57th Operations Group
Encyclopedia
The 57th Operations Group (57 OG) is a non-flying component of the 57th Wing
, assigned to the United States Air Force
's Air Combat Command
. The group is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base
, Nevada
.
The 57th OG also directs execution of two of the world's premier combat training exercises, RED FLAG and GREEN FLAG.
; but will change again in September when the 30th Recon Squadron was activated for UAV Sentenals.
Current units assigned to the group are:
Formed as a P-40 Warhawk pursuit group in January 1941 as part of the Army Air Corps Northeast Defense Sector (later I Fighter Command
) at Mitchel Field, New York. Trained in New England and provided air defense of the northeast after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
.
Was reassigned to the U.S. Army Middle East Force in Egypt, July 1942, becoming part of IX Fighter Command
. Trained with the British Commonwealth
Desert Air Force
as part of the RAF Western Desert Campaign
. In October 1942, it began combat
operations
. The group took part in the Battle of El Alamein
and, as part of Ninth Air Force
, supported the Commonwealth Eighth Army's
drive across Egypt
and Libya
, escorting bomber
s and flying strafing
and dive-bombing
missions against airfields, communications, and troop concentrations until Axis defeat in Tunisia
in May 1943. The unit participated in the reduction of Pantelleria
(May–June 1943) and the conquest of Sicily
(July–August 1943). For front-line operations in direct support of the Eighth Army from the Battle of El Alamein to the capitulation of enemy forces in Sicily, the group received a Distinguished Unit Citation.
In an aerial battle over the Gulf of Tunis
at Cape Bon in April 1943, the group destroyed approximately 74 of the enemy's transport and fighter aircraft while sending an equal number down to the sea and beaches to escape by crash landing. The 57th lost just six aircraft in this melee. Forever known by the 57th as the 18 April 1943 Goose Shoot – "The Palm Sunday Massacre," it received another Distinguished Unit Citation and it added four newly created aces. This action broke the German's aerial supply line and they surrendered Tunisia thirty days later.
The 57th supported the British Eighth Army's landing at Termoli
and subsequent operations in Italy, being reassigned to Twelfth Air Force in August 1943. It flew dive-bombing, strafing, patrol, and escort missions. Early
In 1944, the group converted to P-47 Thunderbolt
aircraft and flew interdiction operations in Italy. The group moved to Corsica
on 30 March 1944 to operate as a separate task force
. It flew interdiction missions against railroads, communication targets, and motor vehicle
s behind enemy lines, providing a minimum of 48 fighter-bomber sorties per day. During 9 days of combat operations during early April 1944, the 57th exceeded 50 sorties per day.
The group earned a third Distinguished Unit Citation c. 14 April 1944 for attacks in the Florence
-Arezzo
area. The group participated in the French campaign against Elba
in June 1944 and in the invasion
of Southern France in August. It engaged in interdiction and support operations in northern Italy from September 1944 to May 1945. For its operations in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
, the 57th earned the French Croix de Guerre
(Cross of War) with Palm (awarded in late 1967).
The group remained in northern Italy after the end of the European War, demobilizing throughout the summer of 1945. It was reassigned to the United States in August 1945 without personnel or equipment and was inactivated at the end of August.
Reactivated in August 1946 as part of Eleventh Air Force
(Later Alaskan Air Command
) as part of the air defense forces in the northwest Pacific. It provided air defense initially in the Aleutian Islands, then moved in 1947 to Elmendorf Air Force Base
. In addition, the wing provided intra-theater troop carrier and airlift
support, 1948–1950, using several attached troop carrier squadrons. In January 1951, it's parent 57th Fighter-Interceptor Wing inactivated, although the group remained active as part of the AAC air defense until it also was inactivated on 13 April 1953.
Reactivated and reassigned to Air Defense Command in April 1961 as an Air Defense Group as part of the Seattle Air Defense Sector. Operated F-102 Delta Daggers providing air defense over the Pacific Northwest until inactivated in September 1968.
Upon activation, the 57th OG managed Air Force tactical training through Red Flag and Air Warrior exercises. Between July 1995 and March 2002, the group gained the three MQ-1 Predator reconnaissance squadrons. The Group deployed the Predator elements of the 11th and 15th Squadrons in support of operations in Bosnia (April 2000), Kuwait (October 2000), and Pakistan
, September 2001 – January 2002 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The 57th Group's 66th Helicopter Squadron also deployed for operations in Northern Watch and Enduring Freedom. While at Nellis, the Group continued to provide air combat units for US and Allies with realistic, large force combat training at Red Flag.
Became a non-flying organization on 1 July 2005, when the flying squadrons of the 57th OG were split off into the new 57th Adversary Tactics Group
, which consolidated all Aggressor activities under one group is to provide the Combat Air Forces with the opportunity to train against a realistic, fully integrated threat array during large- and small-scale exercises such as Red Flag – Nellis, Red Flag – Alaska, Maple Flag, Green Flag and dissimilar air combat training deployments.
Note: Became subordinate component of the 57th Fighter Wing on 20 April 1948.
**Was subordinate unit (not attached to wing) of Air Defense Command 24 February 1961, then Seattle Air Defense Sector 1 April 1961 – 30 September 1968
57th Wing
The 57th Wing is an operational unit of the United States Air Force Warfare Center, stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.The 57 WG's mission is to provide well trained and well equipped combat forces ready to deploy into a combat arena to conduct integrated combat operations.-Mission:The 57...
, assigned to the United States Air Force
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...
's Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
. The group is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Combat Command .-Overview:...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
.
Overview
The 57th Operations Group provides direct oversight of the Nellis flying mission through the 57th Operations Support Squadron. They manage the airfield, operate the air traffic control tower, and the Nellis Air Traffic Control Facility providing radar service to local flying operations and the National Airspace System. It is responsible for scheduling, training, life support, weapons, tactics and planning staff functions. In addition to these functions, it also maintains administrative oversight of the 57th ATG staff and the 57th Wing staff.The 57th OG also directs execution of two of the world's premier combat training exercises, RED FLAG and GREEN FLAG.
Units
The 57th Operations Group was a non-flying organization when on 1 July 2005, the flying squadrons of the 57 OG were split off into the new 57th Adversary Tactics Group57th Adversary Tactics Group
The 57th Adversary Tactics Group is the flying component of the 57th Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Combat Command...
; but will change again in September when the 30th Recon Squadron was activated for UAV Sentenals.
Current units assigned to the group are:
- 6th Combat Training Squadron (6 CTS)
- Both the squadron at Nellis and Det. 1, 6th CTS at Fort SillFort SillFort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.Today, Fort Sill remains the only active Army installation of all the forts on the South Plains built during the Indian Wars...
, Okla., provide academic instruction in air ground operations through the Joint Firepower Course.- 57th Operations Support Squadron (57 OSS)
- A functionally diverse squadron of nearly 200 personnel organized in four flights: Weapons and Training, Current Operations, Weather and Airfield Operations. Responsible for all airfield operations support at Air Combat Command's busiest and most complex base. Provided trained and qualified personnel to operate the USAF's largest air traffic control (ATC) complex. Integrated operations from three wings, four groups, and eleven squadrons, ensuring successful wing programs to include operational plans, scheduling, training, and munitions allocation.
- 12th Combat Training Squadron (12 CTS)
- Located at the U.S. Army's National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California The unit is designated "Team Raven" within the NTC operations group. The mission of Team Raven is threefold. It acts as the division liaison element for the NTC operations group and the deployed brigade tactical air control parties.
- 414th Combat Training Squadron (414 CTS)
- Conducts RED FLAG-Nellis on the Nevada Test and Training RangeNevada Test and Training RangeThe Nevada Test and Training Range is a training facility of the United States Air Force located in the desert of southern Nevada in the United States. It is the largest of its kind in the US, and is operated by the USAF Warfare Center's 98th Range Wing...
involving USAF aircraft and the aircraft of many different allied nations.- 548th Combat Training Squadron (Green Flag East) (548 CTS)
- Execute the Air Combat Command-sponsored Green Flag East exercise, providing operational control, safe employment and realistic training for all Air Force participants at the U.S. Army Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort PolkFort PolkFort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, approximately 7 miles east of Leesville, Louisiana and 20 miles north of DeRidder, Louisiana....
, La- 549th Combat Training Squadron (Green Flag West) (549 CTS)
- Execute the Air Combat Command-sponsored Green Flag West exercise, providing operational control, safe employment and realistic training for all Air Force participants at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif
World War II
I Fighter Command
The I Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, based at Mitchel Army Airfield, New York...
) at Mitchel Field, New York. Trained in New England and provided air defense of the northeast after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
.
Was reassigned to the U.S. Army Middle East Force in Egypt, July 1942, becoming part of IX Fighter Command
IX Fighter Command
The IX Fighter Command is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Erlangen, Germany. It was inactivated on 16 November 1945....
. Trained with the British Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
Desert Air Force
Desert Air Force
The Desert Air Force , also known chronologically as Air Headquarters Western Desert, Air Headquarters Libya, AHQ Western Desert, the Western Desert Air Force, Desert Air Force, and the First Tactical Air Force , was an Allied tactical air force initially created from No...
as part of the RAF Western Desert Campaign
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
. In October 1942, it began combat
Combat
Combat, or fighting, is a purposeful violent conflict meant to establish dominance over the opposition, or to terminate the opposition forever, or drive the opposition away from a location where it is not wanted or needed....
operations
Military operation
Military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state's favor. Operations may be of combat or non-combat types, and are referred to by a code name for the purpose...
. The group took part in the Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
and, as part of Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
, supported the Commonwealth Eighth Army's
Eighth Army (United Kingdom)
The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
drive across Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, escorting bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
s and flying strafing
Strafing
Strafing is the practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft using aircraft-mounted automatic weapons. This means, that although ground attack using automatic weapons fire is very often accompanied with bombing or rocket fire, the term "strafing" does not specifically include the...
and dive-bombing
Dive bomber
A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target reduces the distance the bomb has to fall, which is the primary factor in determining the accuracy of the drop...
missions against airfields, communications, and troop concentrations until Axis defeat in Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
in May 1943. The unit participated in the reduction of Pantelleria
Pantelleria
Pantelleria , the ancient Cossyra, is an Italian island in the Strait of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, southwest of Sicily and just east of the Tunisian coast. Administratively Pantelleria is a comune belonging to the Sicilian province of Trapani...
(May–June 1943) and the conquest of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
(July–August 1943). For front-line operations in direct support of the Eighth Army from the Battle of El Alamein to the capitulation of enemy forces in Sicily, the group received a Distinguished Unit Citation.
In an aerial battle over the Gulf of Tunis
Gulf of Tunis
Gulf of Tunis is a large gulf in northeastern Tunisia. It is located at around . Tunis, the capital city of Tunisia, lies at the southern edge of the Gulf, as have a series of settled places over the last three millennia....
at Cape Bon in April 1943, the group destroyed approximately 74 of the enemy's transport and fighter aircraft while sending an equal number down to the sea and beaches to escape by crash landing. The 57th lost just six aircraft in this melee. Forever known by the 57th as the 18 April 1943 Goose Shoot – "The Palm Sunday Massacre," it received another Distinguished Unit Citation and it added four newly created aces. This action broke the German's aerial supply line and they surrendered Tunisia thirty days later.
The 57th supported the British Eighth Army's landing at Termoli
Termoli
Termoli is a town and comune on the Adriatic coast of Italy, in the province of Campobasso, region of Molise. It has a population of around 32,000, having expanded quickly after World War II, and it is a local resort town known for its beaches and old fortifications...
and subsequent operations in Italy, being reassigned to Twelfth Air Force in August 1943. It flew dive-bombing, strafing, patrol, and escort missions. Early
In 1944, the group converted to P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
aircraft and flew interdiction operations in Italy. The group moved to Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
on 30 March 1944 to operate as a separate task force
Task force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
. It flew interdiction missions against railroads, communication targets, and motor vehicle
Motor vehicle
A motor vehicle or road vehicle is a self-propelled wheeled vehicle that does not operate on rails, such as trains or trolleys. The vehicle propulsion is provided by an engine or motor, usually by an internal combustion engine, or an electric motor, or some combination of the two, such as hybrid...
s behind enemy lines, providing a minimum of 48 fighter-bomber sorties per day. During 9 days of combat operations during early April 1944, the 57th exceeded 50 sorties per day.
The group earned a third Distinguished Unit Citation c. 14 April 1944 for attacks in the Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
-Arezzo
Arezzo
Arezzo is a city and comune in Central Italy, capital of the province of the same name, located in Tuscany. Arezzo is about 80 km southeast of Florence, at an elevation of 296 m above sea level. In 2011 the population was about 100,000....
area. The group participated in the French campaign against Elba
Elba
Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino. The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is also part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia...
in June 1944 and in the invasion
Invasion
An invasion is a military offensive consisting of all, or large parts of the armed forces of one geopolitical entity aggressively entering territory controlled by another such entity, generally with the objective of either conquering, liberating or re-establishing control or authority over a...
of Southern France in August. It engaged in interdiction and support operations in northern Italy from September 1944 to May 1945. For its operations in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Mediterranean Theater of Operations
The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army was originally called North African Theater of Operations and is an American term for the conflict that took place between the Allies and Axis Powers in North Africa and Italy during World War II...
, the 57th earned the French Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
(Cross of War) with Palm (awarded in late 1967).
The group remained in northern Italy after the end of the European War, demobilizing throughout the summer of 1945. It was reassigned to the United States in August 1945 without personnel or equipment and was inactivated at the end of August.
Cold War
Eleventh Air Force
The Eleventh Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska....
(Later Alaskan Air Command
Alaskan Air Command
Alaskan Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1945 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the air defense system of Alaska, exercise direct control of all active measures, and coordinate all passive means of...
) as part of the air defense forces in the northwest Pacific. It provided air defense initially in the Aleutian Islands, then moved in 1947 to Elmendorf Air Force Base
Elmendorf Air Force Base
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is a United States military facility adjacent to Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska. It is an amalgamation of the former United States Air Force Elmendorf Air Force Base and the United States Army Fort Richardson, which were merged in 2010.-Overview:The...
. In addition, the wing provided intra-theater troop carrier and airlift
Airlift
Airlift is the act of transporting people or cargo from point to point using aircraft.Airlift may also refer to:*Airlift , a suction device for moving sand and silt underwater-See also:...
support, 1948–1950, using several attached troop carrier squadrons. In January 1951, it's parent 57th Fighter-Interceptor Wing inactivated, although the group remained active as part of the AAC air defense until it also was inactivated on 13 April 1953.
Reactivated and reassigned to Air Defense Command in April 1961 as an Air Defense Group as part of the Seattle Air Defense Sector. Operated F-102 Delta Daggers providing air defense over the Pacific Northwest until inactivated in September 1968.
Modern era
On 1 November 1991, the 57th Operations Group was activated as a result of the 57th Fighter Wing implementing the USAF objective wing organization. Upon activation, the 57th OG was bestowed the lineage and history of the 57th Fighter Group. The 57 OG was assigned control of the wing's tactical units.Upon activation, the 57th OG managed Air Force tactical training through Red Flag and Air Warrior exercises. Between July 1995 and March 2002, the group gained the three MQ-1 Predator reconnaissance squadrons. The Group deployed the Predator elements of the 11th and 15th Squadrons in support of operations in Bosnia (April 2000), Kuwait (October 2000), and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, September 2001 – January 2002 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The 57th Group's 66th Helicopter Squadron also deployed for operations in Northern Watch and Enduring Freedom. While at Nellis, the Group continued to provide air combat units for US and Allies with realistic, large force combat training at Red Flag.
Became a non-flying organization on 1 July 2005, when the flying squadrons of the 57th OG were split off into the new 57th Adversary Tactics Group
57th Adversary Tactics Group
The 57th Adversary Tactics Group is the flying component of the 57th Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Combat Command...
, which consolidated all Aggressor activities under one group is to provide the Combat Air Forces with the opportunity to train against a realistic, fully integrated threat array during large- and small-scale exercises such as Red Flag – Nellis, Red Flag – Alaska, Maple Flag, Green Flag and dissimilar air combat training deployments.
Lineage
- Established as 57th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940
- Activated on 15 January 1941
- Redesignated 57th Fighter Group on 15 May 1942
- Inactivated on 7 November 1945
- Activated on 15 August 1946
- Re-designated 57th Fighter-Interceptor Group on 20 January 1950
- Inactivated on 13 April 1953
- Redesignated 57th Fighter Group (Air Defense), and activated, on 24 February 1961**
- Organized on 1 April 1961 by redesignation of 326th Fighter Group326th Fighter GroupThe 57th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 25th Air Division, Air Defense Command. It was last stationed at Paine Air Force Base, Washington. It was inactivated on 30 September 1968....
- Inactivated on 30 September 1968
- Redesignated: 57th Fighter-Weapons Group on 31 July 1985 (remained inactive)
- Redesignated: 57th Operations Group on 1 November 1991
- Activated on 1 November 1991.
Note: Became subordinate component of the 57th Fighter Wing on 20 April 1948.
**Was subordinate unit (not attached to wing) of Air Defense Command 24 February 1961, then Seattle Air Defense Sector 1 April 1961 – 30 September 1968
Assignments
- 7th Pursuit Wing, 15 January 1941
- I Interceptor (later, I Fighter) CommandI Fighter CommandThe I Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, based at Mitchel Army Airfield, New York...
, 1 September 1941 - IX Fighter CommandIX Fighter CommandThe IX Fighter Command is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Erlangen, Germany. It was inactivated on 16 November 1945....
, c. 16 July 1942 - U.S. Army Middle East Force, July 1942
- Attached to Desert Air Task Force, 22 October 1942
- IX Fighter CommandIX Fighter CommandThe IX Fighter Command is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Erlangen, Germany. It was inactivated on 16 November 1945....
, 12 November 1942
- IX Fighter Command
- Attached to: Western Desert Air Force, 21 February 1943
- Attached to: Desert Air Force, c. April 1943
- Attached to: 7 South African Air Force, 21 May 1943
- Attached to: XII Air Support Command, 22 August 1943
- Twelfth Air Force, 30 August 1943
- XII Air Support Command, 1 September 1943
- 57th Bombardment Wing, 1 November 1943
- Unknown (probably XII Air Support Command), 2 January – 4 March 1944
- Attached to 64th Fighter Wing, 2 March 1944
- XII Air Support Command (later, XXII Tactical Air Command), 5 March 1944
- Remained attached to 64th Fighter Wing until 28 March 1944
- 87th Fighter Wing, 23 April 1944
- XII Tactical Air Command, 10 September 1944
- XII Fighter (later, XII Tactical Air) Command, 15 September 1944
- Twelfth Air Force, 7 June – 7 August 1945
- Unknown, 8–22 August 1945
- Third Air ForceThird Air ForceThe Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, 23 August – 7 November 1945 - Alaskan Air CommandAlaskan Air CommandAlaskan Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1945 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the air defense system of Alaska, exercise direct control of all active measures, and coordinate all passive means of...
, 15 August 1946
- Attached to Yukon Sector, Alaskan Air Command, 16–21 April 1947
- Headquarters, Fort Richardson, Alaska [later, 57th Fighter Wing, Provisional], 20 November 1947 – 19 April 1948)
- 57th Fighter Wing, 20 April 1948
- Attached to 10th Air Division [Defense], 10 December 1950
- Alaskan Air CommandAlaskan Air CommandAlaskan Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1945 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the air defense system of Alaska, exercise direct control of all active measures, and coordinate all passive means of...
, 1 January 1951
- Alaskan Air Command
- Remained attached to 10th Air Division [Defense] until 1 March 1951
- 10th Air Division (Defense), 1 November 1952 – 13 April 1953
- Air Defense Command, 24 February 1961
- Seattle Air Defense Sector, 1 April 1961 – 30 September 1968
- 57th Fighter Wing, 1 November 1991–present
Components
- 11th Reconnaissance Squadron11th Reconnaissance SquadronThe US Air Force 11th Reconnaissance Squadron flies MQ-1 Predator UAV's and is currently stationed at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada. The 11th oversees the training of pilots and sensor operators assigned to the MQ-1....
: 29 Jul 1995-1 May 2007 - 15th Reconnaissance Squadron15th Reconnaissance Squadron15th Reconnaissance Squadron flies MQ-1 Predator UAV's and is currently stationed at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada. The 15th Reconnaissance Squadron is one of the first armed Remotely Piloted Aircraft squadrons. The squadron provides combatant commanders with persistent ISR,...
: 1 Aug 1997-1 May 2007 - 17th Reconnaissance Squadron17th Reconnaissance SquadronThe 17th Reconnaissance Squadron is a squadron of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 57th Operations Group, and stationed at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada.-Overview:...
: 8 Mar 2002-1 May 2007 - 58th Rescue Squadron58th Rescue SquadronThe 58th Rescue Squadron is one of only four active-duty Guardian Angel squadrons under the command of the 563rd Rescue Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona but located at Operating Site Alpha, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.-History:...
: 14 Jun 2002-1 Oct 2003 - 64th Fighter (later 64th Fighter-Interceptor; 64th Aggressor) Squadron64th Aggressor SquadronThe 64th Aggressor Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 57th Adversary Tactics Group and stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.-Overview:...
: 15 Jan 1941-7 Nov 1945; 15 Aug 1946-13 Apr 1953; 1 Apr 1961-10 Jun 1966; 3 Oct 2003-15 Sep 2005 - 65th Fighter (later, 65th Fighter-Interceptor) Squadron65th Aggressor SquadronThe 65th Aggressor Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 57th Adversary Tactics Group and stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.-Overview:...
: 15 Jan 1941-7 Nov 1945; 15 Aug 1946-13 Apr 1953 - 66th Fighter (later, 66th Fighter-Interceptor) Squadron: 15 Jan 1941-7 Nov 1945; 15 Aug 1946-13 Apr 1953
- 66th Rescue Squadron66th Rescue SquadronThe 66th Rescue Squadron is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, where it operates HH-60 Pave Hawk aircraft conducting search and rescue and combat search and rescue missions...
: 1 Feb 1993-1 Oct 2003 - 414th Combat Training Squadron414th Combat Training SquadronThe 414th Combat Training Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 57th Wing at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada....
: 4 Oct 2007-Present - 498th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron498th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronThe 498th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base, California...
: 25 Jun 1966-30 Sep 1968 - 547th Intelligence Squadron, 1 Nov 1991-15 Sep 2005
- 548th Combat Training Squadron548th Combat Training SquadronThe 548th Combat Training Squadron is a United States Air Force squadron assigned to the 57th Operations Group at Fort Polk, Louisiana.-Overview:The 548th Combat Training Squadron provides Air Combat Command-directed support to the U.S...
: 4 Oct 2007-Present - 549th Combat Training Squadron: 4 Oct 2007-Present
- 561st Fighter Squadron561st Fighter SquadronThe 561st Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force squadron, being last assigned to the 57th Operations Group at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. It was inactivated on 1 October 1996....
: 1 Feb 1993-1 Oct 1996.
Stations
- Mitchel Field, New York, 15 January 1941
- Bradley FieldBradley International AirportBradley International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....
, ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, 19 August 1941 - Boston Airport, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, 8 December 1941-c. 1 July 1942 - Fort Dix AAF, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, 5 July 1942 - New York Port of Embarkation, New York, 15–16 July 1942
- Muqeible AirfieldMuqeible AirfieldMuqeible Airfield is an abandoned military airfield located in the northern West Bank, approximately 1 km southwest of the village of Muqeible, Israel and 3 km north of Jenin....
, British Mandate of Palestine, c. 20 July 1942 - Landing Ground 174Landing Ground 174Landing Ground 174 is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Egypt, east of El Alamein, about 80 km southwest of Alexandria.It was used by the United States Army Air Force Ninth Air Force during the Western Desert Campaign by the British Eighth Army, which the 57th Fighter Group, flew...
, Egypt, 16 September 1942 - RAF El DabaRAF El DabaEl Daba is a village and rail station about 180 km West of Alexandria by road. RAF El Daba is a former Royal Air Force military airfield located approximately 4.6 kilometres south-southeast of the village....
, Egypt, 5 November 1942 - Sidi Haneish AirfieldSidi Haneish AirfieldSidi Haneish Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Egypt, in the western desert, about 35 km east-southeast of Marsa Matruh; 410 km northeast of Cairo....
, Egypt, 8 November 1942 - Sidi Azeiz AirfieldSidi Azeiz AirfieldSidi Azeiz Airfield , or Sidi Azeis is an abandoned World War II military airfield in the eastern desert of Libya. It was located near the Egyptian border near Jabbanat Sidi, about 100 km west of Tobruk...
, Libya, 12 November 1942 - RAF GambutRAF GambutRAF Gambut is an abandoned military airfield in Libya, located about 5 km north-northeast of Kambut and 50 km east-southeast of Tobruk....
, Libya, 13 November 1942 - Martuba Airfield, Libya, 16 November 1942
- Belandah AirfieldBelandah AirfieldBaheira Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Libya, which is located in the vicinity of Mersa Brega. It's precise location is unknown, and was very likely a compacted earth landing strip constructed along the side of the coastal road....
, Libya, 3 December 1942 - Hamraiet AirfieldRas Lanuf AirportRas Lanuf Airport is an airport in the Sirte District of Libya, located approximately 227 km south-southwest of Benghazi. Its primary use is the transportation of oilfield workers from production facilities in the area.-World War II:...
, Libya, 3 January 1943 - Darragh AirfieldNanur AirportNanur Airport is an airport in the Wadi Maymun Darraj region of Libya, located approximately 200 km south-southeast of Tripoli in the Libyan desert. Although listed as a civil airport, it appears to function as a reserve Libyan Air Force airfield. It consists of a very large runway, capable...
, Libya, 19 January 1943 - Ben Gardane AirfieldBen Gardane AirfieldBen Gardane Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Tunisia, which was located near Bin Qirdan ; about 420 km south-southeast of Tunis....
, Tunisia, 9 March 1943 - Soltane AirfieldSoltane AirfieldSoltane Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Tunisia, which was located approximately 5 km southeast of Ain Soltane ; about 170 km south-southwest of Tunis....
, Tunisia, 21 March 1943 - Hazbub AirfieldHazbub AirfieldHazbub Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Tunisia, which was located "south of Medenine" ; 38 km north of Tataouine, about 385 km south-southeast of Tunis....
, Tunisia, 4 April 1943 - Chekira AirfieldChekira AirfieldChekira Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Tunisia, which was located near Wadi al `Akarit ; about 300 km south of Tunis....
, Tunisia, 10 April 1943 - El Djem AirfieldEl Djem AirfieldEl Djem Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Tunisia, which is located approximately 4 km west-northwest of El Djem; about 170 km south-southeast of Tunis. It was a pre-1942 military airfield used by the German Luftwaffe which was attacked and seized by Allied forces...
, Tunisia, 14 April 1943 - Hani AirfieldHani AirfieldHani Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Tunisia, which was located near Hani, "six miles east of Kairouan" ; about 125 km south-southwest of Tunis....
, Tunisia, 21 April 1943 - Bou Grara AirfieldBou Grara AirfieldBou Grara Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Tunisia, which was located near Golfe de Bou Grara ; about 360 km south-southeast of Tunis....
, Tunisia, May 1943 - MaltaMaltaMalta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, 27 June 1943
- Pachino Airfield, Sicily, 19 July 1943
- Scordia AirfieldScordia AirfieldScordia Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Italy, which was located approximately 1 km north of Scordia in Sicily....
, Sicily, August 1943 - Milazzo AirfieldMilazzo AirfieldMilazzo Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield on Sicily, located in the southern suburbs of Milazzo, on the northern tip of the island....
, Sicily, 12 September 1943 - Messina AirfieldMessina AirfieldMessina Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Italy, which was located just to the west of Messina in Sicily. It was a temporary field built by the Army Corps of Engineers used as part of the Allied invasion of Italy....
, Sicily, 15 September 1943 - Reggio AirfieldReggio Calabria AirportThe Reggio Calabria "Tito Minniti" Airport , also known as Aeroporto dello Stretto is an airport located near Reggio Calabria, Italy.-Description:...
, Italy, 16 September 1943 - Rocca Bernardo AirfieldRocca Bernardo AirfieldRocca Bernardo Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Italy, which was located approximately 8 km east of Cotronei in Calabria, southern Italy....
, Italy, 17 September 1943 - Gioia del Colle AirfieldGioia del Colle Air BaseGioia del Colle Air Base is an Italian Air Force base located in the province of Bari, Apulia, Italy, located approximately 4 km south-southeast of Gioia del Colle.-World War II:...
, Italy, c. 25 September 1943 - Foggia Airfield, Italy, 30 September 1943
- Amendola Airfield, Italy, c. 27 October 1943
- Cercola AirfieldCercola AirfieldCercola Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Italy, located approximately 2 km north of Cercola in the Province of Naples in the Italian region Campania....
, Italy, 1 March 1944 - Alto Airfield, CorsicaCorsicaCorsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, 30 March 1944 - Ombrene AirfieldOmbrene AirfieldOmbrene Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Italy, which was located approximately 5 km southeast of Montefiascone, in the province of Viterbo, central Italy...
, Italy, 9 September 1944 - Grossetto AirfieldGrossetto AirportGrosseto Airport is an airport in central Italy, located west of Grosseto in the Italian region of Tuscany.Although it is classified as a "joint use" facility, Grosseto Air Base is primarily an Italian Air Force Base, home of the 4th Stormo, equipped with the Eurofighter Typhoon...
, Italy, 24 September 1944 - Villafranca di Verona AirfieldVerona AirportVerona Airport , also known as Valerio Catullo Villafranca Airport or simply Verona-Villafranca Airport is an airport located southwest of Verona, Italy...
, Italy, 29 April 1945 - Grossetto AirfieldGrossetto AirportGrosseto Airport is an airport in central Italy, located west of Grosseto in the Italian region of Tuscany.Although it is classified as a "joint use" facility, Grosseto Air Base is primarily an Italian Air Force Base, home of the 4th Stormo, equipped with the Eurofighter Typhoon...
, Italy, 7 May 1945 - Bagnoli AirfieldBagnoli AirfieldBagnoli Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in northeast Italy, which is located approximately 4 km south of Conselve in the Province of Padua in the Italian region of Veneto....
, Italy, 15 July 1945 - Naples Capodichino AirportNaples International AirportNaples Airport is the airport serving Naples, Italy. It is located north-northeast of the city in the Capodichino district of Naples. The airport has two terminal buildings: Terminal 1 is for departing travellers and Terminal 2, located away from the airfield, is used for charter operations...
, Italy, 5–6 August 1945 - Camp Miles Standish, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, 18 August 1945 - Drew Field, Florida, 23 August – 7 November 1945
- Shemya Army Airfield, Aleutian Islands, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, 15 August 1946 - Elmendorf Field, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, 25 March 1947 – 13 April 1953 - Paine FieldPaine FieldPaine Field, also known as Snohomish County Airport is a public airport located in unincorporated Snohomish County, between Mukilteo and Everett, Washington...
, Washington, 1 April 1961 – 30 September 1968 - Nellis AFB, NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, 1 November 1991–present
Aircraft assigned
- P-40 Warhawk, 1941–1944
- P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
, 1944–1945 - P-38 LightningP-38 LightningThe Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
, 1946 - P-51 MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
, 1946–1948 - F-80 Shooting Star, 1948–1951
- F-94 StarfireF-94 StarfireThe Lockheed F-94 Starfire was the United States Air Force's first operational jet-powered all-weather interceptor aircraft. It was a development by Lockheed of the twin-seat T-33 Shooting Star trainer aircraft.-Design and development:...
, 1951–1952
- F-102 Delta DaggerF-102 Delta DaggerThe Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...
, 1961–1966 - F-106 Delta DartF-106 Delta DartThe Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft for the United States Air Force from the 1960s through the 1980s. Designed as the so-called "Ultimate Interceptor", it has proven to be the last dedicated interceptor in USAF service to date...
, 1966–1968 - F-4 Phantom IIF-4 Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
, 1993–1996 - HH-60 Pave HawkHH-60 Pave HawkThe Sikorsky MH-60G/HH-60G Pave Hawk is a twin turboshaft engine helicopter in service with the United States Air Force. It is a derivative of the UH-60 Black Hawk and incorporates the US Air Force PAVE electronic systems program...
, 1993–2003 - MQ-1 Predator, 1995–2005
- F-16 Falcon, 2003–2005