53rd Wing
53rd Wing | |
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Organizational Excellence Award | |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Colonel Matthew Bradley |
Notable commanders | Paul V. Hester Ronald Keys |
Insignia | |
53d Wing emblem[note 2][1] |
The 53rd Wing is a
The 53d Wing serves as the focal point for the combat air forces in
Units
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History
World War II
The group was activated in 1941 as the 53d Pursuit Group with the
The AAF found that standard military units, based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were proving less well adapted to the training mission. Accordingly, a more functional system was adopted in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit.[10] The group was disbanded in as a result of this reorganization in 1944[1] and its personnel, equipment and mission were assumed by the 338th AAF Base Unit (Replacement Training Unit, Fighter).[11]
Cold War Air Defense
The group was reconstituted, redesignated as the 53d Fighter Group (Air Defense) and activated
Test and Evaluation
The USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center was activated in 1963 to improve use of USAF tactical aviation in support of ground forces by operationally testing weapon systems and
In 2021 on the activation of the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing, the 53rd Electronic Warfare Group was inactivated, broken up, and its units transferred to the new wing.
Lineage
Group
- Constituted as the 53d Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940
- Activated on 15 January 1941
- Redesignated as the 53d Fighter Group on 15 May 1942
- Disbanded on 1 May 1944
- Reconstituted and redesignated as the 53d Fighter Group (Air Defense), on 20 June 1955
- Activated on 18 August 1955
- Discontinued on 1 April 1960
- Redesignated as the 53d Tactical Fighter Group on 31 July 31, 1985
- Consolidated with the USAF Air Warfare Center on 25 September 1995 (consolidated unit designated the USAF Air Warfare Center)[1]
Center
- Designated and organized as the USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center on 1 November 1963
- Redesignated as the USAF Air Warfare Center on 1 October 1991
- Consolidated with the 53d Tactical Fighter Group on 25 September 1995[1]
Consolidated Wing
- Redesignated as the 53d Wing on 1 October 1995[1]
Assignments
- 22d Pursuit Wing, 15 January 1941
- 3d Interceptor (later III Fighter) Command, 2 October 1941
- Caribbean (later, Sixth) Air Force, 1 January 1942
- 26th Interceptor (later, 26th Fighter, XXVI Fighter) Command, 6 March 1942
- III Fighter Command, 26 November 1942 – 1 May 1944
- 31st Air Division, 18 August 1955
- 20th Air Division, 1 March 1956
- Kansas City Air Defense Sector, 1 January 1960 – 1 April 1960
- Tactical Air Command, 1 November 1963
- Air Combat Command, 1 June 1992
- United States Air Force Warfare Center, 1 October 1985 – present[1]
Stations
- MacDill Field, Florida, 15 January 1941
- Dale Mabry Field, Tallahassee, Florida, 8 May 1941 – 8 December 1941
- Howard Field, Panama Canal Zone, 1 January 1942 – 10 November 1942
- Dale Mabry Field, Florida, 26 November 1942
- Drew Field, Tampa, Florida, 7 January 1943
- Fort Myers Army Air Field (later Page Field, Florida, 6 February 1943 – 1 May 1944
- Sioux City Municipal Airport, Iowa, 18 August 1955 – 1 April 1960)
- Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, 1 November 1963 – present[1]
Components
Wing
- 4485th Test Wing: 16 March 1964 – 30 June 1965
Groups
- 57th Test Group (later 53d Test Management): 1 November 1991 – 1 August 1997, 1 October 2002 – 1 October 2021[2]
- 68th Electronic Combat Group (later 53d Electronic Warfare): 15 April 1993 - 25 June 2021
- 475th Weapons Evaluation Group (later 53d Weapons Evaluation): 23 January 1991 – present
- 753d Test and Evaluation Group: 1 October 2021 – present[2]
- 4441st Tactical Training Group (Blue Flag) (later 41st Training Group): 1 March 1977 – 15 April 1993
- 4442d Tactical Control Group (later 505th Air Control, 505th Command and Control Evaluation): 1 March 1980 – 1 October 1997
- 4443d Test and Evaluation Group (later 79th Test and Evaluation, 53d Test and Evaluation): 1 July 1988 – present[1]
Squadrons
- Fighter Squadrons
- 13th Pursuit Squadron (later 13th Fighter Squadron, 13th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron): 15 January 1941 – 1 May 1944; 18 August 1955 – 1 July 1957.
- 14th Pursuit Squadron (later 14th Fighter Squadron, 14th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron): 15 January 1941 – 1 May 1944; 18 August 1955 – 1 April 1960.
- 15th Pursuit Squadron (later 15th Fighter Squadron): 15 January 1941 – 1 May 1944
- 438th Fighter Squadron: 20 February 1943 – 1 May 1944[1]
- Test Squadrons
- 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron: 1 June 1992 – 15 April 1993
- 49th Test Squadron: 1 June 1992 – 15 April 1993
- 513th Test Squadron: 1 June 1992 – 15 April 1993
- 727th Tactical Control Squadron (Test): 1 October 1979 – 1 March 1980
- 3907th Systems Evaluation Squadron: 1 June 1992 – 15 April 1993
- 4484th Fighter Weapons Squadron: 1 October 1978 – 1 June 1984
- 4484th Test Squadron: 15 October 1983 – 1 August 1988
- 4485th Test Squadron: 12 April 1971 – 1 August 1988
- 4486th Fighter Weapons Squadron: 1 October 1985 – 1 August 1988, later 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron
- 4487th Electronic Warfare Aggressor (later 87th Electronic Warfare Aggressor) Squadron: 1 October 1990 – 15 April 1993[1]
Flight
- 15th Test Flight: 1 March 2016 – 1 October 2021[19]
Support Units
- 53d USAF Infirmary[15] (later 53d USAF Dispensary),[16] 18 August 1955 – 1 April 1960
- 53d Air Base Squadron, 18 August 1955 – 1 April 1960
- 53d Materiel Squadron, 18 August 1955 – 1 April 1960[18]
- 53d Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 8 July 1957 – 1 May 1959[17]
Aircraft flown
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F-86 Sabre (1955–1959)
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Awards and campaigns
Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
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Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
1 June 1998 – 31 May 2000 | 53d Wing[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 2002 – 31 May 2004 | 53d Wing[1] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 2004 – 31 May 2006 | 53d Wing[1] | |
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award |
1 January 1981 – 1 January 1983 | 53d Wing[1] | |
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award | 28 February 1984 – 28 February 1986 | USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center[1] | |
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award | 1 March 1986 – 28 February 1988 | USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center[1] | |
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award | 1 January 1989 – 31 December 1990 | USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center[1] | |
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award | 1 January 1992 – 31 December 1993 | USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center[1] | |
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award | 1 January 1994 – 30 April 1995 | USAF Air Warfare Center[1] |
Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
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Antisubmarine | 7 December 1941 – 10 November 1942 | 53d Pursuit Group (later 53d Fighter Group)[1] |
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af Robertson, Patsy (24 February 2009). "Factsheet 53 Wing (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
- ^ a b c Bray, Capt Savannah (1 October 2021). "53d Test Management Group now the 753d Test and Evaluation Group". 53rd Wing public Affairs. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
- ^ a b Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 73
- ^ a b Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 78
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 83–84
- ^ a b c Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 115–116
- ^ a b c "Abstract, History 53 Fighter Group 1941-1944". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
- ^ Craven & Cate, Vol. VI, p. xxxvi
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 543
- ^ Craven & Cate, p. 75
- ^ "Abstract, History Sections T and O 338 AAF Base Unit (Replacement Training Unit, Fighter)". Air Force History Index. 1 May 1944. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
- ^ Cornett & Johnson, p. 82
- ^ Buss (ed), Sturm, Volan & McMullen, p. 6
- ^ a b Cornett & Johnson, p. 114
- ^ a b See "Abstract, History 53 Infirmary Jul-Dec 1956". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
- ^ a b "Abstract, History 53 Infirmary Jul-Dec 1959". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
- ^ a b Cornett & Johnson, p. 136
- ^ a b Cornett & Johnson, p. 145
- ^ Lahue, Melissa (14 December 2021). "Factsheet 15 Test and Evaluation Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- 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.
- Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2006. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
- Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L, eds. (1955). The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48003657.
- Hagendorn, Dan (1995). Alae Supra Canalem: Wings Over the Canal. ingram Publishing Services. ISBN 978-1563111532.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. LCCN 61060979.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. OCLC 72556.
- Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.