Lineage. Established as Hawaiian Air Force on 19 Oct 1940. Activated on 1 Nov 1940. Redesignated as: 7 Air Force on 5 Feb 1942; Seventh Air Force on 18 Sep 1942; Pacific Air Command on 15 Dec 1947. Discontinued on 1 Jun 1949. Redesignated as Seventh Air Force on 10 Dec 1954. Activated on 5 Jan 1955. Inactivated on 1 Jul 1957. Activated on 28 Mar 1966. Organized on 1 Apr 1966. Inactivated on 30 Jun 1975. Activated on 8 Sep 1986. Redesignated as Seventh Air Force (Air Forces Korea) on 18 Jan 2008.
Assignments. Hawaiian Department, U.S. Army, 1 Nov 1940; U.S. Army Forces in Central Pacific Area, c. 16 Aug 1943; Army Air Forces, Pacific Ocean Areas, 1 Aug 1944; Far East Air Forces (later, Pacific Air Command, U.S. Army), 14 Jul 1945; Army Air Forces (later, United States Air Force), 1 Jan 1947-1 Jun 1949. Pacific Air Force (later, Pacific Air Force/Far East Air Forces [Rear]), 5 Jan 1955-1 Jul 1957. Pacific Air Forces, 28 Mar 1966-30 Jun 1975. Pacific Air Forces, 8 Sep 1986-.
Major Components. Commands: 7 Air Force Base (later, VII Air Force Base; VII Air Force Service): 19 Feb 1942-15 Aug 1944. VII Air Service Area: 3 Aug 1944-12 Aug 1945. 7 Bomber (later, VII Bomber): 29 Jan 1942-1 Jan 1946. 7 Interceptor (later, 7 Fighter; VII Fighter): 2 Feb 1942-1 Mar 1945; 14-16 Jul 1945. Divisions: 7 Air (formerly, 7 Fighter Wing): 1 Jan 1946-3 Sep 1948. 834 Air: 15 Oct 1966-1 Dec 1971. Wings: 8 Fighter, 8 Sep 1986-. 51 Fighter, 8 Sep 1986-. Groups: 607 Air Intelligence, 15 Dec 1994-1 Apr 2008. 607 Air Support (later, Logistics Readiness), 7 May 1997-31 Jan 2011. 607 Air Support Operations, 15 Dec 1994-. 607 Support, 18 Jan 2008-. 607 Air and Space Communications, 13 Jan 2003-18 Jan 2008. Centers: 607 Air Operations Group (later, 607 Air and Space Operations; 607 Air Operations), 15 Dec 1994-.
Stations. Fort Shafter, TH, 1 Nov 1940; Hickam Field, TH, c. 12 Jul 1941; Saipan, 19 Dec 1944; Okinawa, 12 Jul 1945; Hickam Field (later, Hickam AFB), TH, 1 Jan 1946-1 Jun 1949. Hickam AFB, TH, 5 Jan 1955; Wheeler AFB, TH, 24 Mar 1955-1 Jul 1957. Tan Son Nhut Airfield, South Vietnam, 1 Apr 1966; Nakhon Phanom Aprt, Thailand, 29 Mar 1973-30 Jun 1975. Osan AB, Korea, 8 Sep 1986-.
Commanders. Maj Gen Frederick L. Martin, 2 Nov 1940; Maj Gen Clarence L. Tinker, 18 Dec 1941; Brig Gen Howard C. Davidson, 7 Jun 1942; Maj Gen Willis H. Hale, 20 Jun 1942; Maj Gen Robert W. Douglass Jr., 15 Apr 1944; Maj Gen Thomas D. White, 23 Jun 1945; Brig Gen Donald F. Stace, 18 Oct 1946; Maj Gen Ralph H. Wooten, 22 May 1947; Brig Gen Robert F. Travis, 1 Sep 1948-1 Jun 1949. Maj Gen Sory Smith, 5 Jan 1955; Brig Gen Julian M. Chappell, 25 Jul 1955-1 Jul 1957. Lt Gen Joseph H. Moore, 1 Apr 1966; Gen William W. Momyer, 1 Jul 1966; Gen George S. Brown, 1 Aug 1968; Gen Lucius D. Clay Jr., 1 Sep 1970; Gen John D. Lavelle, 1 Aug 1971; Gen John W. Vogt Jr., 7 Apr 1972; Gen Timothy F. O'Keefe, 1 Oct 1973; Lt Gen John J. Burns, 1 Sep 1974-30 Jun 1975. Lt Gen Jack I. Gregory, 8 Sep 1986; Lt Gen Craven C. Rogers Jr., 9 Dec 1986; Lt Gen Thomas A. Baker, 31 Oct 1988; Lt Gen Ronald R. Fogleman, 7 Jul 1990; Lt Gen Howell M. Estes III, 17 Aug 1992; Lt Gen Ronald W. Iverson, 30 Sep 1994; Lt Gen Joseph E. Hurd, 7 Apr 1997; Lt Gen Charles R. Heflebower, 14 Sep 1999; Lt Gen Lance L. Smith, 19 Nov 2001; Lt Gen Gary E. Trexler, 19 Nov 2003; Lt Gen Stephen G. Wood, 6 Nov 2006; Lt Gen Jeffrey A. Remington, 24 Nov 2008; Lt Gen Jan-Marc Jouas, 6 Jan 2012; Lt Gen Terrence J. O’Saughnessy, 19 Dec 2014; Lt Gen Thomas W. Bergeson, 8 Jul 2016; Lt Gen Kenneth W. Wilsbach, 27 Aug 2018; Lt Gen Scott L. Pleus, 12 Jun 2020-.
Operations. Originally established to control a growing number of Army air units arriving in the Territory of Hawaii during 1940-1941. Directly involved in the defense of Hawaii on 7 December 1941, and continued to defend the Hawaiian Islands throughout the war. Conducted long-range strikes at Japanese strongholds in the Central Pacific, and later provided fighter escorts to the strategic bombing missions over Japan. Following World War II, briefly functioned as a named command to oversee air defense and other operations in the Pacific Ocean area until 1949, and from 1955-1957 served as an administrative headquarters for USAF elements in the central and eastern Pacific. Reactivated as a combat air force during the conflict in Southeast Asia beginning in 1966 when the growth of U.S. forces in the region required a higher echelon of command. Assumed responsibility for most Air Force operations in Vietnam and shared responsibility with Thirteenth Air Force for operations from Thailand until 1973, when it moved to Thailand to oversee residual USAF assets deployed to the region until complete withdrawal in 1975. Since 1986, served as US Air Forces Korea under the joint US Forces Korea and the US Air Force component to the US and Republic of Korea Combined Forces Command with the mission of deterring North Korean aggression.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Central Pacific; Western Pacific. Vietnam: Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer/Fall 1969; Vietnam Winter/Spring; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI; Commando Hunt VII; Vietnam Ceasefire.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Dec 1986-2 Oct 1988; 3 Oct 1988-7 Jul 1990; 1 Jul 1993-30 Jun 1995; 1 Jul 1995-30 Jun 1997; 1 Jul 1999-30 Jun 2001; 1 Sep 2001-30 Aug 2003; 1 Oct 2006-30 Sep 2008; 2 Nov 2010-1 Nov 2012; 2 Nov 2012-1 Nov 2014; 2 Nov 2014-1 Nov 2015. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 1966-28 Jan 1973.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 9 Mar 2022.
Commanders and Operations through 9 Mar 2022.
Supersedes statement prepared in Jun 2009.
Emblem. Approved on 21 May 1943; latest rendering, 23 May 2005.
Prepared by James Musser.
Reviewed by Margaret Ream.