477th Fighter Group
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The 477th Fighter Group is an Air Reserve unit of 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 ...
. It is assigned to the
Tenth Air Force The Tenth Air Force (10 AF) is a unit of the U.S. Air Force, specifically a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). 10 AF is headquartered at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base/Carswell Field (formerly Carswell AF ...
,
Air Force Reserve Command The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commiss ...
, stationed at
Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson is a United States military facility in Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska. It is an amalgamation of the United States Air Force's Elmendorf Air Force Base and the United States Army's Fort Richardson, which ...
, Alaska. The 477th FG is an associate unit of the
3rd Wing The 3rd Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Eleventh Air Force. It is stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. The Wing is the largest and principal unit within 11th Air For ...
of
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), and if mobilized the wing is gained by PACAF.


Overview

The 477th Fighter Group was reactivated on 1 October 2007 as the first Air Force Reserve unit to fly, maintain, and support the
Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is an American single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). As the result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, th ...
. The group is an associate unit responsible for recruiting, training, developing and retaining Citizen Airmen to support
3d Wing The 3rd Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Eleventh Air Force. It is stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. The Wing is the largest and principal unit within 11th Air For ...
and Air Force expeditionary unit mission requirements.


Units

The 477th Fighter Group provides a combat-ready force of approximately 425 Air Reserve Technicians, Traditional Reservists, and civil servants assigned to the following squadrons: *
302d Fighter Squadron The 302d Fighter Squadron is part of the Air Force Reserve Command's 477th Fighter Group at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. It operates the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor conducting an air superiority mission. Mission The 302d Fighter Squadron ...
* 477th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron * 477th Maintenance Squadron * 477th Civil Engineer Squadron * 477th Aerospace Medicine Flight * 477th Mission Support Flight * 477th Operations Support Flight * 477th Force Support Squadron The men and women of the 477th Fighter Group will functionally integrate with their active duty Air Force partners in almost all F-22A mission areas to increase efficiency and overall combat capability while retaining Reserve administrative support and career enhancement. The 477th Fighter Group will leverage the traditional Reserve Component strengths of experience and continuity to fly, and fight, and win as Unrivaled Wingmen on the Total Force team at Elmendorf.


History


World War II Training unit

The 477th was originally established in May 1943 at
MacDill Field MacDill Air Force Base (MacDill AFB) is an active United States Air Force installation located 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida. The "host wing" for MacDill AFB is the 6th Air Refueling Wing (6 ARW), assig ...
, Florida as the
United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
477th Bombardment Group (Medium). Assigned to
Third Air Force The Third Air Force (Air Forces Europe) (3 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA). Its headquarters is Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It is responsible for all U.S. air forces in E ...
, the group trained with
Martin B-26 Marauder The Martin B-26 Marauder is an American twin-engined medium bomber that saw extensive service during World War II. The B-26 was built at two locations: Baltimore, Maryland, and Omaha, Nebraska, by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in t ...
medium bombers. The unit was subsequently inactivated on 25 August 1943.


Reactivation with African-American personnel

The 477th was reactivated as the 477th Bombardment Group (M) (Colored) at
Selfridge Field Selfridge Air National Guard Base or Selfridge ANGB is an Air National Guard installation located in Harrison Township, Michigan, near Mount Clemens. Selfridge Field was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the Unit ...
, Michigan on 15 January 1944 and assigned to
First Air Force The First Air Force (Air Forces Northern; 1 AF-AFNORTH) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Its primary mission is the air defense of the Co ...
. The 477th's new mission was to train what would become the legendary World War II African-American aviators known as the
Tuskegee Airmen The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of primarily African American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332d Fighter Group and the 477th Fighter Group, 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the ...
with
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bombe ...
fighters and
North American B-25 Mitchell The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in e ...
bombers. During
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 ...
, continued pressure from African-American civilian leaders led the Army to let black servicemen train as members of bomber crews, a step that opened many more skilled combat roles to them. On 5 May 1944, possibly out of fear of a repeat of the previous summer's
race riot This is a list of ethnic riots by country, and includes riots based on ethnic, sectarian, xenophobic, and racial conflict. Some of these riots can also be classified as pogroms. Africa Americas United States Nativist period: 1700sâ ...
in nearby Detroit, the 477th was abruptly relocated to
Godman Field Godman or God-man may refer to: * Godman (name) * Godman (India), a colloquial term used in India for a charismatic spiritual leader * ''The Godman'', a 1999 Indian Malayalam film * ''God-Man'', a recurring character in the comic '' Tom the Dancin ...
on
Fort Knox Fort Knox is a United States Army installation in Kentucky, south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. It is adjacent to the United States Bullion Depository, which is used to house a large portion of the United States' official gold res ...
in Kentucky. The morale of the 477th was poor because the field was not suited to use by the B-25 and because black officers, including combat veterans of the
332d Fighter Group 33 may refer to: *33 (number) * 33 BC * AD 33 * 1933 * 2033 Music * ''33'' (Luis Miguel album) (2003) * ''33'' (Southpacific album) (1998) * ''33'' (Wanessa album) (2016) *"33 'GOD'", a 2016 song by Bon Iver * "Thirty-Three" (song), a 1995 song b ...
who had transferred to the bomber unit, were not being advanced to command positions. By early 1945, however, the 477th reached its full combat strength. It was scheduled to enter combat on 1 July, which made it necessary to relocate once more, this time to
Freeman Field : ''For the civil use of this facility after 1946, see Freeman Municipal Airport '' Freeman Army Airfield is an inactive United States Army Air Forces base. It is located south-southwest of Seymour, Indiana. The base was established in 1942 a ...
, a base fully suited to use the B-25. At Freeman Field, the Freeman Field Mutiny took place as a result of racial discrimination. As a result of the protest, the 477th was relocated back to Godman Field. Colonel Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., took command on 1 July, and black officers replaced white officers in lower command and supervisory positions. Training was to be completed by 31 August, but the war ended on 14 August with Japan's surrender. Never deployed in combat, the 477th was downsized when the war ended. In 1946, it was reassigned to
Lockbourne Army Air Base Lockbourne is a village in Franklin County and Pickaway County, Ohio, United States. The population was 236 at the 2020 census. Lockbourne is located near Rickenbacker International Airport, and had initially provided its original name of Lock ...
, Ohio. On 1 July 1947, the 477th was inactivated.


Lineage

* Established as the 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 13 May 1943 : Activated on 1 June 1943 : Inactivated on 25 August 1943 * Activated as the 477th Bombardment Group (M) (Colored) on 15 January 1944 : Redesignated 477th Composite Group on 22 June 1945 : Inactivated on 1 July 1947 * Redesignated: 477th Special Operations Group on 31 July 1985 (remained inactive) * Redesignated: 477th Expeditionary Special Operations Group and converted to provisional status on 24 January 2005 * Redesignated: 477th Special Operations Group and withdrawn from provisional status on 11 August 2006 * Redesignated: 477th Fighter Group on 21 September 2007 : Activated on 1 October 2007


Assignments

* Third Air Force, 1 June – 25 August 1943 *
First Air Force The First Air Force (Air Forces Northern; 1 AF-AFNORTH) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Its primary mission is the air defense of the Co ...
, 15 January 1944 *
Ninth Air Force The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint De ...
, 1 January–1 July 1947 *
Air Force Special Operations Command Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), headquartered at Hurlburt Field, Florida, is the special operations component of the United States Air Force. An Air Force major command (MAJCOM), AFSOC is also the U.S. Air Force component command ...
to activate or inactivate at any time after 24 January 2005 – 11 August 2006 *
Tenth Air Force The Tenth Air Force (10 AF) is a unit of the U.S. Air Force, specifically a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). 10 AF is headquartered at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base/Carswell Field (formerly Carswell AF ...
, 1 October 2007 – present


Components

*
99th Fighter Squadron The 99th Infantry Division was formed in 1942 and deployed overseas in 1944. The "Checkerboard" or "Battle Babies" division landed at the French port of Le Havre and proceeded northeast to Belgium. During the heavy fighting in the Battle of the ...
: 22 June 1945 – 1 July 1947 *
302d Fighter Squadron The 302d Fighter Squadron is part of the Air Force Reserve Command's 477th Fighter Group at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. It operates the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor conducting an air superiority mission. Mission The 302d Fighter Squadron ...
: 1 October 2007 – present *
616th Bombardment Squadron The 616th Bombardment Squadron was activated in 1943 as one of the four squadrons of the 477th Bombardment Group, the first (and only) bombardment group in the United States Army Air Forces to include black pilots. Members of the squadron partic ...
: 1 June–25 August 1943; 15 January 1944 – 22 June 1945 * 617th Bombardment Squadron: 1 June–25 August 1943; 15 April 1944 – 1 July 1947 * 618th Bombardment Squadron: 1 June–25 August 1943; 15 May 1944 – 8 October 1945 * 619th Bombardment Squadron: 1 June–25 August 1943; 27 May 1944 – 22 June 1945


Stations

* MacDill Field, Florida, 1 Jun – 25 August 1943 * Selfridge Field, Michigan, 15 January 1944 * Godman Field, Kentucky, 6 May 1944 * Freeman Field, Indiana, 5 March 1945 * Godman Field, Kentucky, 26 April 1945 * Lockbourne Army Air Base, Ohio, 13 March 1946 – 1 July 1947 * Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, 1 October 2007 – present


See also

* Roger Terry


References

;Notes ;Bibliography * * *James C. Warren, ''The Freeman Field Mutiny'', San Rafael, CA:Donna Ewald, Publisher, 1995. ; republished in an expanded edition as ''The Tuskegee Airmen Mutiny at Freeman Field'', Vacaville, CA:Conyers Publishing Company, 1996.


External links

{{USAAF 3d Air Force World War II
477 __NOTOC__ Year 477 (Roman numerals, CDLXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year after the Consulship of Basiliscus and Armatus (or, less f ...
Military units and formations established in 1943 1943 establishments in Florida