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| 33d Fighter Wing | |
|---|---|
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| Active | 20 November 1940 — present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Part of | Air Combat Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Eglin Air Force Base |
| Motto | Fire From the Clouds |
| Engagements |
     
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| Decorations |  DUC AFOUA |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Colonel Todd P. Harmer [1] |
| Notable commanders |
Carrol Chandler John P. Jumper William R. Looney III Gregory S. Martin William W. Momyer |
The 33d Fighter Wing (33 FW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
Contents |
Overview
The 33rd Fighter Wing is a combat-flying unit assigned under the Air Combat Command's 9th Air Force and is a major tenant unit on Eglin Air Force Base.
The wing operates two flying squadrons, the 58th and 60th, along with the 33rd Operations Support Squadron, the 33rd Maintenance Operations Squadron, the 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, the 33rd Maintenance Squadron and the 728th Air Control Squadron.
The wing's mission is to "Maintain the world's best rapidly deployable air control and air superiority forces for theater Commander-in-Chiefs."
Subordinate organizations
33d Operations Group (33 OG)
- 58th Fighter Squadron (58 FS)
- 60th Fighter Squadron (60 FS)
- 728th Air Control Squadron (728 ACS)
- 33d Operations Support Squadron (33 OSS)
33d Maintenance Group (33 MXG)
- 33d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (33 AMXS)
- 33d Maintenance Operations Squadron (33 MOS)
- 33d Maintenance Squadron (33 MS)
History
Lineage
- Established as 33d Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940
- Activated on 15 Jan 1941
- Redesignated 33d Fighter Group on 15 May 1942
- Inactivated on 8 Dec 1945.
- Activated on 20 Aug 1946.
- Established as 33d Fighter Wing on 15 Oct 1947
- Organized on 5 Nov 1947.
- Redesignated 33d Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 20 Jan 1950
- Inactivated on 6 Feb 1952.
- Redesignated 33d Fighter Wing (Air Defense) on 14 Sep 1956
- Activated on 18 Oct 1956
- Inactivated on 18 Aug 1957
- Redesignated 33d Tactical Fighter Wing, and activated, on 9 Feb 1965
- Organized on 1 Apr 1965
- Redesignated 33d Fighter Wing on 1 Oct 1991.
Assignments
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Stations
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Components
Wings
- 50th Fighter (later, 50th Fighter-Interceptor): attached 1 Jun 1949- 2 Jun 1951.
Groups
- 33d Fighter (later, 33d Fighter-Interceptor; 33d Fighter; 33d Operations)
- 5 Nov 1947-6 Feb 1952 (detached 5 Nov 1947-15 Nov 1948)
- 18 Oct 1956-18 Aug 1957 (detached 1 Jul-18 Aug 1957)
- 1 Dec 1991-.
Squadrons
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Aircraft operated
- P-39 Airacobra (1941)
- P-40 Warhawk (1941 - 1944)
- P-38 Lightning (1944 - 1945)
- P-47 Thunderbolt (1944 - 1948)
- P-51 Mustang (1948-1950)
- F-84 Thunderjet (1948 – 1950)
- F-86 Sabre (1950 – 1952)
- F-94 Starfire (1951 – 1952, 1956 – 1957)
- F-89 Scorpion (1956 – 1957)
- F-4 Phantom II (1965 – 1979)
- F-15 Eagle (1978 – Present)
Operational History
World War II
The 33d Fighter Group trained with P-39s in 1941, but soon changed to P-40s and served as part of the United States defense force for the east coast after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The group moved to North Africa as part of the invasion force on 8 November 1942 and operated with Twelfth Air Force in the Mediterranean theater until February 1944, providing close air support for ground forces, and bombing and strafing personnel concentrations, port installations, fuel dumps, bridges, highways, and rail lines. The 33d received a Distinguished Unit Citation for action on 15 January 1943 when German aircraft attempted to knock out the group's base in Tunisia. The group drove off the enemy's escort and destroyed most of its bombers. It took part in the reduction of Pantelleria and flew patrol missions while Allied troops landed after surrender of the enemy's garrison. It also participated in the invasion and conquest of Sicily by supporting landings at Salerno, southern Italy, and the beachhead at Anzio. After moving to India in February 1944, the group trained with P-38s and P-47s. It then moved to China where it continued training and flew patrol and intercept missions. Upon returning to India in September 1944, it flew dive bombing and strafing missions in Burma until the Allied campaigns in that area had been completed.
Cold War
From August 1946, the 33d served as part of the US occupation force in Germany until transferred back to the US, less personnel and equipment in August 1947. Moving to New Mexico, it was remanned and equipped with P-51s in September 1947, transitioned to F-84s in June 1948.
The headquarters of the 33d Fighter Wing became operational upon movement to Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts, in mid-November 1948. The wing trained to maintain tactical proficiency and participated in exercises and aerial demonstrations November 1948 - November 1949. It assumed an air defense mission in December 1949 and provided air defense in the northeastern United States until inactivated in February 1952. Once again it provided air defense in the northeastern United States, October 1956 - June 1957, but was non-operational from 1 July 1957 – 18 August 1957.
In April 1965 the wing activated at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida and embarked on a program of tactical training operations to maintain proficiency. It operated a test support division, July 1965 - December 1967, and a special test squadron, December 1967 - April 1971, in support of tests for weapon systems, aircraft armament and munitions, and tactical procedures of the Tactical Air Warfare Center. The wing also provided F-4 replacement training from 15 December 1966 – 28 February 1967. Through deployment of combat-ready tactical components, with personnel and equipment transferred to Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) units upon arrival, the wing provided fresh aircraft and aircrews for the forces in Southeast Asia and in Korea. The wing also transferred two of its combat-ready squadrons to PACAF, the 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron in May 1968 and the 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron in April 1969. The wing's last combat-ready squadron, the 58th Tactical Fighter Squadron, deployed to Southeast Asia for combat operations from April - October 1972 and again from June - September 1973.
The wing supported the 4485th Test Squadron of the Tactical Air Warfare Center in weapon systems evaluation program tests from January - December 1973, and periodically thereafter until July 1978. Aircrews ferried F-4Es to Israel in October 1973. The Wing augmented intercept defense forces of the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) beginning 1 January 1976 – 15 January 1979 and 4 January 1982 – 5 April 1982. While awaiting delivery of F-15s, the 60 Fighter Squadron conducted F-15 mission qualifications training for the 18th Wing from 15 July 1979 – 30 April 1980. The wing provided personnel and equipment to fly combat air patrols and air intercept missions for contingency operations in Grenada from October - November 1983, and Panama December 1989 - January 1990.
Post Cold War
During combat operations while deployed in Southwest Asia from 26 August 1990 – 12 April 1991, wing personnel were credited with sixteen air-to-air victories. Wing personnel and aircraft continued rotations to Saudi Arabia to protect coalition assets and to ensure that Iraq complied with treaty terms. From 1992 – 2002 the wing continued to deploy aircraft and personnel to Saudi Arabia, Canada, the Caribbean, South America, Jamaica, Iceland, Italy, and Puerto Rico and participated in various operations. The 33 FW lost 13 members in the bombing of Khobar Towers, Saudi Arabia on 25 June 1996.
Unit shields
 60 FS |
 33 OSS |
 33 MS |
 33 MOS |
References
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This article incorporates text from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website which, as a United States government publication, is in the public domain. |
- Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.
- Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
External links
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