23d Fighter Group | Military Wiki

The 23d Fighter Group (23 FG) is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 23d Wing and stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. MilitaryWiki Explore MainPage Discuss AllPages Community InteractiveMaps Popularpages Mostvisitedarticles ComparisonoftheT-90AandM1A2Abrams ListofactivedutyUnitedStatesfour-starofficers ListofmilitaryaircraftoftheUnitedStates DenverRandleman EugeneRoe JoeToye BattleofMogadishu(1993) Projectmaintenance Doubleredirects Brokenredirects Wantedcategories Wantedpages Wantedtemplates UncategorizedCategories Shortpages Unusedcategories FANDOM Games Anime Movies TV Video Wikis ExploreWikis CommunityCentral StartaWiki Register Don'thaveanaccount? SignIn Advertisement in: Pageswithbrokenfilelinks,Referencesneeded,ArticlesincorporatingtextfromtheAirForceHistoricalResearchAgency, and 8more ArticlesincorporatingtextfromWikipedia Militaryunitsandformationsestablishedin1941 FightergroupsoftheUnitedStatesAirForce MilitaryunitsandformationsoftheUnitedStatesinWorldWarII FightergroupsoftheUnitedStatesArmyAirForces AerospaceDefenseCommandunits MilitaryunitsandformationsinGeorgia(U.S.state) PagesusingISBNmagiclinks 23dFighterGroup Viewsource History Talk(0) 23dFighterGroup 23dWingemblemActive 1942–1946,1946-1949,1951-1952,1955-1959,1991-1997.2006-presentCountry  UnitedStatesBranch  UnitedStatesAirForceType FighterRole CloseAirSupportSize 900personnel48A-10CaircraftGarrison/HQ MoodyAirForceBase,GeorgiaNickname(s) FlyingTigersEngagements ChinaOffensiveWesternPacificChinaDefensiveIndia-BurmaDecorations DistinguishedUnitCitationCommandersCurrentcommander ColonelElwoodP."Buster"HinmanIVNotablecommanders Col.RobertL.ScottGeneralBruceK.HollowayBrig,Gen.DavidLee"Tex"Hill GroundcrewsservicingaP-40ofthe23dFGin1942. The23dFighterGroup(23FG)isaUnitedStatesAirForceunit.Itisassignedtothe23dWingandstationedatMoodyAirForceBase,Georgia.Forthe23dFighterGroupthatexistedfrom1997to2006,seetheArticleonthe23dWing. The23dFighterGroupwasestablishedinWorldWarIIasthe23dPursuitGroupoftheUnitedStatesArmyAirForces(AAF).[1]Redesignatedthe23dFighterGroupbeforeitsactivation,thegroupwasformedinChinaon4July1942,[1]asacomponentoftheChinaAirTaskForceandreceivedasmallcadreofvolunteerpersonnelfromthesimultaneouslydisbanded1stAmericanVolunteerGroup(AVG)–the"FlyingTigers"[1]oftheChineseAirForce. TocarryonthetraditionsandcommemoratethehistoryoftheAVG,aircraftoftheUSAF23dFighterGroupcarrythesame"SharkTeeth"noseartoftheAVG'sCurtissP-40Warhawks,alongwiththe"FT"(FlyingTiger)tailcode.The23dFighterGroup'saircraftaretheonlyUnitedStatesAirForceaircraftcurrentlyauthorizedtocarrythisdistinctiveandhistoricalaircraftmarking. Contents 1Overview 2History 2.1WorldWarII 2.2PostwarEra 2.3AirDefenseCommand 2.4Modernera 2.4.123dOperationsGroup 2.4.223dFighterGroup 2.4.3MoodyAirForceBase 3Lineage 3.1Assignments 3.2Components 3.3Stations 3.4Awards 4Notes 5References&Bibliography 6Externallinks Overview CurrentlybasedatMoodyAirForceBase,Georgia,thegroupisassignedasoneoftwooperationsgroupsofthe23dWingatMoody.BothorganizationsserveaspartoftheNinthAirForceandAirCombatCommand.The23dFighterGroup'sprimarymissionsareforwardaircontrol,closeairsupport,airinterdictionandcombatsearchandrescueoperations. Thegrouphastwooperationalsquadronassigned:the74thandthe75thFighterSquadronsbothflyingA-10ThunderboltIIlightattackaircraft. History WorldWarII By15June1942,underordersfromTenthAirForce,anadvancecadreofpilotsandaircrafthadproceededoverthe"Hump"routetoKunming,China,forcombatfamiliarization.Withoutceremony,the23dFighterGroupwasactivated4July1942,markingthefirstsuchactivationofafightergrouponafieldofbattle.[2] ClaireL.Chennault,meanwhile,hadbeenrecalledtoactivedutywiththerankofBrigadierGeneralandplacedattheheadoftheChinaAirTaskForce(latertobecomeFourteenthAirForce).The23dFighterGroup,acomponentoftheCATF,wasassignedthreesquadrons–the74th,75th,and76thFighterSquadrons. Thegroupinheritedthemissionofthe1stAmericanVolunteerGroup"FlyingTigers".FiveofChennault’sstaffofficers,fivepilots[2]and19groundcrewmenenteredtheAAFandbecamemembersofthe23dFighterGroup.Approximately25AVGpilots,stillincivilianstatus,volunteeredtoextendtheircontractsfortwoweekstotrainthenewgroupfollowingthedisbandingoftheirorganization.TheoriginalaircraftofthegroupwereamixtureofP-40sfromabatchof50senttoChinafortheAVGbetweenJanuaryandJune1942,andafollow-upshipmentof68P-40EssenttoIndiaandthenflownovertheHumpbythesquadronstobeassignedtothe23d. OthersfromtheranksoftheoriginalFlyingTigersleftChinawhentheircontractsexpired,[2]althoughsomereturnedtodutylaterwiththeArmyAirForcesintheChina-Burma-IndiaTheater.InadditiontoinheritingoperationalresponsibilitiesfromtheAVG,the23dFighterGroupalsobenefitedfromtheknowledgeandexperienceoftheAVGpilots,andtookonthenicknameofthedisbandedunit. Col.RobertL.ScottJr.,alreadyinIndiaasacommanderoftheHumpoperation,becamethefirstcommanderofthe23dFighterGroup.[2]Hewouldlaterauthorthemilitaryclassic,"GodIsMyCo-Pilot."Ontheveryfirstdayofitsactivation,the23dFighterGroupengagedthreesuccessivewavesofenemyaircraftandpromptlyrecordedthedestructionoffiveenemyaircraftwithnolossestoitself. Thenextthreeyearssawthe23dFighterGroupinvolvedinmuchoftheactionoversoutheastandsouthwestAsia.ItprovidedairdefensefortheChineseterminusoftheHumproute,[1]butitsoperationsextendedbeyondChinatoBurma,FrenchIndochinaandasfarasTaiwan.[1]Theunithelpedpioneeranumberofinnovativefighterandfighter-bombertactics.TheGroupuseditsso-called"B-40"(P-40'scarrying1,000-poundbombs)todestroyJapanesebridgesandkillbridgerepaircrews,sometimesdemolishingtheirtargetwithasinglebomb.[3]TheunitgainedanotherincreaseincapabilitywithitsconversiontotheNorthAmericanP-51"Mustang"aircraftinNovember1943. File:Chennault.jpg GeneralClaireChennaultwithaP-51Mustangandpilotsofthe23dFG Representativeoftheencountersundertakenbythissmallandoftenill-equippedgroupwasthedefenseagainstamajorJapanesepushdowntheHsiangValleyinHunanProvince17–25June1944.[1]Ignoringinhibitingweatherconditionsandheavygroundfire,the23dFighterGroupprovidedairsupportforChineselandforcesandrepeatedlystruckatenemytroopsandtransportation.ItseffortsinthisinstanceearnedittheDistinguishedUnitCitation[1]for"outstandingperformanceofdutyinactionagainsttheenemy."In1945ithelpturntheJapanesespringoffensiveandharassedtheretreatingJapanesebystrafingandbombingtheircolumns.[1] Beforethe23dFighterGroupreturnedtotheUnitedStatesinDecember1945,itwascreditedwithdestroying621enemyplanesinaircombat,plus320moreontheground;withsinkingmorethan131,000tonsofenemyshippinganddamaginganother250,000tons;andwithcausinganestimatedenemytrooplossofmorethan20,000.[2]Thesestatisticswerecompiledthroughatotalofmorethan24,000combatsorties,requiringmorethan53,000flyinghours,andatacostof110aircraftlostinaerialcombat,90shotdownbysurfacedefenses,and28bombedwhileontheground.[2]Thirty-twopilotsofthegroupachievedacestatusbyshootingdownfiveormoreenemyaircraft.[2] The23dFighterGroupwasinactivated5January1946,atFortLewis,Washington. PostwarEra The23dFighterGroupwasreactivated10October1946,inGuamandassignedtotheTwentiethAirForce,equippedwiththelong-rangeRepublicP-47NThunderbolt,replacingthe21stFighterGroupandassumingitsequipment,personnel,andmission.[1][4]WhilestationedinGuam,the23FGbecameapartoftheUnitedStatesAirForce(USAF)whenitbecameaseparatemilitaryserviceon18September1947.In1948itwasassignedtothe23rdFighterWing[5]aspartoftheUSAFWing/BaseReorganization(HobsonPlan),[6][7]whichwasintendedtounifycommandandcontrolonairbasesbyassigningoperationalandsupportgroupstoasinglebase.[8]InApril1949,thegroupmovedwiththewingtoHowardAB[1]inthePanamaCanalZone,whereitassumedtheairdefensemissionofthePanamaCanal.[6]Itwasinactivatedalongwiththewingafewmonthslater.[1][6] AirDefenseCommand Thegroupwasredesignatedasthe23dFighter-InterceptorGroup(FIG)andactivatedonceagain[1]andassignedtothe23dFighter-InterceptorWing(FIW)atPresqueIsleAFB,MaineaspartoftheAirDefenseCommand(ADC),withthe74thand75thFighter-InterceptorSquadrons(FIS)assigned,flyingF-86ESabreaircraft.[9]Beforetheyearwasover,bothsquadronshadconvertedtoF-86As.[9]InFebruary1952,the23dFIWand23dFIGwereinactivated,[1]inamajorreorganizationofAirDefenseCommand(ADC)respondingtoADC'sdifficultyundertheexistingwingbaseorganizationalstructureindeployingfightersquadronstobestadvantage.[10] InAugust1955,ADCimplementedProjectArrow,whichwasdesignedtobringbackontheactivelistthefighterunitswhichhadcompiledmemorablerecordsinthetwoworldwars.[11]Asaresultofthisproject,thegroup,nowdesignatedthe23dFighterGroup(AirDefense),replacedthe528thAirDefenseGroupatPresqueIsleandonceagainassumedcommandofthe75thFISand76FIS,[1][12]whichalsoreturnedtoPresqueIsletoreplacethe82dFIS[13]and318thFighter-InterceptorSquadron,[14]becauseProjectArrowwasalsodesignedtoreunitewartimesquadronswiththeirtraditionalheadquarters.[11]However,thetwosquadronswerenowoperatingF-89Scorpions[9]Inaddition,thegroupassumedUSAFhostresponsibilityforPresqueIsleAFBandwasassignedthe23rdUSAFInfirmary[15](laterUSAFDispensary),23rdAirBaseSquadron,[16]23rdMaterielSquadron,[17]andin1957,the23rdConsolidatedAircraftMaintenanceSquadron[18]tocarryouttheseduties.In1957,thegroupconvertedfromtheF-89DtothenuclearcapableF-89H[9]armedwithAIR-2Genierockets.In1958,the76thFISmovedtoMcCoyAFB,Floridaandwasassignedawayfromthegroup.The75thFISwasintheprocessofconvertingtoF-101VooDoos,whenthegroupwasinactivatedin1959[19]asPresqueIslewasbeingtransferredtoStrategicAirCommandashostbasefortheSM-62SnarkMissileandthe702dStrategicMissileWing. Modernera 23dOperationsGroup Thisarticledoesnotcontainanycitationsorreferences.Pleaseimprovethisarticlebyaddingareference. Forinformationabouthowtoaddreferences,seeTemplate:Citation. 23dFighterGroupA-10ThunderboltIIsonalert AnA-10ThunderboltIIfromthe23dFighterGroupattachedtothe332ndAirExpeditionaryWingtakesoffforamissionintoIraq,29March2003,fromaforward-deployedlocationinsupportofOperationIraqiFreedom. On1June1992,the23dTacticalFighterGroupwasredesignatedthe23dOperationsGroupandactivatedatPopeAFB,NorthCarolinaundertheredesignated23dWing[7]undertheUSAFObjectiveWingplan.Itwasgiventhemissionofcontrollingtheflyingcomponentsoftheparent23dWing. InDecember1992,C-130sfromthegroup's2dAirliftSquadrondeployedtoMombasa,Kenya,toparticipateinOperationProvideRelief.TheaircraftandcrewsdeliveredtonsoffoodandotherreliefsuppliestosmallairstripsthroughoutSomalia.23dWingC-130swerealsotaskedtoassistinotherhumanitarianreliefefforts,toincludeHurricaneAndrewinFlorida.TheyalsoairdroppedreliefsuppliesintoBosniaandHerzegovinaandflewreliefmissionsintoSarajevoformorethan28months. InSeptember1994,itsC-130sparticipatedinwhatwastobethelargestcombatpersonneldropsinceWorldWarII,OperationUpholdDemocracy.Theyweretoassistindroppingmorethan3,000paratroopersfromthe82dAirborneDivisionontoPortauPrinceAirport,Haiti.TheinvasionforcewasrecalledatthelastminuteafterwordthattheHaitianpresidenthadresigneduponhearingthattheaircraftwereontheirway.The75thFighterSquadron'sA-10sweredeployedtheiraircrafttoShawAFB,SouthCarolina,wheretheywerescheduledtolaunchcloseairsupportoperationsfortheinvasionforcebeforerecoveringinPuertoRico. ThefirstoperationaldeploymentofacompositewinghappenedinOctober1994,whenIraqitroopsbeganmassingneartheKuwaitiBorder.Within72hours,56aircraftand1,500personneldeployedtothePersianGulfregionforOperationVigilantWarrior.Eventually,the75thFighterSquadronredeployedtoAlJaberAB,Kuwait,becomingthefirstU.S.fixed-wingaircrafttobestationedinthatcountrysincetheendoftheGulfWar. On1July1996,the74thFighterSquadron'sF-16C/DFightingFalconsweretransferredtothe27thFighterWing's524thFighterSquadronatCannonAFB,NewMexico,andthesquadrontransitionedtoA/OA-10ThunderboltIIsreceivedfromthe20thFighterWing's55thFighterSquadronatShawAFB,SouthCarolina.Thisgavethe23dGroupa2dA-10squadron. 23dFighterGroup On1April1997,the23dOperationsGroupwasinactivatedandreplacedbythedownsized23rdWing,whichwasredesignatedasthe23dFighterGroup.[7]The23dFighterGroupwasassignedtothe347thWingofAirCombatCommandatMoodyAFB,GeorgiabutphysicallyremainedatPopeasaGeographicallySeparatedUnit(GSU).ItsC-130sandPopeAirForceBasewererealignedtoAirMobilityCommandandassignedtothe43dAirliftWing. MoodyAirForceBase On1October2006,the347thRescueWingatMoodyAFBredesignatedasthe347thRescueGroup,whilethe23FGwasexpandedandredesignatedthe23dWing.Alongwiththe347thRescueGroup,theoriginal23dFighterGroupwasreactivated,thistimeatMoodyAirForceBase,[7]foronlythesecondtimeinoverfiftyyears.The23dFighterGroupwasthenassignedasoneofthe23dWing'soperationsgroups,althoughretainingthedesignationof"FighterGroup". Boththe23WGand23FGarechargedwithcarryingonthehistoricFlyingTiger'sheritage.[20] Lineage Constitutedas23dPursuitGroup(Interceptor)on17December1941 Redesignated23dFighterGroupon15May1942 Activatedon4July1942 Inactivatedon5January1946 Redesignated23dFighterGroup,SingleEnginein1946 Activatedon10October1946 Redesignated23dFighterGroup,Jeton3May1949 Inactivatedon24September1949 Redesignated23dFighter-InterceptorGroupon19December1950 Activatedon12January1951 Inactivatedon6February1952 Redesignated23dFighterGroup(AirDefense)on20June1955 Activatedon18August1955 Inactivatedon1July1959 Redesignated23dTacticalFighterGroupon31July1985(remainedinactive) Redesignated23dOperationsGroup,andactivated,on1June1992 Inactivatedon1April1997 Redesignated:23FighterGroupon26September2006 Activatedon1October2006[21] Assignments ChinaAirTaskForce(TenthAirForce),4July1942 FourteenthAirForce,10March1943–5January1946 20thFighterWing(later46thFighterWing),10October1946 23dFighterWing,16August1948–24September1949 23dFighter-InterceptorWing,12January1951–6February1952 4711thAirDefenseWing,18August1955 32dAirDivision(Defense),1March1956 BangorAirDefenseSector,1August1958–1July1959 23dWing,1June1992–1April1997 23dWing,1October2006–present[21] Components 2dAirliftSquadron:1June1992–1April1997 16thFighterSquadron:attached,4July1942–19October1943 41stAirliftSquadron:16July1993–1April1997 74thFighterSquadron:4July1942–5January1946;10October1946–24September1949;12January1951–6February1952;15June1993–1April1997;1October2006–present 75thFighterSquadron(later75thFighter-InterceptorSquadron,75thFighterSquadron):4July1942–5January1946;10October1946–24September1949;12January1951–6February1952;18August1955–1July1959;1June1992–1April1997;1October2006–present 76thFighterSquadron(later,76thFighter-InterceptorSquadron):4July1942–5January1946;10October1946–24September1949;18August1955–9November1957 118thTacticalReconnaissanceSquadron:attached,May1945–Aug1945 132dFighter-InterceptorSquadron:attached,21July1951–2August1951 134thFighterInterceptionSquadron:attached,Jan1951-2August1951 449thFighterSquadron:attached,Jul1943-19October1943[21] Stations KunmingAirport,China,4July1942 KweilinAirfield,China,c.Sept1943 LiuchowAirfield,China,8September1944 LuliangAirfield,China,14September1944 LiuchowAirfield,China,Aug1945 HanchowAirfield,China,c.10October–12December1945 FortLewis,Washington,3–5January1946 NorthwestField(later,NorthwestGuamAFB),Guam,10October1946–3April1949 HowardAFB,CanalZone,25April–24September1949 PresqueIsleAFB,Maine,12January1951–6February1952;18August1955–1July1959 PopeAFB,NorthCarolina,1June1992–30July2007 MoodyAFB,Georgia,30July2007–present[21] Awards PresidentialUnitCitation[1] HunanProvince,China,17June1944–25June1944 AirForceMeritoriousUnitAward 1June2008-31May2010[22] AirForceOutstandingUnitAward 31May1995-31March1997[7] [30July2007]-31May2008[22] ChinaBurmaIndiaTheater Campaigns:[1] India-Burma ChinaDefensive WesternPacific Chinaoffensive Notes ↑1.001.011.021.031.041.051.061.071.081.091.101.111.121.131.141.15Maurer,Maurer,ed(1983)[1961].AirForceCombatUnitsofWorldWarII(reprinted.).Washington,DC:OfficeofAirForceHistory.p. 72.ISBN 0-912799-02-1.http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/af_combat_units_wwii.pdf.  ↑2.02.12.22.32.42.52.6Molesworth,Carl(2009).23rdFighterGroup:Chenault'sSharks.Oxford,UK:OspreyPublishing.ISBN 978-0-78581-401-6. (ExtractsonlineatGoogleBooks.Retrieved2November2012 ↑CBIRoundup,Vol.II,No.32,20April1944 ↑MaurerCombatUnits,p.72 ↑AFHRAFactsheet,23dWing.Retrieved28July2012 ↑6.06.16.2Ravenstein,CharlesA.(1984).AirForceCombatWings,Lineage&HonorsHistories1947-1977.Washington,DC:OfficeofAirForceHistory.pp. 43–45.ISBN 0-912799-12-9.http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_wings.pdf.  ↑7.07.17.27.37.4AFHRAFactsheet,23dFighterGroup.Retrieved5April2012 ↑Goss,WilliamA(1955)."TheOrganizationanditsResponsibilities,Chapter2TheAAF".InCraven,WesleyF&Cate,JamesL.TheArmyAirForcesinWorldWarII.Vol.VI,Men&Planes.Chicago,IL:UniversityofChicagoPress.p. 59.LCCN 48-3657.  ↑9.09.19.29.3Cornett,LloydH;Johnson,MildredW(1980).AHandbookofAerospaceDefenseOrganization,1946–1980.PetersonAFB,CO:OfficeofHistory,AerospaceDefenseCenter.p. 118.http://www.usafpatches.com/pubs/handbookofadcorg.pdf.  ↑Grant,C.L.,TheDevelopmentofContinentalAirDefenseto1September1954,(1961),USAFHistoricalStudyNo.126 ↑11.011.1Buss,LydusH.(ed),Sturm,ThomasA.,Volan,Denys,andMcMullen,RichardF.,HistoryofContinentalAirDefenseCommandandAirDefenseCommandJulytoDecember1955,DirectorateofHistoricalServices,AirDefenseCommand,EntAFB,CO,(1956),p.6 ↑Maurer,Maurer,ed(1982)[1969].CombatSquadronsoftheAirForce,WorldWarII(reprinted.).Washington,DC:OfficeofAirForceHistory.pp. 274–275.ISBN 0-405-12194-6.http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf.  ↑Maurer,CombatSquadrons,p.287 ↑Maurer,CombatSquadrons,p.389 ↑SeeAbstract,Historyof23dUSAFInfirmaryAug-Dec1955.Retrieved7April2012 ↑Abstract,Historyof23dAirBaseSquadronJan1958-Jun1959.Retrieved7April2012 ↑Cornett&Johnson,p.145 ↑Cornett&Johnson,p.136 ↑Cornett&Johnson,p.70 ↑USAFReleaseref23dWing. ↑21.021.121.221.3Lineage,Assignment,Components,andStationsareinAFHRAFactsheet,23dFighterGroup ↑22.022.1AirForcePersonnelServicesUnitAwards.Retrieved2November2012 References&Bibliography  Thisarticleincorporates publicdomainmaterialfromtheAirForceHistoricalResearchAgencywebsitehttp://www.afhra.af.mil/. Donald,David(2004)CenturyJets:USAFFrontlineFightersoftheColdWar.AIRtimeISBN1-880588-68-4 Endicott,JudyG.(1999)ActiveAirForcewingsasof1October1995;USAFactiveflying,space,andmissilesquadronsasof1October1995.MaxwellAFB,Alabama:OfficeofAirForceHistory.CD-ROM. Lopez,DonaldS.(1986).IntotheTeethoftheTiger.NewYork,NY:RandomHouse.ISBN 978-0-55327-441-7.  Menard,DavidW.(1993).USAFPlusFifteen:APhotoHistory,1947-1962.Lancaster,PA:ShifferPublishing,Ltd..ISBN 0-88740-483-9.  Molesworth,Carl(1994).SharksOverChina:The23rdFighterGroupinWorldWarII.Washington,DC:Brassey's(US).ISBN 978-0-78581-401-6.  Rogers,Brian.(2005).UnitedStatesAirForceUnitDesignationsSince1978.Hinkley,UK:MidlandPublications.ISBN 1-85780-197-0.  Externallinks GlobalSecuritysiteaboutthe23dFighterGroup AnnalsoftheFlyingTigers(AmericanVolunteerGroup) FlyingTigerAssociationWebsite ThispageusesCreativeCommonsLicensedcontentfromWikipedia(viewauthors). 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