1.
United States Air Force
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The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a branch of the military on 18 September 1947 under the National Security Act of 1947. It is the most recent branch of the U. S. military to be formed, the U. S. Air Force is a military service organized within the Department of the Air Force, one of the three military departments of the Department of Defense. The Air Force is headed by the civilian Secretary of the Air Force, who reports to the Secretary of Defense, the U. S. Air Force provides air support for surface forces and aids in the recovery of troops in the field. As of 2015, the service more than 5,137 military aircraft,406 ICBMs and 63 military satellites. It has a $161 billion budget with 313,242 active duty personnel,141,197 civilian employees,69,200 Air Force Reserve personnel, and 105,500 Air National Guard personnel. According to the National Security Act of 1947, which created the USAF and it shall be organized, trained, and equipped primarily for prompt and sustained offensive and defensive air operations. The stated mission of the USAF today is to fly, fight, and win in air, space and we will provide compelling air, space, and cyber capabilities for use by the combatant commanders. We will excel as stewards of all Air Force resources in service to the American people, while providing precise and reliable Global Vigilance, Reach and it should be emphasized that the core functions, by themselves, are not doctrinal constructs. The purpose of Nuclear Deterrence Operations is to operate, maintain, in the event deterrence fails, the US should be able to appropriately respond with nuclear options. Dissuading others from acquiring or proliferating WMD, and the means to deliver them, moreover, different deterrence strategies are required to deter various adversaries, whether they are a nation state, or non-state/transnational actor. Nuclear strike is the ability of forces to rapidly and accurately strike targets which the enemy holds dear in a devastating manner. Should deterrence fail, the President may authorize a precise, tailored response to terminate the conflict at the lowest possible level, post-conflict, regeneration of a credible nuclear deterrent capability will deter further aggression. Finally, the Air Force regularly exercises and evaluates all aspects of operations to ensure high levels of performance. Nuclear surety ensures the safety, security and effectiveness of nuclear operations, the Air Force, in conjunction with other entities within the Departments of Defense or Energy, achieves a high standard of protection through a stringent nuclear surety program. The Air Force continues to pursue safe, secure and effective nuclear weapons consistent with operational requirements, adversaries, allies, and the American people must be highly confident of the Air Forces ability to secure nuclear weapons from accidents, theft, loss, and accidental or unauthorized use. This day-to-day commitment to precise and reliable nuclear operations is the cornerstone of the credibility of the NDO mission, positive nuclear command, control, communications, effective nuclear weapons security, and robust combat support are essential to the overall NDO function. OCA is the method of countering air and missile threats, since it attempts to defeat the enemy closer to its source
2.
18th Wing
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The United States Air Forces 18th Wing is the host wing for Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan and is the Air Force’s largest combat wing. It is the largest and principal organization in the Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force, the Wings 18th Operations Group is a successor organization of the 18th Pursuit Group, one of the 15 original combat air groups formed by the Army before World War II. The 18th Wings mission is to defend U. S. and Japanese mutual interests by providing a staging and operational airbase with integrated, deployable. The focus of the operations is directed to accomplishing this mission. The 18th Wing is composed of five groups each with specific functions, the Operations Group controls all flying and airfield operations. The Maintenance Group performs Aircraft and Aircraft support equipment maintenance, the Mission Support Group has a wide range of responsibilities but a few of its functions are Security, Communications, Personnel Management, Logistics, Services and Contracting support. The Civil Engineer Group provides facilities management, while the Medical Group provides medical and dental care, in addition to the 61 aircraft of the 18th Wing, associate units operate more than 20 permanently assigned, forward-based or deployed aircraft from the base on a daily basis. The fighting cock emblem, approved in 1931, symbolizes the courage, for additional history and lineage, see 18th Operations Group The 18th Fighter Wing was established on 10 August 1948, and activated four days later at Clark Air Force Base. On January 20,1950, the wing was re-designated the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing, the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing was reassigned to Korea in July 1950 and entered combat. In late July, the headquarters with two of its squadrons deployed with F-80s from the Philippines to Taegu AB, South Korea. From July 28 to August 3, the 18th Group operated directly under Fifth Air Force then passed to the control of the 6002nd Fighter Wing, pilots exchanged their F-80s for F-51 Mustangs. Combat targets included tanks and armored vehicles, locomotives and trucks, artillery and antiaircraft guns, fuel and ammunition dumps, warehouses and factories, and troop concentrations. Because the front advanced so rapidly, operations from Pusan East Air Base soon became impractical, the 2nd SAAF Squadron joined the 18th in mid-November. The Chinese Communist caused the group to move twice in as many weeks, first to Suwon AB, South Korea, from there the 18th FBG continued to support ground forces and carry out armed reconnaissance and interdiction missions. From November 1950 through January 1951, it earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for destroying roughly 2,400 enemy vehicles and severely damaging almost 500 more. From early 1951 until January 1953, the group and its squadrons, moving from base to base in South Korea. When in January 1953 the group rejoined the wing at Osan-ni AB and it flew its first F-86 counter air mission on February 26,1953. In the final days of the war, the 18th FBG attacked dispersed enemy aircraft at Sinuiju and Uiju Airfields, the group remained in Korea for some time after the armistice
3.
Kadena Air Base
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Kadena Air Base, is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Kadena Air Base is home to the USAFs 18th Wing, the 353d Special Operations Group, reconnaissance units, 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery, over 20,000 American servicemembers, family members, and Japanese employees live or work aboard Kadena Air Base. The airfield, used by Imperial Japanese warplanes, was one of the first targets of the Tenth United States Army 7th Infantry Division, the United States seized it from the Japanese. What the Americans captured was a 4,600 feet strip of badly-damaged coral runway, Army engineers from the 13th Combat Engineer Battalion, 7th U. S. Infantry Division quickly made repairs and, by nightfall the same day, upon reassignment, its headquarters element absorbed the command staff of the inactivated XX Bomber Command. Kadena was used by the staff for administrative flying requirements. In the planned invasion of Japan, the mission of Eighth Air Force would be to conduct strategic bombing raids from Okinawa, however, the atomic bombings of Japan led to the Japanese surrender before Eighth Air Force saw action in the Pacific theater. The surrender of Japanese forces in the Ryukyu Islands came on 7 September, General Joseph Stilwell accepted the surrender in an area that would later become Kadenas Stearley Heights housing area. 317th Troop Carrier Group Assigned to Seventh Air Force in the Philippines, Deployed aircraft to Kadena and flew courier and passenger routes to Japan, Guam, Korea, and the Philippines, and transported freight and personnel in the area. 333d Bombardment Group Assigned to Eighth Air Force for planned invasion of Japan, Operations terminated before the group could enter combat. For a time after the war the group ferried Allied prisoners of war from Japan to the Philippine Islands, 346th Bombardment Group Assigned to Eighth Air Force for planned invasion of Japan. Operations terminated before the group could enter combat, after the war the group participated in several show-of-force missions over Japan and for a time ferried Allied prisoners of war from Okinawa to the Philippine Islands. 316th Bombardment Wing Assigned to Eighth Air Force for planned invasion of Japan, Operations terminated before the group could enter combat. Far East Air Forces January 1946, redesignated as 316th Composite Wing in January 1946, and 316th Bombardment Wing in May 1946. 413th Fighter Group Assigned to Eighth Air Force and served as a part of the air defense, on 7 June 1946, Headquarters Eighth Air Force moved without personnel or equipment to MacDill AAF, Florida. It was replaced by the 1st Air Division which directed fighter reconnaissance, twentieth Air Force became the command and control organization for Kadena on 16 May 1949. The Korean War emphasized the need for maintaining a presence in Okinawa. On 15 February 1951, the US Naval Facility, Naha, was activated, Commander Fleet Activities, Ryukyus was commissioned on 8 March 1957
4.
Okinawa Prefecture
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The larger are mostly high islands and the smaller ones are mostly coral islands. The largest of the islands is Okinawa, the climate of the islands ranges from humid subtropical climate in the north to tropical rainforest climate in the south. Precipitation is very high, and is affected by the rainy season, the islands beyond the Tokara Strait are characterized by their coral reefs. The Amami, Okinawa, Miyako, and Yaeyama Islands have a native population collectively called the Ryukyuan people, the varied Ryukyuan languages are traditionally spoken on these islands, and the major islands have their own distinct languages. In modern times, the Japanese language is the language of the islands. The northern islands are called the Satsunan Islands, while the southern part of the chain are called the Ryukyu Islands in Japanese. Following are the grouping and names used by the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Department of the Japan Coast Guard, the islands are listed from north to south where possible. Nansei Islands Satsunan Islands Ōsumi Islands with, Tanegashima, Yaku, Kuchinoerabu, Mageshima in the North-Eastern Group and they agreed on February 15,2010, to use Amami-guntō for the Amami Islands, prior to that, Amami-shotō had also been used. The English and Japanese uses of the term Ryukyu differ, in English, the term Ryukyu may apply to the entire chain of islands, while in Japanese Ryukyu usually refers only to the islands that were previously part of the Ryūkyū Kingdom after 1624. Nansei-shotō is the name for the whole island chain in Japanese. Japan has used the name on nautical charts since 1907, based on the Japanese charts, the international chart series uses Nansei Shoto. Nansei literally means southwest, the direction of the chain from mainland Japan. Some humanities scholars prefer the uncommon term Ryūkyū-ko for the island chain. In geology, however, the Ryukyu Arc includes subsurface structures such as the Okinawa Trough, the name of Ryūkyū is strongly associated with the Ryūkyū Kingdom, a kingdom that originated from the Okinawa Islands and subjected the Sakishima and Amami Islands. The name is considered outdated in Japanese although some entities of Okinawa still bear the name. In Japanese, the Ryukyu Islands cover only the Okinawa, Miyako, the northern half of the island chain is referred to as the Satsunan Islands in Japanese, as opposed to Northern Ryukyu Islands in English. Humanities scholars generally agree that the Amami, Okinawa, Miyako, there is, however, no good name for the group. The native population do not have their own name, since they do not recognize themselves as a group this size, Ryukyu is the principal candidate because it roughly corresponds to the maximum extent of the Ryūkyū Kingdom
5.
McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
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The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air supremacy in aerial combat. Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas design in 1967 to meet the services need for an air superiority fighter. The Eagle first flew in July 1972, and entered service in 1976 and it is among the most successful modern fighters, with over 100 victories and no losses in aerial combat, with the majority of the kills scored by the Israel Air Force. The Eagle has been exported to Israel, Japan, and Saudi Arabia, the F-15 was originally envisioned as a pure air superiority aircraft. Its design included a secondary ground-attack capability that was largely unused, the aircraft design proved flexible enough that an all-weather strike derivative, the F-15E Strike Eagle, was later developed and entered service in 1989. The F-15 Eagle is expected to be in service with the U. S. Air Force past 2025, newer models are still being produced for foreign users. The F-15 production line is set to end in 2019,47 years after the types first flight. The F-15 can ultimately trace its origins to the Vietnam War, when the U. S. Air Force, at the time, Defense Secretary Robert McNamara was pressing for both services to use as many common aircraft as possible, even if there were performance sacrifices involved. The former were capable in the tactical role, while the latter might be less so. If the Air Force did choose a design, maintaining air superiority would be a top priority. The next month, a report on light tactical aircraft suggested the Air Force purchase the F-5 or A-7 and this point was reinforced after the loss of two Republic F-105 Thunderchief aircraft to obsolete MiG-15s or MiG-17s on 4 April 1965. In April 1965, Harold Brown, at that time director of the DDR&E, stated the position was to consider the F-5. On 1 August, Gabriel Disosway took command of Tactical Air Command and reiterated calls for the F-X, an official requirements document was finalized in October, and sent out as a request for proposals to 13 companies on 8 December 1965. Following a downselect, four companies were asked to further developments. In total, they developed some 500 design concepts, typical designs featured variable-sweep wings, weighed over 60,000 pounds, included a top speed of Mach 2.7 and a thrust-to-weight ratio of 0.75. When the proposals were studied in July 1966, the aircraft were roughly the size and weight of the TFX, and like that aircraft, through this period, studies of combat over Vietnam were producing worrying results. Previous doctrine had stressed long-range combat using missiles, and optimized aircraft for this role, the result was highly loaded aircraft with large radars and excellent speed, but limited maneuverability and often lacking a gun. In early 1967, they proposed that the design had a thrust-to-weight ratio of near 1,1, a maximum speed further reduced to Mach 2.3, a weight of 40,000 pounds
6.
Boeing E-3 Sentry
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The Boeing E-3 Sentry, commonly known as AWACS, is an American airborne early warning and control aircraft developed by Boeing as the prime contractor. The E-3 is distinguished by the rotating radar dome above the fuselage. Production ended in 1992 after 68 aircraft had been built, in the mid-1960s, the US Air Force was seeking an aircraft to replace its piston-engined Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star, which had been in service for over a decade. After issuing preliminary development contracts to three companies, the USAF picked Boeing to construct two airframes to test Westinghouse Electric and Hughess competing radars, both radars used pulse-Doppler technology, with Westinghouses design emerging as the contract winner. Testing on the first production E-3 began in October 1975, the first USAF E-3 was delivered in March 1977, and during the next seven years, a total of 34 aircraft were manufactured. NATO, as an identity, also had 18 aircraft manufactured. The E-3 was also sold to the United Kingdom and France, in 1991, when the last aircraft had been delivered, E-3s participated in Operation Desert Storm, playing a crucial role of directing coalition aircraft against the enemy. Throughout the aircrafts service life, numerous upgrades were performed to enhance its capabilities, in 1963, the USAF asked for proposals for an Airborne Warning and Control System to replace its EC-121 Warning Stars, which had served in the airborne early warning role for over a decade. The new aircraft would take advantage of improvements in technology and in computer aided radar data analysis. Contracts were issued to Boeing, Douglas, and Lockheed, the latter being eliminated in July 1966, in 1967, a parallel program was put into place to develop the radar, with Westinghouse Electric and the Hughes Aircraft being asked to compete in producing the radar system. In 1968, it was referred to as Overland Radar Technology during development tests on the modified EC-121Q, the Westinghouse radar antenna was going to be used by whichever company won the radar competition, since Westinghouse had pioneered in the design of high-power RF phase-shifters. Boeing initially proposed an aircraft, but tests indicated it would not outperform the already-operational 707. To increase endurance, this design was to be powered by eight General Electric TF34s and it would carry its radar in a rotating dome mounted at the top of a forward-swept tail, above the fuselage. Boeing was selected ahead of McDonnell Douglass DC-8-based proposal in July 1970, initial orders were placed for two aircraft, designated EC-137D as test beds to evaluate the two competing radars. The first EC-137 made its flight on 9 February 1972. Favorable test results led to the selection of Westinghouses radar for the production aircraft, Hughess radar was initially thought to be a certain winner, simply because much of its design was also going into the new F-15 Eagles radar program. The Westinghouse radar used a pipelined fast fourier transform to digitally resolve 128 Doppler frequencies, Westinghouses engineering team won this competition by using a programmable 18-bit computer whose software could be modified before each mission. This computer was the AN/AYK-8 design from the B-57G program, and this radar also multiplexed a beyond-the-horizon pulse mode that could complement the pulse-Doppler radar mode
7.
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
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The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is a military aerial refueling aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype and it is the predominant variant of the C-135 Stratolifter family of transport aircraft. The KC-135 was the US Air Forces first jet-powered refueling tanker, the KC-135 entered service with the United States Air Force in 1957, it is one of six military fixed-wing aircraft with over 50 years of continuous service with its original operator. The KC-135 is supplemented by the larger KC-10, studies have concluded that many of the aircraft could be flown until 2040, although maintenance costs have greatly increased. The aircraft will eventually be replaced by the Boeing KC-46 Pegasus, like its sibling, the commercial Boeing 707 jet airliner, the KC-135 was derived from the Boeing 367-80 jet transport proof of concept demonstrator, which was commonly called the Dash-80. The KC-135 is similar in appearance to the 707, but has a fuselage and is shorter than the 707. The KC-135 predates the 707, and is quite different from the civilian airliner. Boeing gave the future KC-135 tanker the initial designation Model 717, in 1954 USAFs Strategic Air Command held a competition for a jet-powered aerial refueling tanker. Lockheeds tanker version of the proposed Lockheed L-193 airliner with rear fuselage-mounted engines was declared the winner in 1955, in the end, orders for the Lockheed tanker were dropped rather than supporting two tanker designs. Lockheed never produced its jet airliner, while Boeing would eventually dominate the market with a family of airliners based on the 707. In 1954, the Air Force placed an order for 29 KC-135As. The first aircraft flew in August 1956 and the initial production Stratotanker was delivered to Castle Air Force Base, California, the last KC-135 was delivered to the Air Force in 1965. These basic features make it resemble the commercial Boeing 707 and 720 aircraft. The USAF EC-135 Looking Glass was subsequently replaced in its role by the U. S. Navy E-6 Mercury aircraft, the KC-135Q variant was modified to carry JP-7 fuel necessary for the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, segregating the JP-7 from the KC-135s own fuel supply. The tanker also had special fuel systems for moving the different fuels between different tanks, the only external difference between a KC-135R and a KC-135T is the presence of a clear window on the underside of the empennage of the KC-135T where a remote controlled searchlight is mounted. It also has two ground refueling ports, located in rear wheel well so ground crews can fuel both the body tanks and wing tanks separately. Eight KC-135R aircraft are receiver-capable tankers, commonly referred to as KC-135R, All eight aircraft were with the 22d Air Refueling Wing at McConnell AFB, Kansas, in 1994. They are primarily used for extension and Special Operations missions
8.
Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk
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The Sikorsky MH-60G/HH-60G Pave Hawk is a twin-turboshaft engine helicopter in service with the United States Air Force. It is a derivative of the UH-60 Black Hawk and incorporates the US Air Force PAVE electronic systems program, the HH-60/MH-60 is a member of the Sikorsky S-70 family. Both versions conduct day or night operations into hostile environments, in 1981, the U. S. Air Force chose the UH-60A Black Hawk to replace its HH-3E Jolly Green Giant helicopters. After acquiring some UH-60s, the Air Force began upgrading each with an air refueling probe, the machine guns were changed from 0.308 in M60s to 0.50 in XM218s. These helicopters were referred to as Credible Hawks and entered service in 1987, afterwards, the Credible Hawks and new UH-60As were upgraded and designated MH-60G Pave Hawk. These upgrades were to be done in a two-step process, however, funding allowed only 16 Credible Hawks to receive the second step equipment. These helicopters were allocated to special operations use, the remaining 82 Credible Hawks received the first step upgrade equipment and were used for combat search and rescue. In 1991, these search and rescue Pave Hawks were redesignated HH-60G, the Pave Hawk is a highly modified version of the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk. The term PAVE stands for Precision Avionics Vectoring Equipment, all HH-60Gs have an automatic flight control system, night vision goggles lighting and forward looking infrared system that greatly enhances night low-level operations. Additionally, some Pave Hawks have color weather radar and an engine/rotor blade anti-ice system that gives the HH-60G an all-weather capability, to improve air transportability and shipboard operations, all HH-60Gs have folding rotor blades. Pave Hawk combat enhancements include a radar warning receiver, infrared jammer, HH-60G rescue equipment includes a hoist capable of lifting a 600-pound load from a hover height of 200 feet, and a personnel locating system. A number of Pave Hawks are equipped with a tactical data receiver that is capable of receiving near real-time mission update information. A number of HH-60Gs are also operated by the Air Force Material Command for flight test purposes, during Operation Desert Storm, Pave Hawks provided combat search and rescue coverage for coalition Air Forces in western Iraq, Saudi Arabia, coastal Kuwait and the Persian Gulf. They also provided emergency evacuation coverage for U. S. Navy sea, air, all MH-60Gs were subsequently divested by Air Force Special Operations Command in 1991. At that time, most MH-60Gs were redesignated as HH-60Gs and transferred to Air Combat Command and ACC-gained Air Force Reserve Command, in March 2000, three Pave Hawks deployed to Hoedspruit Air Force Base in South Africa, to support international flood relief operations in Mozambique. The HH-60Gs flew 240 missions in 17 days and delivered more than 160 tons of relief supplies. Air Force Pave Hawks from the Pacific theater also took part in a humanitarian relief effort in early 2005 in Sri Lanka to help victims of the tsunami. In 1999, the USAF identified a need for a helicopter with improved range, speed, an options analysis was completed in 2002 and funding for 141 aircraft under the personnel recovery vehicle program began in 2004
9.
44th Fighter Squadron
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The 44th Fighter Squadron is part of the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan. The 44th Pursuit Squadron was activated on 1 January 1941 and assigned to the 18th Pursuit Group, the 44 FS operates the F-15 Eagle aircraft conducting air superiority missions. The 44th Flew patrols over the Pacific from Hawaii from 7 December 1941–October 1942 and it went on to fly combat missions in the South and Southwest Pacific from 21 December 1942 –15 August 1945. It again flew missions in Southeast Asia from 18 December 1964 –25 February 1965,21 April –22 June 1965,19 –29 October 1965. The squadron was unmanned from 31 December 1966 –24 April 1967 and it has flown air defense over Okinawa and Japan since 1971. The 44th Fighter Squadron was named as the winner of the Raytheon Trophy for 2012, Air Combat Command officials announced a stand down and reallocation of flying hours for the rest of the fiscal year 2013 due to mandatory budget cuts. The across-the board spending cuts, called sequestration, took effect 1 March when Congress failed to agree on a deficit-reduction plan. Squadrons either stood down on a basis or kept combat ready or at a reduced readiness level called basic mission capable for part or all of the remaining months in fiscal 2013. This affected the 44th Fighter Squadron with a reduction of its flying hours, Maurer, Maurer, ed. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History, Maurer, Maurer, ed. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History, Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History, library, Fact Sheet, 18th Operations Group. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016
10.
67th Fighter Squadron
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The 67th Fighter Squadron Fighting Cocks is a fighter squadron of the United States Air Force, part of the 18th Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan. Continually active since January 1941, the 67th was activated as a single-engine fighter operational and it was initially assigned to III Fighter Command, and reassigned to I Fighter Command in 1942. Used P-39 Airacobras and P-40 Warhawks for training, converted to an operational squadron,1943, re-eqipped with P-47 Thunderbolts. Deployed to South Pacific Area,1943, being assigned to the 347th Fighter Group, began combat operations in February 1944, providing protection for U. S. bases and escorting transports initially, then escorting bombers over New Guinea and sea convoys to Admiralty Islands. From Noemfoor, bombed and strafed Japanese airfields and installations on Ceram, Halmahera, moved to the Philippines in Nov, flew fighter sweeps against enemy airfields, supported U. S. ground forces, and protected sea convoys and transport routes. Beginning in July 1945, attacked railways, airfields, and enemy installations in Korea and Kyushu, after V-J Day, flew reconnaissance missions over Japan. Moved without personnel or equipment to the Philippines in December and demobilized, became part of the defense forces of Far East Air Forces in the postwar years at Clark Air Base, being deployed to Okinawa in 1949. As a result of the North Korean invasion of South Korea in June 1950, at Taego, the squadron exchanged its P-80 Shooting Star jets for propeller-driven F-51D Mustangs which were more suited to the ground attack and support role. Combat targets included tanks and armored vehicles, locomotives and trucks, artillery and antiaircraft guns, fuel and ammunition dumps, warehouses and factories, and troop concentrations. Because the front advanced so rapidly, operations from Pusan East soon became impractical, the Chinese Communist caused the unit to move twice in as many weeks, first to Suwon AB, South Korea, then to Chinhae. From there the unit continued to support forces and carry out armed reconnaissance. Throughout the conflict, the squadron moved from base to base in South Korea, in January 1953 the squadron rejoined the wing at Osan-ni AB where it transitioned to the F-86 Sabre without halting the fight against the enemy. It flew its first F-86 counter air mission on 26 February 1953, in the final days of the war, the squadron attacked dispersed enemy aircraft at Sinuiju and Uiju Airfields. The squadron remained in Korea for some time after the armistice and it was reassigned to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa in November 1954, performing tactical fighter operations in South Korea, Japan, Formosa, and the Philippines with frequent deployments. In 1957, the squadron upgraded to the North American F-100 Super Sabre, was re-equipped with the F-105 Thunderchief in 1962. Was moved to Misawa AB, Japan in December 1967, being reassigned to the 39th Air Division, equipment was changed to the F-4 Phantom II, with a to rotate squadrons to South Korea, providing air defense of the nation. Remained in Japan/South Korea until returned to Kadena AB in March 1971, until 1975, primary mission was the air defense of Taiwan, performing frequent rotational TDYs to Ching Chaun Kang AB. Chinese air defense mission ended with United States political recognition of Communist China, for the past 35 years, the squadron has operated from Kadena Air Base, providing air defense in the Far East
11.
909th Air Refueling Squadron
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The 909th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting air refueling missions, the squadron was first activated in 1942 as the 19th Reconnaissance Squadron, but was redesignated the 409th Bombardment Squadron shortly after activation. After briefly serving as a unit, it participated in combat in the Mediterranean and European Theaters of Operations. After the surrender of Germany the squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated, the squadron was reactivated shortly after the end of World War II as a Boeing B-29 Superfortress unit, and became one of the first units of Strategic Air Command in 1946. It was inactivated later that year when its parent group was replaced by the 43d Bombardment Group, the 909th Air Refueling Squadron was activated in 1963 at Amarillo Air Force Base, Texas. After the end of the Vietnam War, the continued to support refueling. In 1985 the 409th and 909th squadrons were consolidated into a single unit, the squadron also provided support for combat operations in Southwest Asia during the 1990s. The 909th is the Pacific Air Forces s lead force for air refueling U. S. the squadron accomplishes aeromedical evacuations for military and civilian members, transporting patients to as far away as the United States when necessary. It also conducts Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty and headquarters- and command-directed missions, the squadron was established as the 19th Reconnaissance Squadron in early 1942 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana as one of the original four squadrons of the 93d Bombardment Group. The squadron was formed from a cadre supplied by the 44th Bombardment Group and was equipped with Consolidated B-24D Liberators, shortly after activation the 19th was redesignated as the 409th Bombardment Squadron. It completed its Phase I training at Barksdale, the squadron moved to Page Field, Florida, and flew antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea until the end of July. Its parent group claimed the destruction of three U-boats while stationed in Florida, two weeks later the squadron began to deploy to the European Theater of Operations. Its ground echelon sailed aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth on 31 August, the air echelon transferred to Grenier Field, New Hampshire, where it received new B-24Ds. It flew the first formation crossing of the Atlantic in September, the squadron was a member of the first B-24 heavy bomber group to become part of VIII Bomber Command in England. It flew its first mission on 9 October against a factory at Lille. Until December, it operated primarily against submarine pens on the coast of the Bay of Biscay, the squadron flew some antisubmarine patrols with RAF Coastal Command from RAF Holmsley South. Later in the month the 409th transferred some of its personnel to the 329th Bombardment Squadron, in early December, the air echelon of the squadron deployed to Algeria, where it was attached to XII Bomber Command. Operating with inadequate supplies under difficult conditions the squadron struck heavy blows against enemy shipping, tafaraoui Airfield had no hardened runways, and the first four missions had to be cancelled when heavy rains turned the airfield into a sea of mud, making it impossible to taxi
12.
961st Airborne Air Control Squadron
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The 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron is part of the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan. It operates the E-3 Sentry aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions, provide airborne command and control, long-range surveillance, detection and identification information for commanders in support of U. S. goals. After the Pearl Harbor Attack, became first an Operational Training Unit at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, re-designated on 1 April 1944 as a B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy bombardment squadron. When training was completed moved to North Field Guam in the Mariana Islands of the Central Pacific Area in January 1945 and assigned to XXI Bomber Command and its mission was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and the destruction of its war-making capability. Flew shakedown missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island, Truk, the squadron began combat missions over Japan on 25 February 1945 with a firebombing mission over Northeast Tokyo. The squadron continued to participate in wide area firebombing attack, until then the squadron flew conventional strategic bombing missions using high explosive bombs. The squadron continued attacking urban areas with incendiary raids until the end of the war in August 1945, attacking major Japanese cities, also conducted raids against strategic objectives, bombing aircraft factories, chemical plants, oil refineries, and other targets in Japan. The squadron flew its last combat missions on 14 August when hostilities ended, afterwards, its B 29s carried relief supplies to Allied prisoner of war camps in Japan and Manchuria Squadron remained in Western Pacific, although largely demobilized in the fall of 1945. Some aircraft scrapped on Tinian, others flown to storage depots in the United States, inactivated as part of Army Service forces at the end of 1945. The 961st flew radar surveillance missions along East Coast of the United States from,18 December 1954 –31 December 1969, the squadron assisted with the coverage of salvage operations of downed Korean Air Lines Flight 007,1 –10 September 1983. World War II Combat Operations, Conducted bombardment missions against Japan, campaigns, World War II, Western Pacific, Air Offensive, Japan. Decorations, Distinguished Unit Citations, Japan,10 May 1945, Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan, Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History
13.
Cockfight
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A cockfight is a blood sport between two roosters, or more accurately gamecocks, held in a ring called a cockpit. The history of raising fowl for fighting goes back 6,000 years, the combatants, referred to as gamecocks, are specially bred birds, conditioned for increased stamina and strength. The comb and wattle are cut off in order to show standards of the American Gamefowl Society. Cocks possess congenital aggression toward all males of the same species, cocks are given the best of care until near the age of two years. They are conditioned, much like professional athletes prior to events or shows, wagers are often made on the outcome of the match. Cockfighting is a sport due in some part to the physical trauma the cocks inflict on each other. While not all fights are to the death, the cocks may endure significant physical trauma, in some areas around the world, cockfighting is still practiced as a mainstream event, in some countries it is regulated by law, or forbidden outright. Advocates of the age old sport often list cultural and religious relevance as reasons for perpetuation of cockfighting as a sport, two owners place their gamecock in the cockpit. The cocks fight until one of them dies or is critically injured. Historically, this was in a cockpit, a term which was used in the 16th century to mean a place of entertainment or frenzied activity. William Shakespeare used the term in Henry V to specifically mean the area around the stage of a theatre, in Tudor times, the Palace of Westminster had a permanent cockpit, called the Cockpit-in-Court. Cockfighting is an ancient spectator sport, there is evidence that cockfighting was a pastime in the Indus Valley Civilization. The Encyclopædia Britannica holds, The sport was popular in ancient times in India, China, Persia, based on his analysis of a Mohenjo-daro seal, Iravatham Mahadevan speculates that the citys ancient name could have been Kukkutarma. However, according to a recent study, it is not known whether these birds made much contribution to the domestic fowl. Chickens from the Harappan culture of the Indus Valley may have been the source of diffusion throughout the world. Within the Indus Valley, indications are that chickens were used for sport and not for food, an early image of a fighting rooster has been found on a 6th-century BC seal of Jaazaniah from the biblical city of Mizpah in Benjamin, near Jerusalem. The anthropologist Clifford Geertz wrote the influential essay Deep Play, Notes on the Balinese Cockfight, in some regional variations, the birds are equipped with either metal spurs or knives, tied to the leg in the area where the birds natural spur has been partially removed. A cockspur is a bracelet with a curved, sharp spike which is attached to the leg of the bird, the spikes typically range in length from short spurs of just over an inch to long spurs almost two and a half inches long
14.
14th Air Division
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The 14th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Fifteenth Air Force, stationed at Beale Air Force Base and it was inactivated on 14 June 1989. The organization was activated in Hawaii as the 14th Pursuit Wing to contribute to the defense of the Hawaiian Islands. Its designation was changed to Hawaiian Interceptor Command. The Hawaiian Interceptor Command suffered heavy losses during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, a short time later, it was inactivated and its men and equipment became the cadre for VII Fighter Command. Its subordinate groups flew bombing missions against German airfields, oil installations, Wing components supported Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, in June 1944 by attacking strong points in the beachhead area and transportation targets behind the front lines. Later, in December 1944–January 1945, the wing helped to check the German offensive during the Battle of the Bulge, in March 1945, subordinate units supported Operation Lumberjack, the campaign to cross the Rhine River. Reactivated in 1951, the 14th Air Division was a command echelon of Strategic Air Command. For a brief period, between 1962 and 1965, the division maintained a SM-68 Titan I intercontinental ballistic missile complex and it was inactivated in 1991 as part of the military drawdown of the USAF after the end of the Cold War. afhra. af. mil/. Maurer, Maurer, ed. Air Force Combat Units of World War II, washington, DC, Office of Air Force History. Maurer, Maurer, ed. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, washington, DC, Office of Air Force History. Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977, washington, DC, Office of Air Force History
15.
VII Fighter Command
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The VII Fighter Command was a formation of the United States Army Air Forces. Its last assignment was with Far East Air Forces, based on Guam and it was inactivated after being redesignated the 46th Fighter Wing on 24 August 1948. The command was established in Hawaii in February 1942, from its inception until March 1945, the mission of the command was the air defense of the Hawaii Territory. Within ten days after the Attack on Pearl Harbor, the VII Interceptor Command consolidated all Hawaiian Islands defense units and its assigned units were deployed to forward bases in the Central Pacific Area in rotational deployments. During the assault on the Marshall Islands by Seventh Air Force bombers that began in late 1943, the Seventh eventually fitted some of its P-40 Warhawks with belly tanks, and on January 26,1944, sent them out to wait above the clouds for the pursuing Japanese. They shot down ten enemy fighters in three minutes, effectively ending interception of the bombers over the Marshalls, by March 1944, VII Fighter Command was back on Oahu for regrouping, reinforcement, aircraft transition, and general reorganization in preparation for the Marianas campaign. Its strength was increased from four squadrons to three fighter groups of three squadrons each. It was during the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign in mid-1944 that the command began their transition from a defensive unit in the rear to the spearhead of the attacks on Japan. Beginning in March 1945, the command was reassigned to Twentieth Air Force on Iwo Jima, the commands units flew Very Long Range bomber escort operations against the armed forces of the Empire of Japan. On 7 April 1945,119 P-51 Mustangs of VII Fighter Command lifted off from Iwo Jima on the first Very Long Range mission by land-based fighter aircraft against the Japanese mainland. Off the coast of Honshu they rendezvoused with more than 100 B-29 Superfortresses for an attack on the Nakajima aircraft plant in Tokyo. The B-29s had been taking heavy losses to Japanese fighters on these Empire strikes, VII Fighter command pilots described the Japanese, who attacked singly during the bomb run and immediately after, as easy targets for the Mustangs that broke off in pairs to engage them. Combined, the American fighters and bombers accounted for 71 Japanese aircraft destroyed, after the end of the war, the command was re-designated as a Wing, with the elimination of the command echelon in the postwar Air Force. It moved to Guam in the Marianas and remained assigned to the Far East Air Force, the organization was inactivated on 24 August 1948. Constituted as VII Interceptor Command on 23 January 1942 Activated on 2 February 1942, Redesignated VII Fighter Command in May 1942 Redesignated 20th Fighter Wing in May 1946 Redesignated 46th Fighter Wing in December 1947 Inactivated on 24 August 1948. afhra. af. mil/. Air Force Combat Units Of World War II, maxwell AFB, AL, Office of Air Force History
16.
XIII Fighter Command
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The XIII Fighter Command was a United States Army Air Forces formation. It was last assigned to Thirteenth Air Force, based at Manila, Luzon and it was inactivated on 15 March 1946. XIII Fighter Command was a World War II command and control organization for Thirteenth Air Force and its mission was to provide command and control authority of Army Air Force fighter organizations within the Thirteenth Air Force Area of Responsibility. Air Force Combat Units Of World War II, maxwell AFB, Alabama, Office of Air Force History
17.
310th Air Division
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The 310th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Continental Air Command s Twelfth Air Force at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, the division was first activated as the 310th Bombardment Wing in New Guinea during World War II. It served as a force headquarters, commanding advanced elements of Fifth Air Force during the New Guinea campaign. After VJ Day, it moved to Japan, serving in the forces until inactivating in March 1946. The wing was activated in the reserves in 1947, becoming a division the following year. Its attached units flew missions against Japanese shipping, coastal installations, gun positions, airdromes, fighting in New Guinea and later in the Philippine Islands, attached fighter units flew escort for bombing, supply, and reconnaissance missions. In October 1945, the moved to Japan and served in the occupation force. It was inactivated in Japan during early 1946, the 177th AAF Base Unit supervised the training of reserve units at Tinker. Later that fall, at the end of October, the 340th Bombardment Group was activated at Tulsa Municipal Airport, although the units were designated as bombardment units, it appeared they were equipped with North American AT-6 Texan and Beechcraft AT-11 aircraft only. In 1948, when the regular Air Force implemented the base organization system. The same year, Continental Air Command assumed responsibility for managing reserve, the 310th was inactivated when Continental Air Command reorganized its reserve units under the wing base organization system in June 1949. The divisions personnel and equipment were transferred to the 323d Bombardment Wing, Maurer, Maurer, ed. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History, Maurer, Maurer, ed. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History, Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History, Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History
18.
85th Air Division
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The 85th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Eastern Air Defense Force of Air Defense Command at Andrews Air Force Base and it was inactivated on 1 September 1958. During World War II, the 85th Fighter Wing was a command and control organization of Fifth Air Force, operating primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater. Its assigned units participated in combat in New Guinea and the Philippine Islands cover missions for convoys, patrols, escorted bombers, attacked enemy airfields. During the Cold War the unit was reactivated as an Air Division by Air Defense Command and it was assigned to the Eastern Air Defense Force in September 1955 with a mission to intercept unidentified aircraft over the Washington, D. C. area. It participated in training exercises. It also took part in gunnery and air-launched training and readiness tests, cornett, Lloyd H, Johnson, Mildred W. A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980, peterson AFB, CO, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Maurer, Maurer, ed. Air Force Combat Units of World War II, Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History. Maurer, Maurer, ed. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History. Winkler, David F. Webster, Julie L, searching the skies, The legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program. Champaign, IL, US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories
19.
Thirteenth Air Force
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The Thirteenth Air Force was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces. It was last headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base on the island of Oahu,13 AF has never been stationed in the continental United States. It was one of the oldest continuously active numbered air forces in the United States Air Force. Established on 14 December 1942 at Plaine Des Gaiacs Airfield, on New Caledonia,13 AF was a United States Army Air Forces combat air force deployed to the Pacific Theater of World War II. During the Cold War,13 AF remained in the Philippines, providing air defense of the nation, during the Korean War, its units provided staging areas for people and equipment destined for the war zone. 13 AF units last engaged in combat during the SS Mayaguez Incident in May 1975 and it was inactivated on 28 September 2012 and its functions merged with PACAF. The command is charged with planning, executing, and assessing operations in support of the U. S. On behalf of the Pacific Air Forces commander, the 13th AF commander is positioned to command Air Force forces, combined or joint force air components, Antarctic Program through Operation Deep Freeze. Headquarters,13 AF is made up of an A-staff, personal staff, 613th Air and Space Operations Center, known as the Maj Richard Bong AOC, the 613th AOC is one of the U. S. The AOC serves as the center of air operations during any campaign. Thirteenth AF relocated and officially established its headquarters at Andersen AFB, Guam, the command was moved from Guam to Hickam AFB in May 2005. It also includes a squadron of Lockheed F-22s, finally it serves as an important en-route location for transient aircraft. 36th Wing, Andersen AFB, Guam The 36th WG has a mission to support global projection. On 5 January 2007, Detachment 1,13 AF was activated at Yokota AB, the 13th Air Expeditionary Group, and formerly the 500th Air Expeditionary Group, is activated seasonally to support Operation Deep Freeze in the Antarctic. Thirteenth Air Force has never been stationed in the continental United States, it is one of the oldest, continuously active. It engaged in combat in the Pacific Theater during World War II, since World War II, it has provided air defense in the Far East, primarily the Philippines, until the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo forced the closure of Clark AB. Numerous Thirteenth Air Force organizations participated in Southeast Asia combat operations in the 1960s and 1970s, established as Thirteenth Air Force on 14 December 1942 Activated on 13 January 1943 U. S. Served in combat with Thirteenth AF until the end of the war, inactivated in the Philippines on 15 March 1946
20.
Fifth Air Force
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The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces. It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan and it is the U. S. Air Forces oldest continuously serving Numbered Air Force. The organization has provided 70 years of air power to the Pacific since its establishment in September 1941. Fifth Air Force is the Headquarters Pacific Air Forces forward element in Japan, in addition,5 AF is the air component to United States Forces Japan. First, it plans, conducts, controls, and coordinates air operations assigned by the PACAF Commander, Fifth Air Force maintains a level of readiness necessary for successful completion of directed military operations. To achieve this mission, Fifth Air Force maintains its deterrent force posture to protect both U. S. and Japanese interests, and conducts appropriate air operations should deterrence fail, Fifth Air Force is commanded by Lieutenant General Jerry P. Martinez. With its origins going back over a century to 1912, the command was established on 6 May 1941 as the Philippine Department Air Force at Nichols Field, Luzon. Fifth Air Force was a United States Army Air Forces combat air force in the Pacific Theater of World War II, engaging in combat operations primarily in the Southwest Pacific AOR. During World War II, Fifth Air Force units first engaged the Japanese during the Philippines Campaign, rearmed, it engaged the Japanese in New Guinea, the Dutch East Indies and then as part of the liberating forces in the Philippines Campaign. In the postwar era, Fifth Air Force was the primary USAF occupation force in Japan, the United States Army Philippine Department was established on 11 January 1911 in the Unincorporated Philippine Territory. Fifth Air Force traces its roots to the Philippines with the activation of the Air Office of the Philippine Department in March 1912, the First Company, 2d Aero Squadron, was activated at Fort William McKinley, Luzon, on 3 February 1916. This unit was a school, operating Martin S Hydro seaplanes. The unit operated under the Air Office until 15 October 1917, in 1917 outside Fort Stotsenburg, Luzon, construction began on a half-mile long dirt runway, hangars and other support facilities to bring the local army units into the air age. A permanent Army Air Service presence in the Philippines began in December 1919 with the activation of the 3d Aero Squadron at the facility, the unit was initially equipped with de Havilland DH-4 medium bombers. The next year it moved to the new Clark Field on 15 October 1920 where, combined with support units. Clark Field became the Army Air Corps headquarters overseas, and was the only American air base west of Hawaii, when workmen at Rockwell Field outside San Diego, California opened one of the crates, they found a motor with a remarkable history. Built in Detroit, it went to France, back to the United States, then to the Philippines, with that, the 1st Observation Group at Clark was re-designated as the 4th Observation, and later the 4th Composite Group. The 4th Composite would be the mainstay of United States air power in the Philippines until 1941, in addition to Clark Field, additional airfields at Kindley Field on Corregidor in Manila Bay, and one at Camp Nichols were constructed
21.
Twentieth Air Force
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The Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command. It is headquartered at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base,20 AFs primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations. The Twentieth Air Force commander is also the Commander, Task Force 214, established on 4 April 1944 at Washington D. C,20 AF was a United States Army Air Forces combat air force deployed to the Pacific Theater of World War II. Operating initially from bases in India and staging though bases in China,20 AF conducted strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and it relocated to the Mariana Islands in late 1944, and continued the strategic bombardment campaign against Japan until the Japanese capitulation in August 1945. The 20 AF 509th Composite Group conducted the atomic attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. Twentieth Air Force headquarters is unique in that it has dual responsibilities to Air Force Global Strike Command, as the missile Numbered Air Force for AFGSC, 20th Air Force is responsible for maintaining and operating the Air Forces ICBM force. Designated as STRATCOMs Task Force 214, 20th Air Force provides on-alert, combined with the other two legs of the Triad, bombers and submarines, STRATCOM forces protect the United States with an umbrella of deterrence. Headquarters, Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyoming 90th Missile Wing, Twentieth Air Force was to be commanded by General Arnold himself at Joint Chiefs of Staff level. Twentieth Air Force was completely autonomous and its B-29s were to be independent of other command structures. In addition Twentieth Air Force was chosen to be the component of the Manhattan Project in 1944. However, in early 1944, the B-29 was not yet operationally ready, the aircraft had been in development at Boeing since the late 1930s and the first XB-29 flew on 21 September 1942. However, the aircraft suffered from a number of development issues. As a result, most of the first production B-29s were still held up at Air Technical Service Command modification centers, awaiting modifications, by March 1944, the B-29 modification program had fallen into complete chaos, with absolutely no bombers being considered as combat ready. General Arnold became alarmed at the situation and directed that his assistant, Major General B. E. Meyer, the resulting burst of activity that took place between 10 March and 15 April 1944 came to be known as the Battle of Kansas. The mechanics often had to work outdoors in freezing weather, as a result of superhuman efforts on the part of all concerned,150 B-29s had been handed over to the XX Bomber Command by 15 April 1944. See, Operation Matterhorn and XX Bomber Command for expanded history Operation Matterhorn was the name for the B-29 Superfortress offensive against the Empire of Japan from airfields in China, on 10 April 1944, the Joint Chiefs of Staff informally approved Operation Matterhorn. The operational vehicle was to be the 58th Bombardment Wing of the XX Bomber Command, the headquarters of the XX Bomber Command had been established at Kharagpur India on 28 March 1944. The commander was General Kenneth B, the first B-29 reached its base in India on 2 April 1944
22.
1st Special Operations Squadron
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The 1st Special Operations Squadron is part of the 353d Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan. It operates MC-130 Combat Talon II aircraft providing special operations capability, Air crews are trained in night low-level flying, using night vision goggles. To deliver troops and equipment into denied areas during adverse conditions at night by airdrop or landing. The 1st conducted gunnery testing and training from 1939–1942 and it flew administrative airlift from 1949–1952 and 1953–1954. The 1st flew combat missions in Southeast Asia from 8 July 1963 –7 November 1972 and 15 December 1972 –28 January 1973 and it also trained Vietnamese Air Force pilots in counter-insurgency operations from, July 1963 – November 1972. It acquired the Combat Talon mission from the redesignated 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 15 December 1972, three MC-130 Combat Talons from the 1st SOS led the Night One mission of Operation Eagle Claw, the hostage rescue mission in Iran, in April 1980. The 1st operates the MC-130H Combat Talon II aircraft in support of joint, the 1st Special Operations Squadron was originally constituted as the 1st Air Commando Squadron, Composite, and activated on 17 June 1963 under Pacific Air Forces. It organized on 8 July 1963 at Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam and it was reassigned the following year, on 8 July, to the 6251st Tactical Fighter Wing. Relocating to Pleiku Air Base, South Vietnam, it was reassigned to the 2nd Air Division on 18 February 1966, and reassigned again to the 14th Air Commando Wing on 8 March 1966. Redesignated the 1st Air Commando Squadron, Fighter, on 15 August 1967, it was reassigned on 20 December 1967 to the 56th Air Commando Wing, on 1 August 1968 the 1st ACS was redesignated as the 1st Special Operations Squadron. The 1st saw extensive combat in Southeast Asia, from 8 July 1963 –7 November 1972 and from 15 December 1972 –28 January 1973. In its early years in Southeast Asia, the squadron flew a variety of aircraft, beginning with the A-26 Invader and T-28 Trojan in 1963 and 1964, both aircraft used for close air support. While at its home base at Bien Hoa AB, aircrews of the 1st Air Commando Squadron performed the first combat tests of the famous FC-47 gunship. In 1964 the 1st began flying the A-1 Skyraider, the aircraft with which it is most closely associated and it also trained Vietnamese Air Force pilots in counterinsurgency operations, from July 1963 – November 1972. Aircraft flown by the 1st SOS were the A–26, T–28, U–10 Super Courier, C–47, RB–26, A–1, FC–47, AC–47, and the C –130 beginning in 1972. Among its pilots was Major Bernard Francis Fisher, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on 10 March 1966 over South Vietnam. Two other early recipients of the Air Force Cross were Maj, carl Berg Mitchell and his navigator, Capt. Maj. Mitchell and Capt. Hickman were awarded the medal posthumously for a A-26 mission over Dong Nai Province on 14 January 1964, john Edgar Lackey received the award for extraordinary heroism during a search and rescue mission over Laos on 18 and 19 March 1972
23.
2 Squadron SAAF
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2 Squadron is a squadron in the South African Air Force which was formed in 1940. The squadron has a history, having been involved in every single combat action in which the SAAF has taken part. During the Second World War it made a name for itself in the battles for East Africa, before distinguishing itself in North Africa as part of the Desert Air Force, the squadron was established on 1 October 1940. During the initial years of the war,2 Squadron served as part of 1 Bomber Brigade in the East African Campaign, after August 1943, it also saw action in Sicily, Italy and Yugoslavia. 2 Squadron was attached to the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing U. S. Air Force for the duration of the war, initially flying the P-51 Mustang, the squadron re-equipped with the F-86 Sabre in February 1953. During the war the squadron flew a total of 12,067 sorties,74 of the 94 Mustangs and 4 out of the 22 Sabres were lost, along with 34 pilots. For its actions, the received the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, United States Presidential Unit Citation. After the Korean War 2 Squadron, based at Waterkloof AFB, was equipped with Sabres, the first aircraft to fly through the sound barrier over South African soil was a Sabre piloted by Captain Gerrie Moolman. Conversion to the new Mirage III occurred in 1963 and the moved to AFB Hoedspruit at the end of 1978. The squadron fought in several engagements during the South-West Africa/Angola Border War and they continued to fly the Mirages until October 1990. They later re-equipped with the Atlas Cheetah C and D, reconnaissance was also performed using Vinten Vicon 18 Series 601 pod. Regular night flying was performed and the aircrew also performed air-to-air refuelling operations with the Boeing 707 aircraft of 60 Squadron, the squadron participated in the annual SANDF force preparation exercises which includes using live weapons. During joint exercises with the German Luftwaffe in 2006,40 live V3S Snake short-range air-to-air missiles were fired at the Denel Overberg Test Range, moving to Louis Trichardt in January 1993,2 Squadron became the sole front line combat jet squadron in the SAAF. Till 2 April 2008 the squadron operated the Cheetah C/D fighter aircraft and was equipped with 28 examples, the squadron flew 1010 hours in 2004. The last of the Cheetahs were retired on 2 April 2008, the SAAF accepted its first Gripen D in April 2008 and the final two Gripen D aircraft arrived in South Africa in July 2009. The first two Gripen Cs arrived on 11 February 2010 with deliveries ongoing as at October 2011, the squadron operates all the SAAFs Gripens except for the first Gripen D, which is assigned to the Test Flight and Development Centre at AFB Overberg. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988, unofficial South African Air Force website
24.
6th Weapons Squadron
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The 6th Night Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Seventh Air Force, being inactivated at Yokota Airfield, the unit was one of the initial Aero Squadrons established by the United States Army Signal Corps, its origins dating to 13 March 1917 prior to the United States entry into World War I. It was the first Air Service squadron assigned to Hawaii and it was part of the islands defenses until entering into combat during World War II in the Southwest Pacific Area as a night fighter interceptor squadron in 1944. The origins of the date to 29 June 1913 when Lieutenant Harold Geiger, along with about 12 enlisted men. Purington, left the Army aerodrome at North Island, San Diego, California to establish, neither did he want the planes to take part in maneuvers. The planes were sold in November 1913 and Geiger and most of his detachment left Hawaii for the United States, in December 1916, the Signal Corps decided to expand the number of Aero Squadrons from two to seven because of World War I. At the time, the Army would not officially activate a unit until it was manned, equipped and trained. At Rockwell Field, the still un-designated squadron was equipped with Curtiss JN-4s, captain Curry was informed that the aircraft being sent to Hawaii to equip the squadron would be flying boats, and he was to find a location near the water. Curry chose Ford Island in Pearl Harbor as the permanent base for the 6th Aero Squadron for several reasons, “It had excellent approaches and plenty of water for landings and take-offs. It faced into the wind and a land airdrome could be easily made. Curry’s recommendations to situate the 6th Aero Squadron at Ford Island were approved then, also. The Oahu Sugar Company surrendered its leasehold to Ford Island in late 1917 to complete the sale and it was understood by the War Department that both the Navy and the Army would use Ford Island. On 25 September 1917 the 6th Aero Squadron abandoned Fort Kamehameha and they began clearing the land to establish the first Army Air Service Station in Hawaii. The squadron remained in Hawaii throughout the United States involvement in World War I, after the end of World War I, the 6th Aero Squadron was retained by the Army on the active list of Air Service squadrons. The airfield on Ford Island was officially renamed Luke Field in 1919 after World War I fighter pilot Frank Luke who was killed in action over the Western Front. On 15 August 1919, the 2d Group was formed in Hawaii by the Air Service and it was joined by the 4th Aero Squadron on 24 January 1920. With the establishment of the United States Army Air Service in 1921, the squadron was re-designated as the 6th Squadron, the first inter-island flight occurred in February 1919, and by 1920 inter-island flights were used for training purposes. Also, the first night flight over Oahu took place on 30 June 1920, in the early 1920s, air power began to take its place in the Hawaiian Departments military maneuvers
25.
12th Special Operations Squadron
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The 12th Special Operations Squadron is assigned to the 27th Special Operations Group at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. Its mission is the launch and recovery of Remotely Piloted Aircraft from unprepared locations throughout the world, the squadron was activated in 2015 to replace a detachment that had been performing the same mission since October 2013. The squadron was active at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska as the12th Fighter Squadron. The squadron operated the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle aircraft conducting air superiority missions, the mission of the 12th is to launch and recover Remotely Piloted Aircraft operationally employed by the 2d, 3d and 33d Special Operations Squadrons. This minimizes risk during critical flight operations, while permitting mission operations to be performed from more remote secure locations, the 12th Special Operations Squadron was first activated at Selfridge Field, Michigan as the 12th Pursuit Squadron, one of the original squadrons of the 50th Pursuit Group. In January 1941 when the United States expanded its forces on the eve of World War II. It was located there when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 8, responding to the critical need for fighters in the Pacific, in February 1942 the squadron deployed to Christmas Island. The 12th flew patrols over the Pacific from Christmas Island between February and October 1942 and it began combat operations from Fighter Strip No.2 on Guadalcanal on 19 November 1942, moving to Guadalcanal in February. Although based on Guadalcanal until August 1944, flight operations were conducted from Mono Airfield on Stirling Island, the 12th moved to Mar Drome, Sansapor, Netherlands East Indies that month although starting on 8 November, a portion of the squadron operated from Morotai. Combat operations continued until 14 August 1945 from Moret, following the surrender of Japan, the squadron remained in the Philippines. The following month it returned to Korea and Pusan East Air Base, however, Chinese intervention in Korea forced the squadron to withdraw in December, first to Suwon Air Base, then to Chinhae Air Base. The 12th deployed to Vietnam from 1 February –15 March 1965 and 15 June –25 August 1965 and it supported air defense alert capability in Southeast Asia from, 1968–1972. The squadron stood alert in South Korea from,23 January –13 June 1968, the squadron was unmanned and unequipped from May 1972 until November 1975. It remanned and reequipped with McDonnell F-4 Phantom II aircraft in late November 1975, through 1980, it flew offensive and defensive exercises in support of its wing, the 313th Air Division, and Pacific Air Forces. It converted to McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle aircraft in 1980, in 1981, the 12th earned the Hughes Trophy in recognition as the outstanding fighter squadron in the USAF. On 5 November 1999, the squadron moved without personnel or equipment to Elmendorf Air Force Base, at Elmendorf Air Force Base, the squadron employed the F-15C air superiority fighter in global expeditionary support of war-fighting commands. The squadron was inactivated in September 2006, due the Base Realignment and it absorbed the personnel and equipment of a small detachment that had been performing the same mission at Cannon since October 2013. The squadron is the first of its kind in the United States Air Force,1 June 2015 – present Hughes Trophy,1981 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http, //www. afhra. af. mil/
26.
13th Reconnaissance Squadron
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The 13th Reconnaissance Squadron is part of the 926th Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California. It operates RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft conducting reconnaissance and surveillance missions, the squadron provides theater commanders with near-real-time intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and target acquisition data. The 13th flew combat in the European Theater of Operations from 28 March 1943 –26 April 1945, in 1952, it converted to a troop carrier mission and provided intra-theater airlift for high-ranking USAFE military and civilian officials and small mission-essential equipment from, 1987–1993. In 1987, it was renamed the 13th Military Airlift Squadron, equipped with C-141, the squadron took on a new worldwide airlift mission until its inactivation in 2000. It currently trains all RQ-4B pilots and sensor operators, Active Air Force Wings as of 1 October 1995 and USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Air Force History and Museums Program, washington, DC, Office of Air Force History. Maurer, Maurer, ed. Air Force Combat Units of World War II, washington, DC, Office of Air Force History. Maurer, Maurer, ed. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, washington, DC, Office of Air Force History. Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977, washington, DC, Office of Air Force History
27.
15th Attack Squadron
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15th Reconnaissance Squadron flies MQ-1 Predator UAVs and is stationed at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada. The 15th Reconnaissance Squadron is one of the first armed Remotely Piloted Aircraft squadrons, the squadron provides combatant commanders with persistent ISR, full-motion video, and precision weapons employment. The mission of the 15 RS is to provide theater commander with deployable, long endurance, near real-time reconnaissance, surveillance, the squadron operates medium altitude multi-sensor platforms to locate, identify and report battlefield conditions to warfighters. It also collects, exploits and distributes imagery and intelligence products to theater CINCs, the 15th Reconnaissance Squadrons origins go back to 8 May 1917, when it was stood up as the 2d Aviation School Squadron at Hazelhurst Field, Long Island, New York. The original mission of the squadron was part of the force for the New York City area, flying coastal patrols. At the end of World War I, the squadron was demobilized on 18 September 1919, the squadron was constituted in the Army Air Service as the 15th Squadron on 14 March 1921 at Chanute Field, Illinois, equipped with Dayton-Wright DH-4s. The main focus of the squadron was flying training, including gunnery, observation, reconnaissance, photography, radio familiarization, on 20 March 1938, the 15th Observation Squadron deployed from Scott Field, Illinois, to Eglin Field, Florida, for two weeks of gunnery training. Thirty-five officers and 108 enlisted men were involved, during the early stages of World War II, the 15th supported the Field Artillery School in Oklahoma. On March 26,1944, the deployed to England. Its first combat mission was photographic reconnaissance on an F-6, on June 6,1944, the 15th received credit for the first aerial victory by a tactical reconnaissance pilot as well as the first victory of D-Day. The unit continued armed reconnaissance operations in the European theater until July 1945, after returning to the United States, the squadron provided visual and photographic reconnaissance and artillery adjustments for Army, Navy and Air Forces until it was inactivated in April 1949. The 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Photo-jet, was reactivated on Feb 5,1951, in Japan and immediately deployed to Korea to provide visual, the unit flew F/RF-80s and F/RF-85s during this period. In March 1954 the unit moved back to Japan and in August 1956, the unit transitioned to RF-84s from 1956-1958 and then to the RF-101s, continuing its long history of photographic reconnaissance. During the Vietnam era the 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was based at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, the unit had many deployments to Southeast Asia, flying reconnaissance missions in support of US combat operations in that theatre. During the summer and fall of 1966, the squadron transitioned to the RF-4C, during the 1970s and 1980s, the squadron maintained aerial surveillance capabilities in support of American ground, naval and air forces in the Far East. The 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was inactivated Oct.1,1990, the unit was reactivated as the 15th Tactical Intelligence Squadron on Feb.20,1991. On April 13,1992, the unit was redesignated as the 15th Air Intelligence Squadron, on June 1,1994, it was once more inactivated. The unit was reactivated on 1 August 1997, at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field under command of the 57th Operations Group and it was assigned to fly the Predator UAV out of Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field, Nevada
28.
19th Fighter Squadron
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The 19th Fighter Squadron is part of the 15th Wing at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The squadron is one of the oldest in the United States Air Force, its origins dating to 14 June 1917, being organized at Kelly Field and it served overseas in France as part of the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I. The squadron saw combat during World War II, and became part of the Tactical Air Command during the Cold War, renamed the 19th Pursuit Squadron, the squadron flew from various locations in the Hawaiian Islands beginning in 1923. The squadron suffered six casualties as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on 7 December 1941, the squadron was then stationed aboard the USS Natoma Bay, off Saipan. Upon arriving, the 19th flew night and day missions, strafing and using general purpose bombs, the squadrons mission then changed to long-range bomber escort missions with occasional strike missions to nearby Pagan Island and Iwo Jima. The squadron then relocated to Okinawa, where the first 19 FS pilots were awarded their ace rating, later, in August 1945, after numerous aerial victories and assorted bombing missions, it participated in the Japanese surrender. From 1982-1993, it trained for air support, air-to-air superiority. In June 1987, the 19th set a new record for the number of F-16 sorties flown in one day with 160. In September 1992 the 19th deployed to Southwest Asia to fly combat air missions to enforce terms of United Nations cease fire agreement following Operation Desert Storm. On 1 January 1994, the 19th took over personnel, facilities and equipment of 43d Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base and it won the Hughes Trophy in recognition as the top air superiority squadron in the USAF for 2001. Since 1994, it has mobilized, deployed, and employed fighter aircraft worldwide to accomplish air superiority in support of warfighting commanders, in 2010 the 19th became part of the 15th Wing at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The 19th FS is a unit with the Hawaii Air National Guards 199th FS. * A later 14th Aero Squadron was activated at Rockwell Field and it was re-designated as Squadron A, Rockwell Field, Calif, on 23 July 1918. Today the squadrons lineage and history is held by the USAF 14th Bombardment Squadron, list of American Aero Squadrons This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http, //www. afhra. af. mil/. Maurer, Maurer, ed. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, washington, DC, Office of Air Force History
29.
25th Tactical Fighter Squadron
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The 25th Fighter Squadron is part of the US Air Forces 51st Operations Group, 51st Fighter Wing, at Osan Air Base, South Korea. It operates the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting close air support missions, the 25th Fighter Squadron was originally created as the 25th Pursuit Squadron and activated at Hamilton Field, California, on 15 January 1941. By March it was assigned to the 51st Pursuit Group at March Field, in July the squadron received P-40 Warhawk aircraft. The 25th sailed to combat operations in the Pacific Theater aboard the SS President Coolidge on 11 January 1942, the squadron was part of the first deployment of U. S. forces leaving the mainland after the declaration of war. The journey to Melbourne, Australia, took 20 days, by late March the 25th Pursuit Squadron had arrived in Karachi, India, and set up wartime operations. The 25th flew its first aerial combat mission over The Hump on 25 September 1942, after the squadron moved to Dinjan in Assam, India, combat activity increased. Due to the terrain, the pilots would usually drag in on their passes and it was there that the 25th picked up the name Assam Draggins. Operations from Dinjan were concentrated against the Japanese in northern Burma along the upper Chindwin, in February 1943 the 25th Fighter Squadron was tasked to defend Fort Hertz near Myitkyina. Fort Hertz was a cog in air operations near The Hump. The 25th bombed and strafed enemy troops, concentrations, supply dumps, bridges, and enemy lines for twelve consecutive days. B-25 heavy bombers were needed to halt the Japans drive, Lieutenant Colonel John E. Barr, the executive officer for the 51st Fighter Group, modified a P-40 to carry 1,000 pound bombs, and by May 1943, the Japanese offensive had been halted. The 25th Fighter Squadron encountered more combat activity than any unit within the 51st Fighter Group during the war. The squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated on 12 December 1945, on 15 October 1945, the 25th was re-activated at Naha Air Base, Okinawa, where the squadron was assigned P-47 Thunderbolt and P-80 Shooting Star aircraft. As part of the force, the 25th provided defense for the Ryukyu Islands. The 25th was placed on alert when hostilities erupted in Korea in June 1950, the unit was reassigned to Itazuke Air Base, Japan, in September, and to Kimpo Air Base, Korea, by October. The Chinese Peoples Volunteer Army intervention in December 1950 forced a retreat of U. N. forces from North Korea into the South. The 25th flew more than 21 sorties each day that month to save the 2nd Infantry Division, Air cover was officially credited with preventing disastrous losses to the division. On 20 November 1951, squadron pilots received their new F-86 Sabre aircraft and went to face the Chinese, North Korean, major William T. Whisner Jr. got his fifth MiG kill on 23 February 1952, becoming an Ace
30.
26th Space Aggressor Squadron
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The 26th Space Aggressor Squadron is a unit of the United States Air Force located at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado. It is part of the 926th Group and is the Reserve Associate of the 527th Space Aggressor Squadron, the mission of the 26th Space Aggressor Squadron is to replicate enemy threats to space-based and space-enabled systems during tests and training exercises. The 26 SAS serves to know, teach and replicate a wide array of terrestrial, battlefield dominance well into the 21st century. The 26 SAS is the oldest squadron in the Air Force Reserve, the squadron was organized as the 1st Reserve Aero Squadron on 26 May 1917, the first squadron of what would become the United States Air Force Reserve in 1948. After being federalized, the company began training 22 July at the new Mineola Signal Corps Aviation School under two Regular Army instructors assigned by the Signal Corps. The Army eventually trained 25 pilots but the 1st Aero Company was mustered out on 2 November 1916 without ever leaving Long Island, at Fort Jay, New York, attorney Phillip A. The instructional program was under the guidance of the Armys Eastern Department, commanded by Major Gen. Leonard Wood, and trained seven civilians who were commissioned as Reserve aviators. Federalized in June 1917, the 1st Reserve Aero Squadron trained during the summer of 1917 and it arrived at its duty station of Issoudun, France, on 21 September, and after receiving further training in French schools, assembled, serviced, and repaired aircraft. The 1st R. A. S. was redesignated as the 26th Aero Squadron on 1 October 1917 as part of a reorganization of the Air Service of the AEF. The 26th Aero Squadron remained in France until May 1919 when the returned to the United States and was demobilized. The squadron was reformed and reactivated as the 26 Squadron on 30 August 1921, being assigned to the 3rd Attack Group at Kelly Field, Texas. Deployed to the Hawaii Territory in 1930, the squadron was equipped with A-3 Curtiss Falcons, newer Douglas B-18 Bolos were assigned in late 1939, and the unit was redesignated as the 26th Bombardment Squadron. The B-18s were relegated to patrol duty over the approaches to Oahu in 1941 when B-17E Flying Fortresses arrived in Hawaii. The squadron deployed B-17s to Midway Island in late May 1942 to strengthen the islands defenses and they returned to Midway and attempted to raid the attacking Japanese naval forces with little success, and returned to Wheeler Field after the battle ended on 8 June. The squadron deployed to the South Pacific and came under the new Thirteenth Air Force, operating from the New Hebrides, the B-17s attacked enemy targets in the Solomon Islands during late 1942 as well as targets in New Guinea and other enemy-controlled areas in the South Pacific AOR. The B-17s were flown to Australia from New Guinea in early 1943 and squadron personnel returned to Hawaii for re-equipping, was re-equipped with very long range B-24 Liberators optimized for long-range missions in the Pacific. Operated in the Central Pacific AOR, flying very long-range heavy bombing missions over the Gilbert and Marshall Islands, carried out very long range bombing attacks on Okinawa in early 1945, eventually being stationed on Okinawa after the Japanese Capitulation in August 1945. Ferried former prisoners of war to Manila, Sep 1945, Squadron was demobilized on Okinawa after the war, the aircraft being sent to the Philippines for reclamation
31.
31st Rescue Squadron
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The 31st Rescue Squadron is part of the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan. It trains, equips and employs combat-ready pararescue specialists, 31st Special Operations Squadron was constituted as the 31st Air Rescue Squadron on 17 October 1952. They made combat rescues in Southeast Asia, 1965–1966 and also operated the Joint Rescue Coordination Center for Thirteenth Air Force and they took part in Disaster relief missions in the Philippines between 16–31 July 1990. As a USAF Special Operations Squadron the 31st was forward deployed at Osan AB, Korea from 1992-2001, while its headquarters at the 353rd SOG was stationed at Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan. Inactivated for a couple of years, in 2003 the squadron was redesignated the 31st Rescue Squadron under the 18th Wing and stationed at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan
32.
36th Fighter Squadron
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The 36th Fighter Squadron is part of the US Air Forces 51st Operations Group at Osan Air Base, South Korea. It operates the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting air superiority missions, the squadron was first activated in 1917 as the 36th Aero Squadron and served in France during World War I, although the war ended before the unit saw combat. It has been active since 1930 as a fighter squadron. The squadron mission is to conduct air interdiction, close air support and it participates in the defense of South Korea and promotes regional stability. During its 90-year history, the 36th Fighter Squadron has flown 21 different types of aircraft, received 22 unit citations and accumulated 24 service and campaign streamers. The unit came into existence shortly after the United States entered World War I as the 36th Aero Squadron at Kelly Field, later that year, First Lieutenant Quentin Roosevelt, the son of President Theodore Roosevelt, briefly commanded the squadron. After a brief training period, the squadron moved overseas to France on the RMS Baltic, several of the squadrons former members saw combat with other squadrons. Following the armistice, the returned to the United States on the USS Manchuria and was demobilized in the spring of 1919 at Garden City. The squadron was reconstituted in 1923 as the 36th Pursuit Squadron, although inactive, it was originally allotted to the Sixth Corps Area. In 1929 the squadron was designated as a Regular Army Inactive unit, although remaining inactive as a regular unit, officers of the Organized Reserves were assigned to the unit and performed summer training with the squadron at Kelly Field for the next few years. By 1932, the primary aircraft became the Boeing P-12. As part of its mission to develop tactics, the squadron continued to fly a variety of other aircraft, notably including the Berliner-Joyce P-16. Training of fighter pilots and testing of tactics continued after 1932 when the squadron moved to Langley Field, Virginia, the squadron began flying its P-12s on air mail routes, but they proved unsuitable for the work, lacking instruments to fly at night or in adverse weather. Moreover, they could carry about 50 lbs of mail, and with the mail load. The P-12s were withdrawn from the project within a week, although the observation aircraft continued to fly mail until May. The P-30, along with the arrival of Curtiss YP-37s in 1938 marked a significant change in the squadrons equipment, by 1939, the squadron was flying Curtiss P-36 Hawks, which were quickly replaced by the more powerful Curtiss P-40 Warhawks. As the Air Corps expanded in 1950, the moved to Mitchel Field, New York. During World War II, the squadron flew P-40 Warhawk, P-39 Airacobra, P-47 Thunderbolt and these included the defense of New Guinea and the battle for the Philippines
33.
37th Flying Training Squadron
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The 37th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 14th Flying Training Wing based at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. It operates T-6 Texan II aircraft conducting flight training, the squadron was first established as the 37th Pursuit Squadron and activated in January 1941. As the 37th Fighter Squadron it saw combat during World War II in the Mediterranean and European Theaters and it was inactivated after wars end in 1945. The squadron was active with Air Defense Command in the northeastern United States from 1946 to 1949, originally equipped with propeller fighters, it became one of the first units equipped with the Republic F-84 Thunderjet. As the 37th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, the once again was assigned the mission of defending the northeastern United States from 1952 to 1960. The squadron has conducted flying training since 1972 as the 37th Flying Training Squadron, the 37th Flying Training Squadron conducts primary flight training in the T-6 Texan II. Seated with an instructor, each student receives about 81 hours of training in this aircraft, students learn basic aircraft characteristics and control, takeoff and landing techniques, aerobatics, and night, instrument and formation flying. The 37th Flying Training Squadron is currently commanded by Lt Col Jason Loe, the squadron was first activated as the 37th Pursuit Squadron in January 1941 at Hamilton Field, California. As one of the squadrons of the 55th Pursuit Group. It moved to Portland Airport, Oregon in early June 1941, the squadron converted to Lightnings in 1942. In February 1943 it was detached from its parent group and deployed to North Africa, the 14th group had temporarily withdrawn from combat, with some of its men and planes being reassigned to the 1st and 82d Fighter Groups. The squadron began operations in May, after being re-equipped with the P-38F. Already prior to the Axis defeat in Tunisia, the Northwest African Air Forces had begun preparations for the invasion of Sicily, the 37th flew dive-bombing missions during the Allied assault on Pantelleria. It helped prepare for and support the invasions of Sicily and Italy, the unit became part of Fifteenth Air Force in November 1943, and moved to Triolo Airfield, Italy. The 37th Fighter Squadron was inactivated in Italy on 9 September 1945, during its time in combat the 37th Fighter Squadron was credited with destroying 49.5 enemy aircraft in air-to-air combat. The squadron was once more activated in the US on 20 November 1946 at Dow Field, the squadron was one of the first operational units assigned to ADC. The 37th was initially equipped with Republic P-47N Thunderbolts and later with first-generation Republic P-84B Thunderjets and it was responsible for air defense of the Northeastern United States. In 1947, the parent group became the first in the AAF to equip with the P-84
34.
38th Reconnaissance Squadron
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The 38th Reconnaissance Squadron is part of the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. It operates the RC-135 aircraft conducting reconnaissance missions, the mission of the 38th Reconnaissance Squadron is to provide RC-135 aircraft and personnel to conduct global reconnaissance for national intelligence agencies, key decision makers and warfighters. Established in late 1942 as a P-38 Lightning fighter squadron, trained under Second Air Force in the pacific northwest, deployed to the European Theater of Operations, assigned to VIII Fighter Command in England in late 1943. Squadrons mission was to provide long range fighter escort for B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator heavy bombers on bombing missions over Occupied Europe. The squadron flew air patrols over the English Channel and bombed bridges in the Tours area during the Invasion of France in June 1944, in July the squadron attacked gun emplacements during the Saint-Lô breakthrough. The unit patrolled the Arnhem sector to support the Airborne invasion of the Netherlands in September 1944, inactivated in August 1946 when personnel were demobilized and aircraft were transferred to the 31st Fighter Group. Reactivated by Strategic Air Command in 1947 as a reconnaissance squadron, flew aerial photography, mapping, charting, and photo reconnaissance missions, some of which flew around borders of the Soviet Union and over the Soviet Occupation Zone of Germany. Gradually the RB-17s and other aircraft mapped the perimeter of the Soviet Air Defenses from the Baltic to the Sea of Okhotsk, upgraded to RB-29 Superfotress aircraft in 1949 and continued its reconnaissance mission, however inactivated in 1949 due to budget reductions. Equipped in 1953 with RB-47E Stratojets and conducted a variety of classified overflights of the Soviet Union during the 1950s, flights which involved penetrating mainland Russia were termed SENSINT missions. One RB-47 even managed to fly 450 miles inland and photograph the city of Igarka in Siberia, beginning in 1958, used 3 specially modified Stratojets, known as EB-47E’s, in Operation Iron Work to monitor Soviet missile tests from Baikonur, Tyuratam and Kapustin Yar. A later version of the ‘Tell Two’ housed the telemetry pods internally and had a streamlined nose, the USAF long range radar site at Samsum in Turkey, on the south coast of the Black Sea, also assisted in this activity. Missions flown on a reduced scale after February 1958 when events showed the vulnerability of the RB-47 to Soviet air defenses and the development of the U-2 aircraft. On 1 April 1970 SAC reorganized the Post Attack Command and Control mission, Maurer, Maurer, ed. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History
35.
39th Flying Training Squadron
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The 39th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 340th Flying Training Group and is the reserve associate to the 12th Flying Training Wing based at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. It operates the T-6 Texan II, T-1A Jayhawk and T-38 Talon aircraft conducting Pilot Instructor Training, activated by Northeast Air District as a P-40 Warhawk pursuit squadron, assigned to Selfridge Field, Michigan. Moved to Baer Field, Indiana during the summer of 1941, deployed to the Pacific Northwest after the Pearl Harbor Attack and flew Antisubmarine patrols off the coast of Washington from, c.15 December 1941-c. Re-equipped with long-range P-38 Lightnings and deployed to Fifth Air Force in Australia, engaged in combat operations against the Japanese in the Lightning, but became the second Pacific Theater Fighter Group to convert to the P-47 in late 1943. Conducted combat operations in the P-47 Thunderbolt from late 1943 through Spring 1945, participated in offensives in the Netherlands East Indies, New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, Philippines and the Battle of Okinawa. Re-equipped with P-51 Mustangs and moved to Japan as part of the Army of Occupation, September 1945, engaged in combat, June 1950, during the initial actions of the Korean War. Re-equipped with F-80 Shooting Star jets, fighting air-to-air combat against communist aircraft and engaging in ground support missions supporting United Nations Forces, returned to Japan after the 1953 armistice and upgraded to the purpose-built F-94 Starfire interceptor flying air defense missions. Inactivated 1957 due to budget restraints, reactivated by Tactical Air Command in 1969 at Shaw AFB, South Carolina. Equipped with reconnaissance and electronic versions of the B-66 Destroyer and trained tactical reconnaissance and electronic warfare crews from. Moved to George AFB, California and equipped with F-4E Phantom IIs, trained Wild Weasel aircrews in SAM suppression tactics from, 1977-1984. Inactivated when the F-4 was retired, re-activated by Air Training Command as an UPT squadron with T-38s, 1990-1991. Transferred to Air Force Material Command,1993 as a flight test squadron on various systems from 1993-1999. 39th Flying Training Squadron History 39th Fighter Squadron
36.
68th Fighter Squadron
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The 68th Fighter Squadron was one of the longest-serving Fighter Squadrons in U. S. Air Force history, remaining activated almost continually for 60 years. Known as the Lightning Lancers, on the morning of 27 June 1950 pilots of the 68th Fighter Squadron flying the F-82 Twin Mustang made history by achieving the first aerial kill of the Korean War. The 68th FS was most recently part of the 347th Wing at Moody Air Force Base and it operated F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting air superiority missions. The squadron was inactivated in 2001, established in early 1941 as part of the United States defense buildup after the breakout of World War II in Europe. Trained under Third Air Force, then deployed to the Southwest Pacific after the Attack on Pearl Harbor for combat duty with Fifth Air Force, reassigned to Thirteenth Air Force and provided air defense of Tongatabu from, June–October 1942 with a mixture of P-40s and P-39s. Reassigned to Japan as part of the Occupation Forces, December 1945 although most personnel had been demobilized and returned to the United States. From 2 November 1945 to 1 October 1946, the 68th was non-operational and became, in name only, then, in October 1946, the squadron began search and patrol missions and participated in exercises and maneuvers out of various bases in Japan flying the P-51D Mustang. In February 1947 assumed the air defense mission of Northern Japan with P-61 Black Widow night fighters, personnel and it replaced war-weary F-61s in 1949 with new F-82G Twin Mustangs. Hurriedly engaged in operations over Korea, June 1950 as the first USAF squadron operational over war zone. Engaged North Korean Air Force aircraft and scored first aerial victories of the conflict, also engaged in night-interceptor missions over North Korea. Twin Mustangs replaced by jet F-94C Starfire interceptors in 1951 and later to F-86D Sabres in 1954, the squadron upgraded to and F-102A Delta Daggers in 1959. It began rotational deployments to Osan Air Base, South Korea in 1960, in 1963, Headquarters, United States Air Force instituted Project Clearwater. Clearwater was designed to return overseas F-102 squadrons to United States in order to reduce gold flow, the 68ths planes were withdrawn from Japan and dispersed over Air Defense Command squadrons in the United States and the squadron moved on paper to the US in 1964. Reassigned to Tactical Air Command, re-equipped with new F-4C Phantom IIs in 1964, deployed to bases in Thailand in 1964-1965 flying air superiority missions over North and South Vietnam during early stages of the United States involvement in that conflict. Returned to George Air Force Base and became a replacement training unit for F-4 aircrews from February 1966 to October 1968, the unit became nonoperational for a short time. Assigned to Florida in 1968 with TACs control of Homestead Air Force Base, returned again to the United States with TACs activation at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia in 1975. Flew F-4Es and deployed overseas in February 1985 to Panama to take part in exercise Kindle Liberty, the F-4Es were reassigned to the Missouri ANG. It deployed aircraft and personnel to Saudi Arabia between June 26 and December 22,1991, in 1999 the 68th conducted two deployments to Al Jaber Air Base Kuwait in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH
37.
70th Fighter Squadron
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The 70th Fighter Squadron was most recently part of the 347th Wing at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. It operated A-10 Thunderbolt aircraft conducting ground attack missions, the 70th provided air defense for Fiji from, February–December 1942. It then went on to fly missions in South and Southwest Pacific from,21 December 1942 –21 July 1944 and 9 September 1944 –9 August 1945. It deployed aircraft and personnel to Southwest Asia from,10 January –16 September 1992. afhra. af. mil/, Maurer, Maurer, ed. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History
38.
73d Bombardment Squadron
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See 73d Bombardment Squadron for the United States Army Air Forces World War II squadron The 73d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 4241st Strategic Wing, based at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and it was inactivated on 15 April 1963. Established in late 1941 as a squadron in the Hawaii Territory, initially equipped with obsolete P-26 Peashooters. Deployed to Midway Island after the Battle of Midway as a defensive squadron, reassigned back to Hawaii at the beginning of 1943, remained part of the Territorys air defense forces. Received P-47D Thunderbolts in late 1943, deployed to Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, during the Marianas Campaign, worked closely with Marine ground forces, pioneered close infantry support and employed the first use of napalm. On Saipan the squadron was attacked by Japanese ground forces in June 1944 on Aslito Airfield soon renamed Isley Field, Saipan, pilots and ground personnel took a crash course in infantry tactics afterward. Received the new long range P-47Ns in early 1945, before moving next door to Okinawa on Ie Shima, by 1945, with the long range P-47Ns, VLR sorties were the rule rather than the exception. In April 1945 the squadron began flying 1300 mile escorts and sweeps from Iwo Jima to Honshu, in May 1945 the 73d advanced to le Shima where they reached out to Japanese targets in Kyu-shu and China. Assigned to Eighth Air Force on Okinawa in August 1945, shortly after V-J Day, returned to the United States and inactivated in Jan 1946. Activated in the air force reserve, but never manned or equipped. Inactivated due to shortages in 1949. until 1959 when the B-36 was retired. In 1959 was reassigned to SAC provisional 4241st Strategic Wing, being re-equipped with B-52G Stratofortress intercontinental heavy bombers, was reassigned to Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina by SAC to disperse its heavy bomber force. Conducted worldwide strategic bombardment training missions and providing nuclear deterrent, was inactivated in 1963 when SAC inactivated its provisional Strategic Wings, redesignating them permanent Air Force Wings. Squadron was inactivated with aircraft/personnel/equipment being redesignated 51st Bombardment Squadron in an in-place, Maurer, Maurer, ed. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History
39.
74th Fighter Squadron
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The 74th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 23d Fighter Group and stationed at Moody Air Force Base, during World War II, the 74th Fighter Squadron was one of the three original squadrons of the 23d Fighter Group. On 17 December 1941, the AVG 1st Fighter Squadron was redesignated as the 23d Pursuit Group 74th Pursuit Squadron and subsequently the 74th Fighter Squadron. The 23d was the United States Army Air Forces China Air Task Force organization took over the operations of the 1st American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force when the AVG was disbanded, some members of the AVG joined or rejoined the United States Air Force. Some volunteered to serve for a short period to help with the changover. The 74th was one of the squadrons in the 23d to see combat action in the Far East. The Fighter Group used P-40 Warhawks, and later P-51 Mustangs, to cover a large operational area, the area of operation extended beyond China into Burma, French Indochina, and Formosa. The mission taskings included counter air campaigns, strafing and bombing Japanese forces and installations, escorting bombers, flying reconnaissance missions, the fighter group excelled in these roles and received the Distinguished Unit Citation for its exceptional performance during the war. Following World War II, the 74th was activated at various times, from 1946-1949 the 74th flew the P-47 at Northwest Field, Guam. During the years of 1951-1954, the 74th flew the F-86 and F-94 at Presque Isle AFB, the 74th then moved to Thule AB, Greenland, from 1954–1958 and flew the F-89. During the period 1958-1972, the 74th was inactive, in July 1972, the 74th rejoined its sister squadrons for the first time since 1949 when the 23d Tactical Fighter Wing was activated at England Air Force Base LA. The 74th began operations flying the A-7 Corsair II in 1972, during the 1980s, the 74th receivedg the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award five different times. The most recent combat tasking for the 74th was during Operations DESERT SHIELD/STORM, from September 1990 until 11 April 1991, the 74th earned high praise for its performance during the campaign against Iraqs elusive Scud-B mobile missile launchers. On 15 February 1992, the 74th was again inactivated at England Air Force Base as part of the Air Forces force structure realignment and it was reactivated 15 June 1993 at Pope AFB NC as part of the 23d Wing, the second composite wing built from the ground up. The 74th began operations at Pope AFB flying the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, in July 1996, the F-16s departed Pope AFB and the 74th Fighter Squadron transitioned back to the A-10 aircraft. The unit completed a deployment to Afghanistan in 2011. afhra. af. mil/, cornett, Lloyd H, Johnson, Mildred W. A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization,1946 -1980, peterson AFB, CO, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Maurer, Maurer, ed. Air Force Combat Units of World War II, washington, DC, Office of Air Force History
40.
78th Attack Squadron
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The 78th Attack Squadron is part of the Tenth Air Force, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. The 78 ATKS conducts operations from Creech Air Force Base, Nevada in conjunction with their active-duty associates in the Air Force Warfare Center. The squadron consists of RPA pilots, sensor operators and intelligence personnel integrated into Regular Air Force units within the 432d Air Expeditionary Wing at Creech Air Force Base, the 78th was organized in 1917 at Rich Field, Waco, Texas as a training unit. In February 1918 moved to Hicks Field, Fort Worth, Texas before being demoilized, in 1931, the 78th Pursuit Squadron was again activated and assigned to the 20th Pursuit Group at Mather Field, California flying single-seat Boeing P-12 biplane fighters. During World War II the unit was recognized and stationed in the Pacific theater where the unit flew P-39s, P-40s, with a combat record from the war of 200 enemy aircraft destroyed or damaged, versus the loss of only six aircraft assigned to the unit. The 78th received the Distinguished Unit Citation for actions at the Musashino Plant, Tokyo, Japan, on 1 November 1952 the 78th Fighter Interceptor Squadron was reactivated, flying F-86 Sabre aircraft as part of the 81st Fighter-Interceptor Wing. In 1954 the 81st became a Fighter Bomber Wing and the squadrons began flying the F-84 Thunderjet. Then in 1958, the 78th received its first F-101 Voodoo aircraft, while flying the A-10 Thunderbolt II at RAF Woodbridge the squadron deployed to Incirlik Air Base Turkey in 1991, where it took part in Operation Provide Comfort. The squadron also performed operations in Kosovo from March to June 1999. The 78th was prepared to deploy to Turkey in preparation for Operation Iraqi Freedom, however. Consequently, the 78th stood down and was inactivated, the personnel and F-16CJ equipment of the 78th transferred to the 55th Fighter Squadron. In April 2006 the 78th was reactivated and redesignated as the 78th Reconnaissance Squadron, in July,2010, with the gaining of the MQ-9 Reaper mission, the unit was redesignated the 78th Attack Squadron
41.
131st Fighter Squadron
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The 131st Fighter Squadron is a unit of the Massachusetts Air National Guard 104th Fighter Wing located at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Westfield, Massachusetts. The 131st is equipped with the F-15C/D Eagle, the squadron was first established in August 1942 at Bellows Field, Hawaii Territory as the 333d Fighter Squadron. It was initially part of the air defense of Hawaii, equipped with P-39 Airacobras and it also served as a Replacement Training Unit and flew reconnaissance patrols over Hawaii until late 1943. The 333d deployed to the Central Pacific as part of the Thirteenth Air Force island hopping campaign against Japanese in late 1943 and it engaged in combat with the Japanese until April 1944, returning to Hawaii and being re-equipped and trained with long-range P-51 Mustangs. It continued that mission until the end of hostilities in August 1945, the unit was reassigned to the Mariana Islands, as a Far East Air Forces fighter squadron, and was inactivated there in 1946. The wartime 333d Fighter Squadron was redesignated the 131st Fighter Squadron and it was organized at Barnes Municipal Airport, Westfield, Massachusetts, and was extended federal recognition on 24 February 1947. The squadron was equipped with P-47D Thunderbolts and was assigned to the Massachusetts National Guard 102d Fighter Group, in 1950, the Massachusetts ANG converted to the wing-base organization. As a result, the 67th Fighter Wing was withdrawn from the Air National Guard and inactivated on 31 October 1950. In its place, the 102d Fighter Group was assigned to the newly activated 102d Fighter Wing, however there was no change in mission to the 131st, the mission of the 131st Fighter Squadron was the air defense of Massachusetts. With the surprise invasion of South Korea on 25 June 1950, the 131st was retained by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to maintain the air defense mission. In 1951, the F-47s were retired to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, with its air defense mission, the 131st was redesignated as the 131st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. Beginning on 1 March 1953, the 131st placed two F-51H fighters and five pilots on air defense “runway alert” from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. The runway alert program was the first broad effort to integrate reserve forces into a major Air Force operational mission on a volunteer basis during peacetime. In 1954, the Mustangs were reaching the end of their life. After the Korean War, the Massachusetts Air Guard began to modernize, other squadrons assigned into the group were the 104th Material Squadron, 104th Air Base Squadron, and the 104th USAF Infirmary. The 104th, along with the 102d Fighter Group at Logan Airport, the squadrons air defense mission ended on 10 November 1958 when the Massachusetts Air Guard and its units were reassigned to Tactical Air Command and converted to F-86H Sabre fighter-bombers. During the 1950s and early 1960s, better training and equipment, during the summer of 1961, as the 1961 Berlin Crisis unfolded, the 131st Tactical Fighter Squadron was notified on 16 August of its pending federalization and call to active duty. On 1 October the 131st was federalized and assigned to the 102d Tactical Fighter Wing, the mission of the 102d wing was to reinforce the United States Air Forces in Europe and deploy units to Phalsbourg-Bourscheid Air Base, France
42.
336th Fighter Squadron
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The 336th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, the 336th was constituted on 22 August 1942 as an incorporation of the Royal Air Force 133 Squadron into the United States Army Air Forces VIII Fighter Command. 133 Squadron was one of three RAF Eagle Squadrons composed of American volunteer pilots who enlisted in the RAF and fought in World War II prior to the United States entry into the war. At the height of conversion training, the 4th TFW was one of the first units tasked to react to Iraqs invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, the 335th and 336th Tactical Fighter Squadrons and support personnel deployed to Saudi Arabia, beginning in August 1990. The combat record of the 4th TFW in Saudi Arabia was exceptional, the unit dropped more than six-million pounds of bombs on Scud missile sites, bridges and airfields. Most of the missions were flown at night, the Rocketeers fly the McDonnell-Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle. It was the first operational F-15E squadron in the Air Force and its aircraft are identified by the SJ tail code and yellow fin flash. To date, the 336th have destroyed 459 enemy aircraft including the 4th Fighter Wings sole MiG kill in Vietnam, on 23 September 1942 the 4 FG moved to its initial airfield at RAF Debden, however, the 336 FS moved to a satellite field at RAF Great Sampford. They conducted operations from there until rejoining the group at Debden on 30 October 1942, Fighter aircraft escorted first bombing raid over Berlin, March 1944. On 21 June 1944, escorted bombers in the first shuttle bombing mission from England to Russia, received Distinguished Unit Citation for destroying enemy aircraft and attacking air bases in France,5 March –24 April 1944. In 1946 trained in jet aircraft, participated in air shows around the US, Combat in Korea, December 1950-July 1953. Received second and third DUCs for combat in Korean War,22 April –8 July 1951 and 9 July –27 November 1951, deployed to Florida in October 1962 during Cuban missile crisis. From January–June 1968, deployed to Korea, tasked with operations associated with USS Pueblo incident, Combat in Southeast Asia, April–September 1972 and March 1973. During the 1980s, trained in combat readiness in order to maintain worldwide commitment, deployed to Europe under dual-based mission concept in support of NATO objectives, 1978-1985. Participated in initial attack on Iraq,17 January 1991, during 1990-1994, shared quarterly rotation duties to Southwest Asia with 334 and 335 FS. Deployed to combat areas in Middle East as part of Global War on Terrorism, on 18 July 2009, F-15E tail #90-0231 from the 336th Fighter Squadron crashed in eastern Afghanistan, killing the two-man crew, Captain Mark R. McDowell and Thomas J. Gramith. The US military reported that the jet was not downed by enemy action, Air Combat Command officials announced a stand down and reallocation of flying hours for the rest of the fiscal year 2013 due to mandatory budget cuts. The across-the board spending cuts, called sequestration, took effect 1 March when Congress failed to agree on a deficit-reduction plan
43.
419th Night Fighter Squadron
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The 419th Night Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Thirteenth Air Force, being inactivated at Floridablanca, the unit was formed in 1943. After training, it was deployed to Thirteenth Air Force and ordered to New Guinea to provide air defense interceptor protection against Japanese night air raids on USAAF airfields, trained at Kissimmee, Florida and trained in Douglas P-70 Havoc night fighters due to non-availability of P-61 Black Widows. By the end of training, the fighter pilots realized that the Black Widow would not be forthcoming. The squadron was deployed to the South Pacific Theater, arriving at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands on 15 November 1943 and it was the second dedicated night fighter squadron assigned to the Pacific. At Guadalcanal, the squadron absorbed Detachment B of the 6th Night Fighter Squadron, on 21 November 1943, the squadron was assigned to the 18th Fighter Group. However, it was found that the P-70 was not very successful in actual combat interception of Japanese fighters at night and it was issued P-38H Lightnings stock day fighters with no radar or any other equipment for finding the enemy at night. The Lightning pilots would wait until the enemy was over a target and, hopefully and they would then try to pick out the outline of the enemy aircraft and intercept. This method had its dangers since the P-38 was subjecting itself to fire from defenders as well as gunners aboard the Japanese bombers. The squadron received the P-61 Black Widow to replace the P-38s/P-70s in May 1944, then on 25 August 1944, the squadron was reassigned to the XIII Fighter Command. The squadron flew missions against Japanese night intruders, which were a real nuisance to American forces. On typical missions, the pilot would be directed to the vicinity of its target by ground based radar, the onboard A/I radar under the control of the radar operator would then be used to direct the pilot to close with and intercept the enemy. As soon as the pilot had gotten close enough to its target to make a visual identification, the appearance of the Black Widow in the night skies over the Pacific was a rude and unpleasant surprise for these night raiders. Engaged the enemy during the New Guinea, Northern Solomon Islands, moved the Philippines in 1945, operating primarily over the southern islands. Personnel demobilized at Clark Field and returned to the United States after the war, inactivated on 20 February 1947 at Puerto Princess, Palawan, Philippines as an administrative unit. afhra. af. mil/
44.
Wheeler Army Airfield
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It is a National Historic Landmark for its role in the 7 December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Two canvas hangars were erected and the field cleared of weeds, guava, thus Wheeler Field got its modest start. It was named Wheeler Field on 11 November 1922 in honor of Major Sheldon H. Wheeler, former commander of Luke Field on Ford Island, killed in the crash of DH-4B, No.63525 on 13 July 1921. In June 1923,13 months after the designation of the new flying field, shop hangars, airplane hangars, in 1927, one of the wooden shop hangars was remodeled to provide space for a barracks and a mess hall incident to the formation of a pursuit group. It was not until 1930 that any permanent construction was started, many different units were originally stationed at Wheeler Field. The first units of the Schofield Barracks divisional airdrome were the 4th Observation Squadron, Photo Section No.11, in October 1922, the photo section and intelligence units were returned to Luke Field. The following May, the 17th Composite Group was organized at Wheeler and it consisted of a Headquarters Squadron, the 19th Pursuit Squadron and the 4th Observation Squadron. These units operated from the field until January 1924, when the 17th Group was rendered inactive, three years later, the foundation for the present 18th Pursuit Group was laid and the 6th and 19th Pursuit Squadrons were transferred from Luke Field. More squadrons were added to the 18th Pursuit Group and Bellows Field was opened as an aerial gunnery camp for the use of tactical organizations. The 15th Pursuit Group was formed next and was made a permanent part of the airdrome, hand in hand with this move came the formation of the 14th Pursuit Wing. S. to Australia in 1928, and the first Hawaii-to-Mainland solo flight in 1935 by Amelia Earhart. Ms. Earhart visited Wheeler Field in 1935 in her Lockheed Vega, kingsford Smith, in his plane, the Southern Cross, also used the airfield on his historic flights across the Pacific. By 1940, Wheeler Field had evolved into a base for Army Air Corps pursuit aircraft such as the P-40 Warhawk. Wheeler Army Airfield was a target and site of the first attack on 7 December 1941. The Japanese attacked the airfield to prevent the numerous planes there from getting airborne, 2nd Lieutenant Phil Rasmussen found an old, unscathed Curtiss P-36 Hawk and taxied it to a revetment where he had it loaded with ammunition. During a lull in the bombing, he took off three other pilots. Lieutenant Rasmussen managed to shoot down a Mitsubishi A6M Zero and the American pilots subsequently engaged 11 Japanese aircraft, the installation has a National Historic Landmark District in association with the attack on 7 December 1941. The 1941 Flightline, hangars and barracks survive today, casualties at Wheeler totaled 33 killed and 75 wounded. Of the 233 aircraft assigned to the Hawaiian Air Force,146 were in commission before the attack, afterward, only 83 were in commission and 76 had been totally destroyed
45.
Hawaii
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Hawaii is the 50th and most recent state to have joined the United States of America, having received statehood on August 21,1959. Hawaii is the only U. S. state located in Oceania and it is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean. Hawaii is the only U. S. state not located in the Americas, the state encompasses nearly the entire volcanic Hawaiian archipelago, which comprises hundreds of islands spread over 1,500 miles. At the southeastern end of the archipelago, the eight main islands are—in order from northwest to southeast, Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Maui, and the Island of Hawaiʻi. The last is the largest island in the group, it is called the Big Island or Hawaiʻi Island to avoid confusion with the state or archipelago. The archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania, Hawaii has over a million permanent residents, along with many visitors and U. S. military personnel. Its capital is Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaii is the 8th-smallest and the 11th-least populous, but the 13th-most densely populated of the fifty U. S. states. It is the state with an Asian plurality. The states coastline is about 750 miles long, the fourth longest in the U. S. after the coastlines of Alaska, Florida, the state of Hawaii derives its name from the name of its largest island, Hawaiʻi. A common Hawaiian explanation of the name of Hawaiʻi is that was named for Hawaiʻiloa and he is said to have discovered the islands when they were first settled. The Hawaiian language word Hawaiʻi is very similar to Proto-Polynesian *Sawaiki, cognates of Hawaiʻi are found in other Polynesian languages, including Māori, Rarotongan and Samoan. According to linguists Pukui and Elbert, lsewhere in Polynesia, Hawaiʻi or a cognate is the name of the underworld or of the home, but in Hawaii. A somewhat divisive political issue arose in 1978 when the Constitution of the State of Hawaii added Hawaiian as an official state language. The title of the constitution is The Constitution of the State of Hawaii. Article XV, Section 1 of the Constitution uses The State of Hawaii, diacritics were not used because the document, drafted in 1949, predates the use of the okina and the kahakō in modern Hawaiian orthography. The exact spelling of the name in the Hawaiian language is Hawaiʻi. In the Hawaii Admission Act that granted Hawaiian statehood, the government recognized Hawaii as the official state name. Official government publications, department and office titles, and the Seal of Hawaii use the spelling with no symbols for glottal stops or vowel length
46.
Santo-Pekoa International Airport
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Santo-Pekoa International Airport is an airport in Luganville on Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu. Airports Vanuatu Limited provides aviation services for the airport, the 7th Naval Construction Battalion arrived on Santo on 11 August 1942 and began construction of more extensive air facilities to support the Guadalcanal Campaign. After completing a second airfield at Turtle Bay they began constructing two bomber fields, one at Palikulo Bay known as Bomber Field No.1 and the other at Pekoa. The completed airfield was operational in December 1942 and was known as Bomber Field No.2 or Pekoa Field. The Thirteenth Air Force was based at Pekoa from 13 January 1943 until 20 January 1944 when it moved to Carney Airfield on Guadalcanal.2 which became Santo-Pekoa International Airport. Of the four wartime airfields on Espiritu Santo, Turtle Bay Airfield, Palikulo Bay Airfield, Luganville Airfield, Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama, Office of Air Force History, Maurer, Maurer, ed. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History
47.
Espiritu Santo
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Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of 3,955.5 km2 and a population of around 40,000 according to the 2009 census. It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia and it is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu. The town of Luganville, on Espiritu Santos southeast coast, is Vanuatus second-largest settlement, roads run north and west from Luganville but most of the island is far from the limited road network. Vanuatus highest peak is the 1879 metre Mount Tabwemasana in west-central Espiritu Santo, in 1998, Santo hosted the Melanesia Cup. A Spanish expedition led by Portuguese explorer Pedro Fernandes de Queirós, during World War II, particularly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the island was used by Allied forces as a military supply and support base, naval harbor, and airfield. In highly fictionalized form, it is the locale of James Micheners Tales of the South Pacific, the presence of the Allies later contributed to the islands diving tourism, as the United States dumped most of their equipment and refuse at what is now known as Million Dollar Point. Another wreck off Espiritu Santo, the SS President Coolidge, is also a diving spot. The SS President Coolidge was a luxury liner that hit a mine during the war. Between May and August 1980 the island was the site of a rebellion during the transfer of power over the colonial New Hebrides from the condominium to independent Vanuatu, a Republic of Vemerana was proclaimed on May 28. France recognized the independence on June 3, on June 5 the tribal chiefs of Santo named the French Ambassador Philippe Allonneau King of Vemerana, Jimmy Stevens became Prime Minister. The troops were recalled shortly before independence, following independence, Vanuatu, now governed by Father Walter Lini, requested assistance from Papua New Guinea, whose forces invaded and conquered Espiritu Santo. Santo, with many wrecks and reefs to be explored, is a popular tourist destination for divers. Champagne Beach draws tourists with its sand and clear waters. The Western Side of the island many caves which may be explored. The local people make their living by supporting the tourist trade, by cash-crop farming, mostly copra but some cacao and kava as well as peanuts, the largest church groups on the island are the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu, the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Melanesia. Also active are the Apostolic Church, the Church of Christ, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, customary beliefs of a more modern sort are found among followers of the Nagriamel movement based in Fanafo. For almost all Santos people custom plays a part in their lives. The chief system continues strongly in most areas, the people of Santo face some health problems, especially malaria, and tuberculosis
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New Hebrides
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New Hebrides, named for the Hebrides Scottish archipelago, was the colonial name for the island group in the South Pacific Ocean that now is the nation of Vanuatu. Native people had inhabited the islands for three years before the first Europeans arrived in 1606 from a Spanish expedition led by Pedro Fernandes de Queirós. The islands were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century, shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands. The two countries signed an agreement making the islands an Anglo-French condominium, which divided the New Hebrides into two separate communities, one Anglophone and one Francophone. This divide continues even after independence, with teaching in either one language or the other. The condominium lasted from 1906 until 1980, when the New Hebrides gained their independence as Vanuatu, the New Hebrides was a rare form of colonial territory in which sovereignty was shared by two powers, Britain and France, instead of just one. Under the Condominium there were three separate governments – one French, one British, and one joint administration that was elected after 1975. The French and British governments were called residencies, each headed by a resident appointed by the metropolitan government, the residency structure greatly emphasized dualism, with both consisting of an equal number of French and British representatives, bureaucrats and administrators. Every member of one residency always had a mirror opposite number on the other side who they could consult. The symmetry between the two residencies was almost exact, the joint government consisted of both local and European officials. It had jurisdiction over the service, public radio station, public works, infrastructure. The two main cities of Santo and Port Vila also had city councils, but these did not have a deal of authority. While initial settlers were predominantly British living in Australia, the late 19th century saw an influx of French. Within a few decades, there were twice as many French on the islands as there were British, despite this, the two nations came together to form a condominium, a specialized form government where both nations would have all of their own administrations and jointly rule the islands. The only place they came together was in the Joint Court and this meant convictions in court were chosen based on either British or French law, depending on the circumstances. Other than the Joint Court, everything existed in pairs, “Cynics called the Condominium ‘the Pandemonium, as the dual administration produced amazing duplication. There were two forces with their own laws, including road laws, two health services, two education systems, two currencies, and two prison systems. For instance, if you were convicted, you could choose whether to be convicted under British or French law
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
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