Lineage

Established as 48th Fighter-Bomber Wing on 25 Jun 1952. Activated on 10 Jul 1952. Redesignated: 48th Tactical Fighter Wing on 8 Jul 1958; 48th Fighter Wing on 1 Oct 1991.

Assignments

Twelfth Air Force, 10 Jul 1952; United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 Jan 1958; Third Air Force, 1 Oct 1959; United States Air Forces in Europe, 12 Oct 1959; Seventeenth Air Force, 15 Nov 1959; Third Air Force, 15 Jan 1960; Seventeenth Air Force, 1 Jul 1961; Third Air Force, 1 Sep 1963?.

Components

Group. 48th Fighter-Bomber (later, 48th Operations): 10 Jul 1952?8 Dec 1957; 31 Mar 1992?.

Squadrons. 492d: attached 15 Mar?7 Dec 1957, assigned 8 Dec 1957? 31 Mar 1992 (detached 20 Nov 1990?10 May 1991; Dec 1991?Mar 1992.) 493d: attached 15 Mar?7 Dec 1957, assigned 8 Dec 1957?18 Dec 1992 (detached 25 Aug 1990?11 Mar 1991; Mar?Jun 1992.) 494th: attached 15 Mar?7 Dec 1957, assigned 8 Dec 1957?31 Mar 1992 (detached 2 Sep 1990?15 Mar 1991; Sep?Dec 1991.) 495th: 1 Apr 1977?13 Dec 1991. 509th: attached 5 Oct 1957?15 Jan 1958.

Stations

Chaumont AB, France, 10 Jun 1952; RAF Lakenheath, England, 15 Jan 1960?.

Commanders

Col Joseph H. Moore, 10 Jul 1952; Col Chesley G. Peterson, 27 May 1953; Col William L. Leverette, 1 Jun 1955; Brig Gen Albert P. Clark, Jr., 1 Aug 1955; Col Stanton T. Smith, Jr., Dec 1956; Col Edward F. Roddy, 24 Jun 1959; Col Victor E. Warford, 4 Aug 1959; Col Emmett S. Davis, 1 May 1961; Col Robert L. Petit, 6 Jun 1962; Col Allen P. Rankin, 1 Jun 1964; Col Ross L. Blachly, 3 Aug 1964; Col Edward B. Burdett, 14 Jul 1965; Col Cullen A. Brannon, Jr., 7 Jun 1967; Col Henry W. Brown, 2 Jun 1969; Col Frank L. Gailer, Jr., 19 Sep 1969; Col William T. Whisner, 1 Feb 1970; Col Don D. Pittman, 29 Mar 1971; Col John R. Paulk, 21 May 1973; Col Richard H. Head, 18 Apr 1974; Brig Gen Robert E. Messerli, 17 Jun 1975; Brig Gen Buford D. Lary, 26 Mar 1979; Col Thomas A. Baker, 18 Jun 1980; Brig Gen Edward R. Bracken, 25 Nov 1981; Col Sam W. Westbrook III, 3 Apr 1984; Col Thomas J. Barber, 16 Jun 1986; Col William M. Douglass, 9 Jul 1987; Col Thomas J. Lennon, 24 Apr 1989; Col Barry L. Ream, 25 Aug 1990; Col Jonas L. Blank, Jr., 12 Dec 1990; Col William C. Guth, 10 Jul 1991; Col Dean W. Radueg, 27 Jul 1992; Brig Gen Kurt B. Anderson, 11 Sep 1992; Col Dean W. Radueg, 19 Jan 1993?.

Aircraft

F?84, 1952?1954; F?86, 1953?1956; F?100, 1956?1972; F?4, 1972?1977; F?111, 1977?1992; F?15, 1992?.

Operations

Served as one of USAFE?s fighter wings with a commitment to NATO. Operated a special aerobatic team, the "Sky Blazers," c. Jun?Nov 1953 and Jul 1954?Oct 1956. Equipped with very few aircraft, Feb 1972?Jul 1974. Converted to F?111F aircraft in 1977. Continued commitment to NATO as a nuclear, conventional, mobility, and quick reaction conventional force. Participated in the air raid on Tripoli, Libya, 15/16 April 1986, in retaliation for that country?s sponsorship of terrorist attacks. Deployed wing?s fighter squadrons and other personnel to Saudia Arabia, Aug 1990?May 1991. During the war against Iraq, squadron pilots struck bridges, tanks, and bunkers. Deployed aircrews and F?111?s to Turkey, Sep 1991?Jun 1992, flying air suppression missions to enforce Iraq?s compliance with U.N. treaty terms. Transitioned to F?15E aircraft, Feb?Dec 1992, and made plans to resume deployments to Turkey.

Honors

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 Jul 1961?29 Feb 1964; 1 Jul 1966? 30 Jun 1968; 14 Oct 1976?31 Dec 1977; 1 Apr 1978?31 Mar 1980; 1 Jul 1984?30 Jun 1986; 1 Jul 1986?30 Jun 1988; 1 Jul 1988?30 Jun 1990; 20 Aug 1990?11 May 1991. Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation: Libya, 10? 16 Apr 1986.

Bestowed Honors. Authorized to display the honors earned by the 48th Operations Group prior to 10 Jul 1952.

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany, 6 Dec 1944. Cited in the Order of the Day, Belgian Army: 6 Jun?30 Sep 1944; 1 Oct?17 Dec 1944; 18 Dec 1944?15 Jan 1945. Belgian Fourragere.

Emblem

Azure, an orle of mullets Argent, issuant from base overall the bust of the Statue of Liberty facing to dexter Vert, all within a dimished bordure Or. Motto: STATUE DE LA LIBERTE ? The Statue of Liberty. Approved on 5 Jul 1962 (K 13261), modified on 21 Nov 1994; replaced emblem approved on 20 Mar 1953 (24978 AC).