58th Special Operations Wing

The mission of the 58th Special Operations Wing is to train mission-ready United States Air Force special operations, combat search and rescue, missile site support, and UH-1 Distinguished Visitor airlift crews. In addition, the wing conducts survival, evasion, resistance, and escape (SERE) training. The wing operates eight different types of aircraft: UH-1N, TH-1H, HH-60G, HH-60W, AC-130J, HC-130J, MC-130J and CV-22 totaling more than 60 assigned aircraft. It teaches more than 100 courses in 18 different crew positions, including pilot, combat systems officer, flight engineer, communications system operator, load master, and special mission aviator. The wing also responds to worldwide contingencies and provides search and rescue support to the local community. Additionally, the 58th is responsible for training all SERE students for the Air Force. Assigned units are: • 58th Operations Group (58 OG) The 58th Operations Group is composed of six flying and two support squadrons, as well as three geographically separated pilot training units, one unit at Fort Rucker, Alabama, another unit at MCAS New River, North Carolina, and the third unit at Fairchild AFB, WA. : 23d Flying Training Squadron (23 FTS) (TH-1H) (Fort Rucker, AL) : 24th Helicopter Squadron (24 HS) (Active Associate to 703d Helicopter Squadron MH-139A) (Maxwell AFB, AL) : 36th Rescue Squadron (36th RQS) (UH-1N) (Fairchild AFB, WA) : 58th Operations Support Squadron (58 OSS) : 58th Training Squadron (58 TRS) : 71st Special Operations Squadron (71 SOS) (CV-22) : 73rd Special Operations Squadron (73 SOS) (AC-130J) : 415th Special Operations Squadron (415th SOS) (HC-130J & MC-130J) : 512th Rescue Squadron (512 RQS) (HH-60G & HH-60W) : 58 Operations Group Detachment 1 (MV-22, MCAS New River, NC) : 58 Operations Group Detachment 2 (UH-1N) : 58th Maintenance Group (58 MXG) : 58th Maintenance Squadron (58 MXS) : 58th Maintenance Operations Squadron (58 MOS) : 58th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (58 AMXS) : 336 Training Group (336 TRG) (SERE, Fairchild AFB, WA) ==History==

History and Prehistory This group was established as the 58 Fighter-Bomber Wing on June 25, 1952. It was activated on July 10, 1952, in Japan, absorbing the personnel and equipment of the Texas Air National Guard 136th Fighter-Bomber Group. It traces its roots directly back to the 58th Pursuit Group, established on November 20th, 1940 and activated January 15th, 1941 in Michigan. Fighter Training Wing On August 22, 1969, the Air Force re-designated the wing as the 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing and activated it under Tactical Air Command at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, where it absorbed the personnel and equipment of the 4510th Combat Crew Training Wing. Operations at Kirtland On April 1, 1994, they became the 58th Special Operations Wing. It also trained crews in special operations aircraft, including helicopters and modified C-130 Hercules aircraft. It performed pararescue training and search and rescue missions as well. Additionally, the wing trained for missile site support and airlift for distinguished visitors. At the same time, the wing continued to deploy personnel worldwide for contingency and combat operations. Beyond training, this unit also participated in local and regional search and rescue operations. They are called up several times a year to support rescue operations; to date, they have participated in over 300 of such operations, aiding in the rescue of at least 225 lives. The 58th airlifted a federal task force to Pennsylvania to investigate the crash site of the fourth airliner following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. Since that time the 58th has deployed personnel and equipment to support Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Since September 11, they deployed over 200 personnel. Their first casualty recorded during this time occurred on November 23, 2003, during a crash in Afghanistan that killed helicopter pilot Major Steven Plumhoff. Today, the wing trains aircrews in the MC-130J Commando II and the CV-22 Osprey for the Air Force Special Operations Command; the HC-130J Combat King II and the HH-60G Pavehawk for the Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Forces, and United States Air Forces in Europe; the UH-1N Huey or Iroquois for Air Force Space Command; the TH-1H Huey Iroquois for initial helicopter flight crew qualification; and those aircrew operationally gained to those commands from the Air Force Reserve Command and the Air National Guard. They received the first Osprey on March 20, 2006. ==Lineage==

• Established as the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing on 25 June 1952 • Activated on 10 July 1952 • Inactivated on 1 July 1958 • Re-designated 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing on 22 August 1969 • Activated on 15 October 1969 • Re-designated 58th Tactical Training Wing on 1 April 1977 • Re-designated 58th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1991 • Re-designated 58th Special Operations Wing on 1 April 1994 Assignments • Tactical Air Command, 10 July 1952 (attached to Fifth Air Force until 28 February 1955, Korean Air Division, Provisional, 314th, 1 – 14 March 1955, 314th Air Division, 15 March 1955 – 31 December 1956) • Far East Air Forces, 1 January 1957 • 314th Air Division, 1 January 1957 – 1 July 1958 • Twelfth Air Force, 15 October 1969 • Tactical Training, Luke, 1 April 1977 • 832d Air Division, 1 December 1980 • Twelfth Air Force, 1 October 1991 • Nineteenth Air Force, 1 July 1993 • Air Education and Training Command, 12 July 2012 – present Components Wings • 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing: attached 16 – 31 March 1953 • 474th Fighter-Bomber Wing: attached 1 April 1953 – 8 November 1954 • 550th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 1 April 1970 – 29 August 1979 • 555th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 5 July – 29 August 1979 • 4461st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 23 June 1976 – 1 July 1977 • 4511th Combat Crew Training Squadron: 15 October 1969 – 18 January 1970 • 4514th Combat Crew Training Squadron: 15 October – 15 December 1969 • 4515th Combat Crew Training Squadron: 15 October 1969 – 18 January 1970 • 4516th Combat Crew Training Squadron: 15 October 1969 – 18 January 1970 Stations • Itazuke Air Base, Japan, 10 July 1952 • Taegu Air Base (K-9), South Korea, August 1952 • Osan-Ni Air Base (later Osan Air Base), South Korea, 15 March 1955 – 1 July 1958 • Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, 15 October 1969 • Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1 April 1994 – present Aircraft • Republic F-84 Thunderjet, 1952–1954 • North American F-86 Sabre, 1954–1958 • North American F-100 Super Sabre, 1969–1971 • Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, 1969–1983 • Lockheed TF-104 Starfighter, 1969–1983 • Northrop F-5C Freedom Fighter, 1969–1979 • Northrop F-5E Tiger II, 1969–1979 • LTV A-7D Corsair II, 1969–1971 • McDonnell F-4 Phantom II, 1971–1982 • McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, 1974–1979 • McDonnell Douglas TF-15 Eagle, 1974–1979 • General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, 1982–1991 • Bell UH-1H Huey, 1994–present • Bell TH-1H Twin Huey, 1994–present • Bell UH-1N Twin Huey, 1994–present • Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk, 1994–present • Sikorsky MH-53J Pave Low, unknown–2007 • Bell Boeing CV-22 Osprey, 2005–present • Lockheed HC-130P Combat King, 1994–2016 • Lockheed MC-130P Combat Shadow, 1996–2013 • Lockheed MC-130H Combat Talon II, 1992–2016 • Lockheed HC-130J Combat King II, 2011–present • Lockheed MC-130J Commando II, 2011–present • Lockheed AC-130J Ghostrider. 2024–present ==References==