3rd Weather Wing

• Origins in WWII: The 3rd Weather Wing traces its roots to the activation of the 3rd Weather Group on 20 March 1943, supporting operations during World War II. • Reorganizations: The unit was inactivated and reactivated several times, finally being designated the 3rd Weather Wing on 24 June 1957. • Pacific Focus: Headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, the 3rd Weather Wing became the primary provider of meteorological support for the Pacific Air Forces. • Vietnam War Support: During the Vietnam War, the wing played a crucial role in weather forecasting for air operations, helping to plan missions and improve safety for combat sorties. • Typhoon Tracking: The wing was instrumental in tracking typhoons and severe weather events in the Pacific, providing critical warnings for U.S. military forces and installations. • Global Reach: Its subordinate units spanned across the Pacific, including locations in Japan, Korea, Guam, the Philippines, and Alaska. • Support to NASA: The 3rd Weather Wing provided meteorological support to NASA space operations in the Pacific region, including Apollo recovery missions. • Technological Innovation: The unit pioneered the operational use of automated weather observing systems and satellite imagery analysis in the 1970s and 1980s. • Desert Storm Role: Personnel from the 3rd Weather Wing deployed in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, assisting with weather forecasting in Southwest Asia. • Inactivation: As part of an Air Force restructuring and technological advancement in weather services, the 3rd Weather Wing was inactivated on 1 July 1992.