F-16 Fighting Falcons, HH-60 Pave Hawk rescue helicopters and HC-130 Hercules aircraft the 332nd AEW initially participated in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), playing a critical role in the defeat of the Taliban regime and later providing key air support for Afghanistan's provisional government. After the initiation of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) the 332nd was moved to Tallil Air Base, Iraq. To better position airpower within the theater of operations, the 332nd AEW was moved to Balad AB, Iraq, in February 2004. In June 2008, the base was officially renamed Joint Base Balad. The new name was indicative of the joint nature of operations by all branches of service at the base. During the height of operations, the 332nd AEW contained nine groups—including four geographically separated groups at Ali AB, Sather AB, Al Asad AB, and Kirkuk AB—as well as numerous detachments and operating locations scattered throughout Iraq. The wing had as many as two F-16 fighter squadrons, a Predator UAV squadron, a C-130 squadron, a combat search and rescue squadron (HH-60s), a MC-12 Liberty squadron, and a Control and Reporting Center. During the drawdown of forces from Iraq, the 332nd AEW provided intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, combat search and rescue, armed overwatch and close air support to one of the largest logistics movements since World War II. In support of the re-posture of U.S. forces, the wing continued to support U.S. Forces-Iraq after forward deploying to an undisclosed air base in Southwest Asia in November 2011 so Joint Base Balad could be returned to the government of Iraq. And as the last U.S. convoy left Iraq on 18 December 2011 with the 332nd AEW's F-16s and MQ-1B Predators in the skies providing overhead watch. Lineage Established as 332nd Fighter Wing on 28 July 1947 Organized on 15 August 1947 Discontinued on 28 August 1948 Activated on 28 August 1948 Inactivated on 1 July 1949 Redesignated as 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, 1 August 2002 Converted to provisional status and allocated to Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate any time after 1 August 2002 Activated on 12 August 2002 Inactivated on 8 May 2012 Activated on 19 May 2015 Assignments Ninth Air Force, 15 August 1947 – 28 August 1948; 26 August 1948 – 1 July 1949 Attached to: First Air Force, 15 Jan-l Feb 1949 Air Combat Command Attached to: United States Central Command Air Forces, 12 August 2002 –