Lineage. Established as 6 Bombardment Wing, Medium on 20 Dec 1950. Activated on 2 Jan 1951. Redesignated as: 6 Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 16 Jun 1952; 6 Strategic Aerospace Wing on 1 May 1962; 6 Strategic Wing on 25 Mar 1967; 6 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing on 1 Apr 1988. Inactivated on 1 Sep 1992. Redesignated as 6 Air Base Wing on 22 Dec 1993. Activated on 4 Jan 1994. Redesignated as: 6 Air Refueling Wing on 1 Oct 1996; 6 Air Mobility Wing on 1 Jan 2001; 6 Air Refueling Wing on 30 Sep 2019.
Assignments. Eighth Air Force, 2 Jan 1951; 47 Air (later, 47 Strategic Aerospace) Division, 10 Feb 1951 (attached to 3 Air Division, 31 Oct 1955–26 Jan 1956); 22 Strategic Aerospace Division, 1 Jul 1963; 12 Strategic Aerospace Division, 1 Jul 1965; 18 Strategic Aerospace Division, 25 Mar 1967; 12 Strategic Aerospace Division, 2 Jul 1968; 14 Strategic Aerospace Division, 30 Jun 1971; 47 Air Division, 1 Oct 1976; 14 Air Division, 1 Oct 1985; 3 Air Division, 9 Aug 1990; Fifteenth Air Force, 1 Apr–1 Sep 1992. Ninth Air Force, 4 Jan 1994; Twenty-First Air Force, 1 Oct 1996; Eighteenth Air Force, 1 Oct 2003–.
Operational Components. Group. 6 Bombardment (later, 6 Operations): 2 Jan 1951–16 Jun 1952; 1 Oct 1996-. Squadrons. 6 Air Refueling: 3 Jan 1958–25 Jan 1967. 24 Bombardment (later, 24 Strategic Reconnaissance): attached 2 Jan 1951–15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952–25 Jan 1967; assigned 25 Mar 1967–7 Jul 1992. 39 Bombardment: attached 2 Jan 1951–15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952–15 Sep 1963. 40 Bombardment: attached 2 Jan 1951–15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952–25 Jan 1967. 307 Air Refueling: attached c. 1 Aug 1951–16 Jun 1952. 310 Air Refueling: 25 Jun 1965–25 Jan 1967. 579 Strategic Missile: 1 Sep 1961–25 Mar 1965. 4129 Combat Crew Training: 1 Aug 1959–15 Sep 1963.
Stations. Walker AFB, NM, 2 Jan 1951; Eielson AFB, AK, 25 Mar 1967–1 Sep 1992. MacDill AFB, FL, 4 Jan 1994–.
Commanders. Col Thomas S. Jeffrey Jr., 2 Jan 1951; Col William K. Martin, 15 Jan 1951; Col Glen W. Martin, 20 May 1955; Col Everett W. Best, 21 Sep 1956; Col Daniel V. MacDonald, 3 Jun 1957; Lt Col Lewis R. Riley, 15 Aug 1957; Col Edwin C. Evans, 16 Sep 1957; Col Everett W. Best, 23 Sep 1957; Col Donald E. Hillman, 23 Feb 1960; Col Ernest C. Eddy, 18 Jul 1962; Col Floyd H. Haywood Jr., 15 Jul 1963; Col Richard M. Hoban, 15 Apr 1965; Col Lester F. Miller, 15 Jun 1965; Col George P. Cole, 9 Jul 1966; Col Rowland H. Worrell Jr., 2 Sep 1966; Col Martin E. Plocher, 25 Mar 1967; Col Ray M. Watkins, 11 Jul 1967; Col Leslie W. Brockwell, 4 Jun 1969; Col Melford W. Lewis, 23 Jun 1970; Col Doyle F. Reynolds, 5 Jun 1972; Col Joe L. Church, 6 Dec 1973; Col William J. Campbell, 11 Jul 1974; Col Donald M. Griffin, 7 Oct 1975; Col Jimmy S. Lassetter, 28 May 1976; Col John A. Dale, 4 Oct 1977; Col William R. Perry, 26 Nov 1979; Col Benjamin F. Schneider Jr., 20 Jul 1981; Col Mark J. Heller, 29 Jul 1983; Col James W. Morrow Jr., 3 Oct 1984; Col Thomas W. Young, 14 Jul 1986; Col James L. Holmes Jr., 18 Nov 1987; Col George R. Warner, 10 Mar 1989; Col William G. Manire Jr., 18 Jun 1990; Col James E. Andrews, 13 Jun 1991; Lt Col Danny G. Sprouse, 31 Jul - 1 Sep 1992. Col Charles T. Ohlinger III, 4 Jan 1994; Brig Gen John D. Becker, 28 Jun 1996; Brig Gen James N. Soligan, 21 Nov 1997; Brig Gen Arthur F. Diehl III, 30 Jun 1999; Brig Gen William W. Hodges, 1 Aug 2001; Col David M. Snyder, 10 Jan 2003; Col Margaret H. Woodward, 5 Feb 2005; Col Robert D. Thomas, 26 Mar 2007; Col Lawrence M. Martin Jr., 8 Sep 2008; Col Lenny J. Richoux, 9 Jul 2011; Col Scott DeThomas, 27 Jul 2012; Col Daniel H. Tulley, 8 Aug 2014; Col April D. Vogel, 8 Jul 2016; Col Stephen P. Snelson, 29 Jun 2018; Col Benjamin S. Robins, 20 May 2020; Col Benjamin R. Jonsson, 4 Aug 2020-.
Aircraft and Missiles. B-29, 1951–1952; KB-29, 1951–1952; B-36, 1952–1957; B-52, 1957– 1967; Atlas, 1962–1965; KC-135, 1958–1967, 1967–1992; RC-135, 1967–1992; TC-135, 1985–1992. KC-135, 1996-; EC-135, 1997-2003; CT-43, 1997-2001; C-37, 2001-2019.
Operations. Conducted strategic bombardment training from activation in 1951 until 1 Sep 1959, with air refueling as additional mission in 1951–1952, and again from Apr 1958 until Jan 1967. Deployed at Andersen AFB, Guam, Oct 1955–Jan 1956. Two bombardment squadrons (24th and 30th) joined the 4129 CCTS in Sep 1959, training B- 52 and KC-135 crews, while the 40 Bombardment Squadron continued flying operational missions until 10 Jun 1960. From 10 Jun 1960 to 1 Dec 1961 the wing flew a few operational missions in a non-combat ready status. A missile squadron joined the wing’s resources in Sep 1961. The 40 Bombardment Squadron returned to operational status on 1 Dec 1961, and on 5 Sep 1963 the other two bomb squadrons also regained tactical status. The 39 Bombardment Squadron discontinued a few days later, but the 24th and 40th Bombardment Squadrons continued global bombardment training through Dec 1966, when they phased down for inactivation. The missile squadron phased out its Atlas operations in Feb 1965 and inactivated a month later. On 25 Mar 1967, the wing moved without personnel or equipment to Eielson AFB, AK, where it replaced the 4157 Strategic Wing and assumed resources and missions of that wing. In Alaska, the wing flew RC–135 strategic reconnaissance missions with an assigned squadron, and, with KC–135s deployed to Eielson from Strategic Air Command (SAC), Air Force Reserves (AFRES), and the Air National Guard (ANG), conducted Alaska Task Force (ATTF) missions to support reconnaissance and numerous exercises for the Air Force and Navy. From Apr 1968 to Jul 1972 the wing periodically served as the airborne monitor of the Alaskan ballistic missile early warning station. The wing maintained a detachment at Shemya AFS, in the Aleutians, and operated from there, Feb–May 1975 and Jun–Sep 1976, when Eielson closed for repair of earthquake damage. Won the P.T. Cullen Award for greatest contributions to the photo and signal intelligence efforts of Strategic Air Command, 1973, 1978, and 1983. In Oct 1996, assumed an aerial refueling mission. Provided refueling support for global mobility requirements and later also for fighters flying homeland security missions over the southeastern United States. Deployed tanker aircraft and crews to Southwest Asia to support no-fly zone operations over northern Iraq in Jul 1998. From Jan 2001 to Sep 2019, the wing added an airlift mission, providing executive airlift for senior Government and military leaders including those of U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command. Since 11 Sep 2001, deployed to forward locations in support of Global War on Terrorism; transported military leaders and combatant commanders; provided medical evacuation from overseas theater of operations and air refueling support for fighter jets.
Service Streamers. Global War on Terrorism (GWOT-S).
Campaign Streamers. None.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 May 1960–31 May 1962; 1 Jul 1971– 30 Jun 1973; 1 Jul 1973–30 Jun 1975; 1 Jul 1976–30 Jun 1978; 1 Jul 1978– 30 Jun 1980; 1 Jul 1981–30 Jun 1982; 1 Jul 1986–30 Jun 1987; 1 Jun 1994-31 May 1996; 1 Jul 1996-30 Jun 1998; 1 Jul 1998-30 Jun 2000; 1 Jul 2004-30 Jun 2006; 1 Jul 2007-30 Jun 2009; 1 Jul 2009-30 Jun 2010; 1 Jul 2013-30 Jun 2014; 1 Jan 2016-30 Sep 2017; 1 Oct 2017-30 Sep 2019.
Bestowed Honors. Authorized to display honors earned by the 6 Operations Group prior to 2 Jan 1951. Service Streamers. None. Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Japan; Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific. Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Tokyo, Japan, 25 May 1945; Japanese Empire, 9–19 Jul 1945.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, Aircraft, Operations and Honors through 7 Jan 2021.
Commanders through Aug 2020.
Supersedes statement prepared on 25 Feb 2019.
Emblem. Approved for 6 Group on 22 Jan 1924 and for 6 Wing on 18 Mar 1955; replaced by emblem approved on 21 Oct 1980; original emblem reinstated on 20 Sep 1988.
Prepared by James M. Musser.
Reviewed by Margaret Ream.