Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a
Major Command Major Command or Major Commands are large formations of the United States Armed Forces. Historically, a Major Command is the highest level of command. Within the United States Army, the acronym MACOM is used for Major Command. Within the United Sta ...
(MAJCOM) 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 is also the air component command of the
United States Indo-Pacific Command
United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) is a unified combatant command of the United States Armed Forces responsible for the Indo-Pacific region.
Formerly known as United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) since its inception in 1947, ...
(USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at
Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (former
Hickam AFB), Hawaii, and is one of two USAF MAJCOMs assigned outside the Continental United States, the other being the
United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa. Over the past sixty-five plus years, PACAF has been engaged in combat during the Korean and Vietnam Wars and Operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
The mission of Pacific Air Forces is to provide ready air and space power to promote U.S. interests in the Asia-Pacific region during peacetime, through crisis, and in war. PACAF organizes, trains, and equips the 45,000 Total Force personnel of the
Regular Air Force, the
Air Force Reserve
The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commi ...
and the
Air National Guard with the tools necessary to support the Commander of
United States Indo-Pacific Command
United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) is a unified combatant command of the United States Armed Forces responsible for the Indo-Pacific region.
Formerly known as United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) since its inception in 1947, ...
. PACAF comprises three numbered Air Forces, nine main bases and nearly 375 aircraft.
The command's
area of responsibility extends from the west coast of the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
to the east coast of
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
and from the
Arctic
The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...
to the
Antarctic, more than . The area is home to nearly two billion people who live in 44 countries.
History
Far East Air Forces
The beginnings of PACAF can be traced back to June 1944, when
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
St. Clair Streett's
Thirteenth Air Force was added to Allied Air Forces,
South West Pacific Area. At approximately the same time,
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on th ...
George Kenney created the
Far East Air Forces (FEAF) from his
Fifth Air Force headquarters, while the Advanced Echelon became the
Fifth Air Force under
Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
Ennis Whitehead, Sr.
The
RAAF also formed the
Australian First Tactical Air Force
The Australian First Tactical Air Force (No. 1 TAF) was formed on 25 October 1944 by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Its purpose was to provide a mobile force of fighter and ground attack aircraft that could support Allied army and n ...
under
Air Commodore Harry Cobby in October 1944, and when
General
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...
Douglas MacArthur became commander of all Army forces in the Pacific, the
Seventh Air Force was added as well.
Far East Air Forces (FEAF) was activated on 3 August 1944, at
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
,
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
, Australia. FEAF (Provisional) had actually been created on 15 June 1944, and
Fifth Air Force assigned to it. FEAF was subordinate to the
U.S. Army Forces Far East
United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) ( Filipino: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Estados Unidos sa Malayong Silangan/HKEUMS''; Spanish: ''Fuerzas del Ejército de los Estados Unidos en el Lejano Oriente'') was a military formation of the Unit ...
and served as the headquarters of Allied Air Forces
Southwest Pacific Area.
The creation of FEAF consolidated the command and control authority over
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
(
USAAF) units widely deployed throughout the southwest Pacific in World War II. On 15 June 1945,
Fifth Air Force,
Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines;
Seventh Air Force, Hickam Field, Hawaii, USA; and
Thirteenth Air Force, Clark Field,
Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
,
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 ...
were assigned to FEAF to support combat operations in the Pacific.
With the end of World War II in September 1945, the USAAF found its units deployed throughout the Pacific, from Hawaii to
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
, from Japan to Australia, and based on a hundred island airstrips, along with bases in China and
Burma
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...
. A realignment of these forces was needed by the USAAF to better organize its forces in the Pacific for peacetime. On 6 December 1945, Far East Air Forces was redesignated Pacific Air Command, United States Army (PACUSA), and its Air Forces were redeployed as follows:
* Fifth Air Force: Assigned to Tokyo, Japan
: Primary mission performing allied occupational assistance on the
Japanese Home Islands and the
Korean peninsula
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...
.
* Seventh Air Force: Assigned to
Hickam Field, Hawaii
: Returning to its prewar mission for the defense of the
Hawaiian Islands, including
Midway Island
Midway Atoll (colloquial: Midway Islands; haw, Kauihelani, translation=the backbone of heaven; haw, Pihemanu, translation=the loud din of birds, label=none) is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean. Midway Atoll is an insular area of the Unit ...
; the
Marshall Islands
The Marshall Islands ( mh, Ṃajeḷ), officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands ( mh, Aolepān Aorōkin Ṃajeḷ),'' () is an independent island country and microstate near the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, slightly west of the Inte ...
and other Central Pacific islands
* Eighth Air Force: Assigned to
Kadena Army Air Base,
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).
...
: Defense 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 ...
, including
Iwo Jima
* Thirteenth Air Force: Assigned to
Clark Field, Philippines
: Defense of the Philippines,
New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torres ...
and the
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capit ...
* Twentieth Air Force: Assigned to
Harmon Field,
Guam
Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...
,
Mariana Islands
: Reassigned to PACUSA 6 December 1945; provided a strategic deterrent for the entire
Western Pacific region
With this realignment and reassignment of forces, PACUSA controlled and commanded all United States Army Air Forces in the Far East and Southwest Pacific, and all air forces were placed under one Air Force commander for the first time.
In November 1945, the
509th Composite Group left
North Field on the island of
Tinian and was reassigned to
Roswell Army Air Field
Roswell may refer to:
* Roswell incident
Places in the United States
* Roswell, Colorado, a former settlement now part of Colorado Springs
* Roswell, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta
* Roswell, Idaho
* Roswell, New Mexico, known for the purported 1 ...
,
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex
, Offi ...
, taking the
atomic bomb delivery capability of PACUSA to the United States. Shortly afterwards, Eighth Air Force was reassigned to the newly established
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
(
SAC) on 7 June 1946 and its strategic units reassigned to the
1st Bombardment Division.
The major mission of PACUSA in the postwar years (1946–1950) was occupation duty in Japan and the demilitarization of the Japanese society in conjunction with the United States Army. In addition, PACUSA helped to support atomic bomb testing in the
Pacific Proving Grounds beginning with the
Operation Crossroads test on
Bikini Atoll in the
Marshall Islands
The Marshall Islands ( mh, Ṃajeḷ), officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands ( mh, Aolepān Aorōkin Ṃajeḷ),'' () is an independent island country and microstate near the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, slightly west of the Inte ...
in 1946.
With the impending establishment 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 ...
as an independent service later that year, PACUSA was redesignated Far East Air Forces (FEAF) on 1 January 1947. On that same date, Seventh Air Force in Hawaii was inactivated with its organization absorbed by HQ, FEAF.
USAF established
Coinciding with the establishment 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 ...
(
USAF) as an independent service in September 1947, PACUSA/FEAF deployments to Korea prior to the 1948 partition of the country helped in the establishment of the
Republic of Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its ea ...
(e.g.,
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 ...
), along with the transfer of surplus military equipment and other aid to
French Indochina
French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China),; vi, Đông Dương thuộc Pháp, , lit. 'East Ocean under French Control; km, ឥណ្ឌូចិនបារាំង, ; th, อินโดจีนฝรั่งเศส, ...
as well as aid to the
Nationalist Chinese during the
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led government of the Republic of China and forces of the Chinese Communist Party, continuing intermittently since 1 August 1927 until 7 December 1949 with a Communist victory on main ...
which resumed after the end of World War II (1945–1949).
Korean War
On 25 June 1950, the armed forces of the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (e.g.,
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...
) invaded South Korea. On 27 June, the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...
Security Council voted to assist the South Koreans in resisting the invasion.
President Harry Truman authorized
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur (commander of the US occupying forces in Japan) to commit units to the battle. MacArthur ordered
General George E. Stratemeyer, CIC of FEAF, to attack attacking North Korean forces between the front lines and the
38th parallel.
Order of Battle, June 1950
Despite the post-World War II demobilization of United States armed forces, 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 ...
still had substantial forces in the Pacific to oppose the North Korean military. When the North Koreans crossed the 38th parallel on 25 June 1950, FEAF consisted of the following primary units*:
[Air Force Historical Research Agency PACAF History Factsheet](_blank)
* Fifth Air Force (Japan)
: Itazuke Air Base, Kyushu
::
8th Fighter-Bomber Wing/Group (F-80, F-82)
:
Johnson Air Base, Honshu
::
3d Bombardment Wing/Group (B-26)
: Nagoya Air Base, Honshu
::
347th Fighter All Weather Wing/Group (inactivated 24 June 1950)
:
Tachikawa Air Base, Honshu
::
374th Troop Carrier Wing/Group (C-54)
:
Yokota Air Base,
Honshu
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island s ...
::
35th Fighter-Interceptor Wing/Group (F-80, RF-80, F-82)
: Misawa Air Base, Honshu
::
49th Fighter-Bomber Wing/Group (F-80)
* Twentieth Air Force (Okinawa and the Marianas)
: Naha Air Base, Okinawa
::
51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing/Group (F-80, F-82)
:
Kadena Air Base, Okinawa
:: 31st Photo Reconnaissance Squadron, VLR** (RB-29)
:
Andersen Air Force Base
Andersen Air Force Base (Andersen AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located primarily within the village of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam. The host unit at Andersen AFB is the 36th Wing (36 WG), assigned to the Pacific ...
,
Guam
Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...
::
19th Bombardment Wing/Group (B-29)
* Thirteenth Air Force (Philippines)
:
Clark Air Force Base,
Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
::
18th Fighter-Bomber Wing/Group (F-80)
:: 21st Troop Carrier Squadron (C-54)
:: 6204th Photo Mapping Flight (RB-17)
At that time, the combat units of the FEAF were equipped with the
Lockheed 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, pro ...
jet fighter, the
North American F-82 Twin Mustang all-weather escort fighter, the
Douglas B-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is an American twin-engined light bomber and ground attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II, the Invader also saw service during several major ...
light attack bomber, the Lockheed RF-80A Shooting Star tactical reconnaissance aircraft, and the
Boeing B-29 Superfortress heavy bomber. Support units were equipped with the
Douglas C-54 Skymaster cargo aircraft and the
Boeing RB-17 Flying Fortress, a former heavy bomber converted to photo mapping duties. FEAF personnel also trained, supported and flew with the fledgling
Republic of Korea Air Force (
ROKAF) under the
Bout One Project
Bout One Project was an operation undertaken during the Korean War by U.S. Air Force to train South Korean pilots to fly F-51 Mustang fighters.
On June 27, 1950, as part of the project, a special unit was formed in Japan under Major Dean Hess, w ...
, primarily operating excess World War II-vintage
F-51D Mustang fighter aircraft transferred from USAF inventory, re-marked with ROKAF insignia, and operated in interdiction/ground attack and close air support roles.
* Elements of the 2d and 3d Air Rescue squadrons, attached to FEAF by the Military Air Transport Service ( MATS), were located at various bases where they could best perform emergency rescue services with their SB-17 Flying Fortresses. The 512th and 514th Weather Reconnaissance Squadrons of the 2143d Air Weather Wing were located at Yokota Air Base, Japan, and Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. All USAF units engaged in combat during the Korean War were under the overall command of Far East Air Forces.
** The 31st Photo Reconnaissance Squadron was a Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
unit, attached to FEAF for operations. On 29 June 1950, the unit began flying combat missions over the Korean Peninsula in their RB-29 Superfortresses to provide FEAF Bomber Command with target and bomb-damage assessment photography.
In response to the threat posed by the introduction of Soviet-built (and often Soviet-manned)
MiG-15 jet fighters into the
Korean People's Air Force (KPAF), USAF F-80 and F-82 units were later re-equipped with the
North American F-86 Sabre jet fighter between December 1951 and Spring 1953. Eventually, these USAF F-86 units would establish a kill ratio of 10:1 versus their KPAF adversaries. 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:{ ...
(1950–1953), alongside the U.S. Navy and small allied contingents, FEAF's Fifth Air Force bore the brunt of the coalition air combat operations.
Cold War
With the 1953 Korean Armistice, the deployed SAC and
TAC units to Japan and Korea were gradually withdrawn, and returned to the United States.
Twentieth Air Force was inactivated on 1 March 1955, leaving FEAF with two Air Forces, the Fifth in Japan and the Thirteenth in the Philippines, although units were maintained on Guam and Okinawa.
PACAF established
On 1 July 1954, Pacific Air Force was activated at
Hickam Air Force Base,
Territory of Hawaii, and assigned to Far East Air Forces (FEAF), which was headquartered in Japan. Pacific Air Force at Hickam functioned primarily as the Air Force staff component and planning element of U.S. Pacific Command. On 1 July 1956, Pacific Air Force was redesignated Pacific Air Force/FEAF (Rear). Headquarters FEAF began preparations to move from Japan to Hawaii. Smith assumed additional responsibilities as deputy commander, Far East Air Forces. This was followed on 1 July 1957 with United States Far East Air Forces being redesignated as Pacific Air Forces (
PACAF) and transferring its headquarters to
Hickam AFB,
Territory of Hawaii.
On 1 October 1955, the
Far East Air Materiel Command was transferred from Far East Air Forces to
Air Force Materiel Command.
Tensions between the
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 ...
on the mainland and the
Nationalist Chinese on
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 ...
dominated FEAF and PACAF during the mid and late 1950s. The
1954 and
1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis both threatened to break out into a war, and USAF F-104C fighter squadrons were deployed to
Kung Kuan 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 ...
on
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 ...
in 1958. The question of "
Matsu and
Quemoy" became an issue in the
1960 American Presidential election when
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
accused
John F. Kennedy of being unwilling to commit to using nuclear weapons if the People's Republic of China invaded the Nationalist outposts.
By 1960, PACAF maintained a combat-ready deterrent force of some 35 squadrons, operating from 10 major bases in a half-dozen countries.
Vietnam War
In the early 1960s, communist military strength and firepower in
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making ...
increased. As a result, PACAF began a buildup in the area with the addition of troops and better arms and equipment.
In response to what has become known as the
Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964,
Tactical Air Command (TAC) pilots, navigators and support personnel found themselves deployed from the CONUS to PACAF bases such as
Da Nang Air Base and
Phan Rang AB in South Vietnam.
Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base and
Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand were also used by deployed TAC fighter squadrons.
[Futrell, Robert F. with the assistance of Blumenson, Martin (1991) The United States Air Force in Southeast Asia: The Advisory Years to 1965, Office of Air Force History, United States Air Forceriority in Korea. Annapolis: U.S. Naval Institute Press, 2005. .]
As the American effort in Southeast Asia increased, TAC permanently reassigned entire wings of aircraft from CONUS bases to PACAF and increased the number of rotated tactical fighter and reconnaissance squadrons on rotating Temporary Duty (TDY) commitments to PACAF bases in Vietnam and Thailand, along with units to South Korea, Japan and the Philippines. On a daily basis, flight crews would hurl themselves and their planes at targets across the area of operations over the skies of
North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''north ...
and
South Vietnam.
At the height of the
Vietnam War (1968), PACAF commanded forces at major air bases in the following countries:
[Schlight, John (1996) A War Too Long: The History of the USAF in Southeast Asia, 1961–1975, Office of Air Force History, United States Air Force]
* Japan (Fifth Air Force)
* South Korea (Fifth Air Force)
* Philippines (Thirteenth Air Force)
* Taiwan (Thirteenth Air Force)
* South Vietnam (Seventh Air Force)
* Thailand (Seventh/Thirteenth Air Force)
In 1962, PACAF activated the
2d Air Division to be the main warfighting organization in South Vietnam. As the conflict escalated,
Seventh Air Force was activated on 1 April 1966, replacing 2d Air Force. PACAF units in
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
were under the command of
Thirteenth Air Force beginning in 1964, then in 1973 a joint Seventh/Thirteenth Air Force headquarters was established in Bangkok to direct PACAF forces in Thailand operating in Indochina (until 15 August 1973), and Thailand until the final USAF withdrawal from Southeast Asia in the beginning of 1976.
By 1970, direct PACAF involvement the war was winding down as the conflict was being increasingly turned over to the South Vietnamese under the process known as
Vietnamization. Units from the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (VNAF) took on more and more combat to defend their nation while PACAF tactical air strength was being reduced as several air bases were turned over to the VNAF. Combat aircraft of PACAF flew their last strikes in
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand ...
15 August 1973, writing the final chapter to the long and costly history of active American participation in the
Indochina War. The
Paris Peace Accords of 1973 ended PACAF's use of South Vietnamese bases, and by 1976 bases in Thailand were turned over to the Thai government. In 1979, normalization of relations with the People's Republic of China also led to the withdrawal of PACAF personnel from
Ching Chuan Kang Air Base,
Republic of China (Taiwan).
Post Cold War
The post-Vietnam era found the command focusing on improving its readiness and PACAF's organizational structure saw a marked period of rapid and extensive changes. Inactivated at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975,
Seventh Air Force was reactivated at
Osan Air Base, South Korea in 1986 to take over
Fifth Air Force activities in South Korea. Also in 1986, the
Goldwater-Nichols Act reworked the overall command structure of the United States military. With the creation of
Unified Combatant Command
A unified combatant command (CCMD), also referred to as a combatant command, is a joint military command of the United States Department of Defense that is composed of units from two or more service branches of the United States Armed Forces, ...
s (UCC) organized either on a geographical basis (known as "Area of Responsibility", AOR) or on a functional basis, Pacific Air Forces became a part of the
United States Pacific Command (USPACOM).
Andersen AFB
Andersen Air Force Base (Andersen AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located primarily within the village of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam. The host unit at Andersen AFB is the 36th Wing (36 WG), assigned to the Pacific ...
in Guam was reassigned from
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
(
SAC) to PACAF in 1989, and
Eleventh Air Force became a part of the command in late 1990. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, civil unrest in the Philippines and negotiations with the extant government of the
Republic of 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 ...
for the lease of
Clark Air Base, along with other U.S. military installations in the Philippines, had reached an impasse. However, following the volcanic eruption of
Mount Pinatubo, the resultant damage to Clark AB, and with a post-
Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because t ...
desire by the U.S. Government to reduce defense spending, Clark AB was closed and
Thirteenth Air Force relocated in 1991.
In 1992, changes took place in force structure within PACAF as the command assumed control of theater-based tactical airlift wings, theater C-130 aircraft and crews, and associated theater C-130 support following the disestablishment of
Military Airlift Command (
MAC). PACAF also gained control of all operational support aircraft and all aeromedical airlift assets in the Pacific previously under the cognizance of MAC.
With the concurrent disestablishment of
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
(
SAC) and
Tactical Air Command (
TAC) the same year, PACAF also assumed responsibility for all active KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft based in Hawaii and Japan, "gaining command" responsibility for all Air National Guard KC-135 aircraft in Hawaii and Alaska, and all E-3 AWACS aircraft in Japan and Alaska.
Throughout its history PACAF has played a vital role in world events. In addition to its key combat role in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, PACAF units fought in
Desert Storm
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases ...
in 1991 and continued to deploy to
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the Ara ...
, Turkey and
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
for peacekeeping operations such as
Operation Southern Watch and
Operation Northern Watch. PACAF provided its expertise, aircraft, personnel and equipment to facilitate the new Expeditionary Air Force, especially as it applied to successful airbridge operations spanning the vast Pacific Ocean. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, PACAF again demonstrated its intrepid spirit through its units deployed in support of
Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle (ONE) is the United States and Canadian military operation related to homeland security and support to federal, state, and local agencies. The operation began 11 September 2001, in response to the September 11 attacks..
...
,
Operation Enduring Freedom and, in 2003,
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Since 1944, the command has also participated in more than 140 humanitarian operations within its area of responsibility and beyond. In these operations PACAF people quickly and efficiently airlifted food, medicine and other supplies to areas devastated by storms, floods, earthquakes, volcanoes and other natural disasters.
As PACAF entered the second decade of the 21st century, expanding theater challenges and simultaneous resource constraints have forced continuing innovation and adjustments by PACAF in order to meet mission requirements. Previously assigned four numbered air forces, PACAF downscoped to three numbered air forces in September 2012, inactivating
13th Air Force and merging its functions into PACAF. Base consolidations and infrastructure limitations have also required the Air Force and PACAF to developed increased capability while striving to remain within budgetary resource constraints. One such example has been the evaluation of alternate runway(s)/divert field(s) in the Marianas since late 2011 as a backup to Andersen AFB on Guam, a process that remains on-going as of 2014.
Lineage
* Established as Far East Air Forces (Provisional) on 31 July 1944
: Reestablished: Far East Air Forces on 3 August 1944
: Activated on 3 August 1944
: Redesignated: Pacific Air Command, United States Army, on 6 December 1945
: Redesignated: Far East Air Forces on 1 January 1947
: Redesignated Pacific Air Forces on 1 July 1957
Assignments
* Southwest Pacific Area, 3 August 1944
* US Army Forces, Pacific, 6 December 1945
*
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 ...
, 26 September 1947 – Present
Historical Operational Components
Commands
* Far East Air Forces Bomber Command, Provisional: 8 July 1950 – 18 June 1954
* Far East Air Forces Combat Cargo Command, Provisional: 20 August 1950 – 25 January 1951
* Far East (later, Pacific) Air Service Command, later
Far East Air Materiel Command (from 1 January 1947) later, Far East Air Logistics Force): 18 August 1944 – 1 October 1955.
Force
* Japan Air Defense: 1 March 1952 – 1 September 1954
Air Forces
*
Fifth Air Force
: 3 August 1944 – Present
*
Seventh Air Force
: 14 July 1945 – 1 January 1947; 5 January 1955 – 1 July 1957; 1 April 1966 – 30 June 1975; 8 September 1986 – Present
*
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Forc ...
: 6 December 1945 – 7 June 1946
*
Eleventh Air Force: 9 August 1990 – Present
*
Thirteenth Air Force: 3 August 1944 – 1 June 1955; 1 July 1957 – 28 September 2012
*
Twentieth Air Force: 6 December 1945 – 1 March 1955
Air Divisions
*
1st Bombardment Division (later: 1st Air Division): 7 June 1946 – 1 December 1948
*
2d Air Division: 10 September – 10 October 1962; 8 July 1965 – 1 April 1966
*
17th Air Division. 17 1 July 1975 – 1 January 1976
*
85th Air Division: 11 May 1945 – 1 September 1945
*
91st Air Division: 8 August 1944 – 27 January 1946
*
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 ...
: 18 May 1951 – 1 March 1952
*
315th Air Division: 25 January 1951 – 15 April 1969
*
326th Air Division: 1 July 1957 – 15 February 1989
*
327th Air Division
The 327th Air Division is an inactive air division of the United States Air Force (USAF). It was assigned to Thirteenth Air Force throughout its existence. It was last stationed at Taipei Air Station in Gongguan, Taipei Taiwan, where it was i ...
: 26 January – 8 February 1966
Wings
*
8th Tactical Fighter Wing: 18 June – 8 July 1964
*
18th Fighter Wing
18 (eighteen) is the natural number following 17 and preceding 19.
In mathematics
* Eighteen is a composite number, its divisors being 1, 2, 3, 6 and 9. Three of these divisors (3, 6 and 9) add up to 18, hence 18 is a semiperfect numb ...
: 1 December 1948 – 16 May 1949
*
19th Bombardment Wing
The 19th Airlift Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command's Eighteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. The wing is also the host unit at Little Rock.
The Wing provides the ...
: 16 May – 17 October 1949
*
27th Fighter-Escort Wing
7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube.
As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion, mythology, s ...
: attached, 19–29 November 1950 and 6–13 October 1952
*
35th Tactical Fighter Wing: 14 March – 8 April 1966
*
322d Troop Carrier Wing
3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many soci ...
: 30 December 1944 – 15 February 1946
Stations
*
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
, Australia, 3 August 1944
*
Hollandia,
New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torres ...
, 16 September 1944
*
Leyte
Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census.
Since the accessibility of land has be ...
, Philippines, 7 February 1945
*
Tolosa, Leyte
Tolosa, officially the Municipality of Tolosa ( war, Bungto han Tolosa; tl, Bayan ng Tolosa), is a 5th class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 20,708 people.
It is located ...
, Philippines, 17 February 1945
*
Fort William McKinley,
Leyte
Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census.
Since the accessibility of land has be ...
, Philippines, 20 March 1945
* Tokyo, Japan, 17 May 1946
* Fuchu AS, Japan, 13 May 1956
*
Hickam AFB, Hawaii, 30 June 1957 – Present
*
Ching Chuan Kang Air Base, Taiwan, 8 January 1954 – April 1979
Commanders, Pacific Air Forces
Component units
Pacific Air Forces comprises the following wings and major units.
* Headquarters Pacific Air Forces (
Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii)
**
319th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, Kanoya Air Field, Japan, established October 2022 (UAVs).
Fifth Air Force
The
Fifth Air Force is responsible for USAF operations in Japan. Its role is to defend Japan, respond to regional events, and enhance the
U.S. and Japan Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement
The U.S. and Japan Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement was signed on March 8, 1954 in Tokyo between John Allison of the United States and Katsuo Okazaki of Japan. The accord contained eleven articles and seven amendments (or annexes). The agreeme ...
alliance between the U.S. and Japan.
Permanent units
* Headquarters Fifth Air Force (
Yokota Air Base, Japan)
*
18th Wing (
Kadena Air Base, Japan) –
E-3B/C Sentry,
HH-60G Pave Hawk,
F-15C/D Eagle,
E-8C J-STARS and
KC-135R Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the Boeing C-135 Stratolifter, C-135 Strat ...
*
35th Fighter Wing
The 35th Fighter Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The wing is part of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF)'s Fifth Air Force.
The wing was first activated in August 1948 at Johnson Ai ...
(
Misawa Air Base, Japan) –
F-16CJ/DJ Fighting Falcon
*
374th Airlift Wing (Yokota Air Base) –
C-12J Huron,
C-130J Hercules and
UH-1N Iroquois
* 605th Air Operations Group (Yokota Air Base)
Seventh Air Force (Air Forces Korea)
The
Seventh Air Force contributes to maintaining the
armistice
An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the ...
between
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 ...
and
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...
.
Permanent units
* Headquarters Seventh Air Force (
Osan Air Base, South Korea)
*
8th Fighter Wing (
Kunsan Air Base South Korea) –
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
*
51st Fighter Wing (Osan Air Base) –
A-10C Thunderbolt II and
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
*
607th Air and Space Operations Center (Osan Air Base)
* 607th Air Support Group (Osan Air Base)
* 607th Air Support Operations Group (Osan Air Base)
* 607th Support Group (Osan Air Base)
Eleventh Air Force
The
Eleventh Air Force is responsible for USAF operations across the Pacific, including the states of
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U ...
and
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
and the US territory of
Guam
Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...
.
Permanent units
* Headquarters 11th Air Force (
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska)
*
3rd Wing
The 3rd Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Eleventh Air Force. It is stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
The Wing is the largest and principal unit within 11th Air Forc ...
(Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson) –
C-130H Hercules,
C-17A Globemaster III
The McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft that was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The C-17 carries forward the name of two ...
,
F-22A Raptor
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is an American single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). As the result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, th ...
and
E-3B Sentry
*
15th Wing
The 15th Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii. The wing reports to 11th Air Force, Headquartered at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
Its history goes back to just before World War ...
(
Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii) – C-17A Globemaster III,
C-37B,
C-40A, F-22A Raptor
*
36th Wing (
Anderson AFB, Guam)
*
354th Fighter Wing
The 354th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force wing that is part of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is the host wing at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and is assigned to the Eleventh Air Force (11 AF).
The wing replaced the 343d Fighter ...
(
Eielson AFB,
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U ...
) –
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon and
F-35A Lightning II
*
611th Air and Space Operations Center (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)
*
611th Air Support Group
__NOTOC__
Year 611 ( DCXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 611 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era b ...
(Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)
*
613th Air and Space Operations Center (Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam)
* 613th Support Group (Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam)
*
673rd Air Base Wing (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)
*
Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center
The Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center, formerly the 611th Air Support Group, is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the Eleventh Air Force, stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
The center is responsible f ...
(Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)
Expeditionary units
*
13th Air Expeditionary Group (
Christchurch International Airport, New Zealand and
McMurdo Station, Antarctica) –
C-17A Globemaster III
The McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft that was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The C-17 carries forward the name of two ...
and
LC-130 Hercules
Air Force Reserve
Pacific Air Forces has operational "gaining command" responsibility for several
Air Reserve Component (ARC) units, comprising personnel and aircraft from
Air Force Reserve Command (
AFRC) and the
Air National Guard (
ANG).
Air Force Reserve Command
*
477th Fighter Group
The 477th Fighter Group is an Air Reserve unit of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Tenth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, Alaska. The 477th FG is an associate unit of the 3 ...
(
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson) – F-22A Raptor
*
624th Regional Support Group (Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam and Andersen AFB)
* 701st Combat Operations Squadron (
March Air Reserve Base, California and Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam)
Alaska Air National Guard
*
176th Wing (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson) –
C-130H Hercules,
C-17A Globemaster III
The McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft that was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The C-17 carries forward the name of two ...
,
HC-130J Combat King II
The Lockheed HC-130 is an extended-range, search and rescue (SAR)/combat search and rescue (CSAR) version of the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft, with two different versions operated by two separate services in the U.S. armed forc ...
and
HH-60G Pave Hawk
*
168th Air Refueling Wing (Eielson AFB) –
KC-135R Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the Boeing C-135 Stratolifter, C-135 Strat ...
* Alaska Rescue Coordination Center (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson)
Guam Air National Guard
* 254th Air Base Group (Andersen AFB)
Hawaii Air National Guard
The Hawaii Air National Guard (HI ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Hawaii, United States of America. It is, along with the Hawaii Army National Guard, an element of the Hawaii National Guard.
As state militia units, the units in th ...
* 109th Air Operations Group (Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam)
*
154th Wing (Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam) – C-17A Globemaster III, F-22A Raptor and KC-135R Stratotanker
* 201st Air Operations Group (Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam)
* 298th Air Defense Group (
Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii)
Missouri Air National Guard
*
157th Air Operations Group
The United States Air Force's 157th Air Operations Group is an Air Operations Center manning unit located at Jefferson Barracks National Guard Base in St Louis, Missouri. The unit is geographically-separated from its supporting unit, the Miss ...
(
Jefferson Barracks National Guard Base)
Other units
* USAF Band of the Pacific – Asia (Yokota Air Base)
* USAF Band of the Pacific – Hawaii (Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam)
See also
*
Republic of Korea Armed Forces
*
United States Air Force in South Korea
*
United States Air Force in Thailand
*
United States Army Air Forces in Australia
*
United States Forces Korea (USFK)
*
United States Taiwan Defense Command (USTDC)
Notes
References
* This article includes content fro
Pacific Air Forces website which as a work of the U.S. Government is presumed to be a public domain resource. That information was supplemented by:
* Endicott, Judy G. (1999) Active Air Force wings as of 1 October 1995; USAF active flying, space, and missile squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. CD-ROM
* Fletcher, Harry R. (1989) Air Force Bases Volume II, Active Air Force Bases outside the United States of America on 17 September 1982. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History.
* Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. .
* Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. .
External links
Pacific Air Forces(official site)
PACAF Pixels(command blog)
USA Pacific Air Command, Army Institute of Heraldry
{{USAF Korea
Major commands of the United States Air Force
Military units and formations in Hawaii