377th Air Base Wing The 377th Air Base Wing ( 377 ABW ) is a wing of the United States Air Force based at Kirtland Air Force Base , New Mexico . Overview . The 377th Air Base Wing is the host unit at Kirtland AFB . It was activated on 1 January 1993 , when Air Force Materiel Command assumed responsibility for operating the base from Air Mobility Command . The wing ' s mission is to conduct nuclear operations ; organize , train , equip and deploy expeditionary forces ; and operate , secure and support Kirtland AFB . Units . 377th Mission Support Group ( 377 MSG ) 377th Medical Group ( 377 MDG ) 377th Security Forces Group ( 377 SFG ) 377th Maintenance Group ( 377 MXG ) History . World War II . The 377th Air Base Wing was first constituted as the 377th Bombardment Group at Fort Dix Army Air Base New Jersey on 13 August 1942 , and was activated on 18 October . The group was assigned to the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command with a mission to fly aerial antisubmarine patrols over the northeast atlantic coast , flying North American O - 47 , and O - 52 Owl light observation aircraft . The 377th ' s operational squadrons were assigned to various airfields and airports scattered across the northeast . The group was inactivated on 9 December 1942 , with its subordinate squadrons being absorbed by the 25th Antisubmarine Wing . Vietnam War . Reactivated in April 1966 , during the Vietnam War , the 377th replaced the 6250th Combat Support Group . It became responsible for operation and maintenance of USAF portion of Tan Son Nhut Air Base , South Vietnam from April 1966 - March 1973 . In Vietnam , the group ' s responsibilities included housing numerous tenant organizations including Seventh Air Force , base defense , and liaison with South Vietnamese Air Force . While serving in this capacity the 377th underwent numerous enemy attacks . It was also responsible for Binh Thuy Air Base , South Vietnam , 12 May - 1 July 1970 . The group provided support for Seventh Air Force flying operations with C - 47 , C - 123 , and C - 54 aircraft from , June – December 1966 . In September 1971 , it again became responsible for supporting base flight T - 39 , C - 54 , C - 47 , C - 118 , as well as C - 130 aircraft of 834th Air Division . The 377th was elevated to Air Base Wing in January 1972 and gained a tactical mission and combat units . The wing operated the Southeast Asia Central Instructor Pilots School , in which the 360th TEWS used C / EC - 47s , 15 February - c . November 1972 . The wing also operated a Combat Crew Training School at Phù Cát Air Base , South Vietnam , with C - 7 aircraft , 15 March – October 1972 . It resumed base flight operations at Tan Son Nhut in January 1972 , operating and maintaining C - 47 , C - 118 , and T - 39 aircraft . With the 8th Special Operations Squadron ( A - 37s ) , the 377th performed strike missions from , January – October 1972 ; the 9th Special Operations Squadron ( O - 2s and C - 47s ) conducted psychological warfare operations , January – February 1972 ; the 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron ( Light ) conducted air liaison and forward air control operations , March 1972 - 28 January 1973 ; the 310th Tactical Airlift Squadron ( C / UC - 123s , January – June 1972 and C - 7s , March – October 1972 ) performed airlift and airdrop missions , January – October 1972 ; the 360th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron ( C / EC - 47s ) conducted airborne radio - direction finding operations , February – November 1972 , and psychological warfare operations , February – August 1972 . The wing established an operating location of the wing headquarters at Bien Hoa Air Base , South Vietnam , on 14 April 1972 , to provide turn - around service for F - 4s of other organizations . It was replaced on 20 June 1972 by Detachment 1 of the wing headquarters , which continued the F - 4 turn - around service and added A - 7 turn - around service on 30 October 1972 . The detachment continued operations through 11 February 1973 . As the wing phased down for inactivation , from February – March 1973 , it transferred many assets to South Vietnamese Air Force . Modern era . The wing was reactivated to replace the 86th Combat Support Group at Ramstein Air Base , Germany , on 14 June 1985 . It provided support services for Ramstein and other locations in the Kaiserslautern military community and beyond , from 1985 to 1991 . It was again activated as the host wing at Kirtland Air Force Base on 1 January 1993 . The 377th Air Base Wing has since provided support to base operations to more than 100 associate units in more than 2000 buildings . To support this mission , the 377th Air Base Wing has the largest security forces squadron in the command . Additionally , members of the 377th are continually deployed to numerous locations supporting Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom , and other requirements worldwide . In November 2009 the wing , commanded by Colonel Michael S . Duvall , failed its nuclear surety inspection . Duvall was kept on as commander to fix the problem and the wing subsequently passed its re - inspection less than 90 days later .