The unit activation and assumption of command of the 370th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group and Squadron took place at New Al Muthana Air Base 22 April 2007
The370th Air Expeditionary Wing (AEW) is a provisionalUnited States Air Force unit assigned toUnited States Air Forces Central, which may activate or inactivate it at any time. The unit was last stationed inIraq, and was likely inactivated in 2011 as part of the United States pullout of forces.
The370th Air Expeditionary Wing was originally constituted as the 1st Transport Group in 1933.[1] As a Regular Army Inactive unit, it was assigned reserve personnel in early 1934 only for training purposes.[2] From February to May 1934, thegroup was provisionally organized atColumbus, Ohio.[2]
In 1937, the group was consolidated with the10th Observation Group, also constituted in 1933 but never activated. The consolidated group was designated the10th Transport Group and activated on 20 May 1937.[1] Its originalsquadrons were the 1st,[3]2d,[4] 3d,[5] and4th Transport Squadrons.[6] It provided a single headquarters for these squadrons, which had been assigned to the various Air Depots in the United States.[3][4][5][6] The group headquarters and one of its squadrons were located at what is nowWright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. It operated single-engineBellanca C-27 Airbus and twin-engineDouglas C-33 transports as part of thelogistics organization of theAir Corps on routes in the US and to Alaska and the Canal Zone, transporting supplies, materiel, and personnel.[1]
In May 1941, two of the group's squadrons were reassigned to providecadres for newly forming transport groups as the Air Corps expanded. The 3d Transport Squadron was reassigned to the63d Transport Group,[5] while the 4th Transport Squadron was reassigned to the62d Transport Group[6] This left the group with two of its original squadrons, plus the5th Transport Squadron, which had activated under the group in 1939.[7]
Douglas C-39 transport, a military modified version of the DC-2
On 30 April 1942, the group transferred to theAir Transport Command (later I Troop Carrier Command) (I TCC) and was redesignated as the10th Troop Carrier Group two months later.[1] It converted primarily toDouglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft, but also flew other military models of the Douglas DC-3.[8] After its transfer the group acted as an Operational Training Unit (OTU), OTUs were oversized units that trained cadres for "satellite" troop carrier groups.[9] In 1943 the group was given the additional duty of acting as a Replacement Training Unit training replacementaircrews.[1] In February 1943, the last of the group's original squadrons, the 1st and 2d Troop Carrier Squadrons (TCS) deployed to the CBI Theater and were assigned toTenth Air Force.[3][4] The following month, they were replaced by the307th and308th TCSs.[10] During the next two years, the group moved frequently to various I TCC stations, while its squadrons were frequently located elsewhere.[7] All squadrons except for the38th TCS, located atLaurinburg-Maxton Army Air Base, North Carolina[11] were colocated with group headquarters by early 1944.[1][7][10]
TheArmy Air Forces found that standard military units, based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were proving less well adapted to performing the training mission. Accordingly, a more functional system was adopted in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit.[12] As a result, the 10th was disbanded in April 1944[1] and its mission, personnel, and equipment were combined with the support organizations atAlliance Army Air Field and transferred to the 805th AAF Base Unit (Replacement Training Unit, Troop Carrier),[13] while that of the 38th TCS was transferred to the 810th AAF Base Unit (Combat Crew Training School, Troop Carrier).
Airman 1st Class Brad Sisson, 322 AEW, tapes Tech. Sgt. Dale Peters doing a Hometown Holiday Greeting spot for his stateside family and friends
The370th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group (AEAG) was activated during theIraq War on 29 March 2007. Its activation ceremony atNew Al Muthana Air Base was delayed until late April.[14] The mission of the 370 AEAG was to restart theIraqi Air Force by training Iraqi Air Force aircrews how to operate, employ and maintainLockheed C-130 Hercules andMil Mi-17[15] aircraft, and to maintain and operate as a self-sufficientair base. This mission was known as "CAFTT" for Coalition Air Forces Training Team.[15] The group included personnel from a variety of career specialties[15] and it was assigned toSecond Air Force as part ofAir Education and Training Command.[citation needed]
I Troop Carrier Command, 13 February 1943 – 14 April 1944
Air Education and Training Command to activate or inactivate any time after 23 March 2007 (Attached to: United States Air Forces Central)[citation needed]
^Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L, eds. (1955). "Introduction".The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. p. xxxvi.LCCN48-3657.
^Goss, William A (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L (eds.).The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. p. 75.LCCN48-3657.
Clay, Steven E. (2010).U.S. Army Order of Battle, 1919–1941(PDF). Vol. 3, The Services: Air Service, Engineers, and Special Troops,1919–41. Leavenworth, KS: Combat Studies Institute Press.ISBN9780984190140. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 27 September 2013. Retrieved27 November 2012.
Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L, eds. (1955).The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.LCCN48-3657.
United States
United States Air Force
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency