Lineage. Established as Northeast Air District on 19 Oct 1940. Activated on 18 Dec 1940. Redesignated as: 1 Air Force on 26 Mar 1941; First Air Force on 18 Sep 1942. Discontinued on 23 Jun 1958. Activated on 20 Jan 1966. Organized on 1 Apr 1966. Inactivated on 31 Dec 1969. Activated on 6 Dec 1985. Redesignated as: First Air Force (ANG) on 1 Oct 1995; First Air Force (Air Forces Northern) on 1 Nov 2007.
Assignments. General Headquarters Air Force (later, Air Force Combat Command), 18 Dec 1940; Eastern Theater of Operations (later, Eastern Defense Command), 24 Dec 1941; Army Air Forces, 17 Sep 1943; Continental Air Forces, 16 Apr 1945; Air Defense Command, 21 Mar 1946; Continental Air Command, 1 Dec 1948-23 Jun 1958. Air (later, Aerospace) Defense Command, 20 Jan 1966-31 Dec 1969. Tactical Air Command (later, Air Combat Command), 6 Dec 1985-.
Major Components. Commands. 1 Air Force Service (later, 1 Air Force Base; 1 Base): 1 Oct 1941-13 May 1942. 1 Air Support (later, I Air Support; I Ground Air Support): 1 Sep 1941-17 Aug 1942. 1 Bomber (later, I Bomber): 5 Sep 1941-15 Oct 1942. I Bomber: 24 Aug 1943-21 Mar 1946. 1 Interceptor (later, I Interceptor; I Fighter): 5 Jun 1941-21 Mar 1946. XVI Air Force Service: 27 Dec 1946-1 Apr 1949. XVII Air Force Service: 1 Jul 1948-23 Feb 1949. XIX Air Force Service: 13 Aug 1948-23 Feb 1949. Forces: Air Forces Iceland: 6 Dec 1985- 31 May 1993. Divisions: 3 Air (formerly, 98 Bombardment Wing; 3 Bombardment Wing): 20 Dec 1946-27 Jun 1949. 4 Air (formerly, 4 Combat Bombardment; 4 Bombardment Wing): 20 Dec 1946-27 Jun 1949. 12 Air: 1 Jul 1948-23 Feb 1949. 21 Air: 1 Apr 1966-31 Dec 1967. 23 Air: 6 Dec 1985-1 Jul 1987. 24 Air: 6 Dec 1985-30 Sep 1990. 25 Air: 6 Dec 1985-30 Sep 1990. 26 Air Defense (later, 26 Air): 16 Nov 1948-1 Apr 1949; 16 Nov 1949-1 Sep 1950 (detached 8 Dec 1949-1 Sep 1950); 6 Dec 1985-30 Sep 1990. 32 Air: 8 Dec 1949-1 Sep 1950 (detached 8 Dec 1949-19 Feb 1950); 1 Jul 1968-31 Dec 1969. 33 Air: 1 Apr 1966-19 Nov 1969. 34 Air: 1 Apr 1966-31 Dec 1969. 35 Air: 1 Apr 1966-19 Nov 1969. 36 Air: 1 Apr 1966-30 Sep 1969. 37 Air: 1 Apr 1966-1 Dec 1969. 69 Air: 1 Jul 1948-23 Feb 1949. 90 Air (formerly, 90 Reconnaissance Wing): 20 Dec 1946-27 Jun 1949. 91 Air (formerly, 91 Reconnaissance Wing): 20 Dec 1946-27 Jun 1949. Districts: 1 Air Reserve: 1 Dec 1951-1 Apr 1954. Centers: 1 Airborne Engineer Aviation Unit Training: 1 Apr 1943-10 Apr 1944. Combined Air Defense Training: 4 Aug 1943-15 Jul 1944. Eastern Signal Aviation Unit Training: 12 Mar 1943-12 Feb 1944. USAF Air Defense Weapons: 6 Dec 1985-12 Sep 1991. 601 Air and Space Operations (later, 601 Air Operations): 1 Nov 2007-. Air Force Rescue Coordination: 27 Apr 2007-. Sectors: Northeast Air Defense (later, Eastern Air Defense): 30 Sep 1990-. Northwest Air Defense (later, Western Air Defense): 30 Sep 1990-. Southeast Air Defense: 30 Sep 1990-15 Jul 2009. Southwest Air Defense: 30 Sep 1990-30 Jun 1995. Squadrons: 4722 Support (later, 722 Air Control): 1 Aug 1986-30 Jun 2011.
Stations. Mitchel Field, NY, 18 Dec 1940; Fort Slocum (later, Slocum AFB), NY, 3 Jun 1946; Mitchel AFB, NY, 17 Oct 1949-23 Jun 1958. Stewart AFB, NY, 1 Apr 1966-31 Dec 1969. Langley AFB, VA, 6 Dec 1985; Tyndall AFB, FL, 12 Sep 1991-.
Commanders. Maj Gen James E. Chaney, 18 Dec 1940 (additional duty until 9 Apr 1941); Brig Gen Arnold N. Krogstad, 15 May 1941 (temporary); Maj Gen Herbert A. Dargue, 24 Jun 1941; Brig Gen Arnold N. Krogstad, 10 Dec 1941; Brig Gen John K. Cannon, 4 Mar 1942 (temporary); Maj Gen Follett Bradley, 5 Mar 1942; Maj Gen James E. Chaney, 23 Jul 1942; Maj Gen Ralph Royce, 18 Apr 1943; Brig Gen Westside T. Larson, 2 Sep 1943 (temporary); Brig Gen Glenn O. Barcus, 10 Sep 1943 (temporary); Maj Gen Frank O'D Hunter, 17 Sep 1943; Maj Gen Robert W. Douglass Jr., 20 Oct 1945; Lt Gen Lewis H Brereton, 5 Feb 1946; Maj Gen Robert W. Douglass Jr., 17 May 1946; Maj Gen Robert M Webster, 16 Jul 1947; Maj Gen Glenn O. Barcus, 1 Sep 1949; Maj Gen Willis H. Hale, 17 Jul 1950; Maj Gen James P. Hodges, 27 Feb 1951; Col Joseph A. Bulger, 1 Sep 1951; Maj Gen Howard M. Turner, 9 Aug 1952; Maj Gen Roger J. Browne, 10 May 1954; Maj Gen John H. Ives, 1 Nov 1957-23 Jun 1958. Maj Gen Gordon H. Austin, 1 Apr 1966; Maj Gen James C. Jensen, 29 Nov 1966; Maj Gen Joseph L. Dickman, 14 Jul 1967-c. 31 Dec 1969. Maj Gen Buford D. Lary, 6 Dec 1985; Maj Gen Jimmie V. Adams, 10 Jul 1987; Maj Gen Richard A. Pierson, 1 Jul 1988; Maj Gen Lester P. Brown Jr., 12 Sep 1991; Maj Gen Philip G. Killey, Jan 1994; Maj Gen Larry K. Arnold, 19 Dec 1997; Maj Gen Craig R. McKinley, 1 Aug 2002; Maj Gen M. Scott Mayes, 27 Oct 2004; Maj Gen Henry C. Morrow, 1 Nov 2006; Maj Gen Garry C. Dean, c. Nov 2009; Lt Gen Stanley E. Clarke, III, 31 Aug 2011, Lt Gen William H. Etter, 7 Mar 2013; Lt Gen R. Scott Williams, 6 July 2016; Lt Gen, Marc H. Sasseville, 20 Jun 2019; Lt Gen Kirk S. Pierce, 29 July 2020-.
Operations. One of the original four numbered air forces formed in the United States in 1940, provided air defense, conducted anti-submarine operations, and trained personnel of newly formed combat units that were deploying overseas. Following World War II, conducted air defense and reserve training, but later, as the air component of the bi-national North American Air Defense (NORAD) Command, concentrated entirely upon air defense in late 1950s and again in the late 1960s. Supported the air defense mission again starting in 1985 by utilizing active duty and Air National Guard forces. From late 1997, conducted the air defense of the North American continent primarily with Air National Guard forces. Serves as the air component of US Northern Command.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.
Campaign Streamers. None.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Apr 1988-31 Mar 1990; 1 Apr 1991-31 Mar 1993; 1 Jun 1994-31 May 1996; 1 Jun 1996-31 May 1998; 1 Jun 1998-31 May 1999; 1 Aug 2000-31 Jul 2002; 11 Sep 2001; 31 Jul 2005-31 May 2007; 1 Nov 2008-31 Oct 2010; 1 Jun 2011-31 May 2013; 1 Jun 2014-31 May 2016; 1 June 2019-31 May 2020; 1 Jun 2020-31 May 2021.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, Honors through 24 Mar 2022.
Commanders and Operations through 24 Mar 2022.
Supersedes statement prepared on 5 Jun 2009.
Emblem. Approved on 27 Feb 1943; latest rendering, 20 Aug 2018. Component status emblem approved on 10 Sep 2008.
Prepared by James Musser.
Reviewed by Margaret Ream.