The 64th Flying Training Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last active at Reese Air Force Base, Texas, where it conducted pilot training for twenty-five years before it was inactivated in September 1997.
The wing was first activated in as the 64th Troop Carrier Wing in 1952 at Donaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina, but was inactivated within two years. It was again active twice as an airlift unit in the 1960s. In 1972, Air Training Command replaced its four digit Major Command controlled flying training units with units whose heritage could be continued and the wing was activated at Reese, where it conducted pilot training until it was inactivated.
History
Airlift
Donaldson Air Force Base operations
The 64th Troop Carrier Wing was activated at Donaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina on 14 July 1952, taking over the personnel, mission and Fairchild C-82 Packets of the inactivating 375th Troop Carrier Wing, a reserve unit that had been called to active duty for the Korean War. It performed airlift and airdrop/airlanding of troops and cargo, routinely and during frequent maneuvers. From January 1953, when the reserve 443d Troop Carrier Wing was relieved from active duty, until February 1953, when that wing's operational component, the 443rd Troop Carrier Group was inactivated, the 443rd Group was attached to the 64th Wing. The 443rd Group was replaced by the regular 465th Troop Carrier Group, which was attached to the wing until the fall of 1953, as the group prepared for movement to France. The wing then began phasing down for inactivation in mid-October 1953, when it was attached to the 63d Troop Carrier Wing, which took over its tactical operations. In February 1954, however, the wing began building up again with Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars in preparation for an overseas movement, but the movement was cancelled and it was inactivated in July 1954 instead.
Dyess Air Force Base operations
The 64th was activated at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas on 8 February 1961 and began to organize with Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft. Its primary mission was as a troop carrier/tactical airlift unit, but it also conducted resupply of Distant Early Warning Line sites on the Greenland ice cap, flying its first mission on 8 May. Elements of the wing deployed to the Indian Ocean area to support NASA space missions. It also provided airlift support for President Kennedy's 1962 visit to Mexico City. In the fall of 1962, the wing was engaged in developing procedures for C-130s for Project Skyhook, retrieving personnel or cargo by engaging a cable attached to a balloon.
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the wing flew 107 missions to support American forces, mostly in Florida. Shortly thereafter, on 1 January 1963, the wing was inactivated and transferred its mission, personnel and C-130s to the 516th Troop Carrier Wing, which was simultaneously activated.
Sewart Air Force Base operations
On 1 December 1965, in anticipation of the forthcoming move of the 314th Troop Carrier Wing to Taiwan, Tactical Air Command activated the Troop Carrier Wing, Provisional, 4413th at Sewart Air Force Base, Tennessee. When the 314th Wing moved, it assumed control of squadrons already on Taiwan, and two of its squadrons, the 61st and 62d Troop Carrier Squadrons remained at Sewart and were attached to the 4413th. On 1 July 1966, the 64th was activated to replace the provisional unit and took command of the former 314th squadrons. The wing provided global airlift and aeromedical evacuation. It also provided C-130 Hercules combat crew training for other units while at Sewart, with crew training being the wing's primary activity from 9 August 1968 to 6 March 1970. On 1 May 1967, the wing was redesignated the 64th Tactical Airlift Wing. In March 1970, it moved to Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, where, in May 1971, the wing inactivated and was replaced by the 314th Tactical Airlift Wing, which had returned from the Pacific on paper.