9th Reconnaissance Wing: Difference between revisions

9th Reconnaissance Wing
Emblem of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing
Active	1949–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Wing
Role	Reconnaissance
Size	3,000 personnel
Part of	Air Combat Command
Garrison/HQ	Beale Air Force Base
Motto(s)	"Semper Paratus" Always Ready
Engagements	World War IIAmerican Campaign (1941–1943) Asiatic-Pacific Campaign 1944–1945) Tokyo firebombing, 9 March 1945 Kawasaki, DUC 15 April 1945 Mining campaign, DUC May 1945 71 combat missions
Decorations	PUC AFOUA w/ V Device

The 9th Reconnaissance Wing (9 RW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Beale Air Force Base, California. The wing is also the host unit at Beale.

Its mission is to organize, train and equip U-2R Dragonlady and RQ-4 Global Hawk combat elements for peacetime intelligence gathering, contingency operations, conventional war fighting and Emergency War Order support.

Its 9th Operations Group is a descendant organization of the 9th Group (Observation), one of the 13 original combat air groups formed by the Army before World War II.

During World War II, the 9th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) was an air combat unit of the United States Army Air Forces. Active for over 60 years, the 9 RW was a component wing of Strategic Air Command's deterrent force throughout the Cold War, performing strategic reconnaissance on a worldwide basis.

The 9th Reconnaissance Wing is commanded by Brigadier General Robert P. "Bob" Otto. Its Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant James E. Parkhill, Jr..

The 9 RW is responsible for providing national and theater command authorities with timely, reliable, high-quality, high-altitude reconnaissance products. To accomplish this mission, the wing is equipped with the nation's fleet of U-2 and RQ-4 reconnaissance aircraft and associated support equipment. The wing also maintains a high state of readiness in its expeditionary combat support forces for potential deployment in response to theater contingencies.

The wing is composed of more than 3,000 personnel in four groups at Beale and multiple overseas operating locations:

• 9th Mission Support Group
• 9th Medical Group
• 9th Maintenance Group
• 9th Operations Group
• 9th Security Forces Squadron

For additional history and lineage, see 9th Operations Group

see also: Robert F. Travis

On 1 May 1949 the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing was activated at Fairfield-Suisun Air Force Base, California. The Air Force also activated the re-designated 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Group and the 1st, 5th, and 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadrons.

The 9th SRW's mission was to obtain complete data through visual, photographic, electronic, and weather reconnaissance operations. To carry out this mission, the wing flew RB-29 Superfortresses and a few RB-36 Peacemakers. The 9th Reconnaissance Technical Squadron also joined the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing on 1 May 1949. It also performed its mission with components of 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, from November 1949 – February 1951. The reconnaissance mission continued for only eleven months.

On 1 April 1950, the Air Force redesignated the 9th SRW as the 9th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, with similar redesignations of the 9th Group and the 1st, 5th, and 99th Squadrons. Seven months later, on 2 November, the wing and subordinate units were again re-designated to Bombardment, Medium with the transfer of the RB-36s, leaving the wing at B-29 Superfortress unit. In early February 1951, the Air Force realigned its flying operation and placed the flying squadrons directly under control of the wings. The Air Force, therefore, placed the 9th Bombardment Group in Records Unit status, then inactivated the group on 16 June 1952. On 4 January 1955, the Air Force bestowed upon the 9th Wing the honors of the inactive 9th Group, the operational headquarters unit before and during World War II.

The 9th Bombardment Wing remained at Fairfield-Suisun AFB flying B-29s until 1 May 1953. On 1 May, the Strategic Air Command assumed jurisdiction of Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, from the Military Air Transport Service and transferred the 9th Bomb Wing to the base. Mountain Home had previously been a Air Resupply And Communications Service special operations base for MATS, and had phased down its operations. MATS wanted to use Fairfield-Suisun as a West Coast aerial port. SAC could expand Mountain Home for a large bomber base and its relative isolation was also desirable away from the inherent problems of stationing jet bombers in the urban areas halfway between Sacramento and San Francisco, California.

Although some personnel began arriving at Mountain Home early in April, the Wing and its B-29s moved in May. Simultaneously, the 2d Air Refueling Squadron at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, became the 9th Air Refueling Squadron and transferred to the 9th Bombardment Wing at Mountain Home AFB.

With the arrival of the 9th Bomb Wing at Mountain Home AFB, the base planned a vast construction program not only to accommodate the wing's personnel and offices, but also in anticipation of the acquisition of B-47 Stratojets to replace the World War II-era obsolete B‑29s. On 15 September 1954, Colonel William C. Kingsbury, commander of the 9th Bomb Wing, landed at Mountain Home in the wing's first B-47 "Stratojet", The remainder of the planes arrived over the next few months. By June 1955, the 9th Wing was ready for a mobility test. Early that month, bombers and crews spanned the continent and the Atlantic Ocean for a 60-day temporary duty assignment to a REFLEX base in England to test the wing's mobility training concept.

In November 1955, the 9th Bombardment Wing's B-47s flew from Mountain Home AFB, Idaho to New Zealand, a distance of 8,300 miles, nonstop with the aid of aerial refueling. This was the longest point-to-point flight for any Strategic Air Command aircraft or unit up to that time.

In the decade after World War II, the development of faster aircraft and missiles steadily reduced reaction time. With the arrival of the missile age, the Strategic Air Command had to be ready to launch its armada of nuclear bombers within 15 minutes for a retaliatory strike. After almost two years of planning, SAC developed a new organization. Nicknamed FRESH APPROACH and designed to ensure a 15-minute response time, the new organization required extensive testing for practicality, mobility, and economy before command leaders were willing to discard the proven structure. On 1 July 1957, the 9th Bombardment Wing was one of three SAC units to begin "service-testing" the new deputy commander system of management.

From July through December 1957, the 9th Wing implemented FRESH APPROACH and worked out the "kinks" of the new organization. The test came during a large SAC mobility and overseas deployment exercise. The 9th Bombardment Wing was the only participating unit with the deputy-commander organizational structure. Between October 1957 and January 1958, elements of the 9th Bombardment Wing and 9th Air Refueling Squadron scattered from Elmendorf AFB, Alaska to Andersen AFB, Guam. Although some problems occurred during the overseas mobility test, the 9th Wing Commander firmly supported the new concept. When the wing redeployed to Mountain Home AFB in mid-January 1958, it remained in the FRESH APPROACH organizational structure.

On 1 October 1958, the Air Force officially adopted the deputy-commander concept and the 9th Bombardment Wing became the first unit to officially convert to the new organizational structure. The change made it possible for the Air Force to launch an immediate retaliatory strike in response to nuclear attack on the United States. Massive retaliation became a cornerstone of national policy and an effective deterrent to perceived threats. For its meritorious service in testing and refining the reorganization, the 9th Bombardment Wing received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.

To reflect its expanding role as a bomber-missile unit, the 9th Bombardment Wing became the 9th Strategic Aerospace Wing on 1 April 1962. On 13 April the wing received its first HGM-25A Titan I multistage ICBM. The Wing continued to fulfill its nuclear deterrence role until 1966.

On 8 November 1965, SAC and Tactical Air Command completed a transfer agreement assigning Mountain Home to TAC effective 1 January 1966, with TAC transferring Bergstrom AFB, Texas to SAC. The 9th Air Refueling Squadron, inactivated on 15 December 1965. On 1 January 1966 the 9th Strategic Aerospace Wing became a tenant unit and was declared non-operational It began final phase‑out at Mountain Home AFB. The last B-47E departed on 10 February and the personnel followed soon after.

The wing phased down operations at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho from January to June 1966, and moved to their present home of Beale Air Force Base in California.

The wing was then equipped with the SR-71 Blackbird in 1966, absorbing resources of the inactivating 4200th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. This allowed it to stay with the same higher formation, the 14th Strategic Aerospace Division. The wing performed strategic reconnaissance in Southeast Asia beginning in 1968. It also provided photographic intelligence for the Son Tay prison camp raid named Operation Ivory Coast, in North Vietnam, November 1970.

After the Vietnam War, the 9th conducted photographic reconnaissance mission’s worldwide supporting Department of Defense objectives.

The wing added U-2R Dragon Lady spy planes in 1976 and specialized KC-135Q Stratotanker aircraft in 1983. This made it the only USAF wing equipped with these aircraft. It then used these aircraft to participate in USAF operations worldwide, including Grenada in October–November 1983, and Libya in April 1986.

Following the 1990 retirement of SR-71, the U-2 flew intelligence-gathering missions from August 1990 to March 1991. These flights occurred over Southwest Asia, particularly during the Gulf War buildup and subsequent combat operations.

On 1 September 1991, the 9th Group was activated as the 9th Operations Group, as part of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California. The 9th Operations Group has five squadrons and one detachment totaling more than 500 personnel.

The 9th Reconnaissance Wing is the "single-point manager" for the U-2 Dragon Lady and RQ-4 Global Hawk high-altitude reconnaissance fleets. During U.S. military operations in Afghanistan in late 2001 and Iraq in early 2003, the wing also flew the unmanned RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft.

On 19 July 2007 the first operational Global Hawk deployment from Beale began at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, where the Global Hawk is scheduled to be stationed permanently starting in 2009.

• Established as 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing on 25 April 1949

Activated on 1 May 1949

Redesignated: 9th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, on 1 April 1950

Redesignated: 9th Bombardment Wing, Medium, on 2 October 1950

Redesignated: 9th Strategic Aerospace Wing on 1 April 1962

Designated non-operational, 1 January 1966

Redesignated: 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing on 25 June 1966

Organized 25 June 1966, absorbing personnel and equipment of 4200th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (Inactivated)

Redesignated: 9th Wing on 1 September 1991

Redesignated: 9th Reconnaissance Wing on 1 October 1993.

Wings

• 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing: attached 12 November 1949-10 February 1951.

Groups

• 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Group: attached 9 November 1949-10 February 1951
• 9th Strategic Reconnaissance (later, 9th Bombardment; 9th Operations Group): 1 May 1949-16 June 1952; 1 September 1991–present

Squadrons

• 1st Bombardment (later, 1st Strategic Reconnaissance) Squadron: attached 10 February 1951-15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952-1 September 1991
• 5th Bombardment (later, 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Training) Squadron: attached 10 February 1951-15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952-25 June 1966; assigned 1 July 1986-30 June 1990
• 9th Air Refueling Squadron: 16 June 1952-15 December 1965 (detached 16 June 1952-30 April 1953)
• 38th Reconnaissance Squadron: attached 26 May-1 June 1949
• 95th Reconnaissance Squadron: 30 June 1991-15 September 1993
• 97th Air Refueling Squadron: 15 July 1961-1 July 1962 (detached)
• 99th Bombardment (later, 99th Strategic Reconnaissance) Squadron: attached 10 February 1951-15 June 1952, assigned 16 June 1952– 1 April 1971; assigned 30 June 1976-1 September 1991
• 349th Air Refueling Squadron: 15 March 1983-1 September 1991
• 350th Air Refueling Squadron: 15 March 1983-1 September 1991
• 569th Strategic Missile Squadron: 1 June 1961-25 June 1965
• 658th Bombardment Squadron: 1 October 1958-1 January 1962
• 4029th Strategic Reconnaissance Training: 1 August 1981– 1 July 1986
• 4364th Support (later, 4364th Post Attack Command and Control): 20 July 1962-25 March 1965.

• Fairfield-Suisun (later, Travis) AFB, California, 1 May 1949
• Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, 1 May 1953
• Beale AFB, California, 25 June 1966–present

The crest and motto were approved for the 9th Reconnaissance Wing on 1 July 1952 upon its inherited lineage of the 9th Bombardment Group. The shield, in black and green, represents the old colors of the Air Service parted by a wavy line representing the Rio Grande and the 1st Aero Squadron's operations in 1916. On the gold band are four black crosses representing four WWI offensives, Aisne-Marne, Champagne-Marne, Meuse-Argonne, and St. Mihiel, in which squadrons later assigned to the 9th Wing fought. The crest recalls the service in Mexico of the 1st Aero Squadron.

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

• 1 September 1991 to 30 June 1993
• 1 July 1994 to 30 June 1995
• 1 June 1996 to 31 May 1998
• 1 June 1998 to 31 May 2000
• 1 June 2000 to 31 May 2002

• List of B-47 units of the United States Air Force

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Mixer, Ronald E., Genealogy of the STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND, Battermix Publishing Company, 1999
• Mixer, Ronald E., STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND, An Organizational History, Battermix Publishing Company, 2006.
• Maurer, Maurer, Air Force Combat Units of World War II, Office of Air Force history (1961). ISBN 0-405-12194-6
• Morrison, Wilbur H., Point of No Return: The Story of the Twentieth Air Force (1979), ISBN 0-8129-0738-8
• Ravenstein, Charles A., Air Force Combat Wings 1947–1977, Office of Air Force History (1984). ISBN 0-912799-12-9
• Rogers, Brian. United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publications, 2005. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
• Air Force Historical Research Agency fact sheet
• Official fact sheet

• Beale AFB/9 Reconnaissance Wing site