86th Fighter Wing (World War II)
Encyclopedia
The 86th Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force
unit which operated during the Second World War. Its last assignment was with Far East Air Forces, based at San Marcelino Airfield
, Philippines. It was inactivated on 25 March 1946.
The wing served in combat with Fifth Air Force
from May 1944 to August 1945, operating as a command and control echelon with various groups that were attached for brief periods. After the end of hostilities, the wing became responsible for establishing and operating an aircraft warning system in the Philippine Islands. Inactivated in early 1946.
Note: This wing is not related to the 86th Fighter Wing that was established and activated on 1 July 1948 by the United States Air Forces in Europe
.
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 which operated during the Second World War. Its last assignment was with Far East Air Forces, based at San Marcelino Airfield
San Marcelino Airfield
San Marcelino Airfield is a World War II airfield located in Zambales province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. It was closed after the war.-History:...
, Philippines. It was inactivated on 25 March 1946.
The wing served in combat with Fifth Air Force
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
from May 1944 to August 1945, operating as a command and control echelon with various groups that were attached for brief periods. After the end of hostilities, the wing became responsible for establishing and operating an aircraft warning system in the Philippine Islands. Inactivated in early 1946.
Note: This wing is not related to the 86th Fighter Wing that was established and activated on 1 July 1948 by the United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
.
Lineage
- Constituted as 86th Fighter Wing on 19 November 1943
- Activated on 1 December 1943
- Inactivated on 15 March 1946.
Assignments
- Fourth Air ForceFourth Air ForceThe Fourth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve . It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California....
, 1 December 1943 - Fifth Air ForceFifth Air ForceThe Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
, 1 May 1944 – 15 March 1946
- Attached to: 308th Bombardment Wing308th Bombardment Wing (World War II)The 308th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Far East Air Forces, based at Nagoya, Japan. It was inactivated on 30 June 1948....
, 16 January – 15 March 1946.
Units
- 8th Fighter Group: 1 May 1944 – 16 August 1945
- 49th Fighter Group: 1 May 1944 – 9 January 1945
- 58th Fighter Group: 1 May – 25 August 1944
Stations
- March Field, California, 1 December 1943 – 25 March 1944
- Finschhafen AirportFinschhafen AirportFinschhafen Airport is a general aviation airport in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. . It is located on the south-east tip of Huon Peninsula at Finschafen. A half mile inland, parallel to Schneider Harbor, with Dregerhaffen to the south-east...
, New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, 1 May 1944 - Middleburg AirfieldMiddleburg AirfieldMiddleburg Airfield is a World War II airfield located on Middleburg Island, to the north of Sansapor in West Irian Jaya Province, Indonesia...
, New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, 4 August 1944 - Sansapor AirfieldSansapor AirfieldSansapor Airfield is a former World War II airfield located in the village of Mar, in West Irian Jaya Province, Indonesia. The airfield was abandoned after the war and today is almost totally returned to its natural state....
, New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, 19 August 1944 - San Marcelino AirfieldSan Marcelino AirfieldSan Marcelino Airfield is a World War II airfield located in Zambales province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. It was closed after the war.-History:...
, LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, Philippines, 16 January 1945 – 15 March 1946.