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306th Fighter Wing (World War II)
Encyclopedia
The 306th Fighter Wing (306th FW) was a World War II
United States Army Air Force organization assigned to Fifteenth Air Force
as an intermediate-level command and control organization. It was last stationed at Drew Field
, Florida and was inactivated on 7 November 1945.
All units were transferred to 305th Fighter Wing
.
Entered combat in Mar as a fighter organization. Re-designated 306th Fighter Wing in May 1944. Operated
in the Mediterranean and European theaters until the end of the war.
Moved to the US, July–August 1945. Inactivated on 7 November 1945.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
United States Army Air Force organization assigned to Fifteenth Air Force
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
as an intermediate-level command and control organization. It was last stationed at Drew Field
Tampa International Airport
Tampa International Airport is a major public airport located six nautical miles west of the central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority...
, Florida and was inactivated on 7 November 1945.
Lineage
- Constituted as 306th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 7 December 1943.
- Activated on 15 January 1944.
- Redesignated 306th Fighter Wing in May 1944
- Inactivated on 7 November 1945.
Assignments
- Fifteenth Air ForceFifteenth Air ForceThe Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
, 15 January 1944 – 15 July 1945 - Continental Air Command
- Third Air ForceThird Air ForceThe Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, August −7 November 1945
Stations
- Bari Airfield, Italy, 15 January 1944
- Foggia Airfield, Italy, 27 January 1944
- Lucera Airfield, Italy, 23 February 1944
- TorremaggioreTorremaggioreTorremaggiore is a town and comune in the province of Foggia in the Apulia region of southeast Italy.It lies on a hill, 169 m over the sea, and is famous for production of wine and olives.-History:...
, Italy, 8 March 1944 - Lesina Airfield, Italy, 3 September 1944
- Fano Airfield, Italy, 5 March – 15 July 1945
- Drew FieldTampa International AirportTampa International Airport is a major public airport located six nautical miles west of the central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority...
, Florida, August −7 November 1945
Components
- Transferred from 5th Bombardment Wing:
- 1st Fighter Group1st Operations GroupThe 1st Operations Group is the flying component of the 1st Fighter Wing, assigned to the USAF Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. The 1st Operations Group is the oldest major air combat unit in the United States Air Force, being a successor organization...
27 March – November 1944 - 82d Fighter Group82d Training WingThe 82d Training Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command Second Air Force. It is stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas where it also is the host unit....
27 March 1944 – 13 June 1945 - 325th Fighter Group325th Fighter WingThe 325th Fighter Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.-Mission:The 325th Fighter Wing’s primary mission is to provide air dominance training for F-22 Raptor pilots and maintenance personnel and air battle managers to support the combat Air...
May 1944 – 13 June 1945
- Transferred from Twelfth Air Force
- 14th Fighter Group14th Flying Training WingThe 14th Flying Training Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi.-Mission:...
1 November 1943 – 27 March 1944 - 31st Fighter Group31st Fighter WingThe 31st Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at Aviano Air Base, Italy where it is also the host unit....
2 April 1944 – 13 June 1945 - 52d Fighter Group52d Fighter WingThe 52d Fighter Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.-Mission:The 52 FW maintains, deploys and employs F-16CJ and A/OA-10 aircraft and TPS-75 radar systems in support of NATO and the national defense directives...
14 May 1944 – 13 June 1945 - 332d Fighter Group332d Air Expeditionary WingThe United States Air Force's 332d Air Expeditionary Wing is an Air Expeditionary unit located at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.-Mission:...
28 May 1944 – 13 June 1945
All units were transferred to 305th Fighter Wing
305th Air Division
The 305th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Continental Air Command, assigned to Fourth Air Force, being stationed at McChord Air Force Base, California...
Aircraft
- P-38 LightningP-38 LightningThe Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
(1st, 14th 82d FG 1 November 1943 – Summer 1944) - P-51 MustangP-51 MustangThe North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
(All) - P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
, B-26 MarauderB-26 MarauderThe Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
(325th FG, also P-51 Mustang)
Operational history
Constituted originally as the 306th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 7 December 1943. Activated in Italy on 15 January 1944. Assigned to Fifteenth Air ForceFifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
.
Entered combat in Mar as a fighter organization. Re-designated 306th Fighter Wing in May 1944. Operated
in the Mediterranean and European theaters until the end of the war.
Moved to the US, July–August 1945. Inactivated on 7 November 1945.