72nd Fighter Wing
Military unit
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 72d Fighter Wing was a wing of the United States Army Air Forces. It was assigned to Second Air Force, stationed at Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado. It was inactivated on 9 April 1946.[1]
Active1943–1946
Country
United States
United StatesBranch
United States Air Force
United States Air ForceRoleCommand of Fighter operational and replacement training units
| 72d Fighter Wing | |
|---|---|
P-47 Thunderbolts as flown by the wing | |
| Active | 1943–1946 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Role | Command of Fighter operational and replacement training units |
History
The wing was initially activated in August 1943 as the 72d Bombardment Operational Training Wing, a command organization for heavy bomber training. Ten days after activation, it was redesignated the 72d Fighter Wing and became single-engine fighter training organization for Second Air Force.[1] The wing had jurisdiction over fighter Operational Training Unit and Replacement Training Unit in the midwest.
Stations assigned to the wing included:[citation needed]
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Lineage
- Constituted as 72d Bombardment Operational Training Wing (Heavy) on 12 August 1943
- Activated on 20 August 1943
- Redesigned 72d Fighter Wing on 1 September 1943
- Inactivated on 9 April 1946[1]
- Disbanded on 15 June 1983[4]
- Reconstituted on 31 July 1985 and redesigned 372d Electronic Warfare Group[5]
- Disbanded on 9 September 1992
Assignments
- Second Air Force, 12 August 1943 – 9 April 1946[1]
Components
- 36th Fighter Group, 17 September 1943 – 4 April 1944[3]
- 84th Fighter Group, 1 November 1943 – 1 April 1944[6]
- 357th Fighter Group, 7 October – 9 November 1943
- 407th Fighter Group, 9 March 1943 – 21 March 1944
- 408th Fighter Group, 1 November 1943 – 1 April 1944
- 476th Fighter Group, 26 March – 1 April 1944
- 507th Fighter Group, 12 October 1944 – 24 June 1945
- 508th Fighter Group, 12 October 1944 – 6 January 1945[1]
Stations
- Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota, 20 August 1943
- Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado, 7 October 1943
- Peterson Field, Colorado, November 1943
- Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado, December 1945 – 9 April 1946[1]
Aircraft
- Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943 – 1944[3]
Campaign
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
.png){kind=small} | American Theater without inscription | 20 August 1943–2 March 1946 | 72md Bombardment Operational Training Wing (later 72nd Fighter Wing)[1] |
