512th Airlift Wing

The 512th Airlift Wing, an associate Air Force Reserve Command unit is located at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. The wing helps maintain, repair and fly the same aircraft as its active-duty counterparts. Members of the 512th work side-by-side with members of the 436th Airlift Wing in fulfilling the mission, maintaining and flying the Lockheed C-5M Galaxy and Boeing C-17 Globemaster III working together to form the "Dover Team".

The wing's mission is to recruit, train, equip and retain a qualified force to augment major commands with people and units to support long-range transport aircraft during peace and war.

As one of only two reserve associate units flying the Galaxy, the 512 AW has a unique role in the Air Force. The first C-5 all-reserve aircrew flew out of Dover in November 1973.

The 512th Airlift Wing consists of the following major units:

The wing was first organized at Reading Municipal Airport on 2 September 1949 as the 512th Troop Carrier Wing, when it absorbed the personnel and equipment of the 319th Bombardment Wing, which was inactivated. A few months later, in April 1950, reserve operations at Reading ended when the wing transferred to New Castle County Airport, Delaware. The wing was manned at 25% of normal strength but was authorized four flying squadrons rather than the three of active duty units.

In March of the following year the wing, along with all reserve combat units, was mobilized for the first time for the Korean War. Its personnel were assigned to other units as fillers, as were its aircraft, and the wing was inactivated two weeks later.

In June 1952, the 512th Troop Carrier Wing was again activated in the reserve at New Castle County Airport, replacing the 916th Reserve Training Wing and taking over the 916th's personnel. The reserve mobilization for the Korean War, however, had left the Reserve without aircraft, and the unit did not receive aircraft until July 1952. 512th aircrews flew Curtiss C-46 Commandos throughout the periods of reserve and active status.

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 squadron/group/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.