58 th SPECIAL OPERATIONS WING

Transcription

1 58 th SPECIAL OPERATIONS WING LINEAGE 58 th Fighter Bomber Wing, established, 25 Jun 1952 Activated, 10 Jul 1952 Inactivated, 1 Jul 1958 Redesignated 58 th Tactical Fighter Training Wing, 22 Aug 1969 Activated, 15 Oct 1969 Redesignated 58 th Tactical Training Wing, 1 Apr 1977 Redesignated 58 th Fighter Wing, 1 Oct 1991 Redesignated 58 th Special Operations Wing, 1 Apr 1994 STATIONS Itazuke AB, Japan, 10 Jul 1952 Taegu AB, South Korea, Aug 1952 Osan-Ni (later, Osan) AB, South Korea, 15 Mar Jul 1958 Luke AFB, AZ, 15 Oct 1969 Kirtland AFB, NM, 1 Apr 1994 ASSIGNMENTS Tactical Air Command, 10 Jul 1952 Far East Air Forces, 1 Jan th Air Division, 1 Jan Jul 1958 Twelfth Air Force, 15 Oct 1969 Tactical Training, Luke, 1 Apr nd Air Division, 1 Dec 1980 Twelfth Air Force, 1 Oct 1991 Nineteenth Air Force, 1 Jul 1993 ATTACHMENTS Fifth Air Force, 10 Jul Feb 1955 Korean Air Division, Provisional, 314, 1-14 Mar th Air Division, 15 Mar Dec 1956 WEAPON SYSTEMS F-84,

2 F-86, F-100, F/TF-104, F-5, A-7, F-4, F/TF-15, , F-16, UH-1, 1994 HH-60, 1994 MH-53, 1994 TH-53, HC-130, , 2000 MC-130, 1994 C-12, F/TF-104G F-5A/B/E/F A-7D F-4C F-15A/B/C/D F-16A/B F-15D/E UH-1N TH-53A MH-53J HH-60G H/C-130P/N MC-130P MC-130H UH-1H CV-22 COMMANDERS Col James B. Buck, 10 Jul 1952 Col Victor E. Warford, 22 Jul 1952 Col Joseph Davis Jr., 1 Jul 1953 Col Arthur C. Agan Jr., 8 Aug 1953 Col Earl E. Bates Jr., c. Jul 1954 Col Neil A. Newman, 15 Mar 1955 Col Richard T. Carlisle, 2 Dec 1955 Col Clifford Nash, 13 Jun 1956 Col Wayne E. Rhynard, l Aug 1956 Col Horace A. Hanes, 1957 Col Ralph L. Merritt Jr., 1 Jun-l Jul 1958 Col John J. Burns, 15 Oct 1969

3 Col John S. Clarke Jr., 26 Jun 1970 BG Albert L. Melton, 31 Aug 1972 BG Fred A. Haeffner, 15 Aug 1974 Col John F. O'Donnell, 1 Apr 1977 Col James P. Coyne, 10 Jun 1977 Col Edward Levell Jr., 4 Aug 1977 Col Peter T. Kempf, 27 Mar 1978 Col Alan P. Lurie, 29 Aug 1979 Col Malcolm F. Bolton, 5 Jun 1981 Col James F. Record, 23 May 1983 Col James M. Johnston III, 5 May 1984 Col Ralph T. Browning, 18 Sep 1985 Col Walter T. West, 16 Jul 1987 Col William F. Looke, 20 Apr 1988 Col William S. Hinton Jr., 7 Sep 1989 Col Steven R. Polk, 2 Jul 1991 BG Ralph T. Browning, 1 Oct 1991 BG Patrick K. Gamble, 21 Aug 1992 BG Stephen B. Plummer, 24 Jun 1993 Col Richard T. Jeffreys, 1 Apr 1994 Col Michael N. Farage, 30 Aug 1994 Col John H. Folkerts, 14 Feb 1997 Col Michael F. Planert, 13 Jul 1999 Col Michael B. Byers, 14 May 2001 Col Eric E. Fiel, 25 Apr 2003 Col Thomas J. Trask, 23 May 2005 Col Morris E. Hasse, 30 Jan 2007 Col Eric A. Kivi, 18 Jun 2008 Colonel James L. Cardoso Commander, 58th Special Operations Wing 15 July 2010 present HONORS Service Streamers None Campaign Streamers Korea Korea Summer-Fall, 1952 Third Korean Winter Korea Summer, 1953 Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers None

4 Decorations Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards [15 Oct 1969]-31 Dec Jan Dec Jan Dec Jan Dec Aug May Jun May Apr Mar Jan Jun Jul Dec Jul Jun Jul Jun Jul Jun Jul Jun Jul Jun 04 1 Jul Jun 05 1 Jul Jul Jul Jun 2008 Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation 10 Jul Mar 1953 Bestowed Honors Authorized to display honors earned by the 58 th Fighter Group prior to 10 Jul 1952 Service Streamers World War II American Theater Campaign Streamers World War II Bismarck Archipelago New Guinea Leyte Luzon Southern Philippines Western Pacific Ryukyus Air Offensive, Japan China Offensive Decorations Distinguished Unit Citation: Philippines, 26 Dec 1944 Philippine Presidential Unit Citation EMBLEM

5 Azure, on clouds in base a representation of the Greek mythological goddess Artemis with quiver and bow, in her chariot drawn by the two deer, all or. First approved on 10 August 1942 for use by the 58th Fighter Group. The wing received approval to use this insignia as its official emblem on 18 November EMBLEM SIGNIFICANCE The primary colors of the shield, ultramarine blue and Air Force yellow, are the colors of the United States Air Force. The goddess Diana or Artemis, the daughter of Jupiter, was the Olympian goddess of the hunt. She always returned successfully from her ventures. The goddess is symbolic of the functions of the wing. MOTTO Non Revertar Inultus l Will Not Return Unavenged NICKNAME OPERATIONS In 1952 and early 1953, flew interdiction and close air support missions in Korea, but also attacked special strategic targets such as military schools, dams, and port facilities. After the armistice, provided air defense for South Korea. From 15 Mar 1953 to 8 Nov 1954, servicetested a "reinforced" wing organization, exercising direct control of the tactical components of the attached wings. Conducted training of US, German Air Force, and other friendly foreign nation aircrew and support personnel. Participated in numerous operations and tactical exercises and operated Luke AFB until Apr Managed Tactical Air Command's Central Instructor School, Began in early 1983 tactical fighter training for US and foreign aircrews in the F-16. Deployed support personnel to Europe to augment USAFE units during the war against Iraq in In the fall of 1991, its primary mission expanded to include tactical training in the F-15E 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. In 1994, the wing's mission changed from the training of USAF and Allied fighter pilots to the training of USAF helicopter air crews. Also trained crews in special operations aircraft, including helicopters and modified C-130s. Performed pararescue training and search and rescue missions. Trained for missile site support and airlift for distinguished visitors. Deployed personnel worldwide for contingency and combat operations. One squadron trained at Fort Rucker, AL, using U.S. Army aircraft. On 11 Sep 2001, after terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners and crashed three of them into buildings in New York and Washington, the wing airlifted a federal task force to Pennsylvania to investigate the crash site of the fourth airliner. The history of the 58 SOW officially began with the activation of the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing (FBW) on 10 July However, its bestowed lineage traces back to the 58th Pursuit Group. As a lineal descendant of this World War II-era group, the 58 SOW may display the streamers and awards earned by the 58th Pursuit Group Bestowed History The Army Air Corps established the 58th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940.

6 The group activated at Selfridge Field, Michigan on 15 January Assigned to the group were the 67th, 68th and 69th Pursuit Squadrons. In October 1941, the group moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and then to Dale Mabry Field, Florida, in March During this time, the group provided replacement training for pilots in a mix of fighters such as the P-35, P-36, P-39, P-40 and P-43. In 1942, the 67th and 68th Pursuit Squadrons transferred out of the group and replaced with the 310th and 311th Pursuit Squadrons, which were activated and assigned on 9 February In May 1942, the 58th Pursuit Group was re-designated as the 58th Fighter Group (FG) and the 69th, 310th and 311th Pursuit Squadrons were designated as fighter squadrons. Before seeing combat in the Pacific, the 58 FG served as a flying training group, training Chinese and South American pilots as well as some of America s Tuskegee Airmen and Flying Sergeants. The 58 FG began training in the P-40F Warhawk in September The group headquarters, along with the 69th and 310th Fighter Squadrons, moved to Philadelphia in October, while the 311 Fighter Squadron went to Bolling Field, Washington, D.C. These squadrons had the dual mission of training and protecting the East Coast and the nation s capital from attack. The 58 FG moved to New Guinea between October and December 1943, via Australia. Equipped with the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, nicknamed The Jug, the group served under Fifth Air Force. The 58 FG entered combat in February 1944, flying protective patrols over American bases and escorting transports. The 58 FG also provided fighter support for bombers attacking Japanese airfields and installations and escorted convoys to the Admiralty Islands. The 58 FG moved to Noemfoor Island in August From there, they bombed and strafed enemy airfields on Ceram, Halmahera and the Kai Islands. The group moved to the Philippines in November 1944 in preparation for the invasion of Mindora. Aircrews assigned to the 58 FG strafed Japanese naval forces around Mindora preventing the destruction of American bases on the island. Many considered it a suicide mission because bombs were in short supply, but the battle was successful for the American forces, and the allied beachhead on Mindoro was saved, earning the group a Distinguished Unit Citation for its actions on 26 December After the war, the 58 FG remained in the Pacific theater flying reconnaissance and surveillance missions over Japan until its inactivation on 27 January Activated for the Korean Conflict, the newly formed 58th Fighter Bomber Wing (FBW) flew from K-2 Air Base, later known as Taegu AB, South Korea, providing close air support to United Nations ground forces, often flying deep into North Korea's "MIG Alley." These difficult missions typically targeted airfields, railway lines, entrenched enemy positions, bridges, dams, electric power plants, and vehicles. The 58 FBW suffered its first casualty of the war on 11 July 1952, when Capt. Irwin M. Tindall,

7 a 310th Fighter Bomber Squadron pilot, was shot down near a target area over Pyongyang. By the end of 1952, the wing lost 18 members; others were shot down, captured, served as prisoners of war, and eventually released. The wing served in three Korean Conflict campaigns and earned the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for its actions in combat. After the war, the wing converted to F-86 Sabres in 1954 and moved to Osan Air Base, South Korea, in 1955, remaining there until its inactivation on 1 July The Air Force reactivated the unit on 22 August 1969 and renamed it as the 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing. Stationed at Luke AFB, AZ, the wing trained American and NATO allied fighter pilots until it moved to Kirtland AFB, New Mexico on 1 Apr At that time it gained its current name and three new units - the 550th and 551st Flying Training Squadrons became Special Operations Squadrons and the 512th Special Operations, later Rescue, Squadron. The 58 SOW continues its long tradition of training the Air Force's best pilots; their helicopter and C-130 crews distinguished themselves in Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. Additionally, the wing will soon begin training for the new CV-22 Osprey, scheduled to arrive in Located on Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB), the 58th Special Operations Wing (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 58 SOW employs more than 1,800 personnel and trains over 2,000 students a year. 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 enjoys a long and prestigious history, but it has not always served as a special operations wing. While the history of the 58 SOW officially began with the activation of the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing (FBW) on 10 July 1952, its bestowed lineage traces back to the 58th Pursuit Group of World War II. As a lineal descendant of this unit, the wing displays the streamers and awards earned by the 58th Pursuit Group. The Army Air Corps established the 58th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940 and activated it at Selfridge Field, Michigan on 15 January In October 1941, the group moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and then to Dale Mabry Field, Florida, in March During this time, the group provided replacement training for pilots in a mix of fighters such as the P-35, P- 36, P-39, P-40 and P 43. In May 1942, the 58th Pursuit Group was redesignated as the 58th Fighter Group (58 FG). Before seeing combat in the Pacific, the 58 FG served as a flying training group, training Chinese and South American pilots and some of America's Tuskegee

8 Airmen and Flying Sergeants. The 58 FG also had the mission of protecting the East Coast and the nation's capital from attack from September Between October and December 1943 the 58 FG deployed to New Guinea via Australia. Equipped with the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, nicknamed "The Jug," the group served under Fifth Air Force. The 58 FG entered combat in February 1944, flying protective patrols over American bases and escorting transports. The 58 FG also provided fighter support for bombers attacking Japanese airfields and installations and escorted convoys to the Admiralty Islands. The 58 FG moved to Noemfoor Island in August From there, they bombed and strafed enemy airfields on Ceram, Halmahera and the Kai Islands. The group moved to the Philippines in November 1944 in preparation for the invasion of Mindora. Aircrews assigned to the 58 FG strafed Japanese naval forces around Mindora saving the allied beachhead on Mindoro, earning the group a Distinguished Unit Citation for its actions on 26 December The group continued to operate from bases in the Philippines and received a fourth fighter squadron in May the 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron, the only Mexican unit to see combat in World War II. The 58 FG moved from the Philippines to Okinawa in July 1945 and attacked railways, airfields and naval units in Korea and Kyushu. After the war ended, the 58 FG stayed in the Pacific Theater flying reconnaissance and surveillance missions over Japan until inactivated on 27 January The wing's official history starts with the activation of the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing (58 FBW) on 10 July 1952, at Itazuke Air Base, Japan, flying the F-84 Thunderjet. The original composition of the 58 FBW consisted of personnel and equipment from the 136 FBW, a Texas Air National Guard Unit. The 58 FBW moved to K-2 Air Base, later known as Taegu Air Base, South Korea, in August Fighter-bomber units like the 58 FBW provided close air support for United Nations ground forces. Often flying deep into North Korea's "Mig Alley," the 58 FBW targeted airfields, railways, enemy positions, bridges, dams, electric power plants and vehicles. The 58 FBW fought many battles and inflicted serious damage on the enemy, but 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 As a result, the Air Force began attacking previously excluded targets in the north. On 13 May 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. The wing remained in South Korea after the

9 war to provide air defense. The wing converted to F-86 Sabres in 1954 and moved to Osan Air Base in 1955, where it inactivated on 1 July On 22 August 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 unit trained pilots in the F-100 Super Sabre and A 7D Corsair II, along with German pilots in the F- 104G Starfighter and other Allied pilots in the F-5 Freedom Fighter. The wing became the primary training unit for the F-4 Phantom II in 1971 and received the first F 15 Eagle in November 1974, with President Gerald Ford heading the welcoming committee. The wing's designation changed to the 58th Tactical Training Wing on 1 April 1977, it graduated the last F-4 class on 29 June 1982, and received its first F-16 Fighting Falcon on 6 December Then, during a major reorganization in 1991, the Air Force redesignated the wing as the 58th Fighter Wing. The post-cold War drawdown caused many organizational changes across the Air Force. On 1 July 1993, the Air Force placed training and education under a single command, redesignating the Air Training Command as the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). At the same time, AETC activated the Nineteenth Air Force to oversee flying training. The Air Force also reassigned many bases from Air Combat Command and Air Mobility Command to AETC, including Luke AFB. As a result, the 58th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB now reported to AETC and Nineteenth Air Force. Senior Air Force leaders were also concerned with keeping those units with the longest and most illustrious histories on active status and so moved the unit designations of several Air Force wings; inactivating the least prestigious. Since the 58th ranked 22d in prestige, the Air Force moved the designation of the 58th to Kirtland AFB to take up another long-standing training mission on 1 April Drawing upon the experience of combat search and rescue in Southeast Asia, the Air Mobility Command activated the 1550th Aircrew Training and Test Wing (1550 ATTW) at Hill AFB, Utah, on 1 April 1971 to serve as a test center and school house for rescue aircrews and technology. Moved to Kirtland AFB on 20 February 1976, the 1550 ATTW continued training helicopter and fixed-wing aircrews. The Air Force redesignated the unit as the 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing (1550 CCTW) on 15 May 1984 and then inactivated it on 1 October 1991, transferring the training mission to the 542d Crew Training Wing (542 CTW). The 542d inactivated in turn on 1 April 1994, transferring the mission to the 58th, now redesignated as a Special Operations Wing (SOW). The wing also plays a vital role in local/regional search and rescue missions. While training is the primary mission at Kirtland AFB, search and rescue members assigned to the wing are typically called upon two or more times each year to support civilian rescue operations. To date, aircrews from Kirtland AFB have participated in more than 300 rescue operations and its members have been credited with saving more than 225 lives. On 11 September 2001, immediately following a series of terrorist attacks launched against the United States, the 58 SOW flew an MC-130H carrying a federal emergency response team to the crash site of United Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. Since then, personnel and aircrews from the 58 SOW have supported and played a significant role in Operations ENDURING FREEDOM,

10 IRAQI FREEDOM and other contingencies around the world. To aid the war on terrorism the 58 SOW began providing a variety of specialized mission rehearsal simulator training courses including high altitude, low-visibility dust-out and visual threat recognition and avoidance training for special operations helicopter students and crews projected to deploy. By better preparing these aircrews, the 58 SOW has made high altitude combat helicopter operations safer. Since 2001, the wing has deployed more than 200 personnel in support of the global war on terror. On 23 November 2003, the 58 SOW suffered its first casualty of the war on terrorism, when Maj Steven Plumhoff, an MH-53J pilot, died in a helicopter crash while deployed to Afghanistan for Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. In addition to training at Kirtland AFB, the 58 SOW also oversees UH-1H specialized undergraduate pilot training-helicopter (SUPT-H) at Fort Rucker, Alabama. The first Air Force SUPT-H students began attending Army sponsored helicopter pilot training at Fort Rucker in From 1971 to 2004, SUPT-H at Fort Rucker primarily operated as an Army owned and controlled program. In 2004, while the training remained at Fort Rucker, the Air Force assumed ownership/responsibility for conducting Air Force SUPT-H and the first "All-Blue" SUPT-H class graduated in Members of the 58 SOW will continue serving at the leading edge of technology, training and development. As the Air Force's premier special operations aircrew training wing, the 58 SOW will train America's best in tilt-rotor aircraft--the CV-22. The wing received the Air Force's first operational CV-22 Osprey on 20 March 2006, with the first class scheduled to report in February In the near future the 58 SOW will continue to train world class rescue aircrews in the next-generation aircraft, the as-yet undetermined CSAR-X. The emblem of the 58th Special Operations Wing was first approved on 10 August 1942 for use by the 58th Fighter Group. The wing received approval to use this insignia as its official emblem on 18 November Description: Azure, on clouds in base a representation of the Greek mythological goddess Artemis with quiver and bow, in her chariot drawn by two deer. Significance: The primary colors of the shield, ultramarine and Air Force yellow, are the colors of the United States Air Force. The goddess Artemis, or Diana, the daughter of Jupiter, was the Olympian goddess of the hunt. She always returned successfully from her ventures. The emblem of the 58th Special Operations Wing was first approved on 10 August 1942 for use by the 58th Fighter Group. The wing received approval to use this insignia as its official emblem on 18 November Azure, on clouds in base a representation of the Greek mythological goddess Artemis with quiver and bow, in her chariot drawn by two deer. The primary colors of the shield, ultramarine and Air Force yellow, are the colors of the United States Air Force. The goddess Artemis, or Diana, the daughter of Jupiter, was the Olympian goddess of the hunt. She always returned successfully from her ventures.

11 15 Jan 41 The War Department activated the 58th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) at Selfridge Field, Michigan. 15 May 42 The 58th Pursuit Group was redesignated the 58th Fighter Group. 1 Feb 44 The 58th Fighter Group entered combat on the island of New Guinea. 26 Dec 44 The 58th Fighter Group earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for a night attack on a Japanese naval force that threatened the Allied beachhead on the island of Mindoro. 27 Jan 46 The War Department inactivated the 58th Fighter Group. 10 Jul 52 The Air Force activated the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing (FEW) at Itazuke Air Base, Japan. Aug 52 The 58 FBW moved to Taegu Air Base, South Korea. 27 Jul53 58 FBW F-84G Thunderjets bombed enemy targets on the last day of declared combat in the Korean War. For its service, the wing earned the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. 15 Mar 55 The wing moved to Osan Air Base, South Korea. 1 Jul 58 The 58 FBW inactivated. 22 Aug 69 The 58 FBW was redesignated as the 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing. 15 Oct 69 The 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing activated at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. 7 May 71 The wing received its first F Nov 74 The wing received its first F Apr 77 HQ USAFP redesignated the wing as the 58th Tactical Training Wing. 6 Dec 82 The wing received its first F Oct 91 The Air Force redesignated the wing as the 58th Fighter Wing 1 Apr 94 The designation of the 58th moved to Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico and was redesignated as the 58th Special Operations Wing (58 SOW). The 58 SOW replaced the 542d Crew Training Wing. Sep 94 The wing deployed 27 personnel in support of Operation Restore Democracy in Haiti.

12 28 Sep 95 The 58th Training Support Squadron activated. 21 Dec 99 The Air Force redesignated the 23d Flying Training Flight as the 23d Flying Training Squadron. 6 Oct 00 The Air Force redesignated the 512th Special Operations Squadron as the 512th Rescue Squadron. 1 Mar 01 58th Training Support Squadron was redesignated as the 58 th Training Squadron. 11 Sep 01 Following a series of terrorist attacks in the United States, the 58 SOW provided airlift for members of a federal counter-terrorism task force responding to the crash site of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. MC-130H COMBAT TALON II, tail number flew this mission. 18 Jul 02 Aircraft maintenance functions transferred from the operations group to the maintenance group. The 58th Logistics Group was redesignated as the 58th Maintenance Group. The 58th Logistics Support Squadron was redesignated as the 58th Maintenance Operations Squadron and the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron was activated. 1 Oct 03 Responsibility for combat search and rescue transferred from Air Combat Command to Air Force Special Operations Command. 23 Nov 03 Maj Steven Plumhoff, a helicopter pilot, assigned to the 551st Special Operations Squadron died in a MH-53M crash near Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. 1 Jan 04 Air Education and Training Command activated Detachment 1 of the 58 SOW, Operating Location A of the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and Operating Location B of the 58th Maintenance Squadron at Kirtland Air Force Base to pave the way for standing up a new CV-22 training squadron. 1 May 04 The United States Army at Fort Rucker Alabama, transferred ownership and responsibility for Air Force undergraduate helicopter pilot training back to the Air Force and 58 SOW. By October 2004, the 58 SOW received 40 UH-lHs from the Army. For the first time in more than 30-years the Air Force resumed sole ownership of Air Force helicopter pilot training. 1 Oct 04 Detachment 1 of the 58th Operations Group activated at Marine Corps Air Station, New River, North Carolina, to support CV-22 initial pilot training. 29 Nov 04 Francis Street, which leads into the 58 SOW headquarters area, was redesignated "Plumhoff Way" in honor of Maj Steven Plumhoff, killed on 23 Nov 03; the wing's first casualty to the global war on terrorism. 20 May 05 Air Education and Training Command activated the 71st Special Operations Squadron to serve as the Air Force's CV-22 training unit.

13 20 Mar 06 The Air Force's first operational CV-22 arrived at Kirtland AFB. 1 Apr 06 The continental U.S. search and rescue mission was transferred back to Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base, Va. Located on Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB), the 58th Special Operations Wing (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 58 SOW employs more than 1,800 personnel and trains over 2,000 students a year. 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 enjoys a long and prestigious history, but it has not always served as a special operations wing. While the history of the 58 SOW officially began with the activation of the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing (FBW) on 10 July 1952, its bestowed lineage traces back to the 58th Pursuit Group of World War II. As a lineal descendant of this unit, the wing displays the streamers and awards earned by the 58th Pursuit Group. The Army Air Corps established the 58th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940 and activated it.at Selfridge Field, Michigan on 15 January In October 1941, the group moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and then to Dale Mabry Field, Florida, in March During this time, the group provided replacement training for pilots in a mix of fighters such as the P-35, P- 36, P-39, P-40 and P-43. In May 1942, the 58th Pursuit Group was redesignated as the 58th Fighter Group (58 FG). Before seeing combat in the Pacific, the 58 FG served as a flying training group, training Chinese and South American pilots and some of America's Tuskegee Airmen and Flying Sergeants. The 58 FG also had the mission of protecting the East Coast and the nation's capital from attack from September Between October and December 1943 the 58 FG deployed to New Guinea via Australia. Equipped with the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, nicknamed "The Jug," the group served under Fifth Air Force. The 58 FG entered combat in February 1944, flying protective patrols over American bases and escorting transports. The 58 FG also provided fighter support for bombers attacking Japanese airfields and installations and escorted convoys to the Admiralty Islands. The 58 FG moved to Noemfoor Island in August From there, they bombed and strafed enemy airfields on Ceram, Halmahera and the Kai Islands. The group moved to the Philippines in November 1944 in preparation for the invasion of Mindora. Aircrews assigned to the 58 FG strafed Japanese naval forces around Mindora saving the allied beachhead on Mindoro, earning the group a Distinguished Unit Citation for its actions on 26 December The group continued to operate from bases in the Philippines and received a fourth fighter squadron in May 1945 the 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron, the only

14 Mexican unit to see combat in World War II. The 58 FG moved from the Philippines to Okinawa in July 1945 and attacked railways, airfields and naval units in Korea and Kyushu. After the war ended, the 58 FG stayed in the Pacific Theater flying reconnaissance and surveillance missions over Japan until inactivated on 27 January The wing's official history starts with the activation of the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing (58 FBW) on 10 July 1952, at Itazuke Air Base, Japan, flying the F-84 Thunderjet. The original composition of the 58 FBW consisted of personnel and equipment from the 136 FBW, a Texas Air National Guard Unit. The 58 FBW moved to K-2 Air Base, later known as Taegu Air Base, South Korea, in August Fighter-bomber units like the 58 FBW provided close air support for United Nations ground forces. Often flying deep into North Korea's "Mig Alley," the 58 FBW targeted airfields, railways, enemy positions, bridges, dams, electric power plants and vehicles. The 58 FBW fought many battles and inflicted serious damage on the enemy, but 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 As a result, the Air Force began attacking previously excluded targets in the north. On 13 May 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. The wing remained in South Korea after the war to provide air defense. The wing converted to F-86 Sabres in 1954 and moved to Osan Air Base in 1955, where it inactivated on 1 July On 22 August 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 unit trained pilots ;in the F-100 Super Sabre and A-7D Corsair II, along with German pilots in the F- 104G Starfighter and other Allied pilots in the F-5 Freedom Fighter. The wing became the primary training unit for the F-4 Phantom II in 1971 and received the first F-15 Eagle in November 1974, with President Gerald Ford heading the welcoming committee. The wing's designation changed to the 58th Tactical Training Wing on 1 April 1977, it graduated the last F-4 class on 29 June 1982, and received its first F-16 Fighting Falcon on 6 December Then, during a major reorganization in 1991, the Air Force redesignated the wing as the 58th Fighter Wing.

15 The post-cold War drawdown caused many organizational changes across the Air Force. On 1 July 1993, the Air Force placed training and education under a single command, redesignating the Air Training Command as the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). At the same time, AETC activated the Nineteenth Air Force to oversee flying training. The Air Force also reassigned many bases from Air Combat Command and Air Mobility Command to AETC, including Luke AFB. As a result, the 58th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB now reported to AETC and Nineteenth Air Force. Senior Air Force leaders were also concerned with keeping those units with the longest and most illustrious histories on active status and so moved the unit designations of several Air Force wings; inactivating the least prestigious. Since the 58th ranked 22d in prestige, the Air Force moved the designation of the 58th to Kirtland AFB to take up another long-standing training mission on 1 April Mission History Drawing upon the experience of combat search and rescue in Southeast Asia, the Air Mobility Command activated the 1550th Aircrew Training and Test Wing (1550 ATTW) at Hill AFB, Utah, on 1 April 1971 to serve as a test center and school house for rescue aircrews and technology. Moved to Kirtland AFB on 20 February 1976, the 1550 ATTW continued training helicopter and fixed-wing aircrews. The Air Force redesignated the unit as the 1550th Combat Crew training Wing (1550 CCTW) on 15 May 1984 and then inactivated it on 1 October 1991, transferring the training mission to the 542d Crew Training Wing (542 CTW). The 542d inactivated in turn on 1 April 1994, transferring the mission to the 58th, now redesignated as a Special Operations Wing (SOW). The wing also plays a vital role in local/regional search and rescue missions. While training is the primary mission at Kirtland AFB, search and rescue members assigned to the wing are typically called upon two or more times each year to support civilian rescue operations. To date, aircrews from Kirtland AFB have participated in more than 300 rescue operations and its members have been credited with saving more than 225 lives. On 11 September 2001, immediately following a series of terrorist attacks launched against the United States, the 58 SOW flew an MC-130H carrying a federal emergency response team to the crash site of United Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. Since then, personnel and aircrews from the 58 SOW have supported and played a significant role in Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM and other contingencies around the world. To aid the war on terrorism the 58 SOW began providing a variety of specialized mission rehearsal simulator training courses including high altitude, low-visibility dust-out and visual threat recognition and avoidance training for special operations helicopter students and crews projected to deploy. By better preparing these aircrews, the 58 SOW has made high altitude combat helicopter operations safer. Since 2001, the wing has deployed more than 200 personnel in support of the global war on terror. On 23 November 2003, the 58 SOW suffered its first casualty of the war on terrorism, when Maj Steven Plumhoff, an MH-53J pilot, died in a helicopter crash while deployed to Afghanistan for Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. The Air Force's first operational CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft hovers upon arrival at Kirtland Air Force Base, March 20, 2006 In addition to training at Kirtland AFB, the 58 SOW also oversees UH-1H specialized undergraduate pilot training-helicopter (SUPT-H) at Fort Rucker, Alabama. The first Air Force

16 SUPT-H students began attending Army sponsored helicopter pilot training at Fort Rucker in From 1971 to 2004, SUPT-H at Fort Rucker primarily operated as an Army owned and controlled program. In 2004, while the training remained at Fort Rucker, the Air Force assumed ownership/responsibility for conducting Air Force SUPT-H and the first "All-Blue" SUPT-H class graduated in Members of the 58 SOW will continue serving at the leading edge of technology, training and development. As the Air Force's premier special operations aircrew training wing, the 58 SOW will train America's best in tilt-rotor aircraft the CV-22. The wing received the Air Force's first operational CV-22 Osprey on 20 March 2006, with the first class scheduled to report in February In the near future the 58 SOW will continue to train world class rescue aircrews in the next-generation aircraft, the as-yet undetermined CSAR-X. The 58th Special Operations Wing is a major unit in the 19th Air Force under the Air Education Training Command. The wing s mission is to train mission- ready special operations, combat search and rescue, missile site support and UH-1 distinguished visitor airlift aircrews in direct support of Air Expeditionary Forces to eight major commands in the Air Force. The 58th owns and maintains 58 aircraft, including the HH-60G Pave Hawk and UH-1N Huey helicopters. There are also three types of fixed-wing aircraft, the MC-130H Combat Talon II, the MC-130P Combat Shadow and the HC-130N/P Combat King. The wing also flies the tilt-rotor CV-22 Osprey. The wing is comprised of two groups, operations and maintenance. The operations group offers training in more than 100 different syllabi in 7 types of fixed and rotary wing aircraft. Students curriculum includes classroom instruction, simulator training and flying. The maintenance group supports flying operations by performing a full range of flight line and intermediate-level aircraft systems maintenance, refurbishment, support equipment maintenance and fabrication services for the aircraft. They also provide maintenance staff oversight consisting of aircraft scheduling, analysis, training and quality assurance. Finally, the group serves as the jet engine intermediate maintenance activity for Air Force H-1 and H-60 helicopters. The 58th SOW also provides personnel and airlift needed to respond swiftly to global crises and assists civilian authorities in regional rescues. In the last 25 years, wing aircraft have flown more than 285 rescue missions, saving more than 227 lives. Wing graduates have led the way in various military operations including Allied Force, Just Cause, Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Desert Calm, Southern Watch, Provide Comfort, Restore Hope, Sept 11 aftermath, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

17 The 58th Special Operations Wing has been in existence since 10 July It is not a descendant of the World War II-era 58th Pursuit Group. In the case of the 58th Special Operations Wing, HQ USAF has temporarily bestowed the lineage and honors of the 58th Pursuit Group, for the period prior to 10 July 1952, upon the 58th Special Operations Wing. Basically, this means the wing can display on its flag the streamers earned by the group, and it can keep alive the history of the 58th Pursuit Group. On 15 January 1941, the War Department activated the 58th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) at Selfridge Field, Michigan. At the same time, activated and assigned to the group were three squadrons: the 67th, 68th, and 69th Pursuit Squadrons (Interceptor). The group moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in October 1941 and then to Dale Mabry Field, Florida, in March Its mission was to provide replacement training for pilots in a mix of fighters such as the P-35, P-36, P-39, P-40, and P-43. In early 1942 the 58th lost two of its squadrons-the 67th and 68th. Both transferred to the Pacific not long after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In their place, the War Department activated two new units, the 310th and 311th Pursuit Squadrons, on 9 February 1942, and assigned them to the 58th Pursuit Group. Then in May 1942 the War Department redesignated the 58th Pursuit Group as a fighter group and the 69th, 310th, and 311th as fighter squadrons. For the first 10 months of the war, the 58th Fighter Group trained large numbers of Chinese Air Force pilots and some South American pilots at Dale Mabry Field, Florida. The group also provided gunnery-training for the Tuskegee pilots from Alabama. The 58th Fighter Group began training in the P-40F in September The group headquarters, along with the 69th and 310th Squadrons, moved to Philadelphia in October; the 311th went to Bolling Field, Washington, D.C. All had the dual missions of training for overseas and protecting the cast coast and the nation's capital from attack. After operating from eight states and as many bases since its activation, the 58th Fighter Group moved to New Guinea between October and December 1943 via Australia. Equipped with Republic P-47, the group became part of Fifth Air Force. The 58th entered combat in February 1944, flying protective patrols over American bases and escorting transports. Shortly thereafter, the group covered bombers on raids over New Guinea, attacked Japanese airfields and installations, and escorted convoys to the Admiralty Islands. In August the 58th moved to Noemfoor Island. From there, it bombed and strafed enemy airfields and installations on Ceram, Halmahera, and the Kai Islands. In November 1944 the group moved to the Philippines to prepare for the invasion of the island of Mindora at the entrance to Manila Bay. The group earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for its actions on 26 December Aircrews strafed Japanese naval forces off Mindora to prevent destruction of American bases on that island. Many considered the attack a suicide mission because bombs were in short supply, but the attack was successful, and the Allied beachhead on Mindoro was saved.

18 Following the invasion of the main Philippine island of Luzon, the 58th operated from several bases there. In May 1945, a fourth squadron served alongside the 58th Fighter Group the 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron. The 58th Fighter Group moved from the Philippines to Okinawa in July From there it operated against railways, airfields, and naval units in Korea and Kyushu. After the war, the 58th stayed in the Pacific Theater for a short period of time as part of Far East Air Forces, flying reconnaissance and surveillance missions over Japan. The War Department inactivated the 58th Fighter Group on 27 January The Air Force first activated the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing on 10 July 1952 at Itazuke Air Base, Japan. The wing's major subordinate units were the 58th Fighter-Bomber (later Operations) Group and the 69th, 310th, and 311th Fighter-Bomber Squadrons, the same squadrons assigned to the 58th Fighter Group in World War II. The 58th replaced an Air National Guard unit, the 136th Fighter-Bomber Wing. The Air Force used personnel and aircraft (F-84) that had belonged to the 136th to outfit the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing. The 58th entered the Korean War at Taegu Air Base, South Korea, in August The wing provided close air support for United Nations ground forces and participated in three campaigns during the war. The Far East Air Forces commander stated that the destruction of the Toksan and Chasan irrigation dams in May 1953 by the 58th Wing resulted in the enemy coming to the truce talks in earnest. For its combat service, the 58th received the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. The wing remained in South Korea after the war to provide air defense. In 1954 it converted to F-86. On 15 March 1955, the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing moved to Osan Air Base, South Korea, and remained there until it was inactivated on 1 July On 22 August 1969, HQ USAF redesignated the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing as the 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing. However, it was not until 15 October 1969 that Tactical Air Command (TAC) activated the 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing at Luke AFB, Arizona. The wing trained US Air Force pilots in the F-100 and A-7D. The wing also trained German pilots in the F-104G and other Allied pilots in the F-5. In 1971 the 58th became the primary training unit for the F-4, and in November 1974, the first F-15 in the USAF inventory arrived at Luke. From , the 58th managed TAC's Central Instructor School. HQ USAF changed the wing's designation to the 58th Tactical Training Wing on 1 April Five years later, on 29 June 1982, the 58th graduated its last F-4 class. On 6 December 1982, the 58th received its first F-16 Fighting Falcon. During the Air Force's major reorganization in 1991, the 58th became a fighter wing. On 31 December 1992, it sent 50 people to Somalia to help rescue citizens of that nation from starvation. Because of the many organizational changes that took place in the post-cold War drawdown, members of the Air Force senior leadership were concerned that the service should keep on active status its units with the longest and most illustrious histories. As a result, HQ USAF decided to inactivate the 542d Crew Training Wing at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. The 58th

19 would then move to Kirtland to take up the mission of the 542d, leaving Luke available to receive the 56th Fighter Wing, which had to leave MacDill AFB, Florida, because that base was soon to be closed. Effective 1 April 1994, the Air Force moved the 56th Fighter Wing, ranked as the service's fifth most prestigious unit, to Luke. At the same time, HQ USAF redesignated the 58th Fighter Wing as the 58th Special Operations Wing and moved it to Kirtland, where AETC had inactivated the 542d Crew Training Wing. At Kirtland, the 58th is a tenant unit; the 377th Air Base Wing is the host unit. The move to Kirtland resulted in a number of organizational changes for the 58th. To begin with, HQ AETC reassigned the 550th and 551st Flying Training Squadrons from the 542d to the 58th and redesignated the units as special operations squadrons. In addition, AETC inactivated the 542d Technical Training Squadron and activated and assigned a third special operations squadron, the 512th, to the wing. The 58th Special Operations Wing operated the consolidated Air Force helicopter training school which included specialized training schools for special operations, rescue and recovery, and pararescue. The wing trained aircrews in the UH-1N, HH-60G, and MH-53J/TH-53A, as well as in the HC-130P and MC-130H. This included pararescue specialists for Air Force Special Operations Command and Air Combat Command. The wing also trained combat control teams for Air Mobility Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, and Air Combat Command. No other schoolhouse in AETC taught more people in more crew positions in more aircraft than the 58th Special Operations Wing. In addition, wing personnel deployed as needed to support contingencies worldwide. When the 58th moved to Kirtland, it inherited a mission that went back to At that time, the 1550th Aircrew Training and Test Wing transferred from Hill AFB, Utah, to Kirtland as a part of the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service under Military Airlift Command. In May 1984, the wing was redesignated as the 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing. During Desert Shield/Desert Storm the wing deployed personnel and a HC-130 to the Persian Gulf in support of those operations. On 1 October 1991, Air Mobility Command inactivated the 1550th and activated in its place the 542d Combat Crew Training Wing During its years at Kirtland AFB, the 542d Crew Training Wing flew more than 203 rescue missions and saved over 200 lives. Despite the change in wing designations, the mission has remained the same: to train mission-ready special operations and combat rescue aircrew members and mission support personnel for the world's best Air Force. Wing F-84s bombed enemy targets on the last day of combat in the Korean War. For its service during the conflict, the 58th earned the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing 58th Tactical Training Wing Luke AFB, Arizona, and its assigned wings have, for many years, been associated with the advanced pilot training of various current fighter aircraft. Up until 1970, the wing operated

20 mainly the F-100 Super Sabre. Transition to the A-7D Corsair began when the decision was made to swap training roles with the 4453rd CCTW/355th TFW based at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, then operating the F-4C. The wing was one of three exceptions in adopting a common wing tailcode prior to 1972, with 'LA' being used from the start of application. The 550th TFTS was the first squadron to be equipped with the F-4C in January Other units followed with the F-4C, applying colored tail stripes. The F-4 users were the 310th TFTS (green) transitioning in May1971, the 311th TFTS (yellow) transitioning in August 1971, and the 426th TFTS (blue) transitioning in August The 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing was redesignated the 58th Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 April In addition, the wing controlled the Williams AFB-assigned 425th TFTS, which operated 'LA' tailcoded F-5s of various types. The wing started converting to the F-15 Eagle in much the same replacement training unit role in 1977, with the newly established 461st TFTS. The 550th TFTS transitioned to the new aircraft in August 1977, followed by the 426th TFTS in January The 310th TFTS and 311th TFTS inactivated as F-4C users on 4 November 1982, bringing to an end the 58th Tactical Training Wing's F-4 association. 58th Fighter-Bomber Group and Wing Azure, on clouds in base a representation of the Greek mythological goddess Artemis with quiver and bow, in her chariot drawn by two deer, all Or, garnished Tan and Brown, all within a diminished bordure of the second. Motto: NON REVERTAR INULTUS I Will Not Return Unavenged. Approved for the 58th Group on August 10, 1942, and for the 58th Wing on November 18, th Fighter-Bomber Wing On July 10, 1952, the 58th FEW activated and absorbed the personnel and equipment of the 136th FBW. The 58th had some assets in Japan and some in South Korea until August, when the entire wing moved to Korea. The 58th FBW tested a "reinforced wing" concept in the spring of 1953, taking on the support and administrative functions of the 49th FBW while exercising direct control of both the 58th and 49th FBGs. In three months, the reinforced wing flew 10,422 combat sorties and delivered more firepower than two separate wings with a full complement of personnel. Emblem: First approved on 10 August 1942 for use by the 58th Fighter Group. The wing received approval to use this insignia as its official emblem on 18 November Description: Azure, on clouds in base a representation of the Greek mythological goddess Artemis with quiver and bow, in her chariot drawn by the two deer, all or. Significance: The primary colors of the shield, ultramarine blue and Air Force yellow, are the colors of the United States Air Force. The goddess Diana or Artemis, the daughter of Jupiter, was the Olympian goddess of the hunt. She always returned successfully from her ventures. The goddess is symbolic of the functions of the wing.

21 Motto: Non Revertar Inultus l Will Not Return Unavenged. The 58th Special Operations Wing has been in existence since 10 July It is not a descendant of the World War II era 58th Pursuit Group. In the case of the 58th Special Operations Wing, HQ USAF has temporarily bestowed the lineage and honors of the 58th Pursuit Group, for the period prior to 10 July 1952, upon the 58th Special Operations Wing. Basically, this means the wing can display on its flag the streamers earned by the group, and it can keep alive the history of the 58th Pursuit Group. On 15 January 1941, the War Department activated the 58th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) at Selfridge Field, Michigan. At the same time, activated and assigned to the group were three squadrons: the 67th, 68th, and 69th Pursuit Squadrons (Interceptor). The group moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in October 1941 and then to Dale Mabry Field, Florida, in March Its mission was to provide replacement training for pilots in a mix of fighters such as the P 35, P 36, P 39, P 40, and P 43. In early 1942 the 58th lost two of its squadrons the 67th and 68th. Both transferred to the Pacific not long after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In their place, the War Department activated two new units, the 310th and 311th Pursuit Squadrons, on 9 February 1942, and assigned them to the 58th Pursuit Group. Then in May 1942 the War Department redesignated the 58th Pursuit Group as a fighter group and the 69th, 310th, and 311th as fighter squadrons. For the first 10 months of the war, the 58th Fighter Group trained large numbers of Chinese Air Force pilots and some South American pilots at Dale Mabry Field, Florida. The 58th Fighter Group began training in the P 40F in September The group headquarters, along with the 69th and 310th Squadrons, moved to Philadelphia in October; the 311th went to Bolling Field, Washington, D.C. All had the dual missions of training for overseas and protecting the cast coast and the nation's capital from attack. After operating from eight states and as many bases since its activation, the 58th Fighter Group moved to New Guinea between October and December 1943 via Australia. Equipped with Republic P 47, the group became part of Fifth Air Force. The 58th entered combat in February 1944, flying protective patrols over American bases and escorting transports. Shortly thereafter, the group covered bombers on raids over New Guinea, attacked Japanese airfields and installations, and escorted convoys to the Admiralty Islands. In August the 58th moved to Noemfoor Island. From there, it bombed and strafed enemy airfields and installations on Ceram, Halmahera, and the Kai Islands. In November 1944 the group moved to the Philippines to prepare for the invasion of the island of Mindora at the entrance to Manila Bay. The group earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for its actions on 26 December Aircrews strafed Japanese naval forces off Mindora to prevent

22 destruction of American bases on that island. Many considered the attack a suicide mission because bombs were in short supply, but the attack was successful, and the Allied beachhead on Mindoro was saved. Following the invasion of the main Philippine island of Luzon, the 58th operated from several bases there. In May 1945, a fourth squadron served alongside the 58th Fighter Group the 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron. The 58th Fighter Group moved from the Philippines to Okinawa in July From there it operated against railways, airfields, and naval units in Korea and Kyushu. After the war, the 58th stayed in the Pacific Theater for a short period of time as part of Far East Air Forces, flying reconnaissance and surveillance missions over Japan. The War Department inactivated the 58th Fighter Group on 27 January The Air Force first activated the 58th Fighter Bomber Wing on 10 July 1952 at Itazuke Air Base, Japan. The wing's major subordinate units were the 58th Fighter Bomber (later Operations) Group and the 69th, 310th, and 311th Fighter Bomber Squadrons, the same squadrons assigned to the 58th Fighter Group in World War II. The 58th replaced an Air National Guard unit, the 136th Fighter Bomber Wing. The Air Force used personnel and aircraft (F 84) that had belonged to the 136th to outfit the 58th Fighter Bomber Wing. The 58th entered the Korean War at Taegu Air Base, South Korea, in August The wing provided close air support for United Nations ground forces and participated in three campaigns during the war. The Far East Air Forces commander stated that the destruction of the Toksan and Chasan irrigation dams in May 1953 by the 58th Wing resulted in the enemy coming to the truce talks in earnest. For its combat service, the 58th received the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. The wing remained in South Korea after the war to provide air defense. In 1954 it converted to F 86. On 15 March 1955, the 58th Fighter Bomber Wing moved to Osan Air Base, South Korea, and remained there until it was inactivated on 1 July On 22 August 1969, HQ USAF redesignated the 58th Fighter Bomber Wing as the 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing. However, it was not until 15 October 1969 that Tactical Air Command (TAC) activated the 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing at Luke AFB, Arizona. The wing trained US Air Force pilots in the F 100 and A 7D. The wing also trained German pilots in the F 104G and other Allied pilots in the F 5. In 1971 the 58th became the primary training unit for the F 4, and in November 1974, the first F 15 in the USAF inventory arrived at Luke. From , the 58th managed TAC's Central Instructor School. HQ USAF changed the wing's designation to the 58th Tactical Training Wing on 1 April Five years later, on 29 June 1982, the 58th graduated its last F 4 class. On 6 December 1982, the 58th received its first F 16 Fighting Falcon. During the Air Force's major reorganization in

23 1991, the 58th became a fighter wing. On 31 December 1992, it sent 50 people to Somalia to help rescue citizens of that nation from starvation. Because of the many organizational changes that took place in the post Cold War drawdown, members of the Air Force senior leadership were concerned that the service should keep on active status its units with the longest and most illustrious histories. As a result, HQ USAF decided to inactivate the 542d Crew Training Wing at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. The 58th would then move to Kirtland to take up the mission of the 542d, leaving Luke available to receive the 56th Fighter Wing, which had to leave MacDill AFB, Florida, because that base was soon to be closed. Effective 1 April 1994, the Air Force moved the 56th Fighter Wing, ranked as the service's fifth most prestigious unit, to Luke. At the same time, HQ USAF redesignated the 58th Fighter Wing as the 58th Special Operations Wing and moved it to Kirtland, where AETC had inactivated the 542d Crew Training Wing. At Kirtland, the 58th is a tenant unit; the 377th Air Base Wing is the host unit. The move to Kirtland resulted in a number of organizational changes for the 58th. To begin with, HQ AETC reassigned the 550th and 551st Flying Training Squadrons from the 542d to the 58th and redesignated the units as special operations squadrons. In addition, AETC inactivated the 542d Technical Training Squadron and activated and assigned a third special operations squadron, the 512th, to the wing. The 58th Special Operations Wing operated the consolidated Air Force helicopter training school which included specialized training schools for special operations, rescue and recovery, and pararescue. The wing trained aircrews in the UH 1N, HH 60G, and MH 53J/TH 53A, as well as in the HC 130P and MC 130H. This included pararescue specialists for Air Force Special Operations Command and Air Combat Command. The wing also trained combat control teams for Air Mobility Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, and Air Combat Command. No other schoolhouse in AETC taught more people in more crew positions in more aircraft than the 58th Special Operations Wing. In addition, wing personnel deployed as needed to support contingencies worldwide. When the 58th moved to Kirtland, it inherited a mission that went back to At that time, the 1550th Aircrew Training and Test Wing transferred from Hill AFB, Utah, to Kirtland as a part of the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service under Military Airlift Command. In May 1984, the wing was redesignated as the 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing. During Desert Shield/Desert Storm the wing deployed personnel and a HC 130 to the Persian Gulf in support of those operations. On 1 October 1991, Air Mobility Command inactivated the 1550th and activated in its place the 542d Combat Crew Training Wing During its years at Kirtland AFB, the 542d Crew Training Wing flew more than 203 rescue missions and saved over 200 lives. Despite the change in wing designations, the mission has

24 remained the same: to train mission ready special operations and combat rescue aircrew members and mission support personnel for the world's best Air Force. Wing F 84s bombed enemy targets on the last day of combat in the Korean War. For its service during the conflict, the 58th earned the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. The wing received its first F 4. The 58th received the first Air Force F 15. The wing received its first F 16. The wing deployed 50 personnel to Somalia to assist with Operation Restore Hope. The wing deployed 27 personnel in support of Operation Restore Democracy in Haiti. Below: delete what is not needed 15 Jan 41 The War Department activated the 58th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) at Selfridge Field, Michigan. 15 May 42 The 58th Pursuit Group was redesignated the 58th Fighter Group. 1 Feb 44 The 58th Fighter Group entered combat on the island of New Guinea. 26 Dec 44 The 58th Fighter Group earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for a night attack on a Japanese naval force that threatened the Allied beachhead on the island of Mindoro. 27 Jan 46 The War Department inactivated the 58th Fighter Group. 10 Jul 52 The Air Force activated the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing (FBW) at Itazuke Air Base, Japan. Aug 52 The 58 FBW moved to Taegu Air Base, South Korea. 27 Jul FBW F-84G Thunderjets bombed enemy targets on the last day of declared combat in the Korean War. For its service, the wing earned the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. 15 Mar 55 The wing moved to Osan Air Base, South Korea. 1 Jul 58 The 58 FBW inactivated. 22 Aug 69 The 58 FBW was redesignated as the 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing. 15 Oct 69 The 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing activated at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. 7 May 71 The wing received its first F Nov 74 The wing received its first F Apr 77 HQ USAF redesignated the wing as the 58th Tactical Training Wing. 6 Dec 82 The wing received its first F Oct 91 The Air Force redesignated the wing as the 58th Fighter Wing (FW). 10 Feb 94 First Lieutenant Jeannie Flynn became the first female Air Force F-15E fighter pilot. 1550th Aircrew Training and Test/ Combat Crew Training/ 542nd Crew Training Wing Chronology

25 1 Apr th Aircrew Training and Test Wing (ATTW) is activated at Hill AFB, Utah to serve as a test center and schoolhouse for rescue crews. 27 June 71 The 1550 ATTW performed its first search and rescue operation, employing an HC- 130 and H-53 to rescue 26 Boy Scouts and their two scout leaders who had become lost in the Green River area near Price, Utah. 20 Feb 76 The 1550 ATTW moved to Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, retaining their mission of training helicopter and fixed-wing search and rescue aircrews. 15 May 84 The 1550 ATTW redesignated as the 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing (CCTW). 1 Oct 91 The 1550 CCTW inactivated and its mission is transferred to the 542nd Crew Training Wing (CTW). The mission remains at Kirtland AFB. 1 Apr 94 The 542 CTW is inactivated. 1 Apr 94 The designation of the 58th moved to Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico and was redesignated as the 58th Special Operations Wing (58 SOW). The 58 SOW replaced the 542d Crew Training Wing. Sep 94 The wing deployed 27 personnel in support of Operation Restore Democracy in Haiti. 28 Sep 95 The 58th Training Support Squadron activated. 21 Dec 99 The Air Force redesignated the 23d Flying Training Flight as the 23d Flying Training Squadron (23 FTS). 6 Oct 00 The Air Force redesignated the 512th Special Operations Squadron as the 512th Rescue Squadron (512 RQS). 1 Mar 01 58th Training Support Squadron was redesignated as the 58th Training Squadron (58 TRS). 11 Sep 01 Following a series of terrorist attacks in the United States, the 58 SOW provided airlift for members of a federal counter-terrorism task force responding to the crash site of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. MC-130H COMBAT TALON II, tail number of the 550th Special Operations Squadron (550 SOS) flew this mission. 4 Feb 02 Airman Vanessa E. Dobos became the first Air Force female helicopter aerial gunner. 18 Jul 02 Aircraft maintenance functions transferred from the operations group to the maintenance group. The 58th Logistics Group was redesignated as the 58th Maintenance Group. The 58th Logistics Support Squadron was redesignated as the 58th Maintenance Operations Squadron (58 MOS) and the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron was activated (58 AMXS). 25 Sep 03 Airman Tanya R. Harwood became the first female active duty Air Force non-prior service UH-1N flight engineer. 1 Oct 03 Responsibility for combat search and rescue transferred from Air Combat Command to Air Force Special Operations Command. 23 Nov 03 Major Steven Plumhoff, a helicopter pilot, assigned to the 551st Special Operations Squadron died in a MH-53M crash near Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. 1 Jan 04 Air Education and Training Command activated Detachment 1 of the 58 SOW, Operating Location A of the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and Operating Location B of the 58th Maintenance Squadron at Kirtland Air Force Base to pave the way for standing up a new CV-22 training squadron. 1 May 04 The United States Army at Fort Rucker Alabama, transferred ownership and responsibility for Air Force undergraduate helicopter pilot training back to the Air Force and 58 SOW. By October 2004, the 58 SOW received 40 UH-1Hs from the Army. For the first time in more than 30-years the Air Force resumed sole ownership of Air Force helicopter pilot training.

26 1 Oct 04 Detachment 1 of the 58th Operations Group (Det 1, 58 OG) activated at Marine Corps Air Station, New River, North Carolina, to support CV-22 initial pilot training. 29 Nov 04 Francis Street, which leads into the 58 SOW headquarters area, was redesignated Plumhoff Way in honor of Major Steven Plumhoff, killed on 23 Nov 03; the wing s first casualty to the global war on terrorism. 20 May 05 Air Education and Training Command activated the 71st Special Operations Squadron (71 SOS) to serve as the Air Force s CV-22 training unit. 20 Mar 06 The Air Force s first operational CV-22 arrived at Kirtland AFB. 1 Apr 06 The continental U.S. search and rescue mission was transferred back to Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base, Va. 1 Feb 07 The 71st Special Operations Squadron announced it was ready to train CV-22 aircrews. 30 Mar 07 First Lieutenant William J. Thompson and Airman First Class Evan R. Pinkerton became the last MH-53 aircrews to graduate and earn their red scarves. 27 Apr 07 The last of the 58 SOW MH-53J aircraft is retired, and the training pipeline for all future USAF MH-53 aircrews is officially closed. Jun 2007 HQ AETC awarded the 58 SOW the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for the period of 1 July 2006 to 30 June Aug SOW began development of the UH-1N Combat Mission Training program, in response to the critical need to train non-tactical qualified USAF pilots selected to instruct the Iraqi Air Force on combat tactics. The first course began in October Oct 07 The final Basic Aerial Gunner course conducted at Kirtland AFB graduates. 8 Dec 07 Air Education and Training Command inactivated the 551st Special Operations Squadron after 36 years of flying training at Hill AFB, Utah and Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. Jan FTS, Ft Rucker, AL, acquired and started Operational Utility Evaluation for the TH- 1, Huey II aircraft, the USAH follow-on for specialized undergraduate pilot training. Jun 2008 HQ AETC awarded the 58 SOW the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for the period of 1 July 2007 to 30 June Sep 2008 The first student flights for the TH-1H take place at Ft. Rucker, Alabama. 10 Jun 2009 The wing participated in its 300th search and rescue operation since the mission was assigned to Kirtland AFB in An MC-130H was diverted from a training mission to assist with direction-finding capability in locating a downed police helicopter. A ground party located the aircraft before the MC-130H aircrew arrived on site. Located on Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB), the 58th Special Operations Wing (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, combat search and rescue (CSAR), missile site support and distinguished visitor airlift in direct support of Air Expeditionary Forces (AEF) for the world s best aerospace force. The 58 SOW employs more than 2000 active-duty and civilian personnel and trains over 1,600 students a year. The wing operates seven different weapon systems UH-1H, UH-1N, TH-1H, HH-60G, HC-130P/N, MC-130P, MC-130H, and CV-22 totaling more than 70 assigned aircraft. The wing teaches more than 100 courses in 29 aircrew 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.

27 The 58 SOW enjoys a long and prestigious history, but it has not always served as a special operations wing. While the history of the 58 SOW officially began with the activation of the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing (FBW) on 10 July 1952, its bestowed lineage traces back to the 58th Fighter Group of World War II. As a lineal descendant of this unit, the wing displays the streamers and awards earned by the 58th Fighter Group. Bestowed History The Army Air Corps established the 58th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940 and activated it at Selfridge Field, Michigan on 15 January In October 1941, the group moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and then to Dale Mabry Field, Florida, in March During this time, the group provided replacement training for pilots in a mix of fighters such as the P-35, P- 36, P-39, P-40 and P-43. In May 1942, the 58th Pursuit Group was redesignated as the 58th Fighter Group (58 FG). Before seeing combat in the Pacific, the 58 FG served as a flying training group, training Chinese and South American pilots and some of America s Tuskegee Airmen and Flying Sergeants. The 58 FG also had the mission of protecting the East Coast and the nation s capital from attack from September Between October and December 1943 the 58 FG deployed to New Guinea via Australia. Equipped with the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, nicknamed The Jug, the group served under Fifth Air Force. The 58 FG entered combat in February 1944, flying protective patrols over American bases and escorting transports. The 58 FG also provided fighter support for bombers attacking Japanese airfields and installations and escorted convoys to the Admiralty Islands. The 58 FG moved to Noemfoor Island in August From there, they bombed and strafed enemy airfields on Ceram, Halmahera and the Kai Islands. A 58th Fighter Group P-47 serving in the South Pacific The group moved to the Philippines in November 1944 in preparation for the invasion of Mindora. Aircrews assigned to the 58 FG strafed Japanese naval forces around Mindora saving the allied beachhead on Mindoro, earning the group a Distinguished Unit Citation for its actions on 26 December The group continued to operate from bases in the Philippines and received a fourth fighter squadron in May 1945 the 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron, the only Mexican unit to see combat in World War II. The 58 FG moved from the Philippines to Okinawa in July 1945 and attacked railways, airfields and naval units in Korea and Kyushu. After the war ended, the 58 FG stayed in the Pacific Theater flying reconnaissance and surveillance missions over Japan until inactivated on 27 January Wing History The wing s official history starts with the activation of the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing (58 FBW) on 10 July 1952, at Itazuke Air Base, Japan, flying the F-84 Thunderjet. The original composition of the 58 FBW consisted of personnel and equipment from the 136 FBW, a Texas Air National Guard Unit. The 58 FBW moved to K-2 Air Base, later known as Taegu Air Base, South Korea, in August Fighter-bomber units like the 58 FBW provided close air support for United Nations ground forces. Often flying deep into North Korea s Mig Alley, the 58 FBW targeted airfields, railways, enemy positions, bridges, dams, electric power plants and vehicles. The 58 FBW fought many battles and inflicted serious damage on the enemy, but 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.

28 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 As a result, the Air Force began attacking previously excluded targets in the north. On 13 May 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. Battle damage assessment of the Chosan Dam in North Korea after a 58 FBW strike in May 1953 shows a 200 foot break in the dam The 58 FBW served in three Korean War campaigns and earned the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation for its actions in combat. The wing remained in South Korea after the war to provide air defense. The wing converted to F-86 Sabres in 1954 and moved to Osan Air Base in 1955, where it inactivated on 1 July On 22 August 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 unit trained pilots in the F-100 Super Sabre and A-7D Corsair II, along with German pilots in the F- 104G Starfighter and other Allied pilots in the F-5 Freedom Fighter. The wing became the primary training unit for the F-4 Phantom II in 1971 and received the first F-15 Eagle in November 1974, with President Gerald Ford heading the welcoming committee. The wing's designation changed to the 58th Tactical Training Wing on 1 April 1977, it graduated the last F-4 class on 29 June 1982, and received its first F-16 Fighting Falcon on 6 December Then, during a major reorganization in 1991, the Air Force redesignated the wing as the 58th Fighter Wing. The post-cold War drawdown caused many organizational changes across the Air Force. On 1 July 1993, the Air Force placed training and education under a single command, redesignating the Air Training Command as the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). At the same time, AETC activated the Nineteenth Air Force to oversee flying training. The Air Force also reassigned many bases from Air Combat Command and Air Mobility Command to AETC, including Luke AFB. As a result, the 58th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB now reported to AETC and Nineteenth Air Force. Senior Air Force leaders were also concerned with keeping those units with the longest and most illustrious histories on active status and so moved the unit designations of several Air Force wings; inactivating the least prestigious. Since the 58th ranked 22d in prestige, the Air Force moved the designation of the 58th to Kirtland AFB to take up another long-standing training mission on 1 April Mission History Drawing upon the experience of combat search and rescue in Southeast Asia, the Air Mobility Command activated the 1550th Aircrew Training and Test Wing (1550 ATTW) at Hill AFB, Utah, on 1 April 1971 to serve as a test center and school house for rescue aircrews and technology. Moved to Kirtland AFB on 20 February 1976, the 1550 ATTW continued training helicopter and fixed-wing aircrews. The Air Force redesignated the unit as the 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing (1550 CCTW) on 15 May 1984 and then inactivated it on 1 October 1991, transferring the training mission to the 542d Crew Training Wing (542 CTW). The 542d inactivated in turn on 1 April 1994, transferring the mission to the 58th, now redesignated as a Special Operations Wing (SOW).

29 The wing also plays a vital role in local/regional search and rescue missions. While training is the primary mission at Kirtland AFB, search and rescue members assigned to the wing are typically called upon two or more times each year to support rescue operations for civilian and military personnel. To date, aircrews from Kirtland AFB have been credited with saving 239 lives. In June 2009, the wing participated in its 300th search and rescue operation since the mission arrived from Hill AFB. On 11 September 2001, immediately following a series of terrorist attacks launched against the United States, the 58 SOW flew an MC-130H carrying a federal emergency response team to the crash site of United Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. Since then, personnel and aircrews from the 58 SOW have supported and played a significant role in Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM and other contingencies around the world. SSgt Randy Wilkinson, 1550 CCTW Pararescueman, holds an IV bag during a rescue mission on 25 February 1985 To aid the war on terrorism the 58 SOW began providing a variety of specialized mission rehearsal simulator training courses including high altitude, low-visibility dust-out and visual threat recognition and avoidance training for special operations helicopter students and crews projected to deploy. By better preparing these aircrews, the 58 SOW has made high altitude combat helicopter operations safer. Since 2001, the wing has deployed more than 200 personnel in support of the global war on terror. On 23 November 2003, the 58 SOW suffered its first casualty of the war on terrorism, when Maj Steven Plumhoff, a MH-53J pilot, died in a helicopter crash while deployed to Afghanistan for Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Beginning in October 2007, the wing pioneered a Combat Mission Training course for UH-1 and Mi-7 helicopter instructors deploying to Iraq. This program received the Chief of Staff of the Air Force s Team Excellence Award in September 2008 and was a primary factor in the wing s reception of an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for the July 2007-June 2008 period. In addition to training at Kirtland AFB, the 58 SOW also oversees UH-1H specialized undergraduate pilot training-helicopter (SUPT-H) at Fort Rucker, Alabama. The first Air Force SUPT-H students began attending Army sponsored helicopter pilot training at Fort Rucker in From 1971 to 2004, SUPT-H at Fort Rucker primarily operated as an Army owned and controlled program. In 2004, while the training remained at Fort Rucker, the Air Force assumed ownership/responsibility for conducting Air Force SUPT-H and the first All-Blue SUPT-H class graduated in The 58 SOW s newest addition to its fleet of aircraft, the TH-1H, flies at Ft. Rucker, Alabama In keeping with the rapid evolution of the Air Force s global mission, members of the 58 SOW have continued serving at the leading edge of technology, training and development. As the Air Force s premier special operations aircrew training wing, the 58 SOW is now training aircrews on America s newest tilt-rotor aircraft the CV-22. The wing received the Air Force s first operational CV-22 Osprey on 20 March 2006 and began training students in February In September 2008, the wing began SUPT-H training on the modified TH-1H platform in order to replace its aging UH-1H fleet. The 58 SOW is currently preparing for the arrival of the HC/MC-130J to recapitalize its current C-130 special operations and rescue tankers.

30 A Brief History of the 58th Special Operations Wing Located on Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB), the 58th Special Operations Wing (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 58 SOW employs more than 1,800 personnel and trains over 2,000 students a year. 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 enjoys a long and prestigious history, but it has not always served as a special operations wing. While the history of the 58 SOW officially began with the activation of the 58 th Fighter-Bomber Wing (FBW) on 10 July 1952, its bestowed lineage traces back to the 58 th Pursuit Group of World War II. As a lineal descendant of this unit, the wing displays the streamers and awards earned by the 58th Pursuit Group. The Army Air Corps established the 58th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940 and activated it at Selfridge Field, Michigan on 15 January In October 1941, the group moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and then to Dale Mabry Field, Florida, in March During this time, the group provided replacement training for pilots in a mix of fighters such as the P-35, P- 36, P-39, P-40 and P 43. In May 1942, the 58th Pursuit Group was redesignated as the 58th Fighter Group (58 FG). Before seeing combat in the Pacific, the 58 FG served as a flying training group, training Chinese and South American pilots and some of America's Tuskegee Airmen and Flying Sergeants. The 58 FG also had the mission of protecting the East Coast and the nation's capital from attack from September Between October and December 1943 the 58 FG deployed to New Guinea via Australia. Equipped with the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, nicknamed "The Jug," the group served under Fifth Air Force. The 58 FG entered combat in February 1944, flying protective patrols over American bases and escorting transports. The 58 FG also provided fighter support for bombers attacking Japanese airfields and installations and escorted convoys to the Admiralty Islands. The 58 FG moved to Noemfoor Island in August From there, they bombed and strafed enemy airfields on Ceram, Halmahera and the Kai Islands. The group moved to the Philippines in November 1944 in preparation for the invasion of Mindora. Aircrews assigned to the 58 FG strafed Japanese naval forces around Mindora saving the allied beachhead on Mindoro, earning the group a Distinguished Unit Citation for its actions on 26 December The group continued to operate from bases in the Philippines and received a fourth fighter squadron in May the 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron, the only Mexican unit to see combat in World War II. The 58 FG moved from the Philippines to Okinawa in July 1945 and attacked railways, airfields and naval units in Korea and Kyushu. After the war ended, the 58 FG stayed in the Pacific Theater flying reconnaissance and surveillance missions over Japan until inactivated on 27 January The wing's official history starts with the activation of the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing (58 FBW) on 10 July 1952, at Itazuke Air Base, Japan, flying the F-84 Thunderjet. The original composition of the 58 FBW consisted of personnel and equipment from the 136 FBW, a Texas Air National Guard Unit. The 58 FBW moved to K-2 Air Base, later known as Taegu Air Base, South Korea, in August Fighterbomber units like the 58 FBW provided close air support for United Nations ground forces.

31 Often flying deep into North Korea's "Mig Alley," the 58 FBW targeted airfields, railways, enemy positions, bridges, dams, electric power plants and vehicles. The 58 FBW fought many battles and inflicted serious damage on the enemy, but 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 As a result, the Air Force began attacking previously excluded targets in the north. On 13 May 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. The wing remained in South Korea after the war to provide air defense. The wing converted to F-86 Sabres in 1954 and moved to Osan Air Base in 1955, where it inactivated on 1 July On 22 August 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 unit trained pilots in the F-100 Super Sabre and A 7D Corsair II, along with German pilots in the F-104G Starfighter and other Allied pilots in the F-5 Freedom Fighter. The wing became the primary training unit for the F-4 Phantom II in 1971 and received the first F 15 Eagle in November 1974, with President Gerald Ford heading the welcoming committee. The wing's designation changed to the 58th Tactical Training Wing on 1 April 1977, it graduated the last F-4 class on 29 June 1982, and received its first F-16 Fighting Falcon on 6 December Then, during a major reorganization in 1991, the Air Force redesignated the wing as the 58th Fighter Wing. The post-cold War drawdown caused many organizational changes across the Air Force. On 1 July 1993, the Air Force placed training and education under a single command, redesignating the Air Training Command as the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). At the same time, AETC activated the Nineteenth Air Force to oversee flying training. The Air Force also reassigned many bases from Air Combat Command and Air Mobility Command to AETC, including Luke AFB. As a result, the 58th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB now reported to AETC and Nineteenth Air Force. Senior Air Force leaders were also concerned with keeping those units with the longest and most illustrious histories on active status and so moved the unit designations of several Air Force wings; inactivating the least prestigious. Since the 58th ranked 22d in prestige, the Air Force moved the designation of the 58th to Kirtland AFB to take up another long-standing training mission on 1 April Drawing upon the experience of combat search and rescue in Southeast Asia, the Air Mobility Command activated the 1550th Aircrew Training and Test Wing (1550 ATTW) at Hill AFB, Utah, on 1 April 1971 to serve as a test center and school house for rescue aircrews and technology. Moved to Kirtland AFB on 20 February 1976, the 1550 ATTW continued training helicopter and fixed-wing aircrews. The Air Force redesignated the unit as the 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing (1550 CCTW) on 15 May 1984 and then inactivated it on 1 October 1991, transferring the training mission to the 542d Crew Training Wing (542 CTW). The 542d inactivated in turn on 1 April 1994, transferring the mission to the 58th, now redesignated as a Special Operations Wing (SOW). The

32 wing also plays a vital role in local/regional search and rescue missions. While training is the primary mission at Kirtland AFB, search and rescue members assigned to the wing are typically called upon two or more times each year to support civilian rescue operations. To date, aircrews from Kirtland AFB have participated in more than 300 rescue operations and its members have been credited with saving more than 225 lives. On 11 September 2001, immediately following a series of terrorist attacks launched against the United States, the 58 SOW flew an MC-130H carrying a federal emergency response team to the crash site of United Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. Since then, personnel and aircrews from the 58 SOW have supported and played a significant role in Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM and other contingencies around the world. To aid the war on terrorism the 58 SOW began providing a variety of specialized mission rehearsal simulator training courses including high altitude, low-visibility dust-out and visual threat recognition and avoidance training for special operations helicopter students and crews projected to deploy. By better preparing these aircrews, the 58 SOW has made high altitude combat helicopter operations safer. Since 2001, the wing has deployed more than 200 personnel in support of the global war on terror. On 23 November 2003, the 58 SOW suffered its first casualty of the war on terrorism, when Maj Steven Plumhoff, an MH-53J pilot, died in a helicopter crash while deployed to Afghanistan for Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. In addition to training at Kirtland AFB, the 58 SOW also oversees UH-1H specialized undergraduate pilot training-helicopter (SUPT-H) at Fort Rucker, Alabama. The first Air Force SUPT-H students began attending Army sponsored helicopter pilot training at Fort Rucker in From 1971 to 2004, SUPT-H at Fort Rucker primarily operated as an Army owned and controlled program. In 2004, while the training remained at Fort Rucker, the Air Force assumed ownership/responsibility for conducting Air Force SUPT-H and the first "All-Blue" SUPT-H class graduated in Members of the 58 SOW will continue serving at the leading edge of technology, training and development. As the Air Force's premier special operations aircrew training wing, the 58 SOW will train America's best in tilt-rotor aircraft--the CV-22. The wing received the Air Force's first operational CV-22 Osprey on 20 March 2006, with the first class scheduled to report in February In the near future the 58 SOW will continue to train world class rescue aircrews in the next-generation aircraft, the as-yet undetermined CSAR-X.

33 Air Force Order of Battle Created: 13 Dec 2010 Updated: Sources