
6th Bomb Wing
Walker AFB, New Mexico
The 6th Bombardment Wing (Medium) was
activated Walker Air Force Base, New Mexico on January 2, 1951. The
unit consisted of the 24th, 39th and 40th Bomb Squadrons and was
equipped with B-29 Superfortress aircraft. The 307th AREFS was
also attached until 1952 and operated KB-29Ps. This unit insignia
approved for this unit was the same as the 6th BG from WWII. The 6th BG
had also flown B-29s. (The two unit insignia at the top of this page
are the 6th ARW patch and the unofficial 6th BW patch applied to
aircraft and worn on uniforms. The 6th ARW patch will be replaced when
I have time to draw the correct patch.)
In 1952 the unit was redesigned as a
heavy bomb wing 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
leter "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. 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.
Special thanks to Senior Master Sergeant
Gary Lisenbee (Ret) and Harold Simon.

1
2 3
(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 EMS 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.
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.
6th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
January 2, 19511
- April 30, 1962
6th Strategic Aerospace Wing May 1, 1962 - March 24, 1967
6th Strategic Wing March 25, 1967
- March 31, 1988
6th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
April 1, 1988 - September 1, 19922
6th Air Base Wing January 4, 19941
- September 30, 1996
6th Air Refueling October 1, 1996
- December 31, 2000
6th Air Mobility Wing January 1,
2001 - Current
1 indicates activated
2 indicates inactivated
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
91st Air Refueling Squadron
October 1, 19961 -
Current
KC-135R 1996 - Current
307th Air Refueling Squadron
August 1, 19511
- Jun 16, 19522
KB-29P 1951 - 1952
310th Air Refueling Squadron
January 25, 19651
- January 25, 19672
KC-135A 1965 - 1967
310th Airlift Squadron
January 1, 20011 -
Current
CT-43A 2001
EC-135N 2001 - 2003
C-37A 2001 - Current
579th Strategic Missile Squadron
September 1, 19611
- March 25, 19652
Atlas F 1961 - 1965
4129th Combat Crew Training Squadron
January, 19591
- September 15, 19632
B-52E 1959 - 1963
KC-135A 1959 - 1963
1 indicates activated
2 indicates inactivated
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 or suggestions...
Page created 1-19-02
Updated 07-23-06
|