313th Bombardment Wing

313th Bombardment Wing
Unit name	313th Bombardment Wing

313th Bombardment Wing was a United States Air Force formation assigned to strategic bombardment and tactical operations during periods of World War II and the Cold War. The wing operated strategic bombers, air refueling tankers, and reconnaissance platforms while assigned to numbered air forces, Strategic Air Command, and Tactical Air Command components. It supported campaigns linked to Allied and NATO objectives, coordinating with contemporaneous formations, air divisions, and theater commands.

Overview and Mission

The wing's mission integrated strategic deterrence, long-range strike, and airborne reconnaissance, aligning operational planning with doctrines developed by United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe, Strategic Air Command, United States Air Forces in Europe, and NATO command elements. Tasking emphasized strategic bombardment, aerial refueling, electronic warfare support, and joint operations with United States Navy carrier aviation, Royal Air Force, and allied air arms during contingency deployments. Operational directives often referenced concepts from Air War College curricula, Joint Chiefs of Staff planning, and theater contingency plans such as those promulgated during Cold War crises and Berlin Blockade-era postures.

History

Activated amid the reshaping of air power after World War II, the wing traced lineage through organizational changes associated with Air Force reorganization of 1947, postwar demobilization, and Cold War expansion under President Harry S. Truman and Secretary of Defense Louis A. Johnson policies. During the Korean War period the wing contributed to strategic posture alongside units engaged in Korean War logistics and strike operations. In subsequent decades the wing's operational tempo and force composition evolved with programs like the B-52 Stratofortress upgrades, KC-135 Stratotanker deployments, and high-altitude reconnaissance initiatives including platforms developed in the context of U-2 and SR-71 Blackbird missions. Reassignments reflected broader organizational changes such as the implementation of the Objective Wing concept and the inactivation patterns influenced by Base Realignment and Closure decisions.

Organizational Structure and Assignments

The wing reported to numbered air forces and major commands including Eighth Air Force, Second Air Force, and Fifteenth Air Force during different periods, with administrative and operational relationships to Air Division headquarters and composite wings. Subordinate elements included bombardment groups, refueling squadrons, maintenance squadrons, operations groups, and reconnaissance units drawn from lists such as the Bombardment Group (United States Army Air Forces) lineage. Key staff positions mirrored structures codified by United States Air Force Organizational Order doctrines, with commanders often having previous assignments at institutions like Air University or staff billets on the Joint Staff.

Aircraft and Equipment

Aircraft operated by the wing encompassed strategic bombers and tankers such as the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, Convair B-36 Peacemaker in early postwar inventories, and aerial refueling platforms including the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker. Reconnaissance and electronic warfare support referenced systems analogous to the Lockheed U-2 and signal intelligence suites developed for Electronic Warfare missions supporting NATO theater surveillance. Maintenance and logistics incorporated depot-level practices coordinated with Ogden Air Logistics Complex-type facilities and supply chains tied to Defense Logistics Agency procedures.

Operations and Notable Engagements

The wing participated in strategic deterrence patrols and training cycles aligned with Operation Chrome Dome and alert postures instituted by Strategic Air Command during nuclear readiness periods. Deployments and exercises connected the wing to multilateral maneuvers such as Operation REFORGER and transatlantic deployments supporting North Atlantic Treaty Organization contingency planning. During crises, taskings involved integration with Air Refueling Squadron operations, strategic reconnaissance sorties parallel to missions conducted by Reconnaissance/Meteorological units, and participation in theater exercises like Operation Arc Light-era planning and NATO joint training.

Bases and Stations

The wing was stationed at several airfields and Air Force bases throughout its existence, including locations associated with Andrews Air Force Base, Barksdale Air Force Base, March Air Force Base, and forward operating locations used in European rotations such as RAF Mildenhall and RAF Fairford. Stationing reflected strategic basing concepts involving proximity to transatlantic air routes, tanker staging areas, and contingency dispersal fields defined in plans like the Single Integrated Operational Plan basing assumptions.

Legacy and Honors

The wing's legacy is reflected in institutional contributions to strategic bombardment doctrine, aerial refueling tactics, and integrated reconnaissance practices that influenced curricula at Air War College and operational standards within Strategic Air Command and successor commands. Honors associated with the wing included campaign streamers, unit citations, and commendations comparable to awards like the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and campaign recognitions tied to Cold War deployments and contingency operations. Historical study of the wing informs research in archives held by National Archives and Records Administration and scholarly work within Air Force Historical Research Agency collections.

Category:United States Air Force wings Category:Strategic wings of the United States Air Force