45th Space Wing

Lineage

Established as Air Force Division, Joint Long Range Proving Ground, and organized, on 1 Oct 1949. Redesignated: Long Range Proving Ground Division on 16 May 1950; Air Force Missile Test Center on 30 Jun 1951; Air Force Eastern Test Range on 15 May 1964. Inactivated on 1 Feb 1977. Redesignated Eastern Space and Missile Center, and activated, on 1 Oct 1979. Redesignated 45th Space Wing on 12 Nov 1991.

Assignments

Headquarters Command, USAF, 1 Oct 1949; United States Air Force, 16 May 1950; Air Research and Development (later, Air Force Systems) Command, 14 May 1951; National Range Division, 15 May 1964; Air Force Systems Command, 1 Feb 1972?1 Feb 1977. Space and Missile Test Organization, 1 Oct 1979; Space Systems Division, 1 Oct 1989; 9th Space Division, 1 Oct 1990; Air Force Space Command, 1 Oct 1991; Fourteenth Air Force, 20 Sep 1993?.

Components

Wings. 4800th Guided Missile (later, 6555th Guided Missile Wing; 6555th Guided Missile Group): 30 Dec 1950?7 Sep 1954. 6541st Missile Test (later, 6541st Operations Group [Range]): 4 Sep 1951?7 Sep 1954.

Groups. 45th Operations: 12 Nov 1991?. 6550th Test (Missile): 1 Jul?1 Oct 1955. 6555th Guided Missiles (Test and Evaluation) (later, 6555th Aerospace Test): 15 Aug?21 Dec 1959; 1 Oct 1979?1 Oct 1990.

Squadrons. 1st Space Launch: 1 Oct 1990?12 Nov 1991. 6550th Operations: 7 Sep 1954?1 Jul 1955; 1 Oct 1955?1 Feb 1960. 1st Pilotless Bomber: 1 Oct 1951?1 Feb 1952 (detached). 6555th Guided Missile (later, 6555th Guided Missiles): 7 Sep 1954?1 Jul 1955; 1 Oct 1955?15 Aug 1959.

Stations

Patrick AFB, FL, 1 Oct 1949?1 Feb 1977. Patrick AFB, FL, 1 Oct 1979?.

Operations

Organized to maintain and operate the proving ground facilities in coordination and collaboration with other agencies of the national guided missile program. Provided static and flight testing to meet requirements of Army, Navy, and Air Force research and development programs, including operational experimentation and training. From May 1950 to May 1951 had separate operating agency status, assigned directly to the United States Air Force. Maintained and operated the Eastern Test Range and its affiliated facilities in support of Department of Defense, National Air and Space Administration, and other test and evaluation agencies and activities authorized by the Air Force Systems Command, 1951?1977 and 1979?. Operated "Down-Range" facilities at Antigua, Ascension Island, Grand Bahama and Grand Turk islands, and at Cape Canaveral, Florida, 1951?1977 and 1979?. After Oct 1979 launched Department of Defense (DOD) payloads into orbit and collected flight data for evaluation of ballistic missile systems launched from the Eastern Launch sites for the DOD, NASA and commercial customers. Provided support for DOD, NASA, and commercial manned and unmanned space programs in addition to providing host-base responsibilities at Patrick AFB, FL.

Honors

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. None.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Dec 1979?30 Nov 1981; 1 Oct 1991? 30 Sep 1992. Air Force Organizational Excellence Awards: 1 Jun 1986? 31 Dec 1987; 1 Oct 1988?30 Sep 1990; 1 Oct 1990?30 Jun 1991; 1 Oct 1991?30 Sep 1992. Meritorious Unit Commendation (Navy): 1 Jul 1967? 26 Jul 1969.

Emblem

Per pale, per fess enhanced embattled grady Azure and Or, per pale fess enhanced potente Or and Azure, overall in fess point a sphere per pale of the first and Celeste gridlined Blue, charged with a bar nebuly Argent orbited by an arc of nine flight symbols, Gules and debruised in dexter chief by a rondel per pale Azure and Celeste, all within a diminished bordure, Yellow. Approved on 19 Jul 1967 (KE 6349); replaced emblem approved on 16 Mar 1951 (42790 A.C.).