33d Fighter Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=33d Fighter Wing


caption=
dates= 20 November 1940 — present
country=United States
allegiance=
branch=Air Force
type=
role=
size=
command_structure=Air Combat Command
current_commander=Colonel Todd P. Harmer [http://www.33fw.acc.af.mil/library/biographies/bio.asp?id=10684]
garrison=Eglin Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=Fire From the Clouds
colors=
identification_symbol=
march=
mascot=
battles=


* World War II: European Campaign (1942-1944): Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (1944-1945)
* Vietnam Service (1972-1973)
* Southwest Asia (1990-1991)
* Expeditionary Service: Operation Urgent Fury: Operation Just Cause: Operation Southern Watch: Operation Coronet Macaw: Operation Restore Hope: Operation Support Justice: Operation Uphold Democracy
notable_commanders= Carrol Chandler
John P. Jumper
William R. Looney III
Gregory S. Martin
William W. Momyer
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=

The 33d Fighter Wing (33 FW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

Overview

The 33rd Fighter Wing is a combat-flying unit assigned under the Air Combat Command's 9th Air Force and is a major tenant unit on Eglin Air Force Base.

The wing operates two flying squadrons, the 58th and 60th, along with the 33rd Operations Support Squadron, the 33rd Maintenance Operations Squadron, the 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, the 33rd Maintenance Squadron and the 728th Air Control Squadron.

The wing's mission is to "Maintain the world's best rapidly deployable air control and air superiority forces for theater Commander-in-Chiefs."

ubordinate organizations

33d Operations Group (33 OG)
*58th Fighter Squadron (58 FS)
*60th Fighter Squadron (60 FS)
*728th Air Control Squadron (728 ACS)
*33d Operations Support Squadron (33 OSS)

33d Maintenance Group (33 MXG)
*33d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (33 AMXS)
*33d Maintenance Operations Squadron (33 MOS)
*33d Maintenance Squadron (33 MS)

History

Lineage

* Established as 33d Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940: Activated on 15 Jan 1941: Redesignated 33d Fighter Group on 15 May 1942: Inactivated on 8 Dec 1945.
* Activated on 20 Aug 1946. : Established as 33d Fighter Wing on 15 Oct 1947: Organized on 5 Nov 1947.: Redesignated 33d Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 20 Jan 1950: Inactivated on 6 Feb 1952.
* Redesignated 33d Fighter Wing (Air Defense) on 14 Sep 1956: Activated on 18 Oct 1956: Inactivated on 18 Aug 1957
* Redesignated 33d Tactical Fighter Wing, and activated, on 9 Feb 1965: Organized on 1 Apr 1965: Redesignated 33d Fighter Wing on 1 Oct 1991.

Assignments

* First Air Force: 7 Pursuit Wing, 16 Jan -3 1 Aug 1941: 1 Interceptor (later, I Interceptor, I Fighter) Command, 2 Oct 1941: Philadelphia Air Defense Wing, 11 Aug 1942
* Twelfth Air Force: XII Air Support Command, Nov 1942:: 7 Fighter Wing, 27 Sep - 6 Dec 1942: XII Fighter Command, 6 Dec 1942: XII Air Support Command, 13 Jan 1943: XII Air Force Service Command, 18 Feb 1943: XII Bomber Command, 1 Mar 1943:: 47th Fighter Wing, 27 Sep - 6 Dec 1942: XII Air Support Command, 14 Mar 1943:: 3 Air Defense (later, 64 Fighter) Wing, 24 Jul 1943: XII Air Support Command, 21 Dec 1943 :: (under operational control of 64 Fighter Wing, 21 Dec 1943-Feb 1944)
* AAF India-Burma Sector, c. 20 Feb 1944: Attached to CBI Air Forces Training Command, 5 Mar-14 Apr 1944
* Fourteenth Air Force, 15 Apr 1944: 312 Fighter Wing, 11 May - 24 Aug 1944
* Tenth Air Force, 24 Aug 1944-Nov 1945: 70 Fighter Wing, 20 Aug 1946
* Strategic Air Command, 25 Aug 1947: Eighth Air Force, 16 Sep 1947:: Attached to 509th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy, 17 Nov 1947-15 Nov 1948
* Air Defense Command: First Air Force, 1 Dec 1948 :: Attached to Eastern Air Defense Force, 10 Nov 1949-31 Aug 1950:: Attached to 32d Air Division [Defense] , 20 Feb 1950:: Eastern Air Defense Force, 1 Sep 1950-6 Feb 1952::: (remained attached to 32d Air Division [Defense] to 1 Feb 1952:: 26 Air Division (Defense), 18 Oct 1956::: (attached to 4622d Air Defense Wing [SAGE] , 18 Oct 1956-7 Jan 1957):: Boston Air Defense Sector, 8 Jan-18 Aug 1957
* Tactical Air Command, 9 Feb 1965: Ninth Air Force:: 836th Air Division, 1 Apr 1965: Ninth Air Force, 30 Jun 1971-

tations

*Mitchell Field, New York (1941)
*Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1941 – 1942)
*Casablanca, Morocco (1942)
*Algeria and Tunisia (1942 – 1943)
*Pantelleria (1943)
*Sicily (1943)
*Italy (1943 – 1944)
*Karachi, India (1944)
*China (1943)
*Burma (1944)
*Camp Shanks, New York (1945)
*Germany (1946 – 1947)
*Andrews Field, Maryland (1947)
*Walker Air Force Base, New Mexico (1947)
*Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts (1948 – 1957)
*Eglin Air Force Base, Florida (1965 – Present)

Components

Wings
* 50 Fighter (later, 50 Fighter-Interceptor): attached 1 Jun 1949- 2 Jun 1951.

Groups
* 33 Fighter (later, 33 Fighter-Interceptor; 33 Fighter; 33 Operations): 5 Nov 1947-6 Feb 1952 (detached 5 Nov 1947-15 Nov 1948): 18 Oct 1956-18 Aug 1957 (detached 1 Jul-18 Aug 1957): 1 Dec 1991-.

Squadrons
* 4 Tactical Fighter: 20 Jun 1965-12 Apr 1969
* 16 Tactical Fighter: 20 Jun 1965-1 Nov 1970 : Detached 27 Aug-13 Sep 1966, 13-31 Oct 1967, 26 May-9 Sep 1970
* 25 Tactical Fighter: 20 Jun 1965-28 May 1968
* 40 Tactical Fighter: 20 Jun 1965-15 Oct 1970
* 58 Pursuit (later, 58 Fighter): 15 Jan 1941-8 Dec 1945: 20 Aug 1946-6 Feb 1952: 18 Aug 1955-18 Aug 1957: 1 Sep 1970-
* 59 Pursuit (later, 59 Fighter): 15 Jan 1941-8 Dec 1945: 20 Aug 1946-6 Feb 1952: 1 Sep 1970-15 Apr 1999
* 60 Pursuit (later, 60 Fighter): 15 Jan 1941-8 Dec 1945: 20 Aug 1946-6 Feb 1952: 18 Aug 1955-18 Aug 1957: 1 Sep 1971-.
* 133 Fighter: attached 21 Jul 1951-6 Feb 1952
* 786 Tactical Fighter: 1 Apr-20 Jun 1965
* 787 Tactical Fighter: 1 Apr-20 Jun 1965
* 788 Tactical Fighter: 1 Apr-20 Jun 1965
* 789 Tactical Fighter: 1 Apr-20 Jun 1965
* 4533 Tactical Training Squadron (Test): 7 Dec 1967-12 Apr 1971.

Aircraft operated

*P-39 Airacobra (1941)
*P-40 Warhawk (1941 - 1944)
*P-38 Lightning (1944 - 1945)
*P-47 Thunderbolt (1944 - 1948)
*P-51 Mustang (1948-1950)
*F-84 Thunderjet (1948 – 1950)
*F-86 Sabre (1950 – 1952)
*F-94 Starfire (1951 – 1952, 1956 – 1957)
*F-89 Scorpion (1956 – 1957)
*F-4 Phantom II (1965 – 1979)
*F-15 Eagle (1978 – Present)

Operational History

World War II

The 33d Fighter Group trained with P-39s in 1941, but soon changed to P-40s and served as part of the United States defense force for the east coast after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The group moved to North Africa as part of the invasion force on 8 November 1942 and operated with Twelfth Air Force in the Mediterranean theater until February 1944, providing close air support for ground forces, and bombing and strafing personnel concentrations, port installations, fuel dumps, bridges, highways, and rail lines. The 33d received a Distinguished Unit Citation for action on 15 January 1943 when German aircraft attempted to knock out the group's base in Tunisia. The group drove off the enemy's escort and destroyed most of its bombers. It took part in the reduction of Pantelleria and flew patrol missions while Allied troops landed after surrender of the enemy's garrison. It also participated in the invasion and conquest of Sicily by supporting landings at Salerno, southern Italy, and the beachhead at Anzio. After moving to India in February 1944, the group trained with P-38s and P-47s. It then moved to China where it continued training and flew patrol and intercept missions. Upon returning to India in September 1944, it flew dive bombing and strafing missions in Burma until the Allied campaigns in that area had been completed.

Cold War

From August 1946, the 33d served as part of the US occupation force in Germany until transferred back to the US, less personnel and equipment in August 1947. Moving to New Mexico, it was remanned and equipped with P-51s in September 1947, transitioned to F-84s in June 1948.

The headquarters of the 33d Fighter Wing became operational upon movement to Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts, in mid-November 1948. The wing trained to maintain tactical proficiency and participated in exercises and aerial demonstrations November 1948 - November 1949. It assumed an air defense mission in December 1949 and provided air defense in the northeastern United States until inactivated in February 1952. Once again it provided air defense in the northeastern United States, October 1956 - June 1957, but was non-operational from 1 July 1957 – 18 August 1957.

In April 1965 the wing activated at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida and embarked on a program of tactical training operations to maintain proficiency. It operated a test support division, July 1965 - December 1967, and a special test squadron, December 1967 - April 1971, in support of tests for weapon systems, aircraft armament and munitions, and tactical procedures of the Tactical Air Warfare Center. The wing also provided F-4 replacement training from 15 December 1966 – 28 February 1967. Through deployment of combat-ready tactical components, with personnel and equipment transferred to Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) units upon arrival, the wing provided fresh aircraft and aircrews for the forces in Southeast Asia and in Korea. The wing also transferred two of its combat-ready squadrons to PACAF, the 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron in May 1968 and the 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron in April 1969. The wing's last combat-ready squadron, the 58th Tactical Fighter Squadron, deployed to Southeast Asia for combat operations from April - October 1972 and again from June - September 1973.

The wing supported the 4485th Test Squadron of the Tactical Air Warfare Center in weapon systems evaluation program tests from January - December 1973, and periodically thereafter until July 1978. Aircrews ferried F-4Es to Israel in October 1973. The Wing augmented intercept defense forces of the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) beginning 1 January 1976 – 15 January 1979 and 4 January 1982 – 5 April 1982. While awaiting delivery of F-15s, the 60 Fighter Squadron conducted F-15 mission qualifications training for the 18th Wing from 15 July 1979 – 30 April 1980. The wing provided personnel and equipment to fly combat air patrols and air intercept missions for contingency operations in Grenada from October - November 1983, and Panama December 1989 - January 1990.

Post Cold War

During combat operations while deployed in Southwest Asia from 26 August 1990 – 12 April 1991, wing personnel were credited with sixteen air-to-air victories. Wing personnel and aircraft continued rotations to Saudi Arabia to protect coalition assets and to ensure that Iraq complied with treaty terms. From 1992 – 2002 the wing continued to deploy aircraft and personnel to Saudi Arabia, Canada, the Caribbean, South America, Jamaica, Iceland, Italy, and Puerto Rico and participated in various operations. The 33 FW lost 13 members in the bombing of Khobar Towers, Saudi Arabia on 25 June 1996.

Unit shields

References

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

External links

* [http://www.33fw.acc.af.mil/ 33d Fighter Wing Home Page]