939th Air Rescue Wing
939th Air Refueling Wing
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| Active | 1963-1973; 1985-2008 |
| Country |
 United States
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| Branch |
 United States Air Force
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| Role | Air Refueling |
| Part of | Air Force Reserve Command |
| Decorations |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm |
| Insignia | |
| 939th Air Refueling Wing emblem (approved 5 March 1969) |  |
The 939th Air Refueling Wing is an inactive United States Air Force Reserve unit. It was last active with the Fourth Air Force, based at the Portland Air Reserve Station, Oregon. It was inactivated on 30 June 2008.
After May 1959, the reserve flying force consisted of 45 troop carrier squadrons assigned to 15 troop carrier wings. The squadrons were not all located with their parent wings, but were spread over thirty-five Air Force, Navy and civilian airfields under what was called the Detached Squadron Concept. The concept offered several advantages. Communities were more likely to accept the smaller squadrons than the large wings and the location of separate squadrons in smaller population centers would facilitate recruiting and manning. However, under this concept, all support organizations were located with the wing headquarters. Although this was not a problem when the entire wing was called to active service, mobilizing a single flying squadron and elements to support it proved difficult. This weakness was demonstrated in the partial mobilization of reserve units during the Berlin Crisis of 1961. To resolve this, at the start of 1962, Continental Air Command, (ConAC) determined to reorganize its reserve wings by establishing groups with support elements for each of its troop carrier squadrons. This reorganization would facilitate mobilization of elements of wings in various combinations when needed.
As a result, the 939th Troop Carrier Group was established at Portland International Airport, Oregon on 11 February 1963 as the headquarters for the 313th Troop Carrier Squadron, which had been stationed there since November 1957. Along with group headquarters, a Combat Support Squadron, Materiel Squadron and a Tactical Infirmary were organized to support the 313th. The group was equipped with Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars for Tactical Air Command airlift operations.
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Wikipedia