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The 932nd Airlift Wing is an Air Force Reserve unit located at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Designated the "Gateway Wing" because of its close, 30-minute drive to the Gateway Arch on the Mississippi riverfront at St. Louis, the 932nd AW is the only Air Force Reserve Command flying unit in Illinois.

Unit Designation: 932nd Airlift Wing, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois

Mission: The mission of the 932nd Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve, assigned as a tenant unit at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is to provide first-class, worldwide, safe, and reliable airlift for distinguished visitors and their staffs. It equips, trains, and organizes a ready force of citizen airmen to support and maintain all facets of air base operations involving infrastructure and security. The wing also provides worldwide medical services to the warfighter from the front line to Continental United States fixed medical treatment facilities.

Parent Unit: 4th Air Force, March Air Force Base, California

Commander: Col. Albert V. Lupenski

Subordinate Units: The wing headquarters has four groups assigned.

932nd Airlift Wing Groups:

932nd Operations Group
932nd Maintenance Group
932nd Medical Group
932nd Mission Support Group

Squadrons and Flights:

73rd Airlift Squadron
932nd Maintenance Squadron
932nd Medical Squadron
932nd Mission Support Flight
932nd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron
932nd Maintenance Operations Flight
932nd Aeromedical Staging Squadron
932nd Civil Engineering Flight
932nd Operations Support Flight
932nd Aerospace Medicine Flight
932nd Logistics Readiness Flight
12th Operational Weather Flight
932nd Services Flight

Gaining Command: Air Mobility Command

Type of Aircraft Flown: C-40C

Major Operations and Exercises in the past:

932nd crews ferried men and material to and from southeast Asia in support of the Vietnam War.

932nd Airlift Wing personnel deployed to Europe in April 1999 during the Kosovo Crisis in support of NATO's Operation Allied Force.

During 2001-present, a variety of 932nd personnel job specialties were utilized for the Global War on Terrorism, including the wing's Security Forces members, many of the medical specialists, and scores of individual specialties. Reservists deployed throughout the world to work side by side with active duty and relieve a high operations tempo for Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In September 2001, six C-9 Nightingale aircraft with twelve crews made up of Reserve and active duty personnel provided an aeromedical evacuation option for personnel wounded in the terrorist attack on the Pentagon building. Half of the C-9s were flown by Air Force Reserve pilots from the 73rd Airlift Squadron.

In October 2003, the 932nd Airlift Wing became unit equipped when, by direction of Congress, three C-9A's were retired from active duty and turned over to the wing.
Hurricane and disaster relief has been a hallmark of 932nd Medical personnel deployments for decades. Aeromedical technicians have supported contingencies including Hurricane Georges, Rita to the devastation of Katrina.

932nd Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians periodically deploy in support of notable domestic events. Personnel specifically supported a papal visit to St. Louis and NATO's 50th anniversary summit in Washington D.C. among others.

932nd reservists deploy in support various small contingencies as needed. Medical personnel deployed to Honduras and other Latin American locations multiple times to perform physicals and minor medical treatment and airlifted car crash victims out of Haiti to medical relief. 932nd aircrew volunteered to fly to Eglin AFB, Fla., to pick up wounded Air Force personnel from the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing Saudi Arabia.
From 2007 to the present, the 932nd has continued its unique DV mission with the C-9C and C-40C airframes. Its pilots, maintainers, and flight attendants have escorted members of Congress, senior military officials, foreign dignitaries and the First Lady among others. Some notable events included two missions carrying members of Congress and their guests to Senator Edward Kennedy's funeral in August 2009. 932nd aircraft and personnel also deployed to Ramstein Air Base, Germany in October 2009 in support of United States Air Forces Europe (USAFE) DV requirements.

Milestones in Unit History:
1963 - Organized in the Reserve as the 932nd Troop Carrier Group.

1969 - Redesignated the 932nd Aeromedical Airlift Group (Associate).
1992 - Realigned under the 446th Airlift Wing, McChord Air Force Base, Washington.

1994 - Redesignated the 932nd Airlift Wing and realigned under 4th Air Force, McClellan AFB, California.
2003 - Became unit-equipped with the arrival of three C-9A aircraft and a mission change to Distinguished Visitor (DV) airlift.
2005 - Replaced aging C-9As with three veteran C-9C DV aircraft transferred from Andrews AFB, Maryland.
2007 - Received three C-40C aircraft off the Boeing assembly line, increasing the DV fleet to six aircraft.
2007 - The active duty 54th Airlift Squadron paired with the 932nd in a reverse associate relationship, providing pilots and flight attendants for DV missions aboard 932nd C-40C aircraft.
2011 - Retired three C-9C DV aircraft from the Air Force Reserve inventory. Upon retirement, one C-9C was transferred to the AMC Museum at Dover AFB, Md. The other two C-9Cs were turned over to the State Department.
In November, a fourth C-40C was received from the Boeing Co.

A Special Note Regarding 73rd Airlift Squadron History:
The 73rd Airlift Squadron, the single reserve flying squadron under the 932nd, traces its lineage back to World War II, having flown troop carrier missions in the European Theater from Operation Overlord through V-E Day.

Awards and Decorations: The wing has earned seven Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 20 Aug 1969-30 Jun 1971; 1 Jan 1972-31 Mar 1973; 24 Jul 1975-23 Jul 1977; 29 Sep 1980-30 Jun 1982; 1 Jul 1986-31 Jul 88; 1 Jan 1993-1 Aug 1994; 1 Sep 05-30 Sep 06. Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm: 1 Apr 1967-24 Jul 1969.

The wing has won numerous Air Mobility Command Flight Safety Awards for accident-free flying and earned the National Safety Council Award of Honor twice.

Number of Personnel Assigned: approximately 1000
(Current as of April 2011, courtesy of the 932nd Airlift Wing Historian's Office)
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