The 342nd Fighter Day Wing (FDW) is an inactive United States Air Force wing. Its last duty assignment was at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina.

History

On 25 July 1956, the 342nd Fighter Day Wing was established and activated at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina. The Wing's subordinate components were the

342nd Fighter-Day Group The 342nd Fighter-Day Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 342nd Fighter-Day Wing at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina, where it was inactivated on 18 November 1956, when its personnel and equ ...

; the 342nd Air Base Group and the

455th Fighter-Day Group 455th may refer to: *455th Air Expeditionary Wing, provisional United States Air Force USAFCENT unit *455th Flying Training Squadron, United States Air Force unit of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) See also *455 (number) *455 (disamb ...

, all being assigned to the wing as subordinate units. The Wing Commander was Colonel Robert G. Emmens. The total manpower force of the 342nd FDW at the time of its activation was 20 Officers, 1 Warrant Officer and 241 enlisted men, with the majority of the personnel being reassigned from the 4434th Air Base Squadron, (established on 9 April 1956) being redesignated as the 342nd Air Base Group on 25 July 1956. On 10 September 1956, the 342nd FDW received a new commander, Colonel

Francis S. Gabreski Francis Stanley "Gabby" Gabreski (born Franciszek Stanisław Gabryszewski; January 28, 1919 – January 31, 2002) was a Polish-American career pilot in the United States Air Force who retired as a colonel after 26 years of military service. He wa ...

. Colonel Emmens assumed the role of Deputy Base Commander at that time. The 342 FDW's mission was officially that of a fully functional fighter-day wing. In reality, the efforts and activities of the 342 FDW were directed to reach operational capabilities by overcoming the problems and obstacles inherent in the activation of a new fighter wing on a base still largely under construction. Close liaison was maintained between units at

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 ...

, SC for many activities. There were regularly scheduled truck convoys between Shaw and Myrtle Beach during the Wing's development. The 342 FDW lasted 117 days until 18 November 1956. On 19 November, the Air Force redesignated the unit as the

354th Fighter-Day 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 W ...

, absorbing all personnel and assets of the 342nd FDW. The 342nd FDW and 342nd FDG was inactivated along with the 455th Fighter-Day Group.

Lineage

* Established as 342nd Fighter Day Wing on 25 July 1956 and activated : Inactivated with personnel and equipment being redesignated as

on 18 November 1956

Components

, 25 July – 19 November 1956 *

, 25 July – 19 November 1956

Major Commands

* Ninth Air Force, 25 July 1956 – 18 November 1956

Bases assigned

* Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina, 25 July 1956 – 18 November 1956

Major aircraft assigned

RF-80 Shooting Star The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of design, prod ...

(1956)

References

* Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. . * History of the 342nd Fighter Day Wing, 354th TFW Office of History, Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, 1956 (USAFHRA Microfilm Record)

External links

{{Tactical Air Command

342 __NOTOC__ Year 342 ( CCCXLII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantius and Claudius (or, less frequently, year 109 ...

Military units and formations in South Carolina