355th WING – GAGGLE

$9.00

In stock

SKU: FW-355-1052-A Categories: , ,

Description

Computer made/NOT mounted on velcro    4.0 inch-100mm

 

355th FIGHTER WING (ACC)

Lineage. Established as 355 Fighter Group, and activated, on 12 Nov 1942. Inactivated on 20 Nov 1946. Redesignated 355 Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 20 Jun 1955. Activated on 18 Aug 1955. Inactivated on 8 Jan 1958. Consolidated (31 Jan 1984) with the 355 Tactical Fighter Wing, which was established, and activated, on 13 Apr 1962. Organized on 8 Jul 1962. Inactivated on 10 Dec 1970. Activated on 1 Jul 1971. Redesignated: 355 Tactical Training Wing on 1 Sep 1979; 355 Fighter Wing on 1 Oct 1991; 355 Wing on 1 May 1992; 355 Fighter Wing on 26 Apr 2007..

Assignments. AAF School of Applied Tactics, 12 Nov 1942; I Fighter Command, 18 Feb 1943; VIII Fighter Command, c. 6 Jul 1943; 65 Fighter Wing, 9 Sep 1943; Ninth Air Force, c. 10 Jul 1945; XXIX Tactical Air Command, 18 Jul 1945; 70 Fighter Wing, c. 10 Aug 1945; 64 Fighter Wing, c. 15 Apr 1946; First Air Force, 1 Aug-20 Nov 1946. 35 Air Division (Defense), 18 Aug 1955; 58 Air Division (Defense), 1 Mar 1956-8 Jan 1958. Tactical Air Command, 13 Apr 1962; 831 Air Division, 8 Jul 1962; 835 Air Division, 21 Jul 1964; Thirteenth Air Force, 8 Nov 1965-10 Dec 1970 (attached to 2 Air Division, 8 Nov 1965-31 Mar 1966; Seventh Air Force, 1 Apr 1966-10 Dec 1970). Twelfth Air Force, 1 Jul 1971; Ninth Air Force, 1 Jul 1976; Tactical Training, Davis-Monthan, 1 Apr 1977; 836 Air Division, 1 Jan 1981; Twelfth Air Force, 1 May 1992-.

Operational Components. Wing. 4453 Combat Crew Training: attached 1 Jul-30 Sep 1971. Groups. 1 Air Support: 15 Jun 1992-1 Feb 1994. 3 Air Support: 15 Jun 1992-1 Feb 1994. 355 Operations: 1 May 1992-. Squadrons. 11 Tactical Drone: 1 Jul 1971-1 Jul 1976. 35 Tactical Fighter: attached 8-c. 9 Nov 1965. 40 Tactical Fighter: 1 Oct 1971-1 Jun 1972. 41 Tactical Reconnaissance (later, 41 Tactical Electronic Warfare): attached 8 Nov 1965-18 Sep 1966 and 8-14 Aug 1967, assigned 15 Aug 1967-31 Oct 1969. 42 Tactical Electronic Warfare: 1 Jan 1968-15 Oct 1970 (detached c. 23 Sep-15 Oct 1970). 44 Tactical Fighter: 15 Oct 1969-10 Dec 1970. 333 Tactical Fighter (later, 333 Tactical Fighter Training): 4 Dec 1965-10 Dec 1970; 31 Jul 1971-15 Feb 1991. 334 Tactical Fighter: attached 8 Nov 1965-5 Feb 1966. 335 Tactical Fighter: attached 8 Nov-6 Dec 1965. 354 Fighter (later, 354 Tactical Fighter; 354 Tactical Fighter Training): 12 Nov 1942-20 Nov 1946; 18 Aug 1955-8 Jan 1958; 8 Jul 1962-8 Nov 1965 (detached 24 Jan-21 Feb 1964, 2 May-c. 20 Sep 1964, 3 Mar-12 Jun 1965); 27 Nov 1965-10 Dec 1970; 1 Jul 1971-30 Apr 1982 (detached 12 Jan-5 Jul 1973 and 22 Jan-9 Feb 1979). 357 Fighter (later, 357 Tactical Fighter; 357 Tactical Fighter Training): 12 Nov 1942-20 Nov 1946; 8 Jul 1962-8 Nov 1965 (detached 9 Aug-12 Dec 1964, 12 Jun-8 Nov 1965); 29 Jan 1966-10 Dec 1970; 1 Jul 1971-1 May 1992. 358 Fighter (later, 56 Reconnaissance, Weather Scouting; 358 Tactical Fighter; 358 Tactical Fighter Training): 12 Nov 1942-20 Nov 1946; 1 Jun 1972-1 May 1992 (detached 28 Dec 1973-15 May 1974). 421 Tactical Fighter: 8 Jul 1962-8 Nov 1965 (detached 15 Sep-23 Nov 1964 and 7 Apr- 20 Aug 1965). 469 Fighter-Interceptor (later, 469 Tactical Fighter): 18 Aug 1955-8 Jan 1958; 8 Jul 1962-8 Nov 1965 (detached 30 Nov 1964-13 Mar 1965). 562 Tactical Fighter: attached 8 Nov-c. 4 Dec 1965. 4455 Combat Crew Training: attached 1-8 Oct 1971. 6460 Tactical Reconnaissance (later, 6460 Tactical Electronic Warfare): attached 8 Jun-18 Sep 1966 and 8-14 Aug 1967, assigned 15 Aug 1967-1 Jan 1968). Detachment 1, 428 Tactical Fighter Squadron: attached 17 Mar-19 Nov 1968.

Stations. Orlando AB, FL, 12 Nov 1942; Norfolk Municipal Airport, VA, 19 Feb 1943; Philadelphia Municipal Airport, PA, 4 Mar-16 Jun 1943; Steeple Morden, England, 6 Jul 1943; Gablingen, Germany, c. 10 Jul 1945; Schweinfurt, Germany, 15 Apr 1946; Mitchel Field, NY, 1 Aug-20 Nov 1946. McGhee-Tyson Airport, TN, 18 Aug 1955-8 Jan 1958. George AFB, CA, 8 Jul 1962; McConnell AFB, KS, 21 Jul 1964-Oct 1965; Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, 8 Nov 1965-10 Dec 1970. Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 1 Jul 1971-.

Aircraft. P-47, 1942-1944; P-51, 1944-1946. F-86, 1955-1957. Primarily F-105, 1962-1970; and EB-66, 1967-1970; but also included RB-66, 1965-1966; EB-66, 1966; and F-111, 1968. F-4, 1971; A-7, 1971-1979; DC-130, 1971-1976; AQM-34 (drone), 1971-1976; CH-3, 1972-1976; BGM-34 (drone), 1974-1975; RC-130, 1975-1976; A-10, 1976-; EC-130, 1992-2002; 0-2, 1982-1992; OV-10, 1982-1992; A-37, 1982-1990; HH-60, 2003.

Operations. The 355 Fighter Group prepared for combat with P-47s in 1942 and 1943 before moving to England in Jul 1943, where it served primarily as an escort for bombers. It also flew fighter sweeps, area patrols, and bombing missions, striking such targets as air parks, locomotives, bridges, radio stations, and armored cars. On 5 Apr 1944, shortly after converting from P-47s to P-51s, the group successfully bombed and strafed German airdromes during a snow squall, a mission for which the group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC). It continued combat operations until 25 Apr 1945 and remained in the theater after the war for duty with United States Air Forces in Europe, as part of the army of occupation. Assigned to Air Defense Command, 1955-1957 and equipped with F-86 aircraft, the group provided fighter defense for the eastern part of the United States, trained in tactical fighter operations, Jul 1962-Nov 1965, and deployed tactical squadrons overseas as required, primarily to combat duty in Southeast Asia. It moved to Thailand in Nov 1965 and performed combat in Southeast Asia, 8 Nov 1965-6 Oct 1970, including air-to-air combat, strike missions, armed reconnaissance, close air support and electronic warfare. Primarily operating over Laos and North Vietnam, the wing attacked strategic transportation centers and lines of communication connecting Hanoi with the industrial centers of southeast China. In addition, it had operational control of an F-111 detachment of the 428 Tactical Fighter Squadron, 17 Mar-19 Nov 1968. Phasing down for inactivation in Oct 1970, its final aircraft departed 10 Nov, and the wing closed Takhli RTAFB on 10 Dec 1970. Replaced the 4453 Combat Crew Training Wing (CCTW) at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, in Jul 1971, the two units shared commanders and staff through 30 Sep 1971 and built up the 355th as an A-7D unit while phasing down the 4453 CCTW. It began training with A-7Ds in a close air support role and conducted tactical drone reconnaissance operations, Jul 1971-Jun 1976. From Nov 1972-Feb 1974, the wing participated in numerous tactical exercises in the United States and overseas, trained A-7 pilots for other USAF units, maintained an A-7 detachment at Howard AFB, Canal Zone, and augmented an advanced echelon of the 354 TFW at Korat RTAFB, Thailand. In early 1975, it began preparation for conversion to A-10s. Receiving its first such aircraft in Mar 1976, it provided A-10 combat crew training for aircrew personnel of the United States military forces and for selected members of allied military services, 1 Sep 1979-. It served as the host wing at Davis-Monthan, Sep 1976-Mar 1977, Sep 1979-Jan 1981, and May 1992 to present. Deployed aircraft for combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, Oct 2003-May 2004 and Nov 2005-present. Provided attack airpower, expeditionary combat support, and medical forces for worldwide deployment to combatant commanders, 2007-.

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Vietnam: Vietnam Defensive; Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II: Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/ Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall, 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany, 5 Apr 1944. Presidential Unit Citations (Vietnam): 1 Jan-10 Oct 1966; 11-12 Aug and 24-28 Oct 1967; 12 Apr 1968-30 Apr 1969. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: 12 Oct 1966-11 Apr 1967; 12 Apr 1967-11 Apr 1968; 1 Jul 1969-24 Nov 1970. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1956-30 Jun 1957; 1 Jul 1971-1 Jun 1973; 1 Oct 1976-31 May 1978; 1 Jun 1995-31 May 1997; 1 Jun 1998-31 May 2000; 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2004. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 22 Apr 1966-10 Dec 1970.

Emblem. Approved on 16 Mar 1943.