355th Wing
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The 355th Wing (355 WG) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the
Air Combat Command Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...
's
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 Force ...
. It is stationed at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, where it operates the A-10 Thunderbolt II. The wing's mission is to provide
close air support In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and moveme ...
(CAS), air interdiction (AI),
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). ...
(FAC),
combat Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...
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 ...
(CSAR), ground-based
tactical Tactic(s) or Tactical may refer to: * Tactic (method), a conceptual action implemented as one or more specific tasks ** Military tactics, the disposition and maneuver of units on a particular sea or battlefield ** Chess tactics ** Political tacti ...
air control, and airbase operations.


History


World War II

The 355th Fighter Group was first activated 12 November 1942. Originally equipped with
Republic 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 ...
s, the group began using North American P-51 Mustangs in Spring, 1944. The group was under the command of the 65th Fighter Wing of the VIII Fighter Command,
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 Force ...
. The aircraft group identification was white spinners and cowling bands. The group consisted of the following squadrons: *
354th Fighter Squadron The 354th Fighter Squadron (354 FS) is part of the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting close air support missions. The squadron conducts Close Air Support, Air Int ...
(WR) *
357th Fighter Squadron The 357th Fighter Squadron is part of the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft training pilots for close air support missions. The squadron was first activ ...
(OS) *
358th Fighter Squadron The 358th Fighter Squadron is part of the 495th Fighter Group at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. The squadron was reactivated there in 2015. The squadron was formerly part of the 355th Operations Group at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Ari ...
(YF) The 355 FG flew its first combat mission, a fighter sweep over Belgium, on 14 September 1943 and afterwards served primarily as escort for
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...
/
B-24 The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models des ...
bombers that attacked industrial areas of Berlin, marshalling yards at Karlsruhe, an airfield at Neuberg, oil refineries at Misburg, synthetic oil plants at
Gelsenkirchen Gelsenkirchen (, , ; wep, Gelsenkiärken) is the 25th most populous city of Germany and the 11th most populous in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia with 262,528 (2016) inhabitants. On the Emscher River (a tributary of the Rhine), it lies ...
, locks at
Minden Minden () is a middle-sized town in the very north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, the greatest town between Bielefeld and Hanover. It is the capital of the district (''Kreis'') of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detm ...
, and other objectives. The group also flew fighter sweeps, area patrols, and bombing missions, striking such targets as air parks, locomotives, bridges, radio stations, and armoured cars. The 355th quickly gained acclaim as the "
Steeple Morden Steeple Morden is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Cambridgeshire, England, about south west of Cambridge and west of Royston, Hertfordshire, Royston. It is part of the South Cambridgeshire local government non-metropoli ...
Strafers," a reference to its base in England and its lethal accuracy at low level. The fighter group destroyed or damaged 1,500 enemy planes, making it the top strafing outfit in the VIII Fighter Command during World War II. On 5 April 1944, shortly after converting from Thunderbolts to Mustangs, the group successfully bombed and strafed German airfields during a snow squall, a mission for which the group was awarded a
Distinguished Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enem ...
. The group provided fighter cover for Allied forces landing in Normandy on 6 June 1944, and afterwards hit transportation facilities to cut enemy supply lines. Hit fuel dumps, locomotives, and other targets in support of ground forces during the breakthrough at Saint-Lô in July. The 355th Fighter Group flew its last combat mission on 25 April 1945. On 3 July the group transferred to Gablingen, Germany for duty with United States Air Forces in Europe as part of the army of occupation. Transferred, without personnel and equipment, to Mitchel Field New York on 1 August 1946. It was inactivated on 20 November due to the Air Force's policy of retaining only low-numbered groups on active duty after the war, and its mission, personnel and equipment transferred to the
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 by Maurice Philippe for use in the season. The cars were powered by ...
which was simultaneously activated. Aces of the 355th Ftr Gp


Cold War

In August 1955, the group was redesignated the 355th Fighter Group (Air Defense) and reactivated as part of
Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was est ...
's Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars. The group replaced the
516th Air Defense Group The 516th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 35th Air Division at McGhee Tyson Airport, Tennessee. It was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The group was originally activated as a ...
and assumed its mission, personnel and equipment at McGhee Tyson Airport, near Knoxville Tennessee. The 516th's 469th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was reassigned to the group,Cornett & Johnson, p. 129 while the
354th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 354th Fighter Squadron (354 FS) is part of the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting close air support missions. The squadron conducts Close Air Support, Air Int ...
moved on paper from
Oxnard Air Force Base Oxnard Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base, located in the city of Camarillo, California. History Camarillo Airport was originally established in 1942 when the California State Highway Department constructed an auxiliary la ...
, California to take over the aircraft of the
460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 460th Fighter-Interceptor Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command's 325th Fighter Weapons Wing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, where it was inactivated on 15 Octo ...
, which moved without personnel or equipment to Portland International Airport, Oregon.Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 439–440 The group served as the United States Air Force host organization for active duty units at McGhee Tyson and was assigned a number of maintenance and support units to carry out this function. The 354th and 469th Squadrons both flew the radar equipped and
Mighty Mouse rocket The Mk 4 Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR), also known as "Mighty Mouse", was an unguided rocket used by United States military aircraft. It was 2.75 inches (70 mm) in diameter. Designed as an air-to-air weapon for interceptor aircraft to ...
armed
North American F-86D Sabre The North American F-86D/K/L Sabre (initially known as the YF-95 and widely known informally as the "Sabre Dog",) was an American transonic jet fighter aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force in the late 1940s, it was an interceptor ...
.Cornett & Johnson, p. 127 The group focused on defending the Oak Ridge atomic plant and
Alcoa Alcoa Corporation (an acronym for Aluminum Company of America) is a Pittsburgh-based industrial corporation. It is the world's eighth-largest producer of aluminum. Alcoa conducts operations in 10 countries. Alcoa is a major producer of primary ...
aluminum production site. In July 1957 the 355th was reduced to a single fighter squadron when the 469th was inactivated. Regular Air Force operations at McGhee Tyson ended on 8 January 1958 when the 355th Group and the 354th Squadron inactivated, and the base was turned over to the
Tennessee Air National Guard The Tennessee Air National Guard (TN ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Tennessee, United States of America. It is, along with the Tennessee Army National Guard, an element of the Tennessee National Guard. As state militia units, the units ...
, which had organized the
134th Fighter Group The 134th Air Refueling Wing (134 ARW) is a unit of the Tennessee Air National Guard, stationed at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Knoxville, Tennessee. If activated for federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air ...
there the previous month.


Vietnam era

On 13 April 1962 the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing was established and activated at George AFB, California, being equipped with the new F-105 Thunderchief. After a period of organization at George, the wing was assigned to McConnell AFB, Kansas, becoming the host unit at the base. The unit transferred to the Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand in 1965. During the next five years, it flew more than 101,000
sortie A sortie (from the French word meaning ''exit'' or from Latin root ''surgere'' meaning to "rise up") is a deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops, from a strongpoint. The term originated in siege warfare. ...
s over North Vietnam, dropping 202,596 tons of bombs and destroying 12,675 targets. The wing's pilots were credited with twenty airborne kills of MiG aircraft and eight aircraft destroyed on the ground. Nicknamed " PACAF's Pride," the unit received three Presidential Unit Citations and three Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with the combat "V" device. It is also noteworthy that, of the twelve airmen awarded the Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War, two belonged to the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing:
Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
s
Merlyn H. Dethlefsen Merlyn Hans Dethlefsen (June 29, 1934 – December 14, 1987) was a United States Air Force officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War. Early life Dethle ...
and
Leo K. Thorsness Leo Keith Thorsness (February 14, 1932 – May 2, 2017) was a colonel in the United States Air Force who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Vietnam War. He was awarded the medal for an air engagement on April 19, 1967. He was shot ...
. The 355th was inactivated at Takhli on 10 December 1970 as part of the drawdown of US Forces in Southeast Asia in the early 1970s. The 355th was reactivated at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base in 1971, being assigned to
Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...
. Initially, the wing had four squadrons (333d, 354th, 357th and 358th) equipped with the new
A-7D Corsair II The LTV A-7 Corsair II is an American carrier-capable subsonic light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV). The A-7 was developed during the early 1960s as replacement for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. Its design was ...
ground air support aircraft. It achieved operationally-ready status in 1972. In late 1972, the 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed its Corsairs to Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand and was attached to the
354th Tactical 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 Win ...
(Forward Echelon), which had deployed to Korat from Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina. From Korat, the 354th, and later the 357th, which replaced the 354th TFS in June 1973, conducted combat operations first in South Vietnam, then in 1973, in Cambodia, supporting the Lon Nol Government until 15 August 1973 when US combat operations in Southeast Asia were halted by Congress.


Post Vietnam

Withdrawing from Thailand in 1974, the wing began to send its Corsairs to the
Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...
, and transitioning to the new A-10 Thunderbolt II. By 1979, the wing had completely transitioned to the A-10 and achieved operationally ready status. On 1 September 1979, Tactical Air Command took the 355th off deployment status and redesignated it as the 355th Tactical Training Wing becoming the USAF's A-10 Thunderbolt II Operational Training Unit. In 1984 the 355th Fighter Group was consolidated with the Wing, giving the 355th Tactical Training Wing the history, honors and lineage of the World War II and Cold War organization. As the wing entered the 1990s, it continued to train A-10 crews for assignments to units in the United States, England, and South Korea. The 355th Wing regularly participated in air support exercises such as Air Warrior and weapons competitions such as Long Rifle, in which it consistently captured top A-10 honors. However, the wing's excellence wasn't limited to the cockpit; in 1990, it received the TAC Commander's Award for top aircraft maintenance, in the A-10 category, for the third consecutive year. The wing's training program paid off when in 1990 squadrons were deployed to King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia, being assigned to the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) during operation Desert Shield. In 1991 during Operation Desert Storm, when 355th-trained A-10 pilots destroyed 1,000 tanks, 2,000 vehicles, 1,200 artillery pieces, and two helicopters. While the wing as a whole did not deploy to the Persian Gulf, more than 250 members augmented forces in theater and filled shortages in the United States.


Davis–Monthan

On 1 October 1991, the 355th Tactical Training Wing was redesignated as the 355th Fighter Wing under the "Objective Wing" concept adapted by the Air Force as the lines between tactical and strategic forces blurred and the Air Force leadership began to merge these forces under
Air Combat Command Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...
. The flying components of the wing were reassigned to the newly established
355th Operations Group The 355th Operations Group (355 OG) is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 355th Wing. It is stationed at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. Units The 355th Operations Group consists of five squadrons and over 450 personn ...
. As part of this restructuring, on 1 May 1992, the 355th became a composite wing, absorbing elements of the 602nd Air Control Wing, the 41st Electronic Combat Squadron, and of most other activities currently operating at the Davis–Monthan Air Force Base. With these diverse units as part of the organization, the designation was changed to the 355th Wing on 1 May 1992. An era came to a close when on 30 September 2002 the 42d Airborne Command and Control Squadron was designated inactive. The 355th Wing then underwent an extensive reorganization of forces on 1 October 2002. During this reorganization, new squadrons were added to the existing wing structure, while some squadrons were realigned under new group commanders. The 355th Wing also inherited the 48th, 55th, and
79th Rescue Squadron The 79th Rescue Squadron is a United States Air Force combat search and rescue unit of the 563rd Rescue Group, 355th Wing, at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates the Lockheed HC-130J "Combat King II" variant of the C-130 "Herc ...
s equipped with
HC-130 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 fo ...
aircraft and
HH-60 The Sikorsky MH-60G/HH-60G Pave Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility military helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. It is a derivative of the UH-60 Black Hawk and incorporates the US Air Force PAVE electronic systems ...
helicopters. Another change saw the 41st and 43d Electronic Combat Squadrons fall under the operational control of the
55th Electronic Combat Group The 55th Electronic Combat Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, provides combat-ready EC-130H Compass Call aircraft, crews, maintenance and operational support to combatant commanders. The group is a Geographically Separated Unit (GSU) that f ...
,
55th Wing The 55th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command. The wing is primarily stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, but maintains one of its groups and associated squadrons at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz ...
at
Offutt Air Force Base Offutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force base south of Omaha, adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), the 557th Weather Wing, and the 55th Wing (55 WG) of the Air ...
in Nebraska. On 1 October 2003, the three combat search-and-rescue squadrons fell under the command of the
563d Rescue Group The 563rd Rescue Group is a United States Air Force unit stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The group also controls the rescue squadrons at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. It is assigned to the 355th Wing. The group direct ...
. The 355th Fighter Wing was redesignated 355th Wing on January 2, 2019. The 355th Fighter Wing currently provides air assets to Air Expeditionary unit commanders involved in operations around the globe, as part of the Global War on Terrorism.


Component units

All units are based at Davis–Monthan AFB, Arizona. 355th Wing Staff * Headquarters 355th Wing * 355th Comptroller Squadron 355th Operation Group *
354th Fighter Squadron The 354th Fighter Squadron (354 FS) is part of the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting close air support missions. The squadron conducts Close Air Support, Air Int ...
A-10C Thunderbolt II *
357th Fighter Squadron The 357th Fighter Squadron is part of the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft training pilots for close air support missions. The squadron was first activ ...
– A-10C Thunderbolt II * 355th Operations Support Squadron * 355th Training Squadron
563d Rescue Group The 563rd Rescue Group is a United States Air Force unit stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The group also controls the rescue squadrons at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. It is assigned to the 355th Wing. The group direct ...
*
48th Rescue Squadron The 48th Rescue Squadron is part of the 563d Rescue Group at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. PJs/CROs fly on HH-60 Pave Hawk and HC-130 aircraft to conduct combat rescue and search and rescue missions. Mission The 48th Rescue Squadr ...
*
55th Rescue Squadron The 55th Rescue Squadron is an aviation unit of the United States Air Force. It operates the Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter and provides rapidly deployable combat search and rescue forces to Unified Combatant Command, theater commanders ...
HH-60G Pave Hawk *
79th Rescue Squadron The 79th Rescue Squadron is a United States Air Force combat search and rescue unit of the 563rd Rescue Group, 355th Wing, at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates the Lockheed HC-130J "Combat King II" variant of the C-130 "Herc ...
HC-130J Combat King II * 563rd Operations Support Squadron * 923rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron 355th Maintenance Group (355 MXG) *355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron *355th Component Maintenance Squadron *355th Equipment Maintenance Squadron *355th Munitions Squadron 355th Mission Support Group * 355th Civil Engineer Squadron * 355th Communications Squadron * 355th Contracting Squadron * 355th Force Support Squadron * 355th Logistics Readiness Squadron * 355th Security Forces Squadron 355th Medical Group * 355th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron * 355th Healthcare Operations Squadron


Lineage

355th Fighter Group * Established as the 355th Fighter Group and activated on 12 November 1942 : Inactivated on 20 November 1946 * Redesignated 355th Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 20 June 1955 : Activated on 18 August 1955 : Inactivated on 8 January 1958 * Consolidated with the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing as the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing on 31 January 1984 355th Fighter Wing * Established as the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing on 13 April 1962 (not organized) : Organized on 8 July 1962 : Inactivated on 10 December 1970 * Activated on 1 July 1971 : Redesignated 355th Tactical Training Wing on 1 September 1979 * Consolidated with the 355th Fighter Group on 31 January 1984 : Redesignated 355th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1991 : Redesignated 355th Wing on 1 May 1992 : Redesignated 355th Fighter Wing on 26 April 2007 : Redesignated 355th Wing on 2 January 2019


Assignments

*
Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics The Army Air Forces Tactical Center was a major command and military training organization of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It trained cadres from newly formed units in combat operations under simulated field condition ...
, 12 November 1942 * I Fighter Command, 18 February 1943 : Attached to:
Philadelphia Fighter Wing The Philadelphia Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the I Fighter Command, stationed at Philadelphia Airport, Pennsylvania, where it was inactivated on 3 April 1946. History The wing was a W ...
, 4 March – 16 June 1943 * VIII Fighter Command, c. 6 July 1943 * 65th Fighter Wing, 18 August 1943 : Attached to: 2d Bombardment (later Air) Division, 15 September 1944 – 3 July 1945 * Ninth Air Force, 3 July 1945 *
XXIX Tactical Air Command The XXIX Tactical Air Command (Provisional) was a provisional United States Army Air Forces unit, primarily formed from units of IX Fighter Command. Its last assignment was with Ninth Air Force at Weimar, Germany, where it was inactivated on 25 O ...
, 18 July 1945 * 70th Fighter Wing, c. 10 August 1945 * 64th Fighter Wing, c. 15 April 1946 *
First Air Force The First Air Force (Air Forces Northern; 1 AF-AFNORTH) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Its primary mission is the air defense of the Co ...
, 1 August – 20 November 1946 *
35th Air Division The 35th Air Division (35th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, assigned to First Air Force, at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, Hancock Field, New York. It was inac ...
, 20 June 1955 *
58th Air Division The 58th Air Division (58th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, based at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. It was inactivated on 1 February 1959. History World War II B-29 d ...
, 1 March 1956 – 8 January 1958 *
Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...
, 13 April 1962 (not organized) *
831st Air Division The 831st Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, assigned to Twelfth Air Force at George Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 31 March 1991. The Ai ...
, 8 July 1962 * 835th Air Division, 21 July 1964 * Thirteenth Air Force, 8 November 1965 – 10 December 1970 : Attached to 2d Air Division, 8 November 1965 – 31 March 1966 : Attached to Seventh Air Force, 1 April 1966 – 10 December 1970 * Twelfth Air Force, 1 July 1971 * Ninth Air Force, 1 July 1976 * Tactical Training, Davis–Monthan, 1 April 1977 *
836th Air Division The 836th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command (TAC) at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, where it was inactivated on 1 May 1992. The division had been activ ...
, 1 January 1981 * Twelfth Air Force, 1 May 1992 – 20 August 2020 *
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 Force ...
, 20 August 2020 – present


Components

Wings * 4453d Combat Crew Training Wing: attached 1 July – 30 September 1971. Groups * 1st Air Support Group: 15 June 1992 – 1 February 1994 * 3d Air Support Group: 15 June 1992 – 1 February 1994 *
355th Operations Group The 355th Operations Group (355 OG) is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 355th Wing. It is stationed at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. Units The 355th Operations Group consists of five squadrons and over 450 personn ...
: 1 May 1992 – present *
563d Rescue Group The 563rd Rescue Group is a United States Air Force unit stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The group also controls the rescue squadrons at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. It is assigned to the 355th Wing. The group direct ...
: 2 January 2019 – present Squadrons * 11th Tactical Drone Squadron: 1 July 1971 – 1 July 1976 *
35th Tactical Fighter Squadron The 35th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 8th Operations Group, stationed at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea. The squadron operates the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting air superiority mi ...
: attached 8-c. 9 November 1965 *
40th Tactical Fighter Squadron The Motorola 68040 ("''sixty-eight-oh-forty''") is a 32-bit microprocessor in the Motorola 68000 series, released in 1990. It is the successor to the 68030 and is followed by the 68060, skipping the 68050. In keeping with general Motorola nami ...
: 1 October 1971 – 1 June 1972 *
41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron The 41st Electronic Combat Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. Its current assignment is with the 55th Electronic Combat Group at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona as a geographically separated unit from its parent wing, the 55th ...
(later, 41st Tactical Electronic Warfare): attached 8 November 1965 – 18 September 1966 and 8–14 August 1967, assigned 15 August 1967 – 31 October 1969 *
42d Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron The 42d Electronic Combat Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. Its current assignment is with the 55th Electronic Combat Group at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona as a geographically separated unit from its parent wing, the 55th ...
(later 42d Airborne Command and Control Squadron): 1 January 1968 – 15 October 1970 (detached c. 23 September – 15 October 1970), 1 July 1994 – 30 September 2002 *
44th Tactical Fighter Squadron The 44th Fighter Squadron is a unit of the United States Air Force, part of the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. The 44th Pursuit Squadron was activated on 1 January 1941 and assigned to the 18th Pursuit Group. The 44th Fighter S ...
: 15 October 1969 – 10 December 1970 *
333d Tactical Fighter Squadron The 333rd Fighter Squadron is part of the 4th Operations Group, 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. It operates McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft conducting advanced fighter training. History Activa ...
(later 333d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 4 December 1965 – 10 December 1970; 31 July 1971 – 15 February 1991 *
334th Tactical Fighter Squadron The 334th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. The 334th was constituted on 22 August 1942 as an incorporation of the No. ...
: attached 8 November 1965 – 5 February 1966 *
335th Tactical Fighter Squadron The 335th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. The 335th was constituted on 22 August 1942 as an incorporation of the N ...
: attached 8 November – 6 December 1965 * 354th Fighter Squadron (later 354th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 354th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron): 12 November 1942 – 20 November 1946; 18 August 1955 – 8 January 1958; 8 July 1962 – 8 November 1965 (detached 24 January – 21 February 1964, 2 May-c. 20 September 1964, 3 March – 12 June 1965); 27 November 1965 – 10 December 1970; 1 July 1971 – 30 April 1982 (detached 12 January – 5 July 1973 and 22 January – 9 February 1979) * 357th Fighter (later, 357th Tactical Fighter; 357th Tactical Fighter Training) Squadron: 12 November 1942 – 20 November 1946; 8 July 1962 – 8 November 1965 (detached 9 August – 12 December 1964, 12 June – 8 November 1965); 29 January 1966 – 10 December 1970; 1 July 1971 – 1 May 1992 * 358th Fighter (later, 56th Reconnaissance, Weather Scouting; 358th Tactical Fighter; 358 Tactical Fighter Training) Squadron: 12 November 1942 – 20 November 1946; 1 June 1972 – 1 May 1992 (detached 28 December 1973 – 15 May 1974), Inactivated in February 2014 *
421st Tactical Fighter Squadron The 421st Fighter Squadron is part of the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. It operates the Lockheed Martin F-35A aircraft conducting air superiority missions. The squadron is one of the most decorated fighter squadrons in the ...
: 8 July 1962 – 8 November 1965 (detached 15 September – 23 November 1964 and 7 April – 20 August 1965) * 469th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (later, 469th Tactical Fighter Squadron): 18 August 1955 – 8 January 1958; 8 July 1962 – 8 November 1965 (detached 30 November 1964 – 13 March 1965) *
562d Tactical Fighter Squadron 56 may refer to: * 56 (number) * one of the years 56 BC, AD 56, 1856, 1956, 2056 * 56.com, a Chinese online video platform * Fiftysix, Arkansas, unincorporated community in United States * Fifty-Six, Arkansas, city in United States * "Fifty Six", a ...
: attached 8 November-c. 4 December 1965 * 4455th Combat Crew Training: attached 1–8 October 1971 * 6460th Tactical Reconnaissance (later, 6460th Tactical Electronic Warfare): attached 8 June – 18 September 1966 and 8–14 August 1967, assigned 15 August 1967 – 1 January 1968 * Detachment 1,
428th Tactical Fighter Squadron The 428th Fighter Squadron is part of the 366th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Currently, it operates F-15SG Strike Eagle aircraft conducting formal training missions to qualify Republic of Singapore Air Force crew in the F ...
: attached 17 March – 19 November 1968.


Stations

* Orlando Army Air Base, Florida, 12 November 1942 *
Norfolk Airport Norfolk International Airport is seven miles (11 km) northeast of downtown Norfolk, an independent city in Virginia, United States. It is owned and operated by the Norfolk Airport Authority: a bureau under the municipal government. The ai ...
, Virginia, 19 February 1943 * Philadelphia Municipal Airport, Pennsylvania, 4 March – 16 June 1943 * RAF Steeple Morden (USAAF Station 122), England, 6 July 1943 *
AAF Station Gablingen Gablingen Kaserne is a former military facility in Gablingen near Augsburg, Germany, which was closed in 1998. Its primary use was signals intelligence collection during the Cold War. History Part of Gablingen Kaserne was constructed prior to ...
(R-77),Station number in Johnson Germany, c. 10 July 1945 * AAF Station Schweinfurt (R-25), Germany, 15 April 1946 * Mitchel Field, New York, 1 August – 20 November 1946 * McGhee Tyson Air Force Base, Tennessee, 20 June 1955 – 8 January 1958 * George Air Force Base, California, 8 July 1962 * McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, 21 July 1964 – October 1965 * Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, 8 November 1965 – 10 December 1970 * Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, 1 July 1971 – present


Aircraft operated

* Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (1942–1944) * North American P-51 Mustang (1944–1946) * North American F-86 Sabre (1955–1957) *
Republic F-105 Thunderchief The Republic F-105 Thunderchief is an American supersonic fighter-bomber that served with the United States Air Force from 1958 to 1984. Capable of Mach 2, it conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vie ...
(1962–1970) *
Douglas EB-66 Destroyer The Douglas B-66 Destroyer is a light bomber that was designed and produced by the American aviation manufacturer Douglas Aircraft Company. The B-66 was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) and is heavily based upon the United St ...
(1966–1970) * Douglas RB-66 Destroyer (1965–1966) * General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark (1968) * McDonnell F-4 Phantom II (1971) * LTV A-7 Corsair II (1971–1979) *
Lockheed DC-130 Hercules The Lockheed DC-130 was a variant of the C-130 Hercules, designed for drone control. It could carry four Ryan Firebee drones underneath its wings. Development Origin of the design Since World War I many nations' air forces have investigated ...
(1971–1976) *
Ryan AQM-34 Firebee The Ryan Firebee is a series of target drones developed by the Ryan Aeronautical Company beginning in 1951. It was one of the first jet-propelled drones, and remains one of the most widely used target drones ever built. Development Ryan Fireb ...
(1974–1975) * Ryan BGM-34 Firebee(1974–1975) *
Sikorsky CH-3 The Sikorsky S-61R is a twin-engine helicopter used in transport or search and rescue roles. A developed version of the S-61/SH-3 Sea King, the S-61R was also built under license by Agusta as the AS-61R. The S-61R served in the United States ...
(1972–1976) * Lockheed RC-130 Hercules (1975–1976) *
Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). In service since 1976, it is named for the Republ ...
(1976 – present) * Lockheed EC-130E Airborne Command Post (1994–2002) *
Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call The EC-130H Compass Call is an electronic attack aircraft flown by the United States Air Force. Based on the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, the aircraft is heavily modified to disrupt enemy command and control communications, perform offensive counter ...
(1992 – present) * Cessna O-2 Skymaster (1982–1992) * North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco (1982–1992) * Cessna A-37 Dragonfly (1982–1990) * Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk (2003–present)


In popular culture

* In the television series The West Wing, White House Chief of Staff
Leo McGarry Leo Thomas McGarry is a fictional character played by American actor John Spencer on the television serial drama ''The West Wing''. This role earned Spencer the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2002. ...
flew F-105s for the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing during the Vietnam War. In the fifth season episode An Khe, his mission over Southeast Asia in which he is shot down and evades capture, is depicted.''The West Wing'', Episode 3.05: War Crimes. Original airdate: 7 November 2001.


References


Notes


Citations


Bibliography

* * Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, (1956) * * * Marshall, William. ''Angels, Bulldogs & Dragons: The 355th Fighter Group in World War II''. Mesa, Arizona: Campion Fighter Museum, 1984. * * * * Wells, Ken. ''Steeple Morden Strafers: 355th Fighter Group, 1943–1945''. Baldon, Hertfordshire, UK: Egon Publishing Ltd., 1994.


External links


Davis–Monthan AFB Home Page
{{Navboxes , list = {{Tactical Air Command {{Aerospace Defense Command {{USAAF 8th Air Force UK {{USAAF 1st Air Force World War II Military units and formations in Arizona
355 __NOTOC__ Year 355 ( CCCLV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Arbitio and Maesius (or, less frequently, year 1108 '' Ab ...