I Fighter Command
| I Fighter Command | |
|---|---|
 P-40 Warhawk of the command's 31st Pursuit Group | |
| Active | 1941–1946 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army United States Air Force |
| Role | Air defense and training of fighter units |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | John K. Cannon Elwood R. Quesada |
| Insignia | |
| I Fighter Command emblem[note 1][1] |  |
I Fighter Command was a United States Army Air Forces intermediate command responsible for command and control of the fighter operations within the First Air Force during World War II.
The command was responsible for air defense of the northeastern United States until mid-1944, as well as training fighter units and personnel.
History
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.[2] In the spring of 1941, the War Department established four strategic defense areas and GHQ, AF reorganized its Northeast Air District as 1st Air Force with responsibility for air defense planning and organization along the eastern seaboard.[3] 1st Air Force activated 1st Interceptor Command at Mitchel Field on 5 June 1941, under the command of Brigadier General John C. McDonnell. The command's initial tactical components were the 6th and 7th Pursuit Wings[4][5][1]
Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the command moved its headquarters to New York City. Here, as the importance of the North Atlantic supply line grew, it assumed responsibility for planning the air defense of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. It selected radar sites in cooperation with Canadian authorities and worked to standardize aircraft warning procedures there.[6] In June 1942, the command returned to Mitchel and would remain there until inactivated.</ref>[1]
The command provided air defense for the northeast coast of the United States until August 1944, when the prospect of air attack became remote, and also trained fighter units and personnel.
After the end of the war it was inactivated on 21 March 1946.[1] In 1947, when the United States Air Force (USAF) became independent, the Army transferred all Army Air Forces, Air Service and Air Corps units (there were a number of Air Corps units that had never been in the Army Air Forces, and a few Air Service units) to the USAF. A year later, the newly forming USAF permanently disbanded the command.
Lineage
- Constituted as the 1st Interceptor Command on 26 May 1941[note 2]
- Activated on 5 June 1941
- Redesignated 1st Fighter Command 15 May 1942
- Redesignated I Fighter Command c. 18 September 1942
- Inactivated on 21 March 1946
- Disbanded on 8 October 1948[1]
Assignments
- First Air Force, 26 May 1941 – 21 March 1946[1][7]
Stations
- Mitchel Field, New York, 5 June 1941
- New York City, New York, 27 December 1941
- Mitchel Field, New York, 9 June 1942 – 21 March 1946.[1]
Components
- Wings
- 3rd Air Defense Wing, 12 December 1942 – c. 7 February 1943[8]
- 6th Pursuit Wing, 5 June 1941 – 7 December 1941[4]
- 7th Pursuit Wing, 5 June 1941 – 31 August 1941[5]
- 301st Fighter Wing: attached 15 October 1944 – 21 May 1945[9]
- Boston Air Defense Wing (later Boston Fighter Wing): 11 August 1942 – 13 February 1945[10]
- New York Air Defense Wing (later New York Fighter Wing): 11 August 1942 – 3 April 1946[11][12]
- Norfolk Air Defense Wing (later Norfolk Fighter Wing): 11 August 1942 – 3 April 1946[11][12]
- Philadelphia Air Defense Wing (later Philadelphia Fighter Wing): 11 August 1942 – 3 April 1946[13][12]
- Groups
- 8th Pursuit Group: 31 August 1941 – 6 March 1942[14]
- 31st Pursuit Group: 1 October 1941 – 18 April 1942[15]
- 33d Pursuit Group (later 33d Fighter Group): 2 October 1941 – 11 August 1942[16]
- 52d Pursuit Group (later 52d Fighter Group): 1 October 1941 – c. 15 June 1942[17]
- 56th Pursuit Group (later 56th Fighter Group): 15 January – 11 August 1942[18]
- 57th Pursuit Group (later 57th Fighter Group): 1 September 1941 – c. 16 July 1942[19]
- 58th Fighter Group: 17 October 1942 – 19 November 1943[20]
- 79th Fighter Group: 22 June – November 1942[21]
- 80th Fighter Group: 4 July – 11 August 1942[22]
- 325th Fighter Group: 3–11 August 1942[23]
- 355th Fighter Group: 18 February – c. 6 July 1943[24]
- 366th Fighter Group: 1 June 1943 – 8 January 1944 (attached to Philadelphia Air Defense Wing to 20 November 1943)[25]
- Squadrons
- 305th Fighter Control Squadron: 1 April – 19 December 1943[26]
- 403d Fighter Squadron: 7 August – 15 December 1943[27]
- 453d Fighter Squadron: 20 November – 1 December 1943[28]
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- ^ Approved 11 June 1943.
- ^ Maurer indicates unit was constituted as the "I" 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. "Air Force Historical Research Agency Organizational Reconds: Types of USAF Organizations". Air Force History Index. 9 January 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
- Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g Maurer 1983, pp. 437–438.
- ^ Cate & Williams, p. 152
- ^ Cate & Williams, p. 154
- ^ a b "Factsheet 6 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 4 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
- ^ a b "Factsheet 47 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
- ^ Cate & Williams, p. 156
- ^ Kane, Robert B. (11 June 2009). "Factsheet First Air Force (Air Forces Northern) (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
- ^ "Factsheet 64 Air Division (Defense)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
- ^ Kane, Robert B. (23 September 2010). "Factsheet 301 Fighter Wing (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "Factsheet 323 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 10 May 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
- ^ a b Maurer 1983, p. 427 (dates assigned to First Air Force)).
- ^ a b c Maurer 1983, pp. 437–438 (years only).
- ^ Maurer 1983, p. 428 (dates assigned to First Air Force)).
- ^ Robertson, Patsy (27 June 2017). "Factsheet 8 Operations Group (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
- ^ Robertson, Patsy (27 June 2017). "Factsheet 31 Operations Group (USAFE)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
- ^ Dollman, TSG David (18 October 2016). "Factsheet 33 Operations Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
- ^ Robertson, Patsy (7 May 2013). "Factsheet 52 Operations Group (USAFE)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ Dollman, TSG David (27 July 2017). "Factsheet 56 Operations Group (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ Robertson, Patsy (29 July 2009). "Factsheet 57 Operations Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- ^ Dollman, TSG David (8 February 2018). "Factsheet 58 Operations Group (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
- ^ Stevens, Maj Sonia (11 July 2017). "Factsheet 53 Test and Evaluation Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
- ^ Haulman, Daniel L. (22 July 2019). "Factsheet 80 Flying Training Wing (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
- ^ Bailey, Carl E. (1 July 2017). "Factsheet 325 Operations Group (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
- ^ Musser, James M. (30 March 2021). "Factsheet 355 Wing (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ Dollman, TSG David. (18 October 2016). "Factsheet 366 Operations Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ Haulman, Daniel (2 November 2016). "Factsheet 623 Air Control Squadron (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 493
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 559
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Cate, James L.; Williams, E. Kathleen (1948). "Prelude to War, Chapter 4, The Air Corps Prepares for War, 1939-41". In Craven, Wesley F & Cate, James L (ed.). The Army Air Forces in World War II (PDF). Vol. Vol. I, Plans and Early Operations. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48003657. OCLC 704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
{{cite book}}:|volume=has extra text (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link) - Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
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