Recognizing the 55th Wing 85th Birthday

Floor Speech

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Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 85th birthday of the 55th Wing, the ``Fightin' Fifty-Fifth'', headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. This Air Force organization is home to the thousands of men and women who dedicate their lives to providing global vigilance as a vital part of America's national defense. I am proud to count myself as a member of the Fightin' Fifty-Fifth, having served four tours of duty with the Wing and had the honor of serving as its commander from 2011 to 2012.

The 55th Wing traces its lineage back to the 55th Pursuit Group which was first constituted in November of 1940 and later activated at Hamilton Field, California, in January of 1941. The 55th deployed to England in 1943 flying P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft as part of the ``Mighty'' Eighth Air Force. While providing escort for allied bombing missions during World War II, the 55th Pursuit Group earned two Distinguished Unit Citations, produced 16 fighter aces, and was credited with 90 air-to-air victories.

After World War II, in 1946, the group was deactivated, only to be reactivated less than a year later as the 55th Reconnaissance Group under the Strategic Air Command. By 1950, it would be designated the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, and in 1952 it was assigned to Forbes Air Force Base in Topeka, Kansas, operating the RB-50 Stratofortress and later the RB-47E Stratojet. During the Cold War, Airmen of the 55th Wing routinely conducted high-risk and politically sensitive reconnaissance missions along the frontiers of the Soviet Union, with frequent and sometimes deadly interactions with Soviet fighter aircraft.

In August of 1966, the 55th Wing moved to Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, where it proudly resides to this day. During the height of the Cold War, the Wing took on nuclear command and control and 24/7 airborne alert missions flying the EC-135 Looking Glass and later, the E-4 National Emergency Airborne Command Post.

The Wing pivoted again after the fall of the Soviet Union, and in 1990 deployed its RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft to the Middle East in support of Operation Desert Shield. Within a year, they would pivot to Operation Desert Storm, followed by Operation Southern Watch and later the Global War on Terror, providing real-time information for tactical forces, theater commanders, and national decision makers in what is believed to be the longest continuous deployment for a unit in U.S. military history.

Today, the 55th Wing is the largest wing in Air Combat Command, comprised of 6 groups, 31 squadrons, and 3 detachments located worldwide. It operates 48 aircraft, including multiple variants of the RC-135 and the EC-130H and EA-37B Compass Call electronic attack aircraft. The sun truly never sets on the Fightin' Fifty-Fifth.

Over the last 85 years of war and peace, missions and aircraft have come and gone, and operating locations have changed as the needs of the nation have evolved. Throughout it all, the men and women of the 55th Wing have never wavered in their mission to fly, fight, and win. It is my great honor to recognize their achievements and salute their history today. Once again I say, happy birthday to the men and women of the Fightin' Fifty-Fifth.

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