World War II The 78th Fighter Group was activated at
Baer Field, IN as the
78th Pursuit Group in January 1942, receiving its cadre from the
14th Fighter Group. and re-designated as a fighter group four months later. It initially trained for combat with P-38s and served as part of the west coast air defense organization. The group also claimed a victory over a German
Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter. The unit also engaged in counter-air activities and on numerous occasions strafed and dive-bombed airfields, trains, vehicles, barges, tugs, canal locks, barracks, and troops. The group received a second DUC for destroying numerous aircraft on five airfields near
Prague and
Pilsen on 16 April 1945. • Col Arman Peterson, May 1942 • Lt Col Melvin F McNickle, Jul 1943 • Col James Stone Jr, 31 Jul 1943 • Col Frederic C Gray Jr, 22 May 1944 • Lt Col Olin E Gilbert, 29 Jan 1945 • Col John D Landers, c. 22 Feb 1945
Cold War Occupation of Germany The 78th FG was reactivated in Germany on 20 August 1946, replacing the
368th Fighter Group (which was inactivated, redesignated the
136th Fighter Group, and allotted to the
National Guard) at
AAF Station Straubing, Germany and flew the former 368th's P-47 Thunderbolts from the airfield. The group was reactivated due to the Air Force's policy of retaining only low-numbered groups on active duty after the war. In Germany the group was assigned to the
United States Air Forces in Europe's
XII Tactical Air Command for duty with the occupation force. The group was assigned to
AAF Station Straubing, The group was transferred, without personnel and equipment, to
Mitchel Field, New York in June 1947. At Mitchel, the group remained active and was assigned to
Air Defense Command (ADC). The group was manned with a small cadre of personnel, with these aircraft going to the 82d, 83d and 84th Fighter Squadrons. The F-84s became problematic with cracks appearing in wing spars or skin beginning in September. The group lost four jets in accidents by the end of the year. On 1 July 1949, Air Defense Command was inactivated as a major command, and
Continental Air Command (ConAC) assumed the air defense mission. In January 1950 the wing and group were redesignated as the 78th Fighter-Interceptor Wing and
78th Fighter-Interceptor Group and the squadrons became Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons (FIS). reorganization, which replaced fighter wings organized under the
Hobson Plan with regional defense wings. Its operational units were transferred to the
4702d Defense Wing and Hamilton was placed under the
566th Air Base Group. Two of the inactivated 78th's squadrons moved as ADC dispersed its fighter force. The 82d FIS moved to
Larson AFB,
Washington and was reassigned to the
4703d Defense Wing; the 83d FIS to
Paine AFB,
Washington and transferred to the
4704th Defense Wing. Only the 84th remained at Hamilton AFB. The unit was reactivated in 1955 by replacing the 566th Air Defense Group The 84th FIS, already at Hamilton was assigned to it and the 83d FIS returned without personnel or equipment to Hamilton, and was reassigned to the group, taking over the personnel and equipment of the
325th FIS which moved without personnel or equipment to
Truax Field, Wisconsin. The group also became the host for Hamilton AFB and was assigned a number of support organizations to fulfil this mission. On 18 October 1956, the 78th Fighter Wing was once again activated and the group transferred its maintenance and support functions to the wing. The group flew numerous interceptors for West Coast air defense until its inactivation on 1 February 1961 when group components were assigned directly to the 78th Fighter Wing as the 78th converted to the dual deputy organization.
Lineage • Constituted as the
78th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 13 January 1942 : Activated on 9 February 1942 : Redesignated
78th Fighter Group (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942 : Redesignated
78th Fighter Group,
ca. 1 March 1943 : Redesignated
78th Fighter Group, Single Engine,
ca. 21 August 1944 : Inactivated on 18 October 1945. • Activated on 20 August 1946 : Redesignated
78th Fighter Group, Jet
ca. 16 November 1948 : Redesignated
78 Fighter-Interceptor Group on 20 January 1950 : Inactivated on 6 February 1952 : Redesignated
78th Fighter Group (Air Defense), and activated 18 August 1955 : Inactivated on 1 February 1961
Assignments •
IV Fighter Command, 9 February 1942 •
VIII Fighter Command, 29 November 1942. •
4th Air Defense Wing, 30 June 1943 •
65th Fighter Wing, 7 August 1943. •
66th Fighter Wing, 18 August 1943. : Attached to:
3d Bombardment (later Air) Division, 5 September 1944 – 10 October 1945 •
XII Tactical Air Command, 20 August 1946 – 15 June 1947 •
Fourth Air Force, 30 June 1947 •
78th Fighter Wing (later 78th Fighter-Interceptor Wing), 16 November 1948 – 6 February 1952 •
28th Air Division, 18 August 1955 – 18 October 1956 •
78th Fighter Wing (Air Defense), 18 October 1956 – 1 February 1961
Components Operational Squadrons • 82d Pursuit (later Fighter, Fighter-Interceptor) Squadron: 9 February 1942 – 18 October 1945; 20 August 1946 – 6 February 1952; attached 18 October 1956 – 1 July 1960 • 83d Pursuit (later Fighter, Fighter-Interceptor) Squadron: 9 February 1942 – 18 October 1945; 20 August 1946 – 6 February 1952; 18 August 1955 – 1 February 1961 • 84th Pursuit (later Fighter, Fighter-Interceptor) Squadron: 9 February 1942 – 18 October 1945; 20 August 1946 – 6 February 1952; 18 August 1955 – 1 February 1961
Support Units • 78th USAF Hospital, 18 August 1955 – 18 October 1956 • 78th Air Base Squadron 18 August 1955 – 18 October 1956 • 78th Air Police Squadron, 18 August 1955 – 18 October 1956 • 78th Food Service Squadron, 18 August 1955 – 18 October 1956 • 78th Field Maintenance Squadron, 18 August 1955 – 19 October 1956 • 78th Installations Squadron, 18 August 1955 – 18 October 1956 • 78th Motor Vehicle Squadron, 18 August 1955 • 78th Operations Squadron, 18 August 1955 – 18 October 1956 • 78th Supply Squadron, 18 August 1955 – 18 October 1956
Stations •
Baer Field, Indiana 9 February 1942 •
Muroc Army Air Field, California 30 April 1942 •
Hamilton Field, California May–November 1942 •
RAF Goxhill (USAAF Station 345), England December 1942 •
RAF Duxford (USAAF Station 357), England April 1943 – October 1945 •
Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 16–18 October 1945 •
AAF Station Straubing, Germany, 20 August 1946 – June 1947 •
Mitchel Field, New York June 1947 •
Hamilton Air Force Base, California November 1948 – 6 February 1952; 18 August 1955 – 1 February 1961
Awards and campaigns :
Aircraft •
Lockheed P-38 Lightning (1942–43) •
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (1943–44, 1946) •
North American P-51 Mustang (1944–45, 1946–1947, 1949–52) •
Republic F-84 Thunderjet (1949–52) •
Northrop F-89 Scorpion (1951–52, 1956–59) •
North American F-86 Sabre (1956–58) •
Convair F-102 Delta Dagger (1957–60) •
Lockheed F-104 Starfighter (1958–60) •
McDonnell F-101 Voodoo (1959–61) •
Convair F-106 Delta Dart (1959–60) ==See also==