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Shaw’s mission 75 years in the making

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  • By 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, is home to the 20th Fighter Wing, whose mission is to provide combat ready airpower and Airmen to meet any challenge, anytime, and anywhere.

Before Shaw became home to the largest F-16 wing in the Air Force, it conducted a variety of missions ranging from bomber to reconnaissance operations.

Shaw Army Air Field opened on Aug. 7, 1941, where it served as a basic flying school utilizing BT-13 Vultee to train pilots on basic flying procedures.

Eventually the training mission changed with the establishment of the 20th FW on Aug. 15, 1947. With the introduction of the tactical aircraft, the P-51 “Mustang,” the pilots began learning aerial combat maneuvers at Shaw.

In 1951, the 20th FW moved to Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, where it soon transferred to Wethersfield, United Kingdom. It was not until January 1, 1994 that it would return to Shaw AFB.

“During the time the 20th FW was relocated to other bases, Shaw housed the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing,” said Christopher Koonce, 20th FW historian.

After changing its mission under the 363rd TRW, the bombers assigned to Shaw were altered to serve as reconnaissance aircraft.

“Bombers here were ‘gutted’ and filled with a number of reconnaissance equipment, to include cameras,” said Koonce.

The mission of the reconnaissance-bomber was to gain intelligence of enemy movements through the use of imagery and electromagnetic signals.

The reconnaissance-bombers and tactical aircraft assigned to the 363rd TRW at Shaw aided many operations, to include the Cuban Missile Crisis, Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

The 363rd TRW operated on Shaw from April 14, 1951 until its inactivation on Dec. 31, 1993.

As the era of the reconnaissance-bombers came to an end, the tactical fighter mission launched out of Shaw with the return of the 20th FW in 1994.

Shortly after the A/AO-10 “Thunderbolt II” arrived in 1994, the F-16 was introduced at Shaw. The 20th FW’s F-16 mission developed from the tactics of the “Wild Weasel” pilots, who flew F-104/F-105 fighter missions during the Vietnam War. Half a century later, the F-16 pilots are still affectionately called the “Wild Weasels.”

Shaw’s F-16s have played a part in worldwide operations that include Northern Watch, Southern Watch and currently Operation Inherent Resolve by providing close air support and annihilating enemy surface to air units.



“The 20th FW has a vital role in providing combat ready air power at a moment’s notice,” said Col. Daniel Lasica, 20th FW Commander. “Our Airmen consistently step up to make the F-16 mission what it is today.”

Throughout the years, Shaw has witnessed a transformation from its first mission of training pilots to its current mission of deploying F-16s. While the mission can change in the years to come, Shaw will continue to provide airpower anytime and anywhere.