V Fighter Command Explained

Unit Name:V Fighter Command
Dates:1941–1946
Branch:
Role:Command of fighter units
Command Structure:Fifth Air Force
Battles:Southwest Pacific Theater
Decorations:Distinguished Unit Citation
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

The V Fighter Command is a disbanded United States Air Force headquarters. It was established as the 2nd Interceptor Command in June 1941, with responsibility for air defense of the northwest United States and training fighter units in its area of responsibility. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Army formed Western Defense Command, with responsibility for the entire Pacific coast. All air defense functions were transferred to 4th Interceptor Command, and the command was slated for transfer to the Southwest Pacific Theater as 5th Fighter Command.

The command moved to Australia, where it was assigned to Fifth Air Force. The command controlled fighter forces, moving forward through New Guinea and the Philippines. On V-J Day it was located on Okinawa. In the fall of 1945, it moved to Fukuoka Air Base, where it served in the occupation forces in Japan until it was inactivated on 31 May 1946.

History

Background

GHQ Air Force (GHQ, AF) had been established with two major combat functions, to maintain a striking force against long range targets, and the air defense of the United States.[1] In the spring of 1941, the War Department established four strategic defense areas and GHQ, AF reorganized its Northwest Air District as 2nd Air Force with responsibility for air defense planning and organization in the western and northwestern mountains.[2] 2nd Air Force activated 2nd Interceptor Command at Fort George Wright, Washington on 4 June 1941, under the command of Brigadier General Carlyle N. Walsh. Two weeks later, the command moved to Fort Lawton, Washington.[3]

Initial operations in the United States

The attack on Pearl Harbor put all units in the Western Theater of Operations on heightened alert.[4] The command was charged with control of "active agents" for air defense in its area of responsibility, which included interceptor aircraft, antiaircraft artillery and barrage balloons. Civilian organizations provided air raid warnings and enforced blackouts and came under the authority of the Office of Civilian Defense. Radar was initially not sufficiently developed to be included in air defense systems, There were only ten radars to guard the Pacific coast, but the command worked "feverishly" to create a ground observer corps and coastal radar net as elements of its Aircraft Warning Service.[5]

However, it soon became apparent that having two commands responsible for air defense in the Western Theater of Operations was impractical and 4th Interceptor Command was given responsibility for air defense of the entire Pacific coast of the United States, with the 2nd focusing on training.[6] However, 2nd Air Force was assuming a primary mission of training heavy bomber units,[7] and had little need for a fighter organization. In fact, what was now the 2nd Fighter Command had been without any operational fighter components since early 1942.[8] Therefore it was decided that the command would deploy to the Pacific as the fighter headquarters for 5th Air Force, and it was reassigned and redesignated 5th Fighter Command in late August 1942.[3]

Operations in the Pacific

In November 1942, V Fighter Command had deployed to Australia to become the primary command and control organization for Fifth Air Force, fighter units operating primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater. Its assigned units fought in the Fifth Air Force Area of Responsibility flying cover missions for convoys, patrols, escorted bombers, attacked enemy airfields, and supported ground forces.

Afterward, V Fighter Command served with the occupation force in Japan before being inactivated in 1946. In September 1947, the command was transferred to the United States Air Force (USAF) in inactive status. A year later, in October 1948, USAF disbanded the command.[3]

Lineage

Assignments

Components

Groups

Squadrons

Stations

See also

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Cate & Williams, p. 152
  2. Cate & Williams, p. 154
  3. Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 443-444
  4. Goss, p. 278
  5. Goss, p. 290
  6. Goss, pp. 294-295
  7. White, p. 27
  8. White, p. 22
  9. Maurer indicates unit was constituted as the "II" Interceptor Command. However, the unit was constituted and activated with an arabic number in its name. The use of roman numerals to designate Army Air Forces combat commands did not begin until September 1942. Web site: Air Force Historical Research Agency Organizational Reconds: Types of USAF Organizations. 9 January 2008. Air Force History Index. 19 September 2016.
  10. The command was transferred to the United States Air Force in inactive status, when the Air force was established in September 1947. The Air Force disbanded it a year later.
  11. Cate & Williams, p. 154 and Web site: Abstract, History 2 Air Force, Dec 1941-Dec 1942. Air Force History Index. January 26, 2022. each mention assignment to 2nd Air Force, but do not give dates. Maurer omits assignment prior to the command's deployment to the Pacific.
  12. Web site: Factsheet Fifth Air Force (PACAF). Robertson. Patsy. August 26, 2009. Air Force Historical Research Agency. December 14, 2021.
  13. Web site: Factsheet 353 Special Operations Wing (AFSOC). Musser. James. October 14, 2021. Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 13, 2022.
  14. Web site: Factsheet 8 Operations Group (PACAF). Robertson. Paatsy. June 27, 2017. Air Force Historical Research Agency. December 27, 2021.
  15. Web site: Factsheet 35 Operations Group (PACAF). Robertson. Patsy. April 19, 2017. Air Force Historical Research Agency. December 30, 2021.
  16. Web site: Factsheet 42 Air Base Wing (AETC). Haulman. Daniel. June 13, 2018. Air Force Historical Research Agency. December 30, 2021.
  17. Web site: Factsheet 49 Operations Group (ACC). Robertson. Patsy E.. July 7, 2017. Air Force Historical Research Agency. December 31, 2021.
  18. Web site: Factsheet 54 Fighter Group (AETC). Haulman. Daniel. November 25, 2018. Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 1, 2022.
  19. Haulman gives the date of assignment as 18 April 1942. However, this is before the 2nd Interceptor Command was activated, and probably includes assignment to the Interceptor Command, 2nd Air Force, a predecessor unit that was active at March Field from about April until being disbanded when it was replaced by 2nd Interceptor Command.
  20. Web site: Factsheet 55 Operations Group (ACC). Musser. James. October 20, 2019. Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 1, 2022.
  21. Web site: Factsheet 58 Operations Group (AETC). Dollman. TSG David. February 8, 2018. Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 6, 2022.
  22. Web site: Factsheet 312 Aeronautical Systems Group (AFMC. Bailey. Carl E.. December 27, 2007. Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 10, 2022.
  23. Web site: Factsheet 9 Air Support Operations Squadron (ACC). Dollman. TSG David. March 27, 2017. Air Force Historical Research Agency . January 14, 2021.
  24. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 132
  25. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 173
  26. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 358
  27. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 513
  28. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 517
  29. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 567
  30. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 650-651

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