The unit's origins begin with its predecessor, the World War II 47th Bombardment Wing was part of Fifteenth Air Force.

Wing aircraft also flew missions to the Balkans, Austria, France, and Germany, with the Rumanian oil fields as primary targets from April–August 1944.

In July 1971 the 47th returned to Fifteenth Air Force control where it continued to supervise subordinate unit training and other activities.

The organization traces its origins to the 7th Pursuit Wing which was activated on 19 October 1940 as part of General Headquarters Air Force.

[2] After a short period of inactivation, the unit was reactivated by the United States Army Air Forces in May 1942 as the 7th Fighter Wing as part of First Air Force, based at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania[1] as a command and control organization, preparing fighter groups to be deployed to the European Theater.

The wing was assigned Martin B-26 Marauder medium and Douglas A-20 Havoc light bomber groups, employing them in tactical roles across Algeria and Tunisia.

The 47th Bomb Wing was named "The Pyramidiers", as the groups aircraft all carried a Pyramid symbol on their vertical stabilizers.

Its groups flew missions to the Balkans, Austria, France, and Germany, with the Romanian oil fields as primary targets from April through August 1944.

In July 1971 the 47th returned to Fifteenth Air Force control where it continued to supervise subordinate unit training and other activities.

[4] The May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in the state of Washington seriously affected both 47th Air Division and 92d Bombardment Wing operations at Fairchild AFB, resulting in dispersal of Fairchild's B-52 and KC-135 aircraft to various bases while around-the-clock shifts removed the volcanic ash from facilities within the base perimeter.