The 55th Wing celebrates Heritage Week

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Peter R.O. Danielson
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  As Offutt prepares for the 33rd Annual 55th Wing Birthday Ball, members of the wing from various points of its development gather to remember pivotal moments in the Fifty-Fifth's rich history.

"The Fightin' Fifty-Fifth is full of great traditions and a wonderful heritage going back 70 years. We're blessed that airmen of all ranks from our history have stayed involved with our wing," said Brig. Gen. Donald J. Bacon, 55th Wing commander.

Heritage Week events will include the birthday ball, which celebrates 70 years of the Fifty-Fifth's existence on March 26, and Tales of the 55th on March 25, an annual forum where people gather to listen to history from those who lived it. Because of the many different roles performed by the wing, the Tales of the 55th will have much to cover.

From the founding of the 55th Pursuit Group at MacDill Field, Fla., in January 1941, moving as the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing to Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas, on Oct. 5, 1952, then to Offutt Air Force Base on Aug. 16, 1966, and the arrival of the first RC-135 on Jan. 27, 1967, the wing is no stranger to change.

"The history of the 55th Wing has shown that no matter what obstacle is thrown at us, we can adapt and overcome while still providing the best intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data required by our national and theater level leadership," said General Bacon "I've not seen a better wing when it comes to making the seemingly impossible possible. This explains why the Fightin' Fifty-Fifth has been deployed non-stop since 1991 and flies missions 365 days a year, every year and always achievies mission excellence."

The 55th has the decorations to prove General Bacon right. Having been honored with two Distinguished Unit Citations for its World War II combat record, the wing continues to earn a collection of awards.

In the past, the 55th SRW and the 55th Wing have been awarded the Air Force's P. T. Cullen Award five times since 1971 for its contributions to photo and signal intelligence collection.

"The top-notch performance of your combat crews and the flight line support people reflects their devotion to duty and pride in unit," said General Curtis E. LeMay, then Strategic Air Command commander, to the members of the 55th SRW. "Please accept my congratulations and convey my appreciation to all those responsible. This was a job well done."

Each time a new wing commander has been appointed, they've been impressed with the quality and timeliness of the Airmen of the Fifty-Fifth.

One previous 55th SRW commander, Col. W.E. Riggs, boasted of his command during an interview in August 1966.

"Needless to say, our flight crews are among the most experienced and highly-qualified professionals in the Strategic Air Command," he said. "They must be in order to operate around the clock 365 days a year in all kinds of weather.

"I am not able to discuss more fully in this interview the type of work so professionally accomplished by this squadron's crew members, but an indication of the dedication and effectiveness of these crews is the fact that they are highly decorated for their contributions to world peace through successful accomplishment of global reconnaissance missions."

The Fifty-Fifth has consistently been tasked with arduous missions. The wing had been responsible for nearly 25 years of continuous airborne command post operations under the Looking Glass mission, and it has been the longest continuously deployed unit in Southwest Asia, passing a 20-year milestone on Aug. 8, 2010. The 55th Wing also provided heavy support for the National Airborne Operations Center's E4-B over the last 36 years it has spent on constant alert.

Tales of the 55th is scheduled to start Friday, March 25 at 3 p.m. at the James M. McCoy Airman Leadership School here. Refreshments will be served from 3 - 4:30 p.m. The formal presentation will start at 4:30 p.m. and conclude by 6:15 p.m. A $4 donation from attendees is requested.