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:
“After us they’ll fly in hot air balloons, coat styles will change, perhaps they’ll discover a sixth sense and cultivate it, but life will remain the same, a hard life full of secrets, but happy. And a thousand years from now man will still be sighing, “Oh! Life is so hard!” and will still, like now, be afraid of death and not want to die.”
—Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904)
“For those who are base in judgement do not know the good they hold in their hands until they cast it off.”
—Sophocles (497–406/5 B.C.)
“But he her fears to cease
Sent down the meek-eyed Peace;
She, crowned with olive green, came softly sliding
Down through the turning sphere,
His ready harbinger,
With turtle wing the amorous clouds dividing,
And waving wide her myrtle wand,
She strikes a universal peace through sea and land.”
—John Milton (1608–1674)