Strategic Air Command MacDill Air Force Base

1 strategic air command

1.1 307th bombardment group
1.2 306th bombardment wing
1.3 305th bombardment wing
1.4 alert detachment operations

strategic air command
307th bombardment group

b-29a-75-bn superfortress, af ser. no. 44-62328 @ raf lakenheath, england, 1948. note black square sac postwar tail code, along postwar buzz code

on 21 march 1946, continental air command redesignated strategic air command (sac). on 4 august 1946, sac activated 307th bombardment group (very heavy) host unit @ macdill, equipped boeing b-29 superfortresses. known initial operational squadrons of group 370th, 371st , 372d bombardment squadrons.

the group selected sac s first antisubmarine unit in december 1946. precursor similar sac units, group began training other sac combat units in anti-submarine warfare , operational procedures until mission became solely assumed u.s. navy. in february 1947, group began operating b-29 transition training school , standardized combat training sac units, , in september 1947, bomb group , base became u.s. air force organization , installation divestment u.s. army , establishment of air force independent branch of u.s. armed forces.

the unit redesignated 307th bombardment wing, medium on 12 july 1948. under wing designation, 306th bombardment group (effective 12 august 1948) , 307th bombardment group (effective 12 july 1948) attached wing. brought 3 additional operational squadrons (367th, 368th , 369th bombardment squadrons) under wing s command. in 1952, 307th bombardment wing bestowed lineage, honors , history of usaaf 307th bombardment group of world war ii fame.

on 1 september 1950, 307th bomb group 3 squadrons of b-29s deployed far east air force (feaf) bomber command, provisional @ kadena air base, okinawa, engaging in combat operations during korean war. kadena, 307th staged attacks against rapidly advancing communist forces in south korea. while in okinawa, 307th awarded republic of korea presidential unit citation air strikes against enemy forces in korea. awarded distinguished unit citation , several campaign streamers.

the 307th bg returned deployment on 10 february 1951, however, elements of group remained deployed in okinawa on permanent basis. later in 1951, b-29s of group @ macdill replaced boeing b-50d superfortress.

also on 1 september 1950, 306th bomb group transferred newly activated 306th bombardment wing @ macdill , continued wing s training mission.

the 307th bomb wing inactivated @ macdill on 16 june 1952 , 307th bomb group permanently reassigned kadena air base upon inactivation of wing @ macdill.

306th bombardment wing

b-47 era macdill afb postcard



three aircraft formation of b-47e stratojets of 306th bombardment wing af ser. no. 52-545 in foreground.

on 1 september 1950, 306th bombardment wing activated @ macdill afb , became sac s first operational b-47 jet bomber wing. upon activation, operational units of wing 367th, 368th , 369th bombardment squadrons under 306th bombardment group, transferred 307th bmw.

deliveries of new boeing b-47a stratojet air force , strategic air command began in december 1950 , aircraft entered service in may 1951 306th bombardment wing. 306th intended act training unit prepare future b-47 crews. such, b-47as training aircraft , not considered being combat ready. none of b-47as ever saw operational duty in front line sac combat squadrons.

on 19 november 1951, 306th received first operational boeing b-47b , christened real mccoy in honor of colonel michael n. w. mccoy, usaf, wing commander of 306th flew boeing wichita plant macdill. during 1952, 306th developed combat procedures , techniques new bomber , wing emerged leader in jet bombardment tactics , strategies.

the first boeing kc-97e stratofreighter assigned strategic air command delivered 306th air refueling squadron @ macdill on 14 july 1951. in-flight refueling operations started in may 1952 kc-97s refueling b-47s on operational training missions leading toward combat-ready status.

in 1953, 306th became first operational b-47 bombardment wing. wing became backbone of nuclear deterrence strategy maintaining high levels of ground alert in , @ overseas bases. wing awarded air force outstanding unit award role pioneer , leader in jet bombardment tactics. b-47bs 306th bomb wing began 90-day rotational training mission england in june 1953, marking first overseas deployment of b-47. captain (major selectee) glenn a. mcconnell led first 4 b-47s raf brize norton, uk. role in advancing jet bombardment tactics, wing again awarded air force outstanding unit award. additional deployments made raf fairford england, june – september 1953, , @ ben guerir ab, french morocco (later morocco), january – february 1955, october 1956 – january 1957 , october 1957.

in 1954, sac designated specific air refueling organizations , 306th air refueling squadron became ready support b-47 operations across command. during 1954, more advanced b-47es, equipped ejection seats, improved electronics , white reflective paint scheme on underside of fuselage, replaced 306th bmw b-47bs.

during 1954–55, macdill afb , wing served backdrop part of paramount pictures film strategic air command starring james stewart , june allyson, portion of filmed in , around both 305th bombardment wing , 306th bombardment wing areas , b-47 aircraft @ macdill afb.

as sac s b-47s being phased out of inventory, inactivation planning of 306th bmw began. phase down , transfer of b-47s started, , 15 february 1963 wing no longer capable of fulfilling part of strategic war plan. on 1 april 1963, sac inactivated 306th bmw @ macdill , reactivated same day @ mccoy afb, florida b-52d stratofortress , kc-135a stratotanker heavy bombardment wing. mccoy afb former pinecastle afb, having been renamed after colonel michael n. w. mccoy following death in b-47 mishap northwest of downtown orlando, florida in 1957 while in command of 321st bombardment wing @ pinecastle.

305th bombardment wing

on 2 january 1951, 305th bombardment wing activated @ macdill afb , became second strategic air command wing receive b-47 jet bomber. operational squadrons of wing 305th, 364th, 365th , 366th bombardment squadrons. training boeing b-29 , b-50 superfortresses, 305th received first boeing kc-97 stratofreighter later in 1951. following this, group began training heavily in new dual mission of strategic bombardment , aerial refueling.

the 809th air division (809th ad) took on host unit responsibilities macdill afb on 16 june 1952. 809th ad consisted of 305th , 306th bombardment wings, both assigned base.

in june 1952, 305th upgraded all-jet boeing b-47b stratojet. wing continued strategic bombardment , refueling operations macdill , deployed overseas 3 times, once england (september–december 1953) , twice north africa (november 1955 – january 1956 , january – march 1957), in keeping mission of global bombardment , air refueling operations. 2 wing b-47s set speed records on 28 july 1953 when 1 flew rcaf goose bay, labrador, raf fairford, england, in 4:14 hours , other flew limestone afb, maine, raf fairford in 4:45 hours.

in may 1959, 305th bomb wing b-47s reassigned bunker hill afb, later renamed grissom afb, indiana. 809th ad inactivated on 1 june 1959 reassignment of 305th bomb wing.

alert detachment operations

although control of macdill afb pass sac tac in 1960s, sac continued maintain periodic presence @ macdill in form of dispersal alert operations of b-52 , kc-135 aircraft other sac bombardment wings, utilizing extant sac alert facility @ macdill. these operations continued until 1980s.