23d Fighter Group - Moody Air Force Base

The 23d Fighter Group directs the flying and maintenance operations for the USAF's largest A-10C fighter group, consisting of two combat-ready A-10C ... Skiptomaincontent(PressEnter). 23dFighterGroup   The23dFighterGroupdirectstheflyingandmaintenanceoperationsfortheUSAF'slargestA-10Cfightergroup,consistingoftwocombat-readyA-10Csquadronsandanoperationssupportsquadron.TheGroupensuresoverallcombattrainingandreadinessforover90pilotsand180supportpersonnel.  The23dFGhasarichandillustrioushistory.TheGrouptracesitsrootsbacktothe23rdPursuitGroup(Interceptor),constitutedatLangleyField,Va,17December1941,just10daysaftertheJapaneseattackonPearlHarbor.  ClaireL.ChennaulthadbeenrecalledtoactivedutywiththerankofbrigadiergeneralandplacedattheheadoftheChinaAirTaskForce(latertobecome14thAirForce).The23rdFG,acomponentoftheCATF,wasassignedthreesquadrons--the74th,75th,and76th.  ThegroupinheritedthemissionofthedisbandedAmericanVolunteerGroup"FlyingTigers."FiveofChennault'sstaffofficers,fivepilots,and19groundcrewmenbecamemembersofthenew23rdFG.Alargernumber,stillincivilianstatus,volunteeredtoflywiththegroupfortwoweeksfollowingthedisbandingoftheirunit. OthersfromtheranksoftheoldFlyingTigersleftChinatemporarily,butmanyreturnedtodutylaterwiththeArmyAirCorpsintheChina-Burma-IndiaTheater.InadditiontoinheritingoperationalresponsibilitiesfromtheAVG,the23dFGalsobenefitedfromtheknowledgeandexperienceoftheAVGpilots,andtookonthenicknameofthedisbandedunit.  TheFlyingTigerswereinactivatedafterWWII,thenreactivatedandinactivatedseveraltimes,flyingseveraldifferentfighteraircrafttypesatdifferentlocationsbeforebeingreactivatedasthe23rdWing,partofacompositewingatPopeAirForceBase,N.C.,on1June1992.Thewing'sactivationcoincidedwiththeactivationofAirCombatCommand,headquarteredatLangleyAFB,Va.InApril1997,thewingbecameafightergroupflyingonlyA-10s,andcontinuedtoprosecutethemissionsofSouthernWatchinSouthwestAsiaonaregularrotation. Inresponsetotheattacksof11September2001,the23dFGlandedthefirstfighteraircraftinsideofAfghanistaninMarch2002.TheydeployedfromAlJaberAirBase,Kuwait,firsttoaclassifiedlocationandthentoBagramAirfield,Afghanistan.23dFighterGrouppersonneloperatedsimultaneouslyinsupportofOperationsENDURINGFREEDOMandSOUTHERNWATCHfornearly7months.TheFlyingTigershavebeenheavilyengagedinOperationsENDURINGFREEDOMandIRAQIFREEDOMeversince.  In2007,the23dFGmovedfromPopetoMoodyAFB,Ga.Simultaneouswiththegroup'smove,all23rdFGA-10swereupgradedtotheprecisionengagementA-10C.In2008and2009,respectively,the75thand74thFighterSquadronsdeployedtoAfghanistaninsupportofOperationENDURINGFREEDOM,flyingtheirnewlyupgradedA-10Caircraft.WhileprovidingcloseairsupporttogroundforcesandengagingTalibanandinsurgents,thesquadronsloggedmorethan 23,000combinedcombathours.  The23dFGwillcontinuetocarryonthetraditionofthefirstandforemostFlyingTiger,Lt.Gen.ClaireLeeChennault.TheFlyingTigerlegendlivesonasabeaconofpridetothosecommittedtopeaceandasathreattothosewhowouldunsheathetheterribleswordofaggression.  Therearethreesquadronsalignedunderthe23dFGtosupportthegroupsmission.   74thFighterSquadron The74thFighterSquadronisoneofMoody'stwocombat-readyA-10CThunderboltIIsquadrons.Thesquadron's35pilotsarededicatedtocarryingoutthecloseairsupportmissionthroughtheA-10,whichisspecificallydesignedforlongloitertime,accurateweaponsdelivery,austerefieldcapabilityandsurvivability.   75thFighterSquadron The75thFighterSquadronisoneofMoody'stwocombat-readyA-10CThunderboltIIsquadrons.Thesquadron'snearly35pilotsarededicatedtocarryingoutthecloseairsupportmissionthroughtheA-10, whichisspecificallydesignedforlongloitertime,accurateweaponsdelivery,austerefieldcapabilityandsurvivability.   23dOperationsSupportSquadron The23dOperationsSupportSquadronhasnearly170personnelwhodirectlysupportthe23rdFighterGroup'sstaffthroughsupportfunctions.Theseincludeintelligence,training,weaponsandtactics,aircrewflightequipment,simulation,medical,mobility,flyinghourprogrammanagementandHostAviationResourceManagement.