Lineage. Established as Far East Air Forces on 31 Jul 1944. Activated on 3 Aug 1944. Redesignated as: Pacific Air Command, United States Army, on 6 Dec 1945; Far East Air Forces on 1 Jan 1947. Redesignated as Pacific Air Forces on 1 Jul 1957.
Assignments. Southwest Pacific Area, 3 Aug 1944; US Army Forces, Pacific, 6 Dec 1945; United States Air Force, 26 Sep 1947-.
Operational Components. Commands: Far East Air Forces Bomber Command, Provisional: 8 Jul 1950-18 Jun 1954. Far East Air Forces Combat Cargo Command, Provisional: 20 Aug 1950-25 Jan 1951. Far East Air Forces Materiel Command (later, Far East Air Logistics Force): 18 Aug 1944-1 Oct 1955. Force: Japan Air Defense: 1 Mar 1952-1 Sep 1954. Air Forces: Fifth, 3 Aug 1944-. Seventh: 14 Jul 1945-1 Jan 1947; 5 Jan 1955-1 Jul 1957; 1 Apr 1966-30 Jun 1975; 8 Sep 1986-. Eighth: 6 Dec 1945-7 Jun 1946. Eleventh: 9 Aug 1990-. Thirteenth: 3 Aug 1944-1 Jun 1955; 1 Jul 1957-. Twentieth: 6 Dec 1945-1 Mar 1955. Air Divisions: 1: 7 Jun 1946-1 Dec 1948. 2: 10 Sep-10 Oct 1962; 8 Jul 1965-1 Apr 1966. 17: 1 Jul 1975-1 Jan 1976. 85: 11 May 1945-1 Sep 1945. 91: 8 Aug 1944-27 Jan 1946. 314: 18 May 1951-1 Mar 1952. 315: 25 Jan 1951-15 Apr 1969. 326: 1 Jul 1957-15 Feb 1989. 327: 26 Jan-8 Feb 1966. Wings: 8 Tactical Fighter: 18 Jun-8 Jul 1964. 18 Fighter: 1 Dec 1948-16 May 1949. 19 Bombardment: 16 May-17 Oct 1949. 27 Fighter-Escort: attached, 19-29 Nov 1950 and 6-13 Oct 1952. 35 Tactical Fighter: 14 Mar-8 Apr 1966.
Stations. Brisbane, Australia, 3 Aug 1944; Hollandia, New Guinea, 16 Sep 1944; Leyte, Philippine Islands, 7 Feb 1945; Tolosa, Leyte, Philippine Islands, 17 Feb1945; Fort McKinley, Leyte, Philippine Islands, 20 Mar 1945; Tokyo, Japan, 17 May 1946; Fuchu AS, Japan, 13 May 1956; Hickam AFB (later, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam), TH (later, HI), 30 Jun 1957-.
Commanders. General George C. Kenney, 3 Aug 1944; Lt Gen Ennis C. Whitehead, 30 Dec 1945; Lt Gen George E. Stratemeyer, 26 Apr 1949; Lt Gen Earle E. Partridge (acting), 21 May 1951; General Otto P. Weyland, 10 Jun 1951; Gen Earle E. Partridge, 26 Mar 1954; Gen Laurence S. Kuter, 4 Jun 1955; Gen Emmett O’Donnell Jr., 1 Aug 1959; Gen Jacob E. Smart, 1 Aug 1963; Gen Hunter Harris Jr., 1 Aug 1964; Gen John D. Ryan, 1 Feb 1967; Gen Joseph J. Nazzaro, 1 Aug 1968; Gen Lucius D. Clay Jr., 1 Aug 1971; Gen John W. Vogt, Jr., 1 Oct 1973; Gen Louis L. Wilson Jr., 1 Jul 1974; Lt Gen James A. Hill, 3 Jun 1977; Lt Gen James D. Hughes, 15 Jun 1978; Lt Gen Arnold W. Braswell, 8 Jun 1981; Gen Jerome F. O’Malley, 8 Oct 1983; Gen Robert W. Bazley, 25 Sep 1984; Gen Jack I. Gregory, 16 Dec 1986; Gen Merrill A. McPeak, 22 Jul 1988; Lt Gen James B. Davis, 5 Nov 1990; Gen Jimmie V. Adams, 19 Feb 1991; Gen Robert L. Rutherford, 22 Jan 1993; Gen John G. Lorber, 12 Oct 1994; Gen Richard B. Myers, 7 Jul 1997; Gen Patrick K. Gamble, 23 Jul 1998; Lt Gen Lansford E. Trapp (acting), 9 Apr 2001; Gen William J. Begert, 4 May 2001; Gen Paul V. Hester, 2 Jul 2004; Gen Carrol H. Chandler, 30 Nov 2007; Gen Gary L. North, 19 Aug 2009; Gen Herbert J. Carlisle, 3 Aug 2012; Gen Lori J. Robinson, 16 Oct 2014; Lt Gen Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, 12 Jul 2016; Gen Charles Q. Brown Jr., 26 Jul 2018; Gen Kenneth S. Wilsbach, 8 Jul 2020-.
Operations. Under its initial designation as Far East Air Forces, the command performed combat in the Southwest Pacific from Aug 1944-Aug 1945. In the immediate post-war era, the command participated in the occupation of Japan and in tactical air operations in the western Pacific and Far East. It furnished tactical forces during the Korean War, primarily through Fifth Air Force. In the early 1950s, the command supported French Forces in Indo-China (later, Vietnam) and throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, provided forces and overall command of combat air forces in Southeast Asia. Headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, (formerly Hickam AFB) HI, the command provided support for maintaining security of the region and defending American interests by ensuring that tactical air units are ready to conduct offensive and defensive operations as directed, including in Iraq and Afghanistan. PACAF participated in an extensive program of unilateral, interservice, and international exercises to maintain peak combat readiness. Additionally, the command provided advice and assistance to friendly nation air forces to ensure their military effectiveness. PACAF continued to provide USINDOPACOM with continuous air, space, and cyberspace capabilities to ensure regional stability and security.
Service Streamers. Korean Service Streamer.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: New Guinea; Leyte; Luzon.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Organizational Excellence Awards: 1 Oct 1984-31 Mar 1986; 1 Apr 1986-31 Mar 1988; 1 Apr 1988-31 Mar 1990; 1 Apr 1990-31 Mar 1992; 1 Apr 1992-31 Mar 1994; 1 Apr 1994-31 Mar 1996; 1 Apr 1996-31 Mar 1998; 1 Apr 1998-31 Mar 2001; 1 Apr 2001-31 Mar 2003; 1 Apr 2003-30 Sep 2004; 1 Oct 2004-30 Sep 2005; 1 Oct 2005-30 Sep 2007; 1 Jan 2009-31 Dec 2010; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2011; 1 Jan 2013-31 Dec 2014; 1 Jan 2017-31 Dec 2018. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII).
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 8 Feb 2022.
Commanders and Operations through 8 Feb 2022.
Supersedes statement prepared on 12 Jan 2015.
Emblem. Approved on 2 May 1957; latest rendering 29 Jul 2015.
Prepared by Melissa Lahue.
Reviewed by Margaret Ream.