Pacific Air Forces

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"Pacific Air Command, United States Army" redirects here. For the Pacific Air Command of 1947–1949, see Seventh Air Force.

Pacific Air Forces
Shield of Pacific Air Forces
Active31 July 1944 – present
(79 years, 8 months)
Detailed
  • 1 July 1957 – present (Pacific Air Forces)
    1 January 1947 – 1 July 1957 (as Far East Air Force)
    6 December 1945 – 1 January 1947 (as Pacific Air Command, United States Army)
    31 July 1944 – 6 December 1945 (as Far East Air Forces)
Country 
Multirole helicopter
HH-60G, UH-1N
TransportC-12J, C-17A, C-37A, C-40B, C-130H
TankerKC-135R

The Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a

Hickam AFB portion of Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii, and is one of two USAF MAJCOMs assigned outside the Continental United States, the other being the United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa
. Over the past sixty-five plus years, PACAF has been engaged in combat during the Korean and Vietnam Wars and Operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

The mission of Pacific Air Forces is to provide ready air and space power to promote U.S. interests in the Asia-Pacific region during peacetime, through crisis, and in war. PACAF organizes, trains, and equips the 45,000 Total Force personnel of the

Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard with the tools necessary to support the Commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command
. PACAF comprises three numbered Air Forces, nine main bases and nearly 375 aircraft.

The command's area of responsibility extends from the west coast of the United States to the east coast of Asia and from the Arctic to the Antarctic, more than 100,000,000 square miles (260,000,000 km2). The area is home to nearly two billion people who live in 44 countries.

History

Far East Air Forces

Not to be confused with Far East Air Force (United States), the military aviation organization of the United States Army in the Philippine Islands from 1941 to 1942.

The beginnings of PACAF can be traced back to June 1944, when

Far East Air Forces (FEAF) from his Fifth Air Force headquarters, while the Advanced Echelon became the Fifth Air Force under Major General Ennis Whitehead, Sr.[10]

The

Air Commodore Harry Cobby in October 1944,[11] and when General Douglas MacArthur became commander of all Army forces in the Pacific, the Seventh Air Force was added as well.[12]

Far East Air Forces (FEAF) was activated on 3 August 1944, at

Southwest Pacific Area.[14]

The creation of FEAF consolidated the command and control authority over

Thirteenth Air Force, Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines
were assigned to FEAF to support combat operations in the Pacific.

With the end of World War II in September 1945, the USAAF found its units deployed throughout the Pacific, from Hawaii to

Burma
. A realignment of these forces was needed by the USAAF to better organize its forces in the Pacific for peacetime. On 6 December 1945, Far East Air Forces was redesignated Pacific Air Command, United States Army (PACUSA), and its Air Forces were redeployed as follows:

  • Fifth Air Force: Assigned to Tokyo, Japan
Primary mission performing allied occupational assistance on the
Korean peninsula
.
  • Seventh Air Force: Assigned to
    Hickam Field
    , Hawaii
Returning to its prewar mission for the defense of the Hawaiian Islands, including Midway Island; the Marshall Islands and other Central Pacific islands
  • Eighth Air Force: Assigned to
    Okinawa
Defense of the Ryukyu Islands, including Iwo Jima
  • Thirteenth Air Force: Assigned to Clark Field, Philippines
Defense of the Philippines, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands
Reassigned to PACUSA 6 December 1945; provided a strategic deterrent for the entire
Western Pacific
region

With this realignment and reassignment of forces, PACUSA controlled and commanded all United States Army Air Forces in the Far East and Southwest Pacific, and all air forces were placed under one Air Force commander for the first time.[15][16][17]

In November 1945, the

1st Bombardment Division
.

The major mission of PACUSA in the postwar years (1946–1950) was occupation duty in Japan and the demilitarization of the Japanese society in conjunction with the United States Army. In addition, PACUSA helped to support atomic bomb testing in the Pacific Proving Grounds beginning with the Operation Crossroads test on Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands in 1946.

FEAF Emblem, 1954

With the impending establishment of the United States Air Force as an independent service later that year, PACUSA was redesignated Far East Air Forces (FEAF) on 1 January 1947. On that same date, Seventh Air Force in Hawaii was inactivated with its organization absorbed by HQ, FEAF.[18]

USAF established

Coinciding with the establishment of the

Republic of Korea (e.g., South Korea), along with the transfer of surplus military equipment and other aid to French Indochina as well as aid to the Nationalist Chinese during the Chinese Civil War
which resumed after the end of World War II (1945–1949).

Korean War

Further information:
USAF Units and Aircraft of the Korean War

On 25 June 1950, the armed forces of the

President Harry Truman authorized General of the Army Douglas MacArthur (commander of the US occupying forces in Japan) to commit units to the battle. MacArthur ordered General George E. Stratemeyer, CIC of FEAF, to attack attacking North Korean forces between the front lines and the 38th parallel.[19]

Order of Battle, June 1950

Despite the post-World War II demobilization of United States armed forces, the United States Air Force still had substantial forces in the Pacific to oppose the North Korean military. When the North Koreans crossed the 38th parallel on 25 June 1950, FEAF consisted of the following primary units*:[20][21][22]

At that time, the combat units of the FEAF were equipped with the

F-51D Mustang fighter aircraft transferred from USAF inventory, re-marked with ROKAF insignia, and operated in interdiction/ground attack and close air support roles.[23][24]

* Elements of the 2d and 3d Air Rescue squadrons, attached to FEAF by the

SB-17 Flying Fortresses
. The 512th and 514th Weather Reconnaissance Squadrons of the 2143d Air Weather Wing were located at Yokota Air Base, Japan, and Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. All USAF units engaged in combat during the Korean War were under the overall command of Far East Air Forces.
** The 31st Photo Reconnaissance Squadron was a
RB-29 Superfortresses
to provide FEAF Bomber Command with target and bomb-damage assessment photography.

In response to the threat posed by the introduction of Soviet-built (and often Soviet-manned)

Korean People's Air Force (KPAF), USAF F-80 and F-82 units were later re-equipped with the North American F-86 Sabre jet fighter between December 1951 and Spring 1953.[25] Eventually, these USAF F-86 units would establish a kill ratio of 10:1 versus their KPAF adversaries. During the Korean War
(1950–1953), alongside the U.S. Navy and small allied contingents, FEAF's Fifth Air Force bore the brunt of the coalition air combat operations.

Cold War

Hamilton AFB, California being prepared to load a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
being transported to Formosa, 1958.

With the 1953 Korean Armistice, the deployed SAC and TAC units to Japan and Korea were gradually withdrawn, and returned to the United States. Twentieth Air Force was inactivated on 1 March 1955, leaving FEAF with two Air Forces, the Fifth in Japan and the Thirteenth in the Philippines, although units were maintained on Guam and Okinawa.[20]

PACAF established

On 1 July 1954, Pacific Air Force was activated at

Hickam AFB, Territory of Hawaii.[20]

On 1 October 1955, the Far East Air Materiel Command was transferred from Far East Air Forces to Air Force Materiel Command.

Tensions between the

1960 American Presidential election when Richard Nixon accused John F. Kennedy of being unwilling to commit to using nuclear weapons if the People's Republic of China invaded the Nationalist outposts.[27]

By 1960, PACAF maintained a combat-ready deterrent force of some 35 squadrons, operating from 10 major bases in a half-dozen countries.[20]

Vietnam War

See also: United States Air Force in Thailand
Pacific Air Force Commander General Joseph J. Nazzaro with Seventh Air Force Commander General George S. Brown. Both Pacific Air Force and Seventh Air Force which was United States Air Force primary air component command in South Vietnam played major role in overseeing all United States Air Force operations during the Vietnam War.
F-4E of the 421st Tactical Fighter Squadron, Da Nang Air Base
Republic F-105F/G-1-RE Thunderchief, AF Ser. No. 63-8319 of Det 1, 561st Tactical Fighter (Wild Weasel) Squadron, Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base
North American F-100F-20-NA Super Sabre, AF Ser. No. 58-1213 of the 352d Fighter Squadron at Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam, 1971

In the early 1960s, communist military strength and firepower in Vietnam increased. As a result, PACAF began a buildup in the area with the addition of troops and better arms and equipment.

In response to what has become known as the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964, Tactical Air Command (TAC) pilots, navigators and support personnel found themselves deployed from the CONUS to PACAF bases such as Da Nang Air Base and Phan Rang AB in South Vietnam. Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base and Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand were also used by deployed TAC fighter squadrons.[28]

As the American effort in Southeast Asia increased, TAC permanently reassigned entire wings of aircraft from CONUS bases to PACAF and increased the number of rotated tactical fighter and reconnaissance squadrons on rotating Temporary Duty (TDY) commitments to PACAF bases in Vietnam and Thailand, along with units to South Korea, Japan and the Philippines. On a daily basis, flight crews would hurl themselves and their planes at targets across the area of operations over the skies of North and South Vietnam.[28]

At the height of the Vietnam War (1968), PACAF commanded forces at major air bases in the following countries:[29]

  • Japan (Fifth Air Force)
  • South Korea (Fifth Air Force)
  • Philippines (Thirteenth Air Force)
  • Taiwan (Thirteenth Air Force)
  • South Vietnam (Seventh Air Force)
  • Thailand (Seventh/Thirteenth Air Force)

In 1962, PACAF activated the

Thirteenth Air Force beginning in 1964, then in 1973 a joint Seventh/Thirteenth Air Force headquarters was established in Bangkok to direct PACAF forces in Thailand operating in Indochina (until 15 August 1973), and Thailand until the final USAF withdrawal from Southeast Asia in the beginning of 1976.[29][30]

Further information on the PACAF order of battle in South Vietnam: Seventh Air Force
Further information on the PACAF order of battle in Thailand:
Thirteenth Air Force

By 1970, direct PACAF involvement the war was winding down as the conflict was being increasingly turned over to the South Vietnamese under the process known as

Republic of China (Taiwan).[29]

McDonnell F-4C-23-MC Phantoms of the 44th TFS/18th TFW deployed at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base Taichung, Taiwan, 2 October 1973. Serial 64-0750 in foreground.

Post Cold War

South Korea based 51st Fighter Wing F-16Cs in flight.

The post-Vietnam era found the command focusing on improving its readiness and PACAF's organizational structure saw a marked period of rapid and extensive changes. Inactivated at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975,

United States Pacific Command
(USPACOM).

Thirteenth Air Force relocated in 1991.[20]

In 1992, changes took place in force structure within PACAF as the command assumed control of theater-based tactical airlift wings, theater C-130 aircraft and crews, and associated theater C-130 support following the disestablishment of Military Airlift Command (MAC). PACAF also gained control of all operational support aircraft and all aeromedical airlift assets in the Pacific previously under the cognizance of MAC.[20] With the concurrent disestablishment of Strategic Air Command (SAC) and Tactical Air Command (TAC) the same year, PACAF also assumed responsibility for all active KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft based in Hawaii and Japan, "gaining command" responsibility for all Air National Guard KC-135 aircraft in Hawaii and Alaska, and all E-3 AWACS aircraft in Japan and Alaska.

Throughout its history PACAF has played a vital role in world events. In addition to its key combat role in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, PACAF units fought in

Operation Iraqi Freedom.[20]

Since 1944, the command has also participated in more than 140 humanitarian operations within its area of responsibility and beyond. In these operations PACAF people quickly and efficiently airlifted food, medicine and other supplies to areas devastated by storms, floods, earthquakes, volcanoes and other natural disasters.[20]

As PACAF entered the second decade of the 21st century, expanding theatre challenges and simultaneous resource constraints have forced continuing innovation and adjustments by PACAF in order to meet mission requirements. Previously assigned four numbered air forces, PACAF downscoped to three numbered air forces in September 2012, inactivating

13th Air Force and merging its functions into PACAF. Base consolidations and infrastructure limitations have also required the Air Force and PACAF to developed increased capability while striving to remain within budgetary resource constraints. One such example has been the evaluation of alternate runway(s)/divert field(s) in the Marianas since late 2011 as a backup to Andersen AFB on Guam, a process that remains on-going as of 2014.[31][32]
In 2023, The first Royal Australian Air Force Deputy Commander took up position alongside the USAF Command Chain.

Lineage

  • Established as Far East Air Forces (Provisional) on 31 July 1944
Reestablished: Far East Air Forces on 3 August 1944
Activated on 3 August 1944
Redesignated: Pacific Air Command, United States Army, on 6 December 1945
Redesignated: Far East Air Forces on 1 January 1947
Redesignated Pacific Air Forces on 1 July 1957

Assignments

Historical Operational Components

Commands

  • Far East Air Forces Bomber Command, Provisional: 8 July 1950 – 18 June 1954
  • Far East Air Forces Combat Cargo Command, Provisional: 20 August 1950 – 25 January 1951
  • Far East (later, Pacific) Air Service Command, later Far East Air Materiel Command (from 1 January 1947) later, Far East Air Logistics Force): 18 August 1944 – 1 October 1955.[33]

Force

  • Japan Air Defense: 1 March 1952 – 1 September 1954

Air Forces

3 August 1944 – Present
14 July 1945 – 1 January 1947; 5 January 1955 – 1 July 1957; 1 April 1966 – 30 June 1975; 8 September 1986 – Present

Air Divisions

Wings

Stations

Commanders, Pacific Air Forces

No. Commander Term
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
1
Laurence S. Kuter
Kuter, Laurence S.General
Laurence S. Kuter		1 July 19571 August 19592 years, 31 days
2
Emmett O'Donnell Jr.
O'Donnell, Emmett Jr.General
Emmett O'Donnell Jr.		1 August 19591 August 19634 years
3
Jacob E. Smart
Smart, Jacob E.General
Jacob E. Smart		1 August 19631 August 19641 years
4
Hunter Harris Jr.
Harris, Hunter Jr.General
Hunter Harris Jr.		1 August 19641 February 19672 years, 184 days
5
John D. Ryan
Ryan, John D.General
John D. Ryan		1 February 19671 August 19681 year, 182 days
6
Joseph J. Nazzaro
Nazzaro, Joseph J.General
Joseph J. Nazzaro		1 August 19681 August 19713 years
7
Lucius D. Clay Jr.
Clay, Lucius D. Jr.General
Lucius D. Clay Jr.		1 August 19711 October 19732 years, 61 days
8
John W. Vogt Jr.
Vogt, John W. Jr.General
John W. Vogt Jr.		1 October 19731 July 1974273 days
9
Louis L. Wilson Jr.
Wilson, Louis L. Jr.General
Louis L. Wilson Jr.		1 July 19743 June 19773 years, 2 days
10
James A. Hill
Hill, James A.Lieutenant General
James A. Hill		3 June 197715 June 1978347 days
11
James D. Hughes
Hughes, James D.Lieutenant General
James D. Hughes		15 June 19788 June 19812 years, 358 days
12
Arnold W. Braswell
Braswell, Arnold W.Lieutenant General
Arnold W. Braswell		8 June 19818 October 19832 years, 122 days
13
Jerome F. O'Malley
O'Malley, Jerome F.General
Jerome F. O'Malley		8 October 198325 September 1984353 days
14
Robert W. Bazley
Bazley, Robert W.General
Robert W. Bazley		25 September 198416 December 19862 years, 82 days
15
Jack I. Gregory
Gregory, Jack I.General
Jack I. Gregory		16 December 198622 July 19881 year, 219 days
16
Merrill McPeak
McPeak, MerillGeneral
Merrill McPeak		22 July 19885 November 19902 years, 106 days
17
Jimmie V. Adams
Adams, Jimmie V.General
Jimmie V. Adams		19 February 199122 January 19931 year, 338 days
18
Robert L. Rutherford
Rutherford, Robert L.General
Robert L. Rutherford		22 January 199312 October 19941 year, 263 days
19
John G. Lorber
Lorber, John G.General
John G. Lorber		12 October 19947 July 19972 years, 268 days
20
Richard B. Myers
Myers, Richard B.General
Richard B. Myers		7 July 199723 July 19981 year, 16 days
21
Patrick K. Gamble
Gamble, Patrick K.General
Patrick K. Gamble		23 July 19989 April 20012 years, 260 days
—
Lansford E. Trapp
Trapp, Lansford E.Lieutenant General
Lansford E. Trapp
Acting		9 April 20014 May 200125 days
22
William J. Begert
Begert, William J.General
William J. Begert		4 May 20012 July 20043 years, 59 days
23
Paul V. Hester
Hester, Paul V.General
Paul V. Hester		2 July 200430 November 20073 years, 151 days
24
Carrol Chandler
Chandler, CarrolGeneral
Carrol Chandler		30 November 200719 August 20091 year, 262 days
25
Gary L. North
North, Gary L.General
Gary L. North		19 August 20093 August 20122 years, 350 days
26
Herbert J. Carlisle
Carlisle, Herbert J.General
Herbert J. Carlisle		3 August 201216 October 20142 years, 74 days
27
Lori Robinson
Robinson, Lori J.General
Lori Robinson		16 October 201411 May 20161 year, 270 days
–
Russell J. Handy[34]
Martinez, Jerry. P.Lieutenant General
Russell J. Handy[34]
Acting		11 May 201612 July 201662 days
28
Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy
O'Shaughnessy, Terrence J.General
Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy		12 July 201624 May 20182 years, 14 days
–
Jerry P. Martinez
Martinez, Jerry. P.Lieutenant General
Jerry P. Martinez
Acting		24 May 201826 July 201863 days
29
Charles Q. Brown Jr.
Brown, Charles Q. Jr.General
Charles Q. Brown Jr.		26 July 20188 July 20201 year, 348 days
30
Kenneth S. Wilsbach
Wilsbach, Kenneth S.General
Kenneth S. Wilsbach		8 July 20209 February 20243 years, 216 days
31
Kevin B. Schneider
9 February 2024Incumbent69 days

Component units

Pacific Air Forces comprises the following wings and major units.[35][36]

Fifth Air Force

A F-15C Eagle is refueled by a KC-135R Stratotanker, both aircraft are from the 18th Wing based at Kadena Air Base, Japan.
A F-15C Eagle is refueled by a KC-135R Stratotanker, both aircraft are from the 18th Wing based at Kadena Air Base, Japan.

The Fifth Air Force is responsible for USAF operations in Japan. Its role is to defend Japan, respond to regional events, and enhance the U.S. and Japan Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement alliance between the U.S. and Japan.[37]

Permanent units

Seventh Air Force (Air Forces Korea)

The Seventh Air Force contributes to maintaining the armistice between South Korea and North Korea.[38]

Permanent units

Eleventh Air Force

A F-22A Raptor of the 3rd Wing taking off from Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam.
A F-22A Raptor of the 3rd Wing taking off from Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam.

The Eleventh Air Force is responsible for USAF operations across the Pacific, including the states of Alaska and Hawaii and the US territory of Guam.[39]

Permanent units

Expeditionary units

Air Force Reserve

HH-60G Pave Hawk of the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Wing is refuelled in-flight.
HH-60G Pave Hawk of the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Wing is refuelled in-flight.

Pacific Air Forces has operational "gaining command" responsibility for several Air Reserve Component (ARC) units, comprising personnel and aircraft from Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) and the Air National Guard (ANG).

Air Force Reserve Command

Alaska Air National Guard

Guam Air National Guard

  • 254th Air Base Group (Andersen AFB)

Hawaii Air National Guard

  • 109th Air Operations Group (Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam)
  • 154th Wing (Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam) – C-17A Globemaster III, F-22A Raptor and KC-135R Stratotanker
  • 201st Air Operations Group (Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam)
  • 298th Air Defense Group (Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii)

Missouri Air National Guard

Other units

  • USAF Band of the Pacific – Asia (Yokota Air Base)
  • USAF Band of the Pacific – Hawaii (Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c "Pacific Air Forces (USAF) > Air Force Historical Research Agency > Display".
  2. ^ "Pacific Air Forces > Pacific Air Forces > Display".
  3. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ "Leadership".
  5. ^ "Leadership".
  6. ^ "Leadership".
  7. ^ "AIR VICE-MARSHAL CARL NEWMAN".
  8. ^ "Leadership".
  9. ^ "GENERAL GEORGE CHURCHILL KENNEY > Air Force > Biography Display".
  10. ^ Griffith 1998, pp. 174–175.
  11. ^ Stephens 2001, pp. 168–170.
  12. ^ Kenney 1949, pp. 537–538.
  13. Battle of the Philippines (1941–42) and the surviving personnel and aircraft were later reorganized in Australia as the U.S. Fifth Air Force
    .
  14. ^ Globalsecurity.org, PACAF History Fact Sheet
  15. ^ "Chronology of the Occupation".
  16. ^ "HyperWar: Army Air Forces in WWII: Volume VII: Services Around the World [Chapter 17]". ibiblio.org.
  17. ^ "USAF Historical Research Agency". Archived from the original on 24 October 2008.
  18. ^ "PACAF page, AFHRA". Archived from the original on 24 October 2008.
  19. ^ American Caesar, Douglas MacArthur 1880–1964, William Manchester, Little, Brown, 1978.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h Air Force Historical Research Agency PACAF History Factsheet Archived 24 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ Final Cut: The Postwar B-17 Flying Fortress: The Survivors, Scott A. Thompson, Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, 1993.
  22. ISBN 0-912799-12-9
  23. ^ Dean Hess
  24. ^ Bout One
  25. ^ "Korean Service 1950-1954". afhra.maxwell.af.mil. Archived from the original on 23 December 2007. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  26. ^ "Second Taiwan Strait Crisis". www.globalsecurity.org.
  27. ^ 1960 Presidential Debates @ CNN.com Archived 13 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  28. ^
    ISBN 1-59114-933-9
    .
  29. ^ a b c Schlight, John (1996) A War Too Long: The History of the USAF in Southeast Asia, 1961–1975, Office of Air Force History, United States Air Force
  30. ISBN 0-7864-0084-6
    .
  31. ^ Kelman, Brett. "AF seeks backup runway in western Pacific." Pacific Daily News, 11 October 2011.
  32. ^ http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/71785-air-force-still-mulls-saipan-tinian-alternatives [dead link]
  33. ^ See lineage and honors at https://ww35.usafunithistory.com/PDF/A-E/AIR%20MATERIAL%20FORCE,%20PACIFIC%20AREA.pdf.
  34. ^ "O'Shaughnessy Assumes Command of Pacific Air Forces > U.S. Indo-Pacific Command > 2015".
  35. ^ "PACAF Units". Pacific Air Forces. US Air Force. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  36. ^ Kaminski, Tom (2020). "Air Power Review". United States Air Force – Air Power Yearbook 2020. Key Publishing. pp. 78, 79, 83, 86, 88–91, 92.
  37. ^ "About Us". Fifth Air Force. US Air Force. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  38. ^ "Units". Seventh Air Force. US Air Force. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  39. ^ "Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson > Units > Air Force". jber.jb.mil. Retrieved 25 April 2020.

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

External links

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