USAF Patch Airlift b 61 MASW Military Airlift Support Wing Control Element

USAF Patch 61 MASW Military Airlift Support Wing Control Element ALCE Alert Deployed 1972 U Tapao RTNB Thailand Thai made Embroidered on twill cut edge 112mm four and three eighth inches diameter.

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61 Military Airlift Wing was activated at Hickam AFB Hawaii on 8 January 1966 under Military Airlift Command replacing the discontinued Military Air Transport Service 1502 Air Transport Wing to provide air transport and support functions for airlift operations in the entire Pacific Ocean area from Alaska to Antarctica and the US to Southeast Asia.

61 MAW undertook airlift operations in support of US military forces in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Hickam AB became a primary destination for US military personnel on Rest and Recreation leave from South Vietnam with the Wing operating the aerial port and coordinating flights by civilian contract airlines to and from bases in South Vietnam.

The Wings assigned 6 Military Airlift Squadron became non operational after 16 May 1968 and was inactivated on 8 June 1968 and 50 Military Airlift Squadron became non operational after 1 December 1969 and was inactivated on 22 December 1969 upon which the Wing was redesignated 61 Military Airlift Support Wing tasked with supporting Military Airlift Command flights within Pacific Air Forces as well as Naval and Marine Transports and their respective organizations at or transiting Hickam AFB. The Wings Airlift Control Element ALCE provided an alert deployable component of the Wings Airlift Control Flight ALCF to provide a quick response airlift trained cell to deploy and operate at austere locations. 

61 MASW supported the forward operations of aircraft from other MAC units and airlift operations at a number of PACAF air bases with its Military Airlift Support Squadrons which consolidated all the operations and maintenance functions normally provided by an airlift wings support squadrons at PACAF forward bases. 61 MASW controlled 602 Military Airlift Support Squadron at Elmendorf AFB Alaska from 8 January 1966 to 1 November 1975 and 603 Military Airlift Support Squadron at Kadena AB Okinawa from 8 January 1966 to 8 July 1966 and again from 1 January 1972 to 1 April 1980. 604 Military Airlift Support Squadron operated at Clark AB Philippines from 8 January 1966 to 8 July 1966 and again from 1 January 1972 to 1 June 1975. 605 MASS operated at Andersen AFB Guam from 8 January 1966 to 8 July 1966 and again from 1 August 1972 to 1 April 1980 while 606 MASS was at Mactan Island Airfield Philippines from 8 January 1966 to 8 July 1966. 607 Military Airlift Support Squadron operated at Naval Air Facility Midway from 8 January 1966 to 1 October 1980 with 608 MASS operating at Cam Ranh Air Base South Vietnam from 8 January 1966 to 8 July 1966 and again from 1 January 1972 to 30 April 1972. 610 MASS at Yokota Air Base Japan from 1 January 1972 to 1 October 1978 and 611 Military Airlift Support Squadron operated at Osan AB South Korea from 1 January 1972 to 1 October 1978. 616 Military Airlift Support Squadron operated at Tan Son Nhut Air Base South Vietnam from 8 January 1966 to 8 July 1966 and again from 1 January 1972 to 26 March 1973 and operated Detachment 1 at Phu Cat AB South Vietnam and Detachment 2 at Bien Hoa AB South Vietnam. 617 MASS was at Da Nang AB South Vietnam from 8 January 1966 to 8 July 1966 and again from 1 January 1972 to 1 October 1972 with its Detachment 1 at Pleiku AB South Vietnam. 618 MASS was at U Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield Thailand 1 January 1972 to 1 June 1975 and 619 MASS at Hickam AB operated Det D later Det 2 at Christchurch International Airport New Zealand from 22 December 1969 to 30 April 1972.

Military Airlift Support Squadrons were support units that had no aircraft of its own, but rather supported the forward operations of aircraft from other MAC units, principally from the CONUS. Furthermore, the support squadron was a consolidation of all the operations and maintenance functions that state-side airlift wings had organized as separate units.

61 MASW was inactivated on 1 April 1980 and is equipment and personnel being reassigned to 834 Airlift Division.

The Wing was reactivated as 61 Air Base Wing at Los Angeles AFB on 1 August 2006 under Air Force Space Command to support the Space and Missile Systems Center and was inactivated on 30 July 2010 with base support assigned to the 61 Air Base Group.

This patch dates from 1972.