Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

4135th Strategic Wing
39th Bomb Wing

The 4135th Strategic Wing, a newly organized B-52 wing, was stationed at Eglin Air Force Base in 1959. In 1960 the 4135th Strategic Wing was involved in B-52 testing of the AGM-28 air-to-surface missile and the ADM-20 decoy missile. In June 1962 General Earl L. Johnson assumed command of the 4135th Strategic Wing at Eglin.

The 39th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, was established and activated on 15 November 1962, and organized on 01 February 1963. The 39th Bombardment Wing [previously designated the 4135th Strategic Wing] trained to maintain combat readiness for strategic bombardment on global scale from 1963 through 1965. Flying B-52 aircraft, the Wing was stationed at Eglin AFB, FL, and maintained airborne alert, ground alert, and participated in numerous exercises until inactivation on 25 June 1965.

The 39th Wing was established as the 39th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 20 November 1940 and activated on 15 January 1941, flying various types of aircraft -- B-17, 1941-1942; B-25, 1941; B-24, 1942-1944. The 39th Bombardment Group patrolled the northwest coast of the US after the nation entered World War II. It served as an operational training and later as a replacement training unit, 1942-April 1944.

The unit was redesignated the 39th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, on 28 March 1944, and equipped with the B-29 bomber. Trained as a heavy bombardment unit in 1944, the Wing moved to Guam early in 1945 as part of Twentieth Air Force, and conducted its first mission against the Japanese home islands in Apr 1945. The 39th supported Allied invasion of Okinawa by attacking airfields that served as bases for kamikaze pilots. It bombed military and industrial targets in Japan and participated in incendiary raids on urban are as from mid-May until the end of the war. Operations included an attack against the Otake oil refinery and storage area on Honshu on 10 May 1945, and bombing industrial and dock areas in Yokohama and manufacturing districts in Tokyo, 23-29 May 1945. The wing returned to the United States, November-December 1945 and was inactivated on 27 December 1945.

The 39th Bombardment Wing was discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 June 1965. The lineage of the unit was consolidated (on 31 January 1984) with the 39th Tactical Group, which had been activated on 14 March 1966. The 39th Tactical Group replaced the 7216th Combat Support Group on 1 April 1966 to control permanent support units and deployed weapons training detachments at Incirlik, Turkey. Known as TUSLOG (The United States Logistics Group) Detachment 10 within Turkey until 1 October 1982, it supported the USAFE and NATO operational missions in the Middle East. Provided disaster relief and mercy missions as required during fires, floods, earthquakes, and other such disasters. Provided support for US and NATO forces during operations in Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe from August 1990.