Lineage. Established as 32 Pursuit Group on 22 Nov 1940. Activated on 1 Jan 1941. Redesignated as: 32 Fighter Group (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942; 32 Fighter Group (Single Engine) on 28 Sep 1942. Disbanded on 1 Nov 1943. Reestablished, and redesignated as 32 Fighter Group (Air Defense), on 11 Dec 1956. Activated on 8 Feb 1957. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 Feb 1961. Consolidated (31 Jan 1984) with the 32 Composite Wing, which was established on 10 Aug 1948. Activated on 24 Aug 1948. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1949. Redesignated as: 32 Fighter-Bomber Wing on 23 Mar 1953; 32 Fighter Wing (Air Defense) on 28 Dec 1960. Activated on 28 Dec 1960. Organized on 1 Feb 1961. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 Jul 1962. Organized on 1 Apr 1964. Redesignated as 32 Tactical Fighter Wing, and activated, on 6 Apr 1964. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Jul 1964. Redesignated as 32 Tactical Fighter Group on 1 Nov 1989. Activated on 16 Nov 1989. Redesignated as: 32 Fighter Group on 30 Nov 1991; 32 Air Operations Group on 1 Jul 1994; 32 Air and Space Operations Center on 1 Nov 2005. Inactivated on 1 Dec 2006. Redesignated as 32 Air Expeditionary Group, and converted to provisional status, on 8 Mar 2011.
Assignments. 12 Pursuit Wing, 1 Jan 1941; 26 Interceptor (later, XXVI Interceptor; XXVI Fighter) Command, 6 Mar 1942-1 Nov 1943. 1 Air Division, 24 Aug 1948; Thirteenth Air Force, 1 Dec 1948-1 Apr 1949. 29 Air Division (Defense), 8 Feb 1957; Minot Air Defense Sector, 1 Aug 1960-1 Jul 1962. 831 Air Division, 1 Apr-25 Jul 1964. Seventeenth Air Force, 16 Nov 1989; United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 Jul 1994; United States Air Forces in Europe Aerospace-operations Support (later, United States Air Forces in Europe Theater Air and Space-operations) Center, 1 Oct 2001; Sixteenth Air Force, 1 Nov 2005-1 Dec 2006. United States Air Forces in Europe, to activate or inactivate, at any time on or after 8 Mar 2011.
Operational Components. Squadrons. 5 Fighter-Interceptor: 1 Feb 1960-1 Jul 1962. 23 Reconnaissance: attached 24 Aug 1948-16 Mar 1949. 31 Reconnaissance: 16 Mar-1 Apr 1949. 32 Tactical Fighter (later, 32 Fighter; 32 Air Operations): 16 Nov 1989-1 Nov 2005. 51 Pursuit (Fighter) (later, 51 Fighter): 1 Jan 1941-1 Nov 1943. 52 Pursuit (Fighter) (later, 52 Fighter): 1 Jan 1941-1 Nov 1943. 53 Pursuit (Fighter) (later, 53 Fighter): 1 Jan 1941-1 Nov 1943. 68 Fighter-Interceptor: 16 Jun-25 Jul 1964. 431 Fighter-Interceptor: 18 May-25 Jul 1964. 433 Fighter-Interceptor: 1 Nov 1957-8 Jan 1958. 497 Fighter-Interceptor: 18 Jun-25 Jul 1964. 782 Tactical Fighter: 1 Apr-25 Jul 1964. 783 Tactical Fighter: 1 Apr-25 Jul 1964. 784 Tactical Fighter: 1 Apr-25 Jul 1964. 785 Tactical Fighter: 1 Apr-25 Jul 1964.
Stations. Rio Hato, Panama, 1 Jan 1941; France Field, Canal Zone, Dec 1941-1 Nov 1943. Kadena Field, Okinawa, 24 Aug 1948-1 Apr 1949. Minot AFB, ND, 8 Feb 1957-1 Jul 1962. George AFB, CA, 1 Apr-25 Jul 1964. Soesterberg AB, Netherlands, 16 Nov 1989; Ramstein AB, Germany, 1 Jul 1994-1 Dec 2006.
Commanders. Capt Roger J. Browne, 1 Jan 1941; Capt James B. Buck, 16 Apr 1941; Lt Col Roger J. Browne, 4 Aug 1941; Lt Col William R. Robertson Jr., 23 Aug 1942-c. 1 Nov 1943. Col Edwin M. Day, 24 Aug 1948; Col Walter E. Arnold, 22 Jan 1949; Col Charles P. Prime, 1 Feb 1949; Col Walter E. Arnold, 21 Mar-1 Apr 1949. Maj Joe E. Roberts, 8 Feb 1957; Lt Col John B. May, 11 Aug 1958; Col Frank Q. O'Conner, c. 23 Jun 1959; Col Richard F. Weltzin, 11 Oct 1960-1 Jul 1962. Col John L. Gregory Jr., 1 Apr-25 Jul 1964. Col Richard H. Hagelin III, 16 Nov 1989; Col John Graham Jr., 14 Jun 1991; Col William F. Hodgkins, 29 Jul 1993; Col Steven A. Caine, 19 Aug 1994; Col Michael J. Malone, 9 Jun 1995; Col James L. Ruttler Jr., 28 Apr 1997; Col Allen G. Peck, 13 Jun 1998; Col Keith G. Monteith, 3 Apr 2000; Col Steven J. DePalmer, May 2003; Col Jay B. Silveria, 16 Jun 2005; Col Peter H. Castor, 30 Dec 2005-1 Dec 2006.
Aircraft. P-26, 1941; P-36, 1941; P-38, 1941-1942; P-40, 1942-1943. B/FB-17, 1948; C-46, 1948; B/RB-29, 1948-1949. T-33, 1960-1961, 1961-1962; F-106, 1960-1961, 1961-1962. F-4, 1964. F-15, 1989-1993.
Operations. Activated on 1 Jan 1941, the 32 Pursuit (later, 32 Fighter) Group assumed the mission of defending the Panama Canal with interceptor and fighter sweeps to protect Panama Canal installations and surrounding areas. Because of the diminished threat, the group disbanded on 1 Nov 1943. Replaced the 71 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Kadena AB, Okinawa in Aug 1948 and provided photographic reconnaissance and search and rescue support services until it inactivated 1 Apr 1949. Activated as 32 Fighter Group in Dec 1956; trained air defense combat crews, 1957-1960, and provided air defense for a segment of the north-central United States, 1960-1962. Redesignated as 32 Tactical Fighter Group and activated at Soesterberg AB, Netherlands on 16 Nov 1989. Equipped with F-15 aircraft, the group performed air defense and interception missions in coordination with units of the Royal Netherlands Air Force and other NATO air forces. Deployed aircrew and ground support personnel to Southwest Asia during OPERATIONS DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM, Aug 1990-Mar 1991 and continued to support air activities in theater as a part of OPERATION PROVIDE COMFORT, Apr 1991-Apr 1993. A major force drawdown occurred in Europe associated with the end of the Cold War resulted in the group's F-15s moving to the United States and the return of Soesterberg AB to the Dutch. Redesignated as 32 Air Operations Group on 1 Jul 1994 and moved to Ramstein AB, Germany. Since 1994, supported OPERATIONS DENY FLIGHT, DELIBERATE FORCE, DECISIVE ENDEAVOR, GUARDIAN ASSISTANCE, GUARDIAN RETRIEVAL, ASSURED LIFT, and SILVER WAKE with deployed air operations, communications, and intelligence support. Inactivated at the end of 2006.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.
Campaign Streamers. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1990-30 Jun 1991; 30 Sep 1992-29 Sep 1994; 1 Jul 1994-1 Jun 1996; 1 Oct 1996-30 Sep 1998; 1 Sep 1997-31 Aug 1999; 1 Oct 1998-30 Jun 2000; 30 Jun 2000-31 May 2002; 1 Jun 2002-1 Nov 2003; 1 Jan-30 Nov 2006.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 15 Mar 2011.
Aircraft through Dec 1993; Commanders, and Operations through Dec 2006.
Supersedes statement prepared on 3 Jan 1990.
Emblem. Approved on 8 Aug 1960; newest rendition approved on 24 Mar 2006.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.