The 460th Wing is an inactive wing 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 ...

. The 460th Space Wing was activated on 1 October 2001, replacing the 821st Space Group. It was inactivated on 24 July 2020 and replaced by the Buckley Garrison.

Operations

The 460th Space Wing was the

United States Space Force The United States Space Force (USSF) is the space force branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces, armed forces of the United States and one of the eight uniformed services of the Unite ...

's space-based infrared surveillance, tracking, and missile warning wing. The 460th Space Wing operated the

Space-Based Infrared System The Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) is a United States Space Force system intended to meet the United States' Department of Defense infrared space surveillance needs through the first two to three decades of the 21st century. The SBIRS prog ...

(SBIRS) and the

Defense Support Program The Defense Support Program (DSP) is a program of the United States Space Force that operated the reconnaissance satellites which form the principal component of the ''Satellite Early Warning System'' used by the United States. DSP satellite ...

(DSP). The 50th Space Wing was also the host unit for Buckley Air Force Base, providing base support for the Colorado Air National Guard's 140th Wing, the

Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

's Operational Support Center Denver, the

National Reconnaissance Office The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is a member of the United States Intelligence Community and an agency of the United States Department of Defense which designs, builds, launches, and operates the reconnaissance satellites of the U.S. f ...

Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado (ADF-C) or Space Delta 20 (DEL 20) one of three satellite ground stations operated by the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and United States Space Force in the continental United States. Located within Buckle ...

, the

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

's Aviation Support Facility, and the

Air Force An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...

Air Reserve Personnel Center The Air Reserve Personnel Center manages personnel records for the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve and it is located at Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora, Colorado.460th Cyber Squadron (460 CS) * 2d Space Warning Squadron

2nd Space Warning Squadron (2 SWS) *

11th Space Warning Squadron (11 SWS) *

460th Operations Support Squadron (460 OSS) * 460th Communications Squadron

460th Space Communications Squadron (460 SCS) 460th Mission Support Group (460 MSG) * 460 Civil Engineer Sq

460th Civil Engineer Squadron (460 CES) *460th Contracting Flight (460 CONF) * 460th Force Support Squadron (460 FSS) * 460th Logistics Readiness Squadron (460 LRS) * 460 Security Forces Squadron emblem

460th Security Forces Squadron (460 SFS) 460 Medical Gp emblem

460th Medical Group (460 MDG) *460th Healthcare Operations Squadron (460 HCOS) *460th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron (460 OMRS) 460 Comptroller Sq emblem

460th Comptroller Squadron (460 CPTS)

History

460th Bombardment Group

The 460th Bombardment Group (Heavy), was activated at Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico on 1 July 1943,Maurer, ''Combat Units'', p. 335 with the 760th, 761st, 762d, and 763d Bombardment Squadrons assigned.Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 741–743 A cadre of the unit's air echelon went to

Orlando Army Air Base Orlando Executive Airport is a public airport three miles (6 km) east of downtown Orlando, in Orange County, Florida. It is owned and operated by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) and serves general aviation. Overview Orlan ...

, Florida for specialized training with the

Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by p ...

. In August, the unit was filled out with ground personnel at Kearns Army Air Base, Utah, then moved to Chatham Army Air Field, Georgia to complete its training with

Consolidated B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models desi ...

heavy bombers. Upon completing training, the squadron departed for the

Mediterranean Theater of Operations The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army (MTOUSA), originally called the North African Theater of Operations, United States Army (NATOUSA), was a military formation of the United States Army that supervised all U.S. Army for ...

in January 1944. The

group A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together. Groups of people * Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity * Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic iden ...

completed its deployment to Spinazzola Airfield, Italy by the middle of February 1944, and entered the strategic bombing campaign against Germany the following month, with an attack on a

marshalling yard A classification yard (American English, as well as the Canadian National Railway), marshalling yard (British, Hong Kong, Indian, and Australian English, and the former Canadian Pacific Railway) or shunting yard (Central Europe) is a railway y ...

and docks at

Metković Metković () is a town in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia, located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the river Neretva and on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Climate Since records began in 1997, the highest temper ...

, Yugoslavia. It attacked oil

refineries A refinery is a production facility composed of a group of chemical engineering unit processes and unit operations refining certain materials or converting raw material into products of value. Types of refineries Different types of refineries a ...

and storage facilities, railroads, industrial areas, including aircraft manufacturing plants in Austria, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Romania and Yugoslavia. On 26 July 1944, group formation led the 55th Bombardment Wing on an attack against an airfield and aircraft manufacturing plant at Zwolfaxing, Austria. It attacked the target through heavy enemy

flak Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface ( submarine-launched), and air-bas ...

and adverse weather, for which it was awarded a

Distinguished Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed e ...

. The group was occasionally diverted from the strategic bombing mission to perform

air interdiction Air interdiction (AI), also known as deep air support (DAS), is the use of preventive tactical bombing and strafing by combat aircraft against enemy targets that are not an immediate threat, to delay, disrupt or hinder later enemy engagement o ...

and

close air support Close air support (CAS) is defined as aerial warfare actions—often air-to-ground actions such as strafes or airstrikes—by military aircraft against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces. A form of fire support, CAS requires ...

missions. In August 1944, it supported

Operation Dragoon Operation Dragoon (initially Operation Anvil), known as Débarquement de Provence in French ("Provence Landing"), was the code name for the landing operation of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of Provence (Southern France) on 15Augu ...

, the invasion of southern France by attacking

submarine pen A submarine pen (''U-Boot-Bunker'' in German) is a type of submarine base that acts as a bunker to protect submarines from air attack. The term is generally applied to submarine bases constructed during World War II, particularly in Germany and ...

s and

artillery batteries In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to fac ...

in the area of the amphibious landings. It struck lines of communications, railroads,

ammunition dump {{Commons cat Logistics Logistics logistics Logistics is the part of supply chain management that deals with the efficient forward and reverse flow of goods, services, and related information from the point of origin to the Consumption (ec ...

s and other targets in connection with

Operation Grapeshot The Spring 1945 offensive in Italy, codenamed Operation Grapeshot, was the final Allied attack during the Italian Campaign in the final stages of the Second World War. The attack in the Lombard Plain by the 15th Allied Army Group started on 6 ...

, the allied offensive in Northern Italy. The 460th was redesignated as the 460th Bombardment Group, Heavy on 3 September 1944. The group flew its last mission against a target in northern Italy on 26 April 1945. After

V-E Day Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945; it marked the official surrender of all German military operations ...

, the 460th Bombardment Group and its squadrons were transferred to the South Atlantic Division, Air Transport Command, moving to Parnamirim Field, near

Natal NATAL or Natal may refer to: Places * Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, a city in Brazil * Natal, South Africa (disambiguation), a region in South Africa ** Natalia Republic, a former country (1839–1843) ** Colony of Natal, a former British colony ( ...

, Brazil to participate in the Green Project. Green Project was aimed at transporting 50,000 military personnel a month from the European and Mediterranean Theaters back to the United States, with priority for those that plans called for redeploying to the Pacific. The 460th Bombardment Group was inactivated on 26 September 1945.

460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing

On 18 February 1966, the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was organized and entered the Vietnam War. It supported 2d Air Division and the Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV). When it stood up, the 460th TRW, alone, was responsible for the entire reconnaissance mission, both visual and electronic reconnaissance, throughout the Southeast Asia (SEA) area of responsibility. On 18 February 1966 the 460th TRW began with 74 aircraft of various types. By the end of June 1966, that number climbed to over 200 aircraft. On 15 October 1966, the 460th TRW assumed responsibilities for all depot-level aircraft maintenance responsibility for all USAF organizations in South Vietnam. Toward the end of 1966, the 460th TRW's responsibilities changed. First, on 18 September 1966, the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was activated at

Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) facility in central Thailand, approximately 144 miles (240 km) northwest of Bangkok in Takhli District, Nakhon Sawan Province. Units Takhli is the home of the Royal Thai ...

, Thailand. After the 432d TRW activated it took control of the reconnaissance squadrons in Thailand, and the 460th TRW was no longer responsible for all air reconnaissance missions throughout SEA. However, the 460th TRW provided the new 432d TRW with continued support in recovering McDonnell RF-101 Voodoo and McDonnell RF-4C Phantom II aircraft returning from high priority, high interest target missions. Being one of two reconnaissance wings supporting SEA there were few military operations that did not involve the wing. Not only did the 460th TRW provide electronic and photo reconnaissance, the Wing's electronic capabilities allowed it to provide electronic counter measure support to

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic aircraft, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the ...

es returning from striking targets in North Vietnam. The Wing even gave support to the Cambodian military against the North Vietnam and Viet Cong forces, as well as support to U.S. units operating inside Cambodia. As the Vietnamization Improvement and Modernization Program began, Vietnamese crews began flying with Douglas EC-47 crews from the 360th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron and 6994th Security Squadron on 8 May 1971, to get training on operating the aircraft and its systems. The wing was inactivated on 31 August 1971.

460th Tactical Reconnaissance Group

RF-4C Phantom II of the 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing during Operation Desert Storm

In January 1984, the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing and 460th Bombardment Group were consolidated into a single unit. On 19 September 1989 it was redesignated the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, and on 1 October 1989, reactivated at Taegu Air Base, South Korea. Behind this activation was

Pacific Air Forces The Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PAC ...

's (PACAF) portion of Phase II of an Air Staff programming plan, Commando Flash. Activating the 460th and relocating the

15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron In music, a fifteenth or double octave, abbreviated ''15ma'', is the interval (music), interval between one musical note and another with one-quarter the wavelength or quadruple the frequency. It has also been referred to as the bisdiapason. The ...

with its RF-4C Phantom IIs from

Kadena Air Base (International Air Transport Association airport code, IATA: DNA, International Civil Aviation Organization airport code, ICAO: RODN) is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena, Okinawa, Kadena and Chatan, Okinawa, Chatan and the ...

, Japan to Taegu accomplished several PACAF objectives. This activation maintained Taegu as a main operating base, allowed the RF-4C crews to train in their actual wartime operating area, placed reconnaissance aircraft near North Korea, and reduced the temporary duty costs for PACAF. Upon its activation, the 460th reported directly to

7th Air Force The Seventh Air Force (Air Forces Korea) (7 AF) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Osan Air Base, South Korea. The command's mission is to plan and direct air component operations in ...

. During its time at Taegu, the group participated in several local and PACAF exercises designed to maintain the readiness of US forces stationed around the Korean demilitarized zone and other units designated as support units should North Korea invade South Korea again. A year later, 1 October 1990, the 460th was inactivated along with the 15th Squadron. Some of the group's subordinate units remained active after the group's inactivation. The 460th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron remained active until 15 October 1990. On 1 July 1991, the 460th Combat Support Squadron finally inactivated.

460th Space Wing

On 1 October 2000, the

assumed control of the former Buckley Air National Guard Base and assigned it to the 821st Space Group to oversee its operations. On 1 October 2001, the 460th Air Base Wing was reactivated to assume installation support responsibilities for what became Buckley Air Force Base. Under the 460th ABW's command, the base underwent an extensive modernization program to improve the base's support facilities. The 460th ABW oversaw construction of one of the largest

Defense Commissary Agency The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA), headquartered at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia, is an agency of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) that operates nearly 240 commissaries worldwide. American military commissaries sell groceries and ...

base commissary and

Army and Air Force Exchange Service The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES, also referred to as The Exchange and post exchange/PX or base exchange/BX) provides goods and services at U.S. Army, Air Force, and Space Force installations worldwide, operating department stores, ...

base exchange complexes in the Air Force, as well as a fitness center, dorms, and other housing areas for Buckley Airmen. On 19 August 2004, the wing was redesignated as the 460th Space Wing. It assumed command of the base's satellite missile warning mission from the

21st Space Wing The 21st Wing (21 WG) is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force. It was established in 1953 as the 21st Fighter-Bomber Wing, deploying to Europe to join NATO's Allied Command Europe, before being inactivated in 1958. It reactivated i ...

, while retaining installation host and support functions. From 2004-2019 the wing provided global infrared surveillance, tracking and missile warning for theater and homeland defense functions, and dispatched air force personnel for overseas service. On 20 December 2019 the 460th Space Wing, along with the rest of Air Force Space Command, were transferred into the United States Space Force.

Lineage

460th Bombardment Group * Established as 460th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943 : Activated on 1 July 1943 : Redesignated 460th Bombardment Group, Heavy c. 3 September 1944 : Inactivated on 26 September 1945 * Consolidated with the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing as the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 31 January 1984 460th Space Wing * Established as the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing and activated on 2 February 1966 (not organized) : Organized on 18 February 1966 : Inactivated on 31 August 1971 * Consolidated with the 460th Bombardment Group on 31 January 1984 * Redesignated 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 19 September 1989 : Activated on 1 October 1989 : Inactivated on 1 October 1990 * Redesignated 460th Air Base Wing on 26 April 2001 : Activated on 1 October 2001 : Redesignated 460th Space Wing on 19 August 2004

Assignments

II Bomber Command The II Bomber Command is a disbanded United States Air Force unit. It was established in September 1941, shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor to command heavy bomber units assigned to Second Air Force. Following the entry of the United St ...

, 1 July 1943 *

Second Air Force The Second Air Force (2 AF; ''2d Air Force'' in 1942) is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and non-flying officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defended ...

, 6 October 1943 * I Bomber Command, c. 29 October 1943 * 55th Bombardment Wing, c. 5 February 1944 * South Atlantic Division, Air Transport Command, 15 June-26 September 1945 * Pacific Air Forces, 2 February 1966 (not organized) * 2d Air Division, 18 February 1966 * Seventh Air Force, 1 April 1966 – 31 August 1971 * Seventh Air Force, 1 October 1989 – 1 October 1990 *

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 ...

, 1 October 2001 – present

Components

Groups * 460th Operations Group: 19 August 2004 – present Squadrons * 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 2 September 1966 – 31 August 1971 * 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 1 October 1989 – 1 October 1990 * 16th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron:18 February 1966 – 15 March 1970 * 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 18 February – 18 September 1966 *

41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron The 41st Electronic Combat Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. Its current assignment is with the 55th Electronic Combat Group at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona as a geographically separated unit from its parent wing, the 55th ...

: 18 February – 18 September 1966 * 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: attached 30 March – 7 July 1966 * 360th Reconnaissance Squadron (later 360th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron): 8 April 1966 – 31 August 1971 * 361st Reconnaissance Squadron (later 361st Tactical Electronic Warfare) Squadron): 8 April 1966 – 31 August 1971 * 362d Reconnaissance Squadron (later 362d Tactical Electronic Warfare) Squadron): 1 February 1967 – 31 August 1971 * 760th Bombardment Squadron: 1 July 1943 – 26 September 1945 * 761st Bombardment Squadron: 1 July 1943 – 26 September 1945 * 762d Bombardment Squadron: 1 July 1943 – 26 September 1945 * 763d Bombardment Squadron: 1 July 1943 – 26 September 1945 * 6460th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 8 June – 18 September 1966 * 6461st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 29 July – 18 September 1966.

Commanders

References

Notes

Bibliography

* * * * * {{Navboxes , list = {{USAAF 15th Air Force World War II {{USAAF 2d Air Force World War II {{USAAF 1st Air Force World War II Military in Aurora, Colorado Wings of the United States Space Force Military units and formations in Colorado Military units and formations established in 2004 Military units and formations disestablished in 2020