22nd Air Refueling Wing, US Air Force

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22ND AIR REFUELING WING, US AIR FORCE

History: Established as 22 Bombardment Wing, Medium, on 28 July 1948. Activated on 1 August 1948. Redesignated as: 22 Bombardment Wing, Heavy, on 15 March 1963; 22 Air Refueling Wing, Heavy, on 1 October 1982; 22 Air Refueling Wing on 1 September 1991. Became operational on 1 July 1949. From 14 November 1949 to 20 February 1950, the 22 Bombardment Group was detached from the wing, which controlled only the attached fighters of the 1 Wing. The bomb group was detached again for combat in Korea, 4 July–c. 31 October 1950, and during this period the wing controlled no aircraft. When operational, the wing trained for proficiency in global strategic bombardment, adding air refueling to its mission in 1952. The wing deployed at Mildenhall RAF Station, England, September–December 1951, and at Upper Heyford RAF Station, England, December 1953–March 1954. From April to July 1957, it deployed at Andersen AFB, Guam. The wing was not tactically operational 11 March–15 September 1963, while converting to B-52 bombers and KC-135 tankers. Supported Fifteenth Air Force’s post-attack command and control system with EC-135s, September 1964–March 1970. The 22d was a "super" wing, 1966–1971, with two bombardment and two tanker squadrons. From 10 March to c. 1 October 1967 the wing was reduced to a small "rear-echelon" non-tactical organization with all tactical resources and most support resources loaned to Strategic Air Command (SAC) organizations involved in combat operations in Southeast Asia. The wing continued to support SAC operations in the Far East and Southeast Asia through 1975, and from 10 April 1972 to 29 October 1973 again had all its bomber resources loaned to other organizations for combat and contingency operations. KC-135 resources were also on loan from 10 April to September 1972; afterwards a few tankers returned to wing control. The wing maintained a strategic bombardment alert posture, 1973–1982, but in 1978 it added conventional warfare missions, including mine-laying and sea reconnaissance/surveillance. From 1982, the wing provided strategic air refueling and airlift in support of worldwide USAF and other DOD operations and training exercises. In 1983, moved personnel and cargo in support of Chadian resistance to Libyan incursions and conducted airlift and refueling missions during rescue of US nationals in Grenada. Provided specialized refueling support to SR-71 aircraft reconnaissance operations worldwide, c. 1985–1990. Supported F-117 deployments to Saudi Arabia and contributed aircraft and personnel to logistics efforts in support of the liberation of Kuwait, 1990–1991. From the end of 1992 to 1994, the wing flew humanitarian airlift missions to Somalia. Provided air refueling in support of deployments to Haiti in 1994. During the 1990s, the wing deployed crews and aircraft to support no-fly missions over northern and southern Iraq and over Bosnia-Herzegovina. In 1999, wing aircraft and crews deployed to the Mediterranean to refuel Allied aircraft over Serbia. After the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. in September 2001, wing-supplied tanker crews and aircraft air-refueled combat aircraft on missions to the Afghanistan area. Supported worldwide aerial refueling and airlift operations including Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and New Dawn, 2001-.


Coat of arms (crest) of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing, US Air Force
Official blazon
English blazon wanted

Origin/meaning

The Emblem was approved for 22 Group on 19 June 1941 and for 22 Wing on 28 June 1951.

Literature: Image from Wikimedia Commons. Iformation from https://www.afhra.af.mil/


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