The 99th Air Base Wing traces its lineage to the 99th Bombardment Group activated on June 1, 1942, without personnel or equipment at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida. It quickly transferred to Gowen Field, Idaho, where it received its initial manning. After several more moves for training, the group, flying the B-17 Flying Fortress, distinguished itself while flying bombing missions beginning in May 1943 from Algeria against targets in Italy, Sardinia and, Sicily. In December 1943, the group moved to Italy and conducted missions throughout Europe before inactivating in November 1945.
The 99th was re-designated and activated in the Air Force Reserve at Birmingham, Alabama, as the 99th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) in 1947 and inactivated in 1949. In 1953, it was reactivated as the 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing based at Fairchild AFB, Washington, with the B/RB-36. Re-designated as the 99th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, in 1955, it moved to Westover AFB, Massachusetts in 1956 and converted to the B-52, later adding the KC-135. It was inactivated in 1974.
It was reactivated at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota in 1989 as the 99th Strategic Weapons Wing. Several reorganizations and name changes occurred until September 1995, when it was inactivated and moved to Nellis AFB, where it was re-designated and activated as the 99th Air Base Wing on October 1, 1995.
In addition to two Presidential Unit Citations and 14 campaign streamers earned by the 99th Bomb Group in WWII, the 99th Air Base Wing has earned seven Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, adding to five earned at Westover AFB and Ellsworth AFB.