6th Bomb Wing
Walker AFB,
New Mexico
6th Bomb Wing
Walker AFB,
New Mexico
In 1952 the unit
was redesigned as the 6th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) and
re-equipped with B-36s. Initially the unit was
equipped with B-36Fs. Later Featherweight III B-36Js were
added, with each squadron operating both types.
During this time the "Pirate Head" emblem was applied to the
right side of the aircraft with the SAC "Milky Way".
Each squadron painted the tip of the vertical stab, the lip
of the jet intakes and the "nose cone" of the jet itself in
squadron colors: Yellow for the 24th, red for the 39th
and blue for the 40th.
During the late 40s and early 50s SAC used tail markings that consisted of a combination of geometric shapes and letters. In the case of the 6th BW a large triangle enclosing the letter "R" was used. The shape would indicate the numbered Air Force, with a triangle representing the 8th AF, which was the Air Force the 6th BW was assigned to. A triangle was used for the 8th AF, a circle for 15th AF and a square for 2nd AF. This system was phased out about 1953.
In 1957 the B-36s were
replaced with B-52E Stratofortress aircraft.
The unit lost the 24th BS, but gained the 4129th Combat Crew
Training Squadron and the 6th AREFS along with KC-135A Stratotankers.
On 1 May, 1962 the unit became the 6th Strategic Aerospace
Wing. From 1961 until 1965 the 579th Strategic
Missile Squadron and its Atlas missiles were part of
the wing. The 39th and the 4129th both left in
1963. In 1967 Walker was closed and the 6th BW became
the 6th Strategic Wing and relocated to Eielson AFB, Alaska
on March 25. On April 1, 1988 the designation
became the 6th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, only to be inactivated on
September 1, 1992. The unit was re-activated on September 4,
1994 at MacDill AFB, Florida as the 6th Air Base Wing,
becoming the 6th Aerial Refueling Wing on October
1, 1996. The final change (for now) came on January
1, 2001 as the 6th Air Mobility Wing.
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(1) 49-2683 and another B-36F
in flight over what looks like West Texas or Southern New
Mexico. The "Pirate Head" is carried on the fuselage,
but the squadron color is not applied to the fin cap.
The nose area of the jet appears to be either red or
blue. My guess is red, which would mean these aircraft
belong to the 39th BS. (USAF)
(3) An unidentified B-36J showing the Pirate
Head carried on the right side of the nose. Note the
Santa Claus inside the nose greenhouse.
(3) B-52E 56-0640 on landing at Walker AFB sometime
in the 1960s. The markings are rather plain and from
this photo it is not evident whether or not the "Pirate
Head" is carried. (USAF)
I have had
several veterans correspond with me and state that at least
the 6th BW emblem was carried on the right side of the
wing's BUFFs and I have finally found proof of that.
This photo of 56-0651 is cropped from a group picture of the
6th OMS and clearly shows the official 6th Bomb Wing
patch. During July, 2006 I was contacted by Phil
Rogers who confirmed that the 6th BW aircraft carried the
patch. Phil had been assigned to the 6th FMS paint
shop and had place many of the patches on the aircraft
himself.
Msgt Michael A. Jones USAF(Ret) had this comment for the photo: "The photo of the 6th OMS was taken after the 3 B-52s from Walker returned from England. The reason the photo was taken in front of 651 was because the 3 that went to England had been sent to the Depot in Oklahoma and were painted and made to look like new for the trip. 651 was one of the 3. After they came back it still looked like new, so it was chosen for the the photo shoot. A few weeks later, the RAF flew a Vulcan to Walker and I had a private tour of it."
This C-123B 54-0704 was more than likely assigned to Walker
AFB, or the 47th Air Division overseeing the base.
C-123s were a common site on SAC bases.
When the
6th Strategic Aerospace Wing was disbanded and Walker Air
Force Base closed, the aircraft left for other assignments,
or in some cases storage. The first B-52E (56-0640)
left for the 93rd Bombardment Wing at Castle AFB on 28
December, 1966. The last B-52 (56-0656) left for
Castle as well on 26 January, 1967. The first KC-135A
to leave (58-0043) headed west to March AFB and the 22nd
Aerial Refueling Squadron on 29 December, 1966. The
last to leave (57-1433) left for the 28th AREFS at Ellsworth
AFB on 30 January, 1967. A list of aircraft transfers
to other units can be found in this table.
This list was kindly provided by Terrance J. Maddeaux.
The last B-52E
to leave Walker AFB was ironically, 56-0656 which had been
christened Sir Pride of Roswell. These two newspaper
clippings from 1967 detail the departure. ( Terrance J.
Maddeaux)
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47th
Air
Division
This provides a very brief list
of the squadrons and aircraft of the 6th. Red
indicates the units and stay at Walker. The Dark
Blue indicates history after Walker.
24th Bombardment
Squadron
January 2, 19511
- January 25, 19672
B-29 1951 - 1952
B-36 1952 - 1957
B-52E 1957 - 1967
24th Strategic
Reconnaissance Squadron
March 25, 1967 - July 7, 19922
KC-135 1967 - 1992
RC-135 1967 - 1992
EC-135 1967 - 1992
39th Bombardment Squadron
January 2, 19511
- September 15, 19632
B-29 1951 - 1952
B-36 1952 - 1957
B-52E 1957 - 1963
40th Bombardment Squadron
January 2, 19511
- January 25, 19672
B-29 1951 - 1952
B-36 1952 - 1957
B-52E 1957 - 1967
6th Combat Support Group
6th Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron
This
page is a "work in progress". I hope to add to it as
time goes by, but for some reason the units at Walker AFB
and Biggs AFB are not well recorded.
To return to...
Comments and suggestions:
Clifford Bossie
Page
created 1-19-02
Updated 12-24-13