53d Fighter Wing

Last updated

53d Fighter Wing
Active 1942–1945; 1947-1950
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States
BranchFlag of the United States Air Force.svg  United States Air Force
Type Wing
Role Command and Control
Part of Pennsylvania Air National Guard
Engagements American Theater of World War II
European Theater of World War II
Insignia
53d Troop Carrier Wing emblem 53dtcw-ww2-emblem.jpg

The 53d Fighter Wing (53 FW) is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force, last stationed at Philadelphia International Airport, Pennsylvania. It was withdrawn from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard (PA ANG) and inactivated on 31 October 1950.

United States Air Force Air and space warfare branch of the United States Armed Forces

The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial and space warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the five branches of the United States Armed Forces, and one of the seven American uniformed services. Initially formed as a part of the United States Army on 1 August 1907, the USAF was established as a separate branch of the U.S. Armed Forces on 18 September 1947 with the passing of the National Security Act of 1947. It is the youngest branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, and the fourth in order of precedence. The USAF is the largest and most technologically advanced air force in the world. The Air Force articulates its core missions as air and space superiority, global integrated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, rapid global mobility, global strike, and command and control.

Philadelphia International Airport airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Philadelphia International Airport, often referred to just by its IATA code PHL, is a major airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and is the largest airport in the state. The airport is the main Northeast hub for American Airlines and a regional cargo hub for UPS Airlines. Philadelphia International Airport is also a focus city for ultra low-cost airline Frontier.

Pennsylvania Air National Guard

The Pennsylvania Air National Guard is the air force militia of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States of America. It is, along with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, an element of the Pennsylvania National Guard.

Contents

The wing was first formed as the 53d Troop Carrier Wing during World War II for command of glider and troop carrier units and its components were heavily involved in airborne operations in North-West Europe from the Normandy Landings to the crossing of the River Rhine.

This wing is not related to the 53d Wing located at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida or that wing's predecessor units, the 53d Fighter Group and the USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center.

53d Wing

The 53d Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The wing reports to the United States Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, which reports to Headquarters Air Combat Command.

Eglin Air Force Base census designated place

Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base in western Florida, located about three miles (5 km) southwest of Valparaiso in Okaloosa County.

History

World War II

The wing was formed as a World War II command and control organization for newly organized troop carrier groups and glider units being trained for overseas deployment to combat theaters. It deployed to England in 1944 [1] and its units subsequently engaged in combat operations, carrying Army parachutists and towing gliders during Operation Overlord, Operation Market Garden and Operation Varsity. The 53d was also engaged in aerial resupply and casualty evacuation of wounded personnel as well as theater troop transport operations. It operated until V-E Day, then supported occupation units in Germany until fall 1945.

In military aviation, a wing is a unit of command. In most military aviation services, a wing is a relatively large formation of planes. In Commonwealth countries a wing usually comprises three squadrons, with several wings forming a group. Each squadron will contain around 20 planes.

World War II 1939–1945 global war

World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of the world's countries—including all the great powers—eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. A state of total war emerged, directly involving more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. The major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, marked by 50 to 85 million fatalities, most of whom were civilians in the Soviet Union and China. It included massacres, the genocide of the Holocaust, strategic bombing, premeditated death from starvation and disease, and the only use of nuclear weapons in war.

Operation Overlord Successful invasion of Nazi-held northern Europe in World War II

Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings. A 1,200-plane airborne assault preceded an amphibious assault involving more than 5,000 vessels. Nearly 160,000 troops crossed the English Channel on 6 June, and more than two million Allied troops were in France by the end of August.

Pennsylvania Air National Guard

The wing was redesignated as a fighter wing and reactivated in 1947 as part of the PA ANG. [1] It was a command and control organization, controlling one Bombardment Group at Philadelphia International Airport and two Fighter Groups at Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland as its operational components. It was also the headquarters for an Aircraft Control & Warning Group (AC&W Gp)located at Harrisburg State Airport and three Air Service Groups, which were colocated with its flying groups and had flights located with each of the squadrons assigned to the flying groups. Shortly before the wing was inactivated, its 113th Fighter Group was federalized for the Korean War. At the end of October 1950, the ANG converted to the wing-base (Hobson Plan) organization. As a result, the wing was withdrawn from the Air National Guard and inactivated on 31 October 1950. Its personnel and those of its 211th Air Service Group formed the cadre for the 111th Composite Wing, while its elements in Pittsburgh formed the cadre for the 112th Fighter Wing, which were simultaneously allotted to the ANG and activated. The 153d AC&W Gp was transferred directly to the PA ANG.

Andrews Air Force Base

Andrews Air Force Base is the airfield portion of Joint Base Andrews which is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force. In 2009, Andrews Air Force Base merged with Naval Air Facility Washington to form Joint Base Andrews. Andrews is the home base of two Boeing VC-25A aircraft with the call sign Air Force One when the president is on board, that serve the President of the United States.

Headquarters Location where an organizations key leadership and coordination functions take place

Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility for managing all business activities. In the United Kingdom, the term head office is most commonly used for the HQs of large corporations. The term is also used regarding military organizations.

Korean War 1950–1953 war between North Korea and South Korea

The Korean War was a war between North Korea and South Korea. The war began on 25 June 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea following a series of clashes along the border.

Lineage

Activated on 1 August 1942 [1]
Inactivated on 11 October 1945 [1]
Extended federal recognition on 17 January 1947 [1]
Inactivated and allotment to the Air National Guard withdrawn on 31 October 1950

Assignments

Components

World War II

Air National Guard

  • 111th Bombardment Group, 20 December 1948 – 31 October 1950
  • 112th Fighter Group, 23 April 1949 – 31 October 1950
  • 113th Fighter Group, 17 January 1947 - 31 October 1950 (District of Columbia ANG)
  • 153d Aircraft Control and Warning Group, ca. Feb 1949 - 31 October 1950
  • 211th Air Service Group, 17 Jan 1947 - 31 October 1950
  • 212th Air Service Group (Group headquarters apparently not organized, only constituent flights)
  • 213th Air Service Group, 17 Jan 1947 - 16 October 1950
  • 104th Fighter Squadron, 17 January 1947 – 31 October 1950 (Maryland ANG)
  • 142d Fighter Squadron, 17 January 1947 – 31 October 1950 (Delaware ANG)

Stations

Awards

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References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN   0-912799-02-1.

Bibliography

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates  public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/ .

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