Lineage

Established as 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing on 29 Jun 1948. Activated on 19 Jul 1948. Inactivated on 14 Oct 1949. Redesignated 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Medium, on 27 Oct 1950. Activated on 1 Nov 1950. Redesignated: 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing on 16 Aug 1966; 55th Wing on 1 Sep 1991.

Assignments

311th Air Division, Reconnaissance (later 311th Air Division), 19 Jul 1948? 14 Oct 1949. Second Air Force, 1 Nov 1950; 21st Air (later, 21st Strategic Aerospace) Division, 1 Oct 1952 (attached to 5th Air Division, 18 May? 16 Aug 1955); 810th Strategic Aerospace Division, 1 Sep 1964; 12th Strategic Aerospace Division, 2 Jul 1966; 14th Strategic Aerospace (later, 14th Air) Division, 30 Jun 1971; 4th Air Division, 1 Oct 1976; 57th Air Division, 1 Apr 1980; 12th Air Division, 1 Oct 1982; 14th Air Division, 1 Oct 1985; Second Air Force, 1 Sep 1991; Twelfth Air Force, 1 Jul 1993?.

Components

Group. 55th Strategic Reconnaissance (later, 55th Operations): 19 Jul 1948? 14 Oct 1949; 1 Nov 1950?16 Jun 1952; 1 Sep 1991?.

Squadrons. 1st Airborne Command and Control: 1 Nov 1975?1 Sep 1991. 1st Strategic Reconnaissance (Provisional): attached 1 Sep?9 Oct 1948. 1st Strategic Reconnaissance: attached 10?26 Oct 1948; attached 14 Jan?1 Jun 1949. 2d Airborne Command and Control: 1 Apr 1970?1 Sep 1991. 23d Strategic Reconnaissance: attached 1?17 Jun 1949. 38th Strategic Reconnaissance: attached 6 Jan 1951?15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952? 1 Apr 1970; assigned 1 Apr 1979?1 Sep 1991. 55th Air Refueling: attached 8 Jan 1951?15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952?18 Feb 1954; assigned 1 Oct 1955?15 Mar 1963 (detached 31 Oct?27 Dec 1956). 82d Reconnaissance: 2 Oct 1991?1 Jul 1992. 323d Strategic Reconnaissance: attached 19 Sep? 10 Oct 1949. 338th Strategic Reconnaissance: attached 25 Nov 1950?15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952?15 Jun 1963; assigned 25 Mar?25 Dec 1967. 343d Strategic Reconnaissance: attached 19 Jul?26 Oct 1948; attached 4 Jan 1951?15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952?1 Sep 1991. 548th Strategic Missile: attached 1?31 Aug 1964, assigned 1 Sep 1964?25 Mar 1965. 922d Reconnaissance: 1 Jun?1 Jul 1992.

Stations

Topeka (later, Forbes) AFB, KS, 19 Jul 1948?14 Oct 1949. Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico, 1 Nov 1950; Forbes AFB, KS, 5 Oct 1952; Offutt AFB, NE, 16 Aug 1966?.

Commanders

Col Alfred F. Kalberer, 19 Jul 1948; Col William R. Yancey, 20 Oct 1948; Col John H. Davies, 17 Aug?14 Oct 1949. Col Richard T. King, 1 Nov 1950; Brig Gen Sydney D. Grubbs, Jr., 20 Dec 1950; Col Alfred F. Kalberer,18 Feb 1952; Brig Gen Joseph D. C. Caldara, 1 Oct 1952; Col Clayton Stiles, 24 Dec 1952; Col Adam K. Breckenridge, 26 Jan 1953; Col Olbert F. Lassiter, 1 May 1955; Col James K. Johnson, 16 Feb 1957; Col Norton H. Van Sicklen, 1 Aug 1959; Col William D. Kyle, Jr., 2 Jul 1960; Col John G. Glover, 1 Jun 1961; Col Marion C. Mixon, 9 Jun 1963; Col William E. Riggs, 29 Aug 1966; Col Anthony Martinez, 17 Jul 1970; Col Marvin N. Morss, 30 Jun 1971; Col George D. Miller, 31 Aug 1972; Col Joe L. Church, 23 Jul 1974; Col Guy H. Winstead, Jr., 5 Mar 1976; Brig Gen Regis F. A. Urschler, 26 May 1978; Col Donald G. Krause, 4 Aug 1980; Col W. John Soper, 19 Mar 1982; Col Merlin F. Stevens, 29 Nov 82; Col Mark J. Heller, 17 Oct 1984; Col Richard F. Vara, 26 Jun 1985; Col Lawrence A. Mitchell, 3 Jun 1986; Col Daniel R. Peterson, 31 May 1988; Col Thomas F. Atkinson, Jr., 28 Jun 1990; Col William G. Manire, 1 Jul 1991?.

Aircraft and Missiles

B/RB?17, 1948?1949; B/RB?29, 1948?1949; RC?54, 1948. B/RB?29, 1950?1951; RB?50, 1950?1954; EB/RB?47, 1954?1967; Atlas, 1964?1965; EC/KC?135, 1966?; RC?135, 1967?; E?4, 1975?; C?135, 1977?; NKC?135, 1983?; TC?135, 1988?; T?38, 1992?.

Operations

Provided precise Shoran and Hiran mapping and photographic reconnaissance, 1948?1949. Performed strategic reconnaissance, charting photography, precise electronic geodetic mapping, and electronic reconnaissance, 1950?1954. When mapping and charting functions transferred on 1 May 1954, wing assumed mission of global strategic reconnaissance, including electronic reconnaissance, weather reconnaissance (to Jun 1963), and photographic reconnaissance (to May 1964). Deployed at Ben Guerir AB, French Morocco, May?Aug 1955. Responsible for an Atlas missile complex, Aug 1964?Mar 1965. Became responsible for SAC?s airborne command post and post?attack command and control operations, Aug 1966. In addition, flew SAC logistic support missions after Sep 1971. Conducted K/E/RC?135 pilot training as required. Became responsible for the National Emergency Airborne Command Post E?4 aircraft fleet in 1975. Began Airborne Launch Control operations in 1978 using EC?135Cs as flying launch/control platforms for Minuteman, and later, Peacekeeper strategic missile systems. Awarded the P. T. Cullen award five times since 1971 for its contributions to photo and signal intelligence collection. Operated from bases in the US, Mediterranean, Europe, and the Pacific. Provided reconnaissance for contingencies in Grenada, 1983; Libya, 1986; and Southwest Asia, 1990?1991. Ended nearly twenty-five years of continuous Airborne Command Post operations in 1990, assumed a modified alert posture, and continued worldwide reconnaissance. With seven operational squadrons in Jul 1992, became one of the largest wings in the Air Force.

Honors

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. Grenada, 1983.

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: Jul 1956?Nov 1957; 1 Jul 1963?30 Jun 1964; 1 Jul 1966?30 Jun 1967; 1 Jul 1972?30 Jun 1974; 1 Jul 1974?30 Jun 1976; 1 Jul 1976?30 Jun 1978; 1 Jul 1978?30 Jun 1980; 1 Jul 1987?30 Jun 1989; 1 Jul 1989?30 Jun 1991.

Bestowed Honors. Authorized to display honors earned by the 55th Operations Group prior to 19 Jul 1948.

Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.

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

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: ETO, 3?13 Sep 1944; Germany, 19 Feb 1945.

Emblem

Azure on a fess indented Or a similar bar Gules all within a diminished bordure of the second. Motto: PURSUIT TO DEFEND. Approved for 55th Group on 18 Feb 1942 and for the 55th Wing on 20 Nov 1951, and reinstated 15 Jun 1994 (42880 AC); replaced emblem approved on 4 Feb 1954 (K 8090).