News

Emblem brings heritage back to wing

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Danny Weeks
  • 14th Civil Engineer Squadron
COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. --  Last year, the Air Force celebrated its 60th year as an independent branch of the armed forces, and Columbus AFB celebrated its 65th year as a military installation. The "Heritage to Horizons" celebration gave us the opportunity to reflect on our heritage. 

Although most of the Blaze Team wear the 14th Flying Training Wing patch everyday, many do not know the history of the patch and the reason for the recent revision. CAFB recently received approval to change the wing emblem back to the original emblem symbolic of the 14th Fighter Group and 14th Air Commando Wing. 

The 14th FG was activated in January 1941, moved to England and later was reassigned to Africa in 1942. The 14th FG won a Distinguished Unit Citation for a daring escort mission they flew into Austria in 1944. The group's daring reflected its motto, "To Fight To Death" and was symbolized by the black and white shield. Four of the 14th FG squadrons belong to the wing today: the 37th Flying Training Squadron, 48th Flying Training Squadron, 49th Fighter Training Squadron and 50th Flying Training Squadron. The 14th FG was inactivated after the Korean War. 

The 14th ACW was activated in February 1966 and was re-designated the 14th Special Operations Wing in 1968. During the wing's deployment to Vietnam and Thailand, three men assigned to elements of the 14th ACW received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the military's highest honor for "distinguishing themselves by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their lives, above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving actual combat with an armed enemy of the United States." 

Today's wing emblem, inherited from the 14th ACW, reflects the rich heritage of the people who have served under that banner. The black and white shield with the laurel branches represents the World War II honors and battle credits of the 14th FG. The gold stars represent the expertise needed by assigned personnel to complete their tasks. The two flight symbols represent the wing's flying mission. The emblem, including the black and white shield, served as the 14th FTW emblem until the mid-90s when the Chief of Staff of the Air Force began an Air Force-wide emblem review and directed the removal of the shield and laurel branches. 

As part of the "Heritage to Horizons" celebration, the 14th FTW received approval to once again return to the emblem it used from 1972 to 1994, which reflects the proud heritage of the 14th FG and the 14th ACW. The 14th FTW is proud to officially announce that the wing is returning to the previous version of the emblem. 

All members of the Blaze team are encouraged to look through their work areas for items that show the old emblem. Things we can do include finding and replacing emblems in briefing slides, flyers, displays and door mats. Base Multimedia has a copy of the new emblem and will work with units on making the necessary changes. For further information, please call 434-7952.