435th Air Ground Operations Wing

435th Air Ground Operations Wing
An air traffic controller assigned to the wing's 435th Contingency Response Squadron observes a C-130 Hercules landing on a highway strip during an exercise in Bulgaria in 2021
Active	1949–1952; 1952–1965; 1968–1995; 2004–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Wing
Role	Combat support; command and control; and communications for deployed forces
Part of	United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa Third Air Force
Garrison/HQ	Ramstein Air Base, Germany
Nickname	Flamingo Wing (1949–1965)[1]
Mottos	Citus et Certus (Latin for 'Swift and Sure')
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Leland K. Cowie II
Command Chief	CMSgt Jared S. Roman
Insignia
435th Air Ground Operations Wing emblem[a][2]
435th Tactical Airlift Wing emblem[b][3]
435th Troop Carrier Wing emblem[c][4]

The 435th Air Ground Operations Wing (AGOW) is an active wing of the United States Air Force (USAF), assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). It is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.^[5]

The wing provides combat support, command and control, and deployed communications. Its principal subordinate units are the 4th Air Support Operations Group, the 435th Communications Operations Group, and the 435th Contingency Response Group.^[6]

The 435th AGOW comprises three groups. Each group supports a portion of the wing's mission.

• The 4th Air Support Operations Group (4 ASOG)
• The 435th Communications Operations Group (435 COG)
• The 435th Contingency Response Group (435 CRG)

The group is tasked with establishing an airfield and aerial port operations, and providing force protection at contingency airfields. The unit was activated as the 86th Contingency Response Group at Hangar 3 at Ramstein Air Base on 26 February 1999, and was the first unit of its kind in the Air Force. It incorporates more than 42 career fields and specialties, and is a rapid-deployment unit designed to be a "first-in" force to secure an airfield and establish and maintain airfield operations. It consists of three subordinate squadrons:

The CRG's Air Mobility Squadron provides airfield command and control, loads and unloads aircraft and essentially sets up an aerial port where none existed.

The CRG's Security Forces Squadron provides force protection in the opening stages of a deployment and also provides protection for any follow-up forces. The Security Forces Squadron is capable of overland airlift, air assault, or airborne insertion into crisis situations.

The CRG's Construction & Training Squadron provides mission-essential equipment training for specialized equipment used in deployed civil engineering operations and contingency airfield construction.

The CRG's Detachment 1 provides operations support functions with a core capability in its Air Advisor Flight. This flight is responsible for military-to-military engagements with partner nations and supports relationships within the United States European Command (EUCOM) and United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) areas of responsibility.

The wing commander is Colonel Leland K. Cowie II, who assumed command on 18 June 2025. The wing command chief is Command Chief Master Sergeant Jared S. Roman.^[7]

Unless otherwise indicated, units are based at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.^[8]

4th Air Support Operations Group

• 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron (2 ASOS) (Vilseck, Germany)
• 7th Combat Weather Squadron (7 CWS) (Wiesbaden, Germany)

435th Communications Operations Group

• 1st Air & Space Communications Operations Squadron (1 ACOS)
• 1st Combat Communications Squadron (1 CBCS)
• 1st Communications Maintenance Squadron (1 CMXS)

435th Contingency Response Group

• 435th Construction and Training Squadron (435 CTS)
• 435th Contingency Response Squadron (435 CRS)
• 435th Contingency Response Support Squadron (435 CRSS)
• 435th Security Forces Squadron (435 SFS)

For additional history and lineage, see 435th Operations Group

In June 1949, Continental Air Command (ConAC), which had the responsibility to train reserve units, reorganized its reserve units under the wing base organization system. As part of this reorganization and unit reductions required by president Truman's reduced 1949 defense budget,^[9] the 435th Troop Carrier Wing was activated at Miami International Airport,^[3] and formed its cadre from the inactivating 49th Air Division and 100th Bombardment Group.^[10]The wing was manned at 25% of normal strength but was authorized four squadrons rather than the three of active duty units.^[11]

At Miami, the wing trained with C-46s under the supervision of the active duty 2585th Air Force Reserve Training Center.^[12] The wing was ordered into active service in March 1951 as a result of the Korean War. Along with other reserve units called to active duty, it formed the Tactical Air Command's Eighteenth Air Force. The 435th's initial function was to train C-46 aircrews for service in Korea.^[13] The wing also trained with Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars. Although it remained at Miami, the wing deployed twice while on active duty: to Laurinburg-Maxton Airport, North Carolina from 21 July until 1 September 1951 and to Grenier Air Force Base, New Hampshire from 2 January to 3 March 1952.^[14] It was relieved from active duty and inactivated on 1 December 1952 and its mission, personnel and equipment were transferred to the regular 456th Troop Carrier Wing, which was activated the same day.^[2][15]

The wing was activated as a reserve unit the same day at the same station, but with the personnel and equipment of the inactive 482d Troop Carrier Wing.^[16] In the reserve, the 435th once again flew Curtiss Commandos^[2] under the supervision of the 2585th Center. In the summer of 1956, the wing participated in Operation Sixteen Ton during its two weeks of active duty training. Sixteen Ton was performed entirely by reserve troop carrier units and moved United States Coast Guard equipment from Floyd Bennett Naval Air Station to Isla Grande Airport in Puerto Rico and San Salvador in the Bahamas. After the success of this operation, the wing began to use inactive duty training periods for Operation Swift Lift, transporting high priority cargo for the Air Force; and Operation Ready Swap, transporting aircraft engines between Air Materiel Command's depots.^[17] In addition, for the first time as a reserve unit, its flying was performed in unit tactical aircraft, rather than in trainers.^[18]

During the first half of 1955, the Air Force began detaching reserve squadrons to separate locations. The dispersal of separate squadrons to smaller population centres was intended to facilitate recruiting and manning. One of the first three squadrons to move as this policy was implemented was the 78th Troop Carrier Squadron, which was activated at Orlando Air Force Base in April 1955 after having been inactivated at Miami the previous year.^[19][20] In August 1956, the wing's 77th Troop Carrier Squadron left Miami for Pinellas County Airport, Florida. The squadron's stay in the Tampa Bay area was brief, however, for in November 1957 it moved again, this time to New Orleans Naval Air Station, Louisiana.^[21] Only the 76th Squadron remained with group headquarters in Miami.^[22] In 1957, the wing once again received C-119s.^[2]

In 1958, the 2585th Center was inactivated and some of its personnel were absorbed by the wing. In place of active duty support for reserve units, Continental Air Command adopted the Air Reserve Technician program, in which a cadre of the unit consisted of full-time personnel who were simultaneously civilian employees of the Air Force and also held military rank as members of the reserves.^[23]

The 435th Troop Carrier Group was deactivated on 14 April 1959 when the 435th Wing adopted the Dual Deputy organization and the group's squadrons were assigned directly to the wing.^{[24][22][21][19]} In 1960, the wing left Miami International Airport and moved south to Homestead Air Force Base, Florida.^[2]

Although the dispersal of flying units under the Detached Squadron Concept 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.^[25] The 77th and 78th Troop Carrier Squadrons converted to the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II in 1961,^[21][19] and were ordered to active service for the crisis, although the 76th Troop Carrier Squadron, which continued to fly the C-119, remained in reserve status. After training to become combat ready, the mobilized wing participated in worldwide airlift and tactical exercises. The wing returned to reserve status in August 1962 and the 76th Squadron was once more assigned.^[2]

To resolve the mobilization problem, at the start of 1962 Continental Air Command 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. However, as this plan was entering its implementation phase, another partial mobilization occurred for the Cuban Missile Crisis. The formation of troop carrier groups was delayed until January for wings that had not been mobilized.^[25] The 915th Troop Carrier Group at Homestead, the 916th Troop Carrier Group at Donaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina and the 917th Troop Carrier Group at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, were all assigned to the wing on 17 January. That spring, the Air Force closed Donaldson and the 916th Group moved to Carswell Air Force Base, Texas and was reassigned. It was replaced by the 908th Troop Carrier Group at Bates Field, Alabama. The wing's other Globemaster group, the 917th, was reassigned in July and the wing once again flew Flying Boxcars as its tactical aircraft.^[2]

The wing was deactivated in April 1965 and had its groups reassigned to other reserve wings.^[2]

The wing was reactivated at RAF High Wycombe, England, on 24 December 1968 as the 435th Military Airlift Support Wing and assigned to Military Airlift Command (MAC). It moved to Rhein-Main Air Base, West Germany, on 1 July 1969. From Rhein-Main, the wing provided airlift control elements and aircraft maintenance support at aerial ports across Europe, the Middle East, Southwest Asia, and Africa.^[2]

On 1 July 1975, the unit was redesignated the 435th Tactical Airlift Wing. In addition to its operational mission, the wing assumed host responsibilities for Rhein-Main Air Base, which served as a major gateway for airlift transiting between the continental United States and forward locations in Europe.^[3][1]

The wing supported theater airlift and aeromedical evacuation in Europe and the Middle East. Tactical airlift initially used rotational Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft; a permanently assigned C-130 squadron was established later. The wing supported joint and combined airborne training, humanitarian relief, contingency evacuations, and aeromedical missions.^[2]

Elements of the wing, including the 37th Tactical Airlift Squadron, deployed to Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, from August 1990 to March 1991 in support of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.^[2]

On 1 April 1992, the wing was redesignated the 435th Airlift Wing as part of the Air Force objective wing reorganization. After MAC inactivated later that year, the wing and Rhein-Main returned to USAFE control, while an Air Mobility Command organization assumed responsibility for operating the air terminal and supporting transiting mobility aircraft.^[2]

From July 1992 through September 1994, the wing directed airlift operations supporting Operation Provide Promise, delivering humanitarian assistance to areas of the former Yugoslavia.^[2]

As part of post–Cold War force reductions in Europe, the wing was inactivated on 1 April 1995, and remaining responsibilities at Rhein-Main transferred to successor USAFE and AMC organizations.^[26]

The 435 AW was converted to a provisional expeditionary wing, the 435th Air Expeditionary Wing, in February 2001, but was never activated as an expeditionary unit. It was returned to regular status in December 2003.^[2]

In January 2004, the wing was reactivated as the 435th Air Base Wing and assumed the overall host base support responsibilities at Ramstein Air Base, Germany^[2] as a non-flying unit.

In mid 2009, the 435th Air Base Wing was re-designated the '435th Air Ground Operations Wing, the second wing of its kind in the USAF. The 435th assumed mission areas previously performed by two 86th Airlift Wing units – the contingency response group and the air and space communications group – along with the 4th Air Support Operations Group at Heidelberg, Germany.^[2] The 431st Air Base Group was inactivated during an earlier ceremony. The remaining mission areas of the 435th (e.g., base support of Ramstein) were merged back into the 86th Airlift Wing.

• Established as 435th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 10 May 1949

Activated in the reserve on 26 June 1949

Ordered to active service on 1 March 1951

Inactivated on 1 December 1952

• Activated in the reserve on 1 December 1952

Re-designated 435th Troop Carrier Wing, Heavy on 18 September 1961

Ordered to active service on 1 October 1961

Relieved from active service on 27 August 1962

Re-designated 435th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on 1 July 1963

Discontinued and inactivated on 1 December 1965

• Re-designated as 435th Military Airlift Support Wing on 25 November 1968

Activated on 24 December 1968

Re-designated 435th Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 July 1975

Re-designated 435th Airlift Wing on 1 April 1992

Inactivated on 1 April 1995

• Re-designated 435th Air Expeditionary Wing and converted to provisional status on 5 February 2001
• Returned to permanent status on 10 December 2003

Re-designated 435th Air Base Wing on 15 December 2003

Activated on 15 January 2004

Re-designated 435th Air Ground Operations Wing on 16 July 2009^[27]

Unless otherwise indicated, units are based at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.^[8]

• 4th Air Support Operations Group
• 435th Troop Carrier Group (later 435th Tactical Airlift Group, 435th Operations Group): 26 June 1949 – 1 December 1952; 1 December 1952 – 14 April 1959; 1 July 1975 – 23 June 1978; 15 September 1978 – 1 June 1980; 1 April 1992 – 1 April 1995
• 435th Contingency Response Group^[28]
• 435th Air and Space Communications Group
• 908th Troop Carrier Group: 18 March 1963 – 1 December 1965
• 915th Troop Carrier Group: 17 January 1963 – 1 December 1965
• 916th Troop Carrier Group: 17 January – 18 March 1963
• 917th Troop Carrier Group: 17 January – 1 July 1963^[2]

• 37th Tactical Airlift Squadron (later 37th Airlift Squadron): 1 October 1977 – 15 December 1978; 1 June 1980 – 1 April 1992
• 2nd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron: 31 March 1975 – 15 December 1978; 1 June 1980 – 1 April 1992
• 58th Military Airlift Squadron: 1 September 1977 – 23 June 1978
• 76th Troop Carrier Squadron: 14 April 1959 – 1 October 1961; 27 August 1962 – 17 January 1963
• 77th Troop Carrier Squadron: 14 April 1959 – 17 January 1963
• 78th Troop Carrier Squadron: 8 May 1959 – 17 January 1963^[2]

• Miami International Airport, Florida, 26 June 1949 – 1 December 1952; 1 December 1952
• Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, 25 July 1960 – 1 December 1965
• RAF High Wycombe, England, 24 December 1968
• Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany, 1 July 1969 – 1 April 1995
• Ramstein Air Base, Germany, 15 January 2004 – present^[2]

Explanatory notes

Citations

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Cantwell, Gerald T. (1997). Citizen Airmen: a History of the Air Force Reserve, 1946-1994. Washington, D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program. ISBN 0-16049-269-6. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
• Knaack, Marcelle Size (1978). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems. Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945-1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-59-5.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
• Rogers, Brian. (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
• Citus et Certus: Swift and Sure. Ramstein AB, Germany: 435th Air Base Wing History Office. 2006.

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