52d Fighter Wing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| 52d Fighter Wing | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Active | 20 November 1940 — present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Part of | United States Air Forces Europe |
| Garrison/HQ | Spangdahlem Air Force Base |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Colonel Darryl Roberson |
| Notable commanders |
Victor E. Renuart Jr. |
The 52d Fighter Wing (52 FW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany.
Contents |
[edit] Mission
The 52 FW maintains, deploys and employs F-16CJ and A/OA-10 aircraft and TPS-75 radar systems in support of NATO and the national defense directives. The wing supports the Supreme Allied Commander Europe with mission-ready personnel and systems providing expeditionary air power for suppression of enemy air defenses, close air support, air interdiction, counterair, air strike control, strategic attack, combat search and rescue, and theater airspace control. The wing also supports contingencies and operations other than war as required.
[edit] History
The 52d trained and participated in maneuvers from 1941 – 1942 when it moved to the United Kingdom. It trained with the Royal Air Force as part of Eighth Air Force and flew missions from England to France during August and September of that year. Group pilots flew Spitfires from Gibraltar to Algeria during the invasion of North Africa on 8 November 1942. The remainder of the group arrived by ship after the campaign had ended. The group then operated as part of Twelfth Air Force through April 1944, thereafter part of Fifteenth Air Force, serving in combat in the Mediterranean until the end of the war. It flew escort, patrol, strafing, and reconnaissance missions to help defeat Axis forces in Tunisia. In Sicily, it attacked railroads,highways, bridges, coastal shipping and other targets to support the Allied operations. Having converted to P-51s in April and May 1944, the group escorted bombers that attacked objectives in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia. It received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DCU) for a mission on 9 June 1944 when the group protected bombers that struck aircraft factories, communications centers, and supply lines in Germany. The 52d flew one of the first shuttle missions to Russia from 4-6 August 1944, and received a second DUC for strafing attacks on a landing field in Romania on 31 August 1944, destroying a large number of enemy fighter and transport planes. On 24 March 1945, the group's aircraft flew the longest escort mission ever flown in Europe - 1600 miles round-trip to Berlin.
From 1946 to 1947, the 52d served as an all-weather fighter group in Germany and in November 1947 moved to the US and assumed an air defense role. It moved to the US to preform performed air defense in the northeastern United States from 1947 – February 1952, and July 1963 – September 1968.
In December 1971, it became the host wing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, and inherited tactical squadrons from the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing at nearby Bitburg Air Base. The wing participated in numerous tactical exercises, operations, and tests of USAFE and NATO and provided close air support, interdiction, and base defense operations. It cooperated with other NATO forces in frequent "squadron exchange" programs and hosted US-based units on temporary duty in Europe. In January 1973, a Wild Weasel defense suppression mission was added. After October 1985, using the F-4 Phantom II model aircraft, defense suppression became the wing's sole tactical mission. In 1987, the 52d acquired F-16 Falcons and became the first wing to integrate F-16Cs with F-4Gs to form hunter/killer teams within individual fighter squadrons. It deployed aircraft and personnel to strategic locations in Saudi Arabia and Turkey in support of the liberation of Kuwait from September 1990 - March 1993. Near the end of 1992, it began receiving A/OA-10 aircraft. It received F-15 Eagles in 1994 but lost its F-4Gs. From January - December 1999, the wing supported Operations Northern Watch, Allied Force, and Decisive Forge with numerous deployments to Italy and Turkey.
[edit] Operations
- World War II
- Operation Desert Shield
- Operation Desert Storm
- Operation Southern Watch
- Operation Northern Watch
- Operation Allied Force
- Operation Decisive Forge
[edit] Previous designations
- 52d Pursuit Group (1940 – 1942)
- 52d Fighter Group (1942 – 1948)
- 52d Fighter Wing (1948 – 1951)
- 52d Fighter-Interceptor Wing (1951 – 1963)
- 52d Fighter Wing (1963 – 1971)
- 52d Tactical Fighter Wing (1971 – 1991)
- 52d Fighter Wing (1991 – Present)
[edit] Assignments
[edit] Major command
- Air Defense Command (1963 – 1971)
- United States Air Forces Europe (1971 – Present)
[edit] Numbered Air Force
- 1st Air Force (1942, 1947 – 1971)
- 8th Air Force (1942 – 1944)
- 15th Air Force (1944 – 1945)
- 3rd Air Force (1945 – 1947, 1996 – Present)
- 17th Air Force (1971 – 1996)
[edit] Subordinate organizations
52d Operations Group (52 OG)
- 22d Fighter Squadron (22 FS)
- 23d Fighter Squadron (23 FS)
- 81st Fighter Squadron (81 FS)
- 606th Air Control Squadron (606 ACS)
- 52d Operations Support Squadron (52 OSS)
52d Maintenance Group (52 MXG)
- 52d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (52 AMXS)
- 52d Maintenance Operations Squadron (52 MOS)
- 52d Equipment Maintenance Squadron (52 EMS)
- 52d Component Maintenance Squadron (52 CMS)
52d Mission Support Group (52 MSG)
- 52d Civil Engineering Squadron (52 CES)
- 52d Communications Squadron (52 CS)
- 52d Contracting Squadron (52 CONS)
- 52d Logistics Readiness Squadron (52 LRS)
- 52d Mission Support Squadron (52 MSS)
- 52d Security Forces Squadron (52 SFS)
- 52d Services Squadron (52 SVS)
- 470th Air Base Squadron (470 ABS) NATO Air Base, Geilenkirchen, Germany
52d Munitions Maintenance Group (52 MUNG) (custody and storage of tactical nuclear weapons)
- 701st Munitions Support Squadron (701 MUNS) Kleine Brogel Air Base, Belgium
- 702d Munitions Support Squadron (702 MUNS) Buechel Air Base, Germany
- 703d Munitions Support Squadron (703 MUNS) Volkel Air Base, Netherlands
- 704th Munitions Support Squadron (704 MUNS) Ghedi Air Base, Italy
52d Medical Group (52 MDG)
- 52d Aerospace Medicine Squadron (52 AMDS)
- 52d Dental Squadron (52 DTS)
- 52d Medical Operations Squadron (52 MDOS)
- 52d Medical Support Squadron (52 MDSS)
[edit] Bases stationed
- Norfolk, Virginia (1941 – 1942)
- Selfridge Field, Michigan (1942)
- Florence, South Carolina (1942)
- Wilmington, North Carolina (1942)
- Grenier Field, New Hampshire (1942)
- RAF Eglington, Northern Ireland (1942)
- Goxhill, England (1942)
- Algeria (1942 – 1943)
- Le Sers, Tunisia (1943)
- La Sebala, Tunisia (1943)
- Boccadifalco, Sicily (1943)
- Borgo, Corsica (1943 – 1944)
- Aghione, Corsica (1944)
- Italy (1944 – 1945)
- Drew Field, Florida (1945 – 1946)
- Schweinfurt, Germany (1946 – 1947)
- Bad Kissingen, Germany (1947)
- Mitchel Air Force Base, New York (1947 – 1949)
- McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey (1949 – 1952)
- Suffolk County Air Force Base, New York (1963 – 1968)
- Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany (1971 – Present)
[edit] Aircraft operated
- P-40 Warhawk (1941 – 1942)
- P-39 Airacobra (1942)
- Spitfire (1942 – 1944)
- P-51 Mustang (1944 – 1945)
- P-61 Black Widow (1947 – 1948)
- F-82 Twin Mustang (1948 – 1952)
- F-94 Starfire (1950 – 1952)
- F-101 Voodoo (1963 – 1968)
- B-66 Destroyer (1971 – 1972)
- B-57 Canberra (1974 – 1975)
- F-4 Phantom II (1971 – 1994)
- A-7 Corsair II (1976)
- F-105 Thunderchief (1976 – 1977)
- F-15 Eagle (1994 – 1999)
- F-16 Falcon (1987 – Present)
- A-10 Thunderbolt II (1992 – Present)
[edit] Unit shields
 22 FS |
 23 FS |
 81 FS |
 606 ACS |
 52 MDG |
[edit] External links
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