63rd Fighter Wing: Difference between revisions

63d Fighter Wing
63d Fighter Wing
	111th Fighter Squadron, F-51D Mustang 44-73656, Ellington Field, Houston, Texas, 1948
Active	1942–1945; 1946-1950
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Wing
Role	Command and Control
Part of	Texas Air National Guard
Engagements	World War II

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Revision as of 17:40, 11 December 2012

The 63d Fighter Wing (63 FW) is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force, last stationed at Ellington Field, Houston, Texas. It was withdrawn from the Texas Air National Guard (TX ANG) and inactivated on 11 October 1950.

This wing is not related to the 63d Troop Carrier Wing, Medium, or subsequent units that was constituted on 10 May 1949 and activated on 27 June 1949.

History

World War II

Organized as a command and control organization for Twelfth Air Force. Deployed to Algeria in January 1943 and initially was used to organize air defense units. Transferred to XII Fighter Command and controlled fighter groups engaged in escort, patrol, strafing, and reconnaissance missions against enemy forces in North Africa. Later moved to Italy and participated in Italian Campaign, also in Rhone Valley Campaign in Southern France; Western Allied Invasion of Germany in the spring of 1945. Inactivated in November 1945.

Air National Guard

Allocated to the Texas Air National Guard for command and control origination for units in the South Central region of the United States. Extended federal recognition and activated on 24 May 1946.

At the end of October 1950, the Air National Guard converted to the wing-base (Hobson Plan) organization. As a result, the wing was withdrawn from the Texas ANG and was inactivated on 31 October 1950. Assigned units were federalized as a result of the Korean War and assigned to USAF Major Commands,

Lineage

Constituted as 2d Air Defense Wing on 12 December 1942 and activated the same day.

Re-designated 63d Fighter Wing in July 1943

Inactivated on 11 December 1945.

Allotted to the Texas ANG on 24 May 1946

Extended federal recognition and activated on 23 May 1949

Inactivated, and returned to the control of the Department of the Air Force, on 31 October 1950

Disbanded on 15 June 1983

Assignments

First Air Force, 12 December 1942
XXII Tactical Air Command, 27 January 1943
XII Tactical Air Command, 7 April 1945
Army Service Forces, December 1945.
Texas Air National Guard, 23 May 1949-31 October 1950

Components

World War II

52d Fighter Group: 16 November 1943 – 1 May 1944
350th Fighter Group: 6 January 1943 – 14 July 1945

Texas Air National Guard

136th Fighter Group, 27 January 1947-10 October 1950
137th Fighter Group, 18 December 1947-26 October 1950 (Oklahoma ANG)

Stations

Mitchel Field, New York, 12 December 1942 – 13 January 1943
Oran Es Sénia Airport, Algeria, 27 January 1943
Maison Blanche Airport, Algiers, Algeria, c. May 1943
Rerhaia Airfield, Algeria, 8 August 1943
Bastia, Corsica, c. October 1943
San Pietro a Patierno (Naples), Italy, c. 15 October 1944

Vittel, France, 22 November 1944
Heidelberg, Germany, c. 7 April 1945
Schwäbisch Hall, Germany, 14 June 1945
Darmstadt, Germany, 17 July 1945-unkn
Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, December-11 December 1945.
Ellington Field, Texas, 23 May 1949-31 October 1950

References

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

Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.

External links

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 {{Infobox military unit
 |unit_name=  63d Fighter Wing
+|image= [[File:111th Fighter Squadron - North American F-51D-25-NA Mustang 44-73656.jpg|300px]]
-|image=
+|caption= [[111th Fighter Squadron]], F-51D Mustang 44-73656, Ellington Field, Houston, Texas, 1948
-|caption=
 |dates= 1942–1945; 1946-1950
 |country={{flag|United States|23px}}
@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 ==History==
+===World War II===
-Operated with Twelfth Air Force in North Africa and MTO until November 1944 when the wing moved to the European theater and lost its combat elements.
+Organized as a command and control organization for Twelfth Air Force. Deployed to Algeria in January 1943 and initially was used to organize air defense units. Transferred to XII Fighter Command and controlled fighter groups engaged in escort, patrol, strafing, and reconnaissance missions against enemy forces in North Africa.  Later moved to Italy and participated in Italian Campaign, also in Rhone Valley Campaign in Southern France; Western Allied Invasion of Germany in the spring of 1945.  Inactivated in November 1945.
+===Air National Guard===
-Texas Air National Guard command and control organization of several RADAR units. Activated during Korean War and units reassigned to active duty forces in Far East Air Forces. Inactivated as paper unit on 11 October 1950.
+Allocated to the [[Texas Air National Guard]] for command and control origination for units in the South Central region of the United States.  Extended federal recognition and activated on 24 May 1946.
+At the end of October 1950, the Air National Guard converted to the wing-base (Hobson Plan) organization. As a result, the wing was withdrawn from the Texas ANG and was inactivated on 31 October 1950.  Assigned units were federalized as a result of the [[Korean War]] and assigned to USAF Major Commands,
 ===Lineage===
@@ Line 61: / Line 65: @@
 ====Texas Air National Guard====
 * [[136th Fighter Group]], 27 January 1947-10 October 1950
-* [[137th Fighter Group]], 18 December 1947-26 October 1950
+* [[137th Fighter Group]], 18 December 1947-26 October 1950 (Oklahoma ANG)
 ===Stations===