306th Flying Training Group
Encyclopedia
The 306th Flying Training Group (306 FTG) is a unit of the United States Air Force
, assigned to the Air Education and Training Command
's Nineteenth Air Force
(19 AF). It is stationed at the United States Air Force Academy
Airfield on the USAFA campus in Colorado Springs, Colorado
.
The 306 FTG is the airmanship training unit of the United States Air Force Academy
(USAFA), having replaced the 34th Operations Group in 2004. Its mission is to establish the Airmanship foundation of tomorrows leaders.
Our vision is to provide the world's premier flying and parachuting experience to develop tomorrow's Airmen. The designation "306th" was deliberately selected by the historian of the Air Education and Training Command
(AETC) to connect the training mission of the current Group with its relationship to the book and movie "Twelve O'Clock High
".
During World War II, the group's predecessor unit, the 306th Bombardment Group was the first operational bombardment group in the VIII Bomber Command
. It was stationed at RAF Thurleigh
, England from 6 September 1942 until 25 December 1945, the longest tenure at one station for any one Eighth Air Force group.
Staff Sergeant Maynard H. Smith
of the 423d Bomb Squadron was awarded the Medal of Honor
for his actions that helped save the lives of six of his wounded comrades on 1 May 1943.
The 306th was the first Eighth Air Force
heavy bombardment group to complete 300 missions over Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany
and also was the first USAAF heavy bomb group to attack a strategic target located in Nazi Germany when the group attacked Wilhelmshaven
led by Colonel Frank A. Armstrong
on 27 January 1943. Colonel Armstrong's experiences with the 97th and 306th groups became the basis of Sy Bartlett
and Beirne Lay, Jr.
's novel and film Twelve O'Clock High
.
Activated 1 March 1942 at Salt Lake City Army Air Base, Utah. Personnel moved to Wendover Army Air Field
, Utah on 6 April 1942 and began flying training, where it trained for bombardment operations using 40 B-17E aircraft. Group left Wendover 1 August 1942 to began movement to the United Kingdom. The Ground unit first moved to Richmond AAB, Virginia and remained a week before leaving for Fort Dix, New Jersey. On the 13 August 1942, the Group's personnel sailed on the RMS Queen Elizabeth
on 30 August 1942 and arrived 5 September 1942 at Greenock, Scotland. The aircraft flew from Wendover to Westover Field, Massachusetts on 2 August 1942. The remainder of the Group departed for the United Kingdom on 1 September 1942 via Gander-Prestwick ferry route.
Based at RAF Thurleigh
, Bedfordshire, in south-central England, as part of the Eighth Air Force
, the 306th was the longest continuously-serving bomb group of the Eighth Air Force during World War II, and led the first mission against a target in Germany. The novel and film Twelve O'Clock High
were based in large part on incidents occurring in the group in 1942 and 1943.
Between October 1942 and April 1945, the Group bombed a variety of enemy targets in Europe, including railroad facilities and submarine pens in France and ball-bearing works, oil plants, marshaling yards, chemical plants, aircraft factories, and foundries in Germany. Took part in the first penetration into Germany by heavy bombers of the Eighth Air Force on 27 January 1943 by attacking the U-boat
yards at Wilhelmshaven
.
Sergent Maynard Harrison Smith
received the Medal of Honor
for his actions on 1 May 1943. When the aircraft on which he was a gunner was hit by the enemy and set on fire, the sergeant threw explosive ammunition overboard, manned a gun until the German fighters were driven off, administered first aid to the wounded tail gunner, and extinguished the fire.
Without fighter escort and in the face of powerful opposition, the group completed an assault against aircraft factories in central Germany on 11 January 1944, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for the mission. The group participated in the Big Week
intensive campaign against the German aircraft industry, 20–25 February 1944. The group earned another DUC for effectively bombing an aircraft assembly plant at Bernberg, Gummersbach
, Germany on 22 February, even though escort fighter
s had abandoned the mission because of weather. Often supported ground forces and attacked interdictory targets in addition to its strategic operations. Hit airfields and marshaling yards in France, Belgium
, and Germany in preparation for Normandy
. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, the unit raided railroad bridges and coastal guns in support of the assault. Assisted ground forces during the Saint-Lô
breakthrough in July, then participated in the airborne portion of Operation Market Garden
, the invasion of Holland in September. During the Battle of the Bulge
, December 1944 – January 1945, the 306th attacked airfields and marshaling yards to help stop the German advance. Bombed enemy positions in support of the airborne assault across the Rhine River in March 1945, the Operation Varsity
portion of the Western Allied invasion of Germany.
Selected for duty with occupational air forces in Germany. The unit engaged in "Casey Jones" mapping photography project. Group then moved to Giebelstadt, Germany on 1 December 1945, and on 28 February 1946 to Istres, France, where it absorbed the remnants of the 92nd and 384th Bomb Groups. In August 1946 the unit re-established in Germany at Furstenfeldbruck and in September 1946 located at Lechfeld. The unit inactivated on 25 December 1946, although the group had virtually ceased to exist as flying unit in the late summer of that year. Inactivated December 1946, the group received the Distinguished Unit Citation
with one Oak Leaf Cluster
and six campaign stars
.
(SAC) B-29 Superfortress
Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, then redesignated in 1948 as a Medium Bombardment Group. The group trained in the United States for strategic bombardment operations.
Deliveries of the new Boeing B-47A Stratojet to the USAF began in December 1950, and the aircraft entered service in May 1951 with the redesignated 306th Bombardment Wing (306 BMW) at MacDill AFB, Florida. The 306th was intended to act as a training organization in order to prepare future B-47 crews and the 306th's B-47As were primarily training aircraft and not considered as being combat ready; none of the B-47As ever saw any operational duty.
On 19 November 1951, the 306 BMW received its first operational Boeing B-47B and christened it "The Real McCoy" in honor of Colonel Michael N. W. McCoy, the 306th's wing commander, who flew it from the Boeing Wichita plant to MacDill AFB. During 1952, the 306th developed combat procedures and techniques for the new bomber and the wing soon emerged as a leader in jet bombardment tactics and strategies. The first Boeing KC-97E Stratotanker air refueling aircraft assigned to Strategic Air Command was delivered to the 306th Air Refueling Squadron at MacDill AFB on 14 July 1951 and inflight refueling operations started in May 1952, with KC-97s refueling B-47s on operational training missions leading toward combat ready status.
The 306th Bomb Group was officially inactivated on 16 June 1952 when its operational squadrons were reassigned to the 306th Bombardment Wing (306 BW) as part of the tri-deputate reorganization. At this point, the heraldry of the 306th was passed from the group organization to the wing organization.
The 306 BW figured prominently in the 1955 Paramount Pictures
film, Strategic Air Command
starring James Stewart
and June Allyson
. The film was made with the full cooperation of the Air Force, with significant filming occurring at MacDill AFB utilizing B-47 aircraft of both the 306th Bombardment Wing and the collocated 305th Bombardment Wing
. In the film's plot Stewart's character is assigned to fly B-47s as a vice wing commander at MacDill.
The 306th Bombardment Wing continued to operate from MacDill AFB until 31 March 1963. On 1 April 1963, the 306th Bombardment Wing moved without personnel or equipment from MacDill AFB to McCoy AFB, Florida and converted to the B-52D Stratofortress
and KC-135A Stratotanker
aircraft. The assets of the former 4047th Strategic Wing at McCoy AFB were then absorbed by the 306th Bombardment Wing.
In 1966, the 306 BW began preparing and training for deployment to the Western Pacific in support of Projects Arc Light & Young Tiger. In September 1966, the wing deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam and Kadena Air Base
, Okinawa. Its mission while in the Western Pacific was to "...Conduct bombing raids in support of US and allied ground forces fighting in the Vietnamese War." Later, the wing also operated from U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield
, Thailand as U.S. forces built up in the Vietnam theater. The 919th Air Refueling Squadron (919 ARS) was assigned to McCoy in March 1967.
When not forward deployed for operations over Vietnam, the 306th continued to operate out of McCoy AFB for both training evolutions and in its stateside strategic nuclear alert role. In January 1968, the 306 BW received another Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for this "double-duty" for combat operations in Southeast Asia while maintaining an alert status for SAC.
In 1972, the 306 BW was part of the heavy bombing raids Linebacker I and Linebacker II over North Vietnam. The 306 BW returned to McCoy AFB from its final Southeast Asia deployment in early 1973 after the Paris Peace Accords ended American involvement in the conflict. From 1971 through 1973, other training activities at McCoy AFB included KC-135Q instruction by the 306th Air Refueling Squadron (306 ARS) and KC-135A instruction by the 32nd Air Refueling Squadron (32 ARS). Whereas KC-135A aircraft typically carried JP-4
jet fuel, KC-135Q aircraft were specifically modified and equipped to offload JP-7
fuel and supported worldwide in-flight refueling requirements for USAF U-2
and SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft.
On 31 March 1972, a 306th Bombardment Wing B-52D Stratofortress, AF Serial Number 56-0625, sustained multiple engine failures and an engine pod fire shortly after takeoff from McCoy AFB on a routine training mission. The aircraft was not carrying any weapons. The aircraft immediately attempted to return to the base, but crashed just short of Runway 18R in a civilian residential area of Orlando
, Florida immediately north of the airfield, destroying or damaging eight homes. The crew of 7 airmen and 1 civilian on the ground were killed.
In May 1973 it was announced that the 306th Bombardment Wing would be deactivated and McCoy AFB closed no later than early 1975 as part of a post-Vietnam reduction in force (RIF). The 306th Bomb Wing (Heavy) inactivated in July 1974 as activities at McCoy AFB were phased down prior to closure while wing personnel, along with B-52D and KC-135A aircraft assets, were reassigned to other SAC bomb wings.
Following deactivation of the 306th Bombardment Wing, the unit was reactivated a few months later as the 306th Strategic Wing (306 SW) at Ramstein AB, West Germany. The 306 SW subsequently relocated to RAF Mildenhall
, United Kingdom, functioning as the focal point for all SAC operations in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and as a liaison between SAC and United States Air Forces in Europe
(USAFE) for all KC-135, SR-71, U-2
and RC-135 support within USAFE. The 306 SW also provided liaison for KC-10 support when that aircraft entered the active SAC inventory in the mid-1980s.
In February 1992, with SAC's impending inactivation, the 306 SW was inactivated and replaced at RAF Mildenhall by the 100th Air Refueling Wing
(100 ARW). The 100 ARW was established as a USAFE unit, maintaining its own organic inventory of KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft permanently based at RAF Mildenhall
and eliminating the need for rotational KC-135 or KC-10 aircraft from bases in the United States.
's Nineteenth Air Force
at the United States Air Force Academy
. In addition to operating the USAF Academy Airfield and the associated aviation training activities for USAFA Cadets at the that facility, the 306 FTG also has oversight of the Initial Flight Screening (IFS) program for USAF commissioned officer aviation candidates, including pilots and combat systems officers commissioned through Air Force ROTC and Officer Training School as well as the USAF Academy. IFS is performed under a civilian contract program at Pueblo Memorial Airport
, Colorado and the 306 FTG provides a contingent of Air Force personnel to oversee the students and provide military training, supervision, and rigor to the course.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, assigned to the Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
's Nineteenth Air Force
Nineteenth Air Force
The Nineteenth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base and belonging to the Air Education and Training Command...
(19 AF). It is stationed at the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
Airfield on the USAFA campus in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
The 306 FTG is the airmanship training unit of the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
(USAFA), having replaced the 34th Operations Group in 2004. Its mission is to establish the Airmanship foundation of tomorrows leaders.
Our vision is to provide the world's premier flying and parachuting experience to develop tomorrow's Airmen. The designation "306th" was deliberately selected by the historian of the Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
(AETC) to connect the training mission of the current Group with its relationship to the book and movie "Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High is a 1949 American war film about aircrews in the United States Army's Eighth Air Force who flew daylight bombing missions against Nazi Germany and occupied France during the early days of American involvement in World War II. The film was adapted by Sy Bartlett, Henry King ...
".
During World War II, the group's predecessor unit, the 306th Bombardment Group was the first operational bombardment group in the VIII Bomber Command
VIII Bomber Command
The VIII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit that is better known as the later appellation Eighth Air Force, as was popularized in post-World War II filmsand is frequently called the First Eighth Air Force by its veterans and successors in the services.The command was...
. It was stationed at RAF Thurleigh
RAF Thurleigh
RAF Thurleigh was a Royal Air Force station located five miles north of Bedford, England. Thurleigh was transferred to the U.S. Eighth Air Force on 9 December 1942, designated Station 111, and used for heavy bomber operations against Nazi Germany.-Origins:...
, England from 6 September 1942 until 25 December 1945, the longest tenure at one station for any one Eighth Air Force group.
Staff Sergeant Maynard H. Smith
Maynard Harrison Smith
Maynard Harrison Smith, aka Snuffy Smith, , US Army Air Forces Staff Sergeant and gunner aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber in World War II, received the Medal of Honor for his conduct during a bombing mission over Germany on May 1, 1943.-Enlistment:Maynard H. Smith enlisted in the US Army Air...
of the 423d Bomb Squadron was awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his actions that helped save the lives of six of his wounded comrades on 1 May 1943.
The 306th was the first Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
heavy bombardment group to complete 300 missions over Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and also was the first USAAF heavy bomb group to attack a strategic target located in Nazi Germany when the group attacked Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
led by Colonel Frank A. Armstrong
Frank A. Armstrong
Frank Alton Armstrong, Jr. was a brigadier general in the United States Army Air Forces and the inspiration for the main character in the novel and subsequent film, Twelve O'Clock High. After the war he became a lieutenant general in the United States Air Force.Armstrong was born in Hamilton,...
on 27 January 1943. Colonel Armstrong's experiences with the 97th and 306th groups became the basis of Sy Bartlett
Sy Bartlett
Sy Bartlett was an American author and screenwriter/producer of Hollywood films. Born Sacha Baraniev in Ukraine, he immigrated to the United States at the age of four and adopted the name Sidney Bartlett....
and Beirne Lay, Jr.
Beirne Lay, Jr.
Beirne Lay, Jr., was an author, aviation writer, Hollywood screenwriter, and combat veteran of World War II with the U.S. Army Air Forces...
's novel and film Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High is a 1949 American war film about aircrews in the United States Army's Eighth Air Force who flew daylight bombing missions against Nazi Germany and occupied France during the early days of American involvement in World War II. The film was adapted by Sy Bartlett, Henry King ...
.
Units
The group consists of the following squadrons:- 94th Flying Training Squadron94th Flying Training SquadronThe 94th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 306th Flying Training Group based at United States Air Force Academy, Colorado. It conducts parachuting and glider training for Air Force Academy cadets...
- Conducts parachuting and glider training
- 98th Flying Training Squadron "Wings of Blue"
- Parachuting unit
- 306th Operations Support Squadron
- Airfield and Airspace Management of the USAF Academy Airfield
- 557th Flying Training Squadron557th Flying Training SquadronThe 557th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 306th Flying Training Group based at United States Air Force Academy, Colorado.-History:...
- 557th Flying Training Squadron
- Conducts flying training
World War II
Wendover Airport
Wendover Airport is a public airport located one mile southeast of the central business district of Wendover, a city in Tooele County, Utah, USA.-Civilian:...
, Utah on 6 April 1942 and began flying training, where it trained for bombardment operations using 40 B-17E aircraft. Group left Wendover 1 August 1942 to began movement to the United Kingdom. The Ground unit first moved to Richmond AAB, Virginia and remained a week before leaving for Fort Dix, New Jersey. On the 13 August 1942, the Group's personnel sailed on the RMS Queen Elizabeth
RMS Queen Elizabeth
RMS Queen Elizabeth was an ocean liner operated by the Cunard Line. Plying with her running mate Queen Mary as a luxury liner between Southampton, UK and New York City, USA via Cherbourg, France, she was also contracted for over twenty years to carry the Royal Mail as the second half of the two...
on 30 August 1942 and arrived 5 September 1942 at Greenock, Scotland. The aircraft flew from Wendover to Westover Field, Massachusetts on 2 August 1942. The remainder of the Group departed for the United Kingdom on 1 September 1942 via Gander-Prestwick ferry route.
Based at RAF Thurleigh
RAF Thurleigh
RAF Thurleigh was a Royal Air Force station located five miles north of Bedford, England. Thurleigh was transferred to the U.S. Eighth Air Force on 9 December 1942, designated Station 111, and used for heavy bomber operations against Nazi Germany.-Origins:...
, Bedfordshire, in south-central England, as part of the Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
, the 306th was the longest continuously-serving bomb group of the Eighth Air Force during World War II, and led the first mission against a target in Germany. The novel and film Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High is a 1949 American war film about aircrews in the United States Army's Eighth Air Force who flew daylight bombing missions against Nazi Germany and occupied France during the early days of American involvement in World War II. The film was adapted by Sy Bartlett, Henry King ...
were based in large part on incidents occurring in the group in 1942 and 1943.
Between October 1942 and April 1945, the Group bombed a variety of enemy targets in Europe, including railroad facilities and submarine pens in France and ball-bearing works, oil plants, marshaling yards, chemical plants, aircraft factories, and foundries in Germany. Took part in the first penetration into Germany by heavy bombers of the Eighth Air Force on 27 January 1943 by attacking the U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
yards at Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
.
Sergent Maynard Harrison Smith
Maynard Harrison Smith
Maynard Harrison Smith, aka Snuffy Smith, , US Army Air Forces Staff Sergeant and gunner aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber in World War II, received the Medal of Honor for his conduct during a bombing mission over Germany on May 1, 1943.-Enlistment:Maynard H. Smith enlisted in the US Army Air...
received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his actions on 1 May 1943. When the aircraft on which he was a gunner was hit by the enemy and set on fire, the sergeant threw explosive ammunition overboard, manned a gun until the German fighters were driven off, administered first aid to the wounded tail gunner, and extinguished the fire.
Without fighter escort and in the face of powerful opposition, the group completed an assault against aircraft factories in central Germany on 11 January 1944, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for the mission. The group participated in the Big Week
Big Week
Between February 20–25, 1944, as part of the European strategic bombing campaign, the United States Strategic Air Forces launched Operation Argument, a series of missions against the Third Reich that became known as Big Week. The planners intended to lure the Luftwaffe into a decisive battle by...
intensive campaign against the German aircraft industry, 20–25 February 1944. The group earned another DUC for effectively bombing an aircraft assembly plant at Bernberg, Gummersbach
Gummersbach
Gummersbach is a city in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, being the district seat of the Oberbergischer Kreis. It is located 50 km east of Cologne. In the past it was nicknamed "the Lime Tree Town", because lime trees lined the main street...
, Germany on 22 February, even though escort fighter
Escort fighter
The escort fighter was a World War II concept for a fighter aircraft designed to escort bombers to and from their targets.The perfect escort fighter had long range, a lengthy combat loiter time to protect the bombers, and enough internal fuel to return home...
s had abandoned the mission because of weather. Often supported ground forces and attacked interdictory targets in addition to its strategic operations. Hit airfields and marshaling yards in France, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, and Germany in preparation for Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, the unit raided railroad bridges and coastal guns in support of the assault. Assisted ground forces during the Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement...
breakthrough in July, then participated in the airborne portion of Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
, the invasion of Holland in September. During the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
, December 1944 – January 1945, the 306th attacked airfields and marshaling yards to help stop the German advance. Bombed enemy positions in support of the airborne assault across the Rhine River in March 1945, the Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
portion of the Western Allied invasion of Germany.
Selected for duty with occupational air forces in Germany. The unit engaged in "Casey Jones" mapping photography project. Group then moved to Giebelstadt, Germany on 1 December 1945, and on 28 February 1946 to Istres, France, where it absorbed the remnants of the 92nd and 384th Bomb Groups. In August 1946 the unit re-established in Germany at Furstenfeldbruck and in September 1946 located at Lechfeld. The unit inactivated on 25 December 1946, although the group had virtually ceased to exist as flying unit in the late summer of that year. Inactivated December 1946, the group received the Distinguished Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation (US)
The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941...
with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Oak leaf cluster
An oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration...
and six campaign stars
Service star
A service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service...
.
Cold War
Reactivated as a Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC) B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, then redesignated in 1948 as a Medium Bombardment Group. The group trained in the United States for strategic bombardment operations.
Deliveries of the new Boeing B-47A Stratojet to the USAF began in December 1950, and the aircraft entered service in May 1951 with the redesignated 306th Bombardment Wing (306 BMW) at MacDill AFB, Florida. The 306th was intended to act as a training organization in order to prepare future B-47 crews and the 306th's B-47As were primarily training aircraft and not considered as being combat ready; none of the B-47As ever saw any operational duty.
On 19 November 1951, the 306 BMW received its first operational Boeing B-47B and christened it "The Real McCoy" in honor of Colonel Michael N. W. McCoy, the 306th's wing commander, who flew it from the Boeing Wichita plant to MacDill AFB. During 1952, the 306th developed combat procedures and techniques for the new bomber and the wing soon emerged as a leader in jet bombardment tactics and strategies. The first Boeing KC-97E Stratotanker air refueling aircraft assigned to Strategic Air Command was delivered to the 306th Air Refueling Squadron at MacDill AFB on 14 July 1951 and inflight refueling operations started in May 1952, with KC-97s refueling B-47s on operational training missions leading toward combat ready status.
The 306th Bomb Group was officially inactivated on 16 June 1952 when its operational squadrons were reassigned to the 306th Bombardment Wing (306 BW) as part of the tri-deputate reorganization. At this point, the heraldry of the 306th was passed from the group organization to the wing organization.
The 306 BW figured prominently in the 1955 Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
film, Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (film)
Strategic Air Command is a 1955 American film starring James Stewart and June Allyson, and directed by Anthony Mann. Released by Paramount Pictures, it was the first of four films that depicted the role of the Strategic Air Command in the Cold War era....
starring James Stewart
James Stewart
James Stewart was a Hollywood movie actor and USAF brigadier general.James Stewart may also refer to:-Noblemen:*James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland*James Stewart, the Black Knight of Lorn James Stewart (1908–1997) was a Hollywood movie actor and USAF brigadier general.James Stewart...
and June Allyson
June Allyson
June Allyson was an American film and television actress, popular in the 1940s and 1950s. She was a major MGM contract star. Allyson won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her performance in Too Young to Kiss . From 1959–1961, she hosted and occasionally starred in her own CBS anthology...
. The film was made with the full cooperation of the Air Force, with significant filming occurring at MacDill AFB utilizing B-47 aircraft of both the 306th Bombardment Wing and the collocated 305th Bombardment Wing
305th Air Mobility Wing
The 305th Air Mobility Wing is a United States Air Force strategic airlift and air refueling wing under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command...
. In the film's plot Stewart's character is assigned to fly B-47s as a vice wing commander at MacDill.
The 306th Bombardment Wing continued to operate from MacDill AFB until 31 March 1963. On 1 April 1963, the 306th Bombardment Wing moved without personnel or equipment from MacDill AFB to McCoy AFB, Florida and converted to the B-52D Stratofortress
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
and KC-135A Stratotanker
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
aircraft. The assets of the former 4047th Strategic Wing at McCoy AFB were then absorbed by the 306th Bombardment Wing.
In 1966, the 306 BW began preparing and training for deployment to the Western Pacific in support of Projects Arc Light & Young Tiger. In September 1966, the wing deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam and Kadena Air Base
Kadena Air Base
, is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Kadena Air Base is the hub of U.S. airpower in the Pacific, and home to the USAF's 18th Wing and a variety of associate units.-Units:The 18th Wing is the host unit at Kadena...
, Okinawa. Its mission while in the Western Pacific was to "...Conduct bombing raids in support of US and allied ground forces fighting in the Vietnamese War." Later, the wing also operated from U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield
U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield
U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield is a military airfield of the Royal Thai Navy located approximately southeast of Bangkok, near Sattahip on the Gulf of Siam...
, Thailand as U.S. forces built up in the Vietnam theater. The 919th Air Refueling Squadron (919 ARS) was assigned to McCoy in March 1967.
When not forward deployed for operations over Vietnam, the 306th continued to operate out of McCoy AFB for both training evolutions and in its stateside strategic nuclear alert role. In January 1968, the 306 BW received another Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for this "double-duty" for combat operations in Southeast Asia while maintaining an alert status for SAC.
In 1972, the 306 BW was part of the heavy bombing raids Linebacker I and Linebacker II over North Vietnam. The 306 BW returned to McCoy AFB from its final Southeast Asia deployment in early 1973 after the Paris Peace Accords ended American involvement in the conflict. From 1971 through 1973, other training activities at McCoy AFB included KC-135Q instruction by the 306th Air Refueling Squadron (306 ARS) and KC-135A instruction by the 32nd Air Refueling Squadron (32 ARS). Whereas KC-135A aircraft typically carried JP-4
JP-4
JP-4, or JP4 was a jet fuel, specified in 1951 by the U.S. government . It was a 50-50 kerosene-gasoline blend. It has lower flash point than JP-1, but was preferred because of its greater availability. It was the primary U.S. Air Force jet fuel between 1951 and 1995. Its NATO code is F-40...
jet fuel, KC-135Q aircraft were specifically modified and equipped to offload JP-7
JP-7
JP-7 is a jet fuel developed by the U.S. Air Force for use in supersonic aircraft because of its high flash point and thermal stability. It is the fuel used in the Pratt & Whitney J58 engines, used in the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. The air compression of Mach 3+ cruising flight generates very high...
fuel and supported worldwide in-flight refueling requirements for USAF U-2
Lockheed U-2
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
and SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft.
On 31 March 1972, a 306th Bombardment Wing B-52D Stratofortress, AF Serial Number 56-0625, sustained multiple engine failures and an engine pod fire shortly after takeoff from McCoy AFB on a routine training mission. The aircraft was not carrying any weapons. The aircraft immediately attempted to return to the base, but crashed just short of Runway 18R in a civilian residential area of Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Florida immediately north of the airfield, destroying or damaging eight homes. The crew of 7 airmen and 1 civilian on the ground were killed.
In May 1973 it was announced that the 306th Bombardment Wing would be deactivated and McCoy AFB closed no later than early 1975 as part of a post-Vietnam reduction in force (RIF). The 306th Bomb Wing (Heavy) inactivated in July 1974 as activities at McCoy AFB were phased down prior to closure while wing personnel, along with B-52D and KC-135A aircraft assets, were reassigned to other SAC bomb wings.
Following deactivation of the 306th Bombardment Wing, the unit was reactivated a few months later as the 306th Strategic Wing (306 SW) at Ramstein AB, West Germany. The 306 SW subsequently relocated to RAF Mildenhall
RAF Mildenhall
RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force station located at Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as an RAF station, it primarily supports United States Air Force operations and is currently the home of the 100th Air Refueling Wing...
, United Kingdom, functioning as the focal point for all SAC operations in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and as a liaison between SAC and United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
(USAFE) for all KC-135, SR-71, U-2
Lockheed U-2
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
and RC-135 support within USAFE. The 306 SW also provided liaison for KC-10 support when that aircraft entered the active SAC inventory in the mid-1980s.
In February 1992, with SAC's impending inactivation, the 306 SW was inactivated and replaced at RAF Mildenhall by the 100th Air Refueling Wing
100th Air Refueling Wing
The 100th Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England. It is also the host wing at RAF Mildenhall....
(100 ARW). The 100 ARW was established as a USAFE unit, maintaining its own organic inventory of KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft permanently based at RAF Mildenhall
RAF Mildenhall
RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force station located at Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as an RAF station, it primarily supports United States Air Force operations and is currently the home of the 100th Air Refueling Wing...
and eliminating the need for rotational KC-135 or KC-10 aircraft from bases in the United States.
Modern era
The 306th was redesignated the 306th Flying Training Group (306 FTG) and reactivated in October 2004 as part of the Air Education and Training CommandAir Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
's Nineteenth Air Force
Nineteenth Air Force
The Nineteenth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base and belonging to the Air Education and Training Command...
at the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
. In addition to operating the USAF Academy Airfield and the associated aviation training activities for USAFA Cadets at the that facility, the 306 FTG also has oversight of the Initial Flight Screening (IFS) program for USAF commissioned officer aviation candidates, including pilots and combat systems officers commissioned through Air Force ROTC and Officer Training School as well as the USAF Academy. IFS is performed under a civilian contract program at Pueblo Memorial Airport
Pueblo Memorial Airport
Pueblo Memorial Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located five miles east of the central business district of Pueblo, a city in Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. It is mostly used for general aviation, but is also served by one commercial airline. The Pueblo Airport is a popular...
, Colorado and the 306 FTG provides a contingent of Air Force personnel to oversee the students and provide military training, supervision, and rigor to the course.
Lineage
- Established as 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 January 1942
- Activated on 1 March 1942
- Redesignated 306th Bombardment Group, Heavy, on 20 August 1943
- Inactivated on 25 December 1946
- Redesignated 306th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, on 11 June 1947
- Activated on 1 July 1947
- Redesignated 306th Bombardment Group, Medium, on 11 August 1948
- Inactivated on 16 June 1952
- Redesignated 306th Bombardment Training Group, on 1 January 1959
- Inactivated on 1 January 1962
- Redesignated 306th Bombardment Wing, on 1 April 1963
- Inactivated on 1 March 1975
- Redesignated 306th Strategic Wing, on 1 June 1975
- Inactivated on 1 February 1992
- Redesignated 306th Flying Training Group on 30 September 2004
- Activated on 4 October 2004.
Assignments
- Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, 1 March 1942 - 1st Bombardment Wing, 6 September 1942
- 40th Combat Bombardment Wing, September 1943
- 9th Air Division9th Air DivisionSeveral air forces and space forces have included a 9th Air Division:*9th Air Division, of the Luftwaffe*9th Anti-Missile Defence Division of the Russian Space Forces*9th Assault Ropshinskaya red banner, Order of Ushakov Air Division of Soviet Naval Aviation...
, 16 May 1945 - 98th Bombardment Wing, September 1945
- 40th Bombardment Wing, 15 November 1945
- 128 Replacement Battalion (AAF/ET Replacement Depot), 22 August 1946
- 40th Bombardment Wing, 13 September 1946
- European Air Materiel Command, 20–25 December 1946
- Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
, 1 July 1947 - Fifteenth Air ForceFifteenth Air ForceThe Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
, 16 December 1948 - Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, 1 April 1950 - 306th Bombardment Wing, 1 September 1950 – 16 June 1952
- Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
(as the redesignated 306th Bombardment Wing), 16 June 1952 – 1 January 1975 - Eighth Air ForceEighth Air ForceThe Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
(as the redesignated 306th Strategic Wing), 1 January 1975 – 1 February 1992 - Nineteenth Air ForceNineteenth Air ForceThe Nineteenth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base and belonging to the Air Education and Training Command...
, 4 October 2004–present
Components
- 34 Reconnaissance (later, 423 Bombardment) Squadron423d Bombardment SquadronThe 423d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 306th Bombardment Wing stationed at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.-History:Established as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb group in early 1942...
(RD): 1 March 1942 – 25 December 1946; 1 January 1959-1 January 1962 - 94th Flying Training Squadron94th Flying Training SquadronThe 94th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 306th Flying Training Group based at United States Air Force Academy, Colorado. It conducts parachuting and glider training for Air Force Academy cadets...
: 4 October 2004–present - 98th Flying Training Squadron: 4 October 2004–present
- 306th Air Refueling Squadron306th Air Refueling SquadronThe 306th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 457th Operations Group, stationed at Altus AFB, Oklahoma...
: 1 September 1950 – 16 June 1952 - 367th Bombardment Squadron (GY): 1 March 1942 – 25 December 1946; 1 July 1947-16 June 1952
- 368th Bombardment Squadron368th Bombardment SquadronThe 368th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 306th Bombardment Wing stationed at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.-History:Established as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb group in early 1942...
(BO): 1 March 1942 – 25 December 1946; 1 July 1947-16 June 1952 - 369th Bombardment Squadron369th Bombardment SquadronThe 369th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 306th Bombardment Wing stationed at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.-History:Established as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb group in early 1942...
(WW): 1 March 1942 – 29 June 1946; 1 July 1947-16 June 1952 - 557th Flying Training Squadron557th Flying Training SquadronThe 557th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 306th Flying Training Group based at United States Air Force Academy, Colorado.-History:...
: 4 October 2004–present
Stations
- Gowen Field, IdahoIdahoIdaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, 1 March 1942 - Wendover Field, UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, c. 6 April – 1 August 1942 - RAF ThurleighRAF ThurleighRAF Thurleigh was a Royal Air Force station located five miles north of Bedford, England. Thurleigh was transferred to the U.S. Eighth Air Force on 9 December 1942, designated Station 111, and used for heavy bomber operations against Nazi Germany.-Origins:...
(AAF-111), England, c. 6 September 1942 - AAF Station GiebelstadtGiebelstadt Army AirfieldGiebelstadt Army Airfield is a closed military airfield located in Germany southwest of Giebelstadt ; approximately 250 miles southwest of Berlin. It was turned over to the German government on 23 June 2006 and is now a general aviation airport....
, Germany, 25 December 1945 - Istres/Le Tube AirfieldIstres Air BaseIstres-Le Tubé Air Base is a large multi-role tasked French Air Force base located near Istres, northwest of Marseille, France. The airport facilities are also known as Istres - Le Tubé .- Armée de l'air :...
, France, 26 February 1946 - AAF Station FürstenfeldbruckFürstenfeldbruck Air BaseFürstenfeldbruck Air Base is a German Air Force airfield located near the town of Fürstenfeldbruck in Bavaria, near Munich, Germany....
, Germany, 16 August 1946 - AAF Station LechfeldLechfeld AirbaseLechfeld Airbase is a German Air Force base located 1 km east of Lagerlechfeld in Bavaria, about 20 km south of Augsburg on the Bundestrasse 17....
, Germany, 13 September – 25 December 1946
- Andrews Field (later, AFB), MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, 1 July 1947 - MacDill AFB, Florida, 1 August 1948 – 16 June 1952; 1 January 1959-1 March 1963
- McCoy AFB, Florida, 1 April 1963 – 1 March 1975
- RAF MildenhallRAF MildenhallRAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force station located at Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as an RAF station, it primarily supports United States Air Force operations and is currently the home of the 100th Air Refueling Wing...
, United Kingdom, 1 June 1975 – 1 February 1992 - United States Air Force AcademyUnited States Air Force AcademyThe United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 4 October 2004–present
Aircraft
- B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1946
- B-29 SuperfortressB-29 SuperfortressThe B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
, 1948–1951 - B-50 SuperfortressB-50 SuperfortressThe Boeing B-50 Superfortress strategic bomber was a post-World War II revision of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, fitted with more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, stronger structure, a taller fin, and other improvements. It was the last piston-engined bomber designed by Boeing for...
, 1950–1951
- B-47 StratojetB-47 StratojetThe Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
, 1951–1952 - KC-97 StratotankerKC-97 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker was a United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.-Design and development:...
, 1951–1952 - B-52 StratofortressB-52 StratofortressThe Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
, 1963–1974 - KC-135 StratotankerKC-135 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
, 1963–1992
Decorations
- Distinguished Unit Citations:
- Germany: 11 January 1944
- Germany: 22 February 1944
Campaigns
- Europe Air Offensive
- Normandy
- Northern FranceOperation OverlordOperation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
- Rhineland
- Ardennes-AlsaceBattle of the BulgeThe Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
- Central Europe
- Vietnam War
- Operation Arc LightOperation Arc LightOperation Arc Light was the 1965 deployment of B-52D Stratofortresses as conventional bombers from bases in the US to Guam to support ground combat operations in Vietnam...
- Linebacker I / Linebacker II
- Operation Arc Light
Commanding officers
| COMMANDING OFFICERS: | ||
|---|---|---|
| (1 April 1942 – June 1946) | ||
| Col Charles B Overacker Jr. | 16 March 1942 – 3 January 1943 | |
| Col Frank A Armstrong Jr. Frank A. Armstrong Frank Alton Armstrong, Jr. was a brigadier general in the United States Army Air Forces and the inspiration for the main character in the novel and subsequent film, Twelve O'Clock High. After the war he became a lieutenant general in the United States Air Force.Armstrong was born in Hamilton,... |
3 January 1943 – 17 February 1943 | |
| Col Claude E Putnam | 17 February 1943 – 20 June 1943 | |
| Col George L Robinson | 20 June 1943 – September 1944 | |
| Col James S Sutton | September 1944 – 16 April 1945 | |
| Col Hudson H Upham | 16 April 1945 – May 1946 | |