Lineage

Lineage. Established as 53d Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated 53d Fighter Group on 15 May 1942. Disbanded on 1 May 1944. Reestablished, and redesignated 53d Fighter Group (Air Defense), on 20 Jun 1955. Activated on 18 Aug 1955. Discontinued on 1 Apr 1960. Redesignated 53d Tactical Fighter Group on 31 Jul 1985. Consolidated (25 Sep 1995) with the USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center, which was organized on 1 Nov 1963. Redesignated: USAF Air Warfare Center on 1 Oct 1991; 53d Wing on 1 Oct 1995.

Assignments

22d Pursuit Wing, 15 Jan 1941; 3d Interceptor Command, 2 Oct 1941; Caribbean (later, Sixth) Air Force, 1 Jan 1942; XXVI Interceptor (later, XXVI Fighter) Command, 6 Mar 1942; III Fighter Command, 26 Nov 1942- 1 May 1944. 31st Air Division (Defense), 18 Aug 1955; 20th Air Division (Defense), 1 Mar 1956; Kansas City Air Defense Sector (Manual), 1 Jan-1 Apr 1960. Tactical Air Command, 1 Nov 1963; Air Combat Command, 1 Jun 1992; Air Warfare Center, 1 Oct 1995-.

Components

Wing. 4485th Test: 16 Mar 1964-30 Jun 1965.

Group. 68th Electronic Combat: 15 Apr 1993-. 475th Weapons Evaluation: 23 Jan 1991-. 4441st Tactical Training (Blue Flag) [later, 41st Training]: 1 Mar 1977-15 Apr 1993. 4443d (later, 79th) Test and Evaluation: 1 Jul 1988-.

Squadrons. 13th Pursuit (later, 13th Fighter; 13th Fighter-Interceptor): 15 Jan 1941-1 May 1944; 18 Aug 1955-1 Jul 1957. 14th Pursuit (later, 14th Fighter; 14th Fighter-Interceptor): 15 Jan 1941-1 May 1944; 18 Aug 1955- 1 Apr 1960. 15th 15 Jan 1941-1 May 1944. 31st Test and Evaluation: 1 Jun 1992-15 Apr 1993. 49th Test: 1 Jun 1992-15 Apr 1993. 438th Fighter: 20 Feb 1943-1 May 1944. 513th Test: 1 Jun 1992-15 Apr 1993. 3907th Systems Evaluation: 1 Jun 1992-15 Apr 1993. 4484th Fighter Weapons: 1 Oct 1978-1 Jun 1984. 4484th Test: 15 Oct 1983-1 Aug 1988. 4485th Test: 12 Apr 1971-1 Aug 1988. 4486th Fighter Weapons: 1 Oct 1985-1 Aug 1988. 4487th (later, 87th) Electronic Warfare Aggressor: 1 Oct 1990-15 Apr 1993.

Stations

MacDill Field, FL, 15 Jan 1941; Tallahassee, FL, 8 May-8 Dec 1941; Howard Field, CZ, 1 Jan-10 Nov 1942; Dale Mabry Field, FL, 26 Nov 1942; Drew Field, FL, 7 Jan 1943; Fort Myers AAFld (later, Page Field), FL, 6 Feb 1943-1 May 1944. Sioux City Muni Aprt, IA, 18 Aug 1955-1 Apr 1960. Eglin AFB, FL, 1 Nov 1963-.

Commanders

Maj Hugo P. Rush, 15 Jan 1941; Maj Eugene C. Fleming, 9 May 1941; Col Earl W. Barnes, 1 Jun 1941; Lt Col Don L. Wilhelm, Jr, 28 Jun 1942; Col Morley F. Slaght, 11 Apr 1943; Lt Col Anthony V. Grossetta, 22 Sep 1943; Col Bryan B. Harper, Oct 1943-1 May 1944. Col Malcolm A. Moore, 18 Aug 1955; Col James R. Wergin, by Aug 1957; Col Jones E. Bolt, 25 Jul 1958; Lt Col William D. Chalek, 4 Oct 1959-1 Apr 1960. Brig Gen Gilbert L. Pritchard, 1 Nov 1963; Maj Gen Gilbert L. Meyers, 30 Dec 1963; Maj Gen Gilbert L. Pritchard, 21 Apr 1965; Maj Gen Walter B. Putnam, 2 Aug 1965; Brig Gen Albert W. Schinz, 1 Nov 1966; Maj Gen Andrew J. Evans, Jr, 30 Jul 1968; Col Everett N. Farrell, 4 Sep 1970 (temporary); Maj Gen Richard C. Catledge, 1 Mar 1971; Maj Gen Woodard E. Davis, Jr, 1 Aug 1973; Brig Gen Wayne E. Whitlatch, 21 Jan 1974; Maj Gen Howard M. Lane, 4 Mar 1974; Brig Gen Thomas H. McMullen, 1 Sep 1975; Maj Gen Malcolm E. Ryan, 1 Oct 1976; Maj Gen Gerald J. Carey, Jr, 15 Jul 1978; Maj Gen Thomas S. Swalm, 17 Aug 1981; Maj Gen John E. Jaquish, 30 Oct 1986; Maj Gen John A. Corder, 16 Jan 1989; Maj Gen George B. Harrison, 4 Oct 1992-.

Aircraft

P-35, 1941; P-40, 1941; P-39, 1942, 1942-1943; P-51, 1943; P-47, 1943- 1944. F-86, 1955-1959; C-119, 1956; T-33, 1957; C-45, 1957. Between 1963 and 1973, tested tactical weapon systems and tactics using a cross section of TAC aircraft, including: A-4, A-37, B-57, C-119, C-123, C-124, CH-3, CH-21, F-100, F-101, F-104, F-105, O-1, OV-10, RB-66, T-33, and UH-1; C-130, 1964-1974; F-4, 1964-1994; RF-4, 1965-1990; F-5, 1965-1978; F-111, 1968-1978; A-7, 1972-1974; AC-130, 1972-1978; EF-111, 1976-; F-15, 1976-; F-16, 1978-; A-10, 1978-; E-3, 1980.

Operations

Trained fighter pilots, Jan-Dec 1941. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, moved to the Canal Zone to fly patrols in defense of the Panama Canal. Returned to Florida in Nov 1942, where it trained replacement fighter pilots until disbanded on 1 May 1944. Between Aug 1955 and Apr 1960, served as an air defense unit, participating in NORAD exercises and testing automated air defense systems. Activated as the USAF Tactical Air Warfare Center in 1963 to improve use of USAF tactical aviation in support of ground forces by operationally testing weapon systems and tactics for the joint U.S. Strike Command. Employed a cross-section of tactical aircraft from Tactical Air Command bases across the country. During the conflict in Vietnam, tested tactical weapons systems and tactics for use in Southeast Asia. After the Vietnam conflict, continued operational testing of new tactical aviation weapon systems. In 1977, began an annual series of Air Force-wide exercises to improve command, control, communications, and intelligence techniques. Around the same time, embarked on the electronic warfare evaluation program, and continued operational tests and evaluations of aviation weapon systems for Tactical Air Command and later Air Combat Command, the Department of Defense, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Honors

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Air Force Organizational Excellence Awards: 1 Jan 1981-1 Jan 1983; 28 Feb 1984-28 Feb 1986.

Emblem

Per bend Azure and light Blue, a bend Argent in chief of three mullets, two of five points and one of four of the last, over all on the bend a sword of the third winged Or, with hilt and pommel of the last emitting from the point of the blade two lightning flashes, one fesswise to sinister and one palewise to base Gules all within a diminished bordure of the fourth. Approved on 26 May 1964 (K 15575).