Description
Computer made/mounted on velcro 4.0 inch-100mm
163rd RECONNAISSANCE WING
Lineage. Constituted 365th Fighter Squadron on 20 Dec 1942. Activated on 1 Jan 1943. Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945. Redesignated 163rd Fighter Squadron, and allotted to IN ANG, on 24 May 1946. Extended federal recognition on 9 Nov 1946. Redesignated: 196th Fighter Squadron (Jet) on 16 Jun 1948; 196th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 1 Nov 1950; 196th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in Oct 1952; 196th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 1 Jan 1953; 196th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in Mar 1954. 163rd Fighter Group (Air Defense) extended federal recognition on 12 May 1958. Redesignated: 163rd Fighter-Interceptor Group on 15 Sep 1972; 163rd Tactical Air Support Group on 8 Mar 1975; 163rd Tactical Fighter Group on 1 Oct 1982; 163rd Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 1 Jul 1990; 163rd Reconnaissance Group on 15 Mar 1992; 163rd Air Refueling Group on 1 Oct 1993; 163rd Air Refueling Wing on 1 Oct 1995; 163rd Reconnaissance Wing on 1 Nov 2006-.
Assignments. 373rd Fighter Group, 15 Aug 1943-7 Nov 1945; 146th Fighter Group (later 146th Composite Group), 9 Nov 1946. California ANG, 9 Nov 1946-.
Components. Groups. 163rd Operations, 1 Oct 1995-; 163rd Maintenance, 1 Oct 1995-; 163rd Medical, 1 Oct 1995-; 163rd Mission Support, 1 Oct 1995-. Squadrons. 196th Fighter-Interceptor (later Tactical Air Support, Tactical Fighter, Tactical Reconnaissance, Reconnaissance, Air Refueling, Reconnaissance), 17 May 1958-1 Oct 1995.
Stations. Westover Field, MA, 15 Aug 1943; Blackstone AAF, VA, 22 Oct 1943; Richmond AAB, VA, 15 Feb-14 Mar 1944; Woodchurch, England, 5 Apr-27 Jul 1944; Tour-en-Bassin, France, 30 Jul 1944; St-James, France, 20 Aug 1944; Reims, France, c. 29 Sep 1944; Le Culot, Belgium, c. 24 Oct 1944; Venlo, Holland, 15 Mar 1945; Lippstadt, Germany, 23 Apr 1945; Illesheim, Germany, 20 May-Jul 1945; Sioux Falls AAF, SD, 4 Aug 1945; Seymour Johnson Field, NC, 20 Aug 1945; Mitchel Field, NY, 28 Sep-7 Nov 1945. San Bernardino Air Material Area (later Norton AFB), CA, 9 Nov 1946; Ontario IAP, CA, 10 Jul 1952; March AFB, CA, Oct 1982-. (operated from: George AFB, CA, 11 Nov 1950; Misawa AB, Japan, 25 Jul 1951-10 Jul 1952; Chitose AB, Japan, 1 Sep 1951-?)
Aircraft. P-47, 1943-1945. T-6, 1946; L-5, 1946; F-51D, 1947-1948; F-80C, 1948-1951; F-84E, 1951-1952; F-51H, 1952-1954; F-86A, 1954-1961; F-86L, 1961-1965; F-102A, 1965-1975 O-2, 1975-1982; F-4, 1982-1990; RF-4, 1990-1993; KC-135, 1993-2008; MQ-1, 2007-.
Operations. Combat in ETO, 8 May 1944-4 May 1945. First ANG Jet Fighter Squadron. Called to active duty as part of the Korean War call-up, 10 Oct 1950-10 Jul 1952. Participated in Operation Greenhouse nuclear tests on a TDY to Ewiwetok, Jan-Jun 1951. Air defense of western US, 1948-1950, 1954-1975. Maintained a dual state/federal mission of Tactical Reconnaissance. Deployed to Pisa Airport, Italy, in support of Operation Decisive Endeavor and also supported of flight operations over Bosnia. Also supported Operation Allied Force, 1999; Operation Joint Forge, 31 Oct-3 Dec 2000. ANG Flying Training Unit (FTU) and Field Training Detachment (FTD) for the MQ-1 Predator.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. None.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1964; 1974.
Emblem. Approved in 1958.