The 56th Fighter Wing is a fighter wing in the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
. It is the world's largest
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, supersonic Stealth aircraft, stealth strike fighters. A multirole combat aircraft designed for both Air superiority fighter, air superiority and att ...
wing and one of two Air Force F-35 training locations. Additionally, it is one of two active-duty F-16 training bases. The 56th graduates dozens of F-35 and
General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superio ...
pilots and 300 air control professionals annually.
Additionally, the 56th Fighter Wing oversees the
Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field and the
Barry M. Goldwater Range, a military training range spanning more than 1.7 million acres of
Sonoran Desert
The Sonoran Desert () is a hot desert and ecoregion in North America that covers the northwestern Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur, as well as part of the Southwestern United States (in Arizona and California). It ...
.
[
]
History
Initial activation
The 56th Fighter Wing was activated 15 August 1947 at Selfridge Field, Michigan[ as part of the ]United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
's experimental wing base reorganization, in which combat groups and all supporting units on a base were assigned to a single wing
A wing is a type of fin that produces both Lift (force), lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform (aeronautics), planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-d ...
. The 56th Fighter Group, flying Lockheed P-80 Shooting Stars, became its operational component. The wing base organization was made permanent in 1948.
In July and August 1948, the wing pioneered the first west-to-east jet fighter transatlantic crossing along the northern air route from the United States to Europe,[ flying 16 of its F-80's from Selfridge to Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base, Germany, by way of Maine Labrador, Greenland, Iceland and Scotland.
]
Air Defense Command
The wing's mission included the air defense
Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface (Submarine#Armament, submarine-lau ...
of a large portion of the United States. As this mission became more important, the 56th was transferred from Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was 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 compon ...
(SAC) to Continental Air Command in December 1948, and then to the newly reformed Air Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for air defense of the continental United States. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air De ...
(ADC) on 1 December 1950. This mission was emphasized when the unit was redesignated 56th Fighter-Interceptor Wing in January 1950.[ It converted to the North American F-86 Sabre later that year. In a major ADC reorganization, to respond to the command's difficulties under the existing wing base organizational structure in deploying fighter squadrons to best advantage, the 56th was inactivated along with its 56th Fighter-Interceptor Group on 6 February 1952. Its operational squadrons were transferred to the recently organized 4708th Defense Wing.
Almost nine years later the wing was reactivated at K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan, where it replaced the 56th Fighter Group as Sawyer began to grow in size as SAC's 4042d Strategic Wing began to add combat elements, requiring a larger support base. The wing once again had air defense mission.][ The wing controlled a single tactical unit, the 62d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, flying the McDonnell F-101 Voodoo, which was capable of carrying the nuclear armed AIR-2 Genie.][ At the time the wing was activated, it maintained two aircraft on five minute alert status. In February 1962, in addition to these two interceptors, one third of the wing's aircraft were placed on fifteen minute alert.
]
On 22 October 1962, at the beginning of the Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis () in Cuba, or the Caribbean Crisis (), was a 13-day confrontation between the governments of the United States and the Soviet Union, when American deployments of Nuclear weapons d ...
, when President Kennedy announced the presence of Soviet intermediate-range ballistic missile
An intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) is a ballistic missile with a range (aeronautics), range between (), categorized between a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) and an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Classifying ball ...
s in Cuba. Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) directed the dispersal of interceptors within the United States. The dispersal plan called for Hector Field, North Dakota to be the wing's dispersal base, but ADC's dispersal plan was incomplete and Phelps Collins Field, Michigan became the wing's "interim" dispersal base. The wing sent one third of its aircraft there. All wing aircraft, including those at home and those at Phelps Collins were armed and placed on fifteen minute alert status. The increased alert posture was maintained through mid-November, when CONAD returned the wing to its normal alert status.
The wing was assigned to the Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector until October 1963 when it became part of the Duluth Air Defense Sector. It participated in many ADC exercises, tactical evaluations and other air defense operations.[ Although the number of ADC interceptor squadrons remained almost constant in the early 1960s, attrition (and the fact that production lines closed in 1961) caused a gradual drop in the number of planes assigned to a squadron, from 24 to typically 18 by 1964. These reductions made it apparent that the primary mission of K.I. Sawyer would be to support SAC. In preparation for K.I. Sawyer becoming a SAC base, the wing's single tactical squadron transferred to the Duluth Air Defense Sector on 16 December 1963, and on 1 January 1964, the wing was transferred to SAC, which inactivated it and transferred its support elements to the ]410th Bombardment Wing
The United States Air Force's 410th Air Expeditionary Wing (410 AEW) is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command (ACC) It may be activated or inactivated at any time.
The unit was known to be active during the 2 ...
, which became the base's new host.
Vietnam War
The wing was renamed the 56th Air Commando Wing and activated at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base,[The base was commonly referred to by its identifier, "NKP", or informally as "Naked Fanny."] Thailand in April 1967,[ replacing the 634th Combat Support Group] as the mission there expanded. It was assigned the 606th Air Commando Squadron, a composite unit flying Helio U-10 Couriers, Fairchild C-123 Providers, Douglas A-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is an American twin-engined light bomber and attack aircraft, ground attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II, the Invader also saw service during ...
and North American T-28 Trojan
The North American Aviation T-28 Trojan is a Radial engine, radial-engine military trainer aircraft manufactured by North American Aviation and used by the United States Air Force and United States Navy beginning in the 1950s. Besides its use ...
s, and the 602d Fighter Squadron flying Douglas A-1 Skyraiders at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand.[ The wing continued to grow, adding the 609th Air Commando Squadron, which took over the T-28s and A-26s of the 606th, the 21st Helicopter Squadron, which was activated in November with Sikorsky CH-3 helicopters and the 1st Air Commando Squadron, another Skyraider squadron, which moved to Nakhon Phanom from Pleiku Air Base, ]South Vietnam
South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...
in late December. The wing was assigned to 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, ...
, but was attached 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 ...
in Saigon
Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025.
The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...
for operational control.[
The wing entered ]combat
Combat (French language, French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent Conflict (process), conflict between multiple combatants with the intent to harm the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed (Hand-to-hand combat, not usin ...
in Southeast Asia as soon as it was activated. It employed a wide variety of aircraft to meet specialized missions. Those missions included interdiction, psychological warfare
Psychological warfare (PSYWAR), or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations (PsyOp), has been known by many other names or terms, including Military Information Support Operations ( MISO), Psy Ops, political warfare, "Hearts and Mi ...
, close air support
Close air support (CAS) is defined as aerial warfare actions—often air-to-ground actions such as strafes or airstrikes—by military aircraft against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces. A form of fire support, CAS requires ...
, search and rescue
Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
, forward air control
Forward air control is the provision of guidance to close air support (CAS) aircraft intended to ensure that their attack hits the intended target and does not injure friendly troops. This task is carried out by a forward air controller (FAC).
...
, training Royal Thai Air Force
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) (; ) is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913 as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force has engaged in numerous major and minor conflicts. During the ...
and Royal Lao Air Force personnel, and helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which Lift (force), lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning Helicopter rotor, rotors. This allows the helicopter to VTOL, take off and land vertically, to hover (helicopter), hover, and ...
escort for clandestine insertion and extraction of personnel in Laos and North Vietnam.[
The Battle of Lima Site 85 began in January 1968 and continued through March. The wing provided close air support for the defending forces. While this battle was continuing in Laos, the Siege of Khe Sanh, just across the border in South Vietnam, began in February. The wing continued to support the defenses of both sites through the end of the battles in April 1968. In the middle of 1968, the wing became the 56th Special Operations Wing and its various air commando, fighter and helicopter squadrons became special operations squadrons at the same time. Operations at Nakhon Phanom continued to expand as the 602d Squadron moved from Udorn in June and a third squadron of A-1s, the 22d Special Operations Squadron, was activated in October 1968.][
By late 1969, attrition had reduced the number of A-26 Invaders in the 609th Special Operations Squadron. The squadron was inactivated in December and the remaining planes were returned to the United States.
Wing elements participated in the Operation Ivory Coast, the Son Tay Prison raid on 21 November 1970. The wing continued combat operations until 1973, ending operations in Vietnam in mid-January 1973, in Laos on 22, and in ]Cambodia
Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...
on 15 1973. However, after combat operations ended, the wing continued to provide support services at Nakorn Phanom.[
Although no longer assigned combat units, the 56th assisted in Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of ]Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Cambodia, most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since 1865 and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its political, economic, industr ...
on 12 April 1975 and Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of Saigon on 29 and 30 April 1975. During the Mayagüez incident on 15 May 1975, it provided forward air control and helicopter insertion/extraction support.[ On 30 June 1975, the wing transferred its assets to the 656th Special Operations Wing and moved on paper to ]MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base (MacDill AFB) is an active United States Air Force installation located 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida.
The "host wing" for MacDill AFB is the 6th Air Refueling Wing (6 ARW), assig ...
, where it replaced the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing, assuming its mission, personnel and equipment.
Tactical fighter operations
At MacDill, the wing became the 56th Tactical Fighter Wing and operated McDonnell F-4 Phantom IIs. In addition to acting as host for MacDill, the wing operated nearby Avon Park Air Force Range, Florida.[
The wing conducted F-4D/E replacement training for pilots, weapon systems officers, and maintenance personnel until July 1982. It was equipped with UH-1P helicopters from 1976 to 1987, to support Avon Range logistics needs, search and rescue efforts, and humanitarian missions.][
Starting in 1980 the wing began to convert to F-16A and F-16B aircraft, completing the transition in 1982. The 56th became the unit for transitioning USAF and select allied nation pilots into the new fighter, while continuing to augment ]NORAD
North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD ; , CDAAN), known until March 1981 as the North American Air Defense Command, is a combined organization of the United States and Canada that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and pr ...
's air defense forces in the southeastern US. The wing provided logistic support to US Central Command beginning in 1983 and to US Special Operations Command after 1986. It upgraded to F-16C and F-16D aircraft between 1988 and 1990, providing support personnel and equipment to units in Southwest Asia
West Asia (also called Western Asia or Southwest Asia) is the westernmost region of Asia. As defined by most academics, UN bodies and other institutions, the subregion consists of Anatolia, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Mesopotamia, the Armenia ...
from August 1990 – March 1991.[
The 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission evaluated the Air Force's need for fighter bases it was decided to close MacDill AFB except for a small communications element and transfer it to another service or agency.
This recommendation was later altered and MacDill AFB remained open, being transferred to the ]Air Mobility Command
The Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri, ...
and eventually becoming home to the 6th Air Mobility Wing and its KC-135R and C-37A aircraft, while the 347th Wing, and later the 23rd Wing, at Moody AFB, Georgia would assume responsibility for the Avon Park Air Force Range and the Deployed Unit Complex (DUC) at MacDill AFB.
The 56th Fighter Wing moved on paper to Luke Air Force Base, Arizona on 1 April 1994,[ where it assumed the assets of the 58th Fighter Wing.
]
Flying training
At Luke, the 56th took over the 58th Wing F-16 training mission, but its McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle training mission was transferred to Tyndall Air Force Base
Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt. Frank Benjamin Tyndall. The base operating unit and host wing is the 325th Fighter Wing (3 ...
, Florida.
After Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was a compact, but very powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in August 1992. It was the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures dama ...
battered Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, its three F-16 fighter squadrons ( 307th, 308th, and 309th) dispersed to Moody AFB and Shaw AFB
Shaw Air Force Base (Shaw AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located approximately west-northwest of downtown Sumter, South Carolina. It is one of the largest military bases operated by the United States, and is under the jurisdict ...
for an interim period. In 1994, the 308th and 309th transferred to Luke and expanded the 56th to become the largest fighter wing in the Air Force. The wing reached its peak in 1997 when the 21st Fighter Squadron was added to train pilots for the Republic of China Air Force. This brought the total number of flying units based at Luke to eight (five active duty F-16 training squadrons, two FMS F-16 squadrons, and one 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 commis ...
F-16 squadron) and over 200 aircraft. This number was reduced by two active duty flying squadrons following the recommendations of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission.
In March 2014, The 54th Fighter Group was activated under the wing to conduct F-16 Fighting Falcon training as the 56th Operations Group transitions to F-35 Lighting II training. The group was established with a single flying squadron, but added a second squadron in 2015. The group consists of approximately 800 personnel, maintains $2.2 billion in F-16 assets and executes a $144 million operations and maintenance budget to carry out F-16 training.
Units in 2016
* 56th Operations Group
:: The 56th Operations Group is the flying element of the wing. It trains and produce F-35 pilots and crew chiefs for the United States and allied forces. It also maintains resources to meet potential contingency and wartime tasking. Finally it trains all operators for air control squadrons which provide ground tactical command and control operations for the United States.[
* 54th Fighter Group
:: The 54th Fighter Group is located at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The ]group
A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together.
Groups of people
* Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity
* Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic iden ...
trains an average of 180 students per year on the F-16, averaging more than 10,800 sorties and 14,600 hours per fiscal year.[
* 56th Maintenance Group
:: The 56th Maintenance Group provides aircraft maintenance and generates more than 25,000 sorties compiling 32,000 flight hours per year. It is the largest maintenance group in the Air Force, with 2,200 members. The group also trains more than 3,000 maintenance technicians and 1,000 F-16 crew chiefs each year][
* 607th Air Control Squadron
:: The 607th Air Control Squadron (ACS) is a unit at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona that trains Airmen to perform key roles in command and control operations around the world. The 607th ACS is known for its training and collaboration with other nations, and for its role in training Airmen for the Control and Reporting Center (CRC) career field. The 607th Air Control Squadron trains Air Battle Managers (ABM), Mission Systems Operators (MSO) and Weapons Directors (WD).
* 56th Mission Support Group
:: The 56th Mission Support Group has 1,965 members and performs the installation management. The base has approximately $396 million in land, building and real property including 4,200 acres at Luke and 1.7 million acres at the Barry M. Goldwater range complex.][
* 56th Medical Group
:: The 56th Medical Group is an outpatient only medical treatment facility, which serves more than 90,000 beneficiaries (active duty military members, retirees and their families) in the ]Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...
area. The Medical Group is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care
The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), founded in 1979, is an American organization which accredits ambulatory health care organizations, including ambulatory surgery centers, office-based surgery centers, endoscopy ce ...
. It has more than 600 assigned personnel.
* 56th Comptroller Squadron
:: The 56th Comptroller Squadron provides financial services, financial analysis, non-appropriated fund oversight and quality assurance for the wing.
Lineage
* Established as the 56th Fighter Wing on 28 July 1947
: Organized on 15 August 1947[The experimental (table of distribution) wing was discontinued on 1 August 1948. The permanent (table of organization) wing was established the same day. The Air Force later consolidated the two wings and considers this to have been a redesignation. Ravenstein, pp. 90–92.]
: Redesignated 56th Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 20 January 1950
: Inactivated on 6 February 1952
* Redesignated 56th Fighter Wing (Air Defense) and activated on 28 December 1960 (not organized)
: Organized on 1 February 1961
: Discontinued and inactivated on 1 January 1964
* Redesignated 56th Air Commando Wing and activated on 16 March 1967 (not organized)
: Organized on 8 April 1967
: Redesignated 56th Special Operations Wing on 1 August 1968
: Redesignated 56th Tactical Fighter Wing on 30 June 1975
: Redesignated 56th Tactical Training Wing on 1 October 1981
: Redesignated 56th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1991[
]
Assignments
* 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 ...
, 15 August 1947
* Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was 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 compon ...
, 1 October 1947
* Tenth Air Force, 1 December 1948 (attached to 26th Air Division 10 December 1949 – 19 February 1950, 30th Air Division
The 30th Air Division (30th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, assigned to Tenth Air Force, being stationed at Sioux City Air National Guard Base, Sioux City Municipal Air ...
after 20 February 1950)
* Eastern Air Defense Force, 1 September 1950 – 6 February 1952 (remained attached to 30th Air Division)
* Air Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for air defense of the continental United States. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air De ...
, 28 December 1960 (not organized)
* Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector, 1 February 1961
* Duluth Air Defense Sector, 1 October 1963 – 1 January 1964
* Pacific Air Forces
The Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PAC ...
, 16 March 1967 (not organized)
* Thirteenth Air Force, 8 April 1967 (attached to Seventh Air Force until 26 February 1974, then attached to United States Support Activities Group/Seventh Air Force)
* Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint D ...
, 30 June 1975
* Nineteenth Air Force, 1 April 1994[
* Air Education and Training Command, 13 July 2012 – present
]
Components
;Groups
* 56th Fighter Group (later 56th Fighter-Interceptor, 56th Operations) Group: 15 August 1947 – 6 February 1952; 1 November 1991 – 4 January 1994; 1 April 1994 – present[Components stationed with wing ]headquarters
Headquarters (often referred to as HQ) notes the location where most or all of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. The term is used in a wide variety of situations, including private sector corporations, non-profits, mil ...
, except as noted
* 54th Fighter Group, 1 March 2014 – 1 October 2018[
;Squadrons
* 1st Air Commando Squadron (later 1st Special Operations Squadron): 20 December 1967 – 15 December 1972
* 13th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 15 January 1976 – 1 July 1982
* 18th Special Operations Squadron: 25 August 1971 – 31 December 1972 (AC–119)
* 21st Helicopter Squadron (later 21st Special Operations Squadron): 27 November 1967 – 30 June 1975
* 22d Special Operations Squadron: 25 October 1968 – 30 September 1970
* 23d Tactical Air Support Squadron: 15 March 1972 – 30 June 1975 (O-2A, OV-10)
* 61st Tactical Fighter Squadron (later 61st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron): 30 June 1975 – 1 November 1991
* 62d Tactical Fighter Squadron (later 62d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron): 1 February 1961 – 16 December 1963; 30 June 1975 – 1 November 1991
* 63d Tactical Fighter Squadron (later 63d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron): 30 June 1975 – 1 November 1991
* 72d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 1 July 1982 – 1 November 1991
* 97th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: attached 1 December 1950 – 20 May 1951
* 361st Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron: 1 September 1972 – 30 June 1974 (EC-47N/P)
* 554th Reconnaissance Squadron: 15 December 1970 – 30 September 1972 (QU-22B)
* 602d Fighter Squadron (later 602d Special Operations Squadron): 8 April 1967 – 31 December 1970
:: Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base until October 1968][
* 606th Air Commando Squadron (later 606th Special Operations Squadron): 8 April 1967 – 15 June 1971
* 607th Air Control Squadron: 1 Nov 1991 – Present
* 609th Air Commando Squadron (later 609th Special Operations Squadron): 15 September 1967 – 1 December 1969
* 4501st Tactical Fighter Replacement Squadron: 30 June 1975 – 15 January 1976][
]
Stations
* Selfridge Field (later Selfridge Air Force Base), Michigan, 15 August 1947 – 6 February 1952
* K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan, 1 February 1961 – 1 January 1964
* Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, 8 April 1967 – 30 June 1975
* MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, 30 June 1975 – 31 March 1994
* Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, 1 April 1994 – present[
]
Aircraft
* Lockheed P-80 (later F-80) Shooting Star, 1947–1950
* North American F-86 Sabre, 1950–1952
* Republic F-47 Thunderbolt, 1951–1952
* North American F-51 Mustang, 1951–1952
* Lockheed F-94 Starfire, 1951–1952
* McDonnel F-101 VooDoo, 1961–1963
* Douglas A-1 Skyraider, 1967–1972
* Douglas A-26 Invader, 1967–1969
* Sikorsky CH-3, 1967–1972
* Fairchild C-123 Provider, 1967–1971
* Fairchild UC-123 Provider, 1968–1971
* North American T-28 Trojan 1967–1973
* North American RT-28 Trojan 1967–1972
* de Havilland Canada U-6 Beaver, 1967
* Helio U-10 Courier, 1967–1969
* Douglas C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. During the war the C-47 was used for tro ...
, 1969–1972
* Douglas EC-47 Skytrain, 1972–1974
* Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion, 1970–1975
* Beechcraft QU-22 Pave Eagle, 1970–1972
* Fairchild AC-119, 1971–1972
* Sikorsky H-34
The Sikorsky H-34 (company designation S-58) is an American Reciprocating engine, piston-engined military utility helicopter originally designed by Sikorsky Aircraft, Sikorsky as an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft for the United States ...
, 1972
* North American OV-10 Bronco, 1972–1975
* Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
The Cessna O-1 Bird Dog is a liaison and observation aircraft that first flew on December 14, 1949, and entered service in 1950 as the L-19 in the Korean War. It went to serve in many branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, was not retired until t ...
, 1973
* McDonnell F-4 Phantom II, 1975–1982
* Bell UH-1P Huey, 1976–1987
* General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superio ...
, 1980–present [
* Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II, 2014–present
]
Awards and campaigns
* Presidential Unit Citation:[
:: (Vietnam): 1 November 1968 – 1 May 1969
:: 1 October 1969 – 30 April 1970
:: 1 April 1972 – 22 February 1973
* Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device:][
:: 1 December 1970 – 30 November 1971
:: 1 December 1971 – 29 February 1972
:: 23 February 1973 – 28 February 1974
:: 24 January-2 May 1975
* Air Force Outstanding Unit Award][
:: 1 January 1977 – 1 January 1979
:: 1 July 1980 – 30 June 1982
:: 1 June 1984 – 31 May 1986
:: 1 May 1987 – 30 April 1989
:: 1 May 1989 – 30 April 1990
:: 1 May 1990 – 30 April 1991
:: 1 July 1994 – 30 June 1996
:: 1 July 1996 – 30 June 1998
:: 1 July 1998 – 30 June 2000
:: 1 July 2001 – 30 June 2003
:: 1 July 2003 – 30 June 2005
:: 1 July 2005 – 30 June 2006
:: 1 July 2006 – 30 June 2007
:: 1 July 2007 – 30 June 2008
* Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm:][
:: 8 April 1967 – 28 January 1973
; Campaigns][
: Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/ Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall, 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI; Commando Hunt VII; Vietnam Ceasefire.
]
References
Citations
Bibliography
*
*
*
* McMullen, Richard F. (1964) ''The Fighter Interceptor Force 1962–1964'', ADC Historical Study No. 27 (Confidential, declassified 22 March 2000)
*
* Ray, Thomas W.
Nuclear Armament: Its Acquisition, Control and Application to Manned Interceptors 1951–1963
ADC Historical Study No. 20, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO (Secret- Restricted Data, redacted version declassified 20 June 1996)
* ''NORAD/CONAD Participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis'', Historical Reference Paper No. 8, Directorate of Command History Continental Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, 1 Feb 63 (Top Secret NOFORN declassified 9 March 1996)
; Further reading
* {{cite book, editor=Berger, Carl, title=1961–1973: An Illustrated History, url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Nov/04/2001329882/-1/-1/0/AFD-101104-022.pdf , archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161220185633/http://media.defense.gov/2010/Nov/04/2001329882/-1/-1/0/AFD-101104-022.pdf , url-status= dead , archive-date= 20 December 2016 , access-date= 6 December 2014, series=The United States in Southeast Asia , year=1977, publisher=Office of Air Force History , location= Washington, DC, isbn=978-0912799162 , lccn=76608038
Fighter wings of the United States Air Force
Military units and formations established in 1947
1947 establishments in Michigan