475th Air Base Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 475th Air Base Wing


caption= Emblem of the 475th Air Base Wing
dates= 1943 - 1992
country= United States
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branch= United States Air Force
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* World War II: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (1943-1945)
* Army of Occupation (Japan) (1945 - 1949)
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=The 475th Air Base Wing (475th ABW) is a inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last duty station was at Yokota Air Base, Japan, where it was inactivated on 1 April 1992.

The 475th ABW's mission at Yokota was to perform host unit missions. The wing had no numbered flying squadrons, although it did operate a few T-39 Sabreliner aircraft and UH-1 Huey helicopters. It was absorbed by the 374th Airlift Wing under the "one base-one wing" organizational concept.

During World War II, the 475th Fighter Group was perhaps the best known of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning groups in the South West Pacific Theatre, since it contained among its personnel the top scoring Flying aces in the Pacific--Richard I. Bong (40 kills) and Thomas B. McGuire, Jr. (38 kills), both Congressional Medal Of Honor recipients.

By the war's end, no fewer than 38 other pilots from the 475th had achieved ace status while flying exclusively P-38s. The group's commander for 20 months, Colonel Charles H. MacDonald, scored 27 kills in his famous aircraft, the "Putt Putt Maru", the seventh-ranking American ace.

History

Lineage

* Activated as 475th Fighter Group on 14 May 1943
* Established as 475th Fighter Wing on 10 August 1948: Inactivated 1 April 1949
* Redesignated as 475th Figher Group (Air Defense) and activated 18 August 1955: Inactivated 30 June 1958
* Redesignated 475th Tactical Fighter Wing and activated on 21 December 1967: Inactivated 15 March 1971
* Redesignated 475th Air Base Wing on 20 October 1971: Activated 1 November 1971: Inactivated 1 April 1992

Bases Assigned

* Amberley Field, Australia, 14 May 1943
* Dobodura, New Guinea, 14 Aug 1943
* Nadzab, New Guinea, 24 Mar 1944
* Hollandia, New Guinea, 15 May 1944; Biak, c. 14 Jul 1944
* Dulag, Leyte, 28 Oct 1944
* San Jose, Mindoro, 5 Feb 1945
* Clark Field, Luzon, 28 Feb 1945
* Lingayen, Luzon, c. 20 Apr 1945
* Ie Shima, 8 Aug 1945
* Kimpo, Korea, c. 23 Sep 1945
* Itazuke, Japan, 28 Aug 1948
* Ashiya, Japan, 25 Mar-1 Apr 1949

* Minneapolis-St Paul Intl Aprt, Minn, 18 Aug 1955 - 30 Jun 1958

* Misawa AB, Japan 15 Jan 1968 - 15 Mar 1971
* Yokota AB, Japan, 1 Nov 1971 - 1 Apr 1992

Major Commands

* Fifth Air Force, 14 May 1943 - 23 Sep 1945
* Far East Air Forces, 23 Sep 1945 - 18 Aug 1948
* 315th Air Division, 18 Aug 1948 - 1 Apr 1949
* Air Defense Command, 18 Aug 1955 - 30 Jun 1960
* Pacific Air Forces, 15 Jan 1968 - 1 Apr 1992

Operational History

World War II

In 1943 Japanese air strength in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II was powerful, and they were capable of launching large scale attacks against our ground forces and installations at any time. On New Guinea, the Japanese had many bases from which to launch their air strikes.

The swiftest and most effective means of gaining control of the air was to bomb both of those Japanese strongholds and destroy as many aircraft on the ground as possible. Such bombing strikes could best be accomplished during daylight hours, when fighter escort was essential. The only fighter aircraft then in the Southwest Pacific with sufficient range to escort bombers to and from Rabaul and Wewak was the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. However, the limited P-38 strength in the Fifth Air Force in April 1943 consisted of only three squadrons (the 80th Fighter Squadron of the 8th Fighter Group; the 39th Fighter Squadron of the 35th Fighter Group; and the 9th Fighter Squadron of the 49th Fighter Group). The limited number of Lightnings available during late 1942 and early 1943 had to be used to make up attrition in these squadrons.

To augment the small force, the 475th Fighter Group was activated as a P-38 unit on 14 May, 1943 at Amberley airfield in Queensland, Australia. However, the continuing shortage of P-38s forced the 35th and 49th Fighter Groups to convert their single P-38 squadrons to P-47Ds, thus leaving the Fifth Air Force at the end of 1943 with only the 475th Fighter Group, and the 80 FS from the 8th Fighter Group.

Operational squadrons of the 475th were the 431st, 432d and 433d Fighter. The group was specifically trained to provide long-range escort for bombers during daylight raids on Japanese airfields and strongholds in the Netherlands Indies and the Bismarck Archipelago. On 14 August 1943, the 475th Fighter Group and its 431st, 432d and 433d Fighter Squadrons transferred from Amberley airfield to Dobodura, in New Guinea. The 431st and 432d operated from Port Moresby. The 431st operated until October 1943 and the 432d until September 1943. The 433d squadron flew its first mission on 15 August 1943.

The 475 FG received a Distinguished Unit Citation for missions in August 1943 when the group not only protected B-25 Mitchells that were engaged in strafing attacks on airdromes at Wewak but also destroyed a number of the enemy fighter planes that attacked the formation.

The group received a second DUC for intercepting and destroying many of the planes the Japanese sent against American shipping in Oro Bay on 15 and 17 October 1943. Covered landings in New Guinea, New Britain, and the Schouten Islands. After moving to Biak in July 1944, the group flew escort missions and fighter sweeps to the southern Philippines, Celebes, Halmahera, and Borneo.

For a while, the 475th included among its personnel the famous pilot Charles Lindbergh. He was serving with the Group as a technical representative from the United Aircraft Corporation. Lindbergh flew a number of combat missions with the Group in June/August 1944 as a civilian to instruct pilots on how to use their cruise control to get maximum range and endurance from their P-38Js. On July 28, Lindbergh was credited with shooting down a Japanese Mitsubishi Ki-51 over Elpaputih Bay in the Dutch East Indies in a 433d Fighter Squadron P-38 42-104995.

The group moved to the Philippines in Oct 1944 and received another DUC for bombing and strafing enemy airfields and installations, escorting bombers, and engaging in aerial combat during the first stages of the Allied campaign to recover the Philippines, October-December 1944.

Major Thomas B. McGuire, Jr. was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor while voluntarily leading flights of P-38’s escorting bombers that struck Mabalacat Airdrome on 25 December 1944 and Clark Field. On the following day, he shot down seven Japanese fighters. On 7 January 1944, while attempting to save a fellow flyer from attack during a fighter sweep over Los Negroes Island, Maj McGuire risked a hazardous maneuver at low altitude, crashed, and was killed.

The group flew many missions to support ground forces on Luzon during the first part of 1945. Also flew escort missions to China and attacked railways on Formosa. Began moving to Ie Shima near Okinawa in August but the war ended before the movement was completed.

During World War II, the 475th Fighter Group was engaged in combat for approximately two years. The group completed 3042 missions, (21,701 Sorties) and shot down 551 Japanese aircraft. On the other hand, the Group lost only 56 Planes to the Japanese. During the war, the Group took part in seven campaigns, and was awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations for outstanding performance of duty in action. In addition to Majors Bong and McGuire, the unit boasted such "Aces" of the Pacific War as Col. Charles MacDonald (27), Capt. Daniel T. Roberts (14), Lt. Francis J. Lent (11), Lt. Col. John S. Loisel (11), Capt. Elliot Summer (10), plus many more

Occupation Duty

After active combat ended in September 1945, the 475th FG moved to Kimpo Airfield, Korea for occupation duty as part of the 315th Air Division of Far East Air Forces. The group converted to the long-range P-51H Mustang in 1946. Moved to Itazuke Airfield, Japan in August 1948. The 475th Fighter Wing was inactivated on 1 April 1949 at Ashiya Airfield, Japan

Cold War

Air Defense Command

On 18 August 1955, the 475th Fighter Group (Air Defense) was reactivated as part of Air Defense Command. The group and its operational squadron, the 432d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was assigned to Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport and equipped with F-86D Sabres, then F-89H Scorpions. The group performed Air Defense missions over the north central United States until its inactivation in June 1958.

Misawa Air Base

In June 1968, the 475th Tactical Fighter Wing was activated at Misawa AB, Japan, replacing the 39th Air Division. At Misawa, the wing trained for offensive and reconnaissance operations. Assigned flying squadrons of the wing were:

* 45th Tactical Reconnaissance (15 Jan 1968 - 15 Mar 1971) (RF-101C) *
* 356th Tactical Fighter (15 Jan 1968 - 15 Mar 1971) (F-4C) (Tail Code: UK)
* 612th Tactical Fighter (15 Jan 1968 - 15 Mar 1971) (F-100D) *
* 391st Tactical Fighter (22 Jul 1968 - 28 Feb 1971) (F-4C) (Tail Code: UD)
* 16th Tactical Reconnaissance (16 Mar 1970 - 22 Feb 1971) (RF-4C) (Tail Code: UE)

: * Two assigned squadrons were unmanned during their entire assignment, since each unit had all of its resources deployed to South Vietnam (45th TRS at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, 612th TFS at Phu Cat Air Base).

From Misawa, aircraft and personnel of the 475th rotated six aircraft every ten days to Kusan and Taegu Air Bases in South Korea performing Nuclear alert duty.

A massive earthquake on 16 May 1968 caused over $1 million worth of damage to Misawa AB. Air Force fighteroperations ceased at Misawa in early 1971, and the wing phased down operations. All flying resources were reassigned to Kusan AB South Korea for the 3d Tactical Fighter Wing, and the wing was inactivated on 15 March.

Yokota Air Base

After a brief period of inactivation, the 475th Air Base Wing was reactivated on 1 November 1971 at Yokota Air Base, Japan, replacing the 6100th Air Base Wing. At Yokota, the wing inherited a huge support comples, with some 47 sub-locations in all parts of Japan, including operation of Yokota and Tachikawa Air Bases, Fuchu and Chitose Air Stations, and numerous housing complexes within the Tokyo area.

At Yokota, the wing controlled the 556th Reconnaissance Squadron, until 1972. The 556th RS was a highly specialized unit, employing modified C-130 (GC-130As, MC-130AS, DC-130A and DC-130E) control aircraft which took part in some of the famous projects, like "Igloo White“, "Combat Dawn“, "Senior Dawn“ and "Compass Bright" during the Vietnam War. The C-130s were equipped to carry and deploy the pilotless AQM-34 Recconnaissance UAV, to photograph sensitive areas.

In addition, the wing also supported a Royal Thai Air Force C-123 Provider detachment which provided airlift support to the United Nations Command (Rear) of Fifth Air Force, which relocated its headquarters to Yokota in November 1974.

The 475th ABW also gradually closed down many of its widely dispersed installations, sites and facilities consolodating them, as well as assisting in the closing of Tachikawa Air Base in September 1977.

On 1 October 1978, Military Airlift Command (MAC) established the 316th Tactical Airlift Group at Yokota, being supported by the 475th ABW. This was MAC's operational support airlift group in the Far East, with the 1403d Military Airlift Squadron flying a combination of CT-39As, C-12Fs, and C-21As which it obtained from various bases in PACAF, consolodating them at Yokota. On 1 October 1989, this unit was upgraded to a wing level and renamed the 374th Airlift Wing.

The 475th ABW was inactivated on 1 April 1992 as part of a consolidation effort, being replaced as host unit at Yokota by the 374th AW.

See also

* 315th Air Division

References

* Fletcher, Harry R. (1989) Air Force Bases Volume II, Active Air Force Bases outside the United States of America on 17 September 1982. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799536
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
* Martin, Patrick (1994). Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings. Schiffer Military Aviation History. ISBN 0887405134.
* USAF Aerospace Defense Command publication, The Interceptor, January 1979 (Volume 21, Number 1).
* Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.
* Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
* [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to present]
* [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/p38_18.html P-38 Lightning in Pacific Theatre]
* [http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_344.shtml Headless Fighters: USAF Recconnaissance-UAVs over Vietnam]

External links

* [http://www.475thfghf.org 475th Fighter Group Historical Foundation]