343d Composite Wing
Encyclopedia
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. Its last assignment was with the Alaskan Air Command
Alaskan Air Command
Alaskan Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1945 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the air defense system of Alaska, exercise direct control of all active measures, and coordinate all passive means of...
, stationed at Eielson Air Force Base
Eielson Air Force Base
Eielson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska and just southeast of Moose Creek, Alaska....
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. It was inactivated on 20 August 1993
History
During World War IIWorld 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...
, the 343d Fighter Group was activated in Alaska on 3 September 1942 and began operations immediately. Provided air dfense for the Aleutians; bombed and strafed Japanese camps, antiaircraft emplacements, hangars, and radio stations on Kiska; escorted bombers that struck enemy airfields, harbor facilities, and shipping. Flew its last combat mission in October 1943, but carried out patrol and reconnaissance assignments in the area until the end of the war. Later trained, carried mail, and served as part of the defense force for Alaska.
Reactivated as part of Air Defense Command in 1955 and performed air defense mission for north central United States until 1959
Reactivated as operational tactical fighter group at Elmendorf AFB in 1977. Inactivated in 1980. It became Eielson Air Force Base
Eielson Air Force Base
Eielson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska and just southeast of Moose Creek, Alaska....
’s host unit on 1 October 1981.
It's operational squadron was the 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron, flying the Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
. On 19 December 1991 the 3rd Fighter Training Squadron was moved without personnel or equipment to Eielson from Clark Air Base
Clark Air Base
Clark Air Base is a former United States Air Force base on Luzon Island in the Philippines, located 3 miles west of Angeles City, about 40 miles northwest of Metro Manila. Clark Air Base was an American military facility from 1903 to 1991...
, Philippines. The 3rd administered the Cope Thunder program and flew Bell Helicopter UH-1N Hueys for range support.
On 8 June 1994 the 343d Composite Wing was redesignated the 343d Tactical Fighter Wing. On 1 July 1991, it was redesignated as the 343d Wing. Also that year, the 343d gained a second flying unit, the 11th Tactical Air Support Squadron, which flew O/A-10As.
Additional flying squadrons assigned to the new wing included the 25th Tactical Air Support Squadron flying the Cessna O-2A Skymaster
O-2 Skymaster
The O-2 Skymaster is a military version of the Cessna 337 Super Skymaster utilized as an observation and forward air control aircraft...
and North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco
OV-10 Bronco
The North American Aviation Rockwell OV-10 Bronco is a turboprop light attack and observation aircraft. It was developed in the 1960s as a special aircraft for counter-insurgency combat, and one of its primary missions was as a forward air control aircraft...
.
The 25th TASS O-2s were distinguishable by orange panels on the nose, tail and wings. In July 1986, the O-2s were retired, and on 15 September 1989 the OV-10s were also retired and the squadron inactivated.
The 18th TFS realigned in 1991, transitioning to Block 40 F-16C/D Fighting Falcons
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
.
On 20 August 1993, the 11th TASS inactivated, being replaced by the 355th FS from the 354th Fighter Wing.
The 3rd FTS helicopters were reassigned to other bases on that same date and the unit was inactivated, being replaced by the 353rd Fighter Training Squadron from the 354th FW.
Notable events during the 343d Wing's tenure were:
- 15 March 1981 – An RC-135S assigned to the 6th Strategic Wing crashed while attempting to land at Shemya. Six crewmembers died as result of the crash.
- 25 February 1985 – An RC-135T belonging to Eielson’s 6th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing crashed near ValdezValdez, AlaskaValdez is a city in Valdez-Cordova Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,020. The city is one of the most important ports in Alaska. The port of Valdez was named in 1790 after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y...
, killing all three aboard. Exactly one month later, a 25th TASS pilot died while flying an Air Warrior mission in California.
- 17–28 June 1991 – Pacific Air Forces premier flying training exercise, COPE THUNDER, came to Eielson. The eruption of Mount PinatuboMount PinatuboMount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano located on the island of Luzon, near the tripoint of the Philippine provinces of Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga. It is located in the Tri-Cabusilan Mountain range separating the west coast of Luzon from the central plains, and is west of the dormant and...
in the Philippine Islands prompted the move; the subsequent closing of Clark Air BaseClark Air BaseClark Air Base is a former United States Air Force base on Luzon Island in the Philippines, located 3 miles west of Angeles City, about 40 miles northwest of Metro Manila. Clark Air Base was an American military facility from 1903 to 1991...
, COPE THUNDER's home since 1976, brought the exercise to Alaska permanently.
It was inactivated and all personnel and equipment were rassigned to the 354th Fighter Wing
354th Fighter Wing
The 354th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force wing that is part of Pacific Air Forces . It is the host wing at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and is assigned to the Eleventh Air Force .-Overview:...
on 20 August 1993.
Lineage
- Constituted as 343d Fighter Group on 3 September 1942
- Activated on 3 September 1942
- Inactivated on 15 August 1946
- Redesignated 343d Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 20 June 1955
- Activated on 18 August 1955 replacing the 515th Air Defense Group515th Air Defense GroupThe 515th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 31st Air Division, being stationed at Duluth Municipal Airport, Minnesota...
- Inactivated on 1 January 1959
- Reactivated as 343d Tactical Fighter Group, on 15 November 1977
- Inactivated on 1 January 1980
- Reactivated as 343d Composite Wing, 1 October 1981
- Redesignated as 343d Tactical Fighter Wing, 8 June 1984
- Redesignated as 343d Wing, 1 July 1991
- Inactivated on 20 August 1993
Assignments
- Eleventh Air ForceEleventh Air ForceThe Eleventh Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska....
, 3 September 1942 – 15 August 1946 - 31st Air Division, 18 August 1955 – 1 January 1959
- 21st Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 November 1977-1 January 1980
- Alaskan Air CommandAlaskan Air CommandAlaskan Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1945 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the air defense system of Alaska, exercise direct control of all active measures, and coordinate all passive means of...
, 1 October 1981-9 August 1990 - Pacific Air Forces, 9 August 1990 – 20 August 1993
Stations
- Elmendorf Field, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, 11 September 1942 - Fort Glenn Army Airfield, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, September 1942 - Elmendorf Field, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, 3 December 1942 - Adak Army Airfield, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, 7 March 1943 - Amchitka Army AirfieldAmchitka Army AirfieldAmchitka Army Airfield is an abandoned airfield located near Amchitka, in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in southwest Alaska.-History:The airfield was used as a transit base by USAAF/RCAF for the defense of Dutch Harbor....
, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, 25 July 1943 - Alexai Point, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, 22 January 1944 - Shemya Army Air Base, Alaska TerritoryAlaska TerritoryThe Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, 5 October 1945 – 15 August 1946 - Duluth Municipal Airport, MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, 18 August 1955 – 1 January 1959 - Elmendorf AFB, AlaskaAlaskaAlaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, 15 November 1977 – 1 January 1980 - Eielson AFB, AlaskaAlaskaAlaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, 1 October 1981 – 20 August 1993
Components
- 18th Fighter (later Tactical Fighter) Squadron, 11 September 1942 – 15 August 1946; 15 November 1977-1 January 1980; 1 January 1982 – 20 August 1993
- 11th Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor) Squadron11th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronThe 11th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 343d Fighter Group, stationed at Duluth Airport, Minnesota...
, 11 September 1942 – 15 August 1946; 18 August 1955-1 January 1959 - 54th Fighter Squadron54th Fighter SquadronThe 54th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the 3d Operations Group, being stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska...
, 11 September 1942 – 21 March 1946 - 344th Fighter Squadron344th Fighter SquadronThe 344th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 343d Fighter Group stationed at Shemya Army Airfield, Alaska Territory.-History:...
, 10 October 1942 – 15 August 1946
- 25th Tactical Air Support Squadron, 1 October 1981 – 20 August 1993