66th Air Base Wing

Tactical reconnaissance The wing was first activated on 1 January 1953 at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, where it replaced the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, a Tennessee Air National Guard unit that had been mobilized for the Korean War that was being returned to National Guard service. The wing completed its training and preparation for overseas service, which included the conversion of the 303d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron from North American RF-51 Mustangs to Lockheed RF-80A Shooting Stars. The wing departed Shaw in June 1953. In August 1955, the 302d and 303d Squadrons started to receive the Republic RF-84F Thunderflash. On 1 January 1957 a fourth squadron, the 19th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at RAF Sculthorpe, was transferred to the 66th. The squadron initially flew the North American RB-45C Tornado. The squadron remained at Sculthrope while part of the wing. At Sculthorpe, the 19th became one of the first in USAFE to transition to the Douglas RB-66B Destroyer aircraft. One year after its assignment to the wing, the 19th was reassigned to the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. flew EF-111A Raven aircraft under the operational control of the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing. At the end of March 1992, the wing was inactivated On 26 March 2010 the wing commander, Colonel David "Iron" Orr, was relieved of his position by Lieutenant General Ted Bowlds, commander of the Electronic Systems Center. Bowlds found that Orr had held an unprofessional relationship with a subordinate female lieutenant colonel and had exhibited undue favoritism to the officer with regards to a promotion recommendation. With the mission at Hanscom shrinking, the wing was inactivated on 30 September 2010 and replaced by the smaller 66th Air Base Group. ==Lineage==

• Constituted as the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 15 November 1952 • Activated on 1 January 1953 • Inactivated on 1 April 1970 • Redesignated 66th Electronic Combat Wing and activated on 1 June 1985 • Inactivated on 31 March 1992 • Redesignated 66th Air Base Wing on 16 September 1994 • Activated on 1 October 1994 • Inactivated on 30 September 2010 ; Squadrons • 17th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 10 May 1959 – 12 January 1970 • 18th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 1 June 1959 – 30 January 1970 • 19th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 8 December 1957 – 8 March 1958 (attached to the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing after 8 January 1958) :: RAF Sculthorpe • 30th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 8 December 1957 – 8 March 1958 (detached 8 January-8 March 1958) • 32d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: attached 8 January-7 March 1958, assigned 8 March 1958 – 1 October 1965 • 38th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: attached 8 January-7 March 1958, assigned 8 March 1958 – 1 January 1966 • 42d Electronic Combat Squadron: 1 June 1985 – 25 January 1991 (detached 2 June 1985 – 24 January 1991) :: RAF Upper Heyford • 43d Electronic Combat Squadron: 1 October 1986 – 31 July 1991 (attached to 20th Tactical Fighter Wing 17 January – 10 March 1991, 7 – 14 April 1991) • 302d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 8 December 1957 – 20 June 1959 • 303d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 8 December 1957 – 20 June 1959 Stations • Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, 1 January – 25 June 1953 • Sembach Air Base, West Germany, 7 July 1953 • Laon-Couvron Air Base, France, 10 July 1958 • RAF Upper Heyford, England, 1 September 1966 – 1 April 1970 • Sembach Air Base, Germany, 1 June 1985 – 31 March 1992 • Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, 1 October 1994 – 30 September 2010 Aircraft • North American RF-51K Mustang, 1953 • Douglas RB-26B Invader, 1953–1955 • Lockheed RF-80A Shooting Star, 1953–1956 • Martin RB-57A Canberra, 1954–1955, 1955–1958 • Martin B-57A Canberra, 1955–1956 • Republic RF-84F Thunderflash, 1955–1959 • Douglas RB-66B Invader, 1957–1958 • North American RB-45C Tornado, 1957 • McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo, 1958–1970 • McDonnell RF-4C Phantom II, 1969–1970 • EF-111A Raven, 1985–1991 • Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call, 1986–1991 Awards and campaigns • Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan-31 Dec 1962; 1 Apr 1987 – 1 Mar 1989; 1 Jun 1989 – 31 May 1991; 1 Jun 1991 – 31 Mar 1992; 1 Jan 1996 – 31 Dec 1997. Air Force Organizational Excellence Award: 1 Jan 2003 – 31 Dec 2004. ==References==