1.
General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper
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The MQ-9 and other UAVs are referred to as Remotely Piloted Vehicles/Aircraft by the USAF to indicate their human ground controllers. The MQ-9 is the first hunter-killer UAV designed for long-endurance, high-altitude surveillance, the MQ-9 is a larger, heavier, and more capable aircraft than the earlier General Atomics MQ-1 Predator, it can be controlled by the same ground systems used to control MQ-1s. The Reaper has a 950-shaft-horsepower turboprop engine, the greater power allows the Reaper to carry 15 times more ordnance payload and cruise at about three times the speed of the MQ-1. The aircraft is monitored and controlled by aircrew in the Ground Control Station, in March 2011, the U. S. Air Force was training more pilots for advanced unmanned aerial vehicles than for any other single weapons system. The Reaper is also used by the United States Navy, the CIA, U. S. Customs and Border Protection, NASA, the USAF plans to keep the MQ-9 in service into the 2030s. General Atomics began development with the Predator B-001, a proof-of-concept aircraft, abraham Karem is the designer of the Predator. The B-001 was powered by an AlliedSignal Garrett TPE331-10T turboprop engine with 950 shaft horsepower and it had an airframe that was based on the standard Predator airframe, except with an enlarged fuselage and wings lengthened from 48 feet to 66 feet. The B-001 had a speed of 220 knots and could carry a payload of 750 pounds to an altitude of 50,000 feet with an endurance of 30 hours, the company refined the design, taking it in two separate directions. The first was a version, Predator B-002 was fitted with a Williams FJ44-2A turbofan engine with 10.2 kilonewtons thrust. It had payload capacity of 475 pounds, a ceiling of 60,000 feet, the USAF ordered two airframes for evaluation, delivered in 2007. The first two airframes delivered with prototypes B-001 and B-002, B-002 was originally equipped with the FJ-44 engine but it was removed and a TPE-331-10T was installed so that the USAF could take delivery of two aircraft in the same configuration. The second direction the design took was the Predator B-003, referred to by GA as the Altair, which has a new airframe with an 84-foot wingspan, like the Predator B-001, it is powered by a TPE-331-10YGD turboprop. This variant has a capacity of 3,000 pounds, a maximum ceiling of 52,000 feet. In October 2001, the USAF signed a contract for a pair of Predator Bs for evaluation. Designated YMQ-9s due to their role, they were delivered in 2002. The USAF referred to it as Predator B until it was renamed Reaper, operators, stationed at bases such as Creech Air Force Base, near Las Vegas, can hunt for targets and observe terrain using multiple sensors, including a thermographic camera. One claim was that the camera is able to read a license plate from two miles away. An operators command takes 1.2 seconds to reach the drone via a satellite link, the MQ-9 is fitted with six stores pylons, the inner stores pylons can carry a maximum of 1,500 pounds each and allow carriage of external fuel tanks
2.
Holloman Air Force Base
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The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research. It is the home of the 49th Wing of the Air Combat Command, Holloman is located in New Mexicos Tularosa Basin between the Sacramento and San Andres mountain ranges. The base is about 10 miles west of Alamogordo, New Mexico, on U. S. Route 70,90 miles north of El Paso, Texas, the base covers 59,639 acres and is located at an altitude of 4,093 feet. Holloman is home to the worlds longest, at 50,188 feet, the 49th Wing – host wing at Holloman Air Force Base – supports national security objectives by deploying worldwide to support peacetime and wartime contingencies. The wing provides combat-ready Airmen, and trains General Atomics MQ-1 Predator and General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper pilots, sensor operators, the wing has a proud history of service in World War II, Korea, Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia and NATO-led Operation Allied Force. The 49th Wing is the host unit at Holloman Air Force Base, supporting national security objectives with mission-ready F-22 Raptors, Air Transportable Medical Clinic, the wing deploys combat-ready and mission-support forces supporting Air Expeditionary Force operations, Overseas Contingency Operations, and peacetime contingencies. The 49th Operations Group supports national security objectives, as directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the operational squadron is, 7th Fighter Squadron All F-22A carry the HO Tailcode. The Operations Group took over the activities of the inactivated 37th Fighter Wing at Tonopah Test Range Airport when the F-117As were transferred to Holloman in 1993, 49th Mission Support Group, Provides support to all base operations, personnel, and family members. In February 2006, the Bush Administration announced that Holloman would cease to be home to the F-117A Nighthawk and this move coincided with an announcement that the F-117 will be removed from service on or about 2008. On 1 March 2006, it was announced by the United States Air Force that Holloman would be the new home of two squadrons of F-22A Raptors. Along with the 49th FW, the 96th Test Group, part of the 96th Test Wing from Eglin Air Force Base, the 96th TG is an Air Force Materiel Command unit responsible for operational testing and evaluation of new equipment and systems proposed for use by these forces. The 54th Fighter Group ia a geographically separated unit of the 56th Fighter Wing, out of Luke AFB, the German Air Force Tactical Training Center activated at Holloman 1 May 1996. With the activation,300 German military personnel and 12 Panavia Tornado aircraft joined Team Holloman, German aircrews come to Holloman for approximately three weeks for advanced tactical training and then return to Germany. The German Air Force also conducts a Fighter Weapons Instructor Course for the Tornado, aircrews for this course come to Holloman for about six months. As of November 2006 there are 650 German military personnel and 25 Tornado aircraft assigned to Holloman AFB, there are numerous reasons the German Air Force trains at Holloman. The area offers great flying weather and has suitable air space, other reasons are the proximity of Holloman to the German Air Force Air Defense Center at Fort Bliss, Texas and the centralizing of German aircrew training at a single location. To facilitate this, there is a memorandum of understanding between the two governments, on 29 September 1999, two Luftwaffe Tornados crashed near Marathon Indian Basin, about 15 miles northwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico. The crash details were kept quiet from the American public, as the crash was investigated under Luftwaffe jurisdiction, in September 2004, Luftwaffe chief of staff, Klaus-Peter Stieglitz announced a reduction in its training program of roughly 20%
3.
United States
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Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east, the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U. S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean, the geography, climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse. At 3.8 million square miles and with over 324 million people, the United States is the worlds third- or fourth-largest country by area, third-largest by land area. It is one of the worlds most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago. European colonization began in the 16th century, the United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast. Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the following the Seven Years War led to the American Revolution. On July 4,1776, during the course of the American Revolutionary War, the war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain, representing the first successful war of independence against a European power. The current constitution was adopted in 1788, after the Articles of Confederation, the first ten amendments, collectively named the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties. During the second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War led to the end of slavery in the country. By the end of century, the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean. The Spanish–American War and World War I confirmed the status as a global military power. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the sole superpower. The U. S. is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States. The United States is a developed country, with the worlds largest economy by nominal GDP. It ranks highly in several measures of performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP. While the U. S. economy is considered post-industrial, characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy, the United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations. In 1507, the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller produced a map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere America after the Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci
4.
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
5.
Air Combat Command
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Air Combat Command is one of ten Major Commands in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force at the Pentagon. ACC is headquartered at Langley Field, Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Virginia and its commander is General Herbert Hawk Carlisle, with Major General Jerry D. Harris Jr. as Vice Commander, and Chief Master Sergeant Steve K. McDonald as the Command Chief Master Sergeant, in addition, ACC augments the forces of the United States European Command, United States Pacific Command and United States Central Command when needed. Air Combat Command consists of approximately 98,000 active duty members, in 2015, responsibility for the B-1 Lancer bomber fleet was also transferred from ACC to AFGSC. Air Combat Command was created 1 June 1992 after the inactivation of the Tactical Air Command, Strategic Air Command, furthermore, ACC had some KC-135 and KC-10 aerial refueling tankers and C-130 tactical airlift aircraft in its composite, reconnaissance, and certain other combat wings. In 1993, control of the ICBM force was transferred to the Air Force Space Command until transferred again to Air Force Global Strike Command on 1 Dec 2009. S, Air Force and the U. S. Navy. Historically, combat command was an air unit designation. During 1941 and early 1942, the air units of the War Department, formerly known as the GHQ Air Force. The AFCC was dissolved in the reorganization of the United States Army, effective 9 March 1942, not long after activation, ACC underwent organizational and mission changes. The first such change was the transfer of the combat search. With the realigning of search and rescue units, ACC gained additional resources, the formal transfer took place on 1 February 1993, when the Air Rescue Service was assigned to ACC. On 2 July of the year, the ARS was disestablished. The USAF Combat Rescue School was subsequently assigned to the 57th Wing at Nellis AFB, one of the most significant changes for Air Combat Command resulted from an overhaul of flying training responsibilities. Following its activation, ACC was responsible for aircrew training, including initial weapon system. On 1 July 1993, the 58th and 325th Fighter Wings—F-16 and F-15 training units transferred from ACC to Air Education and Training Command. Concurrently, Luke AFB, Arizona, and Tyndall AFB, Florida, for which those respective wings were the host units, however, on 1 October 2012, both Tyndall AFB and the 325th Fighter Wing returned to the control of ACC. The next major change resulted from a fine-tuning of aerial refueling. From its activation, Air Combat Command had assumed ownership of some C-130 Hercules theater airlift assets and KC-10 Extender, there was historical precedent for the reassignment of C-130s to Air Combat Command
6.
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
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The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award is one of the unit awards of the United States Air Force. It was established in 1954 and was the first independent Air Force decoration created, the Air Force Longevity Service Award would follow in 1957 with most of the standard Air Force awards established in the early to mid 1960s. The Outstanding Unit Award is awarded to any unit of the U. S, multiple awards of the Outstanding Unit Award are denoted by oak leaf clusters on the ribbon. Until 2004, the Outstanding Unit Award was the senior most unit award in the U. S. Air Force and it is awarded to personnel who were assigned or attached to the unit receiving the award during the period it was awarded for. Non-USAF personnel personnel assigned to USAF units awarded the Outstanding Unit Award are also eligible to wear the ribbon on their uniforms, however, the ribbon does not come in the larger size of unit awards common to the U. S. Army
7.
49th Operations Group
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The 49th Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 49th Wing. It is stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, during World War II, the units predecessor unit, the 49th Fighter Group, operated primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater as part of the Fifth Air Force. The group earned three Distinguished Unit Citations for engaging the enemy in frequent and intense combat in numerous campaigns between 1942 and 1945. During the modern era, 49th Operations group F-117A Stealth fighters were engaged in combat during Operation Allied Force in 1997, the group also conducts training using the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper. These flights support the wing, tenant units and Armys White Sands Missile Range, the Weather Flight provides operational observing, forecasting and staff weather support. They provide 26 specific types of warnings and advisories to 60 base agencies to ensure resource protection. 6th Reconnaissance Squadron The 6th RS is the USAFs Formal Training Unit for crews learning to operate the MQ-1 Predator. 9th Attack Squadron On 4 October 2012, the 9th Fighter Squadron was redesignated and activated as the 9th Attack Squadron which will train new pilots, 29th Attack Squadron It is the one and only MQ-9 Reaper FTU in the United States Air Force. The group trained with Seversky P-35s and consisted of three operational squadrons, with the advent of World War II, the group moved to Australia and became part of Fifth Air Force in January 1942. It was re-designated as the 49th Fighter Group in May 1942, the group moved to New Guinea in October 1942 to help stall the Japanese drive southward from Buna to Port Moresby. Engaged primarily in air defense of Port Moresby, also escorted bombers and transports, and attacked enemy installations, supply lines and it covered the landings on Noemfoor and had a part in. For or intensive operations against the Japanese on Leyte, the group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation, other missions from the Philippines included strikes against industry and transportation on Formosa and against shipping along the China coast. By the wars end, the pilots destroyed 668 enemy aircraft. The groups World War II activities merited two Philippines Republic Presidential Unit Citations, three U. S, Distinguished Unit Citations, and 10 battle honors. Among the units 43 aces were Lt. Colonel Boyd D, buzz Wagner, the first World War II ace in the Pacific Theater, and Major Richard I. Bong, whose 40 kills made him Americas number one ace, the 49th soon became endeared to the American people through the nickname, Fighting 49ers. The 49th moved to Okinawa in August 1945 and to Japan in September, as part of the Army of occupation in Japan, the 49th Fighter Group trained, took part in maneuvers, and flew surveillance patrols, as part of Far East Air Forces. The group was equipped with North American P-51 Mustangs in 1946, on 10 August 1948, with the adoption of the Hobson Plan, the United States Air Force 49th Fighter Wing was activated, with the 49th Fighter Group being assigned as its combat group
8.
Third Air Force
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The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa. Its headquarters is Ramstein Air Base, Germany and it is responsible for all U. S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa operations and support activities in the U. S. European Command and U. S. Africa Commands areas of responsibility, during the war, its primary mission became the organization and training of combat units prior to their deployment to the overseas combat air forces. Its Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant Phillip L. Easton, the command directs all USAFE and AFAFRICA forces engaged in contingency and wartime operations in the United States European Command and United States Africa Command areas of responsibility. It also has a mission as the U. S. militarys primary liaison to the British government. Through the Partnership for Peace program, Third Air Force manages military contact, Third Air Force is also responsible for contingency planning and support of American security interests in Africa. It is composed of more than 25,000 military people, Third Air Force is assigned more than 200 aircraft, while tasked to provide support servicing to thousands of other transient aircraft that visit its bases each year. It was redesignated Third Air Force on 26 March 1941 with a mission for the defense of the Southeast and it moved to offices in downtown Tampa on 8 January 1941. MacDill Field was one of two major Army Air Corps bases established in the Tampa Bay area in the prior to World War II. Tampas Drew Field Municipal Airport, established in 1928 was leased by the Air Corps in 1940, a major expansion of the airport was initiated and Drew Army Airfield was opened in 1941. Two secondary Army Airfields, Brooksville Army Airfield and Hillsborough Army Airfield were built and opened in early 1942 to support the operations of MacDill. The Bonita Springs Auxiliary Field, located near Fort Myers provided an emergency landing field for MacDill. All of these came under the jurisdiction of Third Air Force. III Fighter Command, the arm, was headquartered at Drew Field. Third Air Force initially provided air defense for the southeastern United States and flew patrols along coastal areas of the Atlantic Ocean. Third Air Force primarily trained B-25 Mitchell and B-26 Marauder medium bomber groups and A-20 Havoc, Third Air Force also provided support to the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics in Florida. Also by 1944, the majority of the Numbered Air Forces of the AAF were fighting in parts of the world, such as the Eighth Air Force in Europe. When the Army Air Forces reorganized in 1946, Tactical Air Command was established as one of its three major commands
9.
Fort Polk
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Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, approximately ten miles east of Leesville, Louisiana, and thirty miles north of DeRidder in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana. It was named in honor of the Right Reverend Leonidas Polk, the first Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Louisiana, and a distinguished Confederate general in the American Civil War. The post encompasses approximately 198,000 acres—100,000 acres are owned by the Department of the Army—98,125 acres by the U. S. Forest Service, Fort Polk is the only Combat Training Center that also trains and deploys combat units. In 2013, there were 10,877 troops stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana officials lobbied the Army and the United States Congress to keep troop strength at full capacity despite looming defense cuts. Fort Polk began as a base for the Louisiana Maneuvers in the 1940s and it served the 1st Armored Division in the 1950s, and became a basic training post during Vietnam War years of the 1960s and 70s. It hosted the 5th Infantry Division in the 1970s-1980s, and the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in the 1990s and the 1st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, and the 162nd Infantry Brigade in the 2000s. The land that is now Fort Polk is part of a region of cultural resources, including sites, historic houses and structures. Construction of Camp Polk began in 1941, thousands of wooden barracks sprang up quickly to support an Army preparing to do battle on the North African, European and Pacific fronts. Soldiers at Polk participated in the Louisiana Maneuvers, which were designed to test U. S. troops preparing for World War II, until 1939, the Army had mostly been an infantry force with supporting artillery, engineer, and cavalry units. Few units had been motorized or mechanized, as U. S. involvement in World War II became more likely, the Army recognized the need to modernize the service. But it also needed large-scale maneuvers to test a fast-growing, inexperienced force and that is where Fort Polk and the Louisiana Maneuvers came in. The Maneuvers involved half a million soldiers in 19 Army Divisions, the troops were divided equal armies of two notional countries, Kotmk and Almat. These countries were fighting over navigation rights for the Mississippi River, the Maneuvers gave Army leadership the chance to test a new doctrine that stressed the need for both mass and mobility. Sixteen armored divisions sprang up during World War II after the lessons learned during the Louisiana Maneuvers were considered and these divisions specialized in moving huge combined-arms mechanized units long distances in combat. On the defensive front, U. S. doctrine was based on two needs, the ability to defeat Blitzkrieg tactics, and how to deal with numbers of German tanks attacking relatively narrow areas. As such, the Maneuvers also tested the concept of the tank destroyer, in this concept, highly mobile guns were held in reserve until friendly forces were attacked by enemy tanks. Then, the destroyers would be rapidly deploy to the flanks of the penetration. Tank destroyers employed aggressive, high-speed hit-and-run tactics, the conclusion drawn was that tank destroyer battalions should be raised
10.
Fort Campbell
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Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astride the Kentucky-Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Clarksville, Tennessee. Fort Campbell is home to the 101st Airborne Division and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the fort is named in honor of Union Army Brigadier General William Bowen Campbell, the last Whig Governor of Tennessee. Construction of Camp Campbell began on January 12,1942, due to its close proximity to Clarksville, Tennessee, the War Department on March 6,1942, designated Tennessee as the official address of the new camp. This caused a deal of confusion, since the Headquarters was in Tennessee. After many months of mail delivery problems, Colonel Guy W. Chipman requested that the address be changed to Camp Campbell, the War Department officially changed the address on September 23,1942. Early in the summer of 1942, the initial cadre, one officer and 19 enlisted men, arrived from Fort Knox. From that time until the end of World War II, Camp Campbell was the ground for the 12th, 14th and 20th Armored divisions, Headquarters IV Armored Corps. In the spring of 1949, the 11th Airborne Division arrived at Campbell following occupation duty in Japan, the 11th was in residence there until early 1956. By April 1950, the post had evolved from a training camp to a permanent installation and was renamed Fort Campbell. From 1950 to 1962 the post operated an Airborne Course which trained nearly 30,000 soldiers as paratroopers before its inactivation and this was the official ceremony reactivating the famed Screaming Eagles of World War II. On May 2,1966, Third Army General Order 161 directed the activation of a Basic Combat Training Center at Fort Campbell, on July 6, barely two months after its activation, Fort Campbells Army Training Center received its first 220 newly inducted soldiers. Basic Combat Training began on schedule July 11 with a complement of 1,100 trainees. The Training Center operated until April 15,1972, when it was deactivated, the 1st Brigade was sent for duty in Vietnam in July 1965. Soon thereafter, upon the escalation of hostilities in Southeast Asia, also in response to the military buildup, the 6th Infantry Division was reactivated at Fort Campbell on November 24,1966, and inactivated July 25,1968. In September 1971 the 173rd Airborne Brigade returned to Fort Campbell and conducted its official homecoming ceremonies, the 173rd was then inactivated on 14 January 1972 and its personnel and the equipment used to rebuild the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. The 3rd Brigade remained on jump status until April 1974, when its status was terminated. On April 6,1972, the 101st Airborne Division was officially welcomed back to its station after the cessation of hostilities in Vietnam. The ceremonies were attended by Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, on 12 December 1985,246 servicemembers died with eight aircrew shortly after takeoff from Gander, Newfoundland, Canada, during a return from peacekeeping duties in Egypt
11.
Desert Training Center
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It was a key training facility for units engaged in combat during the 1942–1943 North African campaign. It stretched from the outskirts of Pomona, California eastward to within 50 miles of Phoenix, Arizona, southward to the suburbs of Yuma, Arizona and this simulated theater of operation was the largest military training ground in the history of military maneuvers. A site near Shavers Summit between Indio and Desert Center, was selected as the headquarters of the DTC, the site, called Camp Young, was the worlds largest army post. Major General George S. Patton Jr. came to Camp Young as the first commanding general of the DTC, as a native of southern California, Patton knew the area well from his youth and from having participated in army maneuvers in the Mojave Desert in the 1930s. Patton and his advanced team designated various locations within the area where tent camps would be built, the camps were situated so that each unit could train individually without interfering with the other. Airfields, hospitals, supply depots and sites for other services were selected as was a corps maneuvering area. Upon completion of the exercise, the trained units would leave the DTC, and new units would arrive to begin their training. By March 1943, the North African campaign was in its final stages, by the middle of 1943, the troops who originally came for desert training maneuvers, were now deployed worldwide. Therefore, to reflect that change in mission, the name of the center was changed to the California-Arizona Maneuver Area, the CAMA was to serve as a theater of operations to train combat troops, service units and staffs under conditions similar to those which might be encountered overseas. The CAMA was enlarged to include both a communications zone and combat zone, approximately 350 miles wide and 250 miles long, activated 1 April 1942 Radio message Headquarters, War Department, Washington, D. C. In most cases the only things that remain at the sites are streets, sidewalks, building foundations, patterns of hand-laid rocks for various purposes. Monuments have been erected at some of the sites and there are areas within CAMA that are fenced off with danger signs warning of unexploded ordnance. The General George S. Patton Memorial Museum is located near the entrance of Camp Young. American Theater of World War II Military history of California Henley, the Land That God Forgot, The Saga of Gen. George Pattons Desert Training Camp. Fallon, NV, Western Military History Association, lynch, John S. Pattons Desert Training Center. Ft. Meyer, VA, Council on Americas Military Past. p.56, meller, Sidney L. Army Ground Forces, Washington, DC, Historical Section. History of the Army Ground Forces, the Desert Training Center and C-AMA. Ft. Belvoir, MD, Defense Technical Information Center, cS1 maint, Multiple names, authors list The Army Almanac, A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States, U. S. Government Printing Office,1950 reproduced at CMH
12.
North American P-51 Mustang
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The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by North American Aviation in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission, the Purchasing Commission approached North American Aviation to build Curtiss P-40 fighters under license for the Royal Air Force. Rather than build an old design from another company, North American Aviation proposed the design, the prototype NA-73X airframe was rolled out on 9 September 1940,102 days after the contract was signed, and first flew on 26 October. The Mustang was originally designed to use the Allison V-1710 engine and it was first flown operationally by the RAF as a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber. The addition of the Rolls-Royce Merlin to the P-51B/C model transformed the Mustangs performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft, the P-51 was also used by Allied air forces in the North African, Mediterranean, Italian and Pacific theaters. During World War II, Mustang pilots claimed to have destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft, despite the advent of jet fighters, the Mustang remained in service with some air forces until the early 1980s. After the Korean War, Mustangs became popular civilian warbird and air racing aircraft, in April 1940 the British government established a purchasing commission in the United States, headed by Sir Henry Self. Self was given responsibility for Royal Air Force production and research and development, and also served with Sir Wilfrid Freeman. Self also sat on the British Air Council Sub-committee on Supply and one of his tasks was to organize the manufacturing and supply of American fighter aircraft for the RAF. At the time, the choice was limited, as no U. S. aircraft then in production or flying met European standards. The Curtiss-Wright plant was running at capacity, so P-40s were in short supply, North American Aviation was already supplying its Harvard trainer to the RAF, but was otherwise underutilized. NAA President Dutch Kindelberger approached Self to sell a new medium bomber, instead, Self asked if NAA could manufacture the Tomahawk under license from Curtiss. Kindelberger said NAA could have an aircraft with the same engine in the air sooner than establishing a production line for the P-40. In March 1940,320 aircraft were ordered by Sir Wilfred Freeman who had become the head of the Ministry of Aircraft Production. The NA-73X, which was designed by a led by lead engineer Edgar Schmued, followed the best conventional practice of the era. One was a wing designed using laminar flow airfoils which were developed co-operatively by North American Aviation and these airfoils generated very low drag at high speeds. The results of this test showed the superiority of the wing designed with the NAA/NACA 45–100 airfoils, the other feature was a new cooling arrangement that reduced the cooling drag. It was later discovered that, after lot of development, the assembly could take advantage of the Meredith Effect
13.
Tactical Air Command
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Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base and it was inactivated on 1 June 1992 and its personnel and equipment absorbed by Air Combat Command. Tactical Air Command was established to provide a balance between strategic, air defense, and tactical forces of the post–World War II U. S. Army Air Forces followed by, in 1947, the U. S. Air Force. In 1948, the Continental Air Command assumed control over air defense, tactical air, after two years in a subordinate role, Tactical Air Command was established as a major command. World War II showed the effectiveness of air power in supporting army ground forces. However, the demobilization in late 1945 meant that the huge air armada that had brought Germany to her knees. Following the end of World War II, Headquarters United States Army Air Forces had little funding and most wartime personnel had been released from active duty and returned to civilian life. Many USAAF aircraft were being sent to storage or scrapyards, although the tension with the Soviet Union meant that combat military air forces were still needed. The big questions were how large and what kind of forces, a major realignment of the USAAF was undertaken in early 1946. As part of the realignment, three major divisions within the Continental United States were formed, Strategic Air Command, Tactical Air Command. Each was given a specific responsibility, using assets prescribed to accomplish the assigned mission, Tactical Air Command was formed to command, organize, equip, train and administer assigned or attached forces. It was to plan for and participate in tactics for fighter, light bombardment and these included tactical fighters, tactical bombers, tactical missiles, troop carrier aircraft, assault, reconnaissance, and support units. TAC also planned for and developed the capability to deploy tactical striking forces anywhere in the world, during its existence, Tactical Air Command deployed personnel, material and/or aircraft to Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe and Australia in support of its prescribed mission. TACs original authorization was 25,500 officers and enlisted men, aircraft assets available consisted of propeller-driven North American P-51 Mustangs, Republic P-47 Thunderbolts and a handful of the new jet-powered Lockheed P-80 Shooting Stars. TAC was also given control of the Third Air Force, Ninth Air Force, on 18 September 1947, the United States Air Force was established as a separate military force, with TAC as one of its major commands. At the time, there was only one U. S. Air Forces in Europe tactical air unit available in Europe, TAC was called upon to send additional units and aircraft to Europe to reinforce the 86 FG. The 36th Fighter Group, flying Lockheed F-80B Shooting Stars, was transferred from Howard AFB in the Panama Canal Zone to Furstenfeldbruck Air Base near Munich. In addition to fighter aircraft, TAC also deployed available C-47 Skytrain transports to Europe, transferring them to USAFE
14.
Shaw Air Force Base
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Shaw Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 8.4 miles west-northwest of downtown Sumter, South Carolina. It is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command, the United States Air Force 20th Fighter Wing is the host unit. It is one of the largest military bases operated by the United States, the Shaw line was constructed in 1941 to bring in materials for base development, and has two GE 80-ton locomotives,1644 and 1671. The base is named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lieutenant Ervin David Shaw, Lieutenant Shaw was one of the first Americans to fly combat missions in World War I. Shaw, a Sumter County native, was assigned to the Royal Air Force 48 Squadron, Shaw died after three enemy aircraft attacked his Bristol F. 2B while he was returning from a reconnaissance mission on 9 July 1918. Lt. Shaw downed one of his attackers before he was killed, Shaw Field was activated on 30 August 1941 and placed under the jurisdiction of the Army Air Corps Southeast Air Corps Training Center. The mission of the new airfield was a flying school to instruct air cadets in flying. The airfield consisted of three 4, 500-foot runways and several auxiliary airfields, enough construction was completed for the first group of cadets entered training December 15,1941, and the first class completed training in February 1942. The concrete parking ramp was completed during May 1942, in October 1942, the flight training was changed to Advanced flying training and AT-6 Texan single-engine and Beech AT-10 twin-engine trainers were used. On 1 April 1945 jurisdiction of Shaw Field was transferred to First Air Force, the 139th Army Air Force Base Unit, I Fighter Command became the host unit. And pilots were sent to Shaw for fighter training in Republic P-47 Thunderbolt single-engined fighters. For a brief time, Shaw Field also served as a prisoner-of-war camp, the first group of German POWs arrived on 1 March 1945. Eventually,175 of them lived in an encampment just off the base, on Peach Orchard Road across from Shaws hospital gate. They departed in the months of 1946 for the rebuilding of European cities. Those prisoners were repatriated to Germany around 1947, with some returning to the Shaw and Sumter area. Shaw Army Airfield was designated a permanent Army Air Forces installation after the war, after a period of reorganization, jurisdiction was transferred to Air Defense Command on 1 March 1946. From July 1946 until May 1947 Shaw was the home of the 414th and 415th Night Fighter Squadrons, the squadrons flew the P-61 Black Widow in Europe with Ninth Air Force during World War II, and were reassigned back to the United States after the end of hostilities. The 414th was transferred to Caribbean Air Force at Rio Hato AB, the 415th was reassigned to Alaska Air Command at Adak Island, Alaska in May 1947 also to perform an air defense mission, over the Aleutian Islands and the territorial waters of western Alaska
15.
South Carolina
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South Carolina /ˌsaʊθ kærəˈlaɪnə/ is a state in the southeastern region of the United States. The state is bordered to the north by North Carolina, to the south and west by Georgia across the Savannah River, South Carolina became the eighth state to ratify the U. S. Constitution, doing so on May 23,1788. South Carolina became the first state to vote to secede from the Union on December 20,1860, after the American Civil War, it was readmitted into the United States on June 25,1868. South Carolina is the 40th most extensive and the 23rd most populous U. S. state and its GDP as of 2013 was $183.6 billion, with an annual growth rate of 3. 13%. The capital and largest city is Columbia with a 2013 population of 133,358, South Carolina is named in honor of King Charles I of England, under whose reign the English colony was first formed, with Carolus being Latin for Charles. There is evidence of activity in the area about 12000 years ago. Along the Savannah River were the Apalachee, Yuchi, and the Yamasee, further west were the Cherokee, and along the Catawba River, the Catawba. These tribes were village-dwellers, relying on agriculture as their food source. The Cherokee lived in wattle and daub houses made with wood and clay, about a dozen separate small tribes summered on the coast harvesting oysters and fish, and cultivating corn, peas and beans. Travelling inland as much as 50 miles mostly by canoe, they wintered on the plain, hunting deer and gathering nuts. The names of these survive in place names like Edisto Island, Kiawah Island. The Spanish were the first Europeans in the area, in 1521, founding San Miguel de Gualdape, established with 500 settlers, it was abandoned within a year by 150 survivors. In 1562 French settlers established a settlement at what is now the Charlesfort-Santa Elena archaeological site on Parris Island, three years later the Spanish built a fort on the same site, but withdrew following hostilities with the English navy. In 1629, King Charles I of England established the Province of Carolina an area covering what is now South and North Carolina, Georgia, in the 1670s, English planters from the Barbados established themselves near what is now Charleston. Settlers built rice plantations in the South Carolina Lowcountry, east of the Atlantic Seaboard fall line, settlers came from all over Europe. Plantation labor was done by African slaves who formed the majority of the population by 1720, another cash crop was the Indigo plant, a plant source of blue dye, developed by Eliza Lucas. Meanwhile, in Upstate South Carolina, west of the Fall Line, was settled by farmers and traders. Colonists overthrew the rule, seeing more direct representation
16.
Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
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The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was an American-built swept-wing turbojet fighter-bomber. While an evolutionary development of the straight-wing F-84 Thunderjet, the F-84F was a new design, the RF-84F Thunderflash was a photo reconnaissance version. In 1949, a swept wing version of the F-84 was created with the hope of bringing performance to the level of the F-86. The last production F-84E was fitted with a tail, a new wing with 38.5 degrees of leading edge sweep and 3.5 degrees of anhedral. It flew on 3 June 1950 with Otto P. Haas at the controls, although the airplane was capable of 602 knots, the performance gain over the F-84E was considered minor. Nonetheless, it was ordered into production in July 1950 as the F-84F Thunderstreak, the F-84 designation was retained because the fighter was expected to be a low-cost improvement of the straight-wing Thunderjet with over 55 percent commonality in tooling. Production delays with the F-84F forced the USAF to order a number of straight-wing F-84Gs as an interim measure, although tooling commonality with the Thunderjet was supposed to be 55 percent, in reality only fifteen percent of tools could be reused. To make matters worse, the F-84F utilized press-forged wing spars, at the time, only three presses in the United States could manufacture these, and priority was given to the Boeing B-47 Stratojet bomber over the F-84. The YJ65-W-1 engine was considered obsolete and the improved J65-W-3 did not become available until 1954, when the first production F-84F finally flew on 22 November 1952, it differed from the service test aircraft. It had a different canopy which opened up and back instead of sliding to the rear, the aircraft was considered not ready for operational deployment due to control and stability problems. The first 275 aircraft, equipped with conventional stabilizer-elevator tailplanes, suffered from accelerated stall pitch-up, beginning with Block 25, the problem was ameliorated by the introduction of a hydraulically powered one-piece stabilator. A number of aircraft were retrofitted with spoilers for improved high-speed control. As a result, the F-84F was not declared operational until 12 May 1954, the second YF-84F prototype was completed with wing-root air intakes. These were not adopted for the due to loss of thrust. However, this arrangement permitted placement of cameras in the nose, the first YRF-84F was completed in February 1952. The aircraft retained an armament of four guns and could carry up to fifteen cameras. Being largely identical to the F-84F, the Thunderflash suffered from the production delays and engine problems. The aircraft was retired from duty in 1957, only to be reactivated in 1961
17.
McDonnell F-101 Voodoo
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The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic jet fighter which served the United States Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force. An F-101A set a number of speed records for jet powered aircraft, including fastest airspeed. They operated in the role until 1979. Delays in the 1954 interceptor project led to demands for an interceptor aircraft design. The F-101B entered service with Air Defense Command in 1959 and the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1961, US examples were handed off to the Air National Guard where they served until 1982. Canadian examples remained in service until 1984, the Voodoos career as a fighter-bomber was relatively brief, but the reconnaissance versions served for some time. Interceptor versions served with the Air National Guard until 1982, initial design on what would eventually become the Voodoo began just after World War II in response to a USAAF Penetration Fighter Competition in 1946. Several companies responded with designs, and the Air Force provided funds for several of them to produce prototypes, after being awarded a contract on 14 February 1947, McDonnell built two prototypes, designated the XF-88 Voodoo. The first prototype, powered by two 3,000 lbf Westinghouse XJ34-WE-13 turbojets, flew from Muroc on 20 October 1948, preliminary testing revealed that while handling and range was adequate, the top speed was a disappointing 641 mph at sea level. Fuel consumption was increased by use of the afterburners, however. Analysis of Korean war missions, however, revealed that contemporary USAF strategic bombers were vulnerable to fighter interception, in 1951, the USAF issued a new requirement for a bomber escort with all major US manufacturers submitting designs. The McDonnell design was a larger and higher powered version of the XF-88, the F-88 was redesignated the F-101 Voodoo in November 1951. The new design was larger, carrying three times the initial fuel load and designed around larger, more powerful Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojets. The greater dimensions of the J57 engines required modifications to the engine bays, the new intake also was designed to be more efficient at higher Mach numbers. In late 1952, the mission of the F-101 was changed from fighter to strategic fighter. The new Voodoo mock-up with the inlets, tail surfaces, landing gear. F-101A serial number 53-2418 was the first production aircraft, its flight was on 29 September 1954 at Edwards AFB where it reached Mach 0. It was previously on display at the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum, the end of the war in Korea and the development of the jet-powered Boeing B-52 Stratofortress negated the need for fighter escort and Strategic Air Command withdrew from the program
18.
432d Wing
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The 432d Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command, stationed at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. The group operates unmanned reconnaissance aircraft which provide real-time reconnaissance, surveillance, the 432d Wing is the first United States Air Force wing dedicated to unmanned aircraft systems. The wing stood up 1 May 2007 at Creech Air Force Base, the 432d is the first wing totally dedicated to operating remotely piloted aircraft, the MQ-1 Predator, MQ-9 Reaper, and RQ-170 Sentinel. The wing has flown aircraft in Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom for intelligence surveillance reconnaissance and tactical missions, flown by pilots, the 432d is authorized 160 Predator and 60 Reapers. As of May 2007,6 Reapers and about 85 Predators have been delivered with half of the Predators deployed forward in the United States Central Command area of operations, the wing is expected to fly 12 combat air mission in Iraq and Afghanistan each day. The wing includes several operational squadrons and a maintenance squadron, there are 440 aircrew members, about half of whom are pilots and the other half sensor operators. There are also 450 maintenance personnel, half of whom are contractors and it served as the operational training unit of the USAAF School of Applied Tactics at Keystone Army Air Field, Florida. The group trained and provided reconnaissance to assist fighter, bombardment, Aircraft included Bell P-39 Airacobra fighter and Aeronca L-3 Grasshopper light observation aircraft. The group was disbanded on 1 November 1943, on 23 March 1953, the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Group was activated at Shaw Air Force Base]], South Carolina. The 432ds mission at Shaw was to assume the reconnaissance training mission that was handled previously by the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, the group initially conducted training with two squadrons flying the Republic RF-84F Thunderflash and two squadrons flying the Martin RB-57A Canberra. In 1957, the group upgraded the 20th and 29th to the McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo, when elevated to the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing on 8 February 1958, the wing operated the USAF Advanced Flying Training School, Tactical Reconnaissance. With the elevation to wing status, the 432d TFW was realigned to a four squadron RF-101C wing, from 8 February 1958 to 18 June 1959 the wing was supervised by the 837th Air Division. In a budgetary move, the 432d TRW was inactivated on 8 April 1959, on 18 September 1966, the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was activated at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand as an Douglas RF-4C Phantom II wing. The wing assumed the personnel, aircraft and equipment of the 6234th Tactical Fighter Wing, at Udon, it became one of the most diversified units of its size in the Air Force. The wing had numerous missions in the support area, the 432d TRW accounted for more than 80 percent of all reconnaissance activity over North Vietnam. In addition to the mission, the 432d also had a tactical fighter squadron component. The squadrons flew missions over North Vietnam and the pilots. In 1968, the 7th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, flying specialized Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft, the squadron had been attached to the wing as a temporary duty unit from Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam
19.
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
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It first entered service in 1960 with the U. S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable, it was adopted by the U. S. Marine Corps and the U. S. Air Force. The Phantom is a fighter with a top speed of over Mach 2.2. It can carry more than 18,000 pounds of weapons on nine hardpoints, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles. The F-4, like other interceptors of its time, was designed without an internal cannon, later models incorporated an M61 Vulcan rotary cannon. Beginning in 1959, it set 15 world records for performance, including an absolute speed record. The Phantom has the distinction of being the last U. S. fighter flown to attain ace status in the 20th century. The F-4 Phantom II remained in use by the U. S. in the reconnaissance and Wild Weasel roles in the 1991 Gulf War, finally leaving service in 1996. It was also the aircraft used by both U. S. flight demonstration teams, the USAF Thunderbirds and the US Navy Blue Angels. The F-4 was also operated by the forces of 11 other nations. Israeli Phantoms saw extensive combat in several Arab–Israeli conflicts, while Iran used its fleet of Phantoms in the Iran–Iraq War. Phantoms remain in front line service with five countries, Phantom production ran from 1958 to 1981, with a total of 5,195 built, making it the most numerous American supersonic military aircraft. The F-4 is currently used by Greece, Iran, Japan, South Korea and it has been recently used in combat against the Islamic State. In 1952, McDonnells Chief of Aerodynamics, Dave Lewis, was appointed by CEO Jim McDonnell to be the preliminary design manager. With no new aircraft competitions on the horizon, internal studies concluded the Navy had the greatest need for a new and different aircraft type, in 1953, McDonnell Aircraft began work on revising its F3H Demon naval fighter, seeking expanded capabilities and better performance. The company developed several projects including a variant powered by a Wright J67 engine, the J79-powered version promised a top speed of Mach 1.97. On 19 September 1953, McDonnell approached the United States Navy with a proposal for the Super Demon, the Navy was sufficiently interested to order a full-scale mock-up of the F3H-G/H, but felt that the upcoming Grumman XF9F-9 and Vought XF8U-1 already satisfied the need for a supersonic fighter. On 26 May 1955, four Navy officers arrived at the McDonnell offices and, within an hour, because the Navy already had the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk for ground attack and F-8 Crusader for dogfighting, the project now had to fulfill the need for an all-weather fleet defense interceptor
20.
Vietnam War
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It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam and the government of South Vietnam. The war is considered a Cold War-era proxy war. As the war continued, the actions of the Viet Cong decreased as the role. U. S. and South Vietnamese forces relied on air superiority and overwhelming firepower to conduct search and destroy operations, involving ground forces, artillery, in the course of the war, the U. S. conducted a large-scale strategic bombing campaign against North Vietnam. The North Vietnamese government and the Viet Cong were fighting to reunify Vietnam and they viewed the conflict as a colonial war and a continuation of the First Indochina War against forces from France and later on the United States. The U. S. government viewed its involvement in the war as a way to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam and this was part the domino theory of a wider containment policy, with the stated aim of stopping the spread of communism. Beginning in 1950, American military advisors arrived in what was then French Indochina, U. S. involvement escalated in the early 1960s, with troop levels tripling in 1961 and again in 1962. Regular U. S. combat units were deployed beginning in 1965, despite the Paris Peace Accord, which was signed by all parties in January 1973, the fighting continued. In the U. S. and the Western world, a large anti-Vietnam War movement developed as part of a larger counterculture, the war changed the dynamics between the Eastern and Western Blocs, and altered North–South relations. Direct U. S. military involvement ended on 15 August 1973, the capture of Saigon by the North Vietnamese Army in April 1975 marked the end of the war, and North and South Vietnam were reunified the following year. The war exacted a huge human cost in terms of fatalities, estimates of the number of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians killed vary from 966,000 to 3.8 million. Some 240, 000–300,000 Cambodians,20, 000–62,000 Laotians, and 58,220 U. S. service members died in the conflict. Various names have applied to the conflict. Vietnam War is the most commonly used name in English and it has also been called the Second Indochina War and the Vietnam Conflict. As there have been several conflicts in Indochina, this conflict is known by the names of its primary protagonists to distinguish it from others. In Vietnamese, the war is known as Kháng chiến chống Mỹ. It is also called Chiến tranh Việt Nam, France began its conquest of Indochina in the late 1850s, and completed pacification by 1893. The 1884 Treaty of Huế formed the basis for French colonial rule in Vietnam for the seven decades
21.
49th Wing
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The 49th Wing is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to Twelfth Air Force, Air Combat Command. It is stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, the 49th Wing supports national security objectives by deploying worldwide in support of peacetime and wartime contingencies. The wing provides combat-ready Airmen training MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper pilots, the wing has a proud history of service in Korea, Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia and NATO-led Operation Allied Force. 49th Operations Group The 49th Operations Group supports training of MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper pilots, the group also directs all maintenance, qualification, on-the-job and ancillary training for over 1,200 people. The groups 431 authorized personnel encompass 42 Air Force specialties and are responsible for bare base assets worth over $234 million dollars. 49th Medical Group The 49th Medical Groups mission is to sustain and enhance a culture of safety, maximize combat readiness, enhance access to quality patient care, and develop our Airmen and staff. For additional history and lineage, see 49th Operations Group The history of the 49th Wing begins with its activation at Misawa Air Base, in January 1946, the 49th Fighter Group became the first United States Army Air Forces unit assigned to the rebuilt base. In 1948, with the adoption of the Hobson Plan, the United States Air Force 49th Fighter Wing was activated, the initial mission of the 49th Fighter Wing was the air defense of Northern Honshu and Hokkaido. Its 7th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Squadron and 9th Fighter Squadrons were initially equipped with P-51D Mustangs, initially under its parent wing, the 49th was reassigned to the 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing during July through September, and finally the 6149th Tactical Support Wing during October and November 1950. Korean War squadrons of the 49th were the 7th, 8th and 9th Fighter-Bomber Squadrons, the 49ths first task in South Korea was to cover the evacuation of civilians from Kimpo and Suwon. Next, it flew air support missions to help slow the advancing North Korean armies. Later, it turned to the interdiction of troops, supplies. Phasing out its F-51s for Lockheed F-80C Shooting Stars jets, the 49th FBW moved to Taegu AB on 1 October 1950 and it received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its combat operations during the first five months of the war. When the Chinese Communist Forces Intervention Campaign gained momentum in 1950–1951 and it converted to Republic F-84G Thunderjets, June–September 1951, one squadron at a time, while the others continued combat operations. The 49th FBG earned another DUC for its contribution to the success of the 1st UN Counteroffensive Campaign, afterwards, it engaged primarily in air interdiction operations against the main enemy channel of transportation, the roads and railroads between Pyongyang and Sinuiju. On 27 July 1953, the 49th FBG joined the 58th FBG to bomb Sunan Airfield for the action of F-84 fighter-bombers during the Korean War. The unit was one of the most decorated Air Force units in the war, such accomplishments earned the wing a niche in United States Air Force history. The wing remained in Korea for a time after the armistice and it was reassigned to Misawa AB, Japan on 2 November 1953 and provided air defense for Japan through 1957
22.
74th Observation Group
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The 74th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 91st Air Division at Stewart AFB, the uniit was first activated at Lawson Field, Georgia in February 1942 as the 74th Observation Group, shortly after the United States entered into World War II. However, the groups first operational squadrons, the 11th, the newly activated 13th, the unit flew reconnaissance, mapping, artillery adjustment, bombing, dive bombing, and strafing missions to support ground units in training or on maneuvers. It trained personnel in aerial reconnaissance, medium bombardment, and fighter techniques throughout the war until it was inactivated in November 1945, the group was reactivated in the reserves in 1946 at Stewart Field, New York. Redesignated 74th Reconnaissance Group, allotted to the reserve, and activated, on 27 December 1946 Inactivated on 27 June 1949. April 1942 IV Air Support Command,28 December 1942 III Reconnaissance Command, ca.14 April 1942 Esler Field, Louisiana, c.13 December 1942 Desert Center Army Air Field, California, 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
23.
XIX Tactical Air Command
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The XIX Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. The units last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force based at Biggs Field and it was inactivated on 31 March 1946. Formed in England in early 1944, XIX TAC was a command and control organization, designed to air support to Army ground forces, primarily with P-47 Thunderbolt. XIX TAC supported all of Third Armys operations and more and its roles included a bewildering number of missions, close air support, battlefield air interdiction, deep interdiction, dive bombing, counterair, reconnaissance, and even leaflet dropping. XIX TACs close air support mission took its most concerted, extended, the Third Armys tank crews and their accompanying air support officers pointed out enemy concentrations, and divisional artillery at times gave further assistance by marking targets with smoke. In return, the P-47 and P-51 pilots of XIX TAC provided cover for the tanks in one-hour shifts with four aircraft per flight, as little as three minutes after being contacted, they could strike the designated target, thereby freeing the armored forces to continue their advance. Another of XIX TACs missions, dive bombing, is thought of as a tactic. It resembled deep interdiction, for both types of missions made use of aerial bombing techniques and normally attacked similar, prearranged targets. But while deep interdiction was designed to cut off enemy movements either in or out of the combat zone and they were employed, for example, during the unsuccessful September attempt to seize Metz, and their most extensive use was during the siege at Brest. The results of Brest were not particularly impressive and it was soon obvious that the defenders––as part of Hitlers hold on to the ports strategy––had ample provisions and were determined to hold out. XIX TACs P-47s and P-51s simply did not have the power to bring about the desired results. Thus the American commander called on other air formations to assist, eighth Air Force responded between 11 August and 5 September with four missions in which 983 B-17s dropped 2520 tons of bombs. British Bomber Command made two raids with approximately 220 Lancasters taking part, U. S. IX Bomber Commands B-26s and new A-26s undertook six missions. IX TAC loaned some of its squadrons to XIX TAC––squadrons that flew 839 sorties between 5 and 11 September, when Brests capture was accorded a high priority. By the time the last of Germanys beleaguered troops capitulated on the 19th and its port facilities, for which the operation originally had been undertaken, were so badly damaged that the Americans never used it as a major supply port. Obviously, air power had affected the outcome of the battle, XIX TAC was also involved in counterair operations, although, because of the Luftwaffes relative weakness, to a lesser extent than it might have been. Only in critical situations or when they had a numerical advantage did Jagdkorps IIs Bf-109s and FW-190s venture out, while IX TAC led the counterair response, the RAF and XIX TACs 354th Fighter-Bomber Group of P-51s also lent a hand. Near Paris, U. S. pilots also encountered opposition, although the Allies remained aware that the situation might change, Allied aircraft now reigned supreme
24.
69th Reconnaissance Group
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The 69th Reconnaissance Group is an active United States Air Force unit. It is part of Air Combat Command stationed at Grand Forks AFB, the group served in the American and European Theaters of World War II as a reconnaissance unit until returning to the United States where it was inactivated. It was reactivated in the fall of 2011 as an aircraft reconnaissance group. The group was activated in the fall of 1941 as the 69th Observation Group with two squadrons assigned, the group flew antisubmarine patrols along the Pacific coast after the Attack on Pearl Harbor. The group engaged primarily in air to ground training during 1943 and 1944 while it was successively designated 69th Reconnaissance Group and it began training with North American F-6 Mustangs in January 1945 for duty overseas. The 69th moved to France in February to March 1945 where it was assigned to Ninth AF and it flew visual and photographic reconnaissance missions to provide intelligence for ground and air units. It was again designated the 69th Reconnaissance Group in June 1945, the group returned to the United States in July and August 1945. There it trained with F-6 Mustangs and Douglas A-26 Invader aircraft, the group was inactivated on 29 July 1946. The 69th was once again activated on 19 September 2011 to conduct reconnaissance with unmanned aerial vehicles, the 69th Reconnaissance Group is currently commanded by Col Christopher Larson. afhra. af. mil/. U. S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields D-Day to V-E Day, maxwell AFB, AL, Research Division, USAF Historical Research 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
25.
Lawson Army Airfield
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Lawson Army Airfield is a military airport located at Fort Benning in Chattahoochee County, Georgia, south of the city of Columbus, Georgia. It is Fort Bennings primary Force Projection Platform, the camp was named in honor of Henry Lewis Benning, a Columbus native who served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War and later as a justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. The Army created a landing field at Benning in 1919 with the initial mission of determining if data obtained by balloon observation would benefit the infantry. The airfield consisted of two hangars that housed the balloon unit. In 1922, the Army made the facility a permanent Army post renaming the camp Fort Benning, from 1921 to 1931, aircraft from Maxwell Field near Montgomery, Alabama occasionally utilized the airfield for maneuvers and other purposes. In 1928, the unit transferred and the airfield was without any permanent occupation for three years. In August 1931, the Army named the airfield in honor of Capt. Walter R. Lawson, Lawson served with the 41st French Escadrille during World War I, had one victory, and received the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism in action. The same year, Flight B of Ft. Riley, Kansas 16th Observation Squadron, consisting of five officers and 35 enlisted men, Flight B operated three Douglas 0-25 aircraft out of a double hangar. Units from Fort Bragg, North Carolina later joined Flight B, the mission of Flight B involved directing artillery fire and spotting enemy positions during maneuvers. In 1933, the Army spent $855,060 upgrading Lawsons facilities, on 1 September 1940, Lawson Field separated from the Infantry School and became an Army Airfield under the Commanding General of the Army Air Corps. By the fall of 1940, the 16th Reconnaissance Squadron, the 97th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and the 15th Bombardment Squadron had been transferred to the field. During 1941, as the Army Air Corps transitioned to the U. S. Army Air Forces, several additional observation, reconnaissance, and light bomber squadrons passed through Lawson during 1941 and the first of 1942. The 74th Observation Group Trained personnel in aerial reconnaissance, medium bombardment, the continued growth of parachute training at Lawson led the Army to turn the field over to the I Troop Carrier Command on 26 August 1942. The 316th Troop Carrier Group with four C-47 squadrons had arrived at Lawson on 8 August. In June 1943, the 10th TCG became a Replacement Training Unit in addition to the mission of dropping troopers for the Parachute School, Lawson and Ft. Benning had many distinguished visitors during the war including Gen. George C. Marshall, Gen. Hap Arnold, Lord Louis Mountbatten and Anthony Eden, when President Franklin Roosevelt visited the base on 15 April 1943, the School conducted a parachute drop for his viewing. Following the war, Troop Carrier Squadrons remained at Lawson in support of the Parachute School with the C-46, Lawson Air Force Base came into existence in 1947 with the creation of the United States Air Force. Lawson received an expansion program in 1965 including an 8
26.
Beauregard Regional Airport
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Beauregard Regional Airport is a public use airport in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is owned by Beauregard Parish and is located three miles southwest of the central business district of De Ridder, Louisiana. The airport serves the aviation community, with no scheduled commercial airline service. The present Beauregard Regional Airport has a long and colorful history, the airport property includes most of what was once the Graybow Community. In 1912 Graybow was a community and the location of the Galloway Sawmill. The sawmill had been built along the Santa Fe Railroad tracks with the mill on one side of the tracks and the big mill, commissary. Two decades later the nation was experiencing the effects of the Great Depression, to counteract the unemployment caused by the depression, work projects were activated across the country. One such project was begun in 1934,3 miles west of DeRidder under the Auspices of the Emergency Relief Authority which later became the WPA. This project in a stump littered field provided employment for about 400 men and they constructed two earthen runways on 160 acres of land leased from the owner. The field was used very little, barnstorming pilots would occasionally visit and offer rides for $2.00. Interest in the utilization of the airfield increased significantly in 1939 when war began in Europe. The United States needed a ground for American troops. In the summer of 1940 and throughout 1941 the area was used for the Louisiana Maneuvers, the Beauregard Parish Police Jury bought the previously leased 160 acres plus an additional 280 acres for $11,000. An additional 200 acres was bought to make up 1-square-mile. In February,1941, the United States Army Corps of Engineers visited the site urging that a proposed development be filed as a National Defense Project. The Police Jury and the City of DeRidder agreed to furnish the additional 200 acres, plus sewage and water facilities, the cost to be $475,518.85 excluding labor. On 1 July 1941, a contract for Lease was signed between the Beauregard Parish Police Jury and the United States Army Air Force for an airfield to be built on the site. An immediate construction program began to convert the airport into a military airfield
27.
Esler Airfield
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Esler Field, also known as Esler Regional Airport, is a military and public use airfield in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, near the City of Pineville. This airport is included in the FAAs National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 and it has no scheduled commercial airline service at present but was served by Delta Air Lines in the past with mainline passenger jet service. The United States needed a ground for American troops. In 1940 the land was returned to the War Department for use as a World War II training area and that area included the now-abandoned Camps Claiborne and Livingston and what has become Esler Regional Airport. Construction of the airport, originally called Camp Beauregard Army Field, in the summer of 1940 and throughout 1941 the area was used for the Louisiana Maneuvers. In addition, the 109th Observation Squadron used the airport from 27 February 1941 until 18 December 1942 flying light observation planes. The airfield was renamed Esler Army Airfield in 1941 to honor Lt. Wilmer Esler, Esler AAF was assigned to Third Air Force, III Air Support Command. The 333d Air Base Group was the host unit at the airfield, the first unit assigned for training at Esler was the 12th Bombardment Group, arriving for B-25 Mitchell training on 21 February 1942. The unit remained at Esler until July until being deployed to the Middle East, in December 1942, the mission was changed to training Reconnaissance units, and Esler was reassigned directly to Third Air Force. The 347th Army Air Force Base Unit became the host unit at the station, the Division moved its headquarters to the field in April 1944. The P-40 Warhawk-equipped 372d Fighter Group trained at Esler in March, with the departure of the 372d, the 353d Army Air Force Base Unit took over training for replacement pilots, and unit training ended. On 20 April 1945, the 353d BU was redesignated as the 353d AAF BU, on 1 August 1945, the airfield was again reassigned directly to Third Air Force. With the end of the war, inactivation of Esler Field began on 7 September 1945, however, the Air Forces inactivation was quite slow, with the airfield being put on standby status 31 January 1946. The 353d was redesignated as a Standby Unit, but not inactivated, the airfield remained Federal property until the 1950s when it was finally ceded to the Police Jury as surplus property. A small civilian airport opened after return to civil control, in the 1970s, the airport had scheduled passenger airline service provided by several air carriers including Delta Air Lines which operated mainline jet aircraft from Esler. According to the February 1,1976 edition of the Official Airline Guide, Delta operated eight flights a day from the airport with Boeing 727-200 and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 jetliners. Destinations served on a nonstop or direct, no change of basis by Delta included Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, New Orleans, Washington. Texas International Airlines also served the airport at this time with Convair 600 turboprop aircraft with flights to Houston, Jackson, MS, Beaumont/Port Arthur, TX, in 1984, Best Airlines served Esler with nonstop Douglas DC-9-10 jet service to Atlanta, GA and Gulfport, MS
28.
Desert Center Airport
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Desert Center Airport is a private-use airport located five nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Desert Center, in Riverside County, California, United States. The airport located at the end of a road, one mile east of CA Route 177,127 miles northeast of San Diego. Desert Center Army Air Field was built in the early 1940s was a subbase of Thermal Army Air Field, the airfield was located within the Desert Center Division Camp, which encompassed over 34,000 acres. Desert Center AAF was first known as the Desert Center Airdrome and it was described as having 5,500 runways. The field also had taxiways & a parking apron, more than 40 buildings were constructed at the airfield, including an operations building, power house, Link Trainer building, hangar and various supply buildings. The 74th Reconnaissance Group was the first flying unit at the field, Desert Center AAF was officially opened in April 1943. When the training area closed in 1944, the airfield was assigned to the Fourth Air Force, the airfield remained open, however, and was used by B-24 Liberator crews flying training missions from March Field. In 1946, following the end of World War II, the airfield was turned over to the Army Corps of Engineers, and it was listed as Desert Center CAA Site 17 in the Aerodromes table on the 1955 San Diego Sectional Aeronautical Chart. It described the field as having two 5,000 bituminous runways, the airfield was listed among active airports in the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory, under the name of FAA Site 17. It was described as having two 5,000 ft bituminous runways, 13/31 & 4/22, and the operator was listed as the FAA and it was closed in the mid-1960s, but listed as an emergency airfield. The airport was reopened as an airport at some point between 1966-2002. However, as of 2002 it was all but abandoned, there were no aircraft based at the field, and the Airport Facility Directory data listed a mere 150 takeoffs & landings per year. The sole remaining maintained runway is 5/23, which consists of a 4,200 ft asphalt strip which was overlaid over remains of the military runway. The abandoned Runway 13/31 is barely discernible, covered with sand & bushes, there are no historic buildings left, although there are numerous foundations & a concrete parking ramp. In 2003, the airfield was being used to fly unmanned aircraft, the hangar had been converted to a workshop & an inclined launching ramp was constructed. In 2004 the airfield was put up for sale by Riverside County and bought by Chuckwalla Valley Associates, LLC. Desert Center Airport covers an area of 1,129 acres at an elevation of 559 feet above sea level. It has one runway designated 5/23 with a surface measuring 4,200 by 50 feet
29.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport
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Charlotte Douglas International Airport is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, in 1954 the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, as of 2015, it was the 6th busiest airport in the United States, ranked by passenger traffic and by aircraft movements. Charlotte is the largest airport in the United States without nonstop service to Asia, the airport serves as a major gateway to the Caribbean. The city received a $200,000 grant from the Works Progress Administration in 1930 to establish Charlottes first municipal airport, in 1936, the Charlotte Municipal Airport opened, operated by the City of Charlotte, Eastern Air Lines began scheduled passenger service in 1937. The original passenger terminal still exists at Fenway Sports Groups Boeing 727 parking area, the United States Army Air Forces took control of the airport and established Morris Field Air Base in 1941. The airfield was used by the Third Air Force for antisubmarine patrols, aerial view circa 1946 In 1954, a 70, 000-square-foot passenger terminal opened and the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport in honor of former Charlotte Mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr. The terminal had two floors, though operations were confined to the ground floor. Ticketing and baggage claim were on side of an open space that bisected the building from north to south. Delta Air Lines began scheduled service in 1956. The OAG for April 1957 shows 57 weekday departures on Eastern,7 Piedmont,6 Capital,4 Delta and 2 Southern, nonstop flights did not reach beyond Newark, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Louisville, Birmingham, and Jacksonville. Airport diagram for 1955 Eastern Air Lines began scheduled jet flights with the Boeing 720 in early 1962, Eastern used the west pier, Piedmont and Delta the center pier, and United and Southern used the east pier. A major renovation project in the late 1960s expanded the facility considerably, Eastern opened a unit terminal in 1967, replacing the old west pier. This new facility had eight dedicated gates for Eastern, each with its own departure lounge, Eastern passengers continued to check in at the main terminal. In 1969, a new enclosed concourse was built parallel to the center pier, when it was completed, Piedmont, Eastern, and Delta moved in and the old center pier was demolished. The new concourse also had separate departure lounges, as well as restrooms, uniteds flights continued to use the east pier, with an enclosed holding room added for waiting passengers. In 1973, Eastern added two more gates to the end of its west concourse, after airline deregulation in 1978, passenger numbers at the terminal nearly doubled between 1978 and 1980, and a new 10, 000-foot parallel runway and control tower opened in 1979. The airports master plan called for a new terminal across the runway from the existing site, with ground broken in 1979. At the time, the airport had two concourses, one used exclusively by Eastern, and one used by other carriers, including United, Delta, Piedmont
30.
Stuttgart Municipal Airport
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For the airports World War II history, see Stuttgart Army Airfield Stuttgart Municipal Airport is in Prairie County, Arkansas. It is eight miles north of Stuttgart, which owns the airport and is the county seat of Arkansas County, the FAAs National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2009–2013 categorized as a general aviation facility. Stuttgart Municipal Airport dates to 1942 when it was built by the United States Army Air Forces and it was used as an advanced twin-engine flying school and glider training. With the end of World War II, Stuttgart Army Airfield was declared excess and it was conveyed though the War Assets Administration to the City of Stuttgart to establish a municipal airport. Stuttgart Municipal Airport covers 2,560 acres at an elevation of 224 feet and it has two runways, 9/27 is 5,002 by 150 feet concrete, 18/36 is 6,015 by 100 feet asphalt. In the year ending June 30,2008 the airport had 40,200 aircraft operations, average 110 per day, 87% general aviation,7. 5% military,34 aircraft were then based at the airport, 82% single-engine, 12% multi-engine, 3% jet and 3% helicopter. A 3-mile SCCA road course used the runways, with the first race in 1959, the last sports car race was in 1978. A drag strip, Stuttgart Dragway, existed from 1970 to 1972, Stuttgart Municipal Airport Google Maps Page of Stuttgart AFB. Features layout of 2. 6-mile road course
31.
Curtiss O-52 Owl
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The Curtiss O-52 Owl was an observation aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps before and during World War II. Developed in 1939, the Curtiss O-52 was the last heavy observation aircraft developed for the US Army Air Corps. The concept of the observation aircraft, classed as the O series aircraft, dated to World War I, and in 1940. By 1941, the O-52 was no match for modern combat conditions, as a result, the O-52 was relegated to courier duties within the U. S. and short-range submarine patrol over the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The O-52 was the last O type aircraft procured in quantity for the Air Corps, following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the O designation was discontinued and the L series for liaison-type aircraft was adopted instead. In November 1942, the USSR ordered 30 O-52 Owls through the Lend-Lease program, twenty-six were shipped, with only 19 delivered as a number were lost on the North Arctic Route. Of these only ten were accepted into service and they were used operationally for artillery fire spotting and general photographic and observation platforms in north and central areas on the Russian Front during spring–summer 1943. One O-52 was shot down by Luftwaffe fighters, the aircraft was generally disliked in Soviet use although some were still flying into the 1950s. Brazil Brazilian Air Force United States United States Army Air Corps Soviet Union Soviet Air Force O-52 is at Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, O-52 is at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB near Dayton, Ohio. O-52 is at Yanks Air Museum in Chino, California, data from American Warplanes of World War II General characteristics Length,26 ft 4 in Wingspan,40 ft 9 in Height,9 ft 3 in Wing area,210
32.
Piper L-4 Cub
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The Piper J-3 Cub is an American light aircraft that was built between 1937 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. The aircraft has a simple, lightweight design which gives it good low speed handling properties, the Cub is one of the best known light aircraft of all time. The Cubs simplicity, affordability and popularity — as well as its production numbers. The Cub was originally intended as a trainer, and saw popularity in this role. Large numbers of Cubs are still flying today, notably Cubs are highly prized as bush aircraft. The Cub is a high-wing strut-braced monoplane with a large area rectangular wing and it is powered by an air-cooled piston engine driving a fixed pitch propeller. Its fuselage is a steel frame covered in fabric, seating two people in tandem. The aircrafts standard chrome yellow paint has come to be known as Cub Yellow or Lock Haven Yellow, the Taylor E-2 Cub first appeared in 1930, built by Taylor Aircraft in Bradford, Pennsylvania. Sponsored by William T. Piper, a Bradford industrialist and investor, later in 1930, the company went bankrupt, with Piper buying the assets but keeping founder C. Gilbert Taylor on as president. In 1936, an earlier Cub was altered by employee Walter Jamouneau to become the J-2 while Taylor was on sick leave, when he saw the redesign, Taylor was so incensed that he fired Jamouneau. Piper, however, had encouraged Jamouneaus changes, and hired him back, Piper then bought Taylors share in the company, paying him US$250 per month for three years. Although sales were slow, about 1,200 J-2s were produced before a fire in the Piper factory ended its production in 1938. After Piper moved his company from Bradford to Lock Haven, the J-3, powered by a 40 hp engine, in 1938, it sold for just over $1,000. A very few examples, designated J3P, were equipped with Lenape Papoose 3-cylinder radial engines, the Piper J-3 Cub became the primary trainer aircraft of the CPTP and played an integral role in its success, achieving legendary status. 75 percent of all new pilots in the CPTP were trained in Cubs, by wars end,80 percent of all United States military pilots had received their initial flight training in Piper Cubs. The need for new pilots created an appetite for the Cub. In 1940, the year before the United States entry into the war,3,016 Cubs had been built, prior to the United States entering World War II, J-3s were part of a fund-raising program to support the United Kingdom. Billed as a Flitfire, a Piper Cub J3 bearing Royal Air Force insignia was donated by W. T. Piper, Piper distributors nationwide were encouraged to do the same
33.
Curtiss P-40F Warhawk
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The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production, the Warhawk was used by most Allied powers during World War II, and remained in frontline service until the end of the war. P-40 Warhawk was the name the United States Army Air Corps and after June 1941, USAAF-adopted name for all models, making it the official name in the U. S. for all P-40s. The British Commonwealth and Soviet air forces used the name Tomahawk for models equivalent to the P-40B and P-40C, P-40s first saw combat with the British Commonwealth squadrons of the Desert Air Force in the Middle East and North African campaigns, during June 1941. However, between 1941 and 1944, the P-40 played a role with Allied air forces in three major theaters, North Africa, the Southwest Pacific, and China. It also had a significant role in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, Alaska, the P-40s performance at high altitudes was not as important in those theaters, where it served as an air superiority fighter, bomber escort and fighter-bomber. The P-40 offered the advantage of low cost, which kept it in production as a ground-attack aircraft long after it was obsolete as a fighter. On 14 October 1938, Curtiss test pilot Edward Elliott flew the prototype XP-40 on its first flight in Buffalo, the first prototype placed the glycol coolant radiator in an underbelly position on the fighter, just aft of the wings trailing edge. USAAC Fighter Projects Officer Lieutenant Benjamin S. Kelsey flew this prototype some 300 miles in 57 minutes, hiding his disappointment, he told reporters that future versions would likely go 100 miles per hour faster. Kelsey was interested in the Allison engine because it was sturdy and dependable, Curtiss engineers worked to improve the XP-40s speed by moving the radiator forward in steps. Seeing little gain, Kelsey ordered the aircraft to be evaluated in a NACA wind tunnel to identify solutions for better aerodynamic qualities, from 28 March to 11 April 1939, the prototype was studied by NACA. Based on the data obtained, Curtiss moved the glycol coolant radiator forward to the chin, other improvements to the landing gear doors and the exhaust manifold combined to give performance that was satisfactory to the USAAC. Without beneficial tail winds, Kelsey flew the XP-40 from Wright Field back to Curtisss plant in Buffalo at an speed of 354 mph. Further tests in December 1939 proved the fighter could reach 366 mph, an unusual production feature was a special truck rig to speed delivery at the main Curtiss plant in Buffalo, New York. The rig moved the newly built P-40s in two components, the main wing and the fuselage, the eight miles from the plant to the airport where the two units were mated for flight and delivery. The P-40 was conceived as an aircraft and was agile at low and medium altitudes. At medium and high speeds it was one of the tightest-turning early monoplane designs of the war, and it could out turn most opponents it faced in North Africa and the Russian Front. In the Pacific Theater it was out-turned at lower speeds by the lightweight fighters A6M Zero, the American Volunteer Group Commander Claire Chennault advised against prolonged dog-fighting with the Japanese fighters due to speed reduction favouring the Japanese
34.
Douglas A-26 Invader
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A limited number of highly modified United States Air Force aircraft served in Southeast Asia until 1969. It was a fast aircraft capable of carrying twice its specified bomb load, a range of guns could be fitted to produce a formidable ground-attack aircraft. A re-designation of the type from A-26 to B-26 led to confusion with the Martin B-26 Marauder, which first flew in November 1940, about 16 months before the Douglas designs maiden flight. The A-26 was Douglas Aircrafts successor to the A-20 Havoc, also known as Douglas Boston, one of the most successful and widely operated types flown by Allied air forces in World War II. Designed by Ed Heinemann, Robert Donovan, and Ted R. Smith, the Douglas XA-26 prototype first flew on 10 July 1942 at Mines Field, El Segundo, with test pilot Benny Howard at the controls. Flight tests revealed excellent performance and handling, but problems with engine cooling led to cowling changes, repeated collapses during testing led to strengthening of the nose landing gear. The A-26 was originally built in two different configurations, the A-26B had a gun nose, which originally could be equipped with a combination of armament including.50 caliber machine guns, 20mm or 37mm auto cannon, or even a 75mm pack howitzer. Normally the gun nose version housed six.50 caliber machine guns, officially termed the all-purpose nose, the A-26Cs glass nose, officially termed the Bombardier nose, contained a Norden bombsight for medium altitude precision bombing. The A-26C nose section included two fixed M-2 guns, later replaced by underwing gun packs or internal guns in the wings. An A-26C nose section could be exchanged for an A-26B nose section, or vice versa, in a few man-hours, thus changing the designation. The flat-topped canopy was changed in late 1944 after about 820 production aircraft, alongside the pilot in an A-26B, a crew member typically served as navigator and gun loader for the pilot-operated nose guns. In an A-26C, that crew member served as navigator and bombardier, a small number of A-26Cs were fitted with dual flight controls, some parts of which could be disabled in flight to allow limited access to the nose section. A tractor-style jump seat was located behind the navigators seat, general George Kenney, commander of the Far East Air Forces stated that, We do not want the A-26 under any circumstances as a replacement for anything. Until changes could be made, the 3d Bomb Group requested additional Douglas A-20 Havocs, the 319th Bomb Group worked up on the A-26 in March 1945, joining the initial 3rd BG, with the 319th flying until 12 August 1945. The A-26 operations wound down in mid-August 1945 with only a few dozen missions flown, several of the A-20 and B-25 AAF units in the Pacific received the A-26 for trials, in limited quantities. Douglas needed better results from the Invaders second combat test, so A-26s began arriving in Europe in late September 1944 for assignment to the Ninth Air Force, the initial deployment involved 18 aircraft and crews assigned to the 553d Squadron of the 386th Bomb Group. This unit flew its first mission on 6 September 1944, no aircraft were lost on the eight test missions, and the Ninth Air Force announced that it was happy to replace all of its A-20s and B-26s with the A-26 Invader. Due to a shortage of A-26C variants, the groups flew a combined A-20/A-26 unit until deliveries of the glass-nose version caught up, besides bombing and strafing, tactical reconnaissance and night interdiction missions were undertaken successfully
35.
Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star
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The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces. Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of the process, production models were flying. Designed with straight wings, the type saw combat in Korea with the United States Air Force as the F-80. The F-94 Starfire, an all-weather interceptor on the same airframe, the closely related T-33 Shooting Star trainer would remain in service with the U. S. Air Force and Navy well into the 1980s, with the last NT-33 variant not retired until April 1997. Many still serve in a role in foreign air arms or are in private hands. The XP-80 had a conventional airframe, with a slim low wing. Other early jets generally had two engines because of their power, these being mounted in external nacelles for easier maintenance. With the advent of more powerful British jet engines, fuselage mounting was more effective, Lockheeds team, consisting of 28 engineers, was led by the legendary Clarence L. Kelly Johnson. This teaming was a product of Lockheeds Skunk Works, which surfaced again in the next decade to produce a line of high-performance aircraft beginning with the F-104. With the Germans and British clearly far ahead in development, Lockheed was pressed to develop a jet in as short a time as possible. Kelly Johnson submitted a proposal in mid-June and promised that the prototype would be ready for testing in 180 days. The Skunk Works team, beginning 26 June 1943, produced the airframe in 143 days, the first prototype was nicknamed Lulu-Belle. Powered by the replacement Halford H1 taken from the prototype de Havilland Vampire jet fighter, it first flew on 8 January 1944, the donated British jet program data had no doubt proved invaluable. The second prototype, designated XP-80A, was designed for the larger General Electric I-40 engine, 44-83021 was nicknamed the Gray Ghost after its pearl gray paint scheme, while 83022, left unpainted for comparison of flight characteristics, became known as the Silver Ghost. The XP-80As first test flight was unimpressive, but most of the problems with the design were soon addressed and corrected in the test program. Initial opinions of the XP-80A were not positive, with Lockheed Chief Engineering Test Pilot Milo Burcham commenting that an aircraft he very much enjoyed had now become a dog. The XP-80As were primarily testbeds for larger, more engines and air intake design. The P-80 testing program proved very dangerous, Burcham was killed on 20 October 1944 while flying the third YP-80A produced, 44-83025
36.
International Standard Book Number
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The International Standard Book Number is a unique numeric commercial book identifier. An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation of a book, for example, an e-book, a paperback and a hardcover edition of the same book would each have a different ISBN. The ISBN is 13 digits long if assigned on or after 1 January 2007, the method of assigning an ISBN is nation-based and varies from country to country, often depending on how large the publishing industry is within a country. The initial ISBN configuration of recognition was generated in 1967 based upon the 9-digit Standard Book Numbering created in 1966, the 10-digit ISBN format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization and was published in 1970 as international standard ISO2108. Occasionally, a book may appear without a printed ISBN if it is printed privately or the author does not follow the usual ISBN procedure, however, this can be rectified later. Another identifier, the International Standard Serial Number, identifies periodical publications such as magazines, the ISBN configuration of recognition was generated in 1967 in the United Kingdom by David Whitaker and in 1968 in the US by Emery Koltay. The 10-digit ISBN format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization and was published in 1970 as international standard ISO2108, the United Kingdom continued to use the 9-digit SBN code until 1974. The ISO on-line facility only refers back to 1978, an SBN may be converted to an ISBN by prefixing the digit 0. For example, the edition of Mr. J. G. Reeder Returns, published by Hodder in 1965, has SBN340013818 -340 indicating the publisher,01381 their serial number. This can be converted to ISBN 0-340-01381-8, the check digit does not need to be re-calculated, since 1 January 2007, ISBNs have contained 13 digits, a format that is compatible with Bookland European Article Number EAN-13s. An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation of a book, for example, an ebook, a paperback, and a hardcover edition of the same book would each have a different ISBN. The ISBN is 13 digits long if assigned on or after 1 January 2007, a 13-digit ISBN can be separated into its parts, and when this is done it is customary to separate the parts with hyphens or spaces. Separating the parts of a 10-digit ISBN is also done with either hyphens or spaces, figuring out how to correctly separate a given ISBN number is complicated, because most of the parts do not use a fixed number of digits. ISBN issuance is country-specific, in that ISBNs are issued by the ISBN registration agency that is responsible for country or territory regardless of the publication language. Some ISBN registration agencies are based in national libraries or within ministries of culture, in other cases, the ISBN registration service is provided by organisations such as bibliographic data providers that are not government funded. In Canada, ISBNs are issued at no cost with the purpose of encouraging Canadian culture. In the United Kingdom, United States, and some countries, where the service is provided by non-government-funded organisations. Australia, ISBNs are issued by the library services agency Thorpe-Bowker
37.
OCLC
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The Online Computer Library Center is a US-based nonprofit cooperative organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the worlds information and reducing information costs. It was founded in 1967 as the Ohio College Library Center, OCLC and its member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the largest online public access catalog in the world. OCLC is funded mainly by the fees that libraries have to pay for its services, the group first met on July 5,1967 on the campus of the Ohio State University to sign the articles of incorporation for the nonprofit organization. The group hired Frederick G. Kilgour, a former Yale University medical school librarian, Kilgour wished to merge the latest information storage and retrieval system of the time, the computer, with the oldest, the library. The goal of network and database was to bring libraries together to cooperatively keep track of the worlds information in order to best serve researchers and scholars. The first library to do online cataloging through OCLC was the Alden Library at Ohio University on August 26,1971 and this was the first occurrence of online cataloging by any library worldwide. Membership in OCLC is based on use of services and contribution of data, between 1967 and 1977, OCLC membership was limited to institutions in Ohio, but in 1978, a new governance structure was established that allowed institutions from other states to join. In 2002, the structure was again modified to accommodate participation from outside the United States. As OCLC expanded services in the United States outside of Ohio, it relied on establishing strategic partnerships with networks, organizations that provided training, support, by 2008, there were 15 independent United States regional service providers. OCLC networks played a key role in OCLC governance, with networks electing delegates to serve on OCLC Members Council, in early 2009, OCLC negotiated new contracts with the former networks and opened a centralized support center. OCLC provides bibliographic, abstract and full-text information to anyone, OCLC and its member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat—the OCLC Online Union Catalog, the largest online public access catalog in the world. WorldCat has holding records from public and private libraries worldwide. org, in October 2005, the OCLC technical staff began a wiki project, WikiD, allowing readers to add commentary and structured-field information associated with any WorldCat record. The Online Computer Library Center acquired the trademark and copyrights associated with the Dewey Decimal Classification System when it bought Forest Press in 1988, a browser for books with their Dewey Decimal Classifications was available until July 2013, it was replaced by the Classify Service. S. The reference management service QuestionPoint provides libraries with tools to communicate with users and this around-the-clock reference service is provided by a cooperative of participating global libraries. OCLC has produced cards for members since 1971 with its shared online catalog. OCLC commercially sells software, e. g. CONTENTdm for managing digital collections, OCLC has been conducting research for the library community for more than 30 years. In accordance with its mission, OCLC makes its research outcomes known through various publications and these publications, including journal articles, reports, newsletters, and presentations, are available through the organizations website. The most recent publications are displayed first, and all archived resources, membership Reports – A number of significant reports on topics ranging from virtual reference in libraries to perceptions about library funding
38.
Numbered Air Force
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A Numbered Air Force is a type of organization in the United States Air Force that is subordinate to a Major Command and has assigned to it operational units such as wings, squadrons, and groups. A Component Numbered Air Force has the role as an Air Force Component Command exercising command and control over air. Unlike MAJCOMs, which have a management role, a NAF is a organization with an operational focus. Numbered air forces are commanded by a major general or a lieutenant general. Numerical designations for Numbered Air Forces are written out, but Arabic numerals are used in abbreviations, units directly subordinate to a NAF are generally numbered 6XX. For example, the 618th Air and Space Operations Center is a subordinate to the Eighteenth Air Force. Numbered air forces began as named organizations in the United States Army Air Corps before World War II, the first four NAFs were established as the Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest Air Districts on 19 October 1940 to provide air defense for the United States. These Air Districts were redesignated as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Air Forces, respectively, on 26 March 1941. Over a year after the establishment of the United States Army Air Forces on June 20,1941, the Arabic numerals were changed to the First, Second, Third, after World War II, the US Air Force continued to use both named and numbered air forces. While named air forces were used in tactical and support roles, numbered air forces were generally employed only in tactical roles. These commands reflected the air combat missions that evolved during the war, and each reported directly to General Carl Spaatz. Numbered air forces served as an intermediate headquarters between these commands and the wings and groups. Eleven of the sixteen wartime air forces remained, Second Air Force would later be transferred to SAC in 1949. The numbered air forces had both operational and administrative authority, and existed as a level between major commands and air divisions. Although variations existed, and number air forces were often reassigned, the role of numbered air forces changed in the 1990s during the Air Force reorganization initiated by Air Force Chief of Staff General Merrill McPeak. The goal of the reorganization was to streamline, take out, flatten organizational charts. Numbered air forces were reorganized into tactical echelons focused on operations and this reorganization also reduced the number of major commands, and eliminated the air divisions to place numbered air forces directly in command of operational wings. The role of numbered air forces was changed in 2006 with the implementation of the Component Air Force concept
39.
First Air Force
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The First Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida and its primary mission is the air defense of the Contiguous United States, United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Its mission lineage can be traced to the Air Defense Command, during the war, its primary mission became the organization and training of combat units prior to their deployment to the overseas combat air forces. First Air Force is commanded by Lieutenant General R. Scott Williams and its Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sgt. The command has responsibility for ensuring the air sovereignty and air defense of the Contiguous United States, United States Virgin Islands. As the CONUS Region for NORAD, the bi-national North American Aerospace Defense Command, 1AF is also the designated air component for the United States Northern Command. USNORTHCOMs area of responsibility includes the continental United States, Alaska, Canada and Mexico, the command is unique in both its mission and composition. First Air Force has been an Air Combat Command organization since 1 June 1992 and its subordinate units are located throughout the continental United States. It was redesignated First Air Force on 9 April 1941 with a mission for the defense of the Northeast, AAFSC would eventually expand that mission to the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean until the antisubmarine mission was taken over completely by the Navy in mid-1943. The First Air Force became predominantly a fighter OTU and RTU organization, most P-47 Thunderbolt fighter groups were trained by I Fighter Command, along with P-39/P-63 Airacobra groups, C-47 Skytrain and later C-46 Commando groups by I Troop Carrier Command. Air Defense Wings were also organized for the metropolitan areas along the northeast coast. By 1944 the likelihood of an air attack along the eastern seaboard was remote, and these air defense wings were reduced to paper units. By 1944, the vast majority of the USAAF was engaged in operations in various parts of the world, such as the Eighth Air Force in Europe. First Air Force Headquarters was located at Fort Slocum, New York, the command was originally assigned the region of the New England states, along with New York and New Jersey. The command was inactivated on 23 June 1958 for budgetary reasons, First Air Force was reactivated at Stewart Air Force Base, Newburgh, N. Y. on 20 January 1966 due to the inactivation of the ADC Air Defense Sectors. First Air Force assumed responsibility for the ADC 21st, 33d, 34th, 35th and it also was responsible for the air defense of Greenland, Iceland and parts of Canada. By July 1968, First Air Force had again assumed responsibility for the air defense of the eastern seaboard. On 16 January 1968 Air Defense Command was re-designated Aerospace Defense Command as part of a restructuring of USAF air defense forces, ADCOM reassigned the units under the inactivated First Air Force were reassigned primarily to the 20th, 21st or 23d Air Divisions
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Ninth Air Force
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The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces Air Combat Command. It has been headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, from 1990, units were deployed to the Middle East against Iraq, and from 2001 against threats emanating from Afghanistan. In this role, the organization was known as United States Air Forces Central, until August 2009, the Ninth Air Force shared its commander with USAFCENT. S. This article deals with the current organization, as the lineage of the organization currently belongs to USAFCENT. This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http, archives of the Ninth Air Force Association Digital Collection at The University of Akron Archival Services Ninth Air Force Association
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Twelfth Air Force
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The Twelfth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. It is headquartered at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, the command serves as a primary conventional fighter and bomber warfighting headquarters trained and ready for worldwide employment of airpower. It is responsible for the readiness of 10 active-duty wings. These subordinate commands operate more than 520 combat aircraft with more than 42,000 uniformed and civilian Airmen. It takes part in a multitude of operations in the United States Southern Command area of focus alongside partner nations in Central and South America, ensuring a safe, secure, and stable region. Established on 20 August 1942 at Bolling Field, District of Columbia and it engaged in operations in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and Western Europe. As a result of the Global War on Terrorism, most 12th Air Force units have operated in the United States Central Command AOR. Since 1987, Twelfth Air Force trains, equips, and prepares assigned units from Air Combat Command and also serves as the air, Twelfth Air Force serves as a primary conventional fighter and bomber WFHQ trained and ready for worldwide employment of airpower. It is responsible for the readiness of seven active-duty wings. The command is also leading the way in bringing the Chief of Staff of the Air Forces Warfighting Headquarters concept to life, the WFHQ is composed of a command and control element, an Air Force forces staff and an Air Operations Center. Operating as a WFHQ since June 2004, Twelfth Air Force has served as the Air Force model for the future of Combined Air and Space Operations Centers and WFHQ Air Force forces. 12 AF command is responsible for the operational readiness of 13 Twelfth Air Force-gained wings and other units of the Air Force Reserve. These units include more than 220 aircraft and 18,900 Total Force Airmen, the mission of AFSOUTH is to conduct Air Force, joint and combined air and space operations in addition to information operations in the USSOUTHCOM Area of Responsibility. To fulfill these responsibilities AFSOUTH employs a full spectrum of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, intra-theatre airlift, in addition the AOC is responsible for developing strategy and plans to execute air and space operations in support of USSOUTHCOM objectives. The AOC also provides command and control of all AFSOUTH air, Twelfth Air Force is also responsible for the combat readiness of one of five Falconer AOC weapons systems in the Air Force. Typically, the 12 AF/CC and his command and control organization form the core of the AFSOUTH command section. Unlike the 12 AF/CC, who reports to COMACC and has only a training mission, AFSOUTH has no organic assets, but draws on forces provided to it by CDRUSSOUTHCOM. Currently, AFSOUTH manages four rotational Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard C-130s based out of Muniz Air National Guard Base, the SOUTHCOM JFACC is a warfighting commander who reports to CDRUSSOUTHCOM and directs air and air defence forces provided to him for tasking by CDRUSSOUTHCOM
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Eighteenth Air Force
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Eighteenth Air Force is the only Numbered Air Force in Air Mobility Command and one of the largest NAFs in the United States Air Force. 18 AF was activated on 28 March 1951, inactivated on 1 January 1958,18 AF presents air mobility forces to combatant commanders through its role as Air Forces Transportation, the air component of United States Transportation Command. The 18 AF commander also acts as the Commander, Air Force Forces, and Joint Force Air Component Commander, the commands mobility aircraft include the C-5 Galaxy, KC-10 Extender, C-17 Globemaster III, C-130 Hercules, and KC-135 Stratotanker. Operational support aircraft are the VC-25, C-21, C-20B, C-32A, C-37A, C-37B,18 AF has an assigned military and civilian workforce of more than 37,000 people. Units reporting to 18 AF include 11 wings and two stand alone groups, other AMC units assigned to 18th AF are, When the Army Air Forces reorganized in 1946, Tactical Air Command was established as one of its three major commands. The AAF IX Troop Carrier Command was inactivated as part of this reorganization and it was headquartered at Greenville Army Airfield, South Carolina. Third Air Force was inactivated on 1 November 1946 and TACs troop carrier mission was reassigned to Ninth Air Force which moved to Greenville. In 1947, many of TACs Troop Carrier Groups/Wings were assigned directly to Headquarters TAC with the rest to the Air Defense Commands Fourteenth Air Force reserve 302d Troop Carrier Wing, the command added a heavy wing in Fall 1951 and another in early 1953. In the spring of 1952,18 AF C-124 Globemasters were sent to Japan and by July 1952, the arrival of the C-124 introduced the aircraft loadmaster position to the troop carrier mission. As the Korean War wound down, C-119 Flying Boxcar crews from the 483rd Troop Carrier Wing began supporting French operations in Indochina, United States Air Force-supplied C-47 Skytrain and C-119s were placed on-loan to the French Air Force at Tourane Air Base. By early 1953, the wings were replaced by active duty wings organized, administered, equipped, trained. Augmented troop carrier forces in the Far East and Europe provided trained crews, the next year,18 AF C-119s from the 483rd Troop Carrier Wing airdropped supplies to besieged French paratroops at Dien Bien Phu, Indochina. Some 483rd personnel flew missions in a capacity and would play key roles in the troop carrier mission in later years. After the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, 374th Troop Carrier Wing,18 AF also provided airlift support to other Air Force major commands and TAC organizations. 18 AF units supplemented Military Air Transport Service airlift when needed and transported U. S. Army and Air Force units for training and deployment. 18 AF also took deliveries of the Fairchild C-123 Provider, a twin-engine transport designed for operations into landing zones that had been only rudimentarily prepared. With these new aircraft,18 AF units rotated troop carrier units to Europe in support of NATO, the command was heavily committed to airlift operations in Arctic areas beginning in the Fall of 1952. Between 1955 and 1957, the command offloaded and airdropped equipment supporting the construction of the Distant Early Warning Line radar system across northern Canada
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Nineteenth Air Force
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The Nineteenth Air Force is an active Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force. During the Cold War it was a component of Tactical Air Command, with a mission of command, the command was reactivated in 1993 under Air Education and Training Command with a mission of conducting AETCs flying training. The command was inactivated on 9 July 2012 as a measure by the Secretary of the Air Force. The command was reactivated on 1 October 2014 when it was determined that the measures did not reap the savings expected. AETC commander General Robin Rand directed the reactivation to consolidate the management of the AETC flying mission again under a command instead of the Headquarters and its primary characteristic was fast reaction, and it would be as self-sufficient as possible. Each of its elements would prepare and store flyaway kits of parts and supplies. Upon arrival in-theater, the unit would be able to sustain operations for 30 days on minimum logistics support, with the addition of required food, fuel, and munitions. Air-to-air refueling not only rapid response possible, it enabled the various elements of the CASF to maintain themselves economically on their home bases until the need to deploy arose. In the Far East the lead elements would arrive within 36 hours, on 8 July 1955, TAC activated the command element of the CASF, the Nineteenth Air Force. The headquarters of the Nineteenth Air Force was one of the most unusual air units ever created at that time and it had no permanently assigned aircraft or combat units. Nor did it have, since it was a headquarters only, any units or bases to supervise, train. When not deployed, the Nineteenth had a working relationship with the Ninth Air Force. These circumstances allowed the Nineteenth to limit its staff to approximately 85 military and 6 civilian personnel, the mission of Nineteenth Air Force was to prepare contingency plans for and to command short-notice deployments of the CASF anywhere in the world. It required each member to be ready for instant departure from the United States. The Nineteenth worked closely with U. S. Army contingency units, in the event of a crisis, the Nineteenth would take command of the deploying CASF and serve as part of a joint task force, as a senior air command, or as a component command. At first glance the Nineteenth had a headquarters organization with major sections for planning, operations. However, these sections had an important secondary function, each served as the command element for various geographical contingencies. Within the service, the Nineteenth soon earned its nickname, The Suitcase Air Force, in keeping with its mission of deterrence, a CASF, in theory, consisted of three task forces, each of which could vary in size and composition, according to its assigned task
United States
United States Air Force
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
Tactical Air Command (TAC)