513th Air Control Group

An E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system aircraft breaks away from a Mississippi Air National Guard KC-135 Stratotanker during a presidential support mission to Argentina

Constituted and activated in India in 1944. Supported ground forces during the battle for northern Burma and the subsequent Allied drive southward. Flew Allied troops and materiel to the front, transporting gasoline, oil, vehicles, engineering and signal equipment, and other items that the group either landed or dropped in Burma. Also evacuated wounded personnel to India. Moved to Burma in June 1945. After the liberation of Burma, the group hauled critical supplies such as gasoline to China. From late 1945, it continued airlift missions as needed in China until April 1946 when inactivated.

Redesignated 513th Troop Carrier Group (Special). Activated in Germany on 19 November 1948. Assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe. Using C-54's, transported food, coal, and other supplies during the Berlin airlift, Operation Vittles. Inactivated in Germany in October 1949.

Activated in the continental United States on 8 November 1955. Assigned to Tactical Air Command and equipped with C-123 aircraft. From November 1955 to November 1958, participated in numerous tactical exercises and operations, including troop drops and airlift in support of construction of the Distant Early Warning Line stations in the Canadian Arctic regions.

An E-3 Sentry lands here on the Tinker runway on 23 March 2007, after completing one of the many missions done by the aircraft since its arrival at Tinker 30 years ago

From April 1966 to January 1976, the group provided intra-theater airlift in support of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, U.S. European Command, and North Atlantic Treaty Organization operations and exercises, using C-130s and crews rotating to Europe from Tactical Air Command and Military Airlift Command wings based in the United States and C-124s and crews from Air Force Reserve groups. It maintained and operated EC-135s as an airborne command post and acted as host organization for American units at RAF Mildenhall until February 1992. In addition, the group collected samples from the atmosphere for the purpose of detecting and identifying nuclear explosions.

In March 1996 the Air Force re-activated the 513th Air Control Group (513th ACG) as an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Reserve associate command and control unit in concert with active-duty Airmen. It was intended to help offset the effects of growing mission requirements on the 552 ACW.[3] From March 1996 to April 1997, the group was assigned to the U.S. Air Force Reserve's 507th Air Refueling Wing. It took part in worldwide contingency operations and counter-drug missions. In 1997, the group was reassigned under the command of the active duty 552nd Air Control Wing, while remaining a part of the Air Force Reserve. It is currently the only reserve unit to fly the Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft.

By November 1998, Air Force Times reported that '..the 513th is in the final stages of a 2+1⁄2-year activation plan. Staffing is expected to increase by about 75 more people by fall 1999. Once that happens, officials expect the Reservists to perform 11 percent of aircrew duties on the 552nd's AWACS and fly 5 percent of sorties. Flight hours are expected to increase to 740 by the end of fiscal 1999.'[3]

The 513th ACG's subordinate units include the 970th Airborne Air Control Squadron, the 513th Operations Support Squadron, the 513th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the 513th Maintenance Squadron. The current commander, Col. Laurie Dickson who took office January, 2018 is the first female commander of the 513th ACG.

The Air Force's fiscal year 2015 budget request called for the inactivation of the 513th ACG and the retirement of seven E-3 Sentries.[4] The House Armed Services Committee passed an amenedment in May 2014 to block the inactivation of the group and save three aircraft which were intended to be retired.[5]

513th Troop Carrier Group

• Established as the 3d Combat Cargo Group on 1 June 1944

Activated on 5 June 1944

Redesignated 513th Troop Carrier Group on 19 September 1945

Inactivated on 15 April 1946

• Redesignated 513th Troop Carrier Group, Special and activated on 19 November 1948

Inactivated on 16 October 1949

• Redesignated 513th Troop Carrier Group, Assault, Fixed Wing on 30 June 1955

Activated on 8 November 1955

Inactivated on 8 October 1957

• Consolidated with the 513th Tactical Airlift Wing as the 513th Tactical Airlift Wing on 31 January 1984[1]

513th Air Control Group

• Established as the 513th Troop Carrier Wing, Assault, Fixed Wing on 26 September 1957

Activated on 8 October 1957

Redesignated 513th Troop Carrier Wing, Assault on 1 July 1958

Inactivated on 1 December 1958

• Redesignated 513th Troop Carrier Wing and activated on 6 April 1966 (not organized)

Organized on 15 April 1966

Redesignated 513th Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 July 1967

• Consolidated with the 513th Troop Carrier Group on 31 January 1984

Redesignated 513th Airborne Command and Control Wing on 18 June 1987

Inactivated on 1 February 1992

• Redesignated 513th Air Control Group on 7 March 1996

Activated in the Reserve on 15 March 1996[1]

• Objective, Burma!
• Operation Silk Purse - United States Air Forces in Europe's airborne command and control mission

• 3d Combat Cargo Group