483d Tactical Airlift Wing

483d Tactical Airlift Wing
thumbTong 725, a C-7A Caribouof the 535th Tactical Airlift Squadron, October 1971
Active	1953–1960, 1966-1972
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Airlift
Part of	Pacific Air Forces
Motto(s)	Efficient Airlift Support
Engagements	Korean Service Vietnam Service
Decorations	Presidential Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Korean Presidential Unit Citation Gallantry Cross (Vietnam)
Insignia
Patch with 483d Tactical Airlift Wing emblem (approved 2 Feb 1956)

The 483d Tactical Airlift Wing was a tactical airlift and composite wing assigned to Pacific Air Forces during the Vietnam War. It was the host organization at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base South Vietnam from 1970–1972.

The unit history includes the temporarily bestowed history of the World War II 483d Bombardment Group, which was a United States Army Air Forces combat group. It served primarily in the Mediterranean, African, and The Middle East Theatres of World War II. During the Korean War, the group was redesignated the 483d Troop Carrier Groupand assigned to the wing.

The Wing was first organized as the 483d Troop Carrier Wing during the Korean War, as an airlift organization assigned to Far East Air Forces (later Pacific Air Forces) (PACAF) for duty.

The wing was activated at Ashiya AB, Japan as the 483d Troop Carrier Wing on 1 January 1953 and replaced the 403d Troop Carrier Wing, Medium and absorbed the 403d's mission, personnel and equipment. It was assigned to the 315th Air Division of Far East Air Forces (FEAF) for duty in the Korean War.

The wing was equipped with Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars and performed troop carrier and air transport operations in the Far East, including landing of troops and cargo in forward areas of the combat zone, air transportation of airborne troops and equipment, and air evacuation of casualties. In June 1953, as the Korean war neared an armistice, all wing C-119s airlifted the entire 187th Regimental Combat Team (Airborne) from Kyushu, Japan to Seoul and Chunch'on, South Korea, to preclude enemy breakthroughs. This was the largest mass movement of personnel in the history of combat cargo to that time. For is actions in the Korean War, the wing received the Korean Presidential Unit Citation.