| 54th Tactical Fighter Wing | |
|---|---|
| Active | 20 May 1943 – 31 May 1946 (USAAF) 1 June 1946 – 11 October 1950 (GA ANG) 5 June – 31 October 1970 (PACAF) |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Army Air Forces |
The 54th Tactical Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force, being stationed at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea. It was inactivated on 31 October 1970.
During World War II, the 54th Troop Carrier Wing was a United States Army Air Force Fifth Air Force transport wing that exercised command and control over five combat cargo and troop carrier groups in the South West Pacific theatre.
In the early postwar years, the 54th Fighter Wing commanded 56 units of the Air National Guard throughout the Southeastern United States.
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The 54th Troop Carrier Wing commenced air transport and medical air evacuation operations in support of Fifth Air Force on 26 May 1943. advancing as battle lines permitted.
The wing employed C-47s almost exclusively, but during late 1943 and much of 1944 also used 13 converted B-17Es for armed transport missions in enemy-held territory. The 54th supported every major advance made by the allies in the Southwest Pacific Theater, operating from primitive airstrips carved from jungles and air-dropping cargo where airstrips unavailable.
The unit took part in the airborne invasion of Nadzab, New Guinea, in September 1943 by dropping paratroopers of the 503d Parachute Infantry Regiment as well as Australian engineers and heavy equipment. In July 1944, the wing dropped 1,418 paratroopers on Noemfoor Island to aid the allied invasion forces. Then assumed the task of handling all freight and personnel moving in troop carrier aircraft in the Southwest Pacific, in addition to scheduled and unscheduled air movement of cargo and troops, and air evacuation of wounded personnel.
Some C-46s began operating within the wing in late 1944, and during 1945 large numbers of C-46s were used in addition to C-47s. By late 1944 and during the early months of 1945, most wing missions were flown to the Philippines. In February 1945, the wing flew three more airborne operations, all in the Philippines, to help encircle Japanese concentrations. Wing C-47s dropped napalm on Carabao Island, in Manila Bay, in March 1945.
When hostilities ended, the wing moved the entire 11th Airborne Division (11,300 personnel) from the Philippines to Okinawa on short notice, and then began transporting occupation forces into Japan. During September 1945, the wing also evacuated over 17,000 former prisoners of war from Japan to the Philippines.
The wing served as part of the occupation forces in Japan from 25 September 1945 to about 26 January 1946, while con-tinuing routine air transport operations and a scheduled courier service. Beginning in December 1945 and continuing into mid-1946, most of the wing's components were reassigned to other units or inactivated, and on 15 January 1946 the wing became a component of the Far East (soon, Pacific) Air Service Command.
Moving to the Philippines, the wing gained new components and flew scheduled routes between Japan, the Philippines, Australia, and the Hawaiian Islands. Replaced by the 403d Troop Carrier Group on 31 May 1946 and was inactivated.
The unit was allocated to the Georgia Air National Guard as the 54th Fighter Wing, from July 1946 to October 1950, being assigned to the new Air Defense Command. The 54th FW acted as a host unit at Dobbins Field when the airfield was reactivated on 31 May. The wing supported a Air Force Reserve troop carrier group (514th TCG), and a reserve light bombardment group (94th BG), each with two operational squadrons. Was relieved of support of the 94th when the group was elevated to wing status on 26 June 1949 and was reassigned to Continental Air Command. As a result of the Korean War, the 54th FW was ordered to active duty status on 10 October 1950 and inactivated the following day, with its personnel used as fillers in other USAF units.
In June 1970, as the 54th Tactical Fighter Wing, was activated and replaced the 354th TFW at Kunsan AB, South Korea, assuming control of personnel and attached F-4C Phantom II squadrons. Was inactivated on 31 October 1970 when the deployed F-4 squadrons returned to the United States and the base was placed in a non-flying status. Base operations personnel were absorbed by the 6175th Air Base Group.
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This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
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