312th Aeronautical Systems Group

312th Aeronautical Systems Wing
Emblem of the 312th Tactical Fighter Wing
Active	28 January 1942 — present
Country	United States
Branch	Air Force
Type	Aeronautical Systems
Part of	Air Force Material Command
Garrison/HQ	Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

The 312th Aeronautical Systems Wing (312 ASW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

Mission

The 312th Aeronautical Systems Wing has responsibility for program execution to develop, acquire, field and modernize capabilities; and support for life-cycle management of the Fighter Attack portfolio for the United States and coalition partners.

Wing responsibilities also include identifying, coordinating and implementing horizontal integration/capability planning across weapons systems in support of the Global Strike and Global Persistent Attack concept of operations.

History

Lineage

• Constituted as 312th Bombardment Group (Light) on 28 Jan 1942

Activated on 15 Mar 1942

Redesignated 312th Bombardment Group (Dive) in Jul 1942

Inactivated on 6 Jan 1946

• Redesignated 312th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) and activated on 30 Jul 1947

Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949

• Established as 312 Fighter-Bomber Wing on 23 Mar 1953

312th Fighter-Bomber Wing assigned as subordinate unit to wing

Activated on 1 Oct 1954

Redesignated 312 Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 Jul 1958

Inactivated on 18 Feb 1959

• Consolidated (23 Jun 2006) with Fighter Attack Systems Wing which was established on 23 Nov 2004

Activated on 18 Jan 2005

Redesignated 312 Aeronautical Systems Wing on 14 Jun 2006.

Assignments

• First Air Force

I Bombardment Command, 15 Mar 1942 - 20 Feb 1943

• Fourth Air Force

IV Bombardment Command, 13 Apr - 24 Aug 1943

• Fifth Air Force, 1 Jan 1944 - 13 Dec 1945
• Continental Air Command

Fourth Air Force, 30 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949

• Tactical Air Command

Ninth Air Force, 1 Oct 1954

Eighteenth Air Force, 1 Oct 1957

832d Air Division, 8 Oct 1957-18 Feb 1959

• Air Force Material Command

Aeronautical Systems Center, 18 Jan 2005-.

Stations

• Bowman Field, Kentucky (1942)
• Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma (1942)
• Hunter Field, Georgia (1942 – 1943)
• DeRidder Army Airfield, Louisiana (1943)
• Rice Army Airfield, California (1943)
• Salinas Army Airfield, California (1943)
• Brisbane, Australia (1943)
• New Guinea (1943 – 1944)

• Tanauan, Layte (1944 – 1945)
• Luzon (1945)
• Yontan Air Drome, Okinawa (1945 – 1946)
• Vancouver Barracks, Washington (1946 – 1947)
• Ellington Air Force Base, Texas (1947 – 1949)
• Clovis Air Force Base, New Mexico (1954 – 1959)
• Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio (2005 – Present)

Aircraft Assigned

• V-72 (1942 – 1943)
• A-24 Banshee (1942 – 1943)
• A-36 Apache (1943)
• P-40 Warhawk (1943 – 1944)
• A-20 Havoc (1944 – 1945)
• B-32 Dominator (1945)
• F-86 Sabre (1954 – 1957)
• F-100 Super Sabre (1956 – 1959)

Components

Groups

• 312 Fighter-Bomber: 1 Oct 1954-8 Oct 1957
• 474 Fighter-Bomber: attached 22 Dec 1954-8 Oct 1957.

Squadrons

• 386 Bombardment (later Fighter-Bomber, later Tactical Fighter)

1942-1945; 1947-1949; 8 Oct 1957-18 Feb 1959 (detached 12 Nov-6 Dec 1957)

• 387 Bombardment (later Fighter-Bomber, later Tactical Fighter)

1942-1945; 1947-1949; 8 Oct 1957-18 Feb 1959

• 388 Bombardment (later Fighter-Bomber, later Tactical Fighter)

1942-1945; 1947-1949; 8 Oct 1957-18 Feb 1959 (detached 8 Sep-11 Dec 1958)

• 398th Fighter

1942-1945; 1947-1949;

• 477 Fighter-Bomber (later, Tactical Fighter): 8 Oct 1957-18 Feb 1959.

Operational History

World War II

Constituted as 312th Bombardment Group (Light) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 15 Mar 1942. Redesignated 312th Bombardment Group (Dive) in Jul 1942. Trained with A-3, A-31, A-36, and P-40 aircraft.

Moved to the Southwest Pacific, Oct-Dec 1943, and assigned to Fifth AF. Redesignated 312th Bombardment Group (Light) in Dec 1943. It began operations in New Guinea, flying patrol and escort missions. Following its conversion to light bombers, the group attacked airfields, troop concentrations, gun positions, bridges, and warehouses on the northern and western coasts of New Guinea. It moved to the Philippines in November 1944 and provided support for ground troops and struck airfields and transportation facilities.

The 312th received a Distinguished Unit Citation for actions against Japanese butanol plants in Formosa, 25 March-4 April 1945.

Began transition to B-32 Dominator and made test flights over Luzon and Formosa in Jun 1945. Redesignated 312th Bombardment Group (Heavy) in Jul 1945. Moved to Okinawa in Aug 1945

Sailed for the US in Dec. Inactivated on 6 Jan 1946.

Cold War

The 312th trained in the reserve from, 1947, being redesignated as the 312th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy), and equipped with B-29 Superfortresses. It was deactivated in 1949.

It was reactivated in 1954 and trained to maintain proficiency in fighter-bomber operations with conventional weapons to September 1955, then switched to training to maintain combat proficiency with atomic weapons. From April 1956-October 1957, the wing rotated tactical squadrons to France, six months at a time. The wing also furnished units to Tactical Air Command composite strike forces in the Far East from, 1957-1958. The 312th was replaced by 27th Tactical Fighter Wing in February 1959 and was again deactivated.

References

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

External links

• 312th Aeronautical Systems Wing