Lineage. Constituted as 36 Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 22 Dec 1939. Activated on 1 Feb 1940. Redesignated as: 36 Fighter Group on 15 May 1942; 36 Fighter-Bomber Group on 20 Jan 1950; 36 Fighter-Day Group on 9 Aug 1954. Inactivated on 8 Dec 1957. Redesignated as: 36 Tactical Fighter Group on 31 Jul 1985; 36 Operations Group on 1 Mar 1992. Activated on 31 Mar 1992. Inactivated on 1 Oct 1994. Activated on 15 Mar 2006.
Assignments. GHQ Air Force, 1 Feb 1940; Caribbean Defense Command, Jan 1941; Caribbean Interceptor Command, 3 Jun 1941; VI Interceptor (later, VI Fighter) Command, 25 Oct 1941; First Air Force, 4 Jun 1943; Second Air Force, 17 Sep 1943; Ninth Air Force, 4 Apr 1944; XXIX Tactical Air Command, 1 Oct 1944; IX Tactical Air Command, 28 Jan 1945; XII Tactical Air Command, 15 Nov 1945; Continental Air Forces (later, Strategic Air Command), 15 Feb 1946; Caribbean Defense Command, 9 Sep 1946; Caribbean Air Command, 20 Sep 1946; 6 Fighter Wing, 15 Oct 1946; 36 Fighter (later, 36 Fighter-Bomber; 36 Fighter-Day) Wing, 2 Jul 1948-8 Dec 1957. 36 Fighter Wing, 31 Mar 1992-1 Oct 1994. 36 Wing, 15 Mar 2006-.
Operational Components. Squadrons. 22 Pursuit (later, 22 Fighter; 22 Fighter-Bomber; 22 Fighter-Day; 22 Fighter), 1 Feb 1940-31 Mar 1946; 15 Oct 1946-8 Dec1957; 31 Mar 1992-1 Apr 1994. 23 Pursuit (later, 23 Fighter; 23 Fighter-Bomber; 23 Fighter-Day), 1 Feb 1940-31 Mar 1946; 15 Oct 1946-8 Dec 1957. 32 Pursuit (later, 32 Fighter), 1 Feb 1940-3 Aug 1943; 8 Sep 1955-8 Dec 1957. 53 Fighter (later, 53 Fighter-Bomber; 53 Fighter), 23 Jun 1943-31 Mar 1946; 15 Oct 1946-8 Dec 1957; 31 Mar 1992-25 Feb 1994.
Stations. Langley Field, VA, 1 Feb 1940; Losey Field, Puerto Rico, 6 Jan 1941; Morrison Field, FL, 1 Jun 1943; Mitchel Field, NY, 4 Jun 1943; Charleston AAB, SC, 22 Jun 1943; Alamagordo AAB, NM, 17 Sep 1943; Scribner AAB, NE, 26 Nov 1943; Camp Shanks, NY, 13-23 Mar 1944; Kingsnorth, England, 4 Apr 1944; Brucheville, France, 4 Jul 1944; Le Mans, France, 25 Aug 1944; Athis, France, c. Sep 1944; Juvincourt, France, c. 1 Oct 1944; Le Culot, Belgium, 27 Oct 1944; Aachen, Germany, 26 Mar 1945; Niedermendig, Germany, c. 8 Apr 1945; Kassel/Rothwesten, Germany, c. 21 Apr 1945; Bolling Field, DC, 15 Feb-9 Sep 1946. Howard Field, Panama Canal Zone, 15 Oct 1946-15 Jul 1948; Furstenfeldbruck AB, Germany, 13 Aug 1948; Bitburg AB, Germany, 17 Nov 1952-8 Dec 1957. Biturg AB, Germany, 31 Mar 1992-1 Oct 1994. Andersen AFB, Guam, 15 Mar 2006-.
Commanders. Lt Col Ned Schramm, c. 1 Feb 1940; Maj Charles A. Harrington, c. 15 Jul 1941; Lt Col Glenn O. Barcus, c. 1 Nov 1941; Maj Richard P; Klocko, 20 Feb 1942; Maj James B. League Jr., 18 Jul 1942; Lt Col William L. Curry, 1 Sep 1942; Maj Earl H. Dunham, 1 Oct 1942; Lt Col William L. Curry, 14 Jan 1943; Lt Col Van H. Slayden, 12 Jan 1944; Lt Col Paul P. Douglas Jr., 5 Apr 1945; Lt Col John L. Wright, 30 Jun 1945; Maj Arthur W. Holderness Jr., 25 Sep 1945; Lt Col William T. McBride, 9 Nov 1945; Col Henry R. Spicer, 15 Oct 1946; Lt Col Paul P. Douglas Jr., Dec 1948; Col Hubert Zemke, Jan 1949; Col Charles W. Boedeker, 2 Nov 1949; Col William A. Daniel, 22 Nov 1949; Lt Col George F. Ceulleers, 26 Dec 1950; Lt Col Curran L. Jones, 15 Feb 1951; Lt Col George T. Lee, 6 Mar 1951; Col Seth J. McKee, 3 Dec 1951; Col Marvin E. Childs, 9 May 1953; Col Edward A. McGough III, 20 Dec 1954; None (unmanned), 1 Oct 1956-8 Dec 1957. Col Michael B. Tobin, 23 Mar 1992; Col John H. Campbell, 7 Aug 1992; Col John R. Baker, 26 Jul 1993-31 Jul 1994. Col Tom Gilbert, 15 Mar 2006; Col Todd C. Westhauser, 1 Feb 2007; Col Damian J. McCarthy, 12 Feb 2007; Col Tod R. Fingal, 23 Feb 2009; Col Jeffrey L. Vandenbussche, 11 Jan 2010; Col Randy L. Kaufman, 27 Jun 2011; Col Reid M. Langdon, 9 Jul 2013-.
Aircraft. P-36, P-39, P-40, 1940-1943. P-47, 1943-1946. F-47, 1946-1947. F-80, 1947-1950. F-84, 1950-1953. F-86, 1953-1956. F-100, 1956-1957. F-15, 1992-1994. None, 2006-.
Operations. Served in Puerto Rico in early 1941; flew anti-submarine patrols over the Caribbean. After 7 Dec 1941, expanded patrols over the Panama Canal Zone. Returned to the United States to train in P-47s. Traveled to England aboard the Stirling Castle ship. Served in European Theater from May 1944 through May 1945. Supported D-Day landings at Normandy in Jun 1944 and breakthrough at St Lo, France in Jul 1944. Acquired nickname of Fightin’ 36. Participated in the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944. Supported operations during airborne assault across the Rhine in Mar1945. Attack on airfields in southern Germany resulted in destruction to hangars and numerous aircraft. Engaged in occupation duties in Germany after V-E Day until Feb 1946. Transferred, without personnel or equipment, to United States. Moved to Howard Field, Panama Canal Zone, in Oct 1946 conducting training missions. In Aug 1948 transferred to Germany as part of United States Air Forces in Europe. Became first US jet fighter equipped unit stationed in Europe. Provided air defense for the Central Region of Europe during 1992-1994.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: France, 1 Sep 1944; Germany, 12 Apr 1945. Cited in Order of the Day, Belgian Army, 1 Oct-17 Dec 1944; 18 Dec 1944-15 Jan 1945. Belgian Fourragere. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: [1] May 1956-[1] May 1958; 30 Jun 1992-1 Jul 1994; [15 Mar 2006]-30 Sep 2007; 1 Oct 2009-30 Sep 2011.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 11 Jun 2014.
Supersedes statement prepared in 24 Mar 2006.
Emblem. Approved on 5 Nov 2020.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.