The 306th Fighter Wing (306th FW) was a

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

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 ...

organization assigned to

Fifteenth Air Force The Fifteenth Air Force (15 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base. It was reactivated on 20 August 2020, merging the previous units of the Ninth Air Forc ...

as an intermediate-level command and control organization. It was last stationed at

Drew Field Tampa International Airport is an international airport west of Downtown Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (HCAA)., effective May 15, 2025. The airp ...

, Florida and was inactivated on 7 November 1945.

History

World War II

The first predecessor of the 356th Special Operations Wing was the 306th Fighter Wing of

.Maurer, pp. 417–418 Constituted originally as the 306th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 7 December 1943. Activated in Italy on 15 January 1944. Assigned to

. Entered combat in Mar as a fighter organization. Redesignated 306th Fighter Wing in May 1944. Operated in the Mediterranean and European theaters until the end of the war. Moved to the US, July–August 1945. Inactivated on 7 November 1945.

Vietnam War

The second predecessor of the wing was the 656th Special Operations Wing, which replaced the 56th Special Operations Wing in Thailand in 1975.Ravenstein, p. 291

Consolidation and redesignation

The two wings were consolidated as the 356th Special Operations Wing in 1985, but have not been active since.Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 648q, 31 July 1985, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Organizations

Lineage

; 306th Fighter Wing * Constituted as the 306th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 7 December 1943 : Activated on 15 January 1944. : Redesignated 306th Fighter Wing in May 1944 : Inactivated on 7 November 1945 * Consolidated with the 656th Special Operations Wing as the 356th Special Operations Wing on 31 July 1985 ; 656th Special Operations Wing * Established as the 656th Special Operations Wing on 14 May 1975 (not organized) : Activated on 30 June 1975 : Inactivated on 22 September 1975. * Consolidated with the 306th Fighter Wing as the 356th Special Operations Wing on 31 July 1985

Assignments

, 15 January 1944 – 15 July 1945 *

Third Air Force The Third Air Force (Air Forces Europe) (3 AF) is a Numbered Air Force, numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). Its headquarters is Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It is responsible for all U ...

, August − 7 November 1945 *

Thirteenth Air Force The Thirteenth Expeditionary Air Force (13 EAF) is a provisional numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base, Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam on the island of Oahu, ...

, 30 June 1975 * 17th Air Division, 1 July – 22 September 1975

Stations

* Bari Airfield, Italy, 15 January 1944 * Foggia Airfield, Italy, 27 January 1944 * Lucera Airfield, Italy, 23 February 1944 * Torremaggiore, Italy, 8 March 1944 * Lesina Airfield, Italy, 3 September 1944 * Fano Airfield, Italy, 5 March – 15 July 1945 *

, Florida, August −7 November 1945 * Nakhon Phanom Airport, Thailand, 30 June – 22 September 1975

Components

; Groups * 1st Fighter Group, 27 March – November 1944 *

14th Fighter Group 014 may refer to: * Argus As 014 * 014 Construction Unit * Divi Divi Air Flight 014 * Pirna 014 * Tyrrell 014 The Tyrrell 014 was a Formula One car, designed for Tyrrell Racing The Tyrrell Racing Organisation was an auto racing team and F ...

, 1 November 1943 – 27 March 1944 * 31st Fighter Group, 2 April 1944 – 13 June 1945 * 52d Fighter Group, 14 May 1944 – 13 June 1945 *

82d Fighter Group 8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9. Etymology English ''eight'', from Old English '', æhta'', Proto-Germanic ''*ahto'' is a direct continuation of Proto-Indo-European '' *oḱtṓ(w)-'', and as such cognate wi ...

, 27 March 1944 – 13 June 1945 *

325th Fighter Group 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 and cultural significance in many societies ...

, December 1943 – 13 June 1945 * 332d Fighter Group, 28 May 1944 – 13 June 1945 ; Squadrons * 21st Special Operations Squadron, attached 30 June – 22 September 1975 *

23rd Flying Training Squadron The 23rd Flying Training Squadron is a unit of the United States Air Force, currently assigned to 58th Operations Group performing helicopter training at Fort Novosel, Alabama. Mission Since January 1994, the 23d Flying Training Squadron is t ...

, attached 30 June – 22 September 1975

Aircraft

P-47 Thunderbolt The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter, and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...

, 1943–1944 *

P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter aircraft, fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by a team headed ...

, 1944–1945 * Sikorsky CH-53, 1975 *

North American 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 forw ...

, 1975

References

; Notes

Bibliography

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:306th Fighter Wing (World War Ii) European theatre of World War II Conflicts in 1945 Fighter wings of the United States Army Air Forces