Commands Reserve Air National Guard Field Operating Agencies Installations Direct Reporting Units District of Washington Operational Test and Evaluation Center USAF Academy Major commands ACC AETC AFGSC AFMC AFRC AFSOC AMC PACAF USAFE–AFAFRICA Numbered Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Expeditionary Fifteenth Sixteenth Eighteenth Nineteenth Twentieth Twenty-Second Wings ANG Groups ANG Squadrons ANG Security Forces Civilian auxiliary: Civil Air Patrol
Personnel and training	Personnel Rank officers cadets enlisted Specialty Code Aeronautical ratings Judge Advocate General's Corps RED HORSE Security Forces Medical Service Chief of Chaplains Chief Scientist Training: Air Force Academy Officer Training School Reserve Officer Training Corps Basic Training Airman Leadership School SERE Fitness Assessment
Uniforms and equipment	Awards and decorations Badges Equipment Aircraft Uniforms
History and traditions	History Aeronautical Division / Aviation Section / Division of Military Aeronautics / Army Air Service / Army Air Corps / Army Air Forces "The U.S. Air Force" Air Force Band Airman's Creed Core Values Flag Symbol Memorial National Museum Women Airforce Service Pilots Air Force One / Air Force Two Honor Guard Thunderbirds Service numbers Air & Space Forces Association
Category

• Air mobility wings of the United States Air Force
• Military units and formations established in 2008