Description
Computer made/mounted on velcro 3.5 inch-90mm
50th SPACE WING
Lineage. Established as 50 Fighter Wing on 16 May 1949. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Jun 1949. Redesignated as 50 Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 1 Mar 1950. Ordered to active service on 1 Jun 1951. Inactivated on 2 Jun 1951. Redesignated as 50 Fighter-Bomber Wing on 15 Nov 1952. Activated on 1 Jan 1953. Redesignated as 50 Tactical Fighter Wing on 8 Jul 1958. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1991. Redesignated as 50 Space Wing on 1 Jan 1992. Activated on 30 Jan 1992-.
Assignments. First Air Force, 1 Jun 1949 (attached to 33 Fighter [later, 33 Fighter-Interceptor] Wing, 1 Jun 1949-); Eastern Air Defense Force, 1 Sep 1950-2 Jun 1951 (remained attached to 33 Fighter-Interceptor Wing to 2 Jun 1951). Ninth Air Force, 1 Jan 1953; Twelfth Air Force, 9 Aug 1953; United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 Jan 1958; Seventeenth Air Force, 15 Nov 1959-30 Sep 1991. Air Force Space Command, 30 Jan 1992; Fourteenth Air Force, 20 Sep 1993-.
Operational Components. Groups. 50 Fighter (later, 50 Fighter-Interceptor; 50 Fighter-Bomber; 50 Operations): 1 Jun 1949–2 Jun 1951; 1 Jan 1953–8 Dec 1957; 30 Jan 1992-. 750 Space: 30 Jan 1992-25 Jun 1999. 1000 Satellite Operations: 30 Jan–31 Jul 1992. Squadrons. 8 Tactical Fighter: attached 8 Mar–2 Apr 1973 and 6 Sep–6 Oct 1975. 9 Tactical Fighter: attached 11 Sep–7 Oct 1971 and 23 Sep–24 Oct 1976. 10 Fighter-Bomber (later, 10 Tactical Fighter): 8 Dec 1957–30 Sep 1991 (detached 28 Dec 1990–10 May 1991). 68 Tactical Fighter: attached 10 May–7 Jun 1977. 69 Pilotless Bomber (later, 69 Tactical Missile): attached 14 Mar 1955–15 Apr 1956. 81 Fighter-Bomber (later, 81 Tactical Fighter): 8 Dec 1957–15 Jul 1971 (detached 15 Jun–15 Jul 1971). 313 Tactical Fighter: 15 Nov 1976–1 Jul 1991. 355 Tactical Fighter: attached 5 Sep–16 Nov 1961. 417 Fighter-Bomber (later, 417 Tactical Fighter): assigned 8 Dec 1957–1 Jul 1968, attached 1–15 Jul 1968, 15 Jan–4 Apr 1969, 11 Sep–10 Oct 1970, 9 Sep–2 Oct 1971, 5 Feb–8 Mar 1973, 6 Mar–5 Apr 1974, 3 Oct–5 Nov 1975, and 24 Aug–26 Sep 1976. 421 Tactical Fighter: attached 5–25 Aug 1977. 428 Fighter-Bomber: attached 1 Apr–c. 1 Oct 1957. 429 Fighter-Bomber: attached 7 Oct 1956–1 Apr 1957. 430 Fighter-Bomber: attached 20 Apr–7 Oct 1956. 435 Tactical Fighter: attached c. 24 Oct–11 Dec 1962. 457 Fighter-Bomber (later, 457 Tactical Fighter): attached 20 Mar–c. 19 Aug 1958. 458 Tactical Fighter: attached c. 13 Aug 1958–c. 18 Feb 1959. 496 Tactical Fighter: attached 1–24 Nov 1968, assigned 25 Nov 1968–15 May 1991. 509 Fighter-Bomber: attached 15 Jan–24 Mar 1958. 614 Tactical Fighter: attached 5 Sep–14 Nov 1961. Detachment. Det 5, Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: attached 4–25 Sep 1975.
Stations. Otis AFB, MA, 1 Jun 1949–2 Jun 1951. Clovis AFB, NM, 1 Jan–23 Jul 1953; Hahn AB, Germany, 10 Aug 1953; Toul-Rosieres AB, France, 17 Jul 1956; Hahn AB, Germany, 10 Dec 1959–30 Sep 1991. Falcon (later, Schriever) AFB, CO, 30 Jan 1992-.
Aircraft, Missiles, and Space Systems: T–6, 1949–1951; T–33, 1949–1951; F–51, 1949–1950; F–84, 1949–1950; F–86, 1950–1951. F–51, 1953; F–86, 1953–1958; Matador, 1955–1956; ET–33, 1955–1956; F–100, 1957–1966; F–104, 1962; F–4, 1966–1982; F–102, 1968–1970; F–106, 1975; F–16, 1981–1991. Satellites, 1992-.
Operations. Served as Reserve corollary of the 33 Fighter (later, Fighter-Interceptor) Wing, 1949–1951. In 1953, converted from F–51 to F–86F aircraft before moving to Europe. Provided tactical operations in support of USAFE, NATO, and US Army forces beginning Aug 1953. Added air defense to its other tactical missions in Nov 1958. Stored and maintained ammunition and weapons for selected NATO organizations beginning Oct 1967. Supported and controlled CONUS dual-based fighter squadrons at Hahn, 1969–1976, and at other collocated operating bases in West Germany and Denmark, 1976–1985. In Aug 1977, switched to a strike-attack role, with air defense as a secondary mission. The 50 Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) was the first USAFE wing to transition to the F–16 aircraft, beginning 30 Dec 1981; the last F–4 left the wing on 21 Jun 1982. Transitioned from the F–16A/B to the F–16C/D, Dec 1985–Mar 1987. Supported preparations for Ground Launched Cruise Missile activities at Wuescheim, Germany, 1982–1985. Supported the 38 Tactical Missile Wing from 1 Apr 1985 until Aug 1990. Provided personnel, munitions, and equipment to support the liberation of Kuwait (Southwest Asia). Also deployed the 10 Tactical Fighter Squadron to Southwest Asia from Dec 1990–May 1991. The 50 TFW lost its F–16 aircraft in May–Aug 1991 in preparation for inactivation. Replaced the 2 Space Wing at Falcon AFB, CO, on 30 Jan 1992. Operated satellites for the Defense Support Program, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, Navstar Global Positioning System, Defense Satellite Communications System, and NATO III Fleet Satellite Communications System. Added Ultra-High Frequency Follow-on Satellite System in 1993. Supported space operations of allies, NASA, and other U.S. agencies. Managed as many as six major satellite systems at once; also maintained and operated ground tracking stations in various worldwide locations.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Nov 1970–15 Sep 1971; 1 Jan 1972– 30 Jun 1973; 1 Jul 1973–30 Jun 1974; 1 Jul 1975–30 Jun 1976; 1 Jul 1982– 30 Jun 1984; 1 Jul 1985–30 Jun 1987; 1 Jul 1990–5 Aug 1991; 1 Oct 1998-30 Sep 2000; 1 Oct 2001-1 Oct 2002; 2 Oct 2002-2 Oct 2003; 1 Oct 2007-30 Sep 2009.
Bestowed Honors. Authorized to display honors earned by the 50 Operations Group prior to 1 Jun 1949. Service Streamers. World War II American Theater. Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: European Theater, 13–20 Mar 1945; Germany, 25 Apr 1945. Cited in the Order of the Day, Belgian Army: 6 Jun–30 Sep 1944.
Emblem. Approved on 15 Jul 1953; modified on 9 Jul 1992; newest rendition approved on 27 Jul 2012.