XII Tactical Air Command
Encyclopedia
The XII Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe
, based at Bad Kissingen
, Germany
. It was inactivated on 10 November 1947.
The command served in combat in the Mediterranean and European theaters until May 1945. Afterward, remained in Europe as part of the occupation force.
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 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...
, based at Bad Kissingen
Bad Kissingen
Bad Kissingen is a spa town in the Bavarian region of Lower Franconia and is the seat of the district Bad Kissingen. Situated to the south of the Rhön Mountains on the Franconian Saale river, it is a world-famous health resort.- Town structure :...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It was inactivated on 10 November 1947.
Lineage
- Constituted as XII Ground Air Support Command on 10 September 1942
- Activated on 17 September 1942
- Redesignated XII Air Support Command in September 1942
- Redesignated XII Tactical Air Command in April 1944
- Inactivated in Germany on 10 November 1947
- Disbanded on 8 October 1948.
Assignments
- 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....
, 17 September 1942
- First Air ForceFirst Air ForceThe First Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida....
(Attached), 25 September 1942- Twelfth Air Force, 9 November 1942
- Mediterranean Air CommandMediterranean Air CommandThe Mediterranean Air Command was the official Allied air force command organization in the North African and Mediterranean Theater of Operations between February 18 and December 10, 1943. MAC was commanded by Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder whose headquarters were established next to those...
/Northwest African Air ForcesNorthwest African Air ForcesNorthwest African Air Forces was the principal sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command created when the Allied air forces in North Africa and the Mediterranean Theater of Operations were reorganized in February of 1943...
/Northwest African Tactical Air ForceNorthwest African Tactical Air ForceThe Northwest African Tactical Air Force was a sub-command of the Northwest African Air Forces which itself was a sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command...
February 18 - December 10, 1943 - Mediterranean Allied Air ForcesMediterranean Allied Air ForcesThe Mediterranean Allied Air Forces was the major Allied air force command organization in the Mediterranean theater from mid-December 1943 until the end of the Second World War.-Formation:...
/Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force/12th Air Force 1944-45 - United States Air Forces in EuropeUnited States Air Forces in EuropeThe 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...
, July 1945-10 November 1947
Stations
- Birmingham Army Airfield, AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, 17 September 1942 - Bolling Field, DC, 25 September-18 October 1942
- French MoroccoFrench MoroccoFrench Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
, 9 November 1942 - AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, January 1943 - TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, 13 March 1943 - SicilySicilySicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, c. 12 July 1943
- ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, c. 9 September 1943 - FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 18 August 1944 - GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, 27 March 1945 - Erlangen, Germany, July 1945
- Bad KissingenBad KissingenBad Kissingen is a spa town in the Bavarian region of Lower Franconia and is the seat of the district Bad Kissingen. Situated to the south of the Rhön Mountains on the Franconian Saale river, it is a world-famous health resort.- Town structure :...
, GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, 1 November 1945-10 November 1947
Wings
- 5th Bombardment Wing: 13 October 1942 – 1 November 1943
- 7th Fighter Wing: 1942 (Never activated)
- 42d Bombardment Wing: 21 May-26 July 1945
- 57th Bombardment Wing: 31 August 1943-1 January 1944
- 63d Fighter Wing63d Fighter Wing (World War II)The 63d Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Texas Air National Guard, based at Ellington Field, Texas...
: 14 June-December 1945 - 64th Fighter (formerly 3d Air Defense) Division: 9 March 1943–5 June 1947
- 70th Fighter Wing70th Fighter Wing (World War II)The 70th Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with thr United States Air Forces in Europe, based at Neubiberg Air Base, Germany...
: 2 December 1945-25 September 1947 - 71st Fighter Wing71st Fighter Wing (World War II)The 71st Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Missouri Air National Guard. It was inactivated on 31 October 1950.-Lineage:* Organized as 71st Fighter Wing on 11 Ocg 1943-Assignments:...
: 25 September-November 1945 - 87th Fighter Wing87th Fighter Wing (World War II)The 87th Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the XXII Tactical Air Command, based at Florence, Italy...
: 11 January-22 September 1944
Operations
Formed in United States in early 1942. Moved to North Africa, October-November 1942. Col Demas T Craw was awarded the Medal of Honor for action during the invasion of Algeria-French Morocco: when the Allies landed on 8 November 1942, Col Craw volunteered to negotiate an armistice; while trying to pass through the lines near Port Lyautey, he was killed by machine-gun fire.The command served in combat in the Mediterranean and European theaters until May 1945. Afterward, remained in Europe as part of the occupation force.