50th Operations Group
Encyclopedia
The 50th Operations Group (50 OG) is a component of the 50th Space Wing
, assigned to the United States Air Force Space Command
. The group is stationed at Schriever Air Force Base
, Colorado
.
The group's World War II predecessor unit, the 50th Fighter Group was assigned to Ninth Air Force
in England, flying its first combat mission on 1 May 1944. During combat operations over Western Europe, the unit received two Distinguished Unit Citations before ending combat operations in May 1945.
It commands and controls, executes launch and early orbit operations, and provides operational support to more than 170 satellites which support the president, the secretary of defense, federal and civilian agencies and all U.S. and allied military forces. It comprises over 1,100 active duty, reserve, and civilian professionals, and provides operational leadership, trains space operations crews and provides standardization and evaluation to more than 500 space system operators.
The group's space operations centers perform 24-hour tracking, telemetry and commanding functions during launch, early-orbit and on-orbit spacecraft operations, as well as anomaly resolution and disposal.
The 50 OG consists of the following squadrons:
, Michigan in January 1941. It was initially assigned the 10th, 11th and 12th Pursuit Squadrons and trained with BT-13 Valiant
and second-line P-35 Guardsman pursuit fighters at Selfridge. The squadron was reassigned to the Southeast Air District in late 1941 where after the Pearl Harbor Attack it initially flew antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico
. Issued P-40 Warhawks in 1942, it became a Operational, and later Replacement Training Unit (RTU) at Key Field
, Mississippi under III Fighter Command
. The 50th had the following operational squadrons:
With 10th and 313th remained as pursuit fighter training squadrons with P-40s, the 81st was given the responsibilities of night fighter training operations. In July 1942, the 81st received one B-18 Bolo
and a number of modified Douglas A-20 Havocs for night fighter operations, designated P-70s. By the end of September, the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) Night Fighter Department (Dark) was activated and the 81st Fighter Squadron was detached from the 50th FG and placed directly under the Department for training and operations. About 20 pilots were in the first class.
In October 1942, the personnel and equipment of the 81st were reassigned to the newly-formed 348th
and 349th Night Fighter Squadron
s, and returned to operational control of the 50th Fighter Group. The 50th FG remained a training squadron at AAFSAT until early 1944.
(ETO), being assigned to IX Fighter Command
, 84th Fighter Wing, in England. The group's squadrons were given fuselage codes TS (10th), 2N (81st) and W3 (313th).
It's initial station in the UK was RAF Lymington
. Lymington was a temporary airfield and a prototype for the type of temporary Advanced Landing Ground type airfield which would be built in France after D-Day, when the need advanced landing fields would become urgent as the Allied forces moved east across France and Germany. Tents were used for billeting and also for support facilities; an access road was built to the existing road infrastructure; a dump for supplies, ammunition, and gasoline drums, along with a drinkable water and minimal electrical grid for communications and station lighting.
The group began operations by making a fighter sweep over France on 1 May. It engaged primarily in escort and dive-bombing missions for the next month. The 50th covered the invasion beaches during the invasion of Normandy
on 6 and 7 June, and moved to its Advanced Landing Ground
at Carentan
, France (ALG A-10) on 25 June.
On the continent, the 50th attacked bridges, roads, vehicles, railways, trains, gun emplacements, and marshalling yards during the Battle of Normandy
. It bombed targets in the Saint-Lô
region in July and supported the subsequent drive across France.
The group assisted in stemming the German offensive in the Saar-Hardt area
early in January 1945, engaged in the offensive that reduced the Colmar bridgehead
in January and February and supported the drive that breached the Siegfried Line
and resulted in the movement of Allied forces into southern Germany in March and April.
The 50th Fighter Group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for close cooperation with Seventh Army in March during the assault on the Siegfried Line. In spite of the hazards of enemy opposition and difficult weather conditions, the group struck enemy defenses and isolated battle areas by destroying bridges, communications, supply areas, and ammunition dumps.
The 50th received second Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission on 25 April 1945 when, despite intense antiaircraft fire, the group destroyed or damaged many enemy aircraft on an airfield southeast of Munich
.
The group ended operations at AAF Station Giebelstadt, Germany in May 1945, and returned to the United States in August. Assigned to Second Air Force
at La Junta Army Air Field, Colorado
. Was programmed for deployment to Okinawa to take part in planned Invasion of Japan
. Training discontinued after Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
and the sudden end of the Pacific War
.
Inactivated on 7 November 1945.
It trained in the Reserve between June 1949 and June 1951, being a corollary of the active-duty Air Defense Command 33d Fighter Group, 1949–1951. Originally equipped with the F-51 Mustang the group's operational focus centered on keeping its aircrews well trained and ready. This activity included participating in portions of the 33rd Fighter-Interceptor Group's air defense missions and exercises. The group was ordered to active service on 1 June 1951 due to the Korean War
, and its personnel and equipment were reassigned as replacements to active-duty units. The 50th Fighter Group was inactivated the next day, 2 June 1951.
On 1 January 1953, the 50th Fighter-Bomber Group was reactivated as part of the active-duty Tactical Air Command
. The group was reactivated following Secretary of State John Foster Dulles
' promise to provide NATO with four additional tactical fighter wings to increase it's defenses against the Soviet Union
due to the outbreak of the Cold War
.
The 50th FBG initially took over second-line F-51 Mustangs of the Federalized 140th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Clovis AFB, New Mexico when the guardsmen returned to control of the Colorado, Utah and Wyoming Air National Guards. Operational squadrons of the 50th FBG were:
Although the 417th FS was not one of the 50th Fighter Group's original units, the squadron had been stationed with the group at AAF Giebelstadt, Germany, during the final days of World War II. Before long, the group replaced its propeller-driven Mustangs with jet-powered, F-86F Sabres. As the conversion to the F-86F continued in the spring and early summer of 1953, crews and maintenance personnel continued their training in the Sabre. Once training levels for pilots and aircrews had reached operational levels, the 50th FBG began preparations for its move to the newly-constructed Hahn Air Base
, West Germany.
The 50th FBG deployed to Hahn on 10 August 1953, during Operation Fox Able 20. This marked the first mass flight of an entire tactical fighter wing from the United States to continental Europe. The ground echelon of the wing sailed from Galveston, Texas
, to Bremerhaven
, West Germany aboard the USNS General M. B. Stewart, From Bremerhaven, ground echelon moved by rail to its new home at Hahn AB, completing the journey in August 1953 and rejoined the air echelon.
At Hahn Air Base, the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing was assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe
(USAFE), Twelfth Air Force (12th Air Force). The 50th FBW became the first tactically operational Air Force wing in Twelfth Air Force's jurisdiction.
Arriving at Hahn AB, the 50th delayed unpacking all but its mission-critical cargo and put off other routine activities to participate immediately in Exercise Monte Carlo. The purpose of this staged combat employment drill was to illustrate the power and capability of the European allies' air defense forces. During the brief operation, 50th FBG's air crews flew 124 simulated aggressor combat sorties, including 52 in only four hours.
In line with a stepped-up training program, which USAFE initiated in 1954, 50th FBW aircrews spent six weeks at the Wheelus Air Base
range in Tripoli, Libya, to improve their air-to-air combat and ground attack skills. Demonstrating their prowess in both facets of their mission, the F-86F crews of 50th FBW flew 3,062 effective sorties in those six weeks and scored higher in both air-to-air and air-to-ground events than any other unit assigned to 12th Air Force.
By 1955, USAFE had initiated an annual, command-wide aerial gunnery competition at the Wheelus Field ranges. During the first such event, held July 30, 1955, the "straight shooting" pilots of 50th FBG more than duplicated their achievements of the previous year, taking top honors in the command.
While the victory at the gunnery competition was still fresh, the group began modernizing its aircraft fleet. The first of the new F-86H Sabres arrived at Hahn AB Oct. 21, 1955. Conversion continued throughout the winter of 1955 and spring of 1956, ending in May.
New aircraft would not be the only change for the personnel of the 50th, however. With the conversion to the newer F-86H nearly complete on April 15, 1956, the wing began a move to Toul-Rosières Air Base
, France. The 417th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, under the command of Lt. Col. Charles "Chuck" Yeager, was the first of the group's squadrons to relocate. This movement took most of the summer of that year.
The Group reported it was mission-ready at Toul-Rosiere August 1. Almost immediately, USAFE chose the 50th to represent the command at the Air Force Fighter Weapons Meet at Nellis Air Force Base
, Nevada. Personnel returned to more routine duties, training and participating in various air defense exercises. The sense of normality, however, was brief: The 50th Fighter-Bomber Group inactivated on 8 December 1957. USAFE reassigned the group's subordinate squadrons--the 10th, 81st and 417th Fighter Squadrons--directly to the wing. Similarly, the 50th Maintenance and Supply Group inactivated, and its squadrons were reassigned to the wing. Only the 50th Combat Support Group remained intact, later expanding its responsibilities to include transportation, comptroller and procurement functions.
Note: *Derived from Headquarters Squadron, 10th Pursuit Group (Interceptor); 11th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) and 12th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor). *Became component organization of the 50th Fighter Wing, 1 June 1949
50th Space Wing
The 50th Space Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force under the major command of Air Force Space Command . It was activated on 30 January 1992, replacing the 2d Space Wing, which was deactivated on the same date.-Overview:...
, assigned to the United States Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command is a major command of the United States Department of the Air Force, with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations....
. The group is stationed at Schriever Air Force Base
Schriever Air Force Base
Schriever Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force located approximately 10 miles east of Peterson AFB near Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States.-Overview:...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
The group's World War II predecessor unit, the 50th Fighter Group was assigned to Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
in England, flying its first combat mission on 1 May 1944. During combat operations over Western Europe, the unit received two Distinguished Unit Citations before ending combat operations in May 1945.
Overview
The 50th Operations Group stood up at Falcon AFB 30 Jan. 1992, the same day as the 50th Space Wing. When 50th OG activated, its crews—formerly the crews of the 1002d Operations Group – monitored satellites during launch operations, maneuvered them into proper orbits and maintained their health in space.It commands and controls, executes launch and early orbit operations, and provides operational support to more than 170 satellites which support the president, the secretary of defense, federal and civilian agencies and all U.S. and allied military forces. It comprises over 1,100 active duty, reserve, and civilian professionals, and provides operational leadership, trains space operations crews and provides standardization and evaluation to more than 500 space system operators.
The group's space operations centers perform 24-hour tracking, telemetry and commanding functions during launch, early-orbit and on-orbit spacecraft operations, as well as anomaly resolution and disposal.
Global Positioning System (GPS)
The group's 2nd SOPS provides precise, three-dimensional position, velocity and timing information to military and civilian users around the globe by operating the Navstar Global Positioning System, the military's largest and the world's most widely used satellite constellation. The squadron operates and maintains the Master Control Station at Schriever AFB and a worldwide network of GPS-dedicated ground antennas and monitoring stations to provide around-the-clock command and control of the 31-satellite constellation.Assigned units
- 1st Space Operations Squadron1st Space Operations SquadronThe United States Air Force's 1st Space Operations Squadron is a space operations unit located at Schriever AFB, Colorado. The squadron is also responsible for performance launch, on-orbit, emergency, end-of-life testing and disposal operations providing warning, navigation, R&D, surveillance...
(Defense Support ProgramDefense Support ProgramThe Defense Support Program is a program of the U.S. Air Force that operates the reconnaissance satellites which form the principal component of the Satellite Early Warning System currently used by the United States....
, Midcourse Space ExperimentMidcourse Space ExperimentThe Midcourse Space Experiment is a Ballistic Missile Defense Organization satellite experiment to map bright infrared sources in space...
)
- Responsible for the Space Based Space Surveillance satellite, Advanced Technology Risk Reduction, Tactical Satellite 3 and Operationally Responsive Space 1. With SBSS and ATRR, 1 SOPS will operate the only on-orbit space-based space surveillance systems. In addition, 1 SOPS is the lead squadron for capitalizing on the operational potential of several developmental satellites as part of the Multi-Mission Satellite Operations Center with TacSat-3 providing hyperspectral imaging and ORS-1, the first satellite out of the Operationally Responsive Space initiative bringing electro-optical imaging capabilities to the war fighter
- 2d Space Operations Squadron2d Space Operations SquadronThe 2d Space Operations Squadron is a unit of the United States Air Force at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado. Its mission is to manage the Navstar Global Positioning System satellite constellation for global navigation, time transfer, and nuclear detonation detection.2 SOPS is augmented by...
(Global Positioning SystemGlobal Positioning SystemThe Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
)
- {rovides precise, three-dimensional position, velocity and timing information to military and civilian users around the globe by operating the Navstar Global Positioning System, the military's largest and the world's most widely-used satellite constellation. The squadron operates and maintains the Master Control Station at Schriever AFB and a worldwide network of GPS-dedicated ground antennas and monitoring stations to provide around-the-clock command and control of the 35-satellite constellation.
- 3d Space Operations Squadron3d Space Operations SquadronThe United States Air Force's 3d Space Operations Squadron is a satellite operations unit located at Schriever AFB, Colorado.-Mission:...
(Defense Satellite Communications SystemDefense Satellite Communications SystemThe Defense Satellite Communications System provides the United States with military communications to support globally distributed military users. DSCS will be replaced by the Wideband Global SATCOM system. A total of 14 DSCS III satellites were launched between the early 1980s and 2003. Two...
, Wideband Global SATCOM)
- Conducts day-to-day command and control for the Defense Satellite Communications System providing wideband, longhaul communications capability for joint warfighters deployed around the globe. It also operates the Wideband Global SATCOM system which brings a 10-fold increase to worldwide communications capability.
- 4th Space Operations Squadron4th Space Operations SquadronThe United States Air Force's 4th Space Operations Squadron is a satellite operations unit located at Schriever AFB, Colorado...
(Milstar)
- Responsible for day-to-day command and control, communications payload management and ground segment maintenance for the Air Force's protected Military Satellite Communications systems. The five satellite Milstar constellation, and soon the first Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite, are operated primarily by two fixed Constellation Control Stations (CCS) located on Schriever AFB and one fixed CCS on Vandenberg AFB, with an additional three mobile CCSs prepared for emergency, contingency or endurance missions. 4 SOPS provides warfighters global, secure, survivable, strategic and tactical communications during peacetime and throughout the full spectrum of conflict.
- 50th Operations Support Squadron
- Responsible for implementing operations and training policy for eight 50 OG, Guard and Reserve Associate units, over 500 CMR operators and seven unique DOD satellite systems. They are also responsible for processing the daily SPADO (Space Duty Order) and maintaining crew force management records for the largest crew force in AFSPC. The Squadron implements the space weapons and tactics program and integrates new satellite and ground control programs into current operations. It manages all aspects of training and equipping 50 OG members for deployments and the training program for all assigned AFSCs within the 50 OG.
World War II
The 50th Pursuit Group was activated under the Northeast Air District at Selfridge FieldSelfridge Field
Selfridge Air National Guard Base or Selfridge ANGB is an Air National Guard installation located in Harrison Township, Michigan, near Mount Clemens.-Units and organizations:...
, Michigan in January 1941. It was initially assigned the 10th, 11th and 12th Pursuit Squadrons and trained with BT-13 Valiant
BT-13 Valiant
The Vultee BT-13 Valiant was an American World War II-era basic trainer aircraft built by Vultee Aircraft for the United States Army Air Corps, and later US Army Air Forces...
and second-line P-35 Guardsman pursuit fighters at Selfridge. The squadron was reassigned to the Southeast Air District in late 1941 where after the Pearl Harbor Attack it initially flew antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. Issued P-40 Warhawks in 1942, it became a Operational, and later Replacement Training Unit (RTU) at Key Field
Key field
A key field is a field or set of fields of a database table which together form a unique identifier for a database record . The aggregate of these fields is usually referred to simply as "the key". Key fields also define searches...
, Mississippi under III Fighter Command
III Fighter Command
The III Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
. The 50th had the following operational squadrons:
- 10th Pursuit Squadron
- 81st Pursuit Squadron
- 313th Pursuit Squadron
Night Fighter training unit
Night fighter combat over the skies of England made the USAAF aware of the need for night air defense training and tactics development. Third Air Force was ordered to develop a training program to produce pilots with night fighting skills in early 1942. The Air Defense Operational Training Unit was established on 26 March. A few days later this was renamed the Interceptor Command School. One of the units assigned to the school was the 50th Pursuit Group (Interceptor).With 10th and 313th remained as pursuit fighter training squadrons with P-40s, the 81st was given the responsibilities of night fighter training operations. In July 1942, the 81st received one B-18 Bolo
B-18 Bolo
The Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
and a number of modified Douglas A-20 Havocs for night fighter operations, designated P-70s. By the end of September, the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) Night Fighter Department (Dark) was activated and the 81st Fighter Squadron was detached from the 50th FG and placed directly under the Department for training and operations. About 20 pilots were in the first class.
In October 1942, the personnel and equipment of the 81st were reassigned to the newly-formed 348th
348th Night Fighter Squadron
The 348th Night Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force squadron. Its last assignment was with the 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group, based at Salinas Army Air Base, California...
and 349th Night Fighter Squadron
349th Night Fighter Squadron
The 349th Night Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force squadron. Its last assignment was with the 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group, based at Hammer Field, California...
s, and returned to operational control of the 50th Fighter Group. The 50th FG remained a training squadron at AAFSAT until early 1944.
European Theater of Operations
Re-equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts, the group trained for operational combat missions and in April 1944, was deployed to the European Theater of OperationsEuropean Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
(ETO), being assigned to IX Fighter Command
IX Fighter Command
The IX Fighter Command is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Erlangen, Germany. It was inactivated on 16 November 1945....
, 84th Fighter Wing, in England. The group's squadrons were given fuselage codes TS (10th), 2N (81st) and W3 (313th).
It's initial station in the UK was RAF Lymington
RAF Lymington
RAF Station Lymington is a former World War II airfield in Hampshire, England. The airfield is located approximately east of Lymington; about southwest of London...
. Lymington was a temporary airfield and a prototype for the type of temporary Advanced Landing Ground type airfield which would be built in France after D-Day, when the need advanced landing fields would become urgent as the Allied forces moved east across France and Germany. Tents were used for billeting and also for support facilities; an access road was built to the existing road infrastructure; a dump for supplies, ammunition, and gasoline drums, along with a drinkable water and minimal electrical grid for communications and station lighting.
The group began operations by making a fighter sweep over France on 1 May. It engaged primarily in escort and dive-bombing missions for the next month. The 50th covered the invasion beaches during the invasion of Normandy
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
on 6 and 7 June, and moved to its Advanced Landing Ground
Advanced Landing Ground
Advanced Landing Ground was the term given to the temporary advance airfields constructed by the Allies during World War II in support of the invasion of Europe...
at Carentan
Carentan
Carentan is a small rural town near the north-eastern base of the French Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy in north-western France near the port city of Cherbourg-Octeville. Carentan has a population somewhat over 6,000 and is now administratively organized as a commune in the Manche department...
, France (ALG A-10) on 25 June.
On the continent, the 50th attacked bridges, roads, vehicles, railways, trains, gun emplacements, and marshalling yards during the Battle of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
. It bombed targets in the Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement...
region in July and supported the subsequent drive across France.
The group assisted in stemming the German offensive in the Saar-Hardt area
Saarland
Saarland is one of the sixteen states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest state in Germany other than the city-states...
early in January 1945, engaged in the offensive that reduced the Colmar bridgehead
Colmar Pocket
The Colmar Pocket ; in Alsace, France, was the site of an operation during the Second World War, between 20 January and 9 February 1945, where the French First Army and the U.S...
in January and February and supported the drive that breached the Siegfried Line
Siegfried Line
The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defences built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916–1917 in northern France during World War I...
and resulted in the movement of Allied forces into southern Germany in March and April.
The 50th Fighter Group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for close cooperation with Seventh Army in March during the assault on the Siegfried Line. In spite of the hazards of enemy opposition and difficult weather conditions, the group struck enemy defenses and isolated battle areas by destroying bridges, communications, supply areas, and ammunition dumps.
The 50th received second Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission on 25 April 1945 when, despite intense antiaircraft fire, the group destroyed or damaged many enemy aircraft on an airfield southeast of Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
.
The group ended operations at AAF Station Giebelstadt, Germany in May 1945, and returned to the United States in August. Assigned to Second Air Force
Second Air Force
The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
at La Junta Army Air Field, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Was programmed for deployment to Okinawa to take part in planned Invasion of Japan
Operation Downfall
Operation Downfall was the Allied plan for the invasion of Japan near the end of World War II. The operation was cancelled when Japan surrendered after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan. The operation had two parts: Operation...
. Training discontinued after Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...
and the sudden end of the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
.
Inactivated on 7 November 1945.
Cold War
The 50th Fighter Group was reactivated as part of the postwar United States Air Force Reserve in 1 June 1949. The group was formed at Otis AFB, Massachusetts, from a consolidation of the Headquarters Squadron, 10th Pursuit Group (Interceptor); 11th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) and 12th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor). The group was assigned to the newly-formed 50th Fighter Wing upon activation under the Hobson organization plan.It trained in the Reserve between June 1949 and June 1951, being a corollary of the active-duty Air Defense Command 33d Fighter Group, 1949–1951. Originally equipped with the F-51 Mustang the group's operational focus centered on keeping its aircrews well trained and ready. This activity included participating in portions of the 33rd Fighter-Interceptor Group's air defense missions and exercises. The group was ordered to active service on 1 June 1951 due to the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, and its personnel and equipment were reassigned as replacements to active-duty units. The 50th Fighter Group was inactivated the next day, 2 June 1951.
On 1 January 1953, the 50th Fighter-Bomber Group was reactivated as part of the active-duty Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
. The group was reactivated following Secretary of State John Foster Dulles
John Foster Dulles
John Foster Dulles served as U.S. Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1959. He was a significant figure in the early Cold War era, advocating an aggressive stance against communism throughout the world...
' promise to provide NATO with four additional tactical fighter wings to increase it's defenses against the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
due to the outbreak of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
The 50th FBG initially took over second-line F-51 Mustangs of the Federalized 140th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Clovis AFB, New Mexico when the guardsmen returned to control of the Colorado, Utah and Wyoming Air National Guards. Operational squadrons of the 50th FBG were:
- 10th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (dark blue stripes)
- 81st Fighter-Bomber Squadron (yellow/black stripes)
- 417th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (red stripes)
Although the 417th FS was not one of the 50th Fighter Group's original units, the squadron had been stationed with the group at AAF Giebelstadt, Germany, during the final days of World War II. Before long, the group replaced its propeller-driven Mustangs with jet-powered, F-86F Sabres. As the conversion to the F-86F continued in the spring and early summer of 1953, crews and maintenance personnel continued their training in the Sabre. Once training levels for pilots and aircrews had reached operational levels, the 50th FBG began preparations for its move to the newly-constructed Hahn Air Base
Hahn Air Base
Hahn Air Base was a frontline NATO facility in Germany for over 40 years during the Cold War...
, West Germany.
United States Air Forces in Europe
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
, to Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
, West Germany aboard the USNS General M. B. Stewart, From Bremerhaven, ground echelon moved by rail to its new home at Hahn AB, completing the journey in August 1953 and rejoined the air echelon.
At Hahn Air Base, the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing was assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
(USAFE), Twelfth Air Force (12th Air Force). The 50th FBW became the first tactically operational Air Force wing in Twelfth Air Force's jurisdiction.
Arriving at Hahn AB, the 50th delayed unpacking all but its mission-critical cargo and put off other routine activities to participate immediately in Exercise Monte Carlo. The purpose of this staged combat employment drill was to illustrate the power and capability of the European allies' air defense forces. During the brief operation, 50th FBG's air crews flew 124 simulated aggressor combat sorties, including 52 in only four hours.
In line with a stepped-up training program, which USAFE initiated in 1954, 50th FBW aircrews spent six weeks at the Wheelus Air Base
Wheelus Air Base
-See also:*List of airports in Libya-External links:*****...
range in Tripoli, Libya, to improve their air-to-air combat and ground attack skills. Demonstrating their prowess in both facets of their mission, the F-86F crews of 50th FBW flew 3,062 effective sorties in those six weeks and scored higher in both air-to-air and air-to-ground events than any other unit assigned to 12th Air Force.
By 1955, USAFE had initiated an annual, command-wide aerial gunnery competition at the Wheelus Field ranges. During the first such event, held July 30, 1955, the "straight shooting" pilots of 50th FBG more than duplicated their achievements of the previous year, taking top honors in the command.
While the victory at the gunnery competition was still fresh, the group began modernizing its aircraft fleet. The first of the new F-86H Sabres arrived at Hahn AB Oct. 21, 1955. Conversion continued throughout the winter of 1955 and spring of 1956, ending in May.
New aircraft would not be the only change for the personnel of the 50th, however. With the conversion to the newer F-86H nearly complete on April 15, 1956, the wing began a move to Toul-Rosières Air Base
Toul-Rosieres Air Base
Toul-Rosières Air Base is a reserve French Air Force base. It is located in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département of France, 10 miles northeast of the city of Toul, on the west side of the Route nationale 411 Highway about one mile southeast of Rosières-en-Haye.Toul Air Base was used by American...
, France. The 417th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, under the command of Lt. Col. Charles "Chuck" Yeager, was the first of the group's squadrons to relocate. This movement took most of the summer of that year.
The Group reported it was mission-ready at Toul-Rosiere August 1. Almost immediately, USAFE chose the 50th to represent the command at the Air Force Fighter Weapons Meet at Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Combat Command .-Overview:...
, Nevada. Personnel returned to more routine duties, training and participating in various air defense exercises. The sense of normality, however, was brief: The 50th Fighter-Bomber Group inactivated on 8 December 1957. USAFE reassigned the group's subordinate squadrons--the 10th, 81st and 417th Fighter Squadrons--directly to the wing. Similarly, the 50th Maintenance and Supply Group inactivated, and its squadrons were reassigned to the wing. Only the 50th Combat Support Group remained intact, later expanding its responsibilities to include transportation, comptroller and procurement functions.
Modern era
The 50th OG stood up at Falcon AFB 30 Jan. 1992, the same day as the 50th Space Wing. When 50th OG activated, its crews—formerly the crews of the 1002nd OG—monitored satellites during launch operations, maneuvered them into proper orbits and maintained their health in spaceLineage
- Established as 50th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940*
- Activated on 15 January 1941
- Redesignated: 50th Fighter Group on 15 May 1942
- Redesignated: 50th Fighter Group (Special) on 28 May 1942
- Redesignated: 50th Fighter Group on 21 January 1944
- Inactivated on 7 November 1945
- Activated in the Reserve on 1 June 1949**
- Redesignated 50th Fighter-Interceptor Group on 1 May 1950
- Ordered to active service on 1 June 1951
- Inactivated on 2 June 1951
- Redesignated 50th Fighter-Bomber Group on 15 November 1952
- Activated on 1 January 1953
- Inactivated on 8 December 1957
- Redesignated: 50th Tactical Fighter Group on 31 July 1985 (remained inactive)
- Redesignated: 50th Operations Group on 1 January 1992
- Activated on 30 January 1992
Note: *Derived from Headquarters Squadron, 10th Pursuit Group (Interceptor); 11th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) and 12th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor). *Became component organization of the 50th Fighter Wing, 1 June 1949
Assignments
- Southeast Air District, 15 January 1941
- 22d Pursuit Wing, c. January 1941
- III Interceptor Command, 2 October 1941
- Fighter Command School (an activity), 28 May 1942
- Fighter Command School (formerly, 5 Interceptor Command), 25 August 1942
- Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (later, AAF Tactical Center), 22 January 1943
- IX Air Support (later, IX Tactical Air) CommandIX Tactical Air CommandThe IX Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Camp Shanks, New York...
, 4 April 1944
- Under operational control of 84th Fighter Wing84th Fighter Wing (World War II)The 84th Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the IX Tactical Air Command, based at Brunswick, Germany...
, 7 April 1944
- IX Tactical Air CommandIX Tactical Air CommandThe IX Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Camp Shanks, New York...
, 1 August 1944 - 1st Tactical Air Force (Provisional), 1 November 1944
- XII Tactical Air CommandXII Tactical Air CommandThe XII Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, based at Bad Kissingen, Germany...
, 1 January 1945
- Under operational control of 64th Fighter Wing, 1 January–June 1945
- Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, 4 August – 7 November 1945 - 50th Fighter (later, 50th Fighter-Interceptor) Wing, 1 June 1949 – 2 January 1951
- 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 January 1953 – 8 December 1957
- 50th Space Wing, 30 January 1992–present
- Second Air Force
Components
- 1st Space Operations Squadron1st Space Operations SquadronThe United States Air Force's 1st Space Operations Squadron is a space operations unit located at Schriever AFB, Colorado. The squadron is also responsible for performance launch, on-orbit, emergency, end-of-life testing and disposal operations providing warning, navigation, R&D, surveillance...
: 30 January 1992–present - 2d Space Operations Squadron2d Space Operations SquadronThe 2d Space Operations Squadron is a unit of the United States Air Force at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado. Its mission is to manage the Navstar Global Positioning System satellite constellation for global navigation, time transfer, and nuclear detonation detection.2 SOPS is augmented by...
: 30 January 1992–present - 3d Space Operations Squadron3d Space Operations SquadronThe United States Air Force's 3d Space Operations Squadron is a satellite operations unit located at Schriever AFB, Colorado.-Mission:...
: 30 January 1992–present - 4th Space Operations Squadron4th Space Operations SquadronThe United States Air Force's 4th Space Operations Squadron is a satellite operations unit located at Schriever AFB, Colorado...
: 30 April 1992–present - 5th Space Operations Squadron5th Space Operations SquadronThe United States Air Force's 5th Expeditionary Space Operations Squadron is an expeditionary satellite operations unit administratively assigned to Schriever AFB, Colorado.-Mission:...
: 22 November 1993 – 13 June 2000 - 6th Space Operations Squadron6th Space Operations SquadronThe 6th Space Operations Squadron is an Air Force Reserve satellite command and control squadron located at Schriever AFB, Colorado...
: 31 July 1992 – 30 September 1998 - 21st Space Operations Squadron21st Space Operations SquadronThe 21st Space Operations Squadron is a satellite control unit of the 50th Network Operations Group of the United States Air Force located at Onizuka Air Force Station, California...
: 7 June 1999 – 10 March 2004 - 22d Space Operations Squadron22d Space Operations SquadronThe 22d Space Operations Squadron is a United States Air Force unit of the 50th Network Operations Group, itself a part of the 50th Space Wing, and is located at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado...
: 2 June 1999 – 10 March 2004 - 23d Space Operations Squadron3 June 1999 – 10 March 2004
- 10th Pursuit (later, 10th Fighter; 10th Fighter-Bomber) Squadron (T5): 15 January 1941 – 7 November 1945; 1 January 1953-3 December 1957
- 11th Pursuit Squadron: 15 January – 30 December 1941
- 12th Pursuit (later, Fighter)12th Fighter SquadronThe 12th Fighter Squadron was part of the 3d Wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska until its decommission in September 2006. The squadron operated the F-15 Eagle aircraft conducting air superiority missions.-Mission:...
: 15 January 1941 – 18 August 1942 - 81st Pursuit (later, 81st Fighter; 81st Fighter-Interceptor; 81st Fighter-Bomber) Squadron (2N)81st Fighter SquadronThe 81st Fighter Squadron is part of the 52d Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. It operates the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting close air support missions.-Mission:...
: 15 January 1941 – 7 November 1945; 20 June 1949-2 June 1951; 1 January 1953 – 8 December 1957 - 313th Pursuit (later, Fighter) Squadron313th Tactical Fighter SquadronThe 313th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing and stationed at Hahn Air Base, Germany.-History:...
(W3): 9 February 1942 – 7 November 1945 - 417th Fighter-Bomber Squadron: 1 January 1953 – 8 December 1957
- 445th Fighter Squadron: 24 February 1943 – 10 February 1944.
Stations
- Selfridge FieldSelfridge FieldSelfridge Air National Guard Base or Selfridge ANGB is an Air National Guard installation located in Harrison Township, Michigan, near Mount Clemens.-Units and organizations:...
, MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, 15 January 1941 - Key FieldKey fieldA key field is a field or set of fields of a database table which together form a unique identifier for a database record . The aggregate of these fields is usually referred to simply as "the key". Key fields also define searches...
, MississippiMississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, 3 October 1941 - Orlando Army Air Base, Florida, 22 March 1943
- Alachua Army Airfield, Florida, 20 November 1943
- Orlando Army Air Base, Florida, 1 February – 13 March 1944
- RAF LymingtonRAF LymingtonRAF Station Lymington is a former World War II airfield in Hampshire, England. The airfield is located approximately east of Lymington; about southwest of London...
(AAF-551), England, 5 April 1944 - Carentan AirfieldCarentan AirfieldCarentan Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Carentan in the Basse-Normandie region of northern France....
(A-10), France, 25 June 1944 - Meautis AirfieldMeautis AirfieldMeautis Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Méautis in the Basse-Normandie region of northern France....
(A-17), France, 16 August 1944 - Orly Airfield (A-47), France, 4 September 1944
- Laon/Couvron Airfield (A-70), France, 15 September 1944
- Lyon-Bron AirportLyon-Bron AirportLyon-Bron Airport is an airport located in Bron, east of Lyon, both communes of the Rhône department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France.-History:...
(Y-6), France, 28 September 1944 - Toul/Ochey Airfield (A-96), France, 3 November 1944
- Giebelstadt Airfield (Y-90), Germany, 20 April 1945
- AAF Station Mannheim/Sandhofen, Germany, 21 May–June 1945
- La Junta Army Air Field, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 4 August – 7 November 1945 - Otis AFB, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, 1 June 1949 – 2 June 1951 - Clovis AFB, New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, 1 January – 23 July 1953 - Hahn AB, West GermanyWest GermanyWest Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, 10 August 1953 - Toul-Rosieres AB, France, 10 July 1956 – 8 December 1957
- Falcon (later, Schriever) AFB, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 30 January 1992–present
Aircraft
- BT-13 ValiantBT-13 ValiantThe Vultee BT-13 Valiant was an American World War II-era basic trainer aircraft built by Vultee Aircraft for the United States Army Air Corps, and later US Army Air Forces...
, 1941-1942 - P-35 Guardsman, 1941-1942
- P-40 Warhawk, 1942-1943
- P-51 MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
, 1943-1944 - P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
, 1943-1945 - F-51 Mustang, 1953
- F-86 SabreF-86 SabreThe North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
, 1953-1957