Lineage

Established as 355th Fighter Group, and activated, on 12 Nov 1942. Inactivated on 20 Nov 1946. Redesignated 355th Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 20 Jun 1955. Activated on 18 Aug 1955. Inactivated on 8 Jan 1958. Consolidated (31 Jan 1984) with the 355th 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: 355th Tactical Training Wing on 1 Sep 1979; 355th Fighter Wing on 1 Oct 1991; 355th Wing on 1 May 1992.

Assignments

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

Components

Wing. 4453d Combat Crew Training: attached 1 Jul?30 Sep 1971.

Groups. 1st Air Support: 15 Jun 1992?1 Feb 1994. 3rd Air Support: 15 Jun 1992?1 Feb 1994. 355th Operations: 1 May 1992?.

Squadrons. 11th Tactical Drone: 1 Jul 1971?1 Jul 1976. 35th: attached 8?c. 9 Nov 1965. 40th: 1 Oct 1971?1 Jun 1972. 41st Tactical?Reconnaissance (later, 41st Tactical Electronic Warfare): attached 8 Nov 1965?18 Sep 1966 and 8?14 Aug 1967, assigned 15 Aug 1967?31 Oct 1969. 42d Tactical Electronic Warfare: 1 Jan 1968?15 Oct 1970 (detached c. 23 Sep?15 Oct 1970). 44th: 15 Oct 1969?10 Dec 1970. 333d: Tactical Fighter (later, 333d Tactical Fighter Training): 4 Dec 1965?10 Dec 1970; 31 Jul 1971?15 Feb 1991. 334th: attached 8 Nov 1965?5 Feb 1966. 335th: attached 8 Nov?6 Dec 1965. 354th: 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). 357th: 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. 358th: 12 Nov 1942?20 Nov 1946; 1 Jun 1972?1 May 1992 (detached 28 Dec 1973?15 May 1974). 421st: 8 Jul 1962?8 Nov 1965 (detached 15 Sep?23 Nov 1964 and 7 Apr?20 Aug 1965). 469th: 18 Aug 1955?8 Jan 1958; 8 Jul 1962? 8 Nov 1965 (detached 30 Nov 1964?13 Mar 1965). 562d: attached 8 Nov? c. 4 Dec 1965. 4455th Combat Crew Training: attached 1?8 Oct 1971. 6460th Tactical Reconnaissance (later, 6460th Tactical Electronic Warfare): attached 8 Jun?18 Sep 1966 and 8?14 Aug 1967, assigned 15 Aug 1967?1 Jan 1968). Detachment 1, 428th 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?.

Commanders

Unkn, 12 Nov 1942?15 Jan 1943; Col William J. Cummings, Jr., 16 Jan 1943; Col Everett W. Stewart, 4 Nov 1944; Lt Col Claiborne H. Kinnard, Jr., 21 Feb 1945; Lt Col William D. Gilchrist, 30 May 1945 (temporary), 7 Jun 1945 (permanent); Lt Col Bert W. Marshall, Jr., 14 Sep 1945 (temporary); Lt Col John L. Elder, Jr., 7 Oct 1945; Col Carroll W. McColpin, 14 Mar?31 Jul 1946; none (not manned), 1 Aug?20 Nov 1946. Col William A. Lanford, 18 Aug 1955; Col George B. Simler IV, Jul 1956?c. Jul 1957; Col John R. Kullhan, c. Jul 1957?unkn. None (not manned), 13 Apr?7 Jul 1962; Lt Col Adrian E. Drew, c. 8 Jul 1962; Col Olin E. Gilbert, 12 Jul 1962; Col Paul E. Adams, 20 Jul 1963; Col Edward A. McGough III, 3 Sep 1963; Col William H. Holt, 2 Aug 1965; Col Robert R. Scott, 4 Aug 1966; Col John C. Giraudo, 2 Aug 1967; Col Michael C. Horgan, 30 Jun 1968; Col Heath Bottomly, 27 Jun 1969; Col Clarence E. Anderson, Jr., 22 Jun?10 Dec 1970. Col John F. Barnes, 1 Jul 1971; Col Fred A. Haeffner, 23 Aug 1972; Col William J. Hosmer, 19 Jul 1974; Col Alonzo L. Ferguson, 30 Jan 1976; Brig Gen William D. Curry, Jr., 16 Aug 1976; Col Alonzo L. Ferguson, 1 Apr 1977; Col Ralph E. Adams, 11 Jul 1977; Col Michael J. Dugan, 1 Feb 1979; Col Arthur J. Bergman, 27 May 1980; Col Rodney B. Beckman, 18 Jun 1980; Col Paul K. Robinson, Jr., 18 Jun 1982; Col Hal P. Henning, 11 Apr 1984; Col Eben D. Jones, 17 Jan 1986; Col Timothy F. McConnell, 8 Feb 1988; Col Michael C. Short, 11 Aug 1988; Col Joe Degrande, Jr., 9 Jan 1990; Brig Gen Eugene D. Santarelli, 1 Apr 1992?.

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?.

Operations

Prepared for combat with P?47s, 1942?1943. Moved to England in Jul 1943 and assigned to Eighth Air Force. Served primarily as escort for bombers. 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 DUC. Continued operations until 25 Apr 1945 and remained in the theater after the war for duty with United States Air Forces in Europe. Moved to Germany in Jul 1945 as part of the army of occupation. Transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the US on 1 Aug 1946 and inactivated on 20 Nov. Assigned to Air Defense Command, 1955?1957, and equipped with F?86 aircraft. 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. 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 operated over Laos and North Vietnam, attacking strategic transportation centers and lines of communication connecting Hanoi with the industrial centers of southeast China. Had operational control of an F?111 detachment of the 428th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 17 Mar?19 Nov 1968. Began phasing down for inactivation on 7 Oct 1970. Final aircraft departed 10 Nov, and wing inactivated in place on 10 Dec. Replaced the 4453d Combat Crew Training Wing at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, in Jul 1971. That wing and the 355th shared commanders and staff through 30 Sep 1971 and built up the 355th as an A?7D unit while phasing down the 4453d as a F?4C unit. Ended F?4 training in mid-Oct 1971. Began training with A?7Ds in a close air support role in Jul 1971. Conducted tactical drone reconnaissance operations, Jul 1971?Jun 1976. Became combat ready with A?7s on 22 Aug 1972. 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, 15 Nov 1972?1 Feb 1974. Augmented an advanced echelon of the 354 TFW at Korat RTAFB, Thailand, Oct 1972? Jul 1973 and Dec 1973?May 1974. Began preparations early in 1975 for conversion to A?10s and received first of these close air support aircraft in Mar 1976. 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?. Served as a host wing at Davis-Monthan, 30 Sep 1976?31 Mar 1977, Sep 1979?1 Jan 1981, and May 1992 to present.

Honors

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. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 22 Apr 1966?10 Dec 1970.

Emblem

Azure, on a pile issuant from sinister throughout Or, flames of fire proper charged with a dagger fesswise point to dexter of the second, all within a diminished bordure of the last. Motto: OUR MIGHT ALWAYS. Approved on 16 Mar 1943; and in slightly altered format since Jul 1962 (24977 A.C.).