The 514th Troop Carrier Wing was organized at Birmingham Municipal Airport, Ala., in June 1949 and moved to Mitchel Air Force Base, N.Y., in October 1949. Reservists were then equipped with the C-46 Commando. Recalled to active duty during the Korean conflict, members of the 514th flew stateside support missions until February 1953, when the wing was returned to reserve status. In March 1961, the 514th moved from Mitchel Field to McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., and changed aircraft to the C-119 Flying Boxcar. There were then three Troop Carrier Groups assigned to the wing. The 903rd was assigned to McGuire with the 904th and 905th being assigned to Stewart N.Y. and Bradley Conn. In August of 1968, the 903rd became the first associate military airlift group in the eastern United States as crews transitioned to the C-141A Starlifter. The 514th was next re-designated a military airlift wing (associate), with groups at McGuire AFB, N.J., Charleston AFB, S.C., and Dover AFB, Del. In July 1973, the 903rd was inactivated and personnel were transferred to the direct command of the 514th. Other groups became separate wings.

The restructuring of the Air Force major commands changed the unit from a military airlift wing to an air mobility wing. The mission change resulted in the addition of the KC-10A Extender, an air refueling aircraft. The wing also maintained its airlift and aeromedical missions already assigned. In October 1993, the 78th Air Refueling Squadron was assigned to the 514th AMW. A year later, in October 1994, they moved from Barksdale AFB, La., to McGuire AFB, N.J. The 76th Air Refueling Squadron was also established in October 1994. Most of the squadrons' personnel came from Barksdale, as well as, multiple squadrons already assigned to McGuire.

• 1968: Republic of South Vietnam and Royal Hellenic (Greek) Air Force crews and technicians trained to operate and maintain the C-119. 514th TAW crews deliver aircraft before converting to C-141A Starlifter. 
• 1968-1975: 514th MAW aircrews support Southeast Asia operations.
• 1973: 15 NICKEL GRASS missions supporting Israeli forces, Yom Kippur War. 
• 1975: 200 sorties for Operation NEW LIFE, evacuation of Vietnamese to the United States.
• 1983: 21 missions in support of Operation URGENT FURY in Grenada.
• 1983: Aeromedical evacuation missions for survivors of terrorist bombing of Beirut Marine barracks.
• 1989: 13 missions including an airdrop for Operation JUST CAUSE in Panama.
• Aug 1990 - May 1991: 514th MAW crews flew more than 40,000 hours for Operations DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM, the international effort to liberate Kuwait from Iraqi occupation. Nearly 2,000 reservists, 54 percent of the unit, were recalled. More than half of the 670 medical reservists mobilized served in the Persian Gulf, while aerial port, aircraft maintenance, security police and civil engineering personnel served in Europe, at home station or other U.S. bases.
• 1992-1993: 26 missions in support of Operation RESTORE HOPE in Somalia.
• 1995: Aircrew, Airlift Control Flight and aerial port personnel support Operation UPHOLD DEMOCRACY- Haiti.
• 1998: C-141 units flew missions bringing supplies to Central America in support of Hurricane Mitch relief operations. Aeromedical evacuation specialists assisted victims of U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.
• 2000: More than 500 reservists support Air Expeditionary Force missions around the world.
• 1997-2001: More than 200 KC-10 aircrew, maintenance, and support personnel from throughout the wing deploy to Southwest Asia for six-week rotations in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH to enforce the no-fly zone over Iraq.
• 2001-2002: Following the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, about 170 reservists are activated in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and NOBLE EAGLE. Hundreds more are volunteering to serve in support of the U.S. response to the terrorist attacks.
• 2003: The wing mobilized more than 1,500 reservists to participate in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and continued to support Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in Afghanistan and more than 15 other locations.
• 2004: The C-141 aircraft is replaced by 13 C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.
• 2005: Aeromedical Evacuation crews and Security Forces deployed in support of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Members from the 514th AMW continue to support Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom throughout FY2005.
• 2006: Two C-17 Aircrews participate in the Repatriation of Lebanese Americans/KC-10 Aircrews were tasked with refueling missions for the Lebanese Evacuation. Volunteers continue to support the war on terror worldwide.
• 2008: The 732nd Airlift Squadron was the first Reserve squadron to send aircrews in support the C-17 Rotational Airlift Mission, a newly established Air Force Reserve mission that provides strategic and tactical airlift capabilities to USEUCOM/USAFE and AFRICOM with aircraft originating from Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
• 2009: As the only Air Force Reserve wing flying the KC-10 Extender, in support of the Northeast Tanker Task Force, the 76th and 78th Air Refueling Squadrons flew 42 percent more missions than the other Air Guard tanker wings combined.
• 2012: Close to 200 Freedom Wing members were activated in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Some deployed overseas while others remained in the U.S. or even at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst backfilling active duty Airmen who are deployed. KC-10 aircrew members rotated in and out of Southwest Asia for 30 day stints.
• 2014: Flew an aeromedical evacuation mission on a KC-10 with a gravely-ill infant from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland. With little notice, crew members configured the airplane, worked with medical personnel, controlling air traffic and command agencies to effect the safe and expeditious movement of this child for emergent and follow-on definitive care.
• First KC-10 crew to refuel the Euro Typhoon Fighter; joint training validated international coalition warfighting capabilities.
• First Air Force Reserve Wing to travel to Dakar and Liberia to deliver 44 tons of equipment and cargo as well as four active-duty personnel in support of Ebola.
• 2015: The Freedom Wing (732nd, 78th, 76th) continues to deliver Denton cargo providing humanitarian relief transportation for non-governmental organizations and private citizens..