79th Fighter Group
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
Top
79th Fighter Group
| 79th Fighter Group | |
|---|---|
 79th Fighter Group Insignia |
|
| Active | 1942–1947, 1955-1960 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Army Air Forces |
| Role | Fighter; Air Defense |
| Part of | 30th Air Division |
The 79th Fighter Group (79th FG) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Air Defense Command (ADC)'s Detroit Air Defense Sector, at Youngstown Municipal Airport, Ohio. It was inactivated on 1 March 1960.
|
Contents
|
History
World War II
Constituted as 79th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 13 January 1942 and activated at Dale Mabry Field, FL on 9 February 1942, drawing its personnel from the 56th Fighter Group and the 81st Fighter Group.[1] The group was redesignated the 79th Fighter Group (Single Engine) in May 1942. The group trained in the United States, then moved to Egypt by sea via Brazil in October–November 1942,[1] where it became part of Ninth Air Force.[2]
The group trained with P-40 Warhawks's while moving westward in the wake of the British drive across Egypt and Libya to Tunisia.[2] Although many of the group's pilots flew combat missions with other organizations, the 79th group itself did not begin combat operations until March 1943.[2] By escorting bombers, attacking enemy shipping, and supporting ground forces, the 79th took part in the Allied operations that defeated Axis forces in North Africa, captured Pantelleria, and conquered Sicily.[2] The group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for its support of British Eighth Army during that period, March–August 1943.[2]
The group was assigned to Twelfth Air Force in August 1943 and continued to support the British Eighth Army by attacking troop concentrations, gun positions, bridges, roads, and rail lines in southern Italy.[2] It operated in the area of the Anzio beachhead, from January to March 1944. The group participated in the drive on Rome, from March to June 1944, and converted to P-47 Thunderbolts during that time.[2] It flew escort and strafing missions in southern France during August and September 1944, and afterward returned to Italy and engaged in interdictory and close support operations in northern Italy.[2] The group received a second DUC for numerous missions flown at minimum altitude in intense flak to help pierce the enemy line at the Santerno River in Italy in April 1945.[2]
The Group remained overseas as part of United States Air Forces in Europe after the war as part of the occupation force.[2] It was transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the US in June 1947 and inactivated on 15 July 1947.[2]
Air Defense Command
The group was redesignated the 79th Fighter Group (Air Defense), assigned to ADC and activated on 18 August 1955 at Youngstown MAP, Ohio[2] as part of ADC's Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars.[3] At Youngstown, the group assumed the personnel and equipment of the 502d Air Defense Group, which was simultaneously inactivated.[4] The group provided air defense over eastern Ohio as part of 30th Air Division of ADC's Central Air Defense Force and acted as the host unit for the Air Force portion of Youngstown MAP. It was assigned several support organizations to fulfill this responsibility.[5][6][7] The Air Force transferred command of Youngstown MAP from ADC to Continental Air Command on 1 March 1960 and the 79th Fighter Group was inactivated that date.[8]
Lineage
- Constituted as 79th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 13 Jan 1942
- Activated on 9 Feb 1942
- Redesignated 79th Fighter Group (Single Engine) in May 1942
- Inactivated on 15 Jul 1947
- Redesignated as 79th Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 20 Jun 1955
- Activated on 18 Aug 1955
- Inactivated on 1 Mar 1960[4]
Assignments
- III Fighter Command, 9 Feb 1942
- I Fighter Command, 22 Jun 1942
- Boston Fighter Wing, 1 Aug 1942 – 28 Sep 1942[9][10]
- IX Fighter Command, 18 Nov 1942
- 8th Fighter Wing 1942 -1943 [11]
- Twelfth Air Force, 1 Aug 1943 – unknown
- 57th Bombardment Wing, 1 Nov 1943 - 1 Jan 1944[12]
- 64th Fighter Wing, 18 Jan 1944 - 29 Sep 1944[13]
- 87th Fighter Wing, 1944[14]
- United States Air Forces in Europe, Jul 1945 – 25 Jun 1947
- 4708th Air Defense Wing, 18 Aug 1955[15]
- 30th Air Division, 8 Jul 1956[15]
- Detroit Air Defense Sector, 1 Apr 1959 – 1 Mar 1960[15]
|
Operational Squadrons
|
Support Units |
Stations[2]
|
|
Aircraft flown
- Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, 1942
- Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, 1942–1945
- F-86 Sabre. 1955
- F-102 Delta Dagger, 1955–1960
Awards
- Distinguished Unit Citation
- North Africa and Sicily, March 1943 - 17 August 1943
- Italy, 16 April 1945 - 20 Apr 1945
- European-African-Middle Eastern Theater
- Campaigns
- Air Combat, EAME Theater
- Egypt-Libya
- Tunisia
- Sicily
- Naples-Foggia
- Anzio
- Rome-Arno
- Southern France
- Northern Apennines
- Po Valley
- World War II Army of Occupation
See Also
References
- ^ a b c Abstract, History of 79th Ftr Gp, activation-Aug 43 (accessed 13 May 2012)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 144-145. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/af_combat_units_wwii.pdf.
- ^ 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
- ^ a b 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. 81. http://www.usafpatches.com/pubs/handbookofadcorg.pdf.
- ^ a b AFHRA Factsheet, 79th Medical Wing (accessed 13 May 2012)
- ^ a b Cornett & Johnson, p. 137
- ^ a b Cornett & Johnson, p. 145
- ^ Abstract, History of 79th Ftr Gp, Jan-Mar 1960 (accessed 13 May 2012)
- ^ Maurer, Combat Units, p. 425
- ^ AFHRA Factsheet, 323d Air Division (accessed 14 May 2012)
- ^ Maurer, Combat Units, p. 328
- ^ AFHRA Factsheet, 57th Air Division (accessed 14 May 2012)
- ^ AFHRA Factsheet, 64th Air Division (accessed 14 May 2012)
- ^ Maurer, Combat Units, p. 410
- ^ a b c Cornett & Johnson, p. 73
- ^ Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 295. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf.
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 297-298
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 299-300
- ^ AFHRA Factsheet, 99th Flying Training Squadron (accessed 13 May 2012)
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 385
- ^ See Abstract, History of 79th Air Base Squadron 1958-1959 (accessed 14 May 2012)
- ^ Abstract, History of 79th Ftr Gp CY 1943 (accessed 13 May 2012)
- ^ Abstract, History of 79th Ftr Gp, Jan 1944 (accessed 13 May 2012) Part of the group remained behind at Madna
- ^ Abstract,, History of 79th Ftr Gp, Jun 1944 (accessed 13 May 2012) The group moved by ship.
- ^ Abstract,, History of 79th Ftr Gp, Sep 1944 (accessed 13 May 2012) Group history identifies this field as "Bron Airdrome"
- ^ Abstract, History of 79th Ftr Gp, Mar 1945 (accessed 13 May 2012)
- ^ Abstract, History of Hoershing AB, Nov 1946 (accessed 13 May 2012)
- ^ Abstract, History of 79th Ftr Gp, Jul 1945 (accessed 13 May 2012)
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
- Woerpel, Don. The 79th Fighter Group: Over Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy in World War II. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 2007. ISBN 0-7643-1322-3.
External links
- AFHRA Factsheet, 87th Flying Training Squadron (accessed 13 May 2012)
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
Wikipedia on Answers.com
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article 79th Fighter Group.
Read more