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9th
Bombardment Wing
9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
9th Reconnaissance Wing
Motto "Always
Ready" |
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Based at: Travis
AFB, Mountain Home AFB,
Beale AFB
Aircraft: B-17, RB-17, B-29, RB-29, RB-36, B-47, KB-29, KC-97, KC-135, KB-36, RB-36,
RB-71, U-2
Status: Active as 9th Reconnaissance Wing
Bomb Squadrons 1st BS, 5th BS, 99th BS, 658th
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Activation and Reconnaissance
The 9th was established
as 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing on 25 Apr 1949 and activated a week
later, when it was assigned to Fairfield-Suisun
(later, Travis) AFB, California. The 5th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing was
attached to it from November 9, 1949 to February 10, 1951. It's
mission was strategic reconnaissance but it also trained in strategic
bombing. Between 1949 and 1951, the wing flew B-17s, RB-17s,
B-29s, RB-29s, RB-36s and KB-29s.
B-47 Stratojet
The 9th was transferred Mountain Home AFB,
Idaho on May 1, 1953. There it received B-47s, which it flew in
1953. It continued training in strategic bombardment to December
of 1965. It was deployed to Fairford RAF Station, England, from May
to July of 1955, to Kadena AB, Okinawa for most of October 1955 to Eielson AFB,
Arkansas for a week in January, 1956, but then spent October 1957 to
January 1958 at Andersen AFB, Guam.
Aerial Refueling
In 1954, the 9th received KC-97
tankers that it retained until 1966.
Titan Missiles
It's
569th Strategic Missile Squadron controlled a Titan missile complex from
June 1, 1961 to June 25, 1965.
Communications Relay
From December 1962 to March of 1965, it flew SAC
airborne communications relay missions, using EB-47s. This multi-task
responsibility resulted in it being renamed the 9th Strategic Aerospace Wing on 1 Apr
1962.
Beale AFB, California / Reconnaissance Mission
The 9th was transferred to Beale AFB on June 25, 1966,
where it received the SR-71. The same day, it was redesignated the
9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. From 1966-1990, it flew U-2, U2-R
(also known as TR-1). The high altitude spy planes let it perform strategic
reconnaissance in Southeast Asia beginning in 1968. It provided photographic
intelligence for the Son Tay prison camp raid in North Vietnam, Nov 1970.
It has flown T–38s since 1969 In 1983,
it became the only Air Force wing to receive the specialized in KC-135Q
tanker. It has conducted humanitarian and scientific missions for Department of Defense and
other government agencies when requested. Participated in USAF operations worldwide, including Grenada,
Oct–Nov 1983, and Libya, Apr 1986.
Status
Following the 1990 retirement of SR–71
aircraft, U–2 aircraft flew intelligence-gathering missions, August 1990 to March
of 1991, in Southwest Asia, particularly during the Gulf War buildup and subsequent
combat operations. Continues to provide worldwide reconnaissance as directed.
Became the 9th Reconnaissance Wing on October 1, 1993.
Components
Groups.
5 Strategic Reconnaissance: Attached Nov 9, 1949 – 10 Feb
10, 1951.
9 Strategic Reconnaissance (later, 9th Bombardment; 9th Operations):
Assigned May 1 – Jun 16, 1952;
Sep 1. 1991–.
Squadrons.
1 BS: (later, 1 SR): Attached Feb 10, 1951 – Jun 15, 1952.
Assigned Jun 16, 1952 – Sep 1, 1991.
5 BS (later 5 SRT - Training) Attached Feb 10, 1951 – Jun 15, 1952,
Assigned Jun 16, 1952 – Jun 25, 1966; Assigned Jul
1, 1986 – Jun 30, 1990
99 BS (later 95 SR) Attached
Feb 10, 1951 – Jun 15, 1952, Assigned Jun 16, 1952– Apr 1, 1971.
Assigned Jun 30,
1976 – Sep 1, 1991.
658 BS: Assigned Oct 1, 1958 – Jan 1, 1962.
569 SM: Assigned Jun 1, 1961 – Jun 25, 1965.
9 AR: Assigned June 16, 1952 – Dec 15, 1965
(Detached Jun 16, 1952 – Apr 30, 1953)
39 SR: Attached May 26, – Jun 1, 1949.
95 SR Assigned Jun 30, 1991 – Sep 15, 1993.
97 AR: Assigned Jul 15, 1961 – Jul 1, 1962 (Detached).
349 AR: Assigned Mar 15, 1983 – Sep 1, 1991.
350 AR: Assigned Mar 15, 1983 – Sep 1, 1991
4029 SRT (Strategic Reconnaissance Training) Assigned Aug 1, 1981 –
Jul 1, 1986.
4364th Support (later, 4364th Post Attack Command and Control): Assigned Jul 20,
1962 – Mar 25, 1965.
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