46th Fighter Wing (World War II)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 40th Fighter Wing


caption=
dates= 1942 - 1948
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Army Air Force
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role= Command and Control
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current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
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* World War II: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (1944-1945)
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=The 46th Figher Wing (46th FW) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It's last assignment was with Pacific Air Forces, based on Guam. It was inactivated on 24 August 1948.

History

During most of its existance, the organization was known as the VII FIghter Command, which served in the Pacific War between 1941 and 1945. It was a part of the United States Army Air Forces Seventh Air Force, and later Twentieth Air Force where its units engaged in fighter and bomber escort operations against the armed forces of the Empire of Japan.

Lineage

* Constituted as VII Interceptor Command on 23 Jan 1942: Activated on 2 Feb 1942. : Redesignated VII Fighter Command in May 1942: Redesignated 20th Fighter Wing in May 1946: Redesignated 46th Fighter Wing in Dec 1947: Inactivated on 24 Aug 1948.

Assignments

* Seventh Air Force, 2 Feb 1942 - 1 Mar 1945
* Twentieth Air Force, 1 Mar 1945 - 15 Apr 1946
* Far East Air Forces, 15 Apr 1946 - 24 Aug 1948

Bases Assigned

* Fort Shafter, Territory of Hawaii: 2 Feb 1942 - 20 Oct 1944
* Hickam Field, Territory of Hawaii: 20 Oct 1944 - 18 Jan 1945
* Ft Kamehameha, Territory of Hawaii: 18 Jan - 1 Mar 1945
* Iwo Jima, 1 Mar - 1 Dec 1945
* Saipan, 1 Dec 1945 - 15 Apr 1946
* Guam, 15 Apr 1946 - 24 Aug 1948

Units Assigned

* 15th Fighter Group: 1942 - 1945
* 18th Fighter Group: 1942 - 1943
* 21st Fighter Group: 1944 - 1946
* 23d Fighter Group: 1946 - 1948
* 318th Fighter Group: 1942 - 1945

Operational History

The VII Fighter Command was established in Hawaii in February 1942. Its units engaged in patrol activity from Hawaii. Later, served in combat in the Western Pacific.

The command remained in the western Pacific theater as part of Far East Air Forces after the war. Redesignated 20th Fighter Wing in May 1946, and 46th Fighter Wing in Dec 1947.

The organization was inactivated on Guam on 24 August 1948.

References

* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.

External Links