42d Air Base Wing
The 42d Air Base Wing (42 ABW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command Air University. It is stationed at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama. The wing is also the host unit at Maxwell-Gunter.
Its primary mission is to support all activities of Air University, which is stationed at Maxwell-Gunter.
Its World War II predecessor, the 42d Bombardment Group was a medium bomber unit, which saw combat in the Central and Southwest Pacific areas as part of Thirteenth Air Force. It was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for its pre-invasion bombing of Balikpapan, 23–30 June 1945. Active for over 50 years, the 42d Bombardment Wing was a component wing of Strategic Air Command's deterrent force during the Cold War, flying the B-36 Peacemaker and later B-52 Stratofortress.
The 42d Air Base Wing is commanded by Colonel Kris D. Beasley. Its Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant Mark Repp .
Famous quotes containing the words air, base and/or wing:
“Having grown up in shade of Church and State
Breathing the air of drawing-rooms and scent ...”
—Philip Larkin (1922–1986)
“Adolescence is a time when children are supposed to move away from parents who are holding firm and protective behind them. When the parents disconnect, the children have no base to move away from or return to. They aren’t ready to face the world alone. With divorce, adolescents feel abandoned, and they are outraged at that abandonment. They are angry at both parents for letting them down. Often they feel that their parents broke the rules and so now they can too.”
—Mary Pipher (20th century)
“I come to one bush of berries so ripe it is a bush of flies,
Hanging their bluegreen bellies and their wing panes in a Chinese
screen.
The honey-feast of the berries has stunned them; they believe in
heaven.”
—Sylvia Plath (1932–1963)