306th Fighter Wing (World War II)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 306th Fighter Wing


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dates= 1943-1945
country= United States
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branch= United States Army Air Forces
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role= Fighter
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command_structure= Fifteenth Air Force
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* World War II: European Campaign (1943-1945)
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battle_honours=The 306th Fighter Wing (306th FW) was a World War II United States Army Air Force organization assigned to Fifteenth Air Force as a intermediate-level command and control organization. It was last stationed at Drew Field, Florida and was inactivated on 7 November 1945.

History

Lineage

* Constituted as 306th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 7 Dec 1943. : Activated on 15 Jan 1944. : Redesignated 306th Fighter Wing in May 1944: Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945.

Assignments

* Fifteenth Air Force, 15 Jan 1944 - 15 Jul 1945
* Continental Air Command
* Third Air Force, Aug -7 Nov 1945

Stations

* Bari, Italy, 15 Jan 1944
* Foggia, Italy, 27 Jan 1944
* Lucera, Italy, 23 Feb 1944
* Torremaggiore, Italy, 8 Mar 1944
* Lesina, Italy, 3 Sep 1944
* Fano, Italy, 5 Mar-15 Jul 1945
* Drew Field, Florida, Aug -7 Nov 1945

Components

* Transferred from 5th Bombardment Wing:: 1st Fighter Group 27 Mar - Nov 1944: 82d Fighter Group 27 Mar 1944 - 13 Jun 1945: 325th Fighter Group May 1944 - 13 Jun 1945

* Transferred from Twelfth Air Force: 14th Fighter Group 1 Nov 1943 - 27 Mar 1944: 31st Fighter Group 2 Apr 1944 - 13 Jun 1945: 52d Fighter Group 14 May 1944 - 13 Jun 1945 : 332d Fighter Group 28 May 1944 - 13 Jun 1945

All units were transferred to 305th Fighter Wing

Aircraft

* P-38 Lightning (1st, 14th 82d FG 1 Nov 1943 - Summer 1944)
* P-51 Mustang (All)
* P-47 Thunderbolt, B-26 Marauder (325th FG, also P-51 Mustang)

Operational History

Constituted originally as the 306th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 7 Dec 1943. Activated in Italy on 15 Jan 1944. Assigned to Fifteenth Air Force.

Entered combat in Mar as a fighter organization. Redesignated 306th Fighter Wing in May 1944. Operatedin the Mediterranean and European theaters until the end of the war.

Moved to the US, Jul-Aug 1945. Znactivated on 7 Nov 1945.

References

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

External links