14th Operations Group

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14th Operations Group

Emblem of the 14th Flying Training Wing[1]
Active 1941–1945, 1946-1949, 1955-1960,; 1991–present
Country United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Type Pilot Training
Size group
Part of 14th Flying Training Wing
Garrison/HQ Columbus Air Force Base
Nickname Blaze
Motto To Fight to Death (1941-1960)
Day and Night – Peace and War (Wing Motto, 1991-present)
Engagements European Theater of World War II
Decorations Presidential Unit Citation (United States)
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Commanders
Current
commander		 Col Brett Pennington
Notable
commanders		 General Robert H. Foglesong

The 14th Operations Group (14 OG) is the flying component of the 14th Flying Training Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force's Air Education and Training Command. The group is stationed at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi.

Overview

Aircraft of the 14th Operations Group
T-6 Texan IIs over Columbus Mississippi 
14th OG Beechcraft T-1A Jayhawk, 93-644 
Northrop T-38C formation from the 50th Flying Training Squadron. 66-4327, 68–8162 and 68-8187 identifiable 

The 14th Operations Group and its six squadrons are responsible for the 52-week Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) mission at Columbus AFB[2] for the U.S. Air Force and international officers. The group uses a fleet of T-6 Texan II, T-38 Talon, and T-1 Jayhawk aircraft and flight simulators. The Group's 250 aircraft fly about 90,000 hours annually in 11,500 square miles (30,000 km2) of airspace.

Components

The 14th Operations Group (Tail Code: CB) consists of the following squadrons:

History

World War II

Lockheed P-38F-5-LO Lightning 42-12596 of the 50th Fighter Squadron in Iceland, 1942
14th Fighter Group P-38 being serviced in North Africa, 1943
Emblem of the 14th Fighter Group

The 14th Pursuit Group was activated on 15 January 1941 at Hamilton Field, California.[3] It moved to March Field in California in early June 1941.[3] The group trained with Curtiss P-40s, P-43 Lancers and P-38D/E Lightnings.[3] It returned to Hamilton Field on 7 February 1942 to receive operational P-38Fs and flew patrols on the west coast of the US after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.[3] Although these fighters were not yet combat ready, P-38 outfits had the only truly modern fighters then available to the Army Air Forces (AAF), and provided West Coast defense at a time that Japanese attacks on the US mainland were believed to be imminent.[citation needed]

Even though the defense of the US west coast initially took priority, plans were made in the spring of 1942 to deploy the 14th and other P-38 groups to Great Britain. The group was redesignated as the 14th Fighter Group in May 1942.[3] The ground echelon departed 16 July 1942 on the first stage of the movement to England. They sailed on the USS West Point[citation needed] in early August 1942, and arrived in Liverpool on 17 August 1942. The air echelon departed for Bradley Field, Connecticut on 1 July 1942.[citation needed] It flew its P-38s to the United Kingdom via the northern ferry route. The first aircraft departed Presque Isle Army Air Field, Maine on 22 July 1942. The 50th Fighter Squadron remained in Iceland and was reassigned to the 342d Composite Group[4] to assist the Curtiss P-40Cs of the 33d Fighter Squadron[5] in the flying of defensive patrols over the Atlantic.[6] This was the first transatlantic crossing successfully made by single-seat fighters.[citation needed] In Britain, the group was stationed at RAF Atcham as part of Eighth Air Force.[3]

The 14th was reassigned to the XII Fighter Command of Twelfth Air Force on 14 September 1942, but continued to operate under VIII Fighter Command until mid-October flying sweeps over France and performing practice missions under the Royal Air Force's guidance.[citation needed] The Ground echelon left Atcham on 30 October 1942, and sailed on the USS Brazil and USS Uruguay from Liverpool[citation needed] and arrived in Oran, Algeria on 10 November 1942. The air echelon departed for North Africa on 6 November 1942, and flew to Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria from 10 to 14 November 1942.[3]

From bases in Algeria, and later Tunisia, the group flew escort, strafing, and reconnaissance missions from the middle of November 1942 to late in January 1943.[3] In November, Lt. Carl T. Williams Scored the first United States victory in the western desert over a German aircraft snd Lt. Virgil Smith became the first American ace in the theater.[7] The Lightnings were soon in regular combat in the North African Campaign. The 14th contributed a great deal toward the establishment of local air superiority in the area, being effective against bombers and had wreaked great havoc among Rommel's air transport well out to sea. The P-38s earned the German nickname "der Gabelschwanz Teufel"—the Fork-Tailed Devil.[citation needed] In January 1943, the 14th was withdrawn from combat, with some of the men and planes being reassigned[3] to the 1st and 82d Fighter Groups.

The group resumed combat operations in May, being re-equipped with the P-38F and some P-38Gs. Already prior to the Axis defeat in Tunisia, the Northwest African Air Forces (of which the Twelfth Air Force was a component) had begun preparations for the invasion of Sicily. Attacks on Sicily, on Pantelleria and on Lampedusa were stepped up in preparation for Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily on 10 July 1943.[citation needed] The group flew dive-bombing missions during the Allied assault on Pantelleria.[3] It helped prepare for and support the invasions of Sicily and Italy.[3] Lieut H. T. Hanna of the 14th Fighter Group made ace in one day by destroying five Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers on 9 October 1943.[citation needed]

The 14th was reassigned to Fifteenth Air Force in November 1943, and moved to Triolo Airfield, Italy.[3] It engaged primarily in escort work flying many missions to cover bombers engaged in long-range operations against strategic objectives in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Rumania, and Bulgaria.[3] However, on occasion, the group escorted the medium bombers of the Twelfth Air Force.[citation needed] On 2 April 1944, the 14th Fighter Group earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for beating off attacks by enemy fighters while escorting bombers attacking ball-bearing and aircraft production facilities at Steyr, Austria,[2] enabling the bombers to strike their targets.[3]

In late July and early August 1944, the 14th flew shuttle missions to Russia and returned to their Italian base after spending three days at a Soviet base in the Ukraine. Along with their P-51 escorts, they shot down thirty German planes and destroyed twelve on the ground. The last Lightning shuttle mission was flown on 4/6 August.[citation needed]

The group provided escort for reconnaissance operations, supported the invasion of Southern France in August 1944, and on numerous occasions flew long-range missions to strafe and dive-bomb motor vehicles, trains, bridges, supply areas, airdromes, and troop concentrations in an area extending from France to the Balkans.[3] The 14th Fighter Group was inactivated in Italy on 9 September 1945.[3]

Aerial Victories Number Note
Group Hq 16 [8]
37th Fighter Squadron 49.5 [9]
48th Fighter Squadron 153 [10]
49th Fighter Squadron 103.5 [11]
Group Total 315.83

Cold War

Republic F-84B Thunderjets of the 49th Fighter Squadron in formation, March 1948.
Convair F-102A Delta Dagger 14th Fighter Group, 1959

The Group was once more activated in the US on 20 November 1946 at Dow Field, Maine[3] as part of the First Air Force of Air Defense Command (ADC). Its assigned squadrons were 37th, 48th and 49th Fighter Squadrons. The 14th Fighter Group was one of the first AAF groups assigned to ADC.

The group was initially equipped with surplus P-47N Thunderbolts and later with first generation P-84B Thunderjets.[2] It was responsible for air defense of the Northeastern United States. In 1947, the group became the first in the AAF to equip with the P-84.[12] In July 1947 the group deployed to Muroc AFB, California to conduct accelerated service tests with new F-84Bs prior to acceptance.[citation needed] The first operational production USAF F-84Bs arrived at Dow AFB on 7 November; the last F-84B was delivered in February 1948. Throughout the winter of 1947/48 the 14th Fighter Group lost three F-84s at Dow. Findings indicated that the extreme cold weather at the base enhanced aircraft performance over what was found during testing in California, however as the temperatures moderated in the spring of 1948, accident rate remained high.[citation needed]

In August 1947, the Air Force began a service test of the Wing-Base organization (Hobson Plan). As a result, the group was assigned to the 14th Fighter Wing, along with three newly created support groups.[13] This rorganization was intended to unify control at air bases,[14] This test proved the wing-base plan to the satisfaction of the Air Force.[13] The 14th's mission was daylight and fair weather defense of northeast United States[15] from New York City north to Maine/New Brunswick border, shared with 52d Fighter Group (All-Weather) at Mitchel AFB, New York which flew F-82 Twin Mustangs for night and inclement weather operations. In July 1949, the group sent sixteen F-84Bs to New York City for a flyover display at newly opened Idlewild Airport.[citation needed] The group was inactivated on 2 October 1949[3] due to budget cutbacks. Its F-84B aircraft were returned to Republic Aircraft for refurbishment and reassignment to Air National Guard units.[citation needed]

The group was redesignated as the 14th Fighter Group (Air Defense) and reactivated on 18 August 1955 at Ethan Allen AFB, Vermont[3] to replace the 517th Air Defense Group, whose mission, equipment, and personnel were transferred to the 14th[16] as part of ADC's Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units that had compiled memorable records in the two world wars.[17] Its operational component was the 37th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), which was already stationed at Ethan Allen.[18] It was initially assigned to Air Defense Command (ADC)'s 4711th Defense Wing[19] and equipped with airborne intercept radar equipped and HVAR rocket armed North American F-86D Sabre interceptor aircraft.[20] It also acted as the host organization for USAF units at Ethan Allen and was assigned several support units to fulfill that duty.[21][22][23][24] It was reassigned to the 32d Air Division (Defense), 1 March 1956.[19] Its 37th FIS upgraded in December 1957 to the F-102 Delta Dagger interceptor[20] until being inactivated on 1 May 1960.[18] The group wound up active USAF operations at Ethan Allen and inactivated along with its support organizations the following month.[2][22][23]

Modern era

While inactive, the group was redesignated as the 14th Tactical Fighter Group, but was redesignated as the 14th Operations Group (OG) in December 1991 and activated as a result of the 14th Flying Training Wing (FTW) implementing the USAF Objective Wing reorganization. Upon activation, the 14th OG was assigned the flying and operational support components of the 14th FTW.

From its activation, the group trained USAF and allied pilots in basic flying skills[2] and from 1993 to 2005 in fighter fundamentals,[2] using AT-38 aircraft. In 1993, Captains Kathy McDonald and Ellen McKinnon became the first women at Columbus AFB to complete the fighter fundamentals course.[25] On 27 January 1995, Second Lieutenant Kelly Flinn graduated from pilot training with the 14th Operations Group on her way to becoming the first woman to enter B-52 Stratofortress combat crew training.[26] Fighter fundamentals training at Columbus resumed on 10 May 2007 with the reassignment of the 49th Fighter Training Squadron from Moody AFB, Georgia.[27]

Lineage

  • Constituted as 14th Pursuit Group (Fighter) on 20 November 1940[3]
Activated on 15 January 1941[3]
Redesignated 14th Fighter Group (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942[28]
Redesignated 14th Fighter Group, Two Engine on 28 February 1944[28]
Inactivated on 9 September 1945[3]
  • Redesignated 14th Fighter Group, Single Engine
Activated on 20 November 1946[3]
Redesignated 14th Fighter Group, Jet[29] ca 24 May 1948
Inactivated on 2 October 1949[3]
  • Redesignated 14th Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 20 June 1955[3]
Activated on 18 August 1955,[3]
Discontinued and inactivated on 25 June 1960
  • Redesignated: 14th Tactical Fighter Group on 31 July 1985 (unit remained inactive)
  • Redesignated: 14th Operations Group on 9 December 1991
Activated on 15 December 1991.

Assignments

Components

Operational Squadrons

  • 37th Fighter Squadron (later 37th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron; 37th Flying Training Squadron): 1 March 1943 – 9 September 1945; 20 November 1946 – 2 October 1949; 18 August 1955 – 1 May 1960; 15 December 1991 – present[30]
  • 41st Flying Training Squadron: 1 October 1998 – present[31]
  • 43d Flying Training Squadron: 15 December 1991 – 1 October 1992[32]
  • 48th Pursuit Squadron (later 48th Fighter Squadron; 48th Flying Training Squadron): 15 January 1941 – 9 September 1945; 20 November 1946 – 2 October 1949; 1 July 1996 – present[33]
  • 49th Pursuit Squadron (later, 49th Fighter Squadron; 49th Flying Training Squadron; 49th Fighter Training Squadron): 15 January 1941 – 9 September 1945; 20 November 1946 – 2 October 1949; 15 December 1991 – 18 September 1992; 1 July 1993 – 10 October 2000; 10 May 2007 – present[34]
  • 50th Pursuit Squadron(later, 50th Fighter Squadron; 50th Flying Training Squadron): 15 January 1941 – 14 November 1942; 15 December 1991 – present[35]

Support Units

  • 14th USAF Infirmary[21] (later USAF Dispensary),[36] 18 August 1955 – 25 June 1960
  • 14th Air Base Squadron,[24] 18 August 1955 – 25 June 1960
  • 14th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 8 July 1957 - 25 June 1960[22]
  • 14th Materiel Squadron, 18 August 1955 - 25 June 1960[23]
  • 14th Operations Support Squadron, 15 December 1991 – present

Stations

Awards and Campaigns

Award streamer Award Dates Notes
Distinguished Unit Citation2 April 194414th Fighter Group, Austria[2]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1992-30 June 199414th Operations Group[2]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1999-30 June 200114th Operations Group[2]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 2001-30 June 200214th Operations Group[2]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 2002-30 June 200414th Operations Group[2]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 2004-30 June 200614th Operations Group[2]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 2006-30 June 200714th Operations Group[39]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 2007-30 June 200914th Operations Group[39]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 2009-30 June 201014th Operations Group[39]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 2010-30 June 201114th Operations Group[39]
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
Air Combat, EAME Theater18 August 1942-11 May 194514th Fighter Group[3]
Air Offensive, Europe18 August 1942-5 June 194414th Fighter Group[3]
Tunisia12 November 1942-13 May 194314th Fighter Group[3]
Sicily14 May 1943-17 August 194314th Fighter Group[3]
Naples-Foggia18 August 1943-21 January 194414th Fighter Group[3]
Rome-Arno22 January 1944-9 September 194414th Fighter Group[3]
Northern France25 July 1944-14 September 194414th Fighter Group[3]
Southern France15 August 1944-14 September 194414th Fighter Group[3]
North Apennines10 September 1944-4 April 194514th Fighter Group[3]
Rhineland15 September 1944-21 March 194514th Fighter Group[3]
Central Europe22 March 1944-21 May 194514th Fighter Group[3]
Po Valley3 April 1945-8 May 194514th Fighter Group[3]

Aircraft assigned

  • P-40 Warhawk (1941)
  • P-43 Lancer (1941)
  • P-66 Vanguard (1941)
  • P-38 Lightning (1941–1945)
  • P-47 Thunderbolt (1946–1949)
  • F-84 Thunderjet (1947–1949)
  • F-86D Sabre (1955–1958)
  • F/TF-102A Delta Dagger (1958–1960)
  • T-37 (1991–2008)
  • T-38 Talon (1991–present)
  • AT-38 Talon (1991–2000 and 2007–present)
  • T-1 Jayhawk (1996–present)
  • T-6 Texan II (2006–present)

See also

529th Air Service Group Support organization for group at Dow AFB prior to implementation of Wing-Base organization (Hobson Plan)

References

Notes

  1. ↑ The group uses the wing emblem with the group designation on the scroll
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 Robertson, Patsy AFHRA Factsheet, 14th Operations Group 11/6/2007. Retrieved 19 July 2012
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 3.29 3.30 3.31 3.32 3.33 3.34 3.35 3.36 3.37 Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. 
  4. ↑ Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 215–216. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. 
  5. ↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 160-161
  6. ↑ Maurer, Combat Groups, pp. 220-221
  7. ↑ Abstract, History of 14th Fighter Group through May 1943. Retrieved 20 July 2012
  8. ↑ Newton, Wesley P., Jr. and Senning, Calvin F., (1963) USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II, USAF Historical Study No. 85, p. 534
  9. ↑ Newton & Senning, pp. 544-545
  10. ↑ Newton & Senning, pp. 552-553
  11. ↑ Newton & Senning, pp. 553-555
  12. ↑ Abstract, History of 14th Fighter Group, CY 1947. Retrieved 10 July 2012
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 10. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. 
  14. ↑ Goss, William A (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F & Cate, James L. The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. p. 59. LCCN 48-3657. 
  15. ↑ Abstract, History of 14th Fighter Group, Apr-Jun 1948. Retrieved 20 July 2012
  16. ↑ Cornett & Johnson, p. 82
  17. ↑ Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, (1956), p. 6
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 176
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980. Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. p. 70. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Cornett & Johnson, p. 115
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Abstract, History of 14th USAF Infirmary, Jul-Dec 1955. Retrieved 20 July 2012
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Cornett & Johnson, p. 135
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Cornett & Johnson, p. 145
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 See Abstract, History of 14th Air Base Squadron, 1958-1959. Retrieved 20 July 2012
  25. ↑ Abstract, History of 14th Flying Training Wing, Jul-Dec 1993. Retrieved 20 July 2012
  26. ↑ Robertson, Patsy AFHRA Factsheet, 14th Flying Training Wing 8/23/2011 (retrieved March 11, 2013)
  27. ↑ Robertson, Patsy AFHRA Factsheet, 49th Fighter Training Squadron 12/18/2007. Retrieved 19 July 2012
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Abstract, History of 14th Fighter Group 1941-1949. Retrieved 20 July 2012
  29. ↑ See Abstract, History of 14th Fighter Group, May 1949. Retrieved 20 July 2012
  30. ↑ Robertson, Patsy AFHRA Factsheet, 37th Flying Training Squadron 12/11/2007. Retrieved 19 July 2012
  31. ↑ Robertson, Patsy AFHRA Factsheet, 41st Flying Training Squadron 12/11/2007. Retrieved 19 July 2012
  32. ↑ Robertson, Patsy AFHRA Factsheet, 43d Flying Training Squadron 11/23/2009. Retrieved 19 July 2012
  33. ↑ Robertson, Patsy AFHRA Factsheet, 48th Flying Training Squadron 10/7/2010. Retrieved 19 July 2012
  34. ↑ Robertson, Patsy AFHRA Factsheet, 49th Fighter Training Squadron 12/18/2007 (retrieved March 11, 2013)
  35. ↑ Robertson, Patsy, AFHRA Factsheet, 50th Flying Training Squadron 6/22/2009. Retrieved 19 July 2012
  36. ↑ See Abstract, History of 14th USAF Dispensary, Jan-Jul 1957. Retrieved 22 July 2012
  37. ↑ Stations through 1955 are in Maurer, Combat Units, p. 58
  38. ↑ Anderson, Capt. Barry (2985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II. Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Retrieved 7 July 2012.  lists station numbers
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 39.3 Air Force Recognition Program, Unit Awards. Retrieved 20 July 2012

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

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