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Grand Slam Wing: A constant force in war on terrorism

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Benjamin W. Stratton
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  The Grand Slam Wing has been a constant force in the war on terrorism as the nation and world pay tribute and remember those lost 12 years ago during the devastating 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, the fields of Shanksville, Penn., and on the battlegrounds of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, Brig. Gen. Roger Watkins, explains how important the Grand Slam Wing's mission has been here as his deployed unit honors the sacrifices made by so many.

"For more than 10 years, the Grand Slam Wing has been key to combating our enemies by supporting the joint warfighter on the ground," Watkins said. "We truly have a proud heritage, a tradition of honor and legacy of valor that's hard to beat."

The 379th AEW was activated in April 2002 as a full spectrum Air Force wing providing 24/7 kinetic and non-kinetic airpower to meet the tasks of the U.S. Air Forces Central Command. The wing provides meaningful tactical control, space, cyber and logistics support teams delivering critical theater-wide capability.

"What we do here is extraordinarily important as we provide combatant commanders and mission partners with unparalleled airpower across the AFCFENT area of responsibility," the general said. "But the success of our wing isn't new -- we're just continuing what our predecessors began more than 70 years ago."

This historic unit began as the 379th Bombardment Group, established Oct. 28, 1942, and was assigned to the 8th Air Force. Among its many distinctions, the 379th BG was awarded the unprecedented "8th Air Force Operational Grand Slam," for operations during May 1944 in recognition for having the best bombing accuracy, greatest tonnage of bombs dropped on target, largest number of aircraft attacking and lowest mission-abort rate. As the only unit ever recognized in this manner; the 379th AEW still wears the moniker of "Grand Slam" wing today.

Transitioning from predominantly fighter-based operations during the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 379th AEW has become one of the most diverse, multi-mission wings in the Air Force. Once touted as "the largest concentration of coalition airpower in history," the wing now supports a wider range of missions including bomber, airlift, aeromedical evacuation, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. This collection makes the Grand Slam Wing a large hub for humanitarian airlift activity in Afghanistan while providing mission-essential combat power, aeromedical evacuation and intelligence support for multiple theaters of operations.

"From our blood transshipment center to our tenant units and coalition partners, everything we do, every day, plays an important part in the success of the U.S. military's mission worldwide," Watkins said. "We make possible some of the most unique and vital capabilities through power, precision and accuracy resulting in countless life-saving missions over the last 11 years in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom."

The 379th AEW is the largest expeditionary wing in the world and fuels, moves, finds, fixes and finishes in support of combatant commanders on the ground and in the air. Thousands of Airmen -- plus joint and coalition tenants -- fly 30 percent of the daily air tasking order sorties. The wing is one of the top three installations providing aerial port movements, and handles more jet fuel than the next top five U.S. Air Force bases combined.

"As the largest base in the AOR, our scope and breadth of our mission is far-reaching," said Watkins. "But we didn't get here overnight. As we take a moment to honor the lives lost on 9/11 and in the years since, remember what we're fighting for ... remember what makes us American Airmen and above all else ... remember we are all wingmen, leaders and warriors focused on the mission."

Grand Slam service members and mission partners gathered in Memorial Plaza here Sept. 11 observing the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Names of fallen Grand Slam warriors were listed as a service member from the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines Corps and Air Force rendered salutes.