AF Special Weapons Center Air Force First Issue Squadron Patch VERY RARE $49.99

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WE SHIP WORLDWIDE PLEASE SEE ALL OUR ITEMS PLEASE FOLLOW OUR E BAY STORE NEW ITEMS ALL THE TIME CHECK OUT MY AUCTION ITEMS SEE ALL PICS PAY $3.00 IN SHIPPING IF YOU BUY 1 - 100 PATCHESEmblem of the USAF Special Weapons Command (1949-1952) History [ edit ]The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center was initially formed as a post World War II outgrowth of the Manhattan Project , which was designed by the Army from the outset to be a temporary organization to produce an atomic bomb. With the end of the war, the establishment of the "Z Division" at Sandia Base and later the Sandia National Laboratory led to the establishment of an Air Force organization to coordinate military activities with the civilian research organization in 1946.Initially part of Continental Air Command and Air Material Command , the center was established as the Air Force Special Weapons Command as a Major Command of the United States Air Force on 1 December 1949. It was equal to the Air Defense Command , Strategic Air Command , and Tactical Air Command . It assumed all functions of the World War II Atomic Tactical and Technical Liaison Committees, its mission was to provide an organization for the development and testing of atomic weapons . The nucleus of this organization was composed of the pioneering Air Force agencies which had located there to determine future employment of nuclear weapons.The SWC was headquartered at Kirtland AFB. The mission was to provide an organization for development testing of special weapons, including atomic, biological, and chemical weapons, and to increase the efficiency of airborne vehicles to carry these weapons. As a result, the responsibility for biological-chemical warfare research was moved from Wright-Patterson AFB to the SWC at Kirtland. The SWC assumed all the functions of the old USAF Field Office for Atomic Energy [TandTLC] and employed personnel who were transferred from that office to form the cadre of the HQ, SWC. The command was also directed to provide personnel and equipment for development and proof testing of aircraft equipment and ground handling appurtenance to special weapons. Shortly after it was established, the SWC took over the host responsibilities for Kirtland from Air Materiel Command. [1]SWC served as the primary source for scientific and technical information on special weapons development. To accomplish its mission, SWC redesignated numerous units that had been under the USAF Field Office of Atomic Energy with no change in station. SWC units at Kirtland in 1951 were: [1]4901st Special Weapons (later Support) Wing (Atomic) 4925th Special Weapons (later Test) Group (Atomic) 4905th Maintenance and Supply Group 4910th Air Base GroupIt appears that the 4901st Special Weapons Wing had administrative control over the groups, with the 4905th Maintenance and Supply Group and the 4910th Air Base Group serving as support and the base host, respectively, while the 4925th Special Weapons Group was the group actively involved with atomic testing. [1]In January 1950 President Harry S. Truman directed the Atomic Energy Commission to emphasize thermonuclear research, with the prime objective to become operational in delivering hydrogen bombs. The primary USAF group to work on this mission was the 4925th Special Weapons Group. The 4925th Special Weapons Group was a mix of elite U.S. airmen and support personnel tasked with testing all aircraft in the USAF inventory for nuclear weapons delivery capability. The top bomber and fighter pilots in the USAF and expert support personnel were transferred to the 4925th Special Weapons Group. In July 1951, the 4925th Special Weapons Group was redesignated the 4925th Test Group (Atomic) and continued for 11 years as an important component of Kirtland ’s nuclear responsibilities. [1]SWC’s responsibilities expanded in July 1951 to include monitoring the Military Weapons Effects Program, the ongoing series of full-scale nuclear tests, and exercising overall control over participating USAF personnel. The 4930th Test Support Gr... read more

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