| 67th Network Warfare Wing | |
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67th Network Warfare Wing Insignia |
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| Active | September 1, 1941 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Role | Information Operations |
| Size | Wing |
| Part of | Air Force Space Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Lackland Air Force Base |
| Motto | LUX EX TENEBRIS Light from Darkness |
| Decorations | DUC AFOUA w/ V Device ROK PUC Belgium Fourragère |
The 67th Network Warfare Wing (67 NWW), Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, was reactivated October 1, 1993 as the 67th Intelligence Wing. The wing was re-designated the 67th Information Operations Wing on February 1, 2001. On July 5, 2006, the wing was again re-designated as the only Network Warfare Wing.
The wing is charged with executing Air Force Space Command's global mission of information operations. As the Air Force's largest operational wing , it has people or equipment on every continent except Antarctica. The wing is composed of five intelligence groups, 35 squadrons and detachments and more than 8,000 people serving at some 100 locations around the world to provide information to today's leaders to help shape global events.
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The 67 NWW assumed a worldwide mission with responsibility for overseeing the majority of AFISRA field unit operations. Today the 67 NWW is on a path as America's first Network Warfare Wing. This path follows a parallel route forged by Air Force's Global Engagement vision — a vision to carry us into the 21st century, a vision ingraining information superiority as a core competency. The 67 IOW's domain within the Air Force vision resides in the ability to execute information operations — the capability to gain, exploit, attack and defend information.
Three groups and more than 30 squadrons around the world report to the wing, carrying out information operations to augment warfighting commands and national decision makers.
The 67 NWW executes AFISRA's global mission. Specifically stated, the mission of the wing is to conduct Information Operations. The wing directs planning of multi-source electronic combat services, information warfare and communications security. It assists the Air Force components in the development of airpower concepts, conducting exercises and employment of AFISRA forces in contingencies, low-intensity conflict, counterdrug activities and special operations. The wing executes information operations geographically through its three groups and 31 squadrons located in the continental United States, Hawaii and Germany.
The Wing was activated as part of a service-wide, wing-base test in 1947 and assigned to Tactical Air Command. Equipped with RB-26's and RF-80's. Redesignated 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group in June 1948. Budget constraints, though, resulted in the wing's inactivation in March 1949.
The need for tactical reconnaissance resources became obvious when North Korea launched a surprise attack against the Republic of Korea in June 1950. In February 1951, Headquarters Far East Air Force activated the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Komaki Air Base, Japan replacing the inactivated 543rd Tactical Support Group. Combat components of the wing were the 12th, 15th and 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons. By August, the wing had consolidated its subordinate elements at Kimpo AB. Gradually overcoming difficulties, it soon was providing adequate aerial intelligence for both air and ground units.
Over the next two and a half years, the 67 TRW served as the primary tactical reconnaissance unit in the Korean War. From February 1951 to July 1953, the wing performed exceptionally well, and outstripped all existing reconnaissance records. Wing crews averaged nearly 1,500 sorties and technicians processed more than 736,000 negatives, monthly. On a recurring basis, the wing provided photographic coverage of all enemy airfields in Korea, as mandated by the FEAF policy of keeping enemy airfields unserviceable. It also flew large-scale front-line block coverage photography for the Eighth Army and provided surveillance for the interdiction of main enemy rail lines, roads and bridges. New technology permitted it to reconnoiter targets between fighter-bomber attacks, interpret wet negatives, and flash the results and flak locations to the Joint Operations Center in time to assist missions later in the day.
Innovations the 67th TRW developed while engaging in combat were creative experimentation with aircraft, cameras, night lighting, and photographic techniques; and the modification of six Sabrejets to RF-86 configuration for reconnaissance work. Flew RF-51D, RF-80A, RF-86 and RB-26 aircraft. For visual reconnaissance, the 67th TRW relied on T-6s and C-47s for a short time. It also performed weather reconnaissance on a regular basis, using the unarmed WB-26s of the attached 6166th Air Weather Reconnaissance Flight.
During 1951, the wing routinely flew armed reconnaissance with RF-51s, leading fighter sweeps and directing fighter-bomber strikes. The 67th TRW earned three Distinguished Unit Citations (DUC). The first was for the period of the First UN Counteroffensive, February–April 1951, when the tactical squadrons provided intensive medium- to low-level surveillance of enemy territory as far north as the Yalu River. In conjunction with these missions, the wing conducted 1,886 fighter sweep sorties, attacking railways, pack animals, roads, vehicles, bridges and supply dumps. The second DUC recognized contributions to the UN Summer-Fall Offensive, July–November 1951, with the 12th TRS conducting night operations in RB-26s and the 15th TRS in RF-80s sharing daytime coverage with the 45th TRS. The aircrews flew around-the-clock photo surveillance of enemy activities and provided artillery and naval gun fire direction. The group earned its third DUC during the war's final campaign. Flying continuous close surveillance of enemy activities, the group provided photographic intelligence, visual reconnaissance, and direction of fighter-bomber sweeps, to prevent the enemy an opportunity for a last-minute offensive before implementation of the armistice.
On 6 December 1954 the wing was withdrawn from South Korea and moved to Itami Air Base, near Osaka, Japan. It was reorganized in Japan with the Group's operational squadrons being located at different bases:
Two of the 67th TRG's squadrons, the 11th and 12th were moved to Itami with RB-26s; the 15th was moved to Komaki AB at Nagoya and the 45th TRS was left at Kimpo AB (K-14), South Korea. The 45th TRS moved from Kimpo to Misawa AB, in northern Japan in March 1955, making it the last of the wing's units to leave South Korea.
With the fighting over in Korea, the mission of the 67th was the need to remain alert and be ready in case of a resumption of combat on the peninsula. At Itami, the 67th's mission shifted from active, combat support of United Nations forces to a status of training and preparedness. It still operated aircraft along the Korean DMZ monitoring the border for Communist aggression and provided photographic and electronic intelligence for areas and of targets of particular interest to Fifth Air Force (Project "Hawkeye"). It provided and maintained visual surveillance of Communist and United Nations forces activities; occasionally directed adjustment of long range artillery and naval gunfire during cease-fire violations. In August 1955 the 15th TRS was moved to Yokota AB with the return of Komaki to Japanese control.
The task of monitoring the Korean DMZ fell to the 67th TRW who had in fact taken up the mission with its 11th and 12th TRS RB-26 aircraft immediately after the signing of the armistice. While the grop was resident at K-14 (Kimpo AB) the regular flights alone the DMZ, although fraught with danger and difficulties, were relatively easy to maintain in logistical terms. The aircraft were based within easy reach of their target. The squadron aircraft could also maintain its other photo recce commitments in Korea with relative ease. However, when the wing moved to Japan, regular DMZ monitoring missions were flown from Itami where the unit was based. This proved impractical to maintain and in early 1955 the wing set up a detachment at Kimpo. Two RB-26s from the 11th TRS were deployed there with support facilities and Project Hawkeye was born.
Initially Detachment #1 of the 67th TRW also included three RF-80s of the 15th TRS. The mission of the RB-26s was to provide day photographic reconnaissance of the DMZ upon request of the Korean Joint Operations Center (KJOC) and to maintain a Photo Processing Center (PPC) capability in Korea. In early 1957 FEAF recognized the need to replace the RB-26 in Hawkeye and, furthermore, give the operation a more permanent establishment at K-14. In addition, the Air Force was faced with the cost of having to re-equip the 67th in the face of a new round of budget reductions. Its photo equipment was worn out from the use during the Korean War, and was deteriorated due to the poor conditions in the combat areas. Also the aircraft were constantly flown during the war, with rapid repair of battle damage being the norm.
The occupation of Japan had formally ended in 1952, and the United States was assisting Japan in the creation of "Self-Defense Forces". In August 1956, the Group's headquarters was moved to Yokota AB, with the wing following on 1 July 1957 as part of the return to Itami to the Japanese Government. This move also addressed the need to reorganize the reconnaissance forces, as the FEAF provisional 6007th Reconnaissance Wing at Yokota had a mission similar to the peacetime mission of the 67th.
With the move to Yokota, the 67th TRW took over the mission, personnel and facilities of the 6007th RW, which had been operating at Yokota since January 1950. The takeover by the 67th of the 6007th Reconnaissance Group made the 67th grow with four additional squadrons:
The 67th also inherited an air rescue mission at Yokota which was inherited from the 35th Air Base Group. It was assigned to the 67th ABG and then to the 6012th Air Base Wing, which took over the host responsibly in July 1957. It operated a specialized SC-47 which was fitted for air rescue duties.
By 1958, the 67th TRW had over 150 aircraft in seven flying squadrons (11th TRS, 12th TRS, 15th TRS at Kadena, 45th TRS at Misawa, 6021st RS, 6091st RS and 421st ARS). In addition, there were Headquarters, Maintence, Armament, Electronics and Field Maintence Squadrons, plus the 548th and 67th Reconnaissance Technical Squadrons. This made the 67th TRW the largest wing in the USAF at the time.
At Yokota, the 67th TRW became the sole source of tactical reconnaissance in Japan for Fifth Air Force. It had the diverse, complex mission to provide visual, photo, weather and electronic reconnaissance. With the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to monitor, the 67th was forced to concentrate on the more active long-range Cold War reconnaissance and cartographic graphic tasks inherited from the 6007th, using the flying units of the former wing.
In addition the 67th maintained the surveillance mission of the DMZ to give Army ground forces fast response to high and low oblique photo reconnaissance of the DMZ. In early 1957 FEAF recognized the need to replace the RB-26 and, furthermore, give the operation a more permanent establishment at K-14. The difficulty facing the 67th TRW, which was given the responsibility for coming up with an alternative, was what aircraft to use. One of the terms of the armistice was that new aircraft could not be brought into the theatre. The final choice was the C-47, which was modified with the installation of a K-38, 36-inch oblique camera to shoot oblique imagery across the DMZ. In addition, a mobile photo lab and small Photo-Interpretation capability left over in Korea when the 67th was moved to Itami in 1954. The C-47 also collected SIGNIT which was sent directly to the FEAF ELINT Center at Yokota. Two navigators were always carried on the aircraft to ensure, as far as possible, that no violation of the DMZ occurred. The primary collector of regular photo coverage over the Korean DMZ was RB-50s of 6091st RS. Photography from those missions were processed by the 548th RTS.
With the move to Yokota, the group element was inactivated as part of the transition to the tri-deputate organization, and the operational squadrons were assigned directly to the wing. It was later was assigned to the 41st Air Division in 1958. With the re-assignment to the Division, RB-66 Destroyers replaced the Korean War vintage RB-26s; with WB-66's being assigned to the 11th TRS in 1958. Supeersonic RF-101C Voodoos replaced the RF-84Fs also in 1958.
The Wing was inactivated in December 1960 due to budget reductions which forced a re-alignment of PACAF assets in Japan. The 3d Bombardment Wing was moved from Johnson AB to Yokota and assumed the mission of the 67th TRW. The 421st Air Refueling Squadron and 6091st Reconnaissance Squadron were attached to the 3d Bombardment Wing, but reassigned to the 41st Air Division (It later was incorporated into the 556th Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 July 1968). The 11th and 12th TRS were inactivated; the 15th and 45th TRS were moved to Kadena AB, Okinawa and Misawa AB Japan respectively and given new assignments. The detachment at Osan was reassigned to the 314th Air Division.
By 1965, growing United States involvement in the Vietnam War resulted in Tactical Air Command reactivating the 67 TRW on August 2, 1965, and eventually manning it by January 1966 at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. The wing, while having operational commitments, conducted replacement training for RF-4C Phantom II crew members being deployed to Southeast Asia.
In September 1966, the wing's 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron transferred to the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam.
As required, the 67 TRW also supported operations when crew members ferried RF-4Cs to the theater. When U.S. forces began the drawdown from South Vietnam, the 67 TRW designation moved in July 1971 to Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas as Mountain Home was programmed to receive F-111s returning from Southeast Asia. At Bergstrom, the 67th replaced the 75th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing due to historical precedence.
At Bergstrom Air Force Base, the wing still maintained its dual mission responsibilities of an operational commitment to the European theater and a training mission for RF-4C crew members. The 67th conducted reconnaissance training of USAF, US Marine Corps, and allied RF-4 reconnaissance aircrews between 1982–1989; acted as adviser to Air National Guard reconnaissance units until 1992; performed reconnaissance missions supporting the US Customs Service, 1983–1992; hosted the TAC-sponsored worldwide tactical reconnaissance competition at Bergstrom in 1986, 1988, and 1990.
After its reactivation at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, in 1965, the 67 TRW garnered six Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards. The wing also earned the Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamer for its participation in the evacuation of U. S. civilians from Grenada in October–November 1983.
By 1989, the demise of the Warsaw Pact signaled an end to the Cold War. It also meant reduction in forces for the U.S. military and the transfer of the 67 TRW's training mission to George Air Force Base, California. On 30 September 1989 the 45th TRS was deactivated in conjunction with other RF-4C squadrons and transferred some aircraft to the 189th TRS of the Idaho Air National Guard for reconnaissance training. On 31 December, the 62d TRTS was also deactivated with its aircraft going to AMARC.
During the Gulf War, the 67th TRW deployed 6 RF-4Cs from it's 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron to Sheik Isa Air Base, Bahrain, in support of operations in Southwest Asia in 1991, photographing enemy targets, conducting searches for enemy missile sites, tracking movement of the Iraqi Republican Guard and oil slicks, and conducting overall battle damage assessment.
Not long after the Gulf War, the drawdown of U.S. military forces continued and extended to Bergstrom Air Force Base. On 1 October 1991 the wing was redesignated as the 67th Reconnaissance Wing, and on 1 June 1992 assigned to Air Combat Command.
As part of the drawdown, Bergstrom was programmed for closure in 1993. The wing's RF-4C aircraft were sent to AMARC for disposal. The 67th Reconnaissance Wing and all subordinate units of the wing was formally deactivated on 30 September 1993.
In the meantime, restructuring of Air Force intelligence gave the 67 RW new life. On October 1, 1993, personnel of the former Air Force Intelligence Command and 693d Intelligence Wing formed the nucleus of the Headquarters 67th Intelligence Wing. The 67 IW assumed a worldwide mission with responsibility for overseeing the majority of AIA field unit operations. For its accomplishments since 1993 as the largest operational wing in the Air Force, the 67 NWW received its eighth and ninth Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards.
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This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
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