50th Space Wing Totally Explained

Everything about The 50th Space Wing totally explained

The 50th Space Wing (50 SW) is a wing of the United States Air Force under the major command of Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). It was activated on January 30, 1992, replacing the 2d Space Wing, which was inactivated on the same date. The unit is the host wing at Schriever Air Force Base, located east of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Their primary responsibility is to track and maintain the command and control, warning, navigational, and communications satellites for AFSPC. The 50th Space Wing also manages the Global Positioning System.
Typical satellite monitoring tasks such as tracking and telemetry are the main part of their mission, and in so doing, they employ over 4,000 personnel (military, contractors, and DoD civilians.)

Organizational Units

The wing is divided into three groups:

50th Mission Support Group
50th Network Operations Group
50th Operations Group

All are ostensibly located at Schriever, but personnel are emplaced at remote locations, such as remote tracking stations (RTS).

History

Lineage

Established as 50th Fighter Wing on 16 May 1949. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Jun 1949.

Redesignated 50th Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 1 Mar 1950. Ordered to active service on 1 Jun 1951. Inactivated on 2 Jun 1951.

Redesignated 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing on 15 Nov 1952. Activated on 1 Jan 1953.

Redesignated 50th Tactical Fighter Wing on 8 Jul 1958. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1991.

Redesignated 50th Space Wing on 1 Jan 1992. Activated on 30 Jan 1992. Also activated at Falcon AFB are the 50th Operations Group, previously the 50th Tactical Fighter Group, and the 50th Support Group, later renamed 50th Mission Support Group. On the same date the 750th Space Group activated at Onizuka Air Force Station. These organizations took over the personnel, facilities, and missions of the inactivated 2d Space Wing. 750th SG was deactivated in 1996.
The honors and history of the 50th Fighter Group prior to 1949 have been bestowed on the 50th Space Wing.

Assignments

First Air Force, 1 Jun 1949 (attached to 33d Fighter [later,33d Fighter-Interceptor] Wing, 1 Jun 1949–)

Eastern Air Defense Force, 1 Sep 1950–2 Jun 1951 (remained attached to 33d Fighter-Interceptor Wing to 2 Jun 1951)

Ninth Air Force, 1 Jan 1953

Twelfth Air Force, 9 Aug 1953

United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 Jan 1958

Seventeenth Air Force, 15 Nov 1959–30 Sep 1991

Air Force Space Command, 30 Jan 1992

Fourteenth Air Force, 20 Sep 1993–

Stations

Otis AFB, MA, 1 June 1949–2 June 1951

Clovis AFB, NM, 1 January–23 July 1953

Hahn Air Base, Germany, 10 August 1953

Toul-Rosieres Air Base, France, 17 July 1956

Hahn Air Base, Germany, 10 Dec 1959–30 Sept 1991

Falcon (later, Schriever) AFB, CO, 30 Jan 1992–present

Commanders

50th Fighter-Bomber Wing (June 1, 1949)

Brig Gen Bruce Johnson, June 1, 1949 - June 1, 1951

50th Fighter-Interceptor Wing (1 March 1950)

Brig Gen Bruce Johnson, June 1, 1949 June 1, 1951 Unit Inactive

50th Fighter-Bomber Wing (Jan. 1, 1953)

Col Wallace S. Ford, Jan. 1, 1953 - July 21, 1954

Col Melvin F. McNickle, July 22, 1954 - 23 Jun 1955

Col Fred J. Ascani, June 24, 1955 - July 25, 1957

Brig Gen Henry C. Newcomer, July 26, 1957 - Aug. 1959

50th Tactical Fighter Wing (July 8, 1958)

Brig Gen Henry C. Newcomer, July 26, 1957 - Aug. 1959

Col Frank L. Wood, Aug. 1959

Col Jack S. Jenkins, Sept. 1, 1959 - July 15, 1962

Col William P. McBride, July 16, 1962 - Feb. 11, 1963

Col David T. McKnight, Feb. 12, 1963 - June 8, 1964

Col Louis J. Lamm, June 9, 1964 - July 19, 1964

Col George W. McLaughlin, July 20, 1964 - circa May 1966

Col Richard C. Catledge, circa May 1966

Col Robert L. Liles, May 20 1966 - June 27, 1968

Col Forrest L. Rauscher, June 28, 1968 - June 13, 1969

Col John W. Smith, June 14, 1969 - April 21, 1970

Col William B. Craig, April 22, 1970 - Nov. 16, 1970

Col Billy F. Rogers, Nov. 17, 1970 - Sept. 30, 1971

Col William C. Norris, Oct. 1, 1971 - Jan. 1, 1973

Brig Gen Michael E. DeArmond, Jan. 2, 1973 - Aug. 25, 1974

Col Paul M. Ingram, Aug. 26, 1974 - March 13, 1975

Brig Gen James P. Albritton, March 14, 1975 - May 18, 1978

Col Emery S. Wetzel, Jr., May 19, 1978 - June 23, 1980

Col David M. Goodrich, June 24, 1980 - Jan. 28, 1982

Brig Gen Wilfred L. Goodson, Jan. 29, 1982 - Oct. 19, 1982

Col John M. Davey, Oct. 20, 1982 - Jan. 7, 1984

Col Clifton C. Clark, Jr., Jan. 8, 1984 - July 30, 1986

Brig Gen Ben Nelson, Jr., July 31, 1986 - Feb. 28, 1988

Col Roger C. Taylor, March 1, 1988 - Feb. 26, 1990

Col George W. Norwood, Feb. 27, 1990 - Sept. 30, 1991 Unit Inactive

50th Space Wing (Jan. 30, 1992)

Brig Gen Roger G. DeKok, Jan. 30, 1992 - June 16, 1993

Col Gregory Giles, June 17, 1993 - Nov. 3, 1994

Col Simon P. Worden, Nov. 4, 1994 - March 21, 1996

Brig Gen Glen W. Moorhead III, March 22, 1996 - April 24, 1997

Col Elwood C. Tircuit, April 25, 1997- June 9, 1999

Col Richard E. Webber, June 9, 1999 - April 19, 2001

Col Larry D. James, April 20, 2001 - June 8, 2003

Col Michael D. Selva (Interim), Feb. 7, 2003 - circa May 2003

Col Suzanne M. Vautrinot, June 9, 2003 - April 3, 2005

Col John E. Hyten, April 4, 2005 - May 14, 2006

Col James C. Hutto, Jr. (Interim), May 15, 2006 - Oct. 13, 2006

Col John E. Hyten, Oct. 14, 2006 - May 21, 2007(External Link

)

Col Teresa A. Djuric, May 22, 2007 - present

Equipment operated

Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN)

Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)

Global Positioning System (GPS)

Milstar

Emblem blazon

Azure, an opinicus passant Argent, all within a diminished bordure Or.
Modified version of 50th Fighter Group emblem approved for the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing on 15 Jul 1953, and reinstated on 9 Jul 1992; replaced wing emblem approved on 23 Aug 1956. Motto: MASTER OF SPACE. Approved on 10 Sep 1992.

Further Information

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