460th TAC Recon Wing

• Origins in World War II: The 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing traces its lineage to the 460th Bombardment Group, which was established in 1943 and flew B-24 Liberators in the European Theater. • Vietnam War Service: The Wing was reactivated as the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (460th TRW) in 1966 at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam, becoming a key USAF reconnaissance unit during the Vietnam War. • Main Mission: Its primary mission was to provide day and night photographic, visual, radar, and electronic reconnaissance to support combat operations across Southeast Asia. • Aircraft Operated: The wing operated a variety of reconnaissance aircraft, including the RF-4C Phantom II, RB-57 Canberra, EC-47, and the RF-101 Voodoo. • EC-47 "Electric Goon": The 460th operated EC-47s (converted C-47s) for electronic surveillance, intercepting and locating enemy radio transmissions, which was vital for targeting and counterinsurgency. • Highly Decorated: The wing and its squadrons earned multiple Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards and Vietnamese Gallantry Crosses for their contributions during the Vietnam War. • Operation Rolling Thunder: The wing played a critical role in Operation Rolling Thunder, providing bomb damage assessment and pre-strike reconnaissance over North Vietnam. • Heroic Actions: Many aircrew members of the 460th TRW risked and sometimes lost their lives flying unarmed or lightly armed aircraft over heavily defended enemy territory. • Deactivation: The wing was inactivated in 1971 as the U.S. withdrew from Vietnam, but its legacy continued through its successor units. • Modern Legacy: The 460th designation lives on today as the 460th Space Wing at Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado, focusing on space-based missile warning and surveillance missions.