Lineage

Established as 50th Fighter Wing on 16 May 1949. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Jun 1949. Redesignated 50th Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 1 Mar 1950. Ordered to active service on 1 Jun 1951. Inactivated on 2 Jun 1951. Redesignated 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing on 15 Nov 1952. Activated on 1 Jan 1953. Redesignated 50th Tactical Fighter Wing on 8 Jul 1958. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1991. Redesignated 50th Space Wing on 1 Jan 1992. Activated on 30 Jan 1992.

Assignments

First Air Force, 1 Jun 1949 (attached to 33d Fighter [later, 33d Fighter-Interceptor] Wing, 1 Jun 1949?); Eastern Air Defense Force, 1 Sep 1950? 2 Jun 1951 (remained attached to 33d 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?.

Components

Groups. 50th Fighter (later, 50th Fighter-Interceptor; 50th Fighter-Bomber; 50th Operations): 1 Jun 1949?2 Jun 1951; 1 Jan 1953?8 Dec 1957; 30 Jan 1992?. 750th: 30 Jan 1992?. 1000th Satellite Operations: 30 Jan?31 Jul 1992.

Squadrons. 8th: attached 8 Mar?2 Apr 1973 and 6 Sep?6 Oct 1975. 9th: attached 11 Sep?7 Oct 1971 and 23 Sep?24 Oct 1976. 10th: 8 Dec 1957? 30 Sep 1991 (detached 28 Dec 1990?10 May 1991). 68th: attached 10 May? 7 Jun 1977. 69th Pilotless Bomber (later, 69th Tactical Missile): attached 14 Mar 1955?15 Apr 1956. 81st: 8 Dec 1957?15 Jul 1971 (detached 15 Jun? 15 Jul 1971). 313th: 15 Nov 1976?1 Jul 1991. 355th: attached 5 Sep?16 Nov 1961. 417th: 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. 421st: attached 5?25 Aug 1977. 428th: attached 1 Apr?c. 1 Oct 1957. 429th: attached 7 Oct 1956?1 Apr 1957. 430th: attached 20 Apr?7 Oct 1956. 435th: attached c. 24 Oct?11 Dec 1962. 457th: attached 20 Mar?c. 19 Aug 1958. 458th: attached c. 13 Aug 1958?c. 18 Feb 1959. 496th: attached 1?24 Nov 1968, assigned 25 Nov 1968?15 May 1991. 509th: attached 15 Jan?24 Mar 1958. 614th: attached 5 Sep?14 Nov 1961.

Detachment. Det, 5th 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 AFB, CO, 30 Jan 1992?.

Commanders

Brig Gen Bruce Johnson, 1 Jun 1949?1951. Col Wallace S. Ford, 1 Jan 1953; Col Melvin F. McNickle, 22 Jul 1954; Col Fred J. Ascani, 24 Jun 1955; Brig Gen Henry C. Newcomer, 26 Jul 1957; Col Frank L. Wood, Jr., Aug 1959; Col Jack S. Jenkins, 1 Sep 1959; Col William P. McBride, 16 Jul 1962; Col David T. McKnight, 12 Feb 1963; Col Louis J. Lamm, 9 Jun 1964; Col George W. McLaughlin, 20 Jul 1964; Col Richard C. Catledge, (by May) 1966; Col Robert L. Liles, 20 May 1966; Col Forrest L. Rauscher, 28 Jun 1968; Col John W. Smith, 14 Jun 1969; Col William B. Craig, 22 Apr 1970; Col Billy F. Rogers, 17 Nov 1970; Col William C. Norris, 1 Oct 1971; Brig Gen Michael E. DeArmond, 2 Jan 1973; Col Paul M. Ingram, 26 Aug 1974; Brig Gen James P. Albritton, 14 Mar 1975; Col Emery S. Wetsel, Jr., 19 May 1978; Col David M. Goodrich, 24 Jun 1980; Col Wilfred L. Goodson, 28 Jan 1982; Col John M. Davey, 20 Oct 1982; Col Clifton C. Clark, Jr., 8 Jan 1985; Col Ben Nelson, Jr., 31 Jul 1986; Col Roger C. Taylor, 2 Mar 1988; Col George W. Norwood, 27 Feb 1990?30 Sep 1991. Brig Gen Roger G. DeKok, 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 33d Fighter (later, Fighter-Interceptor) Wing, 1949?1951. Activated as a Tactical Air Command component in Jan 1953 and converted from F?51 to F?86F aircraft before moving to Europe as a component of USAFE. 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. Responsible for planning and support to CONUS fighter squadrons that deployed to specified collocated operating bases (COBs) in West Germany and Denmark, 1976?1985. In Aug 1977, switched to a strike-attack role, with air defense as a secondary mission. The first USAFE wing to transition to the F?16 aircraft, first F?16 arriving on 30 Dec 1981, and the last F?4 leaving the wing on 21 Jun 1982. Later transitioned from the F?16A/B to the F?16C/D models, Dec 1985?Mar 1987. Supported preparations for Ground Launched Cruise Missile (GLCM) activities at Wuescheim, Germany, 1982? 1985. Supported the 38th Tactical Missile Wing from 1 Apr 1985 until Aug 1990. In late 1985, the wing began to phase out responsibility for the munitions support squadrons and the COBs. Provided personnel, munitions, and equipment to support the liberation of Kuwait (Southwest Asia). Also deployed the 10th TFS to Southwest Asia from Dec 1990?May 1991. The 50th TFW lost its F?16 aircraft in May?Aug 1991 in preparation for inactivation on 30 Sep 1991. Replaced the 2d 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.

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 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.

Bestowed Honors. Authorized to display honors earned by the 50th 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

Azure, an opinicus passant Argent, all within a diminished bordure Or. Modified version of 50th Group emblem approved for the 50th Wing on 15 Jul 1953, and reinstated on 9 Jul 1992 (DFSC 92?10182); replaced wing emblem approved on 23 Aug 1956 (K 11829). Motto: MASTER OF SPACE. Approved on 10 Sep 1992.