Lineage

Established as 99th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Jun 1942. Redesignated 99th Bombardment Group, Heavy, on 30 Sep 1944. Inactivated on 8 Nov 1945. Redesignated 99th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, on 13 May 1947. Activated in the Reserve on 29 May 1947. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949. Consolidated (31 Jan 1984) with the 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Heavy, which was established, and activated, on 1 Jan 1953. Redesignated 99th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, on 1 Oct 1955. Inactivated on 31 Mar 1974. Redesignated 99th Strategic Weapons Wing on 22 Jun 1989. Activated on 10 Aug 1989. Redesignated: 99th Tactics and Training Wing on 1 Sep 1991; 99th Wing on 15 Jun 1993; 99th Air Base Wing on 1 Oct 1995.

Assignments

Third Air Force, 1 Jun 1942; Second Air Force, c. 29 Jun 1942; 5th Bombardment Wing (later, 5th Bombardment Wing, Heavy), c. 22 Feb 1943; Army Air Forces Service Command, 2?8 Nov 1945. 19th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy (later, 19th Air Division, Bombardment), 29 May 1947? 27 Jun 1949. 57th Air Division, 1 Jan 1953 (attached to 3d Air Division, 29 Jan?25 Apr 1956); 817th Air Division, 2 Jul 1969; 45th Air Division, 30 Jun 1971?31 Mar 1974. 12th Air Division, 10 Aug 1989; Strategic Warfare Center, 31 Jul 1990; Strategic Air Command, 1 Sep 1991; USAF Fighter Weapons (later, USAF Weapons and Tactics) Center, 1 Jun 1992?.

Components

Groups. 99th Operations and Maintenance (later, 99th Operations), 1 Sep 1991?21 Sep 1995.

Squadrons. 25th Strategic Training: 10 Aug 1989?1 Sep 1991. 99th Air Refueling: 1 Jan 1966?30 Sep 1973. 346th: 1 Jun 1942?8 Nov 1945; 29 May 1947?27 Jun 1949; 1 Jan 1953?31 Mar 1974. 347th: 1 Jun 1942?8 Nov 1945; 29 May 1947?27 Jun 1949; 1 Jan 1953?1 Sep 1961 (detached 1 Jan? 12 Sep 1953 and 15?31 Aug 1961). 348th: 1 Jun 1942?8 Nov 1945; 17 Jul 1947?27 Jun 1949; 1 Jan 1953?30 Sep 1973. 416th: 1 Jun 1942?8 Nov 1945; 17 Jul 1947?27 Jun 1949.

Stations

Orlando AAB, FL, 1 Jun 1942; MacDill Field, FL, 1 Jun 1942; Pendleton Field, OR, 29 Jun 1942; Gowen Field, ID, 28 Aug 1942; Walla Walla, WA, 30 Sep 1942; Sioux City AAB, IA, 18 Nov 1942?3 Jan 1943; Oran, Algeria, 22 Feb 1943; Navarin, Algeria, c. 25 Mar 1943; Oudna, Tunisia, 4 Aug 1943; Tortorella Airfield, Italy, 11 Dec 1943; Marcianise, Italy, c. 27 Oct?8 Nov 1945. Birmingham Muni Aprt, AL, 29 May 1947?27 Jun 1949. Fairchild AFB, WA, 1 Jan 1953; Westover AFB, MA, 4 Sep 1956?31 Mar 1974. Ellsworth AFB, SD, 10 Aug 1989; Nellis AFB, NV, 1 Oct 1995-.

Commanders

None (not manned), 1 Jun?Sep 1942; Col Fay R. Upthegrove, c. 14 Sep 1942; Lt Col Wayne E. Thurman, 24 Nov 1943; Col Charles W. Lawrence, 19 Dec 1943; Lt Col Wayne E. Thurman, 26 Jan 1944; Col Ford J. Lauer, 15 Feb 1944; Col Trenholm J. Meyer, 14 Jul 1944; Lt Col James A. Barnett, Aug 1944; Col Ford J. Lauer, 22 Sep 1944; Col Raymond V. Schwanbeck, (by 7) Jan 1945; Lt Col Robert E. Guay, 8 Oct 1945; Maj Joseph D. Russell, 11 Oct 1945; Maj John S. Giegel, 16 Oct 1945?c. 8 Nov 1945. Unkn,29 May 1947?27 Jun 1949. Col Salvatore E. Manzo, 1 Jan 1953; Col Edward D. Edwards, 2 Jul 1954; Col Bryson R. Bailey, 16 Apr 1955; Col John W. Gaff, Jr., 15 May 1956; Col Bryson R. Bailey, (by 10) Jul 1956; Col Selmon W. Wells, 4 Sep 1956; Col Gene F. Oholendt, 7 Oct 1956; Col Selmon W. Wells, 10 Nov 1956; Col Olbert F. Lassiter, 5 Jun 1958; Col Gordon F. Goyt, 3 Aug 1959; Col Olbert F. Lassiter, c. 9 Sep 1959; Col Delmore P. Wood, 19 Sep 1960; Col Gordon F. Goyt, 20 Sep 1960; Col Delmore P. Wood, c. 1 Nov 1960; Col Gordon F. Goyt, 8 Feb 1962; Col Edward M. Nichols, Jr., 1 Mar 1962; Col Charles V. Neil, 24 Feb 1964; Col Robert E. Brofft, 1 May 1967; Col Roy J. Sousley, Jr., c. 1 Oct 1967; Col Robert E. Brofft, c. 2 Apr 1968; Col Maxwell V. Judas, c. 22 Sep 1968; Col Robert E. Brofft, c. 21 Mar 1969; Col Harold E. Ottaway, 16 Jun 1969; Col William Wolfendon, c. 19 Mar 1970; Col Paul E. Clifford, 27 Apr 1970; Col Harold E. Ottaway, c. 23 Jun 1970; Col Alfred R. Grimm, 15 Jul 1970; Col LeRoy P. Hansen, 4 Jun 1971; Col Donald F. Ryan, 15 Jun 1972; Col Paul W. Maul, 13 Apr 1973; Col John W. Rosenbalm, 20 Aug 1973?31 Mar 1974. Col James J. McKeon, 10 Aug 1989; Col William C. Brooks, 13 Nov 1990; Col Robert C. Hinson, 16 Jul 1992?.

Aircraft

B?17, 1942?1945. AT?6, AT?7, AT?11, 1947?1949. RB?29, 1953; RB?36, 1953?1956; GRB?36, 1955?1956; B?52, 1956?1967, 1968, 1969?1970, 1970?1972; KC?135, 1966?1967, 1968, 1969?1970, 1970?1972, 1973; EC?135, 1966?1970.

Operations

After completion of training in Jan 1943, the Group deployed to North Africa and was assigned to Twelfth Air Force. The 99th flew its first combat mission on 31 Mar against an enemy airdrome at Villacidro, Sardinia. Thereafter, bombed Axis ports, airfields, viaducts and bridges, and land and water transportation networks throughout Tunisia, Sardinia, Sicily, Pantelleria, and Italy. Earned a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for performance on 5 Jul 1943 when the Group helped neutralize fighter opposition prior to the invasion of Sicily by bombing key enemy airfield facilities at Gerbini. Reassigned to Fifteenth Air Force and moved to Foggia, Italy, in Nov 1943. Attacked strategic and tactical objectives in Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, and Greece; assisted Allied ground forces at Anzio and Cassino, Feb?Mar 1944; and earned a second DUC for withstanding severe fighter assaults while bombing vital aircraft production plants at Weiner Neustadt, Austria, on 23 Apr 1944. Led the first bombing-shuttle mission into Russia (Operation FRANTIC) in Jun 1944; participated in the pre-invasion bombing of southern France, Aug 1944; and supported the Allied offensive in the Po Valley, Apr 1945. Inactivated in Italy on 8 Nov 1945. The Group activated in the Reserve at Birmingham, AL, on 29 May 1947 and inactivated on 27 Jun 1949. The 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing activated on 1 Jan 1953 at Fairchild AFB, WA, replacing the 111th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. Equipped initially with RB?29 aircraft, and then with RB?36 aircraft beginning in 1954. Performed worldwide photographic, electronic, and visual day and night strategic reconnaissance as its primary mission until late 1954, and until Sep 1956 as a secondary mission. From Jan 1955 to Feb 1956, participated in Project FICON, in which one squadron?s GRB?36D bombers were modified to carry RF?84K reconnaissance fighters on long-range flights. Strategic bombing became the Wing?s primary mission in late 1954, but it was not redesignated a bombardment wing until Oct 1955. Deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam, Jan?Apr 1956. The Wing continued to use RB?36s until Aug 1956, replacing them with B?52s after Dec 1956. In Jan 1966, the Wing moved to Westover AFB, MA, and added air refueling capability to its mission. (The KC?135 tanker squadron also operated EC?135s in a Post-Attack Command Control System role until 1970.) Beginning in 1967, all wing tactical and maintenance assets, and some support resources, were rotated for various periods to USAF units engaged in Southeast Asian combat operations; these deployments continued until the Wing inactivated on 31 Mar 1974. The 99th was redesignated a Strategic Weapons Wing and activated at Ellsworth AFB, SD, in Aug 1989. Conducted tactics and development evaluation, and trained combat crews in strategic bombing and electronic warfare.

Honors

Service Streamers. None.

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

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Sicily, 5 Jul 1943; Austria, 23 Apr 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Oct 1967?1 Mar 1968; 2 Mar?l Apr 1968; 1 Jul 1971?30 Jun 1972; 11 Aug 1989?30 Jun 1991; 1 Jul 1991?15 Apr 1993.

Emblem

Azure, in saltire, a bend rompu arraswise Gules garnished Argent and a lightning flash Or striking from a cloud issuant from sinister chief of the third an atomic symbol in base of the like, all within a diminished bordure Or. Motto: CAVEANT AGGRESSORES?Let aggressors beware. Approved on 7 Feb 1958 (K 3013); replaced emblem approved on 3 Nov 1953 (157589 A.C.).