416th Bombardment Wing

• The 416th Bombardment Wing was activated on 10 August 1951 at Lake Charles Air Force Base in Louisiana. • During the Korean War, the 416th Bombardment Wing flew B-26 Invader aircraft on combat missions, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations. • After the Korean War, the wing was reactivated as the 416th Strategic Fighter Wing and transitioned to flying F-100 Super Sabre aircraft. • The wing was redesignated as the 416th Bombardment Wing in 1962 and began flying B-57 Canberra aircraft for tactical bombing missions. • In 1965, the 416th Bombardment Wing deployed to Southeast Asia and flew combat missions in support of Operation Rolling Thunder. • During the Vietnam War, the wing earned four Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards for its contributions to the air campaign. • After the Vietnam War, the 416th Bombardment Wing transitioned to flying B-52 Stratofortress aircraft and continued to serve as a strategic bombing unit. • In 1991, the wing deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Desert Storm and flew missions against Iraqi targets. • The 416th Bombardment Wing was inactivated in 1994 as part of the post-Cold War drawdown of the U.S. military. • The wing's lineage and honors are now carried on by the 416th Air Expeditionary Group, which continues the traditions of the 416th Bombardment Wing in current operations around the world.