413 Flight Test Group (AFRC)

Lineage. Established as 413 Fighter Group, Single Engine on 5 Oct 1944. Activated on 15 Oct 1944. Inactivated on 15 Oct 1946. Redesignated 413 Fighter-Day Group on 27 Oct 1954. Activated on 11 Nov 1954. Inactivated on 8 Oct 1957. Consolidated (31 Jan 1984) with the 413 Strategic Fighter Wing, which was established on 23 Mar 1953. Redesignated 413 Fighter-Day Wing on 26 Sep 1957. Activated on 8 Oct 1957. Redesignated 413 Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 Jul 1958. Inactivated on 15 Mar 1959. Redesignated 413 Flight Test Group on 18 Jul 2003. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Oct 2003.

Assignments. First Air Force, 15 Oct 1944; 301 Fighter Wing, 2 Nov 1944-15 Oct 1946. Ninth Air Force, 11 Nov 1954 (attached to 479 Fighter-Day Wing, 11 Nov 1954-7 Oct 1957); Eighteenth Air Force, 1 Oct 1957; 831 Air Division, 8 Oct 1957-15 Mar 1959. Twenty-Second Air Force, 1 Oct 2003-.

Components. Squadrons. 1: Fighter (later, 1 Fighter-Day; 1 Tactical Fighter): 15 Oct 1944-15 Oct 1946; 11 Nov 1954-15 Mar 1959 (detached 27 Jun-c. 12 Nov 1958). 10 Flight Test: 1 Oct 2003-. 21: Fighter (later, 21 Fighter-Day; 21 Tactical Fighter): 15 Oct 1944-15 Oct 1946; 11 Nov 1954-15 Mar 1959 (detached 14-15 Mar 1959). 34: Fighter (later 34 Fighter-Day; 34 Tactical Fighter): 15 Oct 1944-15 Oct 1946; 11 Nov 1954-15 Mar 1959. 339 Flight Test: 1 Oct 2003-. 370 Flight Test: 1 Oct 2003-. 474: Fighter-Day (later, 474 Tactical Fighter): 8 Oct 1957-15 Mar 1959 (detached 11 Nov 1958-15 Mar 1959). 514 Flight Test: 1 Oct 2003-.
Flights. 313 Flight Test: 1 Oct 2003-. 415 Flight Test: 1 Oct 2003-. 420 Flight Test: 1 Oct 2003-. 

Stations. Seymour Johnson Field, NC, 15 Oct 1944; Bluethenthal Field, NC, 9 Nov 1944-6 Apr 1945; Ie Shima, 19 May 1945 (ground echelon), c. 15 Jun 1945 (air echelon); Kadena, Okinawa, Nov 1945; Yontan, Okinawa, 29 Jan-15 Oct 1946. George AFB, CA, 11 Nov 1954-15 Mar 1959. Robins AFB, GA, 1 Oct 2003-.

Commanders. Lt Col George H. Hollingsworth, 15 Oct 1944; Col Harrison R. Thyng, 1 Nov 1944; Lt Col John B. Coleman, 14 Oct 1945; Col Loring F. Stetson Jr., c. Jun-15 Oct 1946. Col George Laven Jr., 11 Nov 1954; Lt Col Maurice G. Long, 4 Oct 1955; Col Gordon F. Blood, 16 Jan 1956; Col Robert W. Stephens, 13 Jul 1958-15 Mar 1959.

Aircraft. P-47, 1944-1946. F-86, 1954-1956; F-100, 1955-1959.

Operations. Trained for very-long-range operations with P-47s. The air echelon left Bluethenthal Field in mid-Mar 1945. Flew combat missions from Saipan to the Truk Islands in May before joining the ground echelon on Ie Shima in mid-Jun. Initially served as part of Twentieth Air Force in the Pacific; reassigned to Eighth Air Force in mid-Aug 1945. Engaged in dive-bombing and strafing attacks on factories, radar stations, airfields, small ships, and other targets in Japan. Made several attacks on shipping and airfields in China during Jul. Flew its only escort mission on 8 Aug 1945 when it covered B-29s during a raid against Yawata, Japan. Served as part of the air defense and occupation force for the Ryukyu Islands after the war. Inactivated on Okinawa on 15 Oct 1946. Activated as part of Tactical Air Command in 1954. Trained to achieve and maintain combat readiness by participation in tactical exercises, firepower demonstrations, joint training with US Army and US Marine Corps units, and tactical evaluations. Provided augmentation of Sixteenth Air Force in Spain, through deployment of assigned squadrons on a rotational basis, 1958-1959.

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Japan; Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific; Ryukyus; China Offensive.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. None

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 1 Oct 2003.

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 15 Mar 1959.

Supersedes published information contained in Maurer Maurer (ed.), Air Force Combat Units of World War II (Washington: USGPO, 1983) and Charles A. Ravenstein, Air Force Combat Wings: Lineage and Honors Histories, 1947-1977 (Washington: USGPO, 1984). 

Emblem. Approved on 29 Jan 1958. 

Prepared by Judy G. Endicott.