World War II The
432nd Observation Group was activated on 22 February 1943. It served as the operational training unit (OTU) of the USAAF School of Applied Tactics at
Keystone Army Air Field, Florida. The group trained and provided reconnaissance to assist fighter, bombardment, and ground units with their training. Aircraft included
Bell P-39 Airacobra fighter and
Aeronca L-3 Grasshopper light observation aircraft. The group was disbanded on 1 November 1943. On 23 March 1953, the
432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Group was activated at
Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The new group's mission was to assume the reconnaissance training mission previously carried out by the
363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. The group initially conducted training with two squadrons (20th, 29th) flying the
Republic RF-84F Thunderflash and two squadrons (41st, 43rd) 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 43rd transitioned to the electronic warfare
Douglas EB-66 Destroyer.
Vietnam War On 18 September 1966, the
432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was activated at
Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand as a
RF-4C Phantom II wing. The wing assumed the personnel, aircraft and equipment of the 6234th Tactical Fighter Wing, which was simultaneously discontinued. At Udon, it became one of the most diversified units of its size in the Air Force. The mission of the wing was to provide intelligence information about hostile forces through tactical reconnaissance and use its fighter elements to destroy the targets earmarked by the intelligence data provided. The wing had numerous missions in the support area. The 432nd TRW accounted for more than 80 percent of all reconnaissance activity over North Vietnam. In addition to the reconnaissance mission, the 432nd also had a tactical fighter squadron component, with two (
13th Tactical Fighter Squadron,
555th Tactical Fighter Squadron) F-4C/D squadrons assigned. The squadrons flew strike missions over
North Vietnam and the pilots and weapon systems officers of the 13 TFS and 555 TFS were credited with MiG kills. In 1968, the
7th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, flying specialized
Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft, became part of the 432nd. The squadron had been attached to the wing as a temporary duty unit from
Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam. Another unit assigned was the 4th Special Operations Squadron, flying various (
Douglas AC-47 Spooky and
Fairchild AC-119 Stinger) gunships that supported ground units. In the fall of 1970 the wing was phased down as part of the overall U.S. withdrawal from the
Vietnam War; however, in 1972 tactical fighter strength was augmented by deployed
Tactical Air Command CONUS( Continental US)-based tactical fighter squadrons being attached to the 432nd in response to the
North Vietnamese invasion of South Vietnam. In addition, the
421st Tactical Fighter Squadron was reassigned from
Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base. During
Operation Linebacker, between May and October 1972, the 432nd TRW had seven F-4 tactical fighter squadrons assigned or attached, (
13th, 56th,
308th,
414th,
421st, 523rd and
555th) making it the largest wing in the USAF. The three Vietnam era Airforce Aces all came from the 432nd – two from the 555th and one from the 13th. The CONUS-based squadrons returned to the United States in the fall of 1972. As a result of the
Paris Peace Accords of 1973, the numbers of USAF personnel and aircraft at Udorn were reduced. The 421st TFS was inactivated in August, and the 555th moved to
Luke Air Force Base in 1974. By the spring of 1975, two operational squadrons remained, the
14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (RF-4C) and the 13th TFS (F-4D/E). Forces from the 432nd participated in the
SS Mayaguez action in May 1975, sinking two Cambodian Khmer Rouge ships. By 1975, the political climate between Washington and Bangkok had become sour and the Royal Thai Government wanted the USAF out of Thailand by the end of the year.
Palace Lightning was the plan under which the USAF would withdraw its aircraft and personnel from Thailand. The 432nd TFW was inactivated on 23 December 1975. The 13th TFSs F-4E aircraft and some support personnel were reassigned to the 3rd TFW at
Clark AB, Philippines and the F-4D aircraft and support personnel to the 18th TFW at
Kadena Air Base,
Okinawa. The 14th TRS was inactivated and the RF-4Cs were sent to Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The last USAF personnel departed Udorn Royal Thai Airforce base on 8 January 1976. An additional operations group for the wing, the
732nd Operations Group, was constituted on 9 August 2012, and subsequently activated on 10 September 2012. It initially included three reconnaissance squadrons, the 17th, 22nd, and 30th, two of which later became attack squadrons. ==Lineage==