Lineage. Established as 33 Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated as 33 Fighter Group on 15 May 1942. Inactivated on 8 Dec 1945. Activated on 20 Aug 1946. Redesignated as 33 Fighter-Interceptor Group on 20 Jan 1950. Inactivated on 6 Feb 1952. Redesignated as 33 Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 20 Jun 1955. Activated on 18 Aug 1955. Inactivated on 18 Aug 1957. Consolidated (31 Jul 1985) with the 33 Tactical Group, which was established, and activated on 19 Jun 1963. Organized on 8 Jul 1963. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 8 Jul 1965. Redesignated as 33 Tactical Fighter Group on 31 Jul 1985. Redesignated as 33 Operations Group, and activated, on 1 Dec 1991.
Assignments. 7 Pursuit Wing, 15 Jan 1941; 1 Interceptor (later, I Interceptor, I Fighter) Command, 2 Oct 1941; Philadelphia Air Defense Wing, 11 Aug 1942; XII Air Support Command, Nov 1942; XII Fighter Command, 6 Dec 1942; XII Air Support Command, 13 Jan 1943; XII Air Force Service Command, 18 Feb 1943; XII Bomber Command, 1 Mar 1943; 47 Bombardment Wing, 3 Mar 1943; XII Air Support Command, 14 Mar 1943; 3 Air Defense (later, 64 Fighter) Wing, 24 Jul 1943; XII Air Support Command, 21 Dec 1943 (under operational control of 64 Fighter Wing, 21 Dec 1943-Feb 1944); AAF India-Burma Sector, c. 20 Feb 1944 (attached to CBI Air Forces Training Command, 5 Mar-14 Apr 1944); Fourteenth Air Force, 15 Apr 1944; 312 Fighter Wing, 11 May 1944; Tenth Air Force, 24 Aug 1944-Nov 1945. 70 Fighter Wing, 20 Aug 1946; Strategic Air Command, 25 Aug 1947; Eighth Air Force, 16 Sep 1947; 33 Fighter (later, 33 Fighter-Interceptor) Wing, 5 Nov 1947-6 Feb 1952 (attached to 509 Bombardment Wing, 17 Nov 1947-15 Nov 1948). 4707 Air Defense Wing, 18 Aug 1955; 33 Fighter Wing, 18 Oct 1956-18 Aug 1957. Pacific Air Forces, 19 Jun 1963; 2 Air Division, 8 Jul 1963-8 Jul 1965. 33 Fighter Wing, 1 Dec 1991-.
Operational Components. Squadrons. 58 Pursuit (later, 58 Fighter): 15 Jan 1941-8 Dec 1945; 20 Aug 1946-6 Feb 1952; 18 Aug 1955-18 Aug 1957; 1 Dec 1991-. 59 Pursuit (later, 59 Fighter): 15 Jan 1941-8 Dec 1945; 20 Aug 1946-6 Feb 1952; 1 Dec 1991-15 Apr 1999. 60 Pursuit (later, 60 Fighter): 15 Jan 1941-8 Dec 1945; 20 Aug 1946-6 Feb 1952; 18 Aug 1955-18 Aug 1957; 1 Dec 1991-1 Oct 2009. 99 Fighter: attached, 29 May-c. 29 Jun 1943 and 19 Jul-16 Oct 1943.
Stations. Mitchel Field, NY, 15 Jan 1941; Philadelphia, PA, 13 Dec 1941-Oct 1942; Port Lyautey, French Morocco, 10 Nov 1942; Casablanca, French Morocco, c. 13 Nov 1942; Telergma, Algeria, 24 Dec 1942; Thelepte, Tunisia, 7 Jan 1943; Youks-les-Bains, Algeria, 8 Feb 1943; Telergma, Algeria, c. 20 Feb 1943; Berteaux, Algeria, c. 2 Mar 1943; Ebba Ksour, Tunisia, c. 12 Apr 1943; Menzel Temime, Tunisia, 20 May 1943; Sousse, Tunisia, 9 Jun 1943; Pantelleria, 19 Jun 1943; Licata, Sicily, c. 18 Jul 1943; Paestum, Italy, 13 Sep 1943; Santa Maria, Italy, 18 Nov 1943; Cercola, Italy, c. 1 Jan-Feb 1944; Karachi, India, c. 20 Feb 1944; Shwangliu, China, c. 18 Apr 1944; Punchacheng, China, 9 May 1944; Nagaghuli, India, 3 Sep 1944; Sahmaw, Burma, 26 Dec 1944; Piardoba, India, 4 May-c. 15 Nov 1945; Camp Shanks, NY, 7-8 Dec 1945. Neubiberg, Germany, 20 Aug 1946; Bad Kissengen, Germany, Jul-25 Aug 1947; Andrews Field, MD, 25 Aug 1947; Roswell AAFld (later, Walker AFB), NM, 16 Sep 1947; Otis AFB, MA, 16 Nov 1948-6 Feb 1952. Otis AFB, MA, 18 Aug 1955-18 Aug 1957. Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam, 8 Jul 1963-8 Jul 1965. Eglin AFB, FL, 1 Dec 1991-.
Commanders. Maj Minthorne W. Reed, c. Jan 1941; Col Elwood R. Quesada, 7 Oct 1941; Col William W. Momyer, 29 Jun 1942; Col Loring F. Stetson Jr., 17 Oct 1943; Lt Col Oliver G. Cellini, 7 Jun 1944; Col David D. Terry Jr., 9 Sep 1944; Col Frank L. Dunn, 2 Mar 1945-unkn. Col Barton M. Russell, 20 Aug 1946; Lt Col Albert A. Cory, c. 1946; Col William H. Blanchard, 1947; Col Gwen G. Atkinson, Jan 1948; Lt Col Woodrow W. Korges, 4 Mar 1949; Col Charles H. MacDonald, 29 Jul 1949; Col Harrison R. Thyng, 15 Jun 1950; Lt Col Willard W. Millikan, c. Aug 1951-6 Feb 1952. Col Fred G. Hook Jr., 1955; Col David B. Tudor, c. early 1957-unkn. Col Richard C. Bender, 8 Jul 1963; Col Frank H. Wilcox Jr., 22 Feb 1964; Col George Budway, 16 May-8 Jul 1965. Col Thomas W. Dobson Jr., 2 Dec 1991; Col T. Michael Moseley, 23 Oct 1992; Col John D.W. Corley, 19 Jan 1994; Col James G. Boehm, 7 Aug 1995; Col David A. Deptula, 3 Oct 1995; Col Dennis G. Krembel, Feb 1997; Col Mark W. Debolt, 5 Mar 1999; Col Thomas A. McCarthy, 9 Feb 2001; Col Jay T. Denney, 13 Dec 2002; Col Kenneth S. Wilsbach, 21 Sep 2004; Col Scott G. Maw, 4 Aug 2006; Col James G. Riemens-Van Laare, 22 Apr 2008; Col James J. Ravella, 2 Oct 2009-.
Aircraft. P-39, 1941; P-40, 1941-1944; P-38, 1944-1945; P-47, 1944-1945. P-47, 1947-1948; F-84, 1948; F-86, 1949-1952. C-54, 1963-1965; RB-26, 1963-1964; RB-57, 1963-1965; RF-101, 1963-1965; U-3B, 1963-1965; VC-47, 1964-1965; VC-123, 1963-1965. F-15, 1991-2009; F-35, 2010-.
Operations. Trained with P-39s in 1941, but soon changed to P-40s and served as part of the defense force for the east coast after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The group moved to North Africa as part of the invasion force on 8 Nov 1942 and operated with Twelfth Air Force in the Mediterranean theater until Feb 1944, providing close support for ground forces, and bombing and strafing personnel concentrations, port installations, fuel dumps, bridges, highways, and rail lines. The 33 Fighter Group received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for action on 15 Jan 1943 when enemy aircraft attempted to knock out the group’s base in Tunisia. The group drove off the enemy’s escort and destroyed most of its bombers. For some four months in 1943, the 99th Fighter Squadron, the first black flying unit, was attached to the 33 Fighter Group for operations. The group took part in the reduction of Pantelleria and flew patrol missions while Allied troops landed after surrender of the enemy’s garrison. It also participated in the invasion and conquest of Sicily by supporting landings at Salerno, southern Italy, and the beachhead at Anzio. Moving to India in Feb 1944, the group trained with P-38s and P-47s. It then moved to China where it continued training and flew patrol and intercept missions. Returning to India in Sep 1944, it flew dive-bombing and strafing missions in Burma until the Allied campaigns in that area had been completed. From Aug 1946, the group served as part of the US occupation force in Germany until transferred back to the US, less personnel and equipment in Aug 1947. Moving to New Mexico, it was remanned and equipped with P-51s in Sep 1947, transitioned to F-84s in Jun 1948, and by mid-Nov, moved to the east coast. There it trained to maintain tactical proficiency and participated in exercises and aerial demonstrations. In Feb 1949, transitioned to F-86s and in Dec assumed an air defense mission, providing air defense in the northeastern US until inactivation in Feb 1952. Again, it provided air defense in northeastern US, Aug 1955-Aug 1957. In South Vietnam, the group was equipped primarily with cargo aircraft, C-54, U-3B, VC-47, and VC-123s. Its mission was to maintain and operate base support facilities at Tan Son Nhut AB, supporting the 2 Air Division and subordinate units by performing reconnaissance of Vietnam from various detachments flying RB-26, RB-57, and RF-101 aircraft, Jul 1963-Jul 1965. From its activation in Dec 1991, as part of the 33 Fighter Wing, it deployed aircraft and personnel to Saudi Arabia, Canada, the Caribbean, South America, Jamaica, Iceland, Italy, and Puerto Rico and participated in OPERATIONS SOUTHERN WATCH, CORONET MACAW; RESTORE HOPE, SUPPORT JUSTICE IV; UPHOLD DEMOCRACY. These included combat as well as deployments to assist in the US drug war. It lost 13 members in the bombing of Khobar Towers, Saudi Arabia on 25 Jun 1996. Between 2001 and 2010, supported Operations NOBLE EAGLE, ENDURING FREEDOM, and IRAQI FREEDOM. Trained US Air Force, Marines, Navy and international partner pilots and maintainers of F-35 aircraft, 2010-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Algeria-French Morocco; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Air Combat, EAME; India-Burma;
Central Burma; China Defensive. Vietnam: Vietnam Advisory; Vietnam Defensive. Global War on Terrorism: GWOT-E.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Central Tunisia, 15 Jan 1943. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 2 Dec 1991-31 Mar 1992; 1 Jun 1996-31
May 1998; 1 Jun 1998-31 May 1999.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 12 Aug 2016.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 30 Sep 2010.
Supersedes statement prepared on 9 May 2013.
Emblem. Approved on 30 Dec 2019.
Prepared by TSgt David Dollman.