Lineage

Established as 86th Fighter Wing, and activated, on 1 Jul 1948. Redesignated: 86th Fighter-Bomber Wing on 20 Jan 1950; 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 9 Aug 1954; 86th Air Division (Defense) on 18 Nov 1960. Inactivated on 14 Nov 1968. Redesignated: 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 14 Nov 1968; 86th Tactical Fighter Wing on 13 Oct 1969. Activated on 1 Nov 1969. Redesignated: 86th Fighter Wing on 1 May 1991; 86th Wing on 1 Jun 1992; 86th Airlift Wing on 1 Oct 1994.

Assignments

United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 Jul 1948; 2d Air Division, 10 Oct 1949; Twelfth Air Force, 7 May 1951; United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 Jan 1958; Seventeenth Air Force, 15 Nov 1959; United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 Jul 1963; Seventeenth Air Force, 1 Sep 1963; United States Air Forces in Europe, 20 May 1965; Seventeenth Air Force, 5 Oct?14 Nov 1968. Seventeenth Air Force, 1 Nov 1969; 316th Air Division, 14 Jun 1985; Seventeenth Air Force, 1 May 1991?.

Components

Group. 86th Fighter (later, 86th Fighter-Bomber; 86th Fighter-Interceptor; 86th Tactical Fighter; 86th Operations): 1 Jul 1948?8 Mar 1958; 22 Sep 1975?14 Jun 1985; 1 May 1991?.

Squadrons. 7th Special Operations: 31 Jan?15 Mar 1973 (detached). 17th Tactical Reconnaissance: 12 Jan 1970?31 Jan 1973. 32d Fighter-Interceptor: 8 Apr 1960?1 Nov 1968. 38th Tactical Reconnaissance: attached 16?30 Jan 1973. 81st Tactical Fighter: attached 12 Jun?14 Jul 1971, assigned 15 Jul 1971?15 Jan 1973. 151st Fighter-Interceptor: 25 Nov 1961?11 Jul 1962. 197th Fighter-Interceptor: 25 Nov 1961?11 Jul 1962. 417th Tactical Fighter: 1 Oct 1978?15 Sep 1987. 434th Tactical Fighter: attached 30 Sep?12 Dec 1961. 435th Tactical Fighter: attached 22 Sep 1961?14 Jan 1962 and 4 Nov? 12 Dec 1962. 436th Tactical Fighter: attached 12 Jan?12 Apr 1962. 440th Fighter-Interceptor: attached 1 Jul 1954?7 Oct 1955; attached 10 Aug 1956? 7 Mar 1958, assigned 8 Mar 1958?1 Jan 1960. 476th Tactical Fighter: attached 12 Apr?8 Aug 1962. 496th Fighter-Interceptor: attached 1 Jul 1954? 7 Oct 1955; attached 10 Aug 1956?7 Mar 1958, assigned 8 Mar 1958?1 Nov 1968. 512th Fighter-Interceptor (later, 512th Tactical Fighter): 24 Mar 1958? 1 Jul 1959; 14 Jun 1985?1 May 1991. 513th Fighter-Interceptor: 25 Apr 1958?8 Jan 1961. 514th Fighter-Interceptor: 15 May 1958?Jan 1961. 525th Fighter-Interceptor: attached 22 May 1957?7 Oct 1955; attached 10 Aug 1956?Mar 1958, assigned 8 Mar 1958?1 Nov 1968. 526th Fighter-Interceptor (later, 526th Tactical Fighter): attached 22 May 1954?7 Oct 1955; attached 10 Aug 1956?7 Mar 1958, assigned 8 Mar 1958?1 Nov 1968; assigned 31 Jan 1973?22 Sep 1975; assigned 14 Jun 1985?1 May 1991. 527th Fighter-Interceptor: attached 22 May 1954?7 Oct 1955.

Detachments. Det, 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing: attached 18 Mar? 1 Apr 1976. Det, 127th Tactical Fighter Wing: attached 1?13 Nov 1975. Det, 178th Tactical Fighter Group: attached 9?25 Oct 1975. Det, 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron: attached 25 Oct?3 Nov 1962.

Stations

Neubiberg AB, Germany, 1 Jul 1948; Landstuhl (later, Ramstein?Landstuhl; Ramstein) AB, Germany, 21 Aug 1952?14 Nov 1968. Zweibrucken AB, Germany, 1 Nov 1969; Ramstein AB, Germany, 31 Jan 1973?.

Commanders

Col Clarence T. Edwinson, 1 Jul 1948; Col John S. Chennault, 31 May 1949; Col George R. Bickell, 16 Jun 1952; Col James O. Beckwith, 19 Jan 1955; Col Albert L. Evans, Jr., 8 Jun 1956; Col James W. Little, 9 Jun 1958; Col Charles M. Young, 30 Jun 1958; Col Robert J. Rogers, 4 Jul 1959; Col George W. Rogers, 15 Mar 1961; Brig Gen Frank W. Gillespie, 30 Jun 1961; Brig Gen Thomas L. Hayes, Jr., 10 Jul 1964; Brig Gen James M. Vande Hey, 12 Jan 1966; Brig Gen Richard N. Ellis, 28 Jun 1967?14 Nov 1968. Col Howard A. Jones, 1 Nov 1969; Col Wilbur L. Creech, 31 Dec 1969; Col Walter L. Doerty, Jr., 17 Nov 1970; Col John J. Knight, 1 Oct 1971; Col James E. McInerney, Jr., 19 Oct 1971; Brig Gen William F. Georgi, 31 Jan 1973; Col Edward J. Campbell, 13 Apr 1973; Col Lloyd C. Ulrich, 13 May 1974; Brig Gen Cornelius Nugteren, 22 Aug 1975; Brig Gen John H. Bennett, 15 Jul 1977; Brig Gen Harry Falls, Jr., 6 Aug 1979; Col David M. Goodrich, 22 Jan 1980; Brig Gen Jerry W. Tietge, 28 Feb 1980; Maj Gen Robert C. Oaks, 28 Jul 1981; Brig Gen Ralph E. Havens, 24 May 1983; Col Clifford R. Krieger, 9 Jul 1985; Col Joseph S. Rodero, 13 Apr 1987; Col James I. Mathers, 16 Nov 1987; Col George W. Norwood, 17 Mar 1989; Col Roger E. Carleton, 23 Feb 1990; Brig Gen Richard T. Swope, 1 May 1991; Col Gary R. Bendlin, 29 Jun 1992; Brig Gen Tad J. Oelstrom, 3 Nov 1992?.

Aircraft

F?47, 1948?1950; F?84, 1950?1953; F?86, 1953?1960; F?102, 1959?1968; F?100, 1960; F?104, 1961?1962. RF?4, 1970?1973, 1976; F?4, 1971?1986; F?100, 1975; F?16, 1985?; C?12, 1992?; C?20, 1992?; C?21, 1992?; CT?43, 1992?; C?135, 1992?.

Operations

Provided air defense, primarily in West Germany, Jul 1948?Nov 1968, initially as a wing but later as a division. During its eight years as an air division, the organization supervised the improvement of a manual radar system to a semi-automatic air weapons control system. From Nov 1969 to Jun 1971, it was charged only with tactical reconnaissance, but added tactical fighter operations later in 1971. Supported numerous military units located in the area of Ramstein AB, Germany, Jan 1973?Jun 1985. Participated in numerous exercises that provided the wing with air combat tactics training essential to their mission. Converted to the F?16 Fighting Falcon, 1985? 1986. Beginning in Apr 1991, deployed to Turkey and supported operations in Southwest Asia to ensure that Iraq complied with treaty terms. Wing aircraft twice attacked Iraqi surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites in northern Iraq. Added an airlift mission in Jun 1992, performing special airlift missions with C?12, C?20, C?21, CT?43 and C?135 aircraft.

Honors

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. None.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 31 Oct 1955?31 Oct 1958; 1 Jul 1964? 30 Jun 1965; 1 Jul 1981?30 Jun 1982; 14 Jun 1985?13 Jun 1987; 1 May 1989?30 Apr 1991.

Bestowed Honors. Authorized to display honors earned by the 86th Operations Group prior to 1 Jul 1948.

Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Italy, 25 May 1944; Germany, 20 Apr 1945.

Emblem

Azure a pile Or, the shield edged of the last. Motto: VIRTUS PERDURAT? Courage will endure. Approved for 86th Group on 17 Oct 1942 and, in modified form, for 86th Wing on 27 Jul 1956 (K 3627).