Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) (ACC)

Lineage.  Established as Twelfth Air Force, and activated, on 20 Aug 1942.  Inactivated on 31 Aug 1945.  Activated on 17 May 1946.  Discontinued on 1 Jul 1950.  Organized on 21 Jan 1951.  Redesignated as Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) on 29 Feb 2008.

Assignments.  Headquarters, Army Air Forces, 20 Aug 1942-28 Aug 1942; Attached to Eighth Air Force, 13 Sep 1942-23 Oct 1942; Northwest African Air Force, c. 9 Dec 1942; Mediterranean Allied Air Force, c. 10 Dec 1943-31 Aug 1945.  Tactical Air Command, 17 May 1946; Continental Air Command, Dec 1948-1 Jul 1950.  United States Air Forces in Europe, 21 Jan 1951; Tactical Air Command, 1 Jan 1958; Air Combat Command, 1 Jun 1992-.

Major Operational Components.  Commands:  XII Bomber, 1942-1944.  XII Tactical Air:  1942-1944.  XXII Tactical Air (formerly, XII Fighter):  1942-1945.  Air Divisions2:  21 Jan-7 May 1951; 20 Apr 1953-1 Mar 1954.  44:  12 Jan-27 Jun 1949.  307:  12 Jan-27 Jun 1949.  309:  12 Jan-27 Jun 1949.  310:  12 Jan-27 Jun 1949.  831:  1 Jan 1958-20 Apr 1971; 1 Dec 1980-31 Mar 1991.  832:  1 Jan 1958-1 Jul 1975; 1 Dec 1980-1 Oct 1991.  833:  1 Dec 1980-15 Nov 1991.  834:  1 Jan 1958-1 Apr 1959; 31 Jan 1972-1 Dec 1974.  835:  23 Jul 1964-30 Jun 1971.  836:  1 Jan 1981-1 May 1992.  838:  1 Jul 1963-24 Dec 1969.  839:  1 Jul 1963-9 Nov 1964.  4400 (Provisional):  1 Jul 1965-15 Apr 1966.  USAF Southern (later, 830 Air Division; Air Forces Panama):  31 Jan 1987-11 Feb 1992.  Wings:  1 Fighter:  15 Aug 1947-24 Aug 1948; 22 Aug-20 Dec 1948.  3 Tactical Fighter:  8 Jan-1 Jul 1964.  4 Tactical Fighter:  1 Jul 1960-1 Jan 1962.  7 Bombardment (later, 7 Bomb):  1 Oct 2002-1 Oct 2015.  9 Reconnaissance:  1 Jul 1993-1 Oct 2002.  10 Tactical Reconnaissance:  10 Jul 1952-1 Jan 1958.  21 Fighter-Bomber:  12 Dec 1954-1 Jan 1958.  23 Tactical Fighter:  8 Feb-1 Jul 1964; 30 Jun 1971-1 Jul 1972.  24 Wing:  11 Feb 1992–1 Nov 1999.  27 Fighter-Bomber (later, 27 Tactical Fighter; 27 Fighter):  8 Jan 1958-18 Feb 1959; 1 Jul 1975-1 Jun 1992; 1 Oct 2002-1 Oct 2007.  28 Bomb:  1 Oct 2002-1 Oct 2015.  35 Tactical Fighter:  1 Oct 1971-1 Oct 1977; 31 Mar 1991-15 Dec 1992.  36 Fighter-Bomber (later, 36 Fighter-Day):  7 May 1951-1 Jan 1958.  37 Fighter:  5 Oct 1989-8 Jul 1992.  38 Bombardment:  1 Jan 1953-1 Jan 1958.  42 Bombardment (later, 42 Air Division), 31 Jul-21 Aug 1943; 1 Jan-27 Nov 1944.  47 Bombardment:  15 Aug 1947-2 Oct 1949.  48 Fighter-Bomber:  10 Jul 1952-1 Jan 1958.  49 Tactical Fighter (later, 49 Fighter Wing; 49 Wing):  30 Jun 1971-1 Aug 1977; 15 Nov 1991-1 Oct 2018.  50 Fighter-Bomber:  9 Aug 1953-1 Jan 1958.  55:  1 Jul 1993-1 Oct 2002.  57 Bombardment:  c. 23-31 Aug 1943; 1 Mar 1944-15 Aug 1945.  58 Fighter:  1 Oct 1991-1 Jul 1993.  60 Troop Carrier:  21 Jan 1951-1 Aug 1955.  61 Troop Carrier:  21 Jan-2 Jun 1951.  62 Troop Carrier:  15 Aug 1947-10 Dec 1948. 64 Troop Carrier:  1 Jan 1962-1 Jan 1963; 9 Mar 1970-31 May 1971.  66 Tactical Reconnaissance:  7 Jul 1953-1 Jan 1958.   67 Reconnaissance (later, 67 Tactical Reconnaissance):  25 Nov 1947-20 Dec 1948 (attached to 1 Fighter Wing entire period); 1 Jan-15 Apr 1966; 20 Apr 1971-30 Sep 1993.  75 Tactical Reconnaissance:  24 Dec 1969-15 Jul 1971.  81 Fighter-Interceptor:  21 May 1949-1 Apr 1950.  86 Fighter-Bomber (later, 86 Fighter-Interceptor):  7 May 1951-1 Jan 1958.  90 Photographic (later, 90 Reconnaissance; 90 Air Division):  22 Nov 1943-10 Apr 1945.  92 Bomb: 1 Jun 1992-1 Jul 1994.  93 Bomb: 1 Jun 1992-30 Sep 1995.   313 Tactical Airlift:  24 Dec 1969-15 Mar 1972.  314 Tactical Airlift: 31 May 1971-15 Mar 1972.  317 Troop Carrier:  14 Jul 1952-1 Aug 1955 (attached to 322 Air Division [Combat Cargo], 1 Apr 1954-1 Aug 1955).  323 Bombardment:  27 Jun 1949-1 Jul 1950.   349 Troop Carrier:  28 Oct-28 Nov 1962.  354 Tactical Fighter:  1 Jul 1960-1 Jan 1962.  355 Tactical Fighter (later, 355 Wing; 355 Fighter Wing; 355 Wing):  1 Jul 1971-1 Jul 1976; 1 May 1992-20 Aug 2020.  366 Tactical Fighter (later, 366 Fighter):  12 Jul 1963-1 Oct 1964; 1 Jul 1975-20 Aug 2020.  388 Fighter-Bomber (later, 388 Tactical Fighter; 388 Fighter):  12 Dec 1954-10 Dec 1957; 1 Oct 1962-8 Feb 1964; 23 Dec 1975-20 Aug 2020. 392 Bombardment:  27 Jun-10 Nov 1949.  401 Tactical Fighter:  1 Apr 1959-1 Jul 1964.  403 Troop Carrier:  28 Oct-28 Nov 1962.  406 Fighter-Bomber:  attached, 10 Jul 1952-31 Mar 1954.  432 Tactical Drome (later, 432 Fighter; 432 Wing): 1 Jul 1976-1 Aug 1978; 1 May 2007-20 Aug 2020.  433 Troop Carrier: attached, 5-7 Aug 1951; assigned 8 Aug 1951-14 Jul 1952.  434 Troop Carrier:  28 Oct-28 Nov 1962.  440 Troop Carrier:  28 Oct-28 Nov 1962.  442 Troop Carrier:  1 Feb-27 Aug 1952.  443 Troop Carrier:  27 Jun 1949-1 Jul 1950.  450 Fighter-Day (later, 450 Tactical Fighter):  1 Jan-18 Dec 1958.  465 Troop Carrier:  1 Apr 1954-1 Aug 1955.  474 Tactical Fighter:  1 Jul 1975-30 Sep 1989.  479 Tactical Fighter:  20 Apr-1 Oct 1971; 1 Jan-1 Aug 1977.  506 Tactical Fighter:  1 Jan 1958-1 Apr 1959.  516 Troop Carrier (later, 516 Tactical Airlift):  1 Jan-1 Jul 1963; 24 Dec 1969-15 Mar 1972.  552 Air Control: 1 Oct 2009-20 Aug 2020.   701 Tactical Missile:  15 Sep 1956-1 Jan 1958. 

Stations.  Bolling Field, DC, 20-28 Aug 1942; Wattisham, England, 12-22 Sep 1942;  Kew Gardens, London, England, 22 Sep-23 Oct 1942; Algiers, Algeria, c. 9 Dec 1942-Aug 1943;   (Rear Echelon) La Marsa, Tunisia, c. 11 Aug-Dec 1943; Foggia, Italy, 4 Dec 1943-Sep 1944; Florence, Italy, late Sep 1944-31 Aug 1945;  (Forward Echelon) Tafaraoui, Algeria, 9 Nov-14 Dec 1942; Algiers, Algeria, c. mid-Dec 1942-Aug 1943; Constantine, Algeria, 16 Mar-11 Aug 1943; Caserta, Italy, c. Dec 1943; Frascati, Italy, early Jun 1944; Montefiascone, Italy, c. late Jun 1944; Furiani, Corsica, 12 Jul-21 Sep 1944; Sienna, Italy, late Sep 1944; rejoined with rear echelon at Florence, Italy, Jan-31 Aug 1945.  March AFB, CA, 17 May 1946; Brooks AFB, TX, 1 Jan 1949-1 Jul 1950.  Wiesbaden, Germany, 21 Jan 1951; Ramstein (later, Ramstein AB), Germany, 27 Apr 1953; Waco, TX, 1 Jan 1958; Bergstrom AFB, TX, 30 Aug 1968; Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 1 Oct 1992-.

Commanders.  Lt Col R. J. Browne, 26 Aug 1942; Lt Col Harold L. Neely. 28 Aug 1942; Brig Gen James H. Doolittle, 23 Sep 1942; Lt Gen Carl A. Spaatz, 1 Mar 1943; Maj Gen James H. Doolittle, 5 Oct 1943 (acting); Lt Gen Carl A. Spaatz, 23 Oct 1943; Maj Gen John K. Cannon, 21 Dec 1943; Maj Gen Benjamin W. Chidlaw, 2 Apr 1945; Brig Gen Charles T. Myers, 26 May-31 Aug 1945.  Brig Gen Yantis H. Taylor, 17 May 1946; Brig Gen John P. Doyle, 10 Jul 1946; Maj Gen William D. Old, 24 Sep 1946; Maj Gen Glenn O. Barcus, Mar 1947; Maj Gen Alden R. Crawford, 1 Sep 1949; Col Ezekiel W. Napier, 13 Jun-1 Jul 1950.  Maj Gen Robert W. Douglass Jr., 21 Jan 1951; Maj Gen Dean C. Strother, 16 Mar 1951; Maj Gen Robert M. Lee, 20 Nov 1953; Maj Gen John K. Gerhart, 15 Jun 1956; Maj Gen Chester E. McCarty, 1 Jan 1958; Maj Gen Jacob E. Smart, 17 Sep 1959; Maj Gen Karl Truesdell Jr., 13 Jan 1960; Maj Gen Fred M. Dean, 1 Jul 1963; Maj Gen John C. Meyer, 1 Nov 1963; Maj Gen Lucius D. Clay Jr., 21 Jan 1966; Maj Gen H. B. Thorne, c. 17 Jun 1966; Maj Gen Charles R. Bond Jr., 30 Jun 1967; Maj Gen Jay T. Robbins, by 30 Jun 1969; Maj Gen Albert W. Schinz, 1 Jul 1969; Maj Gen David I. Liebman, 26 Jan 1971 (acting); Maj Gen Gordon F. Blood, 10 Feb 1971; Maj Gen John S. Burns, 30 Jun 1973; Lt Gen Charles W. Carson Jr., 11 Mar 1974; Lt Gen James D. Hughes, 1 Jul 1975; Lt Gen James V. Hartinger, 20 Jun 1978; Maj Gen Malcolm E. Ryan Jr., 1 Jan 1980 (acting); Lt Gen William R. Nelson, 21 Jan 1980; Lt Gen Jack I. Gregory, 1 Jun 1983; Lt Gen Charles J. Cunningham, 31 May 1985; Lt Gen Merrill A. McPeak, 26 Jun 1987; Lt Gen Peter T. Kempf, 7 Jul 1988; Maj Gen Walter T. Worthington, c. 2 Nov 1990; Lt Gen Thomas A. Baker, 31 May 1991; Lt Gen James L. Jamerson, 13 Jul 1993; Lt Gen Thomas R. Griffith, 22 Jul 1994; Lt Gen James F. Record, 24 Jun 1995; Lt Gen Frank B. Campbell, 9 Dec 1996; Lt Gen Lansford E. Trapp Jr., 25 Nov 1997; Lt Gen Robert H. Foglesong, 8 Sep 1999; Lt Gen William T. Hobbins, 7 Aug 2000; Lt Gen Randall M. Schmidt, 25 Jul 2003; Lt Gen Norman R. Seip, 7 Jul 2006; Lt Gen Glenn F. Spears, 7 Aug 2009; Brig Gen Jon A. Norman, 1 Jun 2011; Lt Gen Robin Rand, 1 Dec 2011; Maj Gen Tod D. Wolters, 24 Sep 2013; Maj Gen Mark C. Nowland, 19 Dec 2014; Maj Gen Mark D. Kelly, 3 Oct 2016; Brig Gen Andrew A. Croft, 3 Aug 2018; Maj Gen Barry R. Cornish, 21 Aug 2020-.

Operations.  Moved to England for training in late 1942 and participated in the invasion of North Africa. It engaged in tactical operations for the remainder of the war in the Mediterranean. The Twelfth Air Force has subsequently served both in Europe and later the United States.  Beginning in 1987, Twelfth Air Force took on the added responsibility of managing all AF assets in US Southern Command Air Forces (USSOUTHAF). From 1993-2002, managed the strategic reconnaissance assets for the Air Force. Participated in Operations Just Cause, 20 Dec 1989-31 Jan 1990 and Promote Liberty, 1990-1991.  Provided fighter and reconnaissance aircraft and support to US Central Command Air Forces for operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, 1990-1991. Supported operations Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Iraqi Freedom in Iraq by ensuring force protection measures at home and abroad.  It continued to support the Global War on Terror while at the same time conducting its mission as the Air Force component of the United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) by participating in its exercise program.  From 2003, Twelfth Air Force led the way in bringing the Air Force’s Warfighting Headquarters (WFHQ) concept to life, establishing a command and control element, an Air Force Forces (AFFOR) staff, and an Air Operations Center. (AOC).

Service Streamers.  None.

Campaign Streamers.  World War II:  Air Combat, EAME Theater; Algeria-French Morocco w/arrowhead; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Southern France; North Apennines; Po Valley.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers.  Grenada, 1983; Panama, 1989-1990.

Decorations.  Meritorious Unit Citation:  1 Jun-31 Dec 1944.  Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards:  1 Feb 1987-28 Feb 1989; 1 May 1989-31 Jan 1990; 1 Feb 1990-1 Feb 1992; 1 Jan 1993-31 Dec 1994; 1 Jun 1996-31 May 1998; 1 Jun 1999-31 May 2001; 1 Jun 2003-31 May 2005; 1 Jun 2010-31 May 2012; 1 Jun 2012-31 May 2013; 1 Jun 2013-31 May 2014; 1 Jun 2014-31 May 2015.

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, Commanders, and Honors through 16 Nov 2020.

Supersedes statement prepared on 6 Sep 2011.     

Emblem.  Approved on 1 Dec 1943; latest rendering, 27 Apr 2021.

Prepared by Margaret E. Ream.