The 301st Fighter Wing is based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas (formerly Carswell Air Force Base) and is equipped with the F-16C+ Fighting Falcon. The wing has a rich history in the reserve component of the U.S. Air Force dating back to the mid-1940s and continues to make history.
MISSION: The mission of the 301st FW is that of the USAF. The mission of the USAF is to fly, fight and win...in air, space and cyberspace.
SUBORDINATE UNITS: The wing is comprised of command and wing staff agencies, three groups and two wing attached units:
--301st Mission Support Group consisting of: 301st Security Forces Squadron; 301st Force Support Squadron; 301st Civil Engineer Squadron; 301st Logistics Readiness Squadron; 301st Communications Flight; 73rd Aerial Port Squadron; DoD Police; 301st Contracting Flight; Base Civil Engineer and Civilian Personnel
--301st Operations Group consisting of: 457th Fighter Squadron, 301st Operations Support Flight
--Wing attached units: 301st Medical Squadron and Detachment 1, 44th Fighter Group, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
During peacetime, the 301st FW reports to 10th Air Force. When mobilized for active duty, the wing is assigned to Air Combat Command's 12th AF.
ECONOMIC IMPACT: The 301st FW is the largest tenant unit on NAS JRB Fort Worth. With approximately 2,100 Reservists and civilians, the wing has an economic impact of $254 million on the local community.
PAST UNIT HIGHLIGHTS: The 301st FW's long, rich history began when the wing was activated in 1944 as the 301st Tactical FW. The wing, which flew the P-47 Thunderbolt during World War II, was deactivated in 1949. In 1972, the wing was reactivated and assigned the F-105D Thunderchief with the Thunderstick II modification. They later converted to the F-4D Phantom II in 1981, the F-4E in 1987, and the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon in 1991. The 301st continues to fly the Falcon F-16C+.
The 301st was the first Air Force Reserve fighter unit to deploy to overseas bases for NATO exercises when it deployed to Norvenich Air Base, Germany, in August 1977, and again to Cigli AB, Turkey, in October 1982. A deployment to Sivrihisar AB, Turkey, under bare base conditions in May 1985 was another Reserve first. The unit also deployed to Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, Nellis AFB, Nev., and Elmendorf AFB, Alaska in the 1980s.
The 1990s began with many wing members being recalled to active duty during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, serving at locations throughout Southwest Asia, Germany, England, and the U.S. while the wing converted to the F-16 Fighting Falcon. During October and November of 1994, the wing deployed F-16s and crews to Darwin, Australia, as the first Air Force Reserve fighter wing to participate in Aces North, a joint U.S./Australian exercise. Another major highlight was the six-week deployment of F-16s and crews during May and June 1997 to Karup Air Station, Denmark, to join forces with three USAF units and numerous foreign militaries in the NATO Central Enterprise exercise.
The post-Cold War era has been characterized by an enormous increase in contingency operations. The 301st participated in seven of these, flying approximately 1,000 combat sorties over Bosnia, northern Iraq, and southern Iraq. These included Operation Deny Flight (1993), Operation Decisive Edge (1995), Operation Southern Watch (1998, 2001, 2002), and Operation Northern Watch (1999, 2000).
The 457th FS pilots, while flying in support of Operation Northern Watch in 1999, made Air Force Reserve history when they dropped live laser-guided bombs in a real-world combat environment, destroying numerous Iraqi military targets. This deployment marked the first time in history that Air Force Reserve F-16s dropped laser-guided bombs in combat.
Shortly after the events of Sept. 11, 2001, the 301st deployed to Al Jabar, Kuwait, in support of Operation Southern Watch. When they arrived for duty, they were also tasked to fly missions over Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom, flying nearly 200 missions and close to 200 bombs. On the home front, members of the 301st were tasked to support Operation Noble Eagle homeland defense missions.
Since 9/11, 301st units and individual personnel in various career fields supported other missions related to OEF, ONE's homeland defense, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Updated: November 2010