Lineage. Established as 460 Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943. Activated on 1 Jul 1943. Redesignated as 460 Bombardment Group, Heavy c. 3 Sep 1944. Inactivated on 26 Sep 1945. Consolidated (31 Jan 1984) with the 460 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, which was established, and activated, on 2 Feb 1966. Organized on 18 Feb 1966. Inactivated on 31 Aug 1971. Redesignated as 460 Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 19 Sep 1989. Activated on 1 Oct 1989. Inactivated on 1 Oct 1990. Redesignated as 460 Air Base Wing on 26 Apr 2001. Activated on 1 Oct 2001. Redesignated as 460 Space Wing on 19 Aug 2004.
Assignments. II Bomber Command, 1 Jul 1943; Second Air Force, 6 Oct 1943; I Bomber Command, c. 29 Oct 1943; 55 Bombardment Wing, c. 5 Feb 1944; South Atlantic Division, Air Transport Command, 15 Jun-26 Sep 1945. Pacific Air Forces, 2 Feb 1966; 2 Air Division, 18 Feb 1966; Seventh Air Force, 1 Apr 1966-31 Aug 1971. Seventh Air Force, 1 Oct 1989-1 Oct 1990. Fourteenth Air Force, 1 Oct 2001-.
Operational Components. Squadrons. 12 Tactical Reconnaissance: 2 Sep 1966-31 Aug 1971. 15 Tactical Reconnaissance: 1 Oct 1989-1 Oct 1990. 16 Tactical Reconnaissance: 18 Feb 1966-15 Mar 1970. 20 Tactical Reconnaissance: 18 Feb-18 Sep 1966. 41 Tactical Reconnaissance: 18 Feb-18 Sep 1966. 45 Tactical Reconnaissance: attached 30 Mar-7 Jul 1966. 360 Reconnaissance (later, 360 Tactical Electronic Warfare): 8 Apr 1966-31 Aug 1971. 361 Reconnaissance (later, 361 Tactical Electronic Warfare): 8 Apr 1966-31 Aug 1971 (not operational 8 Apr-23 Jul 1966). 362 Reconnaissance (later, 362 Tactical Electronic Warfare): 1 Feb 1967-31 Aug 1971. 760 Bombardment: 1 Jul 1943-26 Sep 1945. 761 Bombardment: 1 Jul 1943-26 Sep 1945. 762 Bombardment: 1 Jul 1943-26 Sep 1945. 763 Bombardment: 1 Jul 1943-26 Sep 1945. 6460 Tactical Reconnaissance: 8 Jun-18 Sep 1966. 6461 Tactical Reconnaissance: 29 Jul-18 Sep 1966. Detachments. Det 1, 360 Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron: attached 1 Jun 1970-31 Aug 1971. Det 1, 361 Reconnaissance Squadron: 8 Sep 1966-1 Feb 1967. Det 1, HQ, 460 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing: 18 Feb 1966-31 Aug 1971. Det 2, HQ, 460 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing: 8 Apr 1969-1 Jun 1970.
Stations. Alamogordo AAFld, NM, 1 Jul 1943; Kearns AAB, UT, 31 Aug 1943; Chatham AAFld, GA, 29 Oct 1943; Camp Patrick Henry, VA, 4-13 Jan 1944 (ground echelon); Spinazzola, Italy, 11 Feb 1944-Jun 1945; Waller Field, Trinidad, 15 Jun 1945; Paramirim Field, Natal, Brazil, 30 Jun-26 Sep 1945. Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, 18 Feb 1966-31 Aug 1971. Taegu AB, South Korea, 1 Oct 1989-1 Oct 1990. Buckley AFB, CO, 1 Oct 2001-.
Commanders. Unkn, 1 Jul-11 Aug 1943; Col Robert T. Crowder, 12 August 1943; Col Bertram C. Harrison, 16 Apr 1944; Lt Col Harold T. Babb, 20 Sep 1944; Col John M. Price, 18 Oct 1944-unkn (at least through Apr 1945). Unkn, 18 Feb-13 Mar 1966; Col Edward H. Taylor, 14 Mar 1966; Col Robert G. Williams, by Mar 1967; Brig Gen Robert J. Holbury, 21 Dec 1967; Col Leslie J. Westbert, 8 Jul 1968; Col Hal L. Fitzpatrick, 28 May 1969; Col Harry M. Chapman, 21 Jun 1969; Col James E. Tilton, 1 May 1970; Col Dale L. Flowers, 15 Apr 1971; Col Jerome F. O’Malley, 1-31 Aug 1971. Col Gene N. Patton, 1 Oct 1989; Lt Col Robert S. Hillmer, 13 Aug-1 Oct 1990. Col James A. Sands, 1 Oct 2001; Col Allen Kirkman Jr., 30 Jun 2003; Col David W. Zeigler, 20 Jun 2005; Col Donald W. McGee Jr., 12 Jun 2007; Col Clinton E. Crosier, 19 Jun 2009; Col Daniel A. Dant, 11 Jul 2011; Col Daniel D. Wright III, 28 Jun 2013; Col John W. Wagner, 12 Jun 2014; Col David N. Miller Jr., 12 Aug 2016; Col Troy L. Endicott, 12 Jan 2018--.
Aircraft. B-24, 1943-1945. RB-57, 1966-1971; EB/RB-66, 1966; RF-4, 1966-1971; RF-101, 1966-1970; RC-47, 1966-1967; EC-47, 1967-1971. RF-4, 1989-1990. None, 2001-.
Operations. Trained at bases in New Mexico, Utah, and Georgia for heavy bombardment operations overseas. Moved to Italy in Feb 1944 and entered combat on 19 Mar under the Fifteenth Air Force. Served primarily as a strategic bombardment organization until Apr 1945. Bombed enemy marshalling yards, oil refineries and storage facilities, aircraft factories, industrial areas and other objectives in Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria, Rumania, Yugoslavia and Greece. Earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for leading a wing formation through adverse weather and heavy enemy fire to attack an airfield and aircraft facilities in Zwolfaxing, Austria, on 26 Jul 1944. The group also flew some interdiction and support missions and supported the invasion of southern France in Aug 1944 by raiding submarine pens, marshalling yards and gun positions in the assault area. It struck bridges, viaducts, ammunition dumps, railroads and other targets to aid the advance of Allied forces in northern Italy. Flew its last World War II combat mission on 26 Apr 1945. Moved to Trinidad and then to Brazil in Jun 1945 to assist in moving redeployed personnel from Europe to the United States. Organized for tactical reconnaissance in Southeast Asia in Feb 1966. It's assigned and attached squadrons and squadron-size detachments flew day and night visual, photographic, radar, thermographic and electronic reconnaissance missions for the 2d Air Division until Apr 1966 and for Seventh Air Force thereafter. Shared reconnaissance with another wing in Southeast Asia in Sep 1966. In Oct 1966, assumed aircraft maintenance responsibility for all USAF organizations using Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam. Continued reconnaissance operations through 31 Aug 1971. Activated for a year from Oct 1989 to Oct 1990 for tactical reconnaissance in South Korea. On 1 Oct 2001 assumed support mission for tenant units and over 88,000 military personnel and their families who lived along the Front Range military community at Buckley AFB, CO. From Aug 2004 mission consisted of missile warning and space surveillance.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater; Global War on Terror (GWOT-S).
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Rome-Arno; Southern France; North Apennines; Po Valley; Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Vietnam: Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer/Fall, 1969; Vietnam Winter/Spring 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Austria, 26 Jul 1944. Presidential Unit Citations (Southeast Asia): 18 Feb 1966-30 Jun 1967; 1 Sep 1967-10 Jul 1968; 11 Jul 1968-31 Aug 1969; 1 Feb-31 Mar 1971. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: 1 Jul 1969-30 Jun 1970; 1 Jul 1970-30 Jun 1971. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 Oct 1989-1 Oct 1990; 1 Oct 2001-1 Oct 2002; 2 Oct 2002-2 Oct 2003. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 1966-31 Aug 1971.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 22 May 2018.
Commanders and Operations through 22 May 2018.
Supersedes statement prepared on 18 May 2015.
Emblem. Approved on 3 Dec 2001; newest rendition approved on 10 Apr 2012.
Prepared by Carl E. Bailey.