23rd Wing
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The 23rd Wing is a front-line
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 ...
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 ...
wing currently assigned to
Moody Air Force Base Moody Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation near Valdosta, Georgia. Geography The base is in northeastern Lowndes County, Georgia, with the eastern border of the base following the Lanier County line. Georgia State Rout ...
, Georgia.


Mission

The mission of the 23rd Wing is to organize, train and employ combat-ready
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 ...
,
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 ...
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 ...
, as well as pararescuemen and force protection assets. It consists of approximately 6,100 military and civilian personnel, including geographically separated units (GSU) at
Nellis AFB Nellis Air Force Base ("Nellis" colloq.) is a United States Air Force installation in southern Nevada. Nellis hosts air combat exercises such as Exercise Red Flag and close air support exercises such as Green Flag-West flown in " Military Oper ...
,
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
, Davis-Monthan AFB,
Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
, MacDill AFB,
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
and the Avon Park Air Force Range, Florida.


Units

The 23rd Wing consists of the following groups: *23rd Security Forces Squadron *
347th Rescue Group The United States Air Force's 347th Rescue Group (347 RQG) is an active combat search and rescue unit assigned to the 23rd Wing at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. : ''For additional lineage and history, see 347th Rescue Wing'' Mission The 347 ...
(HH-60G, HC-130J) :
38th Rescue Squadron The 38th Rescue Squadron (38 RQS) is an active United States Air Force Pararescue squadron. Part of the 347th Rescue Group, 23rd Wing, it is stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. The squadron flew combat search and rescue missions during ...
:
41st Rescue Squadron The 41st Rescue Squadron is part of the 347th Rescue Group at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. It operates HH-60 Pave Hawk aircraft conducting search and rescue missions. Mission The 41st Rescue Squadron maintains combat-ready status as an HH ...
:
71st Rescue Squadron The 71st Rescue Squadron is part of the 347th Rescue Group at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. It flies HC-130J Combat King II aircraft conducting search and rescue missions. Mission The 71st Rescue Squadron maintains combat-ready status as the ...
: 347th Operations Support Squadron * 23rd Fighter Group (A-10C) :
74th Fighter Squadron The 74th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 23d Fighter Group and stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. The squadron is equipped with the Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II ground attack aircr ...
:
75th Fighter Squadron The 75th Fighter Squadron (75 FS) is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 23d Fighter Group, Air Combat Command and stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. The squadron is equipped with the Fairchild Republic A-10C Thund ...
: 23rd Operations Support Squadron :
598th Range Squadron The 598th Range Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 23d Fighter Group and is stationed at Avon Park Air Force Range, Florida where it replaced Detachment 1, 23d Fighter Group on 22 September 2015. The 598 ...
( MacDill AFB and Avon Park Air Force Range) *
563rd 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 direc ...
( Davis-Monthan AFB) (HH-60G, HC-130J) :
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 ...
(Davis-Monthan AFB) :
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 ...
(Davis-Monthan AFB) :
58th Rescue Squadron The 58th Rescue Squadron is one of five active-duty squadrons under the command of the 563d Rescue Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona but located at Operating Site Alpha, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.http://www.nellis.af.mil/lib ...
(Nellis AFB) :
66th Rescue Squadron The 66th Rescue Squadron is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, where it operates HH-60 Pave Hawk aircraft conducting search and rescue and combat search and rescue missions. It is geographically separated unit of the 563rd Rescue Gr ...
(Nellis AFB) :
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 ...
(Davis-Monthan AFB) : 563d Operations Support Squadron (Davis-Monthan AFB) * 23rd Mission Support Group * 23rd Medical Group * 23rd Maintenance Group


History


Postwar era

The 23rd Fighter Wing was activated on 10 August 1948 at
Northwest Guam Air Force Base Northwest Field (historically Northwest Guam Air Force Base) is a military airfield in Guam. Built in 1945 during World War II, the airfield was used as a bomber base during and after the war until it was closed in 1949. Units deployed to the ...
,
Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...
as part of the Wing-Base organization plan, which prescribed a standard organizational setup for all USAF bases worldwide. The plan called for the creation of a wing headquarters that established policy and supervised four functional groups: an operational group, an air base group, a maintenance and supply group, and a medical group. The 23rd Fighter Group was assigned as the operational group under the new 23rd Fighter Wing. The wing was assigned to Twentieth Air Force. The 23rd's mission on Guam was to provide air defense of the island. The 23rd Fighter Group was assigned the 74th, 75th and 76th Fighter Squadrons, being equipped with
Republic F-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-bomb ...
s. The 23rd Fighter Wing was reassigned to
Howard Air Force Base Howard Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in Panama. It discontinued military operations on 1 November 1999 as a result of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which specified that US military facilities in the former Pa ...
, Panama Canal Zone, in April 1949, where it also acquired a squadron of Lockheed RF-80 Shooting Stars. The 23rd Fighter Wing conducted
air defense Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
of the Canal Zone under the Caribbean Air Command until it was again inactivated on 24 September 1949.


Air Defense Command

Reactivated on 12 January 1951, at Presque Isle Air Force Base, Maine, the wing was redesignated the 23rd Fighter-Interceptor Wing with the 74th and 75th Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons assigned, as part of the
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 ...
(ADC). Equipped with North American F-86 Sabre,
North American F-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James H ...
, Northrop F-89D Scorpion and F-80 Shooting Star aircraft, its mission was to provide air defense for the northeastern United States during 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 ...
and conduct basic training for about 500 Air Force recruits. The 23rd was inactivated 6 February 1952 along with the 23rd Fighter-Interceptor Group. The Wing's equipment and personnel were transferred to the
4711th Defense Wing The 4711th Air Defense Wing is a discontinued United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 30th Air Division of Air Defense Command (ADC) at Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan, where it was discontinued in 1956. It was ...
, which had been organized at Presque Isle on 1 February 1952.


Tactical Air Command


McConnell Air Force Base

Following its longest period of inactivation, the group was organized as the 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing on 8 February 1964, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, under
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 ...
and
Twelfth Air Force The Twelfth Air Force (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The command is the air component to U ...
. The 23 TFW was activated to replace the
388th Tactical Fighter Wing The 388th Fighter Wing (388FW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Fifteenth Air Force. The unit is stationed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Units 388th Operations Group (388 OG) *4th Fighter Squadron (4 FS) ...
at McConnell after its deployment to Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. Squadrons of the 23 TFW were: *
561st Tactical Fighter Squadron The 561st Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force squadron assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The squadron (aviation), squadron was the last United States Air Force unit to fly the McDonnell F-4 Phanto ...
*
562nd Tactical Fighter Squadron The 562nd Flying Training Squadron (also known as the 562d Flying Training Squadron) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was part of the 12th Flying Training Wing at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, where it operated the Boeing T-43 ...
* 563rd Tactical Fighter Squadron * 560th Tactical Fighter Squadron (28 January 1964 – 25 September 1968) * 4519th Combat Crew Training Squadron (later 4519th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron) (1 August 1967 – 16 October 1969) *
419th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron The 419th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 23d Tactical Fighter Wing and stationed at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. History Initially established by Tactical Air Co ...
(15 October 1969 – 8 May 1971) Squadron markings on the natural metal / silver lacquered aircraft included the following: 561 TFS – black/yellow checkerboarding on rudder; 562 TFS – a red, white and black "sharkmouth" on the nose of the aircraft; 563rd Squadron red and white stripes on the rudder, wingtips and stabilizers with a white band on the top of the vertical fin. When Southeast Asian camouflaged, the squadrons carried the following tail codes: 561 TFS "MD"; 562 TFS "ME"; 563 TFS "MF", and later the 4519th and 419th TFTS "MG". Flying the Republic Aviation F-105D/G "Thunderchief" aircraft, the mission of the 23 TFW at McConnell was to provide training for Thud pilots prior to their deployment to
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
. The 560th acted as a combat training squadron, while the other three squadrons began rotational TDY deployments to Southeast Asia beginning in November 1964. In February 1965, when the 23 TFW deployed three squadrons (the 561st, 562nd and 563rd) to Southeast Asia for combat, these units were initially under the control of the 2nd Air Division. Later, the 6441 TFW (P) was activated at
Takhli RTAFB Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) facility in central Thailand, approximately 144 miles (240 km) northwest of Bangkok in Takhli District, Nakhon Sawan Province. Units Takhli is the home of the Royal Tha ...
in July 1965, taking control of the 23rd's squadrons deployed there. It was during this five-month tour that the 563rd TFS lost 10 of its 18 F-105's deployed and was awarded two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat "V" for Valor. In addition to the deployments to Thailand, detachments of the 561 TFS also deployed to
Da Nang Air Base Da Nang Air Base ( vi, Căn cứ không quân Đà Nẵng) (1930s–1975) (also known as Da Nang Airfield, Tourane Airfield or Tourane Air Base) was a French Air Force and later Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) facility located in the city ...
RVN for operations within the borders of the Republic of Vietnam. On 1 August 1967, the 4519th Combat Crew Training squadron was added to the 23rd, and the 560th Tactical Fighter Squadron was inactivated on 25 September 1968. The wing maintained proficiency in tactical fighter operations, and later also functioned as an F-105 replacement training unit and assisted
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 in their conversion to the F-105 when the Thunderchief left first-line service. For the dual role it played from June 1970 to June 1971 as both an operational and a training unit, the wing received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award in March 1971. Two of its squadrons, the 562nd and 563rd, also received the same award for their duty in Vietnam during 1965, but with the combat "V" added, the 563rd receiving two such awards in a five-month period. For its participation in Linebacker I and Linebacker II during 1972 the 561st (Wild Weasels) received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V". During combat operations in Southeast Asia, the 562 TFS lost three aircraft, while the 563 TFS lost eleven aircraft. On 1 July 1972 the 23 TFW was transferred to
England Air Force Base England Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Louisiana, located northwest of Alexandria and about northwest of New Orleans. Originally known as Alexandria Army Air Base, on 23 June 1955 the facility was renamed England Ai ...
Louisiana and the 561, 562 and 563 TFS were assigned to the 35 TFW at George Air Force Base California.


England Air Force Base

The 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing moved "on paper" without people or equipment to England Air Force Base, Louisiana, 1 July 1972 and took over the assets and personnel of the 4403rd Tactical Fighter Wing. Assigned to the Ninth Air Force, the wing activated all three of its original World War II fighter units – the 74th, 75th and 76th Tactical Fighter Squadrons for the first time since 1949, and began operations with the Ling-Temco-Vought A-7D Corsair II aircraft. Squadron markings were a blue tail stripe, later adding white stars and a "74" in 1979 for the 74 TFS; s white outlined black tail stripe, later changed to black and white checkered for the 75 TFS, and a red tail stripe with white stars and a "76" for the 76 TFS. All 23 TFW aircraft carried the "EL" tail code at England. On 5 July 1973, the 74 TFS deployed to Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, on temporary duty with 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 ...
(Deployed) from Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina. The 74th replaced the
354th Tactical 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 ...
from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona that had completed its temporary duty. For just over a month, until the cessation of all U.S. bombing on 15 August 1973, the 74 TFS supported the air war activities in Cambodia, accounting for the destruction of 311 enemy structures, 25 ground artillery and missile sites, three bridges and 9,500 cubic meters of supplies. The 74 TFS returned to England on 28 December 1973. The 23 TFW took part in a variety of operational exercises both in the United States and overseas, including tactical bombing competitions against the
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
at RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland, during October 1977 and July 1978. In both events, A-7D teams captured the Sir John Mogg Team Trophy. On 23 September 1980, the 74 TFS received the 23 TFW's first operational
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 ...
aircraft. The 75 and 76 TFS received A-10s within the next few months, and the 23 TFW took top honors in Ninth Air Force's tactical bombing competition (Gunpowder 1981) in July, and advanced to TAC's worldwide
Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...
1981 competition at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, in September. The Flying Tigers won six of nine events, including top maintenance and munitions awards, and was the top A-10 unit in the competition. The wing's maintenance complex was also awarded the 1981 Daedalian runner-up trophy, and earned the 1984 Daedalian Aircraft Maintenance Trophy. Eight of the 23rd's A-7Ds were transferred to the 4450th Tactical Group, based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada in June 1981, during the transition to the A-10. The 4451st Tactical Squadron at
Tonopah Test Range Airport Tonopah Test Range Airport , at the Tonopah Test Range (Senior Trend project site PS-66) is southeast of Tonopah, Nevada and northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a major airfield with a runway, instrument approach facilities, and nighttime i ...
used these aircraft to train
F-117 Nighthawk The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk is a retired American single-seat, twin-engine stealth attack aircraft developed by Lockheed's secretive Skunk Works division and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). It was the first operational airc ...
pilots and to provide a cover story for F-117A development. Operation Urgent Fury, Grenada, Oct/Nov 1983 The 76th Fighter Squadron was deployed to Roosevelt Roads Naval station in Puerto Rico, from where it flew combat missions in support of this operation. The wing set Air Force records for " mission capable" and "fully mission capable" (meaning an aircraft can meet any mission tasking) rates during fiscal year 1985. The marks, 93.1 percent in MC and 92.8 percent in FMC, topped records set by the wing in 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984. The wing earned its fourth Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for the period 1 April 1989, to 31 March 1991.


Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm

In response to the buildup of forces following the
Iraqi invasion of Kuwait The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait was an operation conducted by Iraq on 2 August 1990, whereby it invaded the neighboring State of Kuwait, consequently resulting in a seven-month-long Iraqi military occupation of the country. The invasion and Ira ...
in August 1990, the 74th and 76th Tactical Fighter Squadrons deployed with numerous support personnel to
King Fahd International Airport King Fahd International Airport ( ar, مطار الملك فهد الدولي; KFIA) , also known as Dammam International Airport or simply Dammam Airport or King Fahd Airport, is the international airport serving Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The airp ...
, Saudi Arabia, attached to the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) as part of Operation Desert Shield. The A-10 deployment was the largest ever fielded and consisted of: A total of 144 A/OA-10 aircraft were deployed. Using forward operating locations near the
Kuwait Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
i border as well as King Fahd AB, A-10s made their combat debut in
Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
on 17 January 1991. The 23 TFW flew more than 2,700 combat sorties over Iraq and Kuwait while maintaining a mission-capable rate of 95 percent. In addition to providing close air support for ground units, the A-10s performed
Combat Search and Rescue Combat search and rescue (CSAR) are search and rescue operations that are carried out during war that are within or near combat zones. A CSAR mission may be carried out by a task force of helicopters, ground-attack aircraft, aerial refuelin ...
and
SCUD A Scud missile is one of a series of tactical ballistic missiles developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It was exported widely to both Second World, Second and Third World, Third World countries. The term comes from the NATO reporti ...
-hunting missions. The combined efforts of the A-10 units resulted in the confirmed destruction of 987 tanks, 926 artillery pieces, 500 armored personnel carriers, 1,106 trucks, 112 military structures, 96 radars, 72 bunkers, 57 SCUD missile launchers, 50 anti-aircraft artillery batteries, 28 command posts, 11 FROG missiles, nine surface-to-air missile sites, eight fuel tanks and 12 aircraft. Both squadrons returned to England Air Force Base at the end of March 1991. Support personnel continued to arrive for months after the aircraft redeployment. In October 1990, the
Base Realignment and Closure Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) is a process by a United States federal government commission to increase United States Department of Defense efficiency by coordinating the realignment and closure of military installations following the end o ...
Commission decided that England Air Force Base would be closed by September 1992. A draw down of equipment and personnel began almost immediately. On 1 October 1991, as part of an Air Force-wide reorganization, the wing designation became 23rd Fighter Wing, and on 1 November 1991, the squadrons also dropped "tactical" from their designations. On 2 December 1991, the 75th Fighter Squadron was inactivated. The 74 FS was inactivated on 13 February 1992, and the 76 FS on 29 May. The 23rd Fighter Wing's A-10 aircraft were sent to
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, and the wing was inactivated on 1 June 1992. England was closed the same day.


Air Combat Command


Pope Air Force Base

The collapse of the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
in 1991 and the end of
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
tensions led senior defense planners to conclude that the structure of the military establishment which had evolved during the Cold War years was not suited to the new world situation. Senior planners reviewed numerous options before agreeing on the final conclusion—a merger of most strategic and tactical air resources and a reorganization of Military Airlift Command (MAC). In addition, the number of Air Force wings was to be reduced by about one-third to reflect the financial constraints of the post Cold War environment. These changes led to Pope Air Force Base being transferred to the new
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 ...
upon the command's activation on 1 June 1992. Also, the existing
317th Airlift Wing The 317th Airlift Wing (317 AW) is a United States Air Force unit, stationed at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. Assigned to Air Mobility Command (AMC) Eighteenth Air Force, the 317 AW operates as a tenant unit at Dyess AFB, an installation under t ...
at Pope was blended with the newly activated 23rd Operations Group (last assigned to the wing in 1952 as the 23rd Fighter-Interceptor Group) into the new 23rd Wing on 1 June 1992. In April 1992, A/OA-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft were transferred to the 75th Fighter Squadron from the
353rd Fighter Squadron The 353rd Combat Training Squadron is a United States Air Force training squadron responsible for Exercise RED FLAG – ALASKA held annually in Alaska. Overview All the activities on Alaska's three weapons training ranges – incorporating ...
of the 354th Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base prior to the wing's inactivation and the
1993 Base Realignment and Closure Commission The 1993 Base Realignment and Closure Commission preliminary list was released by the United States Department of Defense in 1993 as part of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. It recommended closing 33 major United States military bases. ...
-mandated closure of Myrtle Beach in January 1993. In June 1993, Block 40 General Dynamics F-16C/D Fighting Falconss were transferred to the 74th Fighter Squadron from the
347th Fighter Wing The 347th Rescue Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command, stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. It was inactivated on 1 October 2006. History : ''For additional ...
at
Moody Air Force Base Moody Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation near Valdosta, Georgia. Geography The base is in northeastern Lowndes County, Georgia, with the eastern border of the base following the Lanier County line. Georgia State Rout ...
, Georgia and the
388th Fighter Wing The 388th Fighter Wing (388FW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Fifteenth Air Force. The unit is stationed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Units 388th Operations Group (388 OG) * 4th Fighter Squadron (4 FS) : ...
at
Hill Air Force Base Hill Air Force Base is a major U.S. Air Force (USAF) base located in northern Utah, just south of the city of Ogden, and bordering the Cities of Layton, Clearfield, Riverdale, Roy, and Sunset with its largest border immediately adjacent to ...
, Utah. Operational squadrons of the 23rd Wing at Pope were: * 317th Airlift Group **
2nd Airlift Squadron The 2nd Airlift Squadron is an inactive airlift of the United States Air Force squadron that was last stationed at Pope Army Airfield, North Carolina, where it operated Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft. The squadron was assigned to the 43rd Airlif ...
(C-130E) (1 June 1992 – 1 April 1997) **
41st Airlift Squadron The 41st Airlift Squadron is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command's 19th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. It operates Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. The 41st AS became Air Mobility ...
(C-130E) (16 July 1993 – 1 April 1997) * 23rd Fighter Group ** 74th Tactical Fighter Squadron (15 June 1993 – 1 April 1997)
(F-16C/D 15 June 1993 – 30 June 1996), (A/OA-10A 1 July 1996 – 1 April 1997) ** 75th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1 April 1992 – 1 April 1997) (A/OA-10A) * 18th Air Support Group All aircraft of the 23rd Wing at Pope carried the tail code "FT" (Flying Tigers). In December 1992, Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft from the 2nd Airlift Squadron deployed to
Mombasa Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of the British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital city status. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...
, Kenya, to participate in Operation Provide Relief. The aircraft and crews delivered tons of food and other relief supplies to small airstrips throughout Somalia. 23rd Wing C-130s have also been tasked to assist in other humanitarian relief efforts, to include
Hurricane Andrew Hurricane Andrew was a very powerful and destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in August 1992. It is the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures damaged ...
in Florida. They also airdropped relief supplies into Bosnia and Herzegovina and flew relief missions into
Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its a ...
for more than 28 months. In September 1994, its C-130s participated in what was to be the largest combat personnel drop since World War II, Operation Uphold Democracy. They were to assist in dropping more than 3,000 paratroopers from the
82nd Airborne Division The 82nd Airborne Division is an Airborne forces, airborne infantry division (military), division of the United States Army specializing in Paratrooper, parachute assault operations into denied areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops ...
onto Port au Prince Airport,
Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
. The invasion force was recalled at the last minute after word that the Haitian president had resigned upon hearing that the aircraft were on their way. The 75th Fighter Squadron's A-10s were deployed their aircraft to Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, where they were scheduled to launch close air support operations for the invasion force before recovering in Puerto Rico. The first operational deployment of a composite wing happened in October 1994, when Iraqi troops began massing near the Kuwaiti Border. Within 72 hours, 56 aircraft and 1,500 personnel deployed to the Persian Gulf region for
Operation Vigilant Warrior Operation Vigilant Warrior ( ar, عملية المحارب اليقظ) was a military operation from 8 October 1994 to 15 December 1994 by the United States in response to two divisions of Iraqi Republican Guard troops moving toward the Kuwaiti ...
. Eventually, the 75th Fighter Squadron redeployed to
Al Jaber Air Base Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base is a Kuwait Air Force base that is home to 3 Kuwait Air Force F/A-18 C/D squadrons: 9 Squadron, 25 Squadron, and 61 Squadron. The base also has an area designated for operations by the U.S. Air Force and its allies. H ...
, Kuwait, becoming the first U.S. fixed-wing aircraft to be stationed in that country since the end of the Gulf War. On 1 July 1996, the 74th Fighter Squadron's F-16C/D Fighting Falcons were transferred to the
27th Fighter Wing 7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube. As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion, mythology, s ...
's
524th Fighter Squadron 5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. It has attained significance throughout history in part because typical humans have five digits on eac ...
at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, and the squadron transitioned to A/OA-10 Thunderbolt IIs received from the
20th Fighter Wing The 20th Fighter Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Shaw Air Force Base South Carolina. The wing is assigned to Air Combat Command's Fifteenth Air Force. The wing's mission is to provide, project, and sustain ...
's
55th Fighter Squadron The 55th Fighter Squadron is part of the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It operates the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting air superiority missions. The squadron is one of the oldest in the Un ...
at Shaw Air Force Base. This gave the 23rd Group a 2nd A-10 squadron. On 1 April 1997, the 23rd Wing was downsized and redesignated as the 23rd Fighter Group. The 23rd Operations Group was inactivated and its fighter squadrons assigned to the 23 Fighter Group. The 23rd remained at Pope as an operations group assigned to Air Combat Command 347th Wing at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. The C-130s formerly assigned to the 23rd and Pope Air Force Base were realigned to
Air Mobility Command Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri. Air Mobility Command was established on 1 June 1992, and was formed from elements ...
under the 43rd Airlift Wing. On 27 June 2000, the 23rd Fighter Group was reassigned to the
4th Fighter Wing The 4th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command's Ninth Air Force. It is stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, where it is also the host unit. The wing is one of two Air Force uni ...
at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base North Carolina and continued to operate from Pope, after the 347th Wing was redesignated the 347th Rescue Wing. The group as it existed in 2006 consisted of the: * 74th Fighter Squadron * 75th Fighter Squadron * 23rd Operations Support Squadron * 23rd Maintenance Squadron


=Operation Allied Force

= In April 1999, the 74 FS deployed five aircraft and 60 personnel to Operation Allied Force, the
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
air campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, intended to stop ethnic cleansing of
Albanians The Albanians (; sq, Shqiptarët ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Se ...
by Serbs. The US participation was known as
Operation Noble Anvil The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombings continued until an a ...
and officially spanned 24 March 1999 – 10 June 1999. The 74th FS deployed initially to
Spangdahlem Air Base Spangdahlem Air Base (IATA: SPM, ICAO: ETAD, former code EDAD) is a NATO air base with the USAF as a tenant constructed between 1951 and 1953 and located near the small German town of Spangdahlem, approximately 30 km NNE of the city of Trier ...
, Germany and then forward deployed to
Gioia del Colle Air Base Gioia del Colle Air Base is an Italian Air Force ( Aeronautica Militare) base located in the province of Bari, Apulia, Italy, located approximately 1 km south-southeast of Gioia del Colle. World War II During World War II the air base was ...
, Italy. Designated the 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, the unit co-located with the 81st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron of the
51st Fighter Wing The 51st Fighter Wing (51 FW) is a wing of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Osan Air Base, South Korea. The wing has been based entirely in the Far East during its entire existence, including its combat role as the ''51st Fighter ...
to form an expeditionary fighter wing. The A-10A aircraft provided
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 ...
during missions over the region, provided short-notice alert for combat search and rescue missions and also provided airborne
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). ...
for NATO fighters attacking Serbian targets found in the Kosovo area.


=Operation Enduring Freedom

= In March 2002, the 23rd Fighter Group landed the first fighter aircraft inside Afghanistan. They deployed from Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait, to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. 23rd Fighter Group personnel operated simultaneously in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...
and Operation Southern Watch for nearly seven months.


=Operation Iraqi Freedom

= In February 2003, the 23rd Fighter Group deployed to Al Jaber Air Base in preparation of
Operation Iraqi Freedom {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
, there they launched aircraft to attack
Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...
until the major fighting ceased. They then deployed forward to
Tallil Air Base Nasiriyah Airport is a public and military airport located 23 km (14 mi) southwest of Nasiriyah, Iraq. It is also known as Tallil Air Base until December 2011 and Imam Ali Air Base until March 2017, when the base was used by United ...
, near
An-Nasiriyah Nasiriyah ( ar, ٱلنَّاصِرِيَّة; BGN: ''An Nāşirīyah''; also spelled ''Nassiriya'' or ''Nasiriya'') is a city in Iraq. It is on the lower Euphrates, about south-southeast of Baghdad, near the ruins of the ancient city of Ur. ...
.


=Milestones

= In 2002, an A-10 of the 75th Fighter Squadron passed the 9,000 flying-hour mark, becoming the most flown attack aircraft in Air Force history. This was exceeded in 2005 by another A-10 from the 75th FS that passed the 10,000 flying-hour mark.


Moody Air Force Base

On 29 September 2006, the 347th Rescue Wing at Moody redesignated as the 347th Rescue Group, while the 23rd Fighter Group was redesignated the 23rd Wing. The 23rd Wing has three operations groups, the 347th Rescue Group, along with the original 23rd Fighter Group (last assigned to the wing at Pope AFB as the 23rd Operations Group), and the
563rd 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 direc ...
at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona and Nellis AFB, Nevada. The 23rd Fighter Group was reassigned to the 23rd Wing as a second operations group at Moody AFB in a ceremony held on 18 August 2006. The 23rd Fighter Group transferred its personnel and equipment from Pope AFB in December 2007 with that installation's transfer to the U.S. Army and redesignation as Pope Field. There are currently two operational active duty A-10C squadrons at Moody AFB plus one Air Force Reserve associate squadron. In addition, twelve additional A-10 aircraft from the
355th Fighter Squadron The 355th Fighter Squadron, nicknamed the ''Fightin' Falcons'', is a United States Air Force unit stationed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. It is an active-duty unit assigned to the 354th Fighter Wing and operates the Lockheed Martin F-35A ...
of the
354th 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 W ...
at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska were transferred to the 23rd Fighter Group as a result of BRAC 2005. The 23rd Wing inactivated the 23rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron in January 2022 whilst at the same time activating the 74th and 75th Fighter Generation Squadrons. The move was part of Air Combat Command's plans to improve the alignment of fighter operations and maintenance.


Lineage

* Constituted as the 23rd Fighter Wing on 10 August 1948 : Activated on 16 August 1948 : Inactivated on 24 September 1949 : Redesignated 23rd Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 19 December 1950 : Activated on 12 January 1951 : Inactivated on 6 February 1952 * Redesignated 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing and activated on 28 January 1964 : Organized on 8 February 1964 : Redesignated 23rd Fighter Wing on 1 October 1991 : Inactivated on 1 June 1992 * Redesignated 23rd Wing and activated on 1 June 1992 : Redesignated 23rd Fighter Group on 1 April 1997 : Redesignated 23rd Wing on 1 October 2006


Assignments

* Twentieth Air Force, 16 August 1948 * Caribbean Air Command, 25 – 24 April September 1949 * Eastern Air Defense Force, 12 January 1951 – 6 February 1952 *
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 ...
, 7 February 1952 *
32nd Air Division The 32d Air Division (32d AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was last active with Air Defense Command, assigned to First Air Force at Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama, where it was inactivated on 31 December 1969. The div ...
, 16 February 1953 – 1 March 1956 * Tactical Air Command, 28 January 1964 (not organized) * Twelfth Air Force, 8 February 1964 * 835th Air Division, 1 July 1964 * Twelfth Air Force, 30 June 1971 * Ninth Air Force, 1 July 1972 *
347th Wing The 347th Rescue Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command, stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. It was inactivated on 1 October 2006. History : ''For additional ...
, 1 April 1997 *
4th Fighter Wing The 4th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command's Ninth Air Force. It is stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, where it is also the host unit. The wing is one of two Air Force uni ...
, 23 June 2000 * Ninth Air Force (later, Ninth Air Force ir Forces Central, 1 October 2006 – 5 August 2009 * Ninth Air Force, 5 August 2009 – 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

Groups * 23rd Fighter Group (later 23rd Fighter-Interceptor Group 23rd Operations Group, 23rd Fighter Group): 16 August 1948 – 24 September 1949; 12 January 1951 – 6 February 1952; 1 June 1992 – 1 April 1997; 1 October 2006 – present * 347th Rescue Group: 1 October 2006 – present * 563rd Rescue Group: 1 October 2006 – present Squadrons *
6th Special Operations Training Squadron The 6th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 27th Special Operations Wing (27 SOW) at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. The squadron operates MC-130J Commando II aircraft in support of special operations. The 6th SOS specializes in the u ...
: 1 – 15 January September 1974 * 74th Tactical Fighter Squadron (later 74th Fighter Squadron): 1 July 1972 – 15 February 1992 (detached 2 – 28 July December 1973; 29 August 1990 – 20 April 1991); 1 April 1997 – 1 October 2006 * 75th Tactical Fighter Squadron (later 75th Fighter Squadron): 1 July 1972 – 2 December 1991; 1 – 1 April June 1992; 1 April 1997 – 1 October 2006. * 76th Tactical Fighter Squadron (later 76th Fighter Squadron): 1 October 1972 – 29 May 1992 (detached 27 August 1990 – c. April 1991) *
132nd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 132nd Air Refueling Squadron (132 ARS) is a unit of the Maine Air National Guard 101st Air Refueling Wing located at Bangor Air National Guard Base, Bangor, Maine. It is equipped with the KC-135R Stratotanker. History World War II Trained ...
: attached 21 July 1951 – 6 February 1952 *
134th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 134th Fighter Squadron (134th FS), nicknamed ''the Green Mountain Boys'', is a unit of the Vermont Air National Guard 158th Fighter Wing located at Burlington Air National Guard Base, Burlington, Vermont. From 1986 to 2019, the 134th FS wer ...
: attached 1 April 1951 – 6 February 1952 *
333rd 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 ...
: 15 October 1970 – 22 March 1971 *
357th Tactical 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 acti ...
: attached c. 8 November 1965 – 28 January 1966; assigned 15 – 22 March 1971 * 419th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: 15 October 1969 – 1 October 1971 * 560th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 8 February 1964 – 25 September 1968 * 561st Tactical Fighter Squadron: 8 February 1964 – 1 July 1972 (detached 6 – 10 March July 1965 and 9 – 30 April June 1972) * 562nd Tactical Fighter Squadron: 8 February 1964 – 1 July 1972 (detached 13 – 6 August December 1965) * 563rd Tactical Fighter Squadron: 8 February 1964 – 1 July 1972 (detached 8 – 15 April August 1965) *
598th Range Squadron The 598th Range Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 23d Fighter Group and is stationed at Avon Park Air Force Range, Florida where it replaced Detachment 1, 23d Fighter Group on 22 September 2015. The 598 ...
: 22 September 2015 – Present * 4519th Combat Crew Training Squadron: 1 August 1967 – 15 October 1969 Detachments and Operating Locations * Detachment 1, Deployed Unit Complex (DUC), MacDill Air Force Base, Florida ** Redesignated as 598th Range Squadron, 25 September 2015 * Detachment 1,
Avon Park Air Force Range Avon may refer to: *River Avon (disambiguation), several rivers Organisations * Avon Buses, a bus operating company in Wirral, England * Avon Coachworks, a car body builder established in 1919 at Warwick, England, relaunched in 1922, followin ...
, Florida ** Redesignated as 598th Range Squadron, 25 September 2015


Stations

* Northwest Guam Air Force Base, Guam, 16 August 1948 – 3 April 1949 * Howard Air Force Base, Panama Canal Zone, 25 – 24 April September 1949 * Presque Isle Air Force Base, Maine, 12 January 1951 – 6 February 1952 * McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, 8 February 1964 * England Air Force Base, Louisiana, 1 July 1972 – 1 June 1992 * Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, 1 June 1992 – 1 April 1997 * Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, 1 October 2006 – present


References


Footnotes


Citations


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * *


External links


Official History of theFlying Tigers



Flying Tiger Association Website


{{USAAF 14th Air Force World War II Military units and formations in Georgia (U.S. state) 0023 Military units and formations established in 1948