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Shaw is home to the 20th Fighter Wing, which flies F-16CJs and services as the host unit. The 20th Fighter Wing operates the 55th, 77th and 79th Fighter Squadrons and as the ost wing, it also retains the responsibility for providing facilities, personnel and material for the base's operations.
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 20th Fighter Wing |
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The 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., is equipped to provide, project and sustain combat ready air forces: any challenge, anytime, anywhere. The wing is capable of meeting all operational requirements worldwide, maintains a state of combat readiness and operates as the host unit at Shaw by providing facilities, personnel and materiel.
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Headquarters Army Air Forces brought the 20th Fighter Wing into existence by establishing it on July 28, 1947. Ninth Air Force organized the wing at Shaw Field three weeks later.
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| During its first assignment at Shaw, the wing trained to maintain proficiency as a tactical fighter unit. Its operational units flew North American P-51 Mustangs and later Republic F-84 Thunderjets. Besides training, Shaw pilots participated in firepower demonstrations, field exercises and special operations. Wing pilots also trained Turkish Air Force pilots at Shaw in 1948 to fly P-51s. |
| The wing has flown the following aircraft: P-51 (1947-48), F-84D/F/G (1948-57), North American F-100 Super Sabre (1957-71), General Dynamics F-111E Aardvark (1970-93), General Dynamics EF-111A Raven (1984-1992), Fairchild Republic A/OA-10A Thunderbolt II (1994-1996), and General Dynamics/Lockheed F-16C/D/CJ Fighting Falcon (1994-present). |
The wing emblem is a shield bearing the colors of the wing: blue, gold and red. The partition line of the fess is nebulè, the heraldic symbol for clouds. It is still in itsoriginal form, first seen in December, 1934 when it was approved for the 20th Pursuit Group. The motto inscribed in the scroll is, “Victory by Valor.”
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| Construction of Shaw Field began on June 27, 1941, before the United States entered World War II. Second Lt. Ervin D. Shaw, a Sumter native, was the base’s namesake. He was killed in combat during World War I, but not before downing one of his attackers. |
As one of the largest flying training fields in the United States, Shaw Field’s original mission was to produce new pilots for the Army Air Force. The first class of aviation cadets entered training eight days after the Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
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Throughout the war, Shaw trained about 8,600 pilots, and graduated its last class on March 9, 1945. Most flew the North American AT-6 Texan and Vultee BT-13
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“Vibrator.” When the primary training mission ended, fighter transition training began. With the newmission came Republic P-47 Thunderbolts. For a few months starting in March 1945, Shaw Field was also host to up to 175 German prisoners of war. Their compound was across SC Highway 441 near the Polifka Gate. The Germans left in early 1946.
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| That year the 20th Fighter-Bomber Group arrived, equipped with P-51 Mustangs. Not long afterwards, the group’s pilots transitioned into their first jets, the F-84. |
On Jan. 13, 1948 Shaw became an Air Force Base instead of Field, and the host organization became the 20th Fighter Wing.
Three years later the 20th transferred to Langley AFB, Va., and was replaced here by the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. A larger unit, it greatly increased the population and operations at Shaw.
Next arriving was 9th Air Force headquarters, which transferred from Pope AFB, NC in 1954.
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| Shaw pilots set at least one world’s record. On Nov. 27, 1957, four McDonnell-Douglas RF-101 Voodoos assigned to the 363rd TRW lifted off from Ontario County Airport, Calif. and headed for New York. Known as Operation Sun Run, the mission broke the transcontinental flight record. Taking three hours and seven minutes, the Voodoos streaked across the continent at an average of 781.74 miles per hour. |
| Shaw pilots played a major role in the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, as they crisscrossed Cuba in their RF-101s, producing detailed photos of Russian missiles and installations. |
Modernization arrived with F-16s in 1982 just after the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing became a tactical fighter wing.
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On Jan. 1, 1994 the 20th Fighter Wing returned and the 363rd was inactivated, after 40 years in the United Kingdom’s Upper Heyford air base. Today’s fighter squadrons, the 55th, 77th, and 79th stood up here on the same date.
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Since then pilots from Shaw have taken part in every defensive military action. Since Sept. 11, 2001 and the attack on the World Trade Center, 20th FW pilots also have stood alert to guard America’s skies against intruders.
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| Today Shaw is the home to the USAF’s largest F-16 combat wing. Future plans call for conversion to the Lockheed-Martin F-35 Lightning II beginning in 2013. |
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| 20th Operations Group |
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The 20th Operations Group employs 88 F-16CJ fighter aircraft in conventional and anti-radiation suppression/destruction of enemy air defenses, strategic attack, counter air, air interdiction, close air support and combat search-and-rescue missions. The 20th Operations Group has personnel assigned to the 20th Operations Support Squadron “Mustangs,” the 55th Fighter Squadron “Shooters,” the 77th Fighter Squadron “Gamblers” and the 79th Fighter Squadron “Tigers.”
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| Fighter Squadrons |
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The three F-16CJ squadrons maintain a mission-ready, multi-role capability to mobilize, deploy and tactically employ forces worldwide for any contingency in support of U. S. national objectives. They are responsible for providing the people and resources necessary for conventional air-to-surface, air superiority, suppression/destruction of enemy air defenses and close air support operations.
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| The F-16CJ is a single-seat, multi-mission fighter with the ability to switch from an air-to-ground to air-to-air role at the touch of a button. With its lightweight airframe and powerful General Electric engine generating up to 31,000 pounds of thrust, the CJ can fly at speeds in excess of Mach 2 (twice the speed of sound). |
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Carrying up to 15,000 pounds of munitions, the CJ is ready for any contingency, whether it is through the launching of its AIM-120 radar-guided missiles, AGM-88 high-speed anti-radiation missile, AIM-9 heat-seeking missiles, many other types of air-to-ground ordnance, or its 20mm cannon.
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55th Fighter Squadron
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Like the other two squadrons at Shaw, the 55th Fighter Squadron’s primary mission is air defense suppression or “Wild Weasel.” The 55th’s roots trace back to World War I, and its official birth date is August 9, 1917.
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The squadron was reactivated in November 1930, attached to the 20th Pursuit Group at Mather Field, Calif., flying Boeing P-12 biplanes.
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At the beginning of World War II, the 55th sent its people to units fighting overseas and continued to train aviators for squadrons in Europe and the Pacific. In May 1942, it was redesignated a fighter squadron and transitioned to the Bell P-39 Airacobra, operating from several locations in the United States before acquiring Lockheed P-38 Lightnings.
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The 55th was in the skies over Europe by December 1943, operating from Royal Air Force Wittering, England. The squadron joined the rest of the 20th Fighter Group at Kings Cliffe, England in April 1944 once facilities were built for them. The squadron flew 133 combat missions with the Lightning before acquiring the North American P-51 Mustang in July 1944. With the rest of the 20th Fighter Group, the 55th flew daily strafing, long-range-patrol and bomber-escort missions. In June, they provided air cover during the massive allied invasion at Normandy.
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The 55th entered the jet age in February 1948, equipped with the Republic F-84B&D Thunderjet. The squadron transitioned to the North American F-100 Super Sabre in 1957 and in 1958 was redesignated the 55th Tactical Fighter Squadron.
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In January 1991, elements of the 55th deployed to Turkey during Operation Desert Storm. They flew more than 144 sorties, amassing 415 combat hours without a loss. These missions neutralized key facilities throughout northern Iraq and helped to liberate Kuwait and stabilize the region.
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The squadron was inactivated in December 1993. It was transferred and reactivated on Jan. 3, 1994, to its present home, Shaw Air Force Base, flying the A-10 Thunderbolt II. In July 1996, the squadron transferred its aircraft to Pope Air Force Base, N.C., and stood down.
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In July 1997, the 55th made history when it stood up as a combat-ready Lockheed-Martin F-16CJ Wild Weasel squadron in only 60 days. It has since made numerous deployments to Southwest Asia, continuing to contain the Iraqi threat. In the meantime, the squadron has earned awards and recognition, including the David C. Schilling Award in 1999 and 2000, as well as the Air Force Association Citation of Honor.
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In the summer of 2000, the 55th deployed to Southwest Asia for Operation Northern Watch. It followed that deployment with Operation Southern Watch in the fall of 2001, and in the winter of 2002, deployed again in support of ONW. The 55th flew in the last mission for ONW before the operation officially ended in March 2003.
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The “Fighting Fifty-fifth” has been awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, World War I Theater of Operations and World War II American Service Streamers, Air Combat European, Africa, Middle Eastern, Air Offensive Europe, and the Liberation and Defense of Kuwait Campaign Streamers. The rich and distinguished heritage of the 55th will always be a testament to the many men and women who served it well and the leaders who gave them direction.
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77th Fighter Squadron
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| Like its two teammates in the 20th Operations Group, the 77th Fighter Squadron is equipped with the F-16CJ and specializes in air defense suppression. |
| The squadron was organized Feb. 20 1918, as the 77th Aero Squadron at Waco Field, Texas. |
| From 1930 until 1943, the squadron moved back and forth across the country with the 20th Pursuit Group, flying several different aircraft. In January 1943, the 77th settled at March Field, Calif., in time to be reassigned to England and the European Theater of Operations during World War II. The 77th, now designated a fighter squadron, arrived at Kings Cliffe, England, in August 1943, flying the P-38 Lightning. The 77th entered combat operations in November 1943, flying combat missions until April 25, 1945, then, equipped with P-51 Mustangs. |
The 77th was instrumental in the 20th Fighter Group achieving its record “kill” of 441 enemy aircraft, 400 locomotives, 230 freight cars, 64 oil tank cars, 94 ammunition cars and 257 motor vehicles destroyed. The 77th left King’s Cliffe, England, in the fall of 1945 and was inactivated in October 1945.
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The 77th FS and the 20th FG were reactivated in July 1946 at Biggs Field, Texas. Between 1946 and 1952 the squadron moved to Shaw Field, S.C., and then to Langley Air Force Base, Va., becoming the 77th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and transitioning to the F-84G.
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In 1969, the 77th and the 20th began moving to RAF Upper Heyford and converted to the General Dynamics F-111E “Aardvark.” The squadron, flying the F-111E reorganized and incorporated 250 maintainers on Feb. 1, 1992. The 77th was inactivated in October 1993, then transferred and reactivated at Shaw AFB, S.C., on Jan. 1, 1994. In 1996, the 77th deployed to Southwest Asia. In 1999 and 2001, the 77th deployed to Southwest Asia flying missions over Iraq in support of Operation Northern Watch. The squadron also deployed in support of Operations Allied Force and Desert Fox in 1999. In 1997 and 2000, the 77th deployed to Southwest Asia flying missions over Iraq in support of Operation Southern Watch.
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From July to Sept. 2002, the 77th deployed to Operation Northern Watch. In February 2003, the squadron deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The most-recent deployment to the Global War on Terror was in 2008.
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79th Fighter Squadron
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Numerically last in the 20th Operations Group, the 79th Fighter Squadron, also equipped with the F-16CJ, is also committed to the air defense suppression role. It, too, traces its history back to February 1918 and World War I.
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During World War II, in 1943, the 79th converted to the P-38 Lightning, flying out of Kings Cliffe, England, performing duty as bomber escorts and conducting fighter sweeps over occupied Europe and Germany. In July 1944, the squadron received P-51 Mustangs. The 79th remained at Kings Cliffe throughout the war, supporting both the Normandy invasion and the allied drive into Germany. The squadron returned to the states and was inactivated Oct. 18, 1945.
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From 1990 to 1991, the 79th deployed to Southwest Asia to support Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. June 30, 1993, the squadron inactivated. Jan. 1, 1994, it was reactivated at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., transitioning to the F-16CJ Fighting Falcon and assuming the mission of suppression of enemy air defenses. Since that time, the “Tigers” continuously supported Operations Northern and Southern Watch in Southwest Asia. In December 1998, the 79th took an active part in Operation Desert Fox in conjunction with Operation Southern Watch demands. The Tigers flew more than 1,000 successful combat sorties with these dual operational requirements. In January 1999, the 79th Fighter Squadron was awarded the South Carolina Air Force Association’s Outstanding Air Force Unit of the Year award. Also in 1999, the squadron was honored with Air Combat Command’s Maintenance Effectiveness Award. In June 1999, the 79th deployed F-16CJs in support of Operation Allied Force to a bare base in Southwest Asia.
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20th Fighter Wing
Air Defense Alert Force
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| Following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the 20th Fighter Wing was tasked to establish an alert mission and appropriate facilities to defend the sovereign airspace of the United States of America against internal and external airborne threats. |
| Initially manned on a rotational basis with visiting Air National Guard units, the 20th Fighter Wing took sole responsibility for the mission in October 2006. The Alert Force provides pilots and aircraft ready to launch on short notice 24 hours a day, every day of the year. |
Unique within Air Combat Command, the 20th Fighter Wing is one of only two units in the entire active duty Air Force tasked with a standing alert mission. The Alert Force is unique at Shaw AFB, as it is the only unit within the 20th Fighter Wing which falls under the day to day operational control of another command, North American Aerospace Defense Command based in Colorado Springs, CO. The Alert Force moved into permanent facilities in January 2009, including a newly renovated building and new aircraft shelters.
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| Unique within Air Combat Command, the 20th Fighter Wing is one of only two units in the entire active duty Air Force tasked with a standing alert mission. The Alert Force is unique at Shaw AFB, as it is the only unit within the 20th Fighter Wing which falls under the day to day operational control of another command, North American Aerospace Defense Command based in Colorado Springs, CO. The Alert Force moved into permanent facilities in January 2009, including a newly renovated building and new aircraft shelters. |
Detachment 1, 20th Operations Group
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Detachment 1 is the first large scale active association in the Air Force, and supports the 169th Operations Group and 157th Fighter Squadron at McEntire Joint National Guard Base about 30 miles west of Shaw. The 169th Operations Group maintains operational direction over the personnel while the 20th Operations Group provides administrative control.
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| Detachment 1 augments the 169th Operations Group’s F-16CJ operations with pilots, aircrew flight equipment, intelligence, aviation resource management, and information management personnel. |
20th Operations Support Squadron
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The 20th Operations Support Squadron traces its lineage back to Jan. 25, 1943, as the 20th Airdrome Squadron. The 20th AS was assigned to the 2nd Air Force for a brief time before being disbanded in April 1944. During that year, however, the squadron had several homes, beginning with Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kan., in February 1943; moving to Scott Field, Ill., in July of the same year; and moving yet again to its final home of Kearney AAF, Neb., in November, where it stayed until being disbanded.
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The squadron was reconstituted and redesignated the 20th Operations Support Squadron on March 1, 1992, and was activated on March 31, 1992, as part of the 20th Operations Group. The squadron in its present form was originally located at Royal Air Force Upper Heyford, England, March 31, 1992, to Jan. 1, 1994, but was then moved to Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., Jan. 1, 1994, where it remains to this day.
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The 20th OSS emblem is a “mustang,” reflecting the aggressive spirit of the squadron and the lineage of its predecessor units that flew the P-51 Mustang during World War II.
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| The 20th OSS “Mustangs” are responsible for all airfield activities and associated support of the 20th Fighter Wing’s many fighter missions. |
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The 20th OSS is a diverse squadron, consisting of five unique flights: Airfield Operations, Weapons and Tactics, Current Operations, Aircrew Flight Equipment, Intelligence and Weather.
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Airfield Operations Flight provides airfield management and air traffic control service to the 20th FW and 9th Air Force, as well as a myriad of other military and civilian operators. Airfield Management oversees a dual-runway airfield and plays an integral role in providing a safe operating environment for one of Air Combat Command’s busiest airfields. The tower and radar approach control are responsible for more than 10,000 square miles of airspace that encompasses areas off the east coast.
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| Weapons and Tactics Flight synchronizes the tactical employment and standardization of the wing’s three fighter squadrons. It also manages and provides guidance for the wing’s munitions and avionics systems as well as Poinsett Electronic Combat Training Range. Poinsett is a 12,500-acre range which provides electronic warfare and air-to-ground training to combat aircrews of all services, during day and night operations. |
Current Operations Flight manages the Wing flying schedule, airspace management, aircrew resource management, training and SERE in support of the wing mission. This includes the 20FW flying hour program, 12 special-use airspace areas, 26 low-level routes, three air-refueling tracks, over 300 pilots’ flight records, and the aircrew incentive pay program. It also includes all pilot training plans and syllabi, oversight of the F-16 Mission Training Center, and combat survival training for 20FW aircrew.
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Aircrew Flight Equipment Flight maintains all aircrew flight equipment for the three flying squadrons, as well as providing egress/hanging harness training for the operations group.
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Intelligence Flight provides intelligence support to the wing commander, staff and their fighter squadrons. This flight manages the sensitive compartmented information program and the pilot intelligence training program, maintains the classified intelligence library, and provides system administrative support for the wing’s intelligence computer systems.
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Weather Flight provides weather support to Shaw AFB, Poinsett Electronic Combat Range and McEntire Air National Guard Station, S.C. Support includes routine and special missions, deployments and joint and wing exercises. The flight advises decision makers of significant weather affecting more than 5,400 personnel and $2.4 billion in combat assets and government property.
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In addition to its mission at Shaw, the 20th OSS deploys personnel around the world in support of various operations, including Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
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20 MXG mission: Provide combat ready Airmen and Aircraft anytime, anywhere.
20 MXG vision: Combat ready people, planes, processes...The CAF's #1
maintenance force.
The 20 MXG consists of the 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 20th Component Maintenance Squadron, 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, and 20th Maintenance Operations Squadron.
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| 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron |
20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron is responsible for flight line maintenance of approximately 87 F-16CJ aircraft. The 20th AMXS prepares aircraft for combat operations worldwide to support Air Combat Command and war fighting commanders’ taskings in the U.S. Air Forces Central Command area of responsibility and flag, joint and combined exercises for the suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses. The squadron is also responsible for more than 750 personnel, more than 25,000 flight hours annually and over 12,000 sorties.
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20th Component Maintenance Squadron
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The 20th Component Maintenance Squadron supports a combat-ready wing of approximately 87 F-16CJ aircraft and equipment. It maintains jet engines; accessory; and avionics components and
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| systems; and a test, measurement and diagnostic equipment laboratory in support of three fighter squadrons. |
20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron
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The 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron focuses efforts of approximately 500 assigned personnel in 15 Air Force Specialty Codes and a $5 million budget to support three combat ready F-16CJ squadrons. It maintains aerospace ground equipment, armament systems and munitions for worldwide deployment. The 20 EMS performs aircraft phase inspections, corrosion control, engine oil analysis, nondestructive inspections and munitions storage and accountability, in addition to fabricating parts and tools.
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20th Maintenance Operations Squadron
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The 20th Maintenance Operations Squadron coordinates flying and maintenance schedules and tracks current status of approximately 87 F-16CJ aircraft. It establishes priorities for shared resources and provides weapons load, maintenance and safety training for more than 2,600 personnel in 35 Air Force Specialty Codes. The 20th MOS evaluates maintenance records, practices and personnel to gauge compliance with directives as well as the overall health of the fleet. The squadron also provides administrative oversight for Total Force Initiative detachments located with the South Carolina Air National Guard at McEntire Joint Guard Base, and the Vermont Air National Guard at the Burlington International Airport.
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