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| 52d Fighter Wing | |
|---|---|
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| Active | 20 November 1940 — present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Part of | United States Air Forces Europe |
| Garrison/HQ | Spangdahlem Air Force Base |
| Engagements |
      
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| Decorations |  DUC AFOUA w/ V Device |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Colonel Lee T. Wight |
| Notable commanders |
Victor E. Renuart Jr. |
The 52d Fighter Wing (52 FW) is a wing of the United States Air Force stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.
Contents |
Mission
The 52 FW maintains, deploys and employs F-16CJ and A/OA-10 aircraft and TPS-75 radar systems in support of NATO and the national defense directives. The wing supports the Supreme Allied Commander Europe with mission-ready personnel and systems providing expeditionary air power for suppression of enemy air defenses, close air support, air interdiction, counterair, air strike control, strategic attack, combat search and rescue, and theater airspace control. The wing also supports contingencies and operations other than war as required.
Overview
The Wing conducts operations at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, one of 16 major operating locations in USAFE. The wing is authorized about 5,560 active-duty members and about 210 Department of Defense civilians. The wing is organized with four groups responsible for operations, maintenance, mission support and medical operations, and has headquarters staff.
It is assigned 42 F-16s, 18 A-10s and 2 TPS-75 radars to provide expeditionary combat capability in mission areas of suppression of enemy air defenses, close air support, air interdiction, counter air, air strike control, combat search and rescue and theater airspace control.
In concert with USAFE wings at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, the 52nd Fighter Wing directly supports the strategic mobility mission once conducted at Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany. The wing provides logistics support for C-17 Globemaster III and C-5 Galaxy aircraft, crew, passengers and cargo to sustain air mobility operations throughout Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia.
The 52nd Fighter Wing also supports USAFE's Joint Fires Center of Excellence, whose mission is to conduct joint and combined training focused on the effective integration and application of tactical fires.
Global War on Terrorism
Following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and The Pentagon in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, the 52nd Fighter Wing began preparations for possible combat tasking amidst an already hectic deployment schedule.
Within one month of the attacks on the United States, the wing had deployed people and equipment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in and around Afghanistan. The 22nd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron began flying operations at a deployed location in support of the war on terrorism within 100 hours of tasking notification.
Troops assigned to the 52nd FW continue to deploy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom today.
Subordinate organizations
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52d Operations Group (52 OG)
52d Maintenance Group (52 MXG)
52d Medical Group (52 MDG)
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52d Mission Support Group (52 MSG)
52d Munitions Maintenance Group (52 MUNG) (custody and storage of tactical nuclear weapons)
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History
Lineage
- Established as 52d Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940
- Activated on 16 Jan 1941
- Redesignated 52d Fighter Group on 15 May 1942
- Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945
- Redesignated 52d Fighter Group (All Weather) on 18 Oct 1946
- Activated on 9 Nov 1946.
- Redesignated: 52d Fighter Group, All Weather, on 10 May 1948
- Redesignated: 52d Fighter-All Weather Group on 20 Jan 1950
- Established as 52d Fighter Wing, All Weather, on 10 May 1948, Activated on 9 Jun 1948
- (52d Fighter-All Weather Group became subordinate unit)
- Redesignated: 52d Fighter-All Weather Wing on 20 Jan 1950
- Redesignated: 52d Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 1 May 1951
- Inactivated on 6 Feb 1952
- Redesignated 52d Fighter Wing (Air Defense), and activated, on 11 Apr 1963
- Organized on 1 Jul 1963
- Inactivated on 30 Sep 1968
- Redesignated 52d Tactical Fighter Wing on 12 Nov 1971
- Activated on 31 Dec 1971
- Redesignated 52d Fighter Wing on 1 Oct 1991.
Assignments
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Stations
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Components
Squadrons
- 2d Pursuit
- (later, 2 Fighter; 2 Fighter [All Weather]; 2 Fighter, All Weather; 2 Fighter-Interceptor)
- 16 Jan 1941-7 Nov 1945
- 9 Nov 1946-6 Feb 1952
- 18 Aug 1955-1 Jul 1963
- 30 Sep 1968-31 Dec 1969
- 4th Pursuit (later, 4 Fighter): 16 Jan 1941-7 Nov 1945.
- (later, 5 Fighter; 5 Fighter [All Weather]; 5 Fighter, All Weather; 5 Fighter-Interceptor)
- 16 Jan 1941-7 Nov 1945
- 9 Nov 1946-6 Feb 1952
- 18 Aug 1955-1 Feb 1960
- 22d Fighter: 1 Apr 1994-
- 23d Fighter: 31 Mar 1992-
- 53d Fighter: 25 Feb 1994-31 Mar 1999
- 81st Fighter: 31 Mar 1992-
- 98th Fighter-Interceptor: attached, c. 20 Jun-1 Jul 1963
- 480th Fighter: 31 Mar 1992-1 Apr 1994
- 510th Tactical Fighter: 1 Oct 1992-1 Feb 1994.
Aircraft operated
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Operational History
World War II
The 52d trained and participated in maneuvers from 1941 – 1942 when it moved to the United Kingdom. It trained with the Royal Air Force as part of Eighth Air Force and flew missions from England to France during August and September of that year. Group pilots flew Spitfires from Gibraltar to Algeria during the invasion of North Africa on 8 November 1942. The remainder of the group arrived by ship after the campaign had ended. The group then operated as part of Twelfth Air Force through April 1944, thereafter part of Fifteenth Air Force, serving in combat in the Mediterranean until the end of the war. It flew escort, patrol, strafing, and reconnaissance missions to help defeat Axis forces in Tunisia. In Sicily, it attacked railroads,highways, bridges, coastal shipping and other targets to support the Allied operations. Having converted to P-51s in April and May 1944, the group escorted bombers that attacked objectives in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia. It received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for a mission on 9 June 1944 when the group protected bombers that struck aircraft factories, communications centers, and supply lines in Germany. The 52d flew one of the first shuttle missions to Russia from 4-6 August 1944, and received a second DUC for strafing attacks on a landing field in Romania on 31 August 1944, destroying a large number of enemy fighter and transport planes. On 24 March 1945, the group's aircraft flew the longest escort mission ever flown in Europe - 1600 miles round-trip to Berlin.
Cold War
From 1946 to 1947, the 52d served as an all-weather fighter group in Germany and in November 1947 moved to the US and assumed an air defense role. It moved to the US to perform air defense in the northeastern United States from 1947 – February 1952, and July 1963 – September 1968.
In December 1971, it became the host wing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, and inherited tactical squadrons from the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing at nearby Bitburg Air Base. The wing participated in numerous tactical exercises, operations, and tests of USAFE and NATO and provided close air support, interdiction, and base defense operations. It cooperated with other NATO forces in frequent "squadron exchange" programs and hosted US-based units on temporary duty in Europe. In January 1973, a Wild Weasel defense suppression mission was added. After October 1985, using the F-4 Phantom II model aircraft, defense suppression became the wing's sole tactical mission. In 1987, the 52d acquired F-16 Falcons and became the first wing to integrate F-16Cs with F-4Gs to form hunter/killer teams within individual fighter squadrons.
Post Cold War
It deployed aircraft and personnel to strategic locations in Saudi Arabia and Turkey in support of the liberation of Kuwait from September 1990 - March 1993. Near the end of 1992, it began receiving A/OA-10 aircraft. It received F-15 Eagles in 1994 but lost its F-4Gs. From January - December 1999, the wing supported Operations Northern Watch, Allied Force, and Decisive Forge with numerous deployments to Italy and Turkey.
Unit shields
 22 FS |
 23 FS |
 81 FS |
 606 ACS |
 52 MDG |
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. |
Notes
Bibliography
- Ivie, Tom and Paul Ludwig. Spitfires and Yellow Tail Mustangs: The 52nd Fighter Group in World War 2.
- 52nd Fighter Group. History of the 52nd Fighter Group. Suffolk County AFB, New York: 52nd Fighter Group, 1958.
External links
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Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 13 November 2008, at 00:37.
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