75th Air Base Wing

The 75th Air Base Wing is the host unit at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and is the Air Force's second largest base by population and geographical size.

The 75th ABW oversees 1,000,000 acres and more than 1,700 facilities valued at $4 billion while providing installation support for the Ogden Air Logistics Complex, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Air Force active duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings and more than 50 mission partners that employ more than 27,000 personnel.

The 75th ABW has support responsibility for the operation of the Utah Test and Training Range. Located in Utah's west desert, the airspace is situated over 2.3 million acres of land and contains the largest block of overland contiguous special-use airspace in the continental United States.

75 ABW Mission: Generate & Enable Readiness

75 ABW Vision/Motto: Count on Us!

History: The lineage of the 75th Air Base Wing began on 5 February 1942 when the Air Force Combat Command established the 75th Observation Group at Ellington Field, Texas. The unit then activated on 2 March 1942 and relocated to Birmingham, Alabama.

The group assisted in the training of ground units by flying reconnaissance, artillery adjustment, strafing, and dive-bombing missions. During 1942 the group flew the Douglas A-20 Havoc, North American B-25 Mitchell, Stinson L-1 Vigilant, Piper L-4 Grasshopper, and Douglas O-38, O-46, O-47, O-49, and O-52 (observation) aircraft. The group participated in the Louisiana Maneuvers during 1942, which played an instrumental role in preparing the U.S. Army’s divisions for the campaigns in North Africa and Europe during the Second World War. The group then relocated to William Northern Army Airfield on 12 November 1942.

The 75th Observation Group re-designated as the 75th Reconnaissance Group on 2 April 1943. The group was re-designated to the 75th Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 11 August and relocated to Key Field, Mississippi, on 17 August 1943. In 1943 the group began flying the Bell P-39 Airacobra, Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, and North American P-51 Mustang. During 1943 and 1944 the group functioned primarily as a replacement training unit. The group also conducted a Ground Liaison Officer course from January to April, 1944. The group remained at Key Field until the unit disestablished on 1 May 1944. For the group’s contributions to the Second World War it received the World War II American Theater service streamer.

The 75th Reconnaissance Group reestablished on 17 May 1966. The group then organized at Bergstrom AFB, Texas, on 1 July 1966 and consolidated with the 75th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (established and activated on 17 May 1966). On 15 July 1971, the unit inactivated. From 1966 to 1971, the group flew the McDonnell Douglas RF-4 Phantom II. The group trained RF-4 pilots for duty in Southeast Asia and provided replacement aircraft to that theater of operations.

The 75th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing re-designated as the 75th Air Base Wing (75 ABW) on 16 September 1994 before activating at Hill AFB on 1 October 1994. When the 75 ABW activated at Hill AFB in 1994 it replaced the 649th Air Base Group (649 ABG). The 649 ABG had activated on 1 October 1992 as a result of the USAF reorganization that occurred that year. Prior to the 649 ABG’s activation at Hill AFB, the 2849th Air Base Group had previously fulfilled the base command function at the installation. The 649 ABG inactivated when the 75 ABW activated at Hill AFB on 1 October 1994.

Units:

75th Civil Engineering Group provides infrastructure, facilities, environmental, and UTTR support, as well as fire protection, housing management, explosive ordnance disposal, and energy management for Hill AFB.

75th Mission Support Group deploys munitions, provides installation security, logistics operations, emergency response, personnel and family support, morale and welfare.

75th Medical Group delivers full-spectrum, high quality healthcare and Aerospace Medicine support to over 78,000 eligible TRICARE beneficiaries, 3 wings and 52 mission partners.

75th Communications and Information Directorate provides Information Technology (IT) strategic direction and policy, IT resource management, systems support, software development, and infrastructure management.

75th Comptroller Squadron delivers cutting edge financial solutions and mission-ready Airman in support of ~27,000 airman, civilians, and their families.  

75th Air Base Wing Staff Agencies provide Airfield Operations, Public Affairs, Safety, Legal, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response, Information Protection, Finance, Plans and Programs, Command and Control Operations, Equal Opportunity, Chaplain, History, and Museum support.