West Coast Wing, Air Transport Command


The West Coast Wing was the name of two organizations assigned to Air Transport Command during World War II. The first was organized in June 1942 as the 25th AAF Ferrying Wing at Hamilton Field, California. It was redesignated the South Pacific Wing, Air Transport Command in July and the West Coast Wing, Air Transport Command in January 1943. It was inactivated in October 1943.
The second was organized as the 1502nd AAF Base Unit at Hamilton in August 1944. It was replaced by the 1503rd AAF Base Unit in December 1945 and was discontinued on 6 September 1946.

History

The ATC West Coast Wing operated a transport route from Gray Army Airfield, Washington to Elmendorf Army Airfield, Alaska Territory during World War II. The route initially operated along the Northwest Pacific Coast providing supplies and equipment to support Eleventh Air Force and United States Army Alaskan Defense Command ground tactical units during the Aleutian Campaign. It later was extended though the Aleutian Islands to Alexai Point Army Airfield on Attu to support long-range bombing operations against the Kurile Islands of Northern Japan.
The wing was initially headquartered at Boeing Field, Washington as part of Ferrying Command, Northwest Sector. Moved to Gray AAF, Washington in late 1942, then to Fairfield-Suisun AAF, California in January 1945.
The route along the Western Pacific coast was closed on 31 December 1945; transport to Alaska being switched to the former Northwest Staging Route. The introduction of long-distance transports after the war made most intermediate stops redundant and the wing was inactivated in 1946, responsibility for transport to Alaska being taken over by the ATC Pacific Division.

Lineage

; Constituted as the 25th AAF Ferrying Wing
; Designated as the 1502nd AAF Base Unit and organized on 1 August 1944
; Designated as the 1503rd AAF Base Unit and organized on 1 August 1944

Assignments

  • AAF Ferrying Command, 23 June 1942 – 31 October 1943
  • Pacific Division, Air Transport Command, 1 August 1944 – 4 December 1945
  • Pacific Division, Air Transport Command, 1 August 1944 – 6 September 1946

Stations

Components

  • 11th Ferrying Group, 28 July 1942 – August 1943
  • 1504th AAF Base Unit, 1 August 1944 – 6 September 1946
  • 1505th AAF Base Unit, 1 August 1944 – 29 December 1945
  • 1506th AAF Base Unit, 1 August 1944 – 21 February 1945
  • 1507th AAF Base Unit, 1 August 1944 – 9 September 1944
  • 1508th AAF Base Unit, 1 August 1944 – 20 March 1946
  • 1509th AAF Base Unit, 1 August 1944 – 3 February 1945
  • 1510th AAF Base Unit, 1 August 1944 – 31 August 1944