Description
Computer made 3.0 inch-77mm
142nd FIGHTER WING
Lineage. Constituted as 371 Fighter Group on 25 May 1943. Activated on 15 July 1943. Inactivated on 10 Nov 1945. Redesignated: 142 Fighter Group and allotted to Oregon ANG on 24 May 1946. Extended federal recognition on 30 Aug 1946. Established as 142 Fighter Wing and, extended federal recognition and activated on 1 Nov 1950. Redesignated: 142 Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 2 Mar 1951; 142 Air Defense Wing, 16 Apr 1956; 142 Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 1 Jul 1960; 142 Fighter Wing 16 Mar 1992-.
Assignments. I Fighter Command, 15 Jul 1943; IX Fighter Command, Apr 1944; 100 Fighter Wing, 1 Aug 1944; XIX Tactical Air Command, 29 Sep 1944; 1 Tactical Air Force (Provisional), 1 Nov 1944; XIX Tactical Air Command, 16 Feb 1945-Oct 1945; Army Service Forces, 9-10 Nov 1945. Oregon ANG, 24 May 1946; 60th Fighter Wing, 30 Aug 1946; Oregon ANG, 31 Oct 1950-; (attached to: Philadelphia Fighter Wing, 30 Sep 1943-14 Feb 1944; XIX Tactical Air Command, 1 Aug 1944); (gained by: Fourth Air Force, 1 Oct 1950; Western Air Defense Force, 1 Nov 1952; Portland Air Defense Sector, 8 Jun 1958; 26 Air Division, 1 Apr 1966; 26 Air Division, 15 Jan 1968; Air Defense, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC), 1 Oct 1979; First Air Force, 9 Dec 1985; Northwest Air Defense Sector, 1 Jul 1987; Western Air Defense Sector, 1 Oct 1997-).
Components. Groups. 142 Fighter (later: Fighter, Air Defense; Fighter-Interceptor ), 1 Nov 1950; 142 Operations, 16 Mar 1992-; 142 Maintenance, 16 Mar 1992-; 142 Mission Support, 16 Mar 1992-; 142 Medical, 16 Mar 1992-. Squadrons. 404 Fighter, 15 July 1943-10 Nov 1945; 405 Fighter, 15 July 1943-10 Nov 1945; 406 Fighter, 15 July 1943-10 Nov 1945. 114 Fighter Squadron, 15 Mar 1992-1 Apr 1996; 116 Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor), 31 Oct 1950-10 Feb 1951; 1 Nov 1952-16 Apr 1956; 123 Fighter (Later Fighter-Interceptor, Fighter) Squadron, 30 Aug 1946-.
Stations. Richmond Army Air Base, VA, 15 Jul 1943; Camp Springs AAF, MI, 30 Sep 1943; Richmond AAB, VA, 18 Jan-14 Feb 1944; RAF Bisterne, England, Mar 1944; Beuzeville Airfield, France, Jun 1944; Perthes Airfield, France, 18 Sep 1944; Dole/Tavaux Airfield, France, 1 Oct 1944; Tantonville Airfield, France, 20 Dec 1944; Metz Airfield, France, 15 Feb 1945; Frankfurt/Eschborn Airfield, Germany, 7 Apr 1945; Furth/Industriehafen Airfield, Germany, 5 May 1945; AAF Station Hoersching, Austria, 16 Aug 1945; Strasbourg/Entzheim Airport, France, Sep-Oct 1945; Camp Shanks, NY, 9-10 Nov 1945; Portland Municipal Airport (later Portland IAP; Portland ANGB ), OR, 30 Aug 1946-. (operated from: O’Hare IAP, IL, 1 May 1951-6 Feb 1952)
Aircraft. P-47, 1943-1945; F-51, 1946-1952; F-86, 1952-1955; F-94, 1955-1957; F-89, 1957-1966; F/TF-102, 1966-1971; F-101, 1971-1982; F-4, 1982-1989; F-15, 1989-.
Operations. Air Combat in the ETO. Called to active duty as part of the Korean War call-up, 2 Mar 1951-1 Nov 1952. Air defense of Oregon. Conducted air interception training missions. Mission changed from day interceptor to day and night all-weather interceptor. Implemented the ADC Runway Alert Program, in which interceptors were committed to a five-minute runway alert 24/7/365. Won first place in the F-101 category of the 1976 William Tell Competition and Weapons Loading Competition. Won first place in the F-4 category of the 1984 William Tell Competition. Served as the principal air defense unit of the Pacific Northwest. Deployed in support of Operations: Northern Watch, 1998; Southern Watch, 2000; Noble Eagle, 2001-; Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: 15-21 Mar 1945. Cited in the Order of the Day, Belgian Army, 6 Jun-30 Sep 1944.