18th Wing

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18th Wing
18th Wing Insignia
Active	January 21, 1927
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Fighter / Command & Control / Airlift
Part of	Fifth Air Force Pacific Air Forces
Garrison/HQ	Kadena Air Base
Motto	“Unguibus Et Rostro” With Talons and Beak
Battles/wars	World War II Korean War Vietnam War Operation Desert Storm

The United States Air Force's 18th Wing is the host wing for Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan and is the Air Force’s largest combat wing. With 20 aces and 267 aerial victories, the 18th Wing has been involved in every major U.S. military action since World War II.

1 Subordinate units
2 Mission
3 History
4 Myth
5 External links
6 References

[edit] Subordinate units

18th Operations Group
18th Mission Support Group
18th Maintenance Group
18th Medical Group
18th Civil Engineer Group

[edit] Mission

Operating from the largest U.S. installation in the Asia-Pacific region, the wing defends U.S. and Japanese mutual interests by providing a responsive staging and operational air base with integrated, deployable, forward-based airpower. Strategy used to employ this mission centers around a force of 81 combat-ready fighter; air refueling; airborne warning and control; and search and rescue aircraft.

[edit] History

The 18th Wing has the unique distinction of being the only wing never stationed in the United States. 18th Wing heritage began on 21 January 1927, when the War Department activated a provisional pursuit group at Wheeler Field, Hawaii. Shortly thereafter the group was re-designated the 18th Pursuit Group. The Imperial Japanese attack on December 7, 1941, severely hurt the group — its only two P-40 Warhawks to get airborne were immediately shot down, and the rest of the group’s aircraft were heavily damaged. On 15 May 1942, with new aircraft, the War Department again re-designated the group as the 18th Fighter Group.

During March 1943, the group moved to the South Pacific Theater and rejoined the war effort as part of Thirteenth Air Force. During the war, the group participated in the island hopping campaign operating from bases in the New Hebrides, Guadalcanal , New Guinea and the Philippine Islands.

At the end of the war, the group moved to Clark Field on Luzon. In August 1948, it became a subordinate unit to the newly activated 18th Fighter Wing. The 18 FW had the distinction of being the first overseas fighter unit to be jet-equipped. On 20 January 1950, the wing was re-designated the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing.

Two of the wing’s three fighter squadrons (12th and 67th) flying P-51 Mustangs deployed to Korea in June 1950, where Major Louis J. Sebille because the first wing Airman to receive the Medal of Honor (posthumously). The 44th Fighter Squadron, with its F-80 Shooting Stars, remained on Clark to provide air defense for the Philippines .

The wing moved to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa , Japan , in November 1954. In 1957, the wing converted to the F-100 Super Sabre. In July 1958, the wing was re-designated as the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing. The 18 TFW converted to F-4 Phantoms in 1971, and received F-15 Eagles in 1979. In November of that same year, the wing became part of the 313th Air Division.

In October 1991, as part of an Air Force-wide reorganization, the 313th Air Division inactivated and the newly re-designated 18th Wing absorbed its assets. The wing gained several new units with the reorganization, including the 961st Airborne Warning and Control Squadron; 81st Air Control Squadron; 623d Air Control Squadron; 909th Air Refueling Squadron; and Kadena’s support, logistics and medical units.

In 1999, the 18th Wing underwent another change as one of its three F-15 units, the 12th Fighter Squadron, moved under the 3d Wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.

The 18th Wing has earned many honors over the years, including 17 Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards.

[edit] Myth

There currently exists a long running and popular story detailing the retreat of all 18th Wing officers via their aircraft from a forward deployed air base in Korea sometime in November of 1950, while leaving behind all ground crews to the mercy of the invading Korean and Chinese army. The story claims that the deserted ground crews were all either shot, or hung from the rafters of the aircraft hangars with safety wire. Some even go so far as to claim that the safety wire still hang there today. ^[1]^[2]

This story is often used to explain the reasoning why all members of the 18th Wing stationed at Kadena AB are required to wear a patch on their uniforms depicting a black chicken with its wings erected high against a yellow field (Black representing death, Chicken with wings held high against a yellow field for cowardice). It is earnestly told by members of the 18th, often while explaining why their coveted patch is so hard to get.

The myth is easily debunked. The casualty reports for those months do not list any members of the 18th Wing as having been MIA (Missing in Action) or KIA (Killed in Action). The black chicken has been worn proudly by the 18th Wing since 1932. There are no reports in the history of the 18th (or Kadena, or any other unit) of any such incident. Kadena AB does have a make-shift air field somewhere in South Korea used for contingency plans, and the exercise of those contingency plans. It is designed to be set up quickly, and taken down just as quick in case of retreat, but there is no record of it having been overrun during the Korean War.

While the story is undoubtedly myth, it has indeed become part of the binding tradition that all men and women serving at Kadena AB share and furthermore anyone (military or civilian) would be hard pressed to find a single high ranking NCO or Officer stationed at Kadena AB that would doubt its truth. CMSgt's have been quoted as claiming government conspiracies before admitting the story could be false. From the 18th Wing's internal Wing Staff page: ^[3]

"A popular rumor claims the wing patch has a chicken and is yellow because of an alleged act of cowardice during the Korean War. The fact that the patch has been worn since 1932 certainly disproves this rumor and should dispel any doubts about the record of the 18th Wing. The wing patch has undergone some changes since it first appeared in 1931. However, the "fight until you prevail" attitude is as strong today as it was over 60 years ago"