432nd Wing | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1943–1944; 1954–1958; 1958–1959; 1966–1979; 1984–1994; 2007–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Unmanned Aerial Vehicle reconnaissance and attack |
| Part of | Air Combat Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Creech Air Force Base, Nevada |
| Nickname | Hunters[1] |
| Mottos | Victoria per Scientam (Latin: Victory Through Knowledge)[2] |
| Engagements |  Vietnam War |
| Decorations |  Presidential Unit Citation  Air Force Meritorious Unit Award  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award withCombat "V" Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award  Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm[3] |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | John G. Lorber Michael E. Ryan |
| Insignia | |
| 432nd Wing emblem(approved 2 June 1955)[3][note 1] |  |
| 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Group emblem as originally approved[2] |  |
The432nd Wing is aUnited States Air Force unit assigned toAir Combat Command atCreech Air Force Base nearIndian Springs, Nevada. It fliesGeneral Atomics MQ-9 Reaper andRQ-170 SentinelUnmanned aerial vehicles.
The group operates unmanned reconnaissance aircraft which provide real-time reconnaissance, surveillance, and precision attack against fixed and time-critical targets. The432nd Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional unit assigned toAir Combat Command and is the designation for components of the 432nd Wing when deployed into combat areas as part of theGlobal War on Terror.[4]
The wing is the firstUnited States Air Forcewing dedicated tounmanned aircraft systems:MQ-9 Reaper andRQ-170 Sentinel.[5] The wing stood up 1 May 2007 atCreech Air Force Base, Nevada.[6][7] The wing has dual reporting responsibilities toNinth Air Force andU.S. Air Forces Central Command (USAFCENT) (as the 432nd AEW) atShaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, as well as toTwelfth Air Force andU.S. Air Forces Southern Command atDavis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.[8]
The wing has flown intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions inOperations Enduring and for theWar in Iraq, flown by pilots and sensor operators in the United States.[9]
The 432nd is authorized 160 Predator and 60 Reapers. As of May 2007, 6 Reapers and about 85 Predators have been delivered with half of the Predators deployed forward in theUnited States Central Command area of operations. The wing is expected to fly 12 combat air missions in Iraq and Afghanistan each day.[10]
As of 2022[update] the wing is made up of the following units:[1]
The432nd Observation Group was activated on 22 February 1943. It served as the operational training unit (OTU) of the USAAF School of Applied Tactics atKeystone Army Air Field, Florida. The group trained and provided reconnaissance to assist fighter, bombardment, and ground units with their training. Aircraft includedBell P-39 Airacobra fighter andAeronca L-3 Grasshopper light observation aircraft. The group was disbanded on 1 November 1943.[3]
On 23 March 1953, the432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Group was activated atShaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The new group's mission was to assume the reconnaissance training mission previously carried out by the363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.[12]
The group initially conducted training with two squadrons (20th, 29th) flying theRepublic RF-84F Thunderflash and two squadrons (41st, 43rd) flying theMartin RB-57A Canberra. In 1957, the group upgraded the 20th and 29th to theMcDonnell RF-101C Voodoo, and the 41st and 43rd transitioned to the electronic warfareDouglas EB-66 Destroyer.[3]
When elevated to the432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 8 February 1958, the wing operated the USAF Advanced Flying Training School, Tactical Reconnaissance. With the elevation to wing status, the 432nd TFW was realigned to a four squadron RF-101C wing (17th,18th, 20th, 29th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons).[3][12] From 8 February 1958 to 18 June 1959 the wing was supervised by the837th Air Division.
To reduce costs, the 432nd TRW was inactivated on 8 April 1959. The RF-101C equipped 17th and 18th TRSs were deployed toNATO, being reassigned to the66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing atLaon-Couvron Air Base, France and the 20th and 29th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons continued their training missions under the 363rd TRW.[3][13]
On 18 September 1966, the432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was activated atUdorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand as aRF-4C Phantom II wing. The wing assumed the personnel, aircraft and equipment of the 6234th Tactical Fighter Wing, which was simultaneously discontinued. At Udon, it became one of the most diversified units of its size in the Air Force.[citation needed]
The mission of the wing was to provide intelligence information about hostile forces through tactical reconnaissance and use its fighter elements to destroy the targets earmarked by the intelligence data provided. The wing had numerous missions in the support area. The 432nd TRW accounted for more than 80 percent of all reconnaissance activity over North Vietnam.[citation needed]
In addition to the reconnaissance mission, the 432nd also had a tactical fighter squadron component, with two (13th Tactical Fighter Squadron,555th Tactical Fighter Squadron) F-4C/D squadrons assigned. The squadrons flew strike missions overNorth Vietnam and the pilots and weapon systems officers of the 13 TFS and 555 TFS were credited with MiG kills.[citation needed]
In 1968, the7th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, flying specializedLockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft, became part of the 432nd. The squadron had been attached to the wing as a temporary duty unit fromDa Nang Air Base, South Vietnam. Another unit assigned was the 4th Special Operations Squadron flying various (Douglas AC-47 Spooky andFairchild AC-119 Stinger) gunships that supported ground units.[3]
On 19 March 1969, the wing proposed a newforward air control program to7th Air Force. Calling for photo reconnaissance in conjunction withFast FACs, it offered the advantage of speedier fresherintelligence from aerial photo interpretation. The mission was approved, and the Wing's volunteers were trained by "Misty" and "Stormy" FACs. The first combined FAC/photo mission was flown on 26 April 1969. The Fast FAC used call sign "Falcon"; the photo recce plane used "Atlanta". The call signs "Laredo" and "Whiplash" were also sometimes used. By July, they were asked to augment the efforts of the "Tiger" FACs in theOperation Barrel Roll area ofLaos. While supportingOperation About Face, they improvised mass bombings by 16 to 20fighter-bombers three times in September 1969. One of these mass raids inflicted heavy casualties on a concentration of about 1,000 communist troops. In November, they discovered 102 new targets; the following month, they found 172 more. To do this, they pressed lower than 4,000 feet altitude. In the last quarter of 1969, 21 of their aircraft suffered battle damage. They were then ordered to remain above 4,500 feet altitude to escape ground fire. Regardless of their operating altitude, theirbomb damage assessment record was triple the average for 7th Air Force units.[15][16]
In the fall of 1970 the wing was phased down as part of the overall U.S. withdrawal from theVietnam War; however, in 1972 tactical fighter strength was augmented by deployedTactical Air Command CONUS-based tactical fighter squadrons being attached to the 432nd in response to theNorth Vietnamese invasion of South Vietnam. In addition, the421st Tactical Fighter Squadron was reassigned fromTakhli Royal Thai Air Force Base. DuringOperation Linebacker, between May and October 1972, the 432nd TRW had seven F-4 tactical fighter squadrons assigned or attached, (13th, 56th,308th,414th,421st, 523rd and555th) making it the largest wing in the USAF. The three Vietnam era Airforce Aces all came from the 432nd – two from the 555th and one from the 13th. The CONUS-based squadrons returned to the United States in the fall of 1972.[citation needed]
As a result of theParis Peace Accords of 1973, the numbers of USAF personnel and aircraft at Udorn were reduced. The 421st TFS was inactivated in August and the 555th moved toLuke Air Force Base in 1974. By the spring of 1975, two operational squadrons remained, the14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (RF-4C) and the 13th TFS (F-4D/E).[citation needed]
Forces from the 432nd participated in theSSMayaguez action in May 1975, sinking two Cambodian Khmer Rouge ships. By 1975, the political climate between Washington and Bangkok had become sour and the Royal Thai Government wanted the USAF out of Thailand by the end of the year.Palace Lightning was the plan under which the USAF would withdraw its aircraft and personnel from Thailand.[17]
The 432nd TFW was inactivated on 23 December 1975. The 13th TFSs F-4E aircraft and some support personnel were reassigned to the 3rd TFW atClark AB, Philippines and the F-4D aircraft and support personnel to the 18th TFW atKadena Air Base,Okinawa. The 14th TRS was inactivated and the RF-4Cs were sent to Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The last USAF personnel departed Udorn RTAFB on 8 January 1976.[3]
The 432nd was reactivated at Davis–Monthan AFB, Arizona on 1 July 1976 as the423nd Tactical Drone Group. The 432nd performed photographic reconnaissance to support tactical air and surface forces with tactical drones. UsedAQM-34L/M/V drones,DC-130 launch vehicles, andCH-3 recovery helicopters. The group conducted follow-on testing and evaluation of the AQM-34V model drone and the initial operational testing and evaluation and developmental testing and evaluation of the DC-130H "mother ship." The 432nd also supported testing and evaluation of the BQM-34C drone atHill AFB,Utah.
The group was inactivated in April 1979.[3]
In July 1984 the 432nd was again reactivated as the432nd Tactical Fighter Wing atMisawa Air Base, Japan. The 432nd controlled twoGeneral Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon squadrons (13th Fighter Squadron, 14th Fighter Squadron) and the39th Rescue Squadron, flying theHH-60 "Pave Hawk" helicopter.
The 432nd was replaced by the35th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1994 at Misawa and again became inactive.[3]
The wing was reactivated at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, on 1 May 2007 as the Air Force's first unmanned aircraft systems wing. It was renamed the 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing in May 2008.[8]
In support of relief for the victims of the2010 Haiti earthquake, on 27 January 2010 the wing began flying twoRQ-1 Predator orbits overPort-au-Prince with six Predators from a training unit flying out ofRafael Hernández Airport, a civilian airport in Puerto Rico, by a detachment of about 50 wing members.[18]
An additional operations group for the wing, the732nd Operations Group, was constituted on 9 August 2012, and subsequently activated on 10 September 2012. It initially included three reconnaissance squadrons, the 17th, 22nd, and 30th, two of which later became attack squadrons.
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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