355th Wing, US Air Force
355TH WING, US AIR FORCE
History: Established as 355 Fighter Group, and activated, on 12 November 1942. Inactivated on 20 November 1946. Redesignated as 355 Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 20 June 1955. Activated on 18 August 1955. Inactivated on 8 January 1958. Consolidated (31 January 1984) with the 355 Tactical Fighter Wing, which was established, and activated, on 13 April 1962. Organized on 8 July 1962. Inactivated on 10 December 1970. Activated on 1 July 1971. Redesignated as: 355 Tactical Training Wing on 1 September 1979; 355 Fighter Wing on 1 October 1991; 355 Wing on 1 May 1992; 355 Fighter Wing on 26 April 2007; 355 Wing, 1 January 2019. The 355 Fighter Group prepared for combat with P-47s in 1942 and 1943 before moving to England in July 1943, where it served primarily as an escort for bombers. It also flew fighter sweeps, area patrols, and bombing missions, striking such targets as air parks, locomotives, bridges, radio stations, and armored cars. On 5 April 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 Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC). It continued combat operations until 25 April 1945 and remained in the theater after the war for duty with United States Air Forces in Europe, as part of the army of occupation. Assigned to Air Defense Command, 1955-1957 and equipped with F-86 aircraft, the group provided fighter defense for the eastern part of the United States, trained in tactical fighter operations, July 1962-November 1965, and deployed tactical squadrons overseas as required, primarily to combat duty in Southeast Asia. It moved to Thailand in November 1965 and performed combat in Southeast Asia, 8 November 1965-6 October 1970, including air-to-air combat, strike missions, armed reconnaissance, close air support and electronic warfare. Primarily operating over Laos and North Vietnam, the wing attacked strategic transportation centers and lines of communication connecting Hanoi with the industrial centers of southeast China. In addition, it had operational control of an F-111 detachment of the 428 Tactical Fighter Squadron, 17 March-19 November 1968. Phasing down for inactivation in October 1970, its final aircraft departed 10 November, and the wing closed Takhli RTAFB on 10 December 1970. Replaced the 4453 Combat Crew Training Wing (CCTW) at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, in July 1971, the two units shared commanders and staff through 30 September 1971 and built up the 355th as an A-7D unit while phasing down the 4453 CCTW. It began training with A-7Ds in a close air support role and conducted tactical drone reconnaissance operations, July 1971-June 1976. From November 1972-February 1974, the wing 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, and augmented an advanced echelon of the 354 TFW at Korat RTAFB, Thailand. In early 1975, it began preparation for conversion to A-10s. Receiving its first such aircraft in March 1976, it provided A-10 combat crew training for aircrew personnel of the United States military forces and for selected members of allied military services, 1 September 1979-. It served as the host wing at Davis-Monthan, September 1976-March 1977, September 1979-January 1981, and May 1992 to present. Deployed aircraft for combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, October 2003-May 2004 and November 2005-present. Since 2007, has provided combat oriented pilot training, sustained attack airpower, and expeditionary combat support to support air expeditionary forces around the world, and beginning in 2018, added search and rescue operations.
| English | blazon wanted |
Origin/meaning
The Emblem was approved on 16 March 1943.
Literature: Wikimedia Commons
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