51st Fighter Wing
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The 51st Fighter Wing (51 FW) is a wing of the
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Si ...
and the host unit at
Osan Air Base Hanja:) , partof = , location = , nearest_town = Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province , country = South Korea , image = Osan Air Base 51 FW F-16 A-10 Flyby.jpg , alt = US Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon and A ...
, South Korea. The wing has been based entirely in the
Far East The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons. The t ...
during its entire existence, including its combat role as the ''51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing'' during the
Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...
. The 51st Fighter Wing is under
Pacific Air Forces Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (f ...
'
Seventh Air Force The Seventh Air Force (Air Forces Korea) (7 AF) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Osan Air Base, South Korea. The command's mission is to plan and direct air component operations in ...
. The unit is the most forward deployed wing in the world, providing combat ready forces for close air support, air strike control, counter air, interdiction, theater airlift, and communications in the defense of the Republic of Korea. The wing executes military operations to bed-down, maintain and employ follow-on forces for the combined arms base that includes three major flying tenants and large multi-service fighting units. The wing is equipped with
General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a success ...
and
Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). In service since 1976, it is named for the Republic ...
squadrons and myriad base support agencies conducting the full spectrum of missions providing for the defense of the Republic of Korea.


Mission

The mission of the 51st FW is to provide mission-ready Airmen to execute combat operations and receive follow-on forces. The wing accomplishes this mission through: * Conducting exercises to ensure our forces maintain the highest degree of readiness to defend Osan AB against air and ground attack. * Maintaining and administering U.S. operations at Osan and five collocated operating bases—Taegu, Suwon, Kwang Ju, Kimhae and Cheong Ju – for reception and bed-down of follow-on forces. * Providing timely and accurate air power in support of military operations directed by higher headquarters.


Units

The 51st Fighter Wing is composed of four groups each with specific functions. The Operations Group controls all flying and airfield operations. The Maintenance Group performs maintenance of aircraft, ground equipment and aircraft components. The Mission Support Group has a wide range of responsibilities but a few of its functions are Security, Civil Engineering, Communications, Personnel Management, Logistics, Services and Contracting support, whilst the Medical Group provides medical and dental care. *
51st Operations Group The 51st Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 51st Fighter Wing, stationed at Osan Air Base, South Korea. The group was first activated during the buildup for World War II as the 51st Pursuit Grou ...
(Tail Code OS) ** 51st Operations Support Squadron (OSS) ** 25th Fighter Squadron (25 FS) (A-10/OA-10) **
36th Fighter Squadron The 36th Fighter Squadron is part of the US Air Force's 51st Operations Group at Osan Air Base, South Korea. It operates the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting air superiority missions. The squadron was first activate ...
(36 FS) (Block 40 F-16C/D) * 51st Mission Support Group ** Civil Engineer Squadron (CES) ** Force Support Squadron (FSS) ** Logistics Readiness Squadron (LRS) ** Security Forces Squadron (SFS) ** Communications Squadron (CS) * 51st Maintenance Group ** Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS) ***25th Aircraft Maintenance Unit ***36th Aircraft Maintenance Unit ** Maintenance Operations Squadron (MOS) ** Maintenance Squadron (MXS) ** Munitions Squadron (MUNS) * 51st Medical Group ** Aerospace Medicine Squadron (AMDS) ** Medical Support Squadron (MDSS) ** Medical Operations Squadron (MDOS) ** Dental Squadron (DS) ** Bioenvironmental Engineering (BE) * 51st Fighter Wing Staff Agencies **Inspector General (IG) **Comptroller (CPTS) **Entitlements in Korea **Safety (SE) **Chapel (HC) **Legal Office (JA) **Protocol (CCP) **Command Post (CP) **Public Affairs (PA) **Equal Opportunity (EO)
Historian
(HO) **Sexual Assault Prevention & Response (SAPR) **Wing Plans (XP) **AFSO21 (CVO) **Information Protection (IP) **Community Support Coordinator (CVB)


History

: ''For additional history and lineage, see
51st Operations Group The 51st Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 51st Fighter Wing, stationed at Osan Air Base, South Korea. The group was first activated during the buildup for World War II as the 51st Pursuit Grou ...
'' In 1948, assumed air defense of Ryukyu Islands.


Korean War

With the outbreak of the
Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...
in 1950, elements of the 51st FIW were dispatched first to
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
, then to
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
. Korean War operational squadrons were: * 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: duration (F-80C, F-86F) * 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: duration (F-80C, F-8) * 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: attached 1 June 1952– (F-80C, F-86F) * 68th Fighter-All Weather Squadron: attached 25 September – 9 October 1950 (F-82F/G) * 80th Fighter-Bomber Squadron: attached 25 September – 20 December 1950 (F-80C) It entered combat service flying the
F-80C Shooting Star The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of design, prod ...
on 22 September of that year, when it moved to Itazuke AB, Japan, to support the breakout of the Eighth U.S. Army from the
Pusan Perimeter The Battle of the Pusan Perimeter ( ko, 부산 교두보 전투) was a large-scale battle between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces lasting from August 4 to September 18, 1950. It was one of the first major engagements of th ...
. For nearly 4 years thereafter, the 51st FIW played a key role in the defense of South Korea despite moving to four different locations within a year and operating under austere conditions. The wing moved to South Korea in October only to return to Japan in December, leaving combat elements behind. In May 1951, the 51st FIW moved to
Suwon Air Base Suwon Air Base is a Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) base near Suwon city. Units The base is home to the ROKAF's 10th Fighter Wing (제10전투비행단), comprising: *101st Fighter Squadron flying KF-5E/KF-5F/F-5F *153rd Fighter Squadron f ...
, southwest of
Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the Capital city, capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea ...
, but retained maintenance and supply elements at Tsuiki AB, Japan, to provide rear echelon support. In November 1951 the 51st FIW transitioned to the F-86 Sabre with two squadrons (16th, 25th), adding a third squadron (26th) the following May. The group operated a detachment at Suwon AB, Korea, beginning in May 1951, and relocated there in October 1951, with maintenance and supply elements remaining in Japan until August 1954. The wing ceased combat on 27 July 1953. The 51 FIW's war record was impressive. Wing pilots flew more than 45,000 sorties and shot down 312
MiG-15 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 (russian: Микоя́н и Гуре́вич МиГ-15; USAF/DoD designation: Type 14; NATO reporting name: Fagot) is a jet fighter aircraft developed by Mikoyan-Gurevich for the Soviet Union. The MiG-15 was one of ...
s; this produced 14 air aces including the top ace of the war, Captain Joseph C. McConnell. The ratio of aerial victories to losses was 10 to 1. Unfortunately, the wing lost 32 pilots to enemy action; however, nine that became prisoners of war were repatriated later.


Korean War Aces


Cold War

On 1 August 1954, the 51 FIW returned to Naha Air Base to resume air defense coverage of the
Ryukyu Islands The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Taiwan: the Ōsumi, Tokara, Amami, Okinawa, and Sakishima Islands (further divided into the Miyako and Yaeyama Islands), with Yon ...
. Operational squadrons were: *
16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron 16 (sixteen) is the natural number following 15 and preceding 17. 16 is a composite number, and a square number, being 42 = 4 × 4. It is the smallest number with exactly five divisors, its proper divisors being , , and . In English speech, ...
(F-86D, 1954–59), (F102, 1959–1964) * 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (F-86D, 1954–1960) *
26th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron 6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number. In mathematics Six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number; it is the second smalles ...
(F-86D, 1954–59) At the same time, the wing demonstrated its mobility readiness in response to three regional crises. From August 1958 to January 1959, the 51 FIW deployed eight
F-86 The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing Sov ...
Ds to
Ching Chuan Kang Air Base Ching Chuan Kang Air Base ( zh, t=清泉崗空軍基地, CCK) is a Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) base located in Taichung, Taiwan. It is the home to the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, with three squadrons of AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo fi ...
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the no ...
to fly combat air support missions for Nationalist Chinese forces after mainland
Communist Chinese The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victorious in the Chinese Civil ...
forces shelled the Nationalist-held islands of Quemoy and Matsu. Six years later, the wing deployed 12
F-102 The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was an American interceptor aircraft designed and manufactured by Convair. Built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s, it entered service in 1956. Its main purpo ...
s to the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
and
South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...
from August to October 1964 for air defense against possible Communist North Vietnamese air attacks. During the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, crews of the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing provided air defense of Naha AB, Okinawa, with F-102s of the 82nd FIS which was assigned to the 51st FIW from Travis AFB in January 1966. During the 1968 Pueblo crisis, the wing deployed 12 of is 33 aircraft to Suwon AB. On 31 May 1971, the 51st FIW was inactivated, ending almost 17 years of service in the Pacific from Naha when it was inactivated as the Air Force began scaling down its activities in
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...
. In 1975 Naha Air Base closed. The 51st was inactive for only five months. On 1 November 1971, the wing was redesignated the 51st Air Base Wing and activated at
Osan Air Base Hanja:) , partof = , location = , nearest_town = Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province , country = South Korea , image = Osan Air Base 51 FW F-16 A-10 Flyby.jpg , alt = US Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon and A ...
, South Korea. At Osan, the 51st assumed the host responsibilities of the inactivated 6314th Support Wing to include the Koon-ni range and a variety of remote sites. Operational squadrons of the 51st at Osan have been: Fighter Squadrons * 25th Fighter Squadron (1992–present A-10, OA-10) *
36th Fighter Squadron The 36th Fighter Squadron is part of the US Air Force's 51st Operations Group at Osan Air Base, South Korea. It operates the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting air superiority missions. The squadron was first activate ...
(F-4E 1974–88), (F-16C/D 1988–present) * 497th Fighter Squadron (F-4E) (1982–84) On 1 October 1993, after a half-dozen name changes, the wing returned to its original and current designation as the 51st Fighter Wing. Since then, the 51st has continued operating as a fighter/ground attack wing and continues to be tasked to receive and integrate follow-on reinforcing forces to the peninsula in the event of crisis.


Lineage

* Established as 51 Fighter Wing on 10 August 1948 : Activated on 18 August 1948 : Redesignated 51 Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 1 February 1950 : Inactivated on 31 May 1971 * Redesignated 51 Air Base Wing on 20 October 1971 : Activated on 1 November 1971 : Redesignated: 51 Composite Wing (Tactical) on 30 September 1974 : Redesignated: 51 Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 July 1982 : Redesignated: 51 Wing on 7 February 1992 : Redesignated: 51 Fighter Wing on 1 October 1993.


Assignments

* 1st Air Division, 18 August 1948 *
Thirteenth Air Force The Thirteenth Air Force (Air Forces Pacific) (13 AF) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It was last headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. 13 AF has never been sta ...
, 1 December 1948 *
Twentieth Air Force The Twentieth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) (20th AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. 20 AF's primary mission is Interco ...
, 16 May 1949 : Attached to
Fifth Air Force The Fifth Air Force (5 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is the U.S. Air Force's oldest continuously serving Numbered Air Force. The organizat ...
, 25 September 1950 – 1 August 1954 :: Further attached to
8th Fighter-Bomber Wing 8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9. In mathematics 8 is: * a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2. * a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number of ...
, 25 September – 12 October 1950 *
313th Air Division The 313th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Pacific Air Forces at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. It was inactivated on 1 October 1991. History The unit's origins begin with the World War II 31 ...
, 1 March 1955 – 31 May 1971 *
314th Air Division The 314th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Pacific Air Forces at Osan Air Base, South Korea. It became inactive in September 1986. The unit's origins lie with the World War II 314th Bombardm ...
, 1 November 1971 *
Seventh Air Force The Seventh Air Force (Air Forces Korea) (7 AF) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Osan Air Base, South Korea. The command's mission is to plan and direct air component operations in ...
, 8 September 1986–present


Components

Groups * 5th Tactical Air Control (later, 5 Tactical Control; 5 Air Control) Group: 8 January 1980 – 20 June 1982; 1 October 1990 – 1 July 1993 * 51st Fighter (later, 51 Fighter-Interceptor, 51 Fighter, 51 Operations) Group: 18 August 1948 – 25 October 1957 (detached 26 September – 12 October 1950, 16 August 1954 – 15 March 1955) ; 1 October 1990–present Squadrons *
16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron 16 (sixteen) is the natural number following 15 and preceding 17. 16 is a composite number, and a square number, being 42 = 4 × 4. It is the smallest number with exactly five divisors, its proper divisors being , , and . In English speech, ...
: attached 1 July – 24 October 1957, assigned 25 October 1957 – 24 December 1964 *
19th Tactical Air Support Squadron Nineteen or 19 may refer to: * 19 (number), the natural number following 18 and preceding 20 * one of the years 19 BC, AD 19, 1919, 2019 Films * ''19'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film * ''Nineteen'' (film), a 1987 science fiction film Music ...
: 30 September 1974 – 8 January 1980 * 25th Fighter-Interceptor (later, 25 Tactical Fighter) Squadron: attached 1 July – 24 October 1957, assigned 25 October 1957 – 8 June 1960; 1 February 1981 – 31 June 1990 * 36th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 30 September 1974 – 1 October 1990 *
82d Fighter Interceptor Squadron The 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group and stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The squadron was first activated as the 82nd Pursuit Squadron in 1942. ...
: attached 17 February – 24 June 1966, assigned 25 June 1966 – 31 May 1971 (detached 30 January – 20 February 1968) *
318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron The 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 25th Air Division at McChord Air Force Base, Washington, where it was inactivated on 7 December 1989. The squadron was first ...
: attached 11–18 February 1968 * 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 1 January 1982 – 24 January 1989 * 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron: attached 11 December 1964 – 15 March 1965 and 11 November 1965 – 25 February 1966 * 558th Tactical Fighter Squadron: attached 12 March – 15 June 1965 * 559th Tactical Fighter Squadron: attached 12 June – 15 November 1965.


Stations

* Naha Afld (later, Naha AB),
Okinawa is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 Square kilometre, km2 (880 sq mi). ...
, 18 August 1948 * Itazuke AB,
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
, 22 September 1950 *
Kimpo AB Gimpo International Airport (), commonly known as Gimpo Airport , formerly rendered in English as Kimpo International Airport, is located in the far western end of Seoul, some west of the Central District of Seoul. Gimpo was the main interna ...
,
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
, 10 October 1950 * Itazuke AB,
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
, 10 December 1950 *
Tsuiki Air Base is a military aerodrome of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force . It is located in Tsuiki, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. History Tsuiki Airfield was originally built by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force during World War II. The airfield was attack ...
,
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
, 15 January 1951 * Suwon AB (K-13),
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
, 1 October 1951 – 26 July 1954 * Naha AB,
Okinawa is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 Square kilometre, km2 (880 sq mi). ...
, 1 August 1954 – 31 May 1971 *
Osan AB Hanja:) , partof = , location = , nearest_town = Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province , country = South Korea , image = Osan Air Base 51 FW F-16 A-10 Flyby.jpg , alt = US Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon and A ...
,
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
, 1 November 1971–present


Aircraft Assigned

The 51st FW's aircrews have flown a variety of aircraft, including the P/F-51 Mustang,
F-80 Shooting Star The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of design, prod ...
, F-82 Twin Mustang, F-86 Sabrejet, F-94 Starfire,
F-102A Delta Dagger The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was an American interceptor aircraft designed and manufactured by Convair. Built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s, it entered service in 1956. Its main purpo ...
, F-4E Phantom II, RF-4C Phantom II,
F-106A Delta Dart The Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft of the United States Air Force from the 1960s through to the 1980s. Designed as the so-called "Ultimate Interceptor", it proved to be the last specialist interceptor i ...
,
OV-10 Bronco The North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco is an American twin- turboprop light attack and observation aircraft. It was developed in the 1960s as a special aircraft for counter-insurgency (COIN) combat, and one of its primary missions was as a for ...
, A-10 and OA-10 Thunderbolt II and several versions of the
F-16 Fighting Falcon The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successf ...
.


Commanders

The list of commanders for the 51st Fighter Wing and its predecessors includes a wartime hero, Colonel Francis Gabreski, and an aviation pioneer, Tuskegee Airman Colonel
Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. (December 18, 1912 – July 4, 2002) was a United States Air Force (USAF) general and commander of the World War II Tuskegee Airmen. He was the first African-American brigadier general in the USAF. On December 9, 1998, ...
This list includes those who only held command briefly as interim commanders.


Notable members

*
Buzz Aldrin Buzz Aldrin (; born Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr.; January 20, 1930) is an American former astronaut, engineer and fighter pilot. He made three spacewalks as pilot of the 1966 Gemini 12 mission. As the Lunar Module ''Eagle'' pilot on the 1969 A ...
, Served in the 16th Fighter Squadron during the Korean War; attained two aerial victories. * Lt Col William A. Campbell, Commanded the 25FIS in 1954; served with the Tuskegee Airmen in WWII, flying 106 missions with one aerial victory. * CMSAF James A. Cody, assigned to the 51st Operations Support Squadron from May 1993 – May 1994; became the 17th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. * Gen
Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. (December 18, 1912 – July 4, 2002) was a United States Air Force (USAF) general and commander of the World War II Tuskegee Airmen. He was the first African-American brigadier general in the USAF. On December 9, 1998, ...
, former commander of the Tuskegee Airmen who became the wing commander and was promoted to General Officer (four-star) post-retirement. *
John Glenn John Herschel Glenn Jr. (July 18, 1921 – December 8, 2016) was an American Marine Corps aviator, engineer, astronaut, businessman, and politician. He was the third American in space, and the first American to orbit the Earth, circling ...
, served as a branch exchange pilot from the USMC to the 25th Fighter Squadron, with three aerial victories in the Korean War. *
Chuck Norris Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris (born March 10, 1940) is an American martial artist and actor. He is a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu jitsu and judo. After serving in the United States Air Force, Norris won many martial arts championshi ...
, assigned to Osan security forces where he first started his martial arts practice. * CMSAF
Kaleth O. Wright Kaleth O. Wright is a retired senior noncommissioned officer in the United States Air Force who served as the 18th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force from February 17, 2017, to August 14, 2020. In this post he served as the personal adviser t ...
. assigned to the 51st Dental Squadron from 1994 – 1995 and 2007 – 2009; became the 18th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force.


References


USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers—1908 to present
* This article contains information from the
Osan Air Base factsheet
' which is an official document of the United States Government and is presumed to be in the public domain. * * * * * *


External links


51 Fighter Wing, AFHRA fact sheet

Osan AB Home Page

Video from 1952, describing the day-to-day activities of the Wing.
{{US Air Force navbox 0051 Military units and formations established in 1948