58th Special Operations Wing
Encyclopedia
The 58th Special Operations Wing (58 SOW) is a combat unit of the United States Air Force
stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base
, New Mexico
. The 58 SOW is part of the Air Education and Training Command
(AETC) Nineteenth Air Force
.
The 58 SOW serves as the premier training site for Air Force special operations and combat search and rescue aircrews. The wing provides undergraduate, graduate and refresher aircrew training for special operations, rescue, missile site support and distinguished visitor airlift helicopter, fixed-wing, and tilt-rotor operations. The wing employs more than 1,800 personnel and trains over 2,000 students a year.
search and rescue
, missile
site support, and UH-1 Distinguished Visitor airlift
crews directly supporting Air Expeditionary Forces for the United States Air Force
.
The wing operates eight different weapon systems: UH-1H, UH-1N, HH-60G, MH-53J, HC-130P/N, MC-130P, MC-130H, and CV-22 totaling more than 60 assigned aircraft. The wing teaches more than 100 courses in 18 different crew positions including pilot, navigator, electronic warfare officer, flight engineer, communications system operator, loadmaster and aerial gunner. Additionally, the wing responds to worldwide contingencies and provides search and rescue support to the local community. The 58 SOW should receive deliveries of the MC-130J and HC-130J in the Summer/Fall of 2011.
The unit also provides people and airlift needed in response to crises around the world and assists civilian authorities in regional rescues. Supporting the 58th SOW training mission are approximately 1,250 military and civilian personnel administering over 90 training systems courses in 18 different crew positions. Assigned units are:
The 58th SOW's Operations Group is composed of three flying and two support squadrons, as well as two geographically separated pilot training units, one at Fort Rucker
, Alabama
, and the other at MCAS New River, North Carolina
.
Established as 58 Fighter-Bomber Wing on 25 June 1952. Activated on 10 July 1952 in Japan absorbing the personnel and equipment of the Texas
Air National Guard
136th Fighter-Bomber Group
.
's "MiG Alley
," the 58 FBW targeted airfields, railways, enemy positions, bridges, dams, electric power plants and vehicles.
The 58th provided close air support for United Nations
ground forces and attacked enemy airfields and installations. In 1952 and early 1953 the wing flew interdiction and close air support
missions in as well as attacking special strategic targets such as military schools, dam
s, and port
facilities. Having entered the war with slow, short-ranged F-84D ThunderJets, the 58 FBW transitioned in late 1952 to the new "G" model, designed with more speed and range. The wing attacked the major supply port of Sinuiju
in September, inflicting heavy damage without loss of personnel or aircraft. Combining with other fighter-bomber units, it attacked the Kumgang
Political School
at Odong-ni in October 1952 and the North Korea
n tank and infantry school at Kangso in February 1953. In May, the 58th bombed North Korean dams, flooding enemy lines of communication
and rice fields. On July 27, 1953 it attacked runway at Kanggye
and, with the 49 Fighter-Bomber Wing
, bombed Sunan Airfield
for the final action of the war. The wing earned a second DUC for its actions in the last three months of the war
.
These missions were not easy and they came at a cost. By the end of December 1952, the war claimed 18 members of the 58 FBW. By war's end the toll rose even higher. Many wing pilots never came home. According to recent listings from the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office, the fates of 14 members assigned to the 58 FBW are still unaccounted.
As the war raged on, the 58 FBW continued to play a vital role. Truce talks between North Korea and the United Nations stalled in the spring of 1953. As a result, the Air Force began attacking previously excluded targets in the north. On May 13, 1953, Thunderjets from the 58 FBW struck the Toksan Dam, near Pyongyang causing a massive flood. Floodwaters from the breached dam destroyed ten bridges, ruined several square miles of rice crops, flooded over 1,000 buildings and rendered the Sunan Airfield inoperable. Three days later, the wing attacked the Chosan irrigation dam with similar results. The Far East Air Forces commander later credited the 58 FBW by stating the destruction of the Toksan and Chosan irrigation dams resulted in the enemy coming to the truce talks in earnest.
The 58 FBW served in three Korean War campaigns and earned the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for its actions in combat. After the armistice
the 58th provided air defense for South Korea
and deployed tactical components on rotational basis to Taiwan
from January 1955 – February 1957. From March 15, 1953 to November 8, 1954 the 58th service-tested a "reinforced" wing organization, exercising direct control of the tactical components of the attached wings. In October 1958 it was re-armed with the TM-61C (Matador)
tactical missile to provide a deterrent against attacks on South Korea, a mission that continued until 1962.
and tactical
exercises
while operating Luke Air Force Base
until April 1977. It managed Tactical Air Command
's Central Instructor School from 1971–1981. Beginning in early 1983 it performed tactical fighter training for US and foreign aircrews in the F-16 Falcon.
The 58th deployed support personnel to Europe
to augment USAFE units during the war against Iraq
in 1991.
In the fall of 1991, its primary mission expanded to include tactical training in the F-15E Strike Eagle
all-weather strike fighter. By 1994, the wing had trained pilots and support personnel from the Netherlands
, South Korea, Turkey
, Pakistan
, the Republic of Singapore, Norway
, Greece
, Egypt
, Indonesia
, and Venezuela
.
air crews and moved to Kirtland Air Force Base
. It also trained crews in special operations
aircraft, including helicopters and modified C-130 Hercules
aircraft. It performed pararescue training and search and rescue missions as well. Additionally, the wing trained for missile site support and airlift for distinguished visitors. At the same time the wing continued to deploy personnel worldwide for contingency and combat operations.
The wing airlifted a federal
task force to Pennsylvania
to investigate the crash site of the fourth airliner following the September 11, 2001
terrorist attacks. Since that time the 58th has deployed personnel and equipment to support Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Today, the wing trains aircrews in the MC-130 Combat Shadow and Combat Talon I/II variants of the C-130 Hercules
and the CV-22 Osprey for the Air Force Special Operations Command
; the HC-130
Hercules and the HH-60G Pavehawk for the Air Combat Command
and Pacific Air Forces; the UH-1 Huey for Air Force Space Command
; and those aircrew operationally gained to those commands from the Air Force Reserve Command
and the Air National Guard
.
Groups
Squadrons
References for commands and major units assigned, components and stations:
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator Col. Roy C. Kirtland...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. The 58 SOW is part of the Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
(AETC) Nineteenth Air Force
Nineteenth Air Force
The Nineteenth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base and belonging to the Air Education and Training Command...
.
The 58 SOW serves as the premier training site for Air Force special operations and combat search and rescue aircrews. The wing provides undergraduate, graduate and refresher aircrew training for special operations, rescue, missile site support and distinguished visitor airlift helicopter, fixed-wing, and tilt-rotor operations. The wing employs more than 1,800 personnel and trains over 2,000 students a year.
Overview
The 58th Special Operations Wing’s mission is to train mission-ready special operations, combatCombat
Combat, or fighting, is a purposeful violent conflict meant to establish dominance over the opposition, or to terminate the opposition forever, or drive the opposition away from a location where it is not wanted or needed....
search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
, missile
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
site support, and UH-1 Distinguished Visitor airlift
Airlift
Airlift is the act of transporting people or cargo from point to point using aircraft.Airlift may also refer to:*Airlift , a suction device for moving sand and silt underwater-See also:...
crews directly supporting Air Expeditionary Forces for the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
.
The wing operates eight different weapon systems: UH-1H, UH-1N, HH-60G, MH-53J, HC-130P/N, MC-130P, MC-130H, and CV-22 totaling more than 60 assigned aircraft. The wing teaches more than 100 courses in 18 different crew positions including pilot, navigator, electronic warfare officer, flight engineer, communications system operator, loadmaster and aerial gunner. Additionally, the wing responds to worldwide contingencies and provides search and rescue support to the local community. The 58 SOW should receive deliveries of the MC-130J and HC-130J in the Summer/Fall of 2011.
The unit also provides people and airlift needed in response to crises around the world and assists civilian authorities in regional rescues. Supporting the 58th SOW training mission are approximately 1,250 military and civilian personnel administering over 90 training systems courses in 18 different crew positions. Assigned units are:
- 58th Operations Group58th Operations GroupThe 58th Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 58th Special Operations Wing. It is stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico....
(58 OG)
The 58th SOW's Operations Group is composed of three flying and two support squadrons, as well as two geographically separated pilot training units, one at Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker is a U.S. Army post located mostly in Dale County, Alabama, United States. It was named for a Civil War officer, Confederate General Edmund Rucker. The post is the primary flight training base for Army Aviation and is home to the United States Army Aviation Center of Excellence and...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, and the other at MCAS New River, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
- 23d Flying Training Squadron23d Flying Training SquadronThe 23d Flying Training Squadron is a unit of the United States Air Force, currently assigned to 58th Operations Group performing helicopter training at Fort Rucker, Alabama.-History:...
(23 FTS) (Fort Rucker, AL) - 71st Special Operations Squadron71st Special Operations SquadronThe 71st Special Operations Squadron is part of the 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operates CV-22 Osprey conducting special operations flying training.-History:...
(71 SOS) (CV-22) - 512th Rescue Squadron512th Rescue SquadronThe 512th Rescue Squadron is part of the 58th Special Operations Wing based at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operates UH-1N Twin Huey and HH-60 Pave Hawk aircraft conducting search and rescue missions.-World War II:...
(512 RQS) (UH-1N & HH-60G) - 550th Special Operations Squadron550th Special Operations SquadronThe 550th Special Operations Squadron "WOLFPACK" is part of the 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico...
(550 SOS) (MC-130H, HC-130P & MC-130P) - 58th Operations Support Squadron (58 OSS)
- 58th Training Squadron (58 TRS)
- 58th Maintenance Group (58 MXG)
- 58th Maintenance Squadron (58 MXS)
- 58th Maintenance Operations Squadron (58 MOS)
- 58th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (58 AMX)
History
- For additional history and lineage, see 58th Operations Group58th Operations GroupThe 58th Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 58th Special Operations Wing. It is stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico....
Established as 58 Fighter-Bomber Wing on 25 June 1952. Activated on 10 July 1952 in Japan absorbing the personnel and equipment of the Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
136th Fighter-Bomber Group
136th Airlift Wing
The United States Air Force's 136th Airlift Wing is an airlift unit located at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth. The wing operates the Lockheed C-130H cargo/transport aircraft and is the parent unit of the 181st Airlift Squadron.-Mission:...
.
Korean War
The 58 FBW moved to K-2 Air Base, later known as Taegu Air Base, South Korea, in August 1952. Fighter-bomber units like the 58 FBW provided close air support for United Nations ground forces. Often flying deep into North KoreaNorth Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
's "MiG Alley
MiG Alley
"MIG Alley" is the name given by U.S. Air Force pilots to the northwestern portion of North Korea, where the Yalu River empties into the Yellow Sea. During the Korean War, it was the site of numerous dogfights between U.S. fighter jets and those of the Communist forces, particularly the Soviet...
," the 58 FBW targeted airfields, railways, enemy positions, bridges, dams, electric power plants and vehicles.
The 58th provided close air support for United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
ground forces and attacked enemy airfields and installations. In 1952 and early 1953 the wing flew interdiction and close air support
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
missions in as well as attacking special strategic targets such as military schools, dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s, and port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
facilities. Having entered the war with slow, short-ranged F-84D ThunderJets, the 58 FBW transitioned in late 1952 to the new "G" model, designed with more speed and range. The wing attacked the major supply port of Sinuiju
Sinuiju
Sinŭiju is a city in North Korea, neighboring with Dandong City, China via international border and is the capital of North P'yŏngan Province...
in September, inflicting heavy damage without loss of personnel or aircraft. Combining with other fighter-bomber units, it attacked the Kumgang
Kumgang County
Kumgang County is a kun, or county, in Kangwon province, North Korea. Kumgang lies immediately north of the Korean Demilitarized Zone. It was formed in 1952 from portions of Hoeyang, Yanggu, and Inje, as part of a general reorganization of local government, and stretches out from north to south...
Political School
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
at Odong-ni in October 1952 and the North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n tank and infantry school at Kangso in February 1953. In May, the 58th bombed North Korean dams, flooding enemy lines of communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
and rice fields. On July 27, 1953 it attacked runway at Kanggye
Kanggye
Kanggye is the provincial capital of Chagang, North Korea and has a population of 209,000. Because of its strategic importance, derived from its topography, it has been of military interest from the time of the Joseon Dynasty .-Geography:...
and, with the 49 Fighter-Bomber Wing
49th Fighter Wing
The 49th Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The 49 WG is part of the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force....
, bombed Sunan Airfield
Sunan International Airport
-Cargo destinations:-Facilities:The airport contains a car park, a business centre, disabled facilities, a duty free shop, Business Class lounge, a taxi stand, a Korea Trade Bank, and several souvenir shops. The airport also has a baggage storage facility; service hours are from 08:00 to 21:00 and...
for the final action of the war. The wing earned a second DUC for its actions in the last three months of the war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
.
These missions were not easy and they came at a cost. By the end of December 1952, the war claimed 18 members of the 58 FBW. By war's end the toll rose even higher. Many wing pilots never came home. According to recent listings from the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office, the fates of 14 members assigned to the 58 FBW are still unaccounted.
As the war raged on, the 58 FBW continued to play a vital role. Truce talks between North Korea and the United Nations stalled in the spring of 1953. As a result, the Air Force began attacking previously excluded targets in the north. On May 13, 1953, Thunderjets from the 58 FBW struck the Toksan Dam, near Pyongyang causing a massive flood. Floodwaters from the breached dam destroyed ten bridges, ruined several square miles of rice crops, flooded over 1,000 buildings and rendered the Sunan Airfield inoperable. Three days later, the wing attacked the Chosan irrigation dam with similar results. The Far East Air Forces commander later credited the 58 FBW by stating the destruction of the Toksan and Chosan irrigation dams resulted in the enemy coming to the truce talks in earnest.
The 58 FBW served in three Korean War campaigns and earned the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for its actions in combat. After the armistice
Armistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
the 58th provided air defense for South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and deployed tactical components on rotational basis to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
from January 1955 – February 1957. From March 15, 1953 to November 8, 1954 the 58th service-tested a "reinforced" wing organization, exercising direct control of the tactical components of the attached wings. In October 1958 it was re-armed with the TM-61C (Matador)
MGM-1 Matador
The Martin MGM-1 Matador was the first operational surface-to-surface cruise missile built by the United States. It was similar in concept to the German V-1, but the Matador included a radio link that allowed in-flight course corrections. This allowed accuracy to be maintained over greatly extended...
tactical missile to provide a deterrent against attacks on South Korea, a mission that continued until 1962.
Fighter Training Wing
On August 22, 1969, the Air Force redesignated the 58 FBW as the 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing and activated it under the Tactical Air Command at Luke AFB, Arizona. The wing conducted training of US, German Air Force, and other friendly foreign nation aircrew and support personnel, and participated in numerous operationsMilitary operation
Military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state's favor. Operations may be of combat or non-combat types, and are referred to by a code name for the purpose...
and tactical
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
exercises
Military exercise
A military exercise is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat...
while operating Luke Air Force Base
Luke Air Force Base
Luke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located seven miles west of the central business district of Glendale, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is also about west of Phoenix, Arizona....
until April 1977. It managed Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
's Central Instructor School from 1971–1981. Beginning in early 1983 it performed tactical fighter training for US and foreign aircrews in the F-16 Falcon.
The 58th deployed support personnel to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to augment USAFE units during the war against Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in 1991.
In the fall of 1991, its primary mission expanded to include tactical training in the F-15E Strike Eagle
F-15E Strike Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle is an all-weather multirole fighter, derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic warfare aircraft. United States Air Force F-15E Strike...
all-weather strike fighter. By 1994, the wing had trained pilots and support personnel from the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, South Korea, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, the Republic of Singapore, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
Modern era
In 1994, the wing's mission changed from the training of USAF and Allied fighter pilots to the training of USAF helicopterHelicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
air crews and moved to Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator Col. Roy C. Kirtland...
. It also trained crews in special operations
Special operations
Special operations are military operations that are considered "special" .Special operations are typically performed independently or in conjunction with conventional military operations. The primary goal is to achieve a political or military objective where a conventional force requirement does...
aircraft, including helicopters and modified C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
aircraft. It performed pararescue training and search and rescue missions as well. Additionally, the wing trained for missile site support and airlift for distinguished visitors. At the same time the wing continued to deploy personnel worldwide for contingency and combat operations.
The wing airlifted a federal
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
task force to Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
to investigate the crash site of the fourth airliner following the September 11, 2001
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
terrorist attacks. Since that time the 58th has deployed personnel and equipment to support Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Today, the wing trains aircrews in the MC-130 Combat Shadow and Combat Talon I/II variants of the C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
and the CV-22 Osprey for the Air Force Special Operations Command
Air Force Special Operations Command
Air Force Special Operations Command is the Special Operations component of the United States Air Force and the US Air Force component command to the United States Special Operations Command , a unified command located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida...
; the HC-130
HC-130
The Lockheed HC-130 is an extended-range, search and rescue and Combat search and rescue version of the C-130 Hercules transport. The HC-130H and HC-130J versions are operated by the United States Coast Guard in a SAR and maritime reconnaissance role. The HC-130P and HC-130N Combat King models...
Hercules and the HH-60G Pavehawk for the Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
and Pacific Air Forces; the UH-1 Huey for Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command is a major command of the United States Department of the Air Force, with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations....
; and those aircrew operationally gained to those commands from the Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
and the Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
.
Lineage
- Established as 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing on June 25, 1952
- Activated on July 10, 1952
- Inactivated on July 1, 1958
- Redesignated 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing on August 22, 1969
- Activated on 15 October 1969, absorbing personnel and equipment of provisional 4510th Combat Crew Training Wing
- Redesignated 58th Tactical Training Wing on April 1, 1977
- Redesignated 58th Fighter Wing on October 1, 1991
- Redesignated 58th Special Operations Wing on April 1, 1994.
Assignments
- Tactical Air CommandTactical Air CommandTactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
, July 10, 1952
- Attached to: Fifth Air ForceFifth Air ForceThe Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
, July 10, 1952 – February 28, 1955 - Attached to: Korean Air Division, Provisional, 314th, March 1–14, 1955
- Attached to: 314th Air Division314th Air DivisionThe 314th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Pacific Air Forces, based at Osan AB, South Korea. It was inactivated in September 1986....
, March 15, 1955 – December 31, 1956- Far East Air Forces, 1 January 1957
- 314th Air Division314th Air DivisionThe 314th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Pacific Air Forces, based at Osan AB, South Korea. It was inactivated in September 1986....
, 1 January 1957-1 July 1958 - Twelfth Air Force, 15 October 1969
- Tactical Training, Luke, 1 April 1977
- 832d Air Division832d Air DivisionThe 832d Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, assigned to Twelfth Air Force, being stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona...
, 1 December 1980 - Twelfth Air Force, 1 October 1991
- Nineteenth Air ForceNineteenth Air ForceThe Nineteenth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base and belonging to the Air Education and Training Command...
, 1 July 1993-Present
Components
Wings- 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing: attached March 16–31, 1953
- 474th Fighter-Bomber Wing: attached April 1, 1953 – November 8, 1954
Groups
- 49th Fighter-Bomber Group: attached March 16–31, 1953
- 58th Fighter-Bomber (later, 58th Operations) Group58th Operations GroupThe 58th Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 58th Special Operations Wing. It is stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico....
: July 10, 1952 – November 8, 1957; October 1, 1991 – - 474th Fighter-Bomber Group: attached April 1, 1953 – November 24, 1954.
Squadrons
- 69th Fighter-Bomber (later, 69th Tactical Fighter Training) Squadron69th Fighter SquadronThe 69th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force Reserve fighter squadron. It is assigned to the 944th Operations Group, stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.-Mission:...
: attached 1 Mar-7 Nov 1957, assigned 8 Nov 1957-1 Jul 1958; assigned 15 Oct 1969-16 Mar 1983. - 310th Fighter-Bomber (later, 310th Tactical Fighter Training) Squadron310th Fighter SquadronThe 310th Fighter Squadron is part of the 56th Operations Group at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting advanced fighter training....
: attached 1 Mar-7 Nov 1957, assigned 8 Nov 1957-1 Jul 1958; assigned 15 Dec 1969-1 Oct 1991. - 311th Fighter-Bomber (later, 311th Tactical Fighter Training) Squadron311th Fighter SquadronThe 311th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 56th Operations Group, being stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It was inactivated on 26 September 1995...
: attached 1 Mar-7 Nov 1957, assigned 8 Nov 1957-1 Jul 1958; assigned 18 Jan 1970-1 Oct 1991. - 312th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron312th Tactical Fighter Training SquadronThe 312th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 58th Tactical Training Wing. stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona...
: 1 October 1984–18 January 1991 - 314th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 1 October 1986-1 Oct 1991
- 333d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 22 March-31 July 1971
- 418th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 15 October 1969-1 Oct 1976
- 425th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 15 October 1969–22 August 1979
- 555th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 5 July 5–29 August 1979
- 4461st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 23 June 1976–1 July 1977
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- Assets re-designated as: 461st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: July 1, 1977 – August 29, 1979
- 4511th Combat Crew Training Squadron: October 15, 1969 – January 18, 1970
- Assets re-designated asL 311th Tactical Fighter Training) Squadron
- 4514th Combat Crew Training Squadron: October 15 – December 15, 1969
- Assets re-designated as: 310th Tactical Fighter Training) Squadron
- 4515th Combat Crew Training Squadron: October 15, 1969 – January 18, 1970
- Assets re-designated as 426th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron426th Tactical Fighter Training SquadronThe 426th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force fighter squadron. Its last assignment was with the 405th Tactical Training Wing, being inactivated at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, on 19 November 1990....
: January 18, 1970 – January 1, 1981- 4516th Combat Crew Training Squadron: October 15, 1969 – January 18, 1970
- Assets re-designated as 550th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 1 April, 1970 – August 29, 1979
- Assets re-designated as: 461st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: July 1, 1977 – August 29, 1979
Stations
- Itazuke ABFukuoka Airport, formerly known as Itazuke Air Base, is an international and domestic airport located east of Hakata Station in Fukuoka, Japan. It is officially designated a second class airport. It is operating at full capacity, and cannot be further expanded. Flights stop at 10 p.m...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, July 10, 1952 - Taegu AB (K-9), South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, August 1952 - Osan-Ni (later, Osan) AB, South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, March 15, 1955 – July 1, 1958 - Luke AFB, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, October 15, 1969 - Kirtland AFB, New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, April 1, 1994 – present
Aircraft
- F-84 ThunderjetF-84 ThunderjetThe Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 flew in 1946...
, 1952–1954 - F-86 SabreF-86 SabreThe North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
, 1954–1958 - F-100 Super SabreF-100 Super SabreThe North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
, 1969–1971 - F/TF-104 StarfighterF-104 StarfighterThe Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft originally developed for the United States Air Force by Lockheed. One of the Century Series of aircraft, it served with the USAF from 1958 until 1969, and continued with Air National Guard units...
, 1969–1983 - Northrop F-5C/E Tiger/Tiger II, 1969–1979
- A-7D Corsair IIA-7 Corsair IIThe Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II is a carrier-based subsonic light attack aircraft introduced to replace the United States Navy's Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, initially entering service during the Vietnam War...
, 1969–1971 - F-4 Phantom IIF-4 Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
, 1971–1982 - F/TF-15 EagleF-15 EagleThe McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
, 1974–1979 - F-16 Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
, 1982–1991
References for commands and major units assigned, components and stations: