
Shaw Air Force Base (Shaw AFB) is a
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
(USAF) base located approximately west-northwest of downtown
Sumter, South Carolina
Sumter ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Sumter County, South Carolina, United States. The city makes up the Sumter, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. Sumter County, along with Clarendon and Lee counties, form the core of Sumter–Lee ...
. It is one of the largest military bases operated by the United States, and is under the jurisdiction of USAF
Air Combat Command
The Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the prim ...
(ACC). The
20th Fighter Wing (20th FW) is the host unit.
History
Lt. Ervin David Shaw
The base is named in honor of
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
pilot 1st Lieutenant Ervin David Shaw. Lt. Shaw was one of the first Americans to fly combat missions in
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. Shaw, a
Sumter County native, was assigned to
No. 48 Squadron of the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
, as a member of the
Royal Canadian Flying Corps.
Shaw died after three enemy aircraft attacked his
Bristol F.2B while he was returning from a reconnaissance mission on 9 July 1918.
Shaw downed one of his attackers before he was killed.
[Mueller, Robert (1989). Volume 1: ''Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982''. USAF Reference Series, Office of Air Force History, United States Air Force, Washington, D.C. , ]
World War II
Shaw Field was activated on 30 August 1941 and placed under the jurisdiction of the
U.S. Army Air Corps Southeast Air Corps Training Center. The mission of the new airfield was a basic (Phase II) flying school to instruct air cadets in flying, and the Air Corps Basic Flying School was activated at the field on 26 June to operate the school. The airfield consisted of three runways and several auxiliary airfields.
[Manning, Thomas A. (2005), ''History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002''. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ]
* Shaw AAF Aux No. 1 – (Burnt Gin Airfield),
Wedgefield, South Carolina
* Shaw AAF Aux No. 2 – (Rembert Airfield),
Rembert, South Carolina
Rembert is an unincorporated community and census designated place (CDP) in Sumter County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 306 at the 2010 census, a decline from 406 in 2000. It is included in the Sumter, South Carolina Metro ...
* Shaw AAF Aux No. 3 – (Monaghan Airfield),
Sumter, South Carolina
Sumter ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Sumter County, South Carolina, United States. The city makes up the Sumter, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. Sumter County, along with Clarendon and Lee counties, form the core of Sumter–Lee ...
* Shaw AAF Aux No. 4 – (Sumter Airfield),
Sumter, South Carolina
Sumter ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Sumter County, South Carolina, United States. The city makes up the Sumter, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. Sumter County, along with Clarendon and Lee counties, form the core of Sumter–Lee ...
Flying activities at the field began on 22 October 1941 using Vultee
BT-13 Valiants. Enough construction was completed for the first group of cadets entered training 15 December 1941, and the first class completed training in February 1942. The concrete parking ramp was completed during May 1942.
In October 1942, the flight training was changed to Advanced (Phase III) flying training and
AT-6 Texan single-engine and
Beech AT-10 twin-engine trainers were used. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the
U.S. Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
(USAAF) Pilot School, under the USAAF Southeast Training Center trained more than 8,600 pilots in the basic and advanced flying curriculum, its graduates were then sent to Advanced Flight Training in single or multi-engine aircraft.
On 1 April 1945 jurisdiction of Shaw Field was transferred to the
First Air Force
The First Air Force (Air Forces Northern & Air Forces Space; 1 AF-AFNORTH & AFSPACE) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Its primary mission i ...
. The 139th Army Air Force Base Unit,
I Fighter Command became the host unit. and pilots were sent to Shaw for fighter transition training in
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter, and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...
single-engined fighters.
For a brief time, Shaw Field also served as a
prisoner-of-war (POW) camp. The first group of
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
POWs arrived on 1 March 1945. Eventually, 175 of them lived in an encampment just off the main base, on Peach Orchard Road (also known as
South Carolina Highway 441) across from Shaw's (side) hospital (currently closed) gate and worked on local farms in the area. They departed in the early months of 1946 for the rebuilding of European cities and towns that were devastated during the war. Those prisoners were eventually repatriated to Germany around 1947, with some returning to the Shaw and Sumter area and obtaining their U.S. citizenship.
[Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History's Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004.]
Postwar era
Shaw Army Airfield was designated a permanent USAAF installation after the war, being transferred to
Continental Air Forces on 16 April 1945. After a period of reorganization, jurisdiction was transferred to
Air Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for air defense of the continental United States. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air De ...
on 1 March 1946. From July 1946 until May 1947 Shaw was the home of the
414th and
415th Night Fighter Squadrons.
The squadrons flew the
P-61 Black Widow in Europe with
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint D ...
during World War II, and were reassigned back to the United States after the end of hostilities. The 414th was transferred to
Caribbean Air Force at
Río Hato Army Air Base, Panama in March 1947 to perform an air defense mission of the
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal () is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It cuts across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, and is a Channel (geography), conduit for maritime trade between th ...
. The 415th was reassigned to
Alaska Air Command at
Adak Island,
Alaska
Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
in May 1947 also to perform an air defense mission, over the
Aleutian Islands
The Aleutian Islands ( ; ; , "land of the Aleuts"; possibly from the Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', or "island")—also called the Aleut Islands, Aleutic Islands, or, before Alaska Purchase, 1867, the Catherine Archipelago—are a chain ...
and the territorial waters of western Alaska.
United States Air Force
20th Fighter Group

Jurisdiction of Shaw was again transferred to
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Lang ...
(TAC) on 23 March 1946. The
20th Fighter Group was reassigned to Shaw on 20 October 1946 from
Biggs Army Airfield
Biggs Army Airfield (formerly Biggs Air Force Base) is a United States Army military airbase located on the Fort Bliss military base in El Paso, Texas.
History Biggs Field/Biggs Army Airfield (1916–47)
On 15 June 1919, following an attack ...
, Texas which was transferred to
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile compon ...
. The 20th FG came under
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint D ...
.
[20th Fighter Wing History, Office of History 20th Fighter Wing. Shaw AFB, South Carolina. December 2010, AFD-110131-026.pdf]
After the establishment of the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
(USAF) as a separate military branch in September 1947, Shaw Army Airfield was renamed Shaw Air Force Base, on 13 January 1948 and the
20th Fighter-Bomber Wing was activated on 15 August 1947 with the implementation of the
Hobson Plan.
The 20th Fighter Group was first equipped with
North American P-51D, then exchanged its P-51's in February 1948 for
F-84B Thunderjets, the first TAC group to receive operational F-84s. The group was composed of the 55th, 77th and 79th Fighter Squadrons. The F-84s began arriving in February 1948 and ran through May when the full complement was received. Nine were lost in accidents before the remainder were returned to
Republic Aviation
The Republic Aviation Corporation was an American aircraft manufacturer based in Farmingdale, New York, on Long Island, New York, Long Island. Originally known as the Seversky Aircraft Company, the company was responsible for the design and produ ...
in May 1949 in exchange for F-84D models. Control over the wing changed hands on 1 February 1949 with its assignment to
Fourteenth Air Force
The Fourteenth Air Force (14 AF; Air Forces Strategic) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). It was headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
The command was responsible for the organizatio ...
.
On 23 September 1949 the
161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the
363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at
Langley AFB
Langley Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Hampton, Virginia, adjacent to Newport News. It was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the entry of the United States into World War I in April 1 ...
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
. The 161st flew the
Lockheed RF-80A reconnaissance version of the
F-80 Shooting Star. A reduction in USAF units in April 1949 led to a consolidation of units at fewer bases. With the outbreak of the
Korean War
The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
in 1950, the mission of the 161st was to train replacement reconnaissance aircraft pilots. The 161st TFS became the nucleus on which the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing's mission at Shaw when the wing transferred there in 1951.
The 20th Fighter Group was reassigned to
Langley AFB
Langley Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Hampton, Virginia, adjacent to Newport News. It was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the entry of the United States into World War I in April 1 ...
,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
on 1 December 1951 in preparation for a permanent overseas deployment to
RAF Wethersfield
MDP Wethersfield is a Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), Ministry of Defence facility in Essex, England, located north of the village of Wethersfield, Essex, Wethersfield, about north-west of the town of Braintree, Essex, Braintree. Original ...
, England to support
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
.
363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing

On 1 April 1951, the
363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was transferred to Shaw from
Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. The 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing would remain at Shaw, under various designations, for the next 43 years. The wing's mission was to fly photographic, electronic and electronic intelligence missions to support both air and ground operations by American or Allied ground forces through its operational component, the
363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group. In addition, the 363d provided combat crew training for reconnaissance aircrews.
[Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. .]
In addition to the 363 TRW, Headquarters
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint D ...
was transferred to Shaw from
Pope Air Force Base,
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
on 1 September 1954.
During the tenure of the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Shaw AFB (1951–1993), the wing was the first USAF operational unit equipped with the following aircraft:
*
Martin RB-57A Canberra
*
Douglas RB-66 Destroyer
*
McDonnell RF-101 Voodoo
*
McDonnell Douglas RF-4C Phantom II
Over the next four decades, the squadrons under the 363 TRW changed frequently. Nearly all tactical reconnaissance aircraft aircrews in the United States Air Force were trained or stationed at Shaw Air Force Base.
= 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
=

On 23 March 1953, the
432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group was re-activated at Shaw. The group's mission at Shaw AFB was to assume the reconnaissance training mission that was handled previously by the 363d TRW. When elevated to the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 8 February 1958, the wing operated the USAF Advanced Flying Training School, Tactical Reconnaissance. The 432d TRW and 363d TRW both were under the
837th Air Division, headquartered at Shaw.
The group initially conducted training with two squadrons (20th, 29th) flying the Republic RF-84F "Thunderflash" and two squadrons (41st, 43d) flying the Martin RB-57A "Canberra". In 1957, the group upgraded the 20th and 29th to the McDonnell RF-101C "Voodoo", and the 41st and 43d transitioned to the electronic warfare EB-66C Destroyer.
In a budgetary move, the 432d TRW was inactivated on 8 April 1959. The RF-101C equipped 17th and 18th TRSs were deployed to NATO, being reassigned to the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at
Laon-Couvron Air Base, France.
=4411th Combat Crew Training Group
=
The Shaw reconnaissance training mission was taken over by the 4411th Combat Crew Training Group, consisting of RF-101C and EB-66C aircraft. The 4411 CCTG became an operational group under the 363d TRW and continued the training mission at Shaw for reconnaissance aircraft until both it and the
837th Air Division were inactivated on 1 February 1963. All assets from these organizations were then transferred to the 363d TFW.
=66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
=
On 1 January 1953 the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was activated at Shaw, replacing the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, the title of which reverted to the
Tennessee
Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia (United States), militia of each U.S. ...
after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, where the 66th Fighter Group served in the European theater as part of
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Forces S ...
. The 66th Reconnaissance (later, Strategic Reconnaissance) Group, was a part of
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile compon ...
(SAC) from July 1947 – May 1951, at
Barksdale AFB
Barksdale Air Force Base (Barksdale AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, in northwest Louisiana. Much of the base is within the city limits of Bossier City, Louisiana, along the base's western and northwest ...
,
Louisiana
Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
as an
Air Force Reserve
The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commis ...
corollary unit under the guidance of active duty units in order to train and maintain currency in reconnaissance operations for its reserve personnel.
The 66 TRW was formed at Shaw from the RB-26 assets of the 18 TRS and RF-80s transferred from
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
. Wing and squadrons trained at Shaw prior to deployment to
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
. The 66th had three operational squadrons: the 30th, 302d and 303d TRS. The 30 TRS flew the RB-26 Invader, equipped for night reconnaissance, while the 302d and 303d flew the RF-80A Shooting Star for day reconnaissance.
On 25 June 1953, the 66 TRW departed Shaw, being reassigned to
Sembach Air Base
Sembach Kaserne () is a United States Army post in Donnersbergkreis, Germany, near Kaiserslautern. It is approximately east of Ramstein Air Base. From 1995 to 2012 the installation was a United States Air Force installation known as Sembach Air ...
,
West Germany
West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...
. Just prior to the wing's deployment to NATO, the 303 TRS was reequipped with RF-80As.
363d Fighter Wing

By 1980, the advent of
reconnaissance satellites
A reconnaissance satellite or intelligence satellite (commonly, although unofficially, referred to as a spy satellite) is an Earth observation satellite or communications satellite deployed for Military intelligence, military or espionag ...
made the need for tactical aircraft reconnaissance less and less necessary. The aging and phaseout of the 1960s-era
RF-4C aircraft fleet and the utility of the
Lockheed TR-1 in Europe for tactical reconnaissance led to the decision by the USAF to realign the mission of the 363rd TRW. The reconnaissance training mission of the wing was terminated in 1981 and beginning in 1982, the wing would become 363d Tactical Fighter Wing (363d TFW), being equipped with
General Dynamics F-16 fighter aircraft. On 1 October 1981, the 363 TRW was re-designated .
[Rogers, Brian (2005). ''United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978''. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. .][Martin, Patrick (1994). ''Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings''. Schiffer Military Aviation History. .]
The 363 TFW received its first F-16 on 26 March 1982. The 363 TFW flew F-16A/B Block 10 aircraft until 1984 then converted to Block 15s; F-16C/D Block 25s in autumn 1985 and Block 42s in late 1991. All aircraft carried the "SW" Tail Code.
On 9 August 1990, the 17 TFS and 33 TFS of 363 TFW became the first F-16 squadrons to deploy to the
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
in
Operation Desert Shield
, combatant2 =
, commander1 =
, commander2 =
, strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems
, page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
. Operating from
Al Dhafra Air Base as the 363d Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional), along with the 10 TFS from the 50 TFW,
Hahn Air Base, Germany. The wing flew combat missions to
Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
and
Kuwait
Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...
during Operation
Desert Storm
, combatant2 =
, commander1 =
, commander2 =
, strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems
, page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
between 17 January and 28 February 1991.
Following Desert Storm, the 19th and 33d Tactical Fighter Squadrons deployed to the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...
in support of
Operation Southern Watch, a coalition effort to enforce the Iraqi
No-fly zone
A no-fly zone, also known as a no-flight zone (NFZ), or air exclusion zone (AEZ), is a territory or area established by a military power over which certain aircraft are not permitted to fly. Such zones are usually set up in an enemy power's terri ...
south of the
32nd parallel north
Following are circles of latitude between the 30th parallel north and the 35th parallel north:
31st parallel north
The 31st parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 31 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, ...
. The 33 TFS made history when one of its pilots downed an Iraqi aircraft with an
AIM-120 AMRAAM
The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) ( ) is an American Beyond-visual-range missile, beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. It uses active transmit-receive radar guidance ...
missile. The incident marked the first time an AIM-120 was fired in combat and was the first U.S. F-16 air-to-air kill.
With the closure of
Myrtle Beach Air Force Base South Carolina and the inactivation of the
354th Fighter Wing, the 21st Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated at Shaw and received 30
Republic A/OA-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the inactivating
355th Fighter Squadron on 1 April 1992. All A-10 aircraft with the 21 TFS were designated as OA-10A.
As a result of the August 1992 destruction of
Homestead AFB Florida by
Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was a compact, but very powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in August 1992. It was the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures dama ...
in September 1992, the 31st Fighter Wing's 309th Fighter Squadron was initially evacuated to Shaw AFB prior to the hurricane making landfall. With Homestead unusable for an extended period after the hurricane, on 1 October 1992 the squadron was permanently assigned to the 363 FW.
The 363rd Fighter Wing was inactivated at Shaw AFB on 31 December 1993. The next day, 1 January 1994, the 20th Fighter Wing inactivated at
RAF Upper Heyford and reactivated without personnel or equipment at Shaw AFB, returning to the base it had left for duty with NATO forty-one years earlier.
20th Fighter Wing
As a result of the end of the
Cold War
The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
, the USAF made several dramatic changes with the inactivation and re-designation of wings and their units. A significant reduction in forces in Europe was made in the early 1990s, which reflected the changes in Europe after
fall of the Berlin Wall
The fall of the Berlin Wall (, ) on 9 November in German history, 9 November 1989, during the Peaceful Revolution, marked the beginning of the destruction of the Berlin Wall and the figurative Iron Curtain, as East Berlin transit restrictions we ...
.
On 15 December 1993, the flight line at
RAF Upper Heyford, England was closed and the host unit, the 20th Fighter Wing, was transferred from
USAFE to
Air Combat Command
The Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the prim ...
. The 20th was reassigned to Shaw AFB, replacing the 363d Fighter Wing as part of the USAF heritage program, which kept senior units on active duty and inactivated newer ones.
Upon activation at Shaw, the 20 FW assumed the personnel and equipment of the inactivated 363 FW. The operational squadrons of the 363d Operations Group were assigned to the 20th Operations Group and re-designated as follows:
*
17th Fighter Squadron ->
77th Fighter Squadron (F-16C/D)
*
19th Fighter Squadron ->
78th Fighter Squadron (F-16C/D)
*
21st Fighter Squadron ->
55th Fighter Squadron (OA-10A)
*
309th Fighter Squadron ->
79th Fighter Squadron (F-16C/D)

Since moving to Shaw in 1994 the 20th has taken part and continues to take part in numerous operations. In September 1994 the 20 FW provided fighter cover for US operations in
Haiti
Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...
during
Operation Uphold Democracy
Operation Uphold Democracy was a multinational military intervention designed to remove the military regime led and installed by Raoul Cédras after the 1991 Haitian coup d'état overthrew the elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The op ...
. This operation restored democratically elected President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide (; born 15 July 1953) is a Haitian former Salesian priest and politician who became Haiti's first democratically elected president in 1991 before being deposed in a coup d'état. As a priest, he taught liberation theo ...
who had been ousted in September 1991 by military forces within Haiti.
The wing was called to send F-16s in support of NATO operations during the
Kosovo War
The Kosovo War (; sr-Cyrl-Latn, Косовски рат, Kosovski rat) was an armed conflict in Kosovo that lasted from 28 February 1998 until 11 June 1999. It ...
in April 1999. On 4 May 1999 an F-16, ''91–0353'', from the 78th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron flying out of
Aviano Air Base, Italy, shot down a Yugoslavian
MiG-29
The Mikoyan MiG-29 (; NATO reporting name: Fulcrum) is a twinjet, twin-engine fighter aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. Developed by the Mikoyan design bureau as an air superiority fighter during the 1970s, the MiG-29, along with the large ...
(aircraft number ''109''). On 10 June 1999 NATO air operations were suspended.
Throughout the 1990s the 20 FW routinely rotated squadrons to enforce the no-fly zones over Iraq.
Southern Watch began in August 1992 and ended with the
invasion of Iraq in 2003. 20 FW squadrons rotated in and out of the
Middle East
The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq.
The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
to support enforcement of the no-fly zone. The 20th routinely sent squadrons to
Incirlik Air Base
Incirlik Air Base () is a Republic of Turkey, Turkish air base of slightly more than 3320 ac (1335 ha), located in the İncirlik quarter of the city of Adana, Turkey. The base is within an urban area of 1.7 million people, east of the city ...
, Turkey supporting the no-fly zone in northern Iraq between January 1997 and March 2003.
After the
September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
on the
World Trade Center and
the Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense, in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. The building was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As ...
in 2001, the
U.S. Defense Department developed
Noble Eagle to protect US soil in the
War on Terrorism. The 20 FW has been tasked with providing patrols over New York City, Washington, DC and any other location the wing is called upon to protect. In addition to Noble Eagle tasking the 20th provides fighter cover for the
President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
when traveling and at
Camp David
Camp David is a country retreat for the president of the United States. It lies in the wooded hills of Catoctin Mountain Park, in Frederick County, Maryland, near the towns of Thurmont, Maryland, Thurmont and Emmitsburg, Maryland, Emmitsburg, a ...
.
In February 2003 the 20 FW deployed approximately 1,300 service members and 15 aircraft to the 363 AEW at
Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia, attached to the provisional CENTAF
363d Air Expeditionary Wing. This deployment was part of
Operation Iraqi Freedom
The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...
(OIF), the United States actions for the removal of
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician and revolutionary who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 1979 until Saddam Hussein statue destruction, his overthrow in 2003 during the 2003 invasion of Ira ...
from power in Iraq.
In May 2008 the 77 FS deployed its aircraft and airmen along with maintainers from the 20 MXG to
Joint Base Balad, where they conducted operations until relieved by the 55 FS in October 2008. The 55th carried out operations in Iraq until January 2009.
During 2009 the three squadrons concentrated on regaining aircrew skill sets that atrophy during a combat deployment, in preparation for the next round of deployments. During 2010 the 55th and 77th once again fought in Iraq. The 77 FS again was the lead 20 FW unit deploying to Joint Base Balad, Iraq in January 2010. The 77th carried out operations there until relieved by the 55 FS in May 2010. The 55th finished its tour in Iraq in October 2010.
The wing has been called to send both personnel and aircraft in support of
operations in Afghanistan. One such deployment was in January 2007 when 150 airmen deployed as part of an Air Expeditionary Force. During the October 2009 to February 2010 the 79 FS deployed its aircraft and airmen along with maintainers from the 20 MXG to
Bagram AB, Afghanistan.
Third US Army
In its
2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission Recommendations, DoD recommended to relocate the
Third US Army Headquarters from
Fort Gillem
Fort Gillem was a United States Army Post located in Forest Park, Georgia, on the southeast edge of Atlanta in Clayton County. Founded in 1941, it was a satellite installation of nearby Fort McPherson. The base housed different supply and suppo ...
and
Fort McPherson, Georgia, to Shaw AFB as a tenant unit on the base. This was a portion of a larger recommendation that would close
Fort Gillem
Fort Gillem was a United States Army Post located in Forest Park, Georgia, on the southeast edge of Atlanta in Clayton County. Founded in 1941, it was a satellite installation of nearby Fort McPherson. The base housed different supply and suppo ...
and
Fort McPherson.
On 1 June 2011, Third Army Headquarters at Shaw, Patton Hall, was dedicated during a ribbon cutting ceremony for their new headquarters. Third Army continued the transfer of its personnel and equipment in order to be fully operational at Shaw AFB by 15 June 2011. An estimated 3,000 people relocated to the Sumter area, including families. This includes approximately 1,200 service members, who will be working out of the $100 million, command and control facility. The new Patton Hall took 22 months to build, has 42 conference rooms, a 200-seat auditorium and can support up to 1,500 personnel.
Major commands to which assigned
* Southeast Air Corps Training Center, 26 June 1941
: Redesignated: AAF Southeast Training Center, 29 October 1942
: Redesignated:
Army Air Forces Eastern Flying Training Command, 31 July 1943
*
First Air Force
The First Air Force (Air Forces Northern & Air Forces Space; 1 AF-AFNORTH & AFSPACE) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Its primary mission i ...
, 1 April 1945
*
Continental Air Forces, 16 April 1945
*
Air Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for air defense of the continental United States. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air De ...
, 1 March 1946
*
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Lang ...
, 23 March 1946
*
Continental Air Command
Continental Air Command (ConAC) (1948–1968) was a Major Command of the United States Air Force (USAF) responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.
During the Korean War, ConAC provided the necessary aug ...
, 1 December 1948
*
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Lang ...
, 1 December 1950
*
Air Combat Command
The Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the prim ...
, 1 June 1992 – present
Major units assigned
* 77th Air Base Squadron, 1 August 1941 – 10 July 1942
: Redesignated: 77th Base HQ and Air Base Squadron
: 10 July 1942 – 20 April 1944
* 2142d AAF Base Unit, 30 April 1944 – 31 March 1945
* 139th AAF Base Unit, 31 March 1945 – 31 March 1946
*
67th Reconnaissance Group, 11 February 1946 – 31 March 1946
* 316th AAF Base Unit, 31 March 1946 – 25 August 1948
*
20th Fighter Group (later Wing)
: 20 October 1946 – 1 December 1951; 1 January 1994 – present
* 161st (later 18th) Tactical Reconnaissance Squadro
(Declassified Unit History, August 1944 – April 1945): 23 September 1949 – 25 May 1959
*
437th Troop Carrier Wing, 1 August 1950 – 16 October 1950
*
363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (later Tactical Fighter), 6 November 1951 – 31 December 1993
*
66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 1 January 1953 – 25 June 1953
* 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group (later Wing), 18 March 1954 – 18 June 1959
*
Ninth Air Force (later dual-hatted as US Air Forces Central), 20 August 1954 – present
*
837th Air Division, 8 February 1958 – 1 February 1963
* 4411th Combat Crew Training Group, 8 April 1959 – 15 June 1969
* 4416th Test Squadron, 15 June 1963 – 1 May 1970
* 682nd Air Support Operations Squadron, 1 December 1971 – 15 June 2011
Role and operations
Today the 20th Fighter Wing remains at Shaw. As the host wing, it also retains the responsibility for providing facilities, personnel and material for the base's operation. Major components of the 20 FW are:
*
20th Operations Group (20 OG) (Tail Code "SW")
: The 20th Operations Group employs approximately 80 F-16CJ fighter aircraft in conventional and anti-radiation suppression of enemy air defenses (
SEAD), strategic attack, counter-air, air interdiction, joint maritime operations and combat search-and-rescue missions.
* 20th Maintenance Group
: The 20th Maintenance Group includes the 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, the 20th Component Maintenance Squadron, the 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron and the 20th Maintenance Operations Squadron.
* 20th Mission Support Group
: The 20th Mission Support Group supports more than 5,400 military and civilian employees and 11,000 family members. The 20 MSG is also responsible for thousands of acres of land, including the outdoor recreation area located northwest on Lake Wateree, and the approximately Poinsett Electronic Combat Range located about southwest of the base.
* 20th Medical Group
: The 20th Medical Group provide ambulatory medical and dental services to the 20th Fighter Wing, Headquarters 9th Air Force and associate units. It is an outpatient clinic with 24-hour 911 Emergency Medical Services (EMS), advanced life support (ALS) ambulance response and transport capability for base personnel and flight line operations.
Tenant units located on Shaw AFB are:
* Headquarters
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint D ...
(9 AF)
*
United States Air Forces Central (USAFCENT), the air component of
United States Central Command
The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM or CENTCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Defense. It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilit ...
(arrived 20 August 1954).
* Detachment 1,
609th Air and Space Operations Center (609 AOC)
*
United States Army Central
The United States Army Central, formerly the Third United States Army, commonly referred to as the Third Army and as ARCENT, is a military formation of the United States Army that saw service in World War I and World War II, in the 1991 Gulf Wa ...
(USARCENT), the United States Army Component of
United States Central Command
The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM or CENTCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Defense. It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilit ...
.
Substantial military contracting occurs through Shaw AFB. In fiscal year 2020, for example, the following corporate activities occurred at the Air Force Base:
* Abacus Technology Corp. information technology sustainment.
CAE USAaircrew training and courseware development for
F-15E,
F-16
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it e ...
, and
F-22A aircraft.
* CACI information technology at the Network Operations and Security Center (NOSC) on Shaw AFB, with a focus on Central Command.
Kapsuun Group LLCsupport services for A4/A6 staff.
SAICinfrastructure engineering and technical modeling support, weapon system mission data analysis, and precision fires manager engineering and analysis.
* SAIC live virtual modeling and simulation for U.S. Army Central.
* Titan Facility Services LLC medical housekeeping, waste management and linen management.
In July 2020, Bristol General Contractors LLC of Anchorage, Alaska, was contracted to build a Mission Training Complex on the base, with construction expected finished by May 2022.
Based units
Flying and notable non-flying units based at Shaw Air Force Base.
Units marked GSU are Geographically Separate Units, which although based at Shaw, are subordinate to a parent unit based at another location.
United States Air Force
Air Combat Command
The Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the prim ...
(ACC)
*
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint D ...
(
US Air Forces Central Command)
** Headquarters Ninth Air Force (US Air Forces Central Command)
**
609th Air Operations Center
*** 609th Air Support Squadron
*** 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron
*
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Air Force (15 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base. It was reactivated on 20 August 2020, merging the previous units of the Ninth Air Forc ...
** Headquarters Fifteenth Air Force
**
20th Fighter Wing (host wing)
*** Headquarters 20th Fighter Wing
***
20th Operations Group
**** 20th Operations Support Squadron
****
55th Fighter Squadron –
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
****
77th Fighter Squadron – F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
****
79th Fighter Squadron – F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
*** 20th Maintenance Group
**** 55th Fighter Generation Squadron – F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
**** 77th Fighter Generation Squadron – F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
**** 79th Fighter Generation Squadron – F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
**** 20th Maintenance Operations Squadron
**** 20th Component Maintenance Squadron
**** 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron
*** 20th Medical Group
**** 20th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron
**** 20th Health Care Operations Squadron
*** 20th Mission Support Group
**** 20th Civil Engineer Squadron
**** 20th Communications Squadron
**** 20th Contracting Squadron
**** 20th Force Support Squadron
**** 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron
**** 20th Security Forces Squadron
**
432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing
***
25th Attack Group (GSU)
**** 25th Operational Support Squadron
****
50th Attack Squadron –
MQ-9A Reaper
****
482nd Attack Squadron – MQ-9A Reaper
**
495th Fighter Group
*** Headquarters 495th Fighter Group
*
Sixteenth Air Force
The Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) (16 AF) is a United States Air Force (USAF) organization responsible for information warfare, which encompasses intelligence gathering and analysis, surveillance, reconnaissance, cyber warfare and ele ...
**
363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing
***
365th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group
**** 51st Intelligence Squadron (GSU)
**
557th Weather Wing
***
1st Weather Group
The 1st Weather Group (1 WXG) is a group of the United States Air Force. It oversees all six operational weather squadrons; the 15th OWS at Scott AFB, Ill.; the 17th OWS at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii; the 21st OWS at Kapaun A ...
****
28th Operational Weather Squadron (GSU)
United States Army
US Army Central (ARCENT)
* Headquarters US Army Central (ARCENT)
See also
*
20th Fighter Group (World War II)
*
South Carolina World War II Army Airfields
*
27th Flying Training Wing (World War II)
The 27th Flying Training Wing was a training formation of the United States Army Air Forces. From 1943–45 it was assigned to Eastern Flying Training Command. In 1945–46 it was assigned to the Western Flying Training Command, and it was disba ...
*
609th Information Warfare Squadron
References
USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers – 1908 to present
Early Photo Jet Recon, Colonel Jean K. Woodyard, USAF Retired
External links
Shaw AFB public website
Ninth Air Force*
*
{{Authority control
Installations of the United States Air Force in South Carolina
1941 establishments in South Carolina
Initial United States Air Force installations
Airports in South Carolina
Sumter, South Carolina
Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in South Carolina
Buildings and structures in Sumter County, South Carolina