Fourteenth Air Force
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| 14th Air Force | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the 14th Air Force |
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| Active | 10 March 1943 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Role | operation support for AF space forces and commands |
| Part of | Air Force Space Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Vandenberg Air Force Base |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Lt Gen William L. Shelton |
| Notable commanders |
Claire Chennault |
The United States Fourteenth Air Force, also 14th Air Force (14 AF), is a Numbered Air Force (NAF) of Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). It is a functional echelon dedicated to space systems operations, responsible for missile warning, space surveillance, and range operations for the Department of Defense, NASA, and commercial space launches. Fourteenth Air Force is headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The 14th Air Force is currently under the command of Lieutenant General William L. Shelton.
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[edit] Component wings and groups
- 614th Air and Space Operations Center, operates Joint Space Operations Center
- 21st Space Wing, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
- 30th Space Wing, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
- 45th Space Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida
- 50th Space Wing, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado
- 460th Space Wing, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado
[edit] History
Fourteenth Air Force operated in the China-Burma-India (CBI) theater during World War II as the Flying Tigers and subsequently served Air Defense Command, Continental Air Command, and the Air Force Reserves (AFRES). In 1993, Fourteenth Air Force was transferred from AFRES to AFSPC.
[edit] World War II
The Fourteenth Air Force was constituted on 5 March 1943 and activated in China on 10 March. It served in combat against the Japanese, operating primarily in China, until the end of the war. It moved to the U.S. over the two months of December 1945 and January 1946. The 14th Air Force was inactivated on 6 January 1946.
After the Japan and the United States entered World War II the American Volunteer Group (AVG) known as the Flying Tigers were incorporated into the USAAF. Claire Chennault their commander was reinstated into the USAAF as a colonel, promoted to Brigadier General and later Major General as commander of the U.S. Army's Fourteenth Air Force. After July 14 1942, the AVG was replaced by the 23d Fighter Group. Only five pilots accepted commissions in China. However, US pilots and US press went on using the name Flying Tigers after the AVG's dissolution. Especially the 23d Fighter Group was often called by the same nickname — they too were "Flying Tigers". Most AVG pilots became transport pilots in China, went back to America into civilian jobs, or rejoined the other military services and fought elsewhere in the war. An example was Major Pappy Boyington who rejoined the United States Marine Corps.
The Fourteenth Air Force official web site says:
- After the China Air Task Force was discontinued, the Fourteenth Air Force (14 AF) was established by the special order of President Roosevelt on 10 March 1943. Chennault was appointed the commander and promoted to Major General. The "Flying Tigers" of 14 AF (who adopted the "Flying Tigers" designation from the AVG) conducted highly effective fighter and bomber operations along a wide front that stretched from the bend of the Yellow River and Tsinan in the north to Indochina in the south, from Chengtu and the Salween River in the west to the China Sea and the island of Formosa in the east. They were also instrumental in supplying Chinese forces through the airlift of cargo across "The Hump" in the China-Burma-India theater. By the end of World War II, 14 AF had achieved air superiority over the skies of China and established a ratio of 7.7 enemy planes destroyed for every American plane lost in combat. Overall, military officials estimated that over 4,000 Japanese planes were destroyed or damaged in the China-Burma-India theater during World War II. In addition, they estimated that air units in China destroyed 1,100,000 tons of shipping, 1,079 locomotives, 4,836 trucks and 580 bridges. The United States Army Air Corps credits 14 AF with the destruction of 2,315 Japanese aircraft, 356 bridges, 1,225 locomotives and 712 railroad cars.
[edit] Chinese-American Composite Wing
In addition to the core Fourteenth Air Force (14AF) structure, a second group: The Chinese-American Composite Wing, existed as a combined bomber and fighter group with pilots from both the United States and the Republic of China. U.S. service personnel destined for the CACW entered the China theater in mid-July 1943. Aircraft assigned to the CACW included late-model P-40 Warhawks with the Nationalist Chinese Air Force 12-pointed star national insignia, rudder markings and squadron/aircraft numbering and B-25 "Mitchell" light bombers. In late 1944, USAAF-marked P-51 Mustangs began to be assigned to CACW pilots -- first, P-51B and C models, then, in early 1945, "D" and "K" model (sharing many of the external characteristics of the "D" model aircraft including the bubble canopy) reduced-weight versions. All U.S. pilots assigned to the CACW were listed as rated pilots in Chinese Air Force, and were authorized to wearing both nations' pilot's wings.
Most CACW bases existed near the boundary of Japanese-Occupied China, and one "Valley Field" existed in an area within Japanese-held territory. Specific field locations include Hanchung, Ankang, Hsian, Laohokow, Enshih, Liangshan, Peishyi, Chihkiang, Hengyang, Kweilin, Liuchow, Chanyi, Suichwan, and Lingling. ^
[edit] Campaigns
Campaigns India-Burma; China Defensive; China Offensive.[2]
[edit] Command
Its headquarters while in China were Kunming from 10 March 1943 and Peishiyi, from 7 August to 15 December 1945.[2]
Commanders[2]:
- Major General Claire Chennault from 10 March 1943 until 10 August 1945;
- Major General Charles B. Stone III from 10 August until 31 December 1945.
[edit] World War II Units
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[edit] An Intelligence Operation
American missionary John Birch was recommended to Chennault for intelligence work by Jimmy Doolittle, whom he had assisted when Doolittle's crew landed in China after the raid on Tokyo. Inducted into the Fourteenth on its formation, and later seconded to the OSS, he built a formidable network of Chinese informants to provide the Flying Tigers with intelligence on Japanese land and sea military positions and the disposition of shipping and railways. He was shot by Chinese Communists 10 days after the war ended, which led to him being chosen as the namesake of the John Birch Society.
[edit] Cold War
Fourteenth Air Force served as a Numbered Air Force during the Cold War years, supervising Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard activities.
The command was reactivated on 24 May 1946 at Orlando Army Air Base (later, AFB), Florida and assigned to Air Defense Command, then reassigned to Continental Air Command. Moved to Robins AFB, Georgia, in October 1949.
The mission of 14th AF was to administer Air Defense Command/Continental Air Command functions in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. It supervised the air defense training of active duty units, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units. Continental Air Command later expanded the mission of 14 AF to include the equipping and combat preparation of units.
During the Korean War, 14 AF participated in the mobilization of Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units and individuals from its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base (AFB), Georgia. After the Korean War, the reserve wings of 14 AF participated in various airlift operations, such as Operation SIXTEEN TONS, Operation SWIFT LIFT and Operation READY SWAP. 14th AF was inactivated on September 1, 1960.
The command was reactivated on January 20, 1966, and assigned to Air (later, Aerospace) Defense Command. Organized on April 1, 1966, at Gunter AFB, Alabama. The reactivated 14 AF supported the North American Aerospace Defense Command Southern Region's air defense mission. Later, it provided for Aerospace Defense Command training, testing and evaluation missions.
14th AF moved without personnel or equipment to Colorado Springs, Colorado, on July 1, 1968, absorbing resources of 9th Aerospace Defense Division. Redesignated Fourteenth Aerospace Force on July 1, 1968. The 14th Aerospace Force was responsible for detecting foreign missile launches, tracking missiles and satellites in space, providing space vehicle launch services, maintaining a satellite data base of all man-made objects in space and performing anti-satellite actions. The 14th Aerospace Force also equipped, trained, administered and provided personnel to operate and maintain space surveillance, space defense and missile warning systems. Inactivated on October 1, 1976.
Redesignated Fourteenth Air Force (Reserve), and activated on October 8, 1976, at Dobbins AFB (later, ARB), Georgia, and assigned to Air Force Reserve where it managed airlift forces for Military Air Command and participated in such missions as Operation JUST CAUSE. Redesignated Fourteenth Air Force on December 1, 1985. Inactivated on July 1, 1993.
[edit] Post-Cold War
On 1 July 1993, 14 AF returned to its former space role and became a Numbered Air Force for Air Force Space Command, responsible for performing space operations. In 1997, 14 AF established the Space Operations Center at Vandenberg AFB in California for the 24-hour command and control of all space operations resources. In 2002, 14 AF became the Air Force space operational component of United States Strategic Command.
In 2005, 14 AF officially opened up its newly renovated operations center. The new command and control capabilities of the Joint Space Operations Center ensured unity of effort for all space capabilities supporting joint military operations around the globe.
[edit] See also
- South-East Asian Theatre of World War II
- Burma Campaign
- Operation Ichi-Go
- RAF Third Tactical Air Force
[edit] References
- Maurer, Maurer "Air Force Combat Units of World War II", Pub USAF, Reprinted 1986 (first pub 1961)
- Fourteenth Air Force official website
[edit] External links
- Annals of the Flying Tigers
- Fourteenth Air Force in China 1943 - 1945
- 14th Air Force
- Night Fighter by J R Smith - a first-hand account of a P-61 radar observer in WWII China
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Fourteenth Air Force official website
- ^ a b c Air Force Combat Units of World War II - Part 8 See References Maurer
- ^ Fourteenth Airforce History Information presented on DefenseLINK is considered public information and may be distributed or copied unless otherwise specified
- ^ Wing to Wing Air Combat in China, 1943 - 1945, Molesworth, Carl Orion Books, New York 1990 ISBN0-517-57568-X
- ^ a Transferred from the Tenth Air Force
- ^ The 341st Bomb Group usually functioned as if it were two groups and for a time as three. Soon after its activation in September 1942, 341st Bomb Group Headquarters and three of its squadrons the 22nd, 490th and 491st, and were stationed and operating in India under direction of the Tenth Air Force, while the 11th squadron was stationed and operating in China under direction of the "China Air Task Force", which was later reorganized and reinforced to become the Fourteenth Air Force. Fourteen months later the Group Headquarters along with 22nd and the 491st squadrons joined the 11th squadron under the command of the Fourteenth Air Force. However most of the 490th "Burma Bridge Busters" remained under the command of Major-General Howard Davidson's Tenth Air Force. Still later the 11th Squadron and a detachment of the 491st operated for a time under the East China Task Force.
- ^ Life and Times of the 341st Bomb Group: Forward
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