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 Signal ...
8th Fighter Wing is the host unit at
Kunsan Air Base
Kunsan K-8 Air Base is a United States Air Force base located at Gunsan Airport, on the west coast of the South Korean peninsula bordered by the Yellow Sea. It is located in the town of Gunsan (also romanized as Kunsan), about south of Seoul.
...
,
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 east ...
and is assigned to
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 ...
. Seventh Air Force falls under
Pacific Air Forces
Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (fo ...
(PACAF). The Wing's
8th Operations Group
The 8th Operations Group (8 OG) is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 8th Fighter Wing. It is stationed at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, and is a part of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF).
The group is a direct s ...
is the successor of the 8th Pursuit Group, one of the 15 original combat air groups formed by the Army before
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
Established in Japan after World War II in 1948, the wing flew combat missions throughout the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
. Redesignated the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing in 1958, it remained in Japan until 1964. After a year in California, it moved to Southeast Asia, where its
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bow ...
crews earned the nicknames "MiG killers" and "bridge busters". In 1974 the wing relocated to
Kunsan Air Base
Kunsan K-8 Air Base is a United States Air Force base located at Gunsan Airport, on the west coast of the South Korean peninsula bordered by the Yellow Sea. It is located in the town of Gunsan (also romanized as Kunsan), about south of Seoul.
...
, South Korea, where it was redesignated the 8th Fighter Wing in 1992.
History
: ''For additional history and lineage, see
8th Operations Group
The 8th Operations Group (8 OG) is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 8th Fighter Wing. It is stationed at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, and is a part of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF).
The group is a direct s ...
''
Established in August 1948 in Japan, the wing provided air defense to the islands. On 20 January 1951, the wing gained its new designation as the 8th Fighter Bomber Wing.
Korean War
On 25 June 1950,
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 Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
invaded
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 ...
, starting a war that would last three years. As the Korean War began, the 347th Fighter Group was assigned to the 8th to fly combat missions. The wing provided air cover for the evacuation of Americans from Korea on 26 June, the day after the invasion.
The wing had several additional squadrons attached to it during the first months of the war in addition to the 35th, 36th, and 80th Fighter Squadrons, these being:
* 9th Fighter Squadron (27 June – 9 July 1950) (F-80C)
*
68th Fighter Squadron, All Weather (1 March – 1 December 1950) (F-82E/G)
*
No. 77 Squadron,
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
(2 July – 10 October 1950; 25 June – 22 August 1951) (F-51D)
* 339th Fighter Squadron, All Weather (26 June – 5 July 1950) (F-82E/G)
Other units attached to the 8th in Korea were:
* 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing (Attached September–October 1950) (F-80C)
* 452nd Bombardment Wing (Attached November 1950) (B-26)
* 49th Fighter-Bomber Group (Attached July–September 1950) (F-80C)
![F-80d-48-708-80fbs-8fg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/F-80d-48-708-80fbs-8fg.jpg)
In these early operations, the wing flew the F-80 Shooting Star jet fighter and propeller driven aircraft such as the F-51 Mustang and
F-82 Twin Mustang
The North American F-82 Twin Mustang is the last American piston-engined fighter ordered into production by the United States Air Force. Based on the North American P-51 Mustang, the F-82 was originally designed as a long-range escort fighter ...
. The first aerial victory of the Korean War went to 1Lt William G. Hudson, of the 68th Fighter Squadron, All Weather in an F-82. Later the same day, 35th Fighter-Bomber Squadron F-80s scored the Air Force's first confirmed kills from jet aircraft. In August, the wing briefly reverted to the F-51 Mustang, returning to the F-80 in December 1950.
Throughout the war, the wing principally conducted air-to-ground operations, providing close air support to United Nations ground forces and attacking targets such as supply centers and transportation assets.
![8fbg-80fbs-f-86](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/8fbg-80fbs-f-86.jpg)
The 8th Fighter Wing is known for the heroic actions of its members, including Major Charles J. Loring, a pilot in the 80th FS, who was posthumously awarded the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
for his actions on 22 November 1952 when he flew his badly damaged F-80 aircraft into an enemy artillery emplacement near Sniper Ridge so that entrenched U.S. Infantry men could escape. During the next three years, the 8th flew more than 60,000 sorties while operating from bases in both Korea and Japan. The wing participated in 10 campaigns and earned three unit citations.
The wing finished the war flying the F-86 Sabre beginning in 1953 and became responsible for air defense over South Korea until relocated to
Itazuke Air Base, Japan in October 1954. Its wartime participation in Korea earned the wing two
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations and ten campaign streamers, while the 8th Fighter-Bomber Group separately earned 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 ...
.
During the war in Korea, the 8th shot down 18 enemy aircraft, most in the earliest days of the war before the wing's mission changed to air-to-ground operations.
Cold War
With the end of the Korean War, the wing was assigned to
Itazuke AB
, formerly known as Itazuke Air Base, is an international and domestic airport located east of Hakata Station in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
Fukuoka Airport is the principal airport on the island of Kyushu and is the fourth busiest passenge ...
, Japan for the next ten years. On 1 October 1957, the 8th Fighter-Bomber Group inactivated, with the flying squadrons then assigned directly to the wing. Less than a year later, on 1 July 1958, the Air Force redesignated the wing as the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. During its tenure at Itazuke, the wing flew several different aircraft, including the
North American F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing So ...
,
North American F-100 Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard (ANG) until 1979. The first of the Century Series of ...
,
Convair F-102 Delta Dagger
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was an American interceptor aircraft designed and manufactured by Convair.
Built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s, it entered service in 1956. Its main purpos ...
, and
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 ...
.
As part of an overall effort to reduce the number of wings in Japan the wing's tactical squadrons were detached on 13 May 1964, and on 18 June 1964 all wing components except wing headquarters inactivated.
Vietnam War
Off to war
On 18 June 1964, the wing moved without personnel or equipment to
George AFB
George Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, 8 miles northwest, of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California.
Established by the United States Army Air Co ...
, California, replacing and absorbing the resources of the
32d Tactical Fighter Wing. Operational squadrons of the 8th TFW at George were:
*
68th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
The 68th Fighter Squadron was one of the longest-serving fighter squadrons in U.S. Air Force history, remaining active almost continually for 60 years. Known as the "Lightning Lancers", on the morning of 27 June 1950 pilots of the 68th Fighter-A ...
*
431st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
*
497th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron 497th may refer to:
*497th Air Refueling Wing, inactive United States Air Force unit
* 497th Bombardment Group, inactive United States Air Force unit
* 497th Bombardment Squadron, inactive United States Air Force unit
* 497th Combat Training Squadr ...
While at George AFB, the wing trained with the
McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bow ...
fighter aircraft and participated in numerous exercises, operational readiness inspections, and the like until the wing began to be moved to
Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base
Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) facility located near the city of Ubon Ratchathani, in Ubon Ratchathani Province. It is approximately 488 km (303 miles) northeast of Bangkok. The Laos border is about dire ...
, Thailand in September 1965 to commence combat operations in the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. The wing completed the move to Ubon in December 1965
At Ubon, the 8th TFW carried out its wartime mission as it led the way for other tactical Air Force fighter units during the Vietnam War. Initial F-4C operational squadrons were:
*
433d Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 433rd Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nevada.
The unit was first activated in May 1943 and flew the P-38 Lightning in the Pacific Theater of Operations. The 433rd distin ...
(December 1965 – July 1974) (Tail Code: FG)
*
497th Tactical Fighter Squadron (December 1965 – September 1974) (Tail Code: FP)
* Top cover for 8th TFW whilst at Ubon and over Thailand was provided by F-86 aircraft of 79 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force.
Additional F-4C squadrons deployed and assigned to the 8th TFW were:
*
555th Tactical Fighter Squadron (February 1966 – June 1968) (Tail Code: FY/OY)
(Reassigned from 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing, Naha AB,
Okinawa
is a 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 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
)
25th Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 25th Fighter Squadron is part of the US Air Force's 51st Operations Group, 51st Fighter Wing, at Osan Air Base, South Korea. It operates the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting close air support missions.
Mission
...
(May 1968 – July 1974) (Tail Code: FA)
(Reassigned from 33d Tactical Fighter Wing,
Eglin AFB
Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in the western Florida Panhandle, located about southwest of Valparaiso in Okaloosa County.
The host unit at Eglin is the 96th Test Wing (formerly the 96th Air Base Wing). The 9 ...
, Florida)
*
476th Tactical Fighter Squadron (June 1966 – August 1974) (Tail Code: FU)
(Reassigned from 479th Tactical Fighter Wing,
George AFB
George Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, 8 miles northwest, of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California.
Established by the United States Army Air Co ...
, California)
*
435th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1966 - 1974) (Tail Code: FO)
(Reassigned from 479th Tactical Fighter Wing,
George AFB
George Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, 8 miles northwest, of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California.
Established by the United States Army Air Co ...
, California)
Note: The 555th TFS was reassigned to the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at
Udorn RTAFB
Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base (Udorn RTAFB) is a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) base, the home of 23rd Wing Air Command. It is in the city of Udon Thani in northeastern Thailand and is the main airport serving the city and province.
The RTAF 23 ...
where it would bring the unit up to strength. The 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron replaced the unit as the fourth F-4D fighter-bomber squadron at Ubon. (F-4D aircraft began arriving to Ubon approximately April 1967 to supplement aging F-4Cs.)
![Robin Olds completes 100th combat mission over North Vietnam](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Robin_Olds_completes_100th_combat_mission_over_North_Vietnam.JPG)
The wing carried out a number of roles during combat. By the end of 1966, aircrews assigned to the 8th TFW flew nearly 14,000 combat missions into Vietnam. One of the squadrons assigned to wing, the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron, became known as the "Ace" squadron of the conflict. During his tenure from September 1966 to September 1967,
Col Robin Olds, Wing Commander, referred to his unit as the "Wolf Pack" because of pilot aggressiveness and teamwork while flying combat missions, much like a pack of wolves, which led to the wing's nickname. In May 1968, the wing was the first to use
laser-guided bomb
A laser-guided bomb (LGB) is a guided bomb that uses semi-active laser guidance to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than an unguided bomb. First developed by the United States during the Vietnam War, laser-guided bombs quickly p ...
s (LGBs) in combat.
Forward air control missions
In October 1968, the wing picked up a Fast
FAC assignment, under the call sign "Wolf". Building on lessons learned by the earlier
"Misty" and
"Stormy" Fast FACs, five picked air crews were trained by the end of November. They drew their
Phantom IIs from the wing's aircraft pool, and used up unflown
Operation Commando Hunt
Operation Commando Hunt was a covert U.S. Seventh Air Force and U.S. Navy Task Force 77 aerial interdiction campaign that took place during the Vietnam War. The operation began on 15 November 1968 and ended on 29 March 1972. The objective of ...
sorties to justify their missions. By December 1968, the "Wolf" FACs were flying 3.5-hour missions in the
Steel Tiger area of the
Ho Chi Minh Trail. In the face of communist antiaircraft fire, a prudent FAC operated at 5,000 feet
altitude
Altitude or height (also sometimes known as depth) is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The exact definition and reference datum varies according to the context ...
and jinked his craft constantly to confuse gunners' aims. The "Wolf" FACs flew six sorties daily between 15 November 1968 and 15 April 1969. However, the dangerous and tiring visual reconnaissance missions were an important part of the interdiction campaign against the communist supply line.
In October 1969, 7th Air Force chose the 8th TFW for a night Fast FAC assignment flying interdiction against the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Flying under the call sign "Night Owl", the FACs dropped flares to illuminate air strikes against chokepoints along the Trail. They began operations on 18 October, and promptly lost two aircraft and crews when they collided with the ground while marking targets. Meanwhile, the antiaircraft threat to the FACs increased. In January 1970, 7th Air Force shut down the "Night Owl" FACs.
The Wing's assignment draws to an end
During 1970, the Wolf Pack flew its 100,000th combat sortie.
In addition to the F-4D fighter-bombers, the wing used
Martin B-57G Canberras for night attacks, and
AC-130 "Spectre" gunships for ground support and armed reconnaissance. Squadrons which operated these aircraft were:
*
16th Special Operations Squadron (October 1968 – July 1974) (AC-130A/E/H Tail Code: FT)
*
13th Bombardment Squadron
In music or music theory, a thirteenth is the note thirteen scale degrees from the root of a chord and also the interval between the root and the thirteenth. The interval can be also described as a compound sixth, spanning an octave p ...
(October 1970 – March 1972) (B-57G Tail Code: FS/FK)
After
North Vietnam
North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; vi, Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa), was a socialist state supported by the Soviet Union (USSR) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Southeast Asia that existed f ...
invaded the
Republic of Vietnam
South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...
in March 1972, the 8 TFW was augmented by additional Temporary Duty (TDY) F-4E units. These were:
*
334th Tactical Fighter Squadron(April 1972 – July 1972) (Tail Code: SA)
(September 1972 – March 1973) (Tail Code: SJ) (TDY from 4th TFW,
Seymour Johnson AFB
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The base is named for U.S. Navy Lt. Seymour A. Johnson, a test pilot from Goldsboro who died in an airplane crash near Norbeck, Maryland, ...
,
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
)
*
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 ...
(August 1972 – December 1972) (Tail Code: SJ) (TDY from 4th TFW,
Seymour Johnson AFB
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The base is named for U.S. Navy Lt. Seymour A. Johnson, a test pilot from Goldsboro who died in an airplane crash near Norbeck, Maryland, ...
,
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
)
*
308th Tactical Fighter Squadron(December 1972 – January 1973) (Tail Code: ZF) (TDY from 31st TFW,
Homestead AFB
Homestead Air Reserve Base (Homestead ARB), previously known as Homestead Air Force Base (Homestead AFB) is located in Miami–Dade County, Florida to the northeast of the city of Homestead. It is home to the 482nd Fighter Wing (482 FW) of th ...
, Florida)
*
58th Tactical Fighter Squadron(June 1973 – September 1973) (Tail Code: ED) (TDY from 33d TFW,
Eglin AFB
Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in the western Florida Panhandle, located about southwest of Valparaiso in Okaloosa County.
The host unit at Eglin is the 96th Test Wing (formerly the 96th Air Base Wing). The 9 ...
, Florida)
To make room for these forces, the 13th Bomb Squadron was reassigned to the 405th Fighter Wing at
Clark AB
Clark Air Base is a Philippine Air Force base on Luzon Island in the Philippines, located west of Angeles City, about northwest of Metro Manila. Clark Air Base was previously a United States military facility, operated by the U.S. Air Forc ...
, Philippines in December 1972.
In December 1972, the 8th became involved in
Operation Linebacker II
Operation Linebacker II was an aerial bombing campaign conducted by U.S. Seventh Air Force, Strategic Air Command and U.S. Navy Task Force 77 against targets in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) during the final period of ...
. Designed to make the enemy more serious about the peace negotiations in progress at Paris, France, the 8th TFW launched 524 sorties for bombing missions against North Vietnam between 18 and 31 December 1972. Early in 1973, the Wolf Pack mission included air interdiction into
Laos
Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...
against communist insurgents 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 t ...
. All combat operations ended on 15 August 1973. In mid-1974 action began to phase down at Ubon Airfield, Thailand, and the wing began to lose personnel, aircraft, and units. The last scheduled F-4 training flight occurred on 16 July 1974.
* The 433d TFS was inactivated in July 1974.
* The 25th TFS was reassigned to the 18th TFW at
Kadena Air Base
(IATA: DNA, ICAO: RODN) is a highly strategic United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is often referred to as the "Keystone of the Pacific" because of its highl ...
,
Okinawa
is a 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 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
in July 1974.
* The 16th SOS was reassigned to the 388th TFW at
Korat RTAFB
Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base is a base of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) in northeast Thailand, approximately 200 km (125 mi) northeast of Bangkok and about 4 km (2.5 mi) south of the centre of the city of Nakhon Ratchasi ...
in July 1974.
* The 435th TFS was inactivated in August 1974.
* The 497th TFS was inactivated in September 1974.
With the exception of the 25th TFS's aircraft, the F-4D aircraft were flown back to the United States and reassigned to various
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 ...
units.
Back to Korea
The 8th TFW was transferred without personnel or equipment to
Kunsan Air Base
Kunsan K-8 Air Base is a United States Air Force base located at Gunsan Airport, on the west coast of the South Korean peninsula bordered by the Yellow Sea. It is located in the town of Gunsan (also romanized as Kunsan), about south of Seoul.
...
, South Korea on 16 September 1974, where the wing absorbed resources of the
3d Tactical Fighter Wing which had been reassigned without personnel or equipment to Clark AB, Philippines. For its efforts during the Vietnam War, the 8th TFW received four
Presidential Unit Citations and five Air Force
Outstanding Unit Award
The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the Awards and decorations of the United States Department of the Air Force, unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the A ...
s. In addition, the wing led the Air Force with 38.5 MiG kills.
With the reassignment to Kunsan, the 8th TFW became responsible for air defense of South Korea. Operational F-4D squadrons of the wing were tail coded "WP" (for "Wolf Pack") and were as follows:
* 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Light Blue tail stripe)
* 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Yellow tail stripe)
In April 1975 the wing gained an air base squadron at Kwang Ju Air Base, often used during numerous tactical exercises. Following the killing of two U.S. Army officers by North Koreans on 18 August 1976, the 8th TFW went on increased alert and was quickly augmented by F-4Cs and F-4Ds from the 12th and 67th Squadrons at
Kadena AB
(IATA: DNA, ICAO: RODN) is a highly strategic United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is often referred to as the "Keystone of the Pacific" because of its high ...
,
Okinawa
is a 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 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
. The alert status relaxed on 8 September 1976 and the augmentation forces were released.
![Flock of Falcons](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Flock_of_Falcons.jpg)
On 1 October 1978, the wing gained a third F-4D flying unit, the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron, based at Taegu Air Base, South Korea. 497th TFS aircraft carried a red tail stipe. Operations continued unchanged for the next few years, until the wing transitioned from the F-4 to the newer
F-16A Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful ...
in May 1981. The wing's first F-16 sortie was flown the following 18 September and, by 19 July 1982, the conversion of the 35th and 80th Fighter squadrons was complete as the last F-4 departed Kunsan. This aircraft conversion made the 8th the first active-duty overseas F-16 wing. On 1 January 1982, the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Taegu inactivated. For the next ten years the wing used the F-16 to maintain combat readiness for the defense of Korea. In 1988 the F-16s were upgraded to the more capable F-16C/D models.
While the overall mission remained unchanged, the wing reorganized on 3 February 1992. The wing became the 8th Fighter Wing. Further, the wing adopted a new organizational structure. Under the former
Tri-Deputy organization system, the wing commander had three deputy commanders, one each for operations, maintenance, and resources. As well, the squadrons were assigned directly to the wing.
Twenty-first century
![80th Fighter Squadron F-16D in training exercise](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/80th_Fighter_Squadron_F-16D_in_training_exercise.jpg)
The 8th Fighter Wing entered a new era in November 2000. On 17 November, the 35th Fighter Squadron received its first Block 40 F-16s. The new aircraft carried Low-Altitude Navigation & Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pods. The 35th completed its conversion in February 2001. The combination of LANTIRN and
night-vision goggles
A night-vision device (NVD), also known as a night optical/observation device (NOD), night-vision goggle (NVG), is an optoelectronic device that allows visualization of images in low levels of light, improving the user's night vision. The dev ...
has allowed the Wolf Pack to take the fight into the night.
An inspection in November 2008 faulted the wing's adherence to technical orders and standards of documentation. As a result, on 10 November 2008 Colonel Bryan Bearden was removed as wing commander.
Today the 8th Fighter Wing is composed of four groups each with specific functions. The Operations Group controls all flying and airfield operations. The Maintenance Group performs Aircraft and Aircraft support equipment maintenance. The Mission Support Group has a wide range of responsibilities with a few of its functions being Security, Civil Engineering, Communications, Personnel Management, Logistics, Services and Contracting support. The Medical Group provides medical and dental care.
Wing Staff Agencies
* 8th Comptroller Squadron (8 CPTS)
8th Operations Group
The 8th Operations Group (8 OG) is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 8th Fighter Wing. It is stationed at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, and is a part of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF).
The group is a direct s ...
(8 OG) (Tail Code: WP)
* 8th Operations Support Squadron (8 OSS)
*
35th Fighter Squadron (35 FS) (F-16C/D, Blue tail stripe)
*
80th Fighter Squadron
The 80th Fighter Squadron (traditionally nicknamed the "Headhunters", and since 1971 also the "Juvats") is a General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter squadron of the United States Air Force, currently part of the 8th Operations Group of ...
(80 FS) (F-16C/D, Gold tail stripe)
8th Maintenance Group (8 MXG)
*8th Maintenance Squadron (8 MXS)
*8th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (8 AMXS)
*8th Maintenance Operations Squadron (8 MOS)
8th Mission Support Group (8 MSG)
*8th Civil Engineer Squadron (8 CES)
*8th Security Forces Squadron (8 SFS)
*8th Force Support Squadron (8 FSS)
*8th Logistics Readiness Squadron (8 LRS)
*8th Mission Support Squadron (8 MSS)
*8th Communications Squadron (8 CS)
8th Medical Group (8 MDG)
*8th Medical Operations Squadron (8 MDOS)
*8th Medical Support Squadron (8 MDSS)
Lineage
* Established as the 8th Fighter Wing on 10 August 1948
: Activated on 18 August 1948
: Redesignated 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing on 20 January 1950
: Redesignated 8th Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 July 1958
: Redesignated 8th Fighter Wing on 3 February 1992
Assignments
*
315 Composite Wing, 18 August 1948
*
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force (5 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is the U.S. Air Force's oldest continuously serving Numbered Air Force. The organiza ...
, 1 March 1950
*
43d Air Division
The 43d Air Division is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. It was last active on 1 October 1957, when it was stationed at Itazuke Air Base, Japan
History
Originally designated as the 43d Air Division (Defense) when organized on ...
, 1 March 1955
* Fifth Air Force, 1 February 1957
*
41st Air Division, 10 November 1958
* Fifth Air Force, 1 June 1962
*
Pacific Air Forces
Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (fo ...
, 18 June 1964
*
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 ...
, 8 July 1964
*
831st Air Division, 10 July 1964
*
Thirteenth Air Force
The Thirteenth Air Force (Air Forces Pacific) (13 AF) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It was last headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. 13 AF has never been stat ...
, 8 December 1965
: Attached to:
2d Air Division, 8 December 1965 – 31 March 1966
: Attached to:
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 ...
, 1 April 1966 – 15 September 1974
*
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 ...
, 16 September 1974
* Seventh Air Force, 8 September 1986 – present
Components
Wings
*
51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing: attached 25 September – 12 October 1950
*
452d Bombardment Wing: attached 15 – 30 November 1950
Groups
*
8th Fighter (later, Fighter-Bomber; Operations) Group: 18 August 1948 – 1 October 1957 (detached 14 August – 30 November 1950); 3 February 1992 – present
*
49th Fighter-Bomber Group: attached c. 9 July – 30 September 1950
Squadrons
*
4th Fighter-All Weather Squadron: attached 26 June – 13 July 1950
*
9th Fighter-Bomber Squadron: attached c. 27 June-c. 9 July 1950
*
13th Bombardment Squadron
In music or music theory, a thirteenth is the note thirteen scale degrees from the root of a chord and also the interval between the root and the thirteenth. The interval can be also described as a compound sixth, spanning an octave p ...
: attached 1–30 October 1970, assigned 31 October 1970 – 24 December 1972
*
16th Special Operations Squadron: 30 October 1968 – 8 December 1975 (detached 19 July 1974 – 8 December 1975).
*
25th Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 25th Fighter Squadron is part of the US Air Force's 51st Operations Group, 51st Fighter Wing, at Osan Air Base, South Korea. It operates the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting close air support missions.
Mission
...
28 May 1968 – 5 July 1974
*
35th Tactical Fighter Squadron attached 1 February – 30 September 1957, assigned 1 October 1957 – 18 June 1964 (detached 13 May – 18 June 1964); assigned 16 September 1974 – 3 February 1992
*
36th Fighter-Bomber (later, Tactical Fighter) Squadron: attached 1 February – 30 September 1957, assigned 1 October 1957 – 18 June 1964 (detached 13 May – 18 June 1964); assigned 16–30 September 1974
*
58th Tactical Fighter Squadron: attached June-11 September 1973
*
68th Fighter-All Weather (later, Fighter Interceptor; Tactical Fighter) Squadron: attached 1 March – 1 December 1950, 20 October 1954 – 1 March 1955, and 1 December 1961 – 15 June 1964; assigned 25 July 1964 – 6 December 1965 (detached 24 August – 6 December 1965)
* 77th Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force: attached 2 July – 10 October 1950 and 25 June – 22 August 1951
*
80th Fighter-Bomber (later, Tactical Fighter) Squadron: attached 11 August – 1 October 1950 and 1 February – 30 September 1957, assigned 1 October 1957 – 18 June 1964 (detached 13 May – 18 June 1964); assigned 16 September 1974 – 3 February 1992
*
308th Tactical Fighter Squadron: attached December 1972 – June 1973
*
319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: attached 20 February – 17 August 1954
*
334th Tactical Fighter Squadron: attached 11 April – 8 July 1972 and 25 September 1972 – March 1973
*
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 July–December 1972
*
336th Tactical Fighter Squadron: attached 12 April – 25 September 1972 and March-7 September 1973
*
339th Fighter-All Weather Squadron: attached 26 June – 5 July 1950
*
431st Tactical Fighter Squadron: 25 July 1964 – 6 December 1965 (detached 26 August – 6 December 1965)
*
433d Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 433rd Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nevada.
The unit was first activated in May 1943 and flew the P-38 Lightning in the Pacific Theater of Operations. The 433rd distin ...
: 25 July 1964 – 23 July 1974
*
435th Tactical Fighter Squadron : attached 5 June – 23 July 1966, assigned 24 July 1966 – 8 August 1974
*
497th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 25 July 1964 – 6 December 1965; 8 December 1965 – 16 September 1974; 1 October 1978 – 1 January 1982
*
555th Tactical Fighter Squadron: attached c. 25 February – 24 March 1966, assigned 25 March 1966 – 1 June 1968
Stations
*
Ashiya Air Base, Japan, 18 August 1948
*
Itazuke Air Base, Japan, 25 March 1949
*
Pyongyang Air Base (K-23), North Korea, 1 December 1950
*
Seoul Air Base
Seoul Air Base (sometimes K-16 Air Base, Seoul Airport or Seongnam Air Base) is located in Seongnam city near Seoul in South Korea. Runway 19 and 20 are equipped with an ILS.
History
Korea under Japanese rule constructed 여의도 비행장(Ye ...
(K-16), South Korea, 9 December 1950
*
Itazuke AB
, formerly known as Itazuke Air Base, is an international and domestic airport located east of Hakata Station in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
Fukuoka Airport is the principal airport on the island of Kyushu and is the fourth busiest passenge ...
, Japan, 10 December 1950
*
Kimpo Air Base
Gimpo International Airport (), commonly known as Gimpo Airport , formerly rendered in English as Kimpo International Airport, is located in the far western end of Seoul, some west of the Central District of Seoul. Gimpo was the main interna ...
(K-14), South Korea, 25 June 1951
*
Suwon Air Base
Suwon Air Base is a Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) base near Suwon city.
Units
The base is home to the ROKAF's 10th Fighter Wing (제10전투비행단), comprising:
*101st Fighter Squadron flying KF-5E/KF-5F/F-5F
*153rd Fighter Squadron f ...
(K-13), South Korea, 23 August 1951
*
Fukuoka Air Base, Japan, 20 October 1954 – 10 July 1964
: Deployed at
Kunsan Air Base
Kunsan K-8 Air Base is a United States Air Force base located at Gunsan Airport, on the west coast of the South Korean peninsula bordered by the Yellow Sea. It is located in the town of Gunsan (also romanized as Kunsan), about south of Seoul.
...
, South Korea, 14–22 October 1955
*
George Air Force Base
George Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, 8 miles northwest, of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California.
Established by the United States Army Air C ...
, California, 10 July 1964 – c. 6 December 1965
*
Ubon Air Base
Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) facility located near the city of Ubon Ratchathani, in Ubon Ratchathani Province. It is approximately 488 km (303 miles) northeast of Bangkok. The Laos border is about dire ...
, Thailand, 8 December 1965 – 16 September 1974
* Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, 16 September 1974 – present
Aircraft
*
Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star
The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first Jet aircraft, jet fighter aircraft, fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed in 1943 and del ...
(1948–1953)
*
North American F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing So ...
(1953–1957)
*
North American F-100 Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard (ANG) until 1979. The first of the Century Series of ...
(1956–1963)
*
Convair F-102 Delta Dagger
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was an American interceptor aircraft designed and manufactured by Convair.
Built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s, it entered service in 1956. Its main purpos ...
(1961–1964)
*
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 ...
(1963–1964)
*
McDonnell F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bowe ...
(1964–1982)
*
Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is an American single-engine, supersonic air superiority fighter which was extensively deployed as a fighter-bomber during the Cold War. Created as a day fighter by Lockheed as one of the "Century Series" of fi ...
(1966–1967)
*
Lockheed AC-130 Spectre (1968–1974)
*
Martin B-57 Canberra
The Martin B-57 Canberra is an American-built, twin-engined tactical bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1953. The B-57 is a license-built version of the British English Electric C ...
(1970–1972)
*
General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it ...
(1981–present)
References
Notes
Bibliography
*
*
* Schlight, John (1969). ''Project CHECO Report: JET FORWARD AIR CONTROLLERS IN SEASIA.'' Headquarters Pacific Air Force. ASIN B00ARRLMEY.
USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers—1908 to present
{{USAF Korea
Military units and formations established in 1948
0008
Military units and formations of the United States Air Force in the Vietnam War