90th Missile Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 90th Missile Wing


caption= 90th Missile Wing emblem
dates= 1961-Present
country= United States
allegiance= United States Air Force
branch= Air Force Space Command
type= Missile
role= Nuclear Deterrence
size=
command_structure=Twentieth Air Force
current_commander=
garrison= Warren AFB, Wyoming
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto= IMPAVIDE - "Undauntedly"
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders= Lance W. Lord
anniversaries=
decorations=

The United States Air Force's 90th Missile Wing [ [http://www.warren.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4463 USAF 90th Space Wing] (Official site)] is an ICBM combat unit located at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. Until 1 July 2008, it was designated the 90th Space Wing.

History

The 90th Strategic Missile Wing was initially activated as the 90th Bombardment Group (Heavy) at Key Field, Mississippi, on April 15, 1942. [ This section appears to be drawn from cite book
last = Ravenstein
first = Charles A.
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Air Force Combat Wings: Lineage and Honors Histories, 1947-1977
publisher = United States Air Force Historical Research Center
date = 1984
location = Washington, D.C.
pages = 123-125
url =
doi =
id = ] The group's mission was to train for combat with B-24 bombers, and it continued in this capacity until it moved to Hawaii in September 1942.

In support of World War II operations, the group operated from sites throughout the Pacific (Iron Range, Australia - November 1942; Port Moresby - February 1943; Dobodura, New Guinea - December 1943; Nadzab, New Guinea - February 1944; Biak - August 1944).

In January 1945, the group moved to the Philippines and flew missions over parts of Asia until the end of the war (Jan Jose, Mindoro - January 1945; Ie Shima - August 1945; Luzon - December 1945). Later, the group flew reconnaissance missions over Japan and ferried Allied prisoners from Okinawa to Manila until it was inactivated on January 27, 1946. During its World War II operations the Group gained campaign streamers for Air Offensive, Japan; China Defensive; Papua; Guadalcanal; New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines, and China Offensive.

One year later, the group was redesignated the 90th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) when it was reactivated on July 1, 1947. The group was assigned to the Strategic Air Command (SAC), but was inactivated on September 6, 1948. Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 90th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing


caption=
dates= April 15, 1942-September 6, 1948
January 2, 1951-June 20, 1960
country=
allegiance=
branch= Army Air Force
type=
role=Reconnaissance
size=
command_structure=21st Air Division
garrison=
garrison_label=
nickname=
patron=
motto=Impavide - Undauntedly
decorations=Distinguished Unit Citation: Papua (Nov 1942-January 23 1943)
Distinguished Unit Citation: New Guinea (September 13 and 15, 1943)
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: (July 1, 1968-June 30, 1969)
battle_honours=

The wing was reorganized on December 20, 1950 at Fairchild Air Force Base as the 90th Bombardment Wing (Medium). The unit was activated on January 2, 1951, but moved to Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas, on March 14, 1951.

The 90th Bombardment Wing (Medium) served as an operational training unit for B-29 aircrews and mechanics from May 1951 to September 1952, a replacement training unit for B-29 aircrews (June 1951-August 1953) and RB-29 air crews from the Far East Forces (November 1952-August 1953), and a training unit for Shoran personnel from the entire Strategic Air Command from November 1952-November 1953.

When the 90th Bomb Wing was renamed the 90th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (Medium) on June 16, 1956 and assigned to the Eighth Air Force, 21st Air Division, it retained its combat mission of bombardment until September 1953. At that time, its mission changed to strategic reconnaissance and air refueling operations (using RB-4T reconnaissance and KC-97 tanker aircraft). Strategic reconnaissance missions were flown between September 1953 and May 1958, and air refueling missions from February 1956-June 1960. During this period, the unit deployed to Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska from May 5-August 31, 1955.

In May 1958, the wing's mission changed again, when it was designated as a training unit for RB-47 combat crews - a responsibility it maintained until its inactivation in June 1960.

Reactivation

On February 21, 1963, the 90th was redesignated as the 90th Strategic Missile Wing (ICBM-Minuteman) and reassigned to Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, on July 1.

The 90th today is the 90th Space Wing, an active Minuteman Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming.

Assignments

Major Command

*Air Force Space Command (1993-Present)
*Air Combat Command (1992-1993)
*Strategic Air Command (21 Mar 1946 -1 Jun 1992)

Numbered Air Force

*Twentieth Air Force (4 Apr 1944-Present(?))
* 15th Air Force (attached to 92nd Bomb Wing, Heavy) - January 2-31, 1951

Other Assignments

* 21st Air Division - March 14, 1951
* Department of the Air Force - June 20, 1960

Previous designations

*90th Missile Wing (2008-Present)
*90th Space Wing (?-2008)
*90th Missile Wing ()
*90th Strategic Missile Wing ()
*90th Bombardment Wing (Medium) ()

Operations Squadrons assigned

* 37th Helicopter Squadron
* 319th Missile Squadron
* 320th Missile Squadron
* 321st Missile Squadron
* 400th Missile Squadron (1986-2005)

Bases stationed

*Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyoming (1967-Present)

Aircraft & Missiles Operated

*LGM-30G (1966-Present) [World Airpower Journal. (1992). US Air Force Air Power Directory. Aerospace Publishing: London, UK. ISBN 1-880588-01-3]
*LGM-118A (1986-2005)
* B-29 (1951-1954)
* RB-29 (1951, 1952-1954)
* TB-29 (1951-1952)
* KB-29 (1953-1954)
* RB-47 (1954-1960)
* KC-97 (1955-1960)

References

* [http://usafengineers.com/modules.php?name=Units&file=details&id=522&unit=Space USAF Engineers.com's 90th Space Wing]

External links

* [http://www.warren.af.mil/ Warren Air Force Base]
* [http://www.strategic-air-command.com/wings/0090mw.htm 90th Bombardment Wing/90th Strategic Missile Wing]