66th Fighter Wing (World War II)
Encyclopedia
The 66th Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force
organization. Its last assignment was with the VIII Fighter Command
, being stationed at RAF Troston, England. It was inactivated on 21 November 1945.
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...
organization. Its last assignment was with the VIII Fighter Command
VIII Fighter Command
The VIII Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, being stationed at RAF Honington, England. It was inactivated on 20 March 1946....
, being stationed at RAF Troston, England. It was inactivated on 21 November 1945.
Lineage
- Constituted as 5th Air Defense Wing on 25 March 1943
- Activated on 27 March 1943
- Redesignated 66th Fighter Wing in 3 July 1943.
- Inactivated on 21 November 1945.
- Allotted to ANG (Illinois) on 24 May 1946. Extended federal recognition on 26 November 1946 (Never activated)
- Inactivated on 31 October 1950.
Assignments
- 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....
, 27 March 1943 - VIII Fighter CommandVIII Fighter CommandThe VIII Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, being stationed at RAF Honington, England. It was inactivated on 20 March 1946....
, 3 July 1943 – 21 November 1945
Components
- 4th Fighter Group: 23 July – 4 November 1945
- 55th Fighter Group: 14 September 1943 – 23 July 1945
- 56th Fighter Group: 15 September – 11 October 1945
- 78th Fighter Group78th Fighter GroupThe 78th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 78th Fighter Wing, being assigned to Hamilton Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 1 February 1961....
: April 1943 – October 1945 - 339th Fighter Group339th Fighter GroupThe 339th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 66th Fighter Wing, being stationed at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. It was inactivated on 18 October 1945....
: 4 April 1944 – October 1945 - 353d Fighter Group353d Fighter GroupThe 353d Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Army Service Forces, being stationed at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. It was inactivated on 18 October 1945....
: 3 August 1943 – October 1945
- 357th Fighter Group357th Fighter GroupThe 357th Fighter Group was an air combat unit of the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War. The 357th operated P-51 Mustang aircraft as part of the U.S. Eighth Air Force and its members were known unofficially as "The Yoxford Boys" after a village near their base...
, 31 January 1944 – 8 July 1945 - 358th Fighter Group358th Fighter GroupThe 358th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Second Air Force stationed at La Junta Army Air Field , Colorado. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945....
, 20 October 1943 – 3 July 1944 - 359th Fighter Group359th Fighter GroupThe 359th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Army Service Forces, being stationed at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. It was inactivated on 10 November 1945....
: October 1943 – November 1945 - 361st Fighter Group361st Fighter GroupThe 361st Fighter Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces combat organization. It served primarily in the European Theatre of World War II....
: 30 November 1943 – 1 February 1945; April 1945 - 479th Fighter Group: 15 May 1944 – 21 November 1945
Stations
- Norfolk Airport, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, 27 March-c. 11 May 1943 - RAF Duxford (AAF-357), England, c. 3 June 1943
- Sawston Hall (AAF-371), England, 20 August 1943
- RAF Troston (AAF-595), England, C. 25 October – 21 November 1945.