307th Bombardment Wing
307th Strategic Wing
PRIMARY WINGS

 
Based at: MacDill AFB, Lincoln AFB, U-Tapao Air Base, Thailand
Aircraft: B-29, B-47, KC-97, B-52
Status: Inactivated September 30, 1975.
Squadrons: 370 BS, 371 BS, 372 BS, 424 BS, 364 BS(P), 365 BS(P) 99 SR, 307 AR, 901 AR(P)
Activation
     Established as the 307th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy on July 28, 1947.  Organized on Aug. 15, 1947.  Discontinued July 12, 1948.  Redesignated 307th Bombardment Wing, Medium and activated on July 12, 1948 at MacDill Field (later AFB), Florida.
B-29 Stratofortress
     The 307th replaced the 94th Combat Bombardment Wing VHB (Provisional) and other organizations in August 1947. From then until December 15, 1948 the 307 Wing controlled, in addition to its own units, the 82nd Fighter Wing at Grenier Field, NH.   In September 1947 it began training other SAC combat units in anti-submarine warfare.  In February, it began operating a B-29 transition training school and standardized combat training for all SAC units. 
Korean War
      It's teaching days came to an abrupt end in August 1950, when the 307th deployed to Okinawa.  Detached from SAC, it began operations under Far East Air Forces (FEAF) Bomber Command, provisional.  The attached 306th Bomb Group transferred to its parent wing on September 1, 1950 and until February 10, 1951, the 307th had no tactical mission. On that date, wing resources were used to train the 6th Air Division at  MacDill and the wing deployed without personnel to Kadena, where it absorbed resources of the 307th Bomb Group and began flying combat missions.  By the end of the hostilities,  the wing (including it's tactical group) had flown 5,810 combat sorties in 573 combat missions.  The wing remained in the Far East in combat ready status and on August 15, 1953, Kadena AB, Okinawa became it's permanent base.
[For more information, see Korean War]
B-47s and KC-97
     The 307th returned to the United States in November 1954 and disposed of it's B-29's at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.  It proceeded to it's new base, Lincoln AFB, Nebraska.  There it began flying the new B-47 Stratojet and the KC-97 tanker.  It conducted  strategic bombardment training and air refueling operations to meet SAC's global commitments.  4362 Support Squadron (later the 4352nd Post Attack Command and Control Squadron was attached July 20, 1962 - Dec. 24, 1964.  In January 1965 the wing began phasing down.  Discontinued and inactivated on March 25, 1965.
Vietnam
       Redesignated the 307th Strategic Wing and reactivated at U-Tapao Air Base, Thailand on January 21, 1970, replacing the 4258th Strategic Wing.  The 307th was the only regular Air Force SAC Wing stationed in Southeast Asia.  Using aircraft and crews loaned from other SAC wings, the 307th conducted conventional bombardment operations and provided KC-135 aerial refueling of U.S. aircraft in Southeast Asia as directed through the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam.   It ended all combat operations on August 14, 1973.   The final B-52 left the wing in June 1975, but the wing continued some KC-135 and refueling and RC-135 reconnaissance operations until inactivated.
Status
     Inactivated September 30, 1975.
Components.
Wing:
  82 FW: Attached Aug 15, 1947-July 12, 1948; Attached July 12, - Dec. 1948
Groups
306 BG: Attached Aug 1, 1948 - Aug 31, 1950 (Not operational Aug 1 - 12, 1948)
307 BG: Assigned Aug 15, 1947 - July 12, 1948: July 12, 1948 - June 16, 1952  (Detached July 16 -
        Nov 3, 1948 and Aug 8, 1950 - Feb 9, 1951; Not operational Feb 10, 1951 - Jun 1, 1952)
Squadrons
       The first three bomb squadrons flew B-29s, then B-47s.  The 424th was assigned to the wing
       as part of SAC's efforts to consolidate B-47 wings that were then phasing down.
370 BS Attached Feb 10, 1951 - June 15, 1952. Assigned June 16, 1952 - March 25, 1965
371 BS Attached Feb 10, 1951 - June 15, 1952. Assigned June 16, 1952 - March 25, 1965
372 BS Attached Feb 10, 1951 - June 15, 1952. Assigned June 16, 1952 - March 25, 1965
424 BS: Assigned Sept 1, 1958 -Jan 1, 1962
  99 SR: Attached Jan 1-sept 30, 1975
307 AR: Attached Aug 1 - Sept 15, 1950 (Not operational).  Assigned June 16, 1952 - July 1, 1953
       (Detached); Assigned Nov 8, 1954 - June 1, 1960 (Detached Nov 8, 1954 - Jan 31, 1955; April 8 -
       May 21, 1955; July 2 - Oct 3, 1957,  c. Oct 1, 1958 - Jan 9, 1959 and c. July 4 - Oct 5, 1959
4362 Support Squadron (later the 4352nd Post Attack Command and Control Squadron.
          Attached July 20, 1962 - Dec. 24, 1964 (Not operational cir July 20 - 31, 1962 
South East Asia
        While stationed in Thailand, two provisional bomb squadrons and a provisional air refueling squadron
         were assigned to the wing.  Two four-digit bomb squadrons were assigned, but were not operational
364 BS(P): Attached July 1 1972 - June 30, 1975 (Not operational July 1, 1972 - c Jan 29, 1973
        and June 9-30, 1974).  Established and attached to the 30th on July 1, 1972.  Directed B-52D
        operations from Jan 1973 until June 1975
365 BS(P): Attached July 1, 1972 -  July 1 1974 (Not operational  July 1 1972 -c Jan 29, 1973)
        Established and attached to the 307 on July , 1972.  Directed B-52D operations from 
        Jan 29, 1973 to July 1, 1975.
901 AR(P): Attached July 1, 1974 - Sept 30, 1975
4180 Assigned Oct 1, 1970 - Dec. 31 1971 (Not operational)
4181 Assigned Apr 1, 1970 - Mach 31, 1972 (Not operational)
Comments by Visitors:
   I  transferred to the 307th Air Refueling Group in Nov. 1976 at Travis Air Base. I was discharged in Mar 1979. I can find no record of the 307th existence. It was a SAC wing on Travis, we had 32 KC-135A ships.
 I now know there is no SAC bas on Travis, so they were either transferred or decommissioned.  I was a jet
mechanics.  Any leads you can give me would be appreciated.  John Steven Calder  e- jcalder@well.com