349th Air Mobility Wing History Facts

Unit Designations
349th Troop Carrier Group- Nov. 1 1943
349th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium- May 10, 1949
349th Fighter-Bomber Wing- May 26, 1952
349th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium- Sept. 1, 1957
349th Military Airlift Wing- June 1, 1966
349th Military Airlift Wing (Associate)- July 25, 1969
349th Airlift Wing (Associate)- June 1, 1992
349th Air Mobility Wing- Sept. 1, 1994-present 

Active Duty Service
World War II-- Nov. 1943-Aug. 1945
Korean War-- Apr. 1, 1951-Dec. 31, 1952
Cuban Missile Crisis-- Oct. 28, 1962-28 Nov. 28, 1962
Vietnam War-- Jan. 26, 1968-June 1, 1969
Persian Gulf War-- Aug. 30, 1990-July 30, 1991
Operation Noble Eagle-- Oct. 2001 - Sept. 2002
Operation Enduring Freedom-- Oct. 7, 2001 - present
Operation Iraqi Freedom-- March 19, 2003 - present

Aircraft Flown
C-46 "Commando" 1943-1951
T-6 "Texan" 1949-1950
T-11 "Kansan" 1949-1951
T-28 "Trojan" 1953-1956
F-51 "Mustang" 1953-1954
T-33 "Silver Star" 1953-1957
F-80 "Shooting Star" 1953-1956
C-45 "Expediter" 1954-1956
C-47 "Sky Train" 1955-1956
F-84 "Thunderjet" 1956-1957
C-119 "Flying Boxcar" 1957-1968
C-124 "Globemaster II" 1966-1969
C-141 "Starlifter" 1969-1997
C-5 "Galaxy" 1972-present
KC-10 "Extender" 1994-present
C-17 "Globemaster III" 2006-present
 

Wing Commanders 
Col. Leonard J. Barrow, Jr. -- Nov. 1, 1943 
Brig. Gen. Franklin Rose -- June 27, 1949 
Brig. Gen. Harold P. Little - June 13, 1952 
Brig. Gen. Rollin B. Moore, Jr. - Jan. 10, 1959 
Col. Jesse A. Irwin -- July 15, 1968 
Col. Ray M. Foster (Acting) -- July 25, 1969 
Col. Arthur C. Carroll -- Dec. 15, 1969 
Col. Billy C. Means -- April 8, 1970 
Brig. Gen. James L. Wade -- Dec. 31, 1973 
Col. Edward C. Black, Jr. -- Jan. 12, 1976 
Brig. Gen. Donald H. Balch -- Feb. 1, 1976 
Brig. Gen. James C. Wahleithner -- April 17, 1979 
Brig. Gen. John G. Sullivan -- April 2, 1981 
Brig. Gen. Dale R. Baumler -- June 4, 1984 
Brig. Gen. Wallace W. Whaley -- April 10, 1988 
Brig. Gen. Keith T. Reiling -- Nov. 18, 1990 
Brig. Gen. Michael J. Peters -- Jan. 7, 1995 
Brig. Gen. James Sanders -- Sept. 1, 1996 
Brig. Gen. Gerald A. (Jerry) Black -- Feb. 7, 1998 
Col. James T. Rubeor -- June 18, 2000 
Brig. Gen. Thomas M. Gisler, Jr. -- July 27, 2003
Brig. Gen.  Maryanne Miller -- Jan. 10, 2008
Brig. Gen. John C. Flournoy, Jr. -- Nov. 15, 2009

Col. Matthew J. Burger - January 27, 2013 -- August 8, 2015

Col. Raymond Kozak - August 8, 2015 -- June 8, 2019

Col. Scott L. McLaughlin - June 9, 2019 -  May 8, 2020

Col. Charles Metzgar - May 9, 2020 - June 6, 2020

Col. Lee E. Merkle, June 7, 2020 - present 

 

Command Chief Master Sergeants 
(Known as Senior Enlisted Advisers before Nov. 1, 1998) 
Chief Master Sgt. Jack E. Roberts, June 1978 - December 1979 
Chief Master Sgt. William R. Reichert II, January 1980 - April 1986 
Chief Master Sgt. William T. Hill, July 1986 - December 1989 
Chief Master Sgt. Walter W. Hayward, December 1989 - July 1991 
Chief Master Sgt. Johnny R. Hampton, August 1991 - October 1993 
Chief Master Sgt. Sandra L. Matsuoka, October 1993 - May 1994 
Chief Master Sgt. Norris A "Doc" Houk, May 1994 - June 1998 
Chief Master Sgt. Anthony L. "Tony" Maddux, July 1998 - September 2004 
Chief Master Sgt. Patricia A. "Trish" Thornton, September 2004 - October 2007 
Chief Master Sgt. Christine A. Taylor, October 2007- April 2009
Chief Master Sgt. Kathleen Buckner, May 2009 - December 2011
Chief Master Sgt. Sandra "Sunny" Santos, July 2012 - February 2014                                                                                                                               

Chief Master Sgt. Ericka Kelly, February 2014 - June 2016

Chief Master Sgt. Bryan A. Payne June 2016 - February 2019

Chief Master Sgt. James Burmeister, February 2019 - present


Operations
Operation Nickel Grass Operation Deep Freeze
Operation Homecoming Operation Cobra Gold
Operation Babylift Operation Phoenix Shark
Operation Nimrod Dancer Operation Phoenix Onyx
Operation Golden Pheasant Operation Phoenix Pace
Operation Just Cause Operation Phoenix Perch
Operation Desert Shield Operation Phoenix Dagger
Operation Desert Storm Operation Phoenix Banner
Operation Desert Calm Operation Phoenix Moat
Operation Southern Watch Operation Pitch Black
Operation Deny Flight Operation Peace Shield
Operation Provide Hope Operation Vigilant Warrior
Operation Provide Comfort Operation Determined Effort
Operation Provide Relief Operation Intrinsic Action
Operation Restore Hope Operation Joint Endeavor
Operation Restore Democracy Operation Balanced Torch
Operation Uphold Democracy Operation Freedom Banner
Operation Fiery Vigil Operation Sapphire
Operation Support Hope Operation Decisive Guard
Operation Iron Cobra Operation Desert Fox
Operation Shining Hope Operation Allied Force
Operation Pacific Passage

(current as of September 2020)