Bangor AAF prepared and maintained the Lend-Lease aircraft that would be flown by AAC Ferrying Command to RCAF Stations in Newfoundland for eventual transport to Britain.

[2] During this time, Milford Auxiliary Airfield was opened nearby at the Bangor Precision Bombing Range.

Its mission became servicing long-range Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and, later, Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers and other combat aircraft before they flew via the Great Circle Route to Prestwick Airport, Scotland; and airfields in Northern Ireland.

(Once in the British isles, the aircraft were modified for combat missions by Eighth Air Force units for use over Nazi-occupied Europe.

[2][6][7][8] In July 1947, the group deployed to Muroc AFB, California, to perform acceptance tests on the new F-84B Thunderjets.

Investigators found that the aircraft performed better in the cold Maine climate than during testing in the California desert, yet accidents continued even as spring arrived in 1948.

Its new mission was defending the northeastern United States from New York City to the Maine-New Brunswick border during daylight and fair weather; the F-82 Twin Mustangs of the 52d Fighter Group (All-Weather) at Mitchel AFB, New York, flew the missions at night and in poor weather.

[2] During the Korean War, the Maine Air National Guard was brought into active service at the base.

[2][7][9] The ADC 32d AD also activated several Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons (128th (WI ANG), 679th, 765th), which were Ground Intercept Radar units.

The 83d ATS operated C-54 Skymasters from Dow, and its primary mission was to support Northeast Air Command bases and radar stations in Newfoundland and Labrador, Baffin Island, and Greenland.

[2] In November 1952, jurisdiction of Dow AFB was officially transferred from ADC to Strategic Air Command (SAC).

[6][7][9][12] The wing was deployed to Misawa Air Base, Japan between 13 August and 7 November 1953 to support SAC's rotational deployment of fighter units to northern Japan to perform air defense duties, relieving the 12th Strategic Fighter Wing.

The wing remained at Dow for just over a year until being reassigned to Second Air Force and was transferred to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma on 20 March 1955.

Equipped with KC-97 Stratofreighters, the 4060th was a provisional organization with a mission to support B-47 Stratojet deployments to Europe and Morocco, with air refueling taking place over the Atlantic Ocean.

[7][12] On 15 February 1960, SAC established the 4038th Strategic Wing at Dow as part of SAC's plan to disburse its B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for the Soviet Union to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike.

SAC Strategic Wings were considered a provisional unit by HQ, USAF and could not carry a permanent history or lineage.

By 1968, Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) had been deployed and become operational as part of the United States' strategic triad, and the need for B-52s had been reduced.

[12] Dow AFB officially closed and the "keys" to the major portions of the base were passed to the City of Bangor on 1 April 1968.

In 1976, the 101st was reassigned to be an associate unit of SAC and was renamed the 101st Air Refueling Wing (101 ARW), operating the KC-135 Stratotanker.