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89th Airlift Wing

FACTSHEET | June 1, 2022

89th Airlift Wing

The 89th Airlift Wing (89th AW) is one of 17 Air Force active duty wings assigned to Air Mobility Command (AMC) and is a tenant unit based at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The 89th AW provides global Special Air Mission airlift, logistics, aerial port and communications for the president, vice president, cabinet members, combatant commanders and other senior military and elected leaders as tasked by the White House, Air Force chief of staff and AMC.
 
Mission
Advancing national interests by delivering diplomacy…safe, comfortable, reliable, connected, and protected. “Perfection is our standard!”
 
Vision
One synchronized team, assuring global projection of our national power across all domains; cultivating innovative, resilient SAM Fox Airmen true to our heritage.
 
Priorities
  1. Develop SAM Fox Airmen
  • Deliberate development and professional growth of every Airman into leaders of the present and future
  1. Strengthen Relationships 
  • Building and fostering partnerships in the our unit, with our fellow base tenants and among our foreign allies that develop into meaningful relationships
  1. Execute and Protect the Mission Today 
  • Carrying out and safeguarding the execution of our mission in all domains, across contested environments, while innovating to meet future requirements and challenges
  1. Advance Capabilities for Tomorrow
  • Actively defining requirements for advancing communications, airfield and support operations while allotting the right people to further these capabilities 
Personnel and Resources
The 89th AW has an exceptionally experienced and ready force of more than 1,400 personnel. The wing maintains an alert posture as well as 24/7 operations of the base aerial port, Andrews Network Control Station (ANCS), Government Security Operation Center (GSOC), Mission Defense Team (MDT), Silver Bullet/Steel Eagle (SB/SE) and the Air Terminal Operations Center (ATOC). It is also home to the Air Force’s sole Executive Airlift Training Center. The wing employs 5 types of operational support aircraft:
 
Organization
The 89th AW is divided into four groups and its staff agencies, including:
 
89th Operations Group
 -  89th Operations Support Squadron
 -  1st Airlift Squadron, C-32A & C-40B aircraft
 -  99th Airlift Squadron, C-37A & C-37B aircraft
 
89th Airlift Support Group
 -  89th Communication Squadron
 -  89th Aerial Port Squadron
 
89th Maintenance Group
No assigned units.
 
Presidential Airlift Group
 -  Presidential Logistics Squadron
 -  Presidential Airlift Squadron, VC-25A "Air Force One" aircraft
 
89th Airlift Wing Staff Agencies
 -  Various wing agencies: public affairs, finance, safety, wing historian, inspector general, etc.
 
Aircraft History
C-45 Expeditor, 1949 - 1950 & 1955 - 1957; C-46 Commando 1949 - 1951, 1952, 1956 - 1957; T-6 Texan II, 1949 - 1950, 1952 - 1954; T-7 Red Hawk 1949 - 1951;T-11 Kansan 1949 - 1951, 1952; F-51 Mustang, 1952 - 1954; T-28 Trojan, 1953 - 1956; T-33 Shooting Star, 1953 - 1957; F-80 Shooting Star, 1953 - 1957; TC-47 Skytrain, 1955 - 1957; F-86 Sabre, 1957; C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1957; VC-137 Stratoliner (later C-137), 1962 - 2001; C-118 Liftmaster, 1966 - 1972; VC-118 “The Independence,” 1966 - 1974; C-121 Constellation, 1966 - 1968; VC-121, 1966; C-131 Samaritan, 1966; VC-131 1966 - 1977; C-135 Stratolifter, 1966 - 1968, 1975 - 1992; C-140 JetStar,1966 - 1972; VC-140 JetStar, 1966 - 1984; VC-6A, 1966 - 1985; U-4 Aero Commander, 1966 - 1969; T-39 Sabreliner (later CT-39), 1975 - 1978; C-9 Nightingale, 1975 - 2005; UH-1 Iroquois, 1976 - 2006; CH-3 Seaking, 1976 - 1994; C-12 Huron, 1976  1994; C-20 Gulfstream III, 1984 - 2017; VC-25A "Air Force One" Boeing 747, 1990 - present; C-21, 1993 - 1997; C-135E Stratolifter, 1996 - 1997; C-32 Boeing 757, 1998 - present; C-40 Boeing 737, 2002 - present; C-37A Gulfstream V, 1998 - present; C-37B Gulfstream 550, 2008 - present.

Lineage
Established as 89th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium on May 10, 1949. Activated in the Reserves on June 27, 1949. Ordered to active service on May 1, 1951. Inactivated on May 10, 1951. Re-designated 89th Fighter-Bomber Wing on May 26, 1952. Activated in the Reserves on June 14, 1952. Inactivated on Nov. 16, 1957. Re-designated 89th Military Airlift Wing, Special Missions, and activated, on Dec. 27, 1965. Organized on Jan. 8, 1966. Re-designated 89th Military Airlift Group on Sept. 30, 1977. Re-designated 89th Military Airlift Wing on Dec. 15, 1980. Re-designated 89th Airlift Wing on July 12, 1991.

Stations
Hanscom Airport, Massachusetts, June 27, 1949 - May 10, 1951
Hanscom (later, Laurence G. Hanscom) Field, Massachusetts, June 14, 1952 - Nov. 16, 1957
Andrews Air Force Base (later Joint Base Andrews), Maryland, Jan. 8, 1966 - present

Honors
Service Streamers
World War II American Theater
Global War on Terrorism Service Streamer, Sept. 11, 2001 - present

Campaign Streamers
None

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers
None

Decorations
Gallant Unit Citation
None

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device
None

Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards
July 1, 1966 - June 30, 1968
July 1, 1968 - June 30, 1970
July 1, 1970 - June 30, 1972
July 1, 1972 - June 30 1974
July 1, 1974 - Dec. 31, 1975
Jan. 1, 1976 - Jan. 31, 1977
April 6, 1977 - May 18, 1979
July 1, 1987 - June 30, 1989
July 1, 1989 - June 30, 1991
July 1, 1991 - June 30, 1992
July 1, 1992 - June 30, 1994
July 1, 1994 - June 30, 1996
July 1, 1996 - June 30, 1998
July 1, 1998 - June 30, 2000
July 1, 2000 - June 30, 2002
July 1, 2002 - June 30, 2004
July 1, 2004 - June 30, 2005
July 1, 2005 - June 30, 2006
July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2007
July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008
July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009
July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2011
July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2015
July 1, 2015 - June 30, 2016
July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017
July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2018
 
Meritorious Unit Award
July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012
 
Emblem
Blue and yellow are the Air Force colors. The 89th AW shield’s blue alludes to the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations. Yellow refers to the sun and the excellence required of Air Force personnel. The bald eagle, the national symbol, and the orbit ring symbolize the wing’s unique mission; to transport the president, vice president, and national and foreign dignitaries anywhere on the globe.
 
The depicted motto: EXPERTO CREDE means “Trust one who has experience.”
 
Emblem approved April 28, 1966. Revised July 7, 1993.
 
Point of Contact
89th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Office  |  1419 Menoher Drive, Room 108  |  Joint Base Andrews, Maryland 20762-6501  |  (301) 981-8319  |  DSN 858-8319  |  89AW.PA@us.af.mil
 
Current as of June 2022
89 AW
89th Airlift Wing
Flight Attendant
special air mission
SAM Fox
Air Force Two
Delivering Diplomacy
Air Force One
Joint Base Andrews
JBA
VC-25
presidential airlift

 

 

 

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