Lineage. Established as 35 Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 22 Dec 1939. Activated on 1 Feb 1940. Redesignated as: 35 Fighter Group on 15 May 1942; 35 Fighter-Interceptor Group on 20 Jan 1950. Inactivated on 1 Oct 1957. Consolidated (31 Jan 1984) with the 35 Tactical Group, which was constituted, and activated, on 19 Jun 1963. Organized on 8 Jul 1963. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 8 Jul 1965. Redesignated as 35 Operations Group on 9 Apr 1993. Activated on 31 May 1993. Inactivated on 1 Oct 1994. Activated on 1 Oct 1994.
Assignments. General Headquarters Air Force, 1 Feb 1940; Southwest Air District (later, 4 Air Force), 16 Jan 1941; IV Interceptor Command, 2 Oct 1941; Allied Air Forces, Southwest Pacific Area, 23 Apr 1942; 5 (later, Fifth) Air Force, 6 Sep 1942; V Fighter Command, 11 Nov 1942; 85 Fighter Wing, 19 Apr 1944 (attached to 309 Bombardment Wing, Aug-Sep 1944; 310 Bombardment Wing, Oct 1944-Jan 1945); V Fighter Command, 11 May 1945; V Bomber Command, 10 Nov 1945; 314 Composite Wing, 25 May 1946; 35 Fighter (later, 35 Fighter-Interceptor) Wing, 18 Aug 1948-1 Oct 1957 (attached to 6131 Tactical Support Wing, 1 Aug-5 Sep 1950; 6150 Tactical Support Wing, 6 Sep-1 Dec 1950; 18 Fighter-Bomber Wing, 7-24 May 1951). Pacific Air Forces, 19 Jun 1963; 2 Air Division, 8 Jul 1963-8 Jul 1965. 35 Wing, 31 May 1993-1 Oct 1994. 35 Fighter Wing, 1 Oct 1994-.
Operational Components. Squadrons. 13 Fighter: 1 Oct 1994-. 14 Fighter: 1 Oct 1994-. 18 Pursuit: 1 Feb 1940-Feb 1941. 20 Pursuit: 1 Feb-14 Dec 1940 (detached 30 Oct-14 Dec 1940). 21 Pursuit: 1 Feb 1940-15 Jan 1942 (detached 1 Oct 1941-15 Jan 1942). 34 Pursuit: Nov 1940-15 Jan 1942 (detached 1 Oct 1941-15 Jan 1942). 39 Fighter (later, 39 Fighter-Interceptor): 15 Jan 1942-1 Oct 1957 (detached Mar-4 May 1942; 7 May 1951-14 Jul 1954; 8 Oct 1956-1 Jul 1957). 40 Pursuit (later, 40 Fighter; 40 Fighter-Interceptor): 15 Jan 1942-1 Oct 1957 (detached Mar-4 May 1942; 15 Jan-14 Jul 1954; 8 Oct 1956-1 Jul 1957). 41 Pursuit (later, 41 Fighter; 41 Fighter-Interceptor) (detached Mar-4 May 1942; 9 Jul 1950-25 Jun 1951; 15 Jan-14 Jul 1954). 56 Rescue: 31 May 1993-1 Oct 1994. 57 Fighter: 31 May 1993-1 Oct 1994. 70 Pursuit: 1 Jan 1941-15 Jan 1942. 82 Tactical Reconnaissance: attached 20 Oct 1945-9 Feb 1946.
Stations. Moffett Field, CA, 1 Feb 1940; Hamilton Field, CA, 10 Sep 1940-5 Dec 1941 and 9 Dec 1941-12 Jan 1942; Brisbane, Australia, 1 Feb 1942; New Delhi, India, Mar 1942; Sydney, Australia, 4 May 1942; Port Moresby, New Guinea, 22 Jul 1942; Tsili Tsili, New Guinea, 15 Aug 1943; Nadzab, New Guinea, 5 Oct 1943; Gusap, New Guinea, 7 Feb 1944; Owi, Schouten Islands, 22 Jul 1944; Morotai, 27 Sep 1944; Mangaldan, Luzon, c. 20 Jan 1945; Lingayen, Luzon, c. 10 Apr 1945; Clark Field, Luzon, 19 Apr 1945; Okinawa, 28 Jun 1945; Irumagawa (later, Johnson AFB; Johnson AB), Japan, Oct 1945; Yokota AB, Japan, 1 Apr 1950; Ashiya AB, Japan, 8 Jul 1950; Pohang, South Korea, 14 Jul 1950; Tsuiki AB, Japan, 13 Aug 1950; Pohang, South Korea, 3 Oct 1950; Yonpo Adrm, North Korea, 18 Nov 1950; Pusan AB, South Korea, c. 3 Dec 1950; Johnson AB, Japan, 25 May 1951; Yokota AB, Japan, 14 Aug 1954-1 Oct 1957. Don Muang Aprt, Thailand, 8 Jul 1963-8 Jul 1965. Keflavik NAS, Iceland, 31 May 1993-1 Oct 1994. Misawa AB, Japan, 1 Oct 1994-.
Commanders. Maj O. R. Strickland, 1940; Col George P. Tourtellot, 1940-unkn; Col Richard A. Legg, 12 Mar 1942; Lt Col Malcolm A. Moore, 26 Jul 1943; Lt Col Edwin A. Doss, 23 Oct 1943; Lt Col Furlo S. Wagner, 12 Feb 1944; Col Edwin A. Doss, 4 May 1944; Col Harney Estes Jr., 27 Jul 1945; Col Raymond P. Todd, 22 Mar 1946; Lt Col Richard D. Dick, c. 13 Sep 1946; Col James R. Gunn Jr., c. 11 Feb 1947; Col Ford J. Lauer, 28 Apr 1947; Col Ray W. Clifton, 1 Sep 1947; Col Edgar M. Scattergood Jr., 21 Jun 1948; Lt Col Bert W. Marshall Jr., Aug 1948; Lt Col Archie M. Burke, 13 May 1949; Lt Col Jack D. Dale Jr., Nov 1949; Col William P. McBride, 22 Feb 1951; Lt Col Homer M. Cox, May 1951; Col John C. Habecker, 25 Jun 1951; Col John R. Propst, 6 Jun 1952; Lt Col Albert S. Aiken, Feb 1955; Col Maurice L. Martin, Jun 1955; Col Raymond M. Gehrig, 8 Aug 1955; Lt Col Robert W. Hall, 15 Jun-1 Oct 1957. Col Charles H. Christmas, 8 Jul 1963; Col Delwin D. Bentley, 1 Feb 1964; Col Carl L. Aubrey, 12 Feb-8 Jul 1965. Col John C. Whiteside, 31 May 1993; Col James E. Collins, 30 Jul 1993; Lt Col James A. Sills, Jul 1994; Lt Col Clark P. Wigley, Sep-1 Oct 1994. Col Gary L. North, 1 Oct 1994; Col Mark B. Rogers, 13 Aug 1996; Col William J. Rew, 26 Jun 1998; Col Michael J. Lepper, 23 Jun 2000; Col Jeffrey E. Stambaugh, 10 Dec 2001; Col Michael R. Boera, 11 Jul 2003; Col Nelson Cabot, 23 Jun 2005; Col Mark A. Altobelli, 2 Jul 2007; Col John W. Pearse, 10 Jul 2009; Col Samuel J. Shaneyfelt, 6 Sep 2011; Col John L. Parker IV, 9 Aug 2013-.
Aircraft. P-35, 1940-1941; P-36, 1940-1941; P-40, 1940-1941; P-39, 1942-1944; P-400, 1942; P-38, 1942-1943; P-47, 1943-1945; F-51, 1945-1950, 1950-1951, 1951-1953; F-61, 1949-1950; F-80, 1949-1950, 1951-1954; F-82, 1949-1950; F-94, 1951-1954; F-86, 1951, 1952-1953, 1953-1957; RF-80, 1950, 1951-1952, 1953-1954; RF-51, 1952-1953; RC-45, 1952-1954; RT-7, 1952-1953; T-33, 1956-1957. C-47, 1963, 1964-1965. F-15, 1993-1994; HH-60, 1993-1994. F-16, 1994-.
Operations. After activation in Feb 1940, the group trained in California with P-35, P-36, and P-40 aircraft for pursuit missions. 21 and 34 Pursuit Squadrons moved to the Philippines in Nov 1941. Headquarters and the 70 Pursuit Squadron sailed for Manila on 5 Dec, but because of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines on 7 and 8 Dec 1941, they returned to the United States, where they flew some patrols along the west coast of California. Headquarters and 70 Pursuit Squadron sailed for Australia on 12 Jan 1942. Three days later, all combat squadrons were relieved, and three others (39, 40, and 41) still in the United States, were assigned. Headquarters reached Australia in Feb 1942 and moved on to India. Meanwhile, the squadrons moved to Australia and trained for combat with P-39s. Headquarters was transferred back to Australia, without personnel and equipment, in May 1942. The 35 Group served in combat with Fifth Air Force, first using P-38s and P-39s, and later P-47s. It provided air defense for Port Moresby and supported American and Australian ground troops in driving the Japanese from New Guinea and took part in Battle of the Bismarck Sea in Mar 1943, proving land-based aircraft could destroy a convoy at sea. From bases in New Guinea, Owi, Morotai, and the Philippines, it escorted bombers and transports, attacked Japanese shipping, airfields, and supply lines, and provided cover for Allied landings. In 1944, the group began long-range missions against enemy airfields and installations in the southern Philippines, Halmahera, and Borneo, preparing for the United States invasion of the Philippines. Beginning in Jan 1945, the group operated in support of ground forces on Luzon. Flying P-51s, it escorted bombers and completed some fighter sweeps to Formosa and China. After moving to Okinawa in Jun 1945, it bombed and strafed railways and airfields in Kyushu and Korea. It moved to Japan in Oct 1945, where it trained, took part in maneuvers, and flew surveillance patrols over Honshu. The 35 Group entered combat in the Korean War in Jul 1950, flying F-80s and later F-51s. It operated from bases in Japan and Korea in support of United Nations ground forces, bombing and strafing enemy supply lines, troop concentrations, and communications. Transferring back to Japan in May 1951, it provided air defense for central Japan until late 1956 but was not operational, Jan-Jul 1954 and Oct 1956-Oct 1957. Between Jul 1963 and Jul 1965, it assisted in training the Royal Thai Air Force and supported and exercised operational control over USAF units and detachments in Thailand assigned or attached to the 2 Air Division. Between May 1993 and Oct 1994, it managed a fighter (F-15C) and rescue squadron (HH-60G) in Iceland under the 35 Wing. The group activated at Misawa AB, Japan on 1 Oct 1994, as part of the 35 Fighter Wing, replacing the 432 Fighter Wing and assuming its personnel and F-16C/D aircraft, the same day it inactivated in Iceland. It supported units of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) Northern Air Defense Force. In addition to providing air defense of northern Japan, personnel and aircraft from the group at times deployed for expeditionary duty in southwest and central Asia for operations over Afghanistan and Iraq.
Service Streamers. Vietnam Service.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: East Indies; Air Offensive, Japan; China Defensive; Papua; New Guinea; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Ryukyus; China Offensive. Korean War: UN Defensive; UN Offensive; CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Papua, 23 Jul 1942-23 Jan 1943. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Oct 1994-30 Sep 1995; 1 Oct 1995-30 Sep 1996; 1 Oct 1997-30 Sep 1999; 1 Oct 1999-30 Sep 2001; 1 Oct 2001-30 Sep 2003; 1 Jul 2004-31 May 2006; 1 Oct 2008-30 Sep 2010; 1 Mar 2011-28 Feb 2013. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII). Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: 7 Sep 1950-7 Feb 1951.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through May 2014.
Commanders through Aug 2013; Aircraft, and Operations through 31 Dec 2008.
Supersedes statement prepared on 18 Apr 2008.
Emblem. Approved on 5 Jan 2021.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.