399th Tactical Missile Wing

The 399th Tactical Missile Wing was a United States Air Force unit designation whose lineage combined two earlier organizations with different missions: the 399th Bombardment Group, a World War II heavy-bomber training unit, and the 589th Tactical Missile Group, a Cold War unit associated with training personnel for the Martin TM-61 Matador cruise missile. The wing was created through a formal consolidation on 31 July 1985, but it was not subsequently activated and therefore did not operate as an active wing. The first predecessor, the 399th Bombardment Group (Heavy), was constituted on 15 February 1943 and activated on 1 March 1943 at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona. It consisted of the 604th, 605th, 606th, and 607th Bombardment Squadrons. The group was part of the Army Air Forces' wartime training system rather than an operational combat group. After moving through Gowen Field, Idaho, and arriving at Wendover Field, Utah, on 27 April 1943, it initially served as an Operational Training Unit for Consolidated B-24 Liberator formations. In that role, it helped train cadres who would form or reinforce other bomber groups. Later in 1943, it became a Replacement Training Unit, focusing on the preparation of individual pilots and aircrews for heavy-bomber service. The group transferred between Second Air Force and Fourth Air Force control during this period and moved to March Field, California, in December 1943. The Army Air Forces subsequently reorganized domestic training operations around more flexible base units rather than conventional combat-style organizations. As part of that restructuring, the 399th Bombardment Group and its component and supporting organizations at March Field were disbanded on 31 March 1944, with their functions and resources absorbed into the 420th Army Air Forces Base Unit, a heavy bombardment replacement-training organization. The second predecessor, the 589th Tactical Missile Group, was constituted on 9 November 1956 and activated at Orlando Air Force Base, Florida, on 8 March 1957. It formed part of the 4504th Tactical Missile Wing and supported training connected with the TM-61 Matador, an early United States tactical cruise missile. Its associated 24th Tactical Missile Squadron conducted crew training at Orlando, although it did not receive missiles there. The squadron also deployed to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, where launches were conducted under the direction of the 6555th Guided Missile Squadron. In April 1958, the 24th Tactical Missile Squadron was transferred to the 588th Tactical Missile Group amid broader plans for the deployment of tactical missile units to Asia. The 589th Tactical Missile Group was inactivated on 8 June 1958, and its training responsibilities were transferred to the 4504th Wing's 4504th Missile Training Squadron. On 31 July 1985, the Air Force reconstituted the 399th Bombardment Group and consolidated it with the 589th Tactical Missile Group under the designation 399th Tactical Missile Wing. This administrative lineage action linked the unit's wartime bomber-training history with its Cold War missile-training predecessor. The consolidated wing has not been active since its creation and is best understood as an inactive Air Force lineage designation rather than an operating commercial brand or contemporary military formation.

The lineage associated with the 399th Tactical Missile Wing begins with the 399th Bombardment Group (Heavy), constituted on 15 February 1943 and activated on 1 March at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona. The group was organized as part of the United States Army Air Forces' expanding World War II training structure. Its four bombardment squadrons were the 604th, 605th, 606th, and 607th. The group moved to Gowen Field, Idaho, on 10 April 1943 and then to Wendover Field, Utah, on 27 April. At Wendover it served as an Operational Training Unit for Consolidated B-24 Liberator organizations. Operational Training Units were deliberately large formations intended to train cadres who could establish or reinforce satellite combat groups. In August 1943, the 399th changed to a Replacement Training Unit role. This mission trained individual pilots and aircrews rather than preparing complete new groups. The change reflected the Army Air Forces' need to supply trained personnel to operational formations overseas. During its training career, the group was assigned first to II Bomber Command, then to Second Air Force, and later to IV Bomber Command. It moved to March Field, California, on 3 December 1943. By that time, the Army Air Forces was reassessing the suitability of traditional table-of-organization units for domestic training. The service adopted a more functional base-unit system in which personnel and equipment were allocated according to each station's particular requirements. Consequently, the 399th Bombardment Group was disbanded on 31 March 1944. Its personnel, equipment, component squadrons, and supporting organizations at March Field were used in forming the 420th Army Air Forces Base Unit, a heavy-bomber replacement-training organization. A separate lineage began with the 589th Tactical Missile Group. It was constituted on 9 November 1956 and activated at Orlando Air Force Base, Florida, on 8 March 1957. The group was assigned to the 4504th Tactical Missile Wing and supported the training of crews associated with the Martin TM-61 Matador, an early operational tactical cruise missile. The 24th Tactical Missile Squadron and the 589th Support Squadron were associated with the group. Although the 24th Squadron conducted training at Orlando, it did not receive Matador missiles at that base. It deployed instead to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, where missile launches took place under the supervision of the 6555th Guided Missile Squadron. The 24th Tactical Missile Squadron was transferred to the 588th Tactical Missile Group on 25 April 1958. This change occurred as the Air Force adjusted its tactical missile organization and considered deployments of the 588th Group to Taiwan and South Korea. The 589th Tactical Missile Group was inactivated on 8 June 1958. Its training responsibilities passed to the 4504th Missile Training Squadron, which operated directly under the 4504th Tactical Missile Wing. On 31 July 1985, the Air Force reconstituted the 399th Bombardment Group and consolidated it with the 589th Tactical Missile Group. The resulting designation was the 399th Tactical Missile Wing. The action preserved the historical lineages of both organizations in a single wing record, but did not create an active operational unit. The wing has remained inactive since the consolidation. Its historical significance lies in the changing methods used by the Army Air Forces and Air Force to train bomber crews, replacement personnel, and tactical missile operators during and after the Second World War.

• 1985

  Consolidation into the 399th Tactical Missile Wing

  [1]399th Tactical Missile Wingen.wikipedia.org

  The Air Force reconstituted the 399th Bombardment Group and consolidated it with the 589th Tactical Missile Group as the 399th Tactical Missile Wing on 31 July.

• 1958

  Missile group inactivated

  [1]399th Tactical Missile Wingen.wikipedia.org

  The 589th Tactical Missile Group was inactivated on 8 June, with its training responsibilities transferred to the 4504th Missile Training Squadron.

• 1957

  589th Tactical Missile Group activated

  [1]399th Tactical Missile Wingen.wikipedia.org

  The 589th Tactical Missile Group was activated at Orlando Air Force Base, Florida, on 8 March to support TM-61 Matador training.

• 1944

  Bombardment group disbanded

  [1]399th Tactical Missile Wingen.wikipedia.org

  The 399th Bombardment Group was disbanded on 31 March during the Army Air Forces' reorganization of domestic training units.

• 1943

  399th Bombardment Group constituted and activated

  [1]399th Tactical Missile Wingen.wikipedia.org

  The 399th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was constituted on 15 February and activated on 1 March at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona.

• 1943

  Arrival at Wendover Field

  [1]399th Tactical Missile Wingen.wikipedia.org

  After moving through Gowen Field, Idaho, the group arrived at Wendover Field, Utah, on 27 April and began its principal B-24 training role.

• 1943

  Shift from operational to replacement training

  [1]399th Tactical Missile Wingen.wikipedia.org

  The group changed from an Operational Training Unit to a Replacement Training Unit, concentrating on individual bomber pilots and aircrews.

An inactive United States Air Force lineage designation representing predecessor units involved in wartime heavy-bomber training and early Cold War tactical missile training.

• Heavy bomber · 1943

  Consolidated B-24 Liberator

  The 399th Bombardment Group used the B-24 Liberator in its World War II training mission. As an Operational Training Unit and later a Replacement Training Unit, the group prepared bomber cadres, pilots, and aircrews for service with Army Air Forces heavy-bomber formations. Its work was conducted within the domestic training system rather than in an identified combat deployment.

• Tactical cruise missile · 1957

  Martin TM-61 Matador

  The 589th Tactical Missile Group supported training associated with the Martin TM-61 Matador at Orlando Air Force Base. Its affiliated 24th Tactical Missile Squadron trained crews but did not receive missiles at Orlando; the squadron deployed to Cape Canaveral for launches conducted with the 6555th Guided Missile Squadron.

• 1985

  Lineage consolidationOther

  Background

  The Air Force maintained historical continuity by combining the records of an inactive World War II bombardment group and an inactive Cold War missile-training group.

  Action taken

  The 399th Bombardment Group was reconstituted and consolidated with the 589th Tactical Missile Group as the 399th Tactical Missile Wing.

  Aftermath

  The consolidated wing remained inactive and did not become an operating tactical missile formation.

  Source

• 1944

  Replacement of conventional training groups with base unitsStrategy

  Background

  The Army Air Forces determined that fixed table-of-organization units were not sufficiently flexible for domestic training and support requirements.

  Action taken

  The 399th Bombardment Group and associated organizations at March Field were disbanded and their resources were used to form the 420th Army Air Forces Base Unit.

  Aftermath

  The group's training functions continued under a more functionally organized base-unit structure.

  Source

• 1943

  Conversion to replacement trainingStrategy

  Background

  The Army Air Forces needed individual trained personnel as well as complete cadres for expanding bomber operations.

  Action taken

  The 399th shifted from an Operational Training Unit to a Replacement Training Unit and focused on individual pilots and aircrews.

  Aftermath

  The group continued training duties after the change and later moved to March Field, California.

  Source

1. 1399th Tactical Missile Wingen.wikipedia.org