11th Bomb Wing - SAC - Carswell AFB

Based at: Carswell AFB, Altus AFB, Bolling AFB
Aircraft: B-36, B-52, KC-97, KC-135
Status: Now the 11th Wing
Squadrons: 26 BS, 42 BS, 98 BS,
Links:

Activation
     On December 1, 1948, the 11th bomb group was activated at Carswell AFB and assigned to the 7th Bomb Wing. Carswell shared flight line facilities with the Convair Aircraft Company.
Initial Operations
    The 7th was the first bomb wing to receive the B-36. It's personnel began training the new 11th group people in the new aircraft and the 11th soon began receiving them. On February 16, 1951, the 11th became an independent wing, obtaining it's resources from the group, which was inactivated in June 1952. It was deployed at Nouasseur AB, French Morocco, May 4 - July 2, 1955. (This date is from Air Force Combat Wing History by USAF. Retired CMSgt Ron Foster was involved in this deployment and he wrote that it was in 1956.)   Won the SAC Bombing Competition and the Fairchild Trophy in 1954, 1956 and 1960.
The Jet Age
   7-11 must have been considered a lucky combination, because the two wings continued to share Carswell Air Force base until December 13, 1957, when the 11th moved to Altus AFB, Oklahoma and began receiving B-52Es.   Won the SAC Bombing Competition and the Fairchild Trophy in 1954, 1956 and 1960.
Atlas Missiles
     Gained the 577th Strategic Missile Squadron on June 1, 1961 and one On April 1, 1962, when it's new Atlas missiles became fully operational, the wing was redesigned the 11th Strategic Aerospace Wing, the new designation carried by all SAC wings that had both bombers and missiles. It phased out the Atlas missiles in January, 1965.
Air Refueling
     Added air refueling to its mission in Dec 1957. It's 96th Air Refueling Squadrons flew KC–97s during 1957 and 1958. They were soon replaced by KC-135 jet tankers. The 921st Air Refueling Squadron was assigned to the wing from October 1 to December 1960. The central location of Altus AFB led to the expansion of the wing's refueling capability. On June 25, 1965, the 11h Air Refueling Squadron was assigned to the wing. In 1968, the wing began phasing out it's B-52s. This was completed by mid year. On July 2, 1968, the wing was redesignated the 11th Air Refueling Wing.
Later Years
    The 11th Air Refueling Wing was short lived. It was inactivated on March 25, 1969 and the numeric designation remained dormant for the next nine years. Then on November 15, 1978, it was reactivated, not as a wing, but as the 11th Strategic Group at RAF Fairford, England. It was not manned until the following February, but did not start receiving aircraft until September 1978. It soon began aerial refueling support for all USAF operations, deployments and redeployments, as well as participating in NATO exercises.
     Operations staff and maintenance personnel were permanently assigned, but aircraft, aircrews and crew chiefs were assigned on a temporary duty basis to the 11th Strategic Group for the European Tanker Task Force on a rotational basis. Aircraft and Crews operated out of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Keflavik, Iceland; Zaragosa, Spain; Lajes Field, Azores; Sigonella NAS, Italy; and Hellenikon, Greece. The unit retained the 11th Strategic Group designation, but was inactivated on 7 Aug 1990.
Status
      The 11th was pulled out of retirement a second time on June 2, 1994, when it was redesignated the 11th Support Wing. It was activated on July 15, 1994 at Bolling AFB, Washington, DC. It was redesignated the 11th Wing on March 1, 1995.
Components
Group
11 BG: Assigned Feb 16, 1951-June 16, 1952 (Not operational)
Squadrons
       Both bombardment squadrons initially operated out of Clinton-Sherman AFB while
       construction work was being completed at Altus AFB.
   26 BS: Attached Feb 16, 1951 - June 15, 1952. Assigned June 16, 1952 - July 2, 1968.
         Flew B-52E from January 1958 until inactivated June 2, 1968
   42 BS: Attached Feb.16, 1951 - June 15, 1952. Assigned June 16, 1952 - June 1, 1960
        Flew B-52E from June 1958 until June 1, 1960, when reassigned to the 4043rd Strategic Wing
        at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
577 SM: Assigned June 1, 1961-March 25, 1965
   11AR: Assigned June 25 - March 25, 1969
   96 AR: Assigned Dec 3, 1957 - Oct 1, 1960; Dec. 15, 1960 - June 25, 1965
   98 BS: Attached Feb 16, 1951 - June 15, 1952. Assigned June 16, 1952 - Dec. 10, 1957
918 AR: Assigned Oct 1 - Dec. 15, 1960
921 AR Assigned Oct 1 - Dec. 15, 1960