14 Operations Group (AETC)

 

Lineage.  Established as 14 Pursuit Group (Fighter) on 20 Nov 1940.  Activated on 15 Jan 1941.  Redesignated as 14 Fighter Group (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942.  Inactivated on 9 Sep 1945.  Activated on 20 Nov 1946.  Inactivated on 2 Oct 1949.  Redesignated as 14 Fighter Group (Air Defense) on 20 Jun 1955.  Activated on 18 Aug 1955.  Discontinued on 25 Jun 1960.  Redesignated as: 14 Tactical Fighter Group on 31 Jul 1985; 14 Operations Group on 9 Dec 1991.  Activated on 15 Dec 1991. 

 Assignments.  10 Pursuit Wing, 15 Jan 1941; 9 Pursuit Wing, 1 Jun 1941; IV Bomber Command, 5 Sep 1941 (attached to IV Interceptor Command, 17 Oct-Dec 1941); IV Interceptor (later, IV Fighter) Command, 26 Jan 1942; 6 Fighter Wing, Aug 1942; XII Fighter Command, 14 Sep 1942; XII Bomber Command, 11 Dec 1942; 7 Fighter Wing, Jan 1943; Northwest African Training Command, Feb 1943; 5 Bombardment Wing, May 1943; Northwest Tactical Air Force, 10 Jul 1943; 5 Bombardment Wing, 14 Jul 1943; 2686 Medium Bombardment Wing (Provisional), 25 Jul 1943; 5 Bombardment Wing, Sep 1943; 306 Fighter Wing, 27 Mar 1944; 305 Fighter Wing, 3 Sep 1944; 305 Bombardment Wing, Heavy, 12 Jun 1945; Fifteenth Air Force, Sep-9 Sep 1945.  First Air Force, 20 Nov 1946; 14 Fighter Wing, 15 Aug 1947-2 Oct 1949.  4711 Air Defense Wing, 18 Aug 1955; 32 Air Division (Defense), 1 Mar 1956; Bangor Air Defense Sector, 1 Aug 1958-25 Jun 1960.  14 Flying Training Wing, 15 Dec 1991-.    

Operational Components.  Squadrons.  37 Fighter (later, 37 Fighter-Interceptor; 37 Flying Training): 1 Mar 1943-9 Sep 1945; 20 Nov 1946-2 Oct 1949; 18 Aug 1955-1 May 1960; 15 Dec 1991-.  41 Flying Training: 1 Oct 1998-.  43 Flying Training: 15 Dec 1991-1 Oct 1992.  48 Pursuit (later, 48 Fighter; 48 Flying Training): 15 Jan 1941-9 Sep 1945; 20 Nov 1946-2 Oct 1949; 1 Jul 1996-.  49 Pursuit (later, 49 Fighter; 49 Flying Training; 49 Fighter Training): 15 Jan 1941-9 Sep 1945; 20 Nov 1946-2 Oct 1949; 15 Dec 1991-18 Sep 1992; 1 Jul 1993-10 Oct 2000; 10 May 2007-.  50 Pursuit (later, 50 Fighter; 50 Flying Training): 15 Jan 1941-14 Nov 1942; 15 Dec 1991-.    

Stations.  Hamilton Fld, CA, 15 Jan 1941; March Fld, CA, c. 10 Jun 1941; Hamilton Fld, CA, 7 Feb-16 Jul 1942; Atcham, England, 18 Aug-Nov 1942; Tafaraoui, Algeria, 15 Nov 1942; Maison Blanche, Algeria, 18 Nov 1942; Youks-les-Bains, Algeria, 22 Nov 1942; Berteaux, Algeria, 9 Jan 1943; Mediouna, French Morocco, 5 Mar 1943; Telergma, Algeria, 5 May 1943; El Bathan, Tunisia, 3 Jun 1943; Ste-Marie-du-Zit, Tunisia, 25 Jul 1943; Triolo Airfield, Italy, 12 Dec 1943; Lesina, Italy, Sep-9 Sep 1945.  Dow Fld, ME, 20 Nov 1946-2 Oct 1949.  Ethan Allen AFB, VT, 18 Aug 1955-25 Jun 1960.  Columbus AFB, MS, 15 Dec 1991-. 

 Commanders.  1 Lt Troy Keith, 15 Jan 1941; Col Thayer S. Olds, 18 Apr 1941; Lt Col Troy Keith, 28 Jan 1943; Col Oliver B. Taylor, 26 Sep 1943; Col Daniel S. Campbell, 18 Jul 1944; Col Thomas B. Whitehouse, Mar 1945-unkn.  Lt Col Lewis W. Chick Jr., 24 Dec 1946; Col Loring F. Stetson Jr., 7 Jan 1948; Col George A. McHenry, Jul 1949; Lt Col Arvie E. Olson Jr., Aug 1949-unkn.  Col Harry L. Downing, 1955; Col William J. Hovde, 20 May 1956; Col John R. Kullman, 14 Jul 1958; Col Roy D. Carlson, 16-25 Jun 1960.  Col David M. Fore, 15 Dec 1991; Col John W. Dalton, 5 Oct 1992; Col Michael L. Gentrup, 29 Jul 1994; Col Donald J. Hoffman, 19 Oct 1995; Col David M. Snyder, 7 Feb 1997; Col Olen S. Key, 14 Jan 1999; Col Russell J. Frasz, 17 Aug 2000; Col James M. Holmes, 7 Aug 2002; Col David J. Lewis, 30 Jun 2004; Col Eric Theisen, 29 Jun 2006; Col David A. Reth, 27 Jul 2008; Col Steven H. Stater, 8 Sep 2010; Col Brett D. Pennington, Aug 2012-. 

Aircraft.   P-40, 1941; P-43, 1941; P-66, 1941; P-38, 1941-1945.   P-47, 1946-1949; P (later, F)-84, 1947-1949.  F-86, 1955-1958; F-102, 1957-1960.  T-37, 1991-2008; T-38, 1991-; AT-38, 1993-2000; T-1, 1996-; T-6, 2006-.    

Operations.  Trained for fighter operations and patrolled west coast of United States, 1941-1942.  Moved to England in summer 1942 and began escorting bombers to targets in France.  Deployed to North Africa in Nov 1942 and performed escort, strafing, and reconnaissance missions.  During the Allied assault on Pantelleria Island in the Mediterranean Sea, the group flew dive-bombing missions.  Provided air support during the Allied invasions of Sicily and Italy.  The group moved to Italy in Dec 1943 and flew primarily escort missions for bombers attacking enemy targets in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Rumania, and Bulgaria.  On 2 Apr 1944, the 14 Fighter Group earned a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for escorting bombers attacking ball-bearing and aircraft production facilities at Steyr, Austria.  Provided air support for the Allied invasion of southern France in Aug 1944.  Besides escorting bombers, the group also flew reconnaissance, strafing, and dive-bombing missions against various enemy targets in southern Europe.  Inactivated in Italy in Sep 1945.  Trained in the United States for fighter operations, 1946-1949, and for interception of enemy aircraft, 1955-1960, converting to jet aircraft between 1957 and 1958.  Since Dec 1991, trained USAF and Allied pilots in basic flying skills.  Since 1993, also provided training in fighter fundamentals.                 

Service Streamers.  None.

Campaign Streamers.  World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley; Air Combat, EAME Theater.     

 Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers.  None.

Decorations.  Distinguished Unit Citation: Austria, 2 Apr 1944.  Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1992-30 Jun 1994; 1 Jul 1999-30 Jun 2001; 1 Jul 2001-30 Jun 2002; 1 Jul 2002-30 Jun 2004; 1 Jul 2004-30 Jun 2006; 1 Jul 2006-30 Jun 2007; 1 Jul 2007-30 Jun 2009; 1 Jul 2009-30 Jun 2010; 1 Jul 2010-30 Jun 2011; 1 Jul 2012-30 Jun 2014; 1 Jul 2014-30 Jun 2015; 1 Jul 2015-30 Jun 2016; 1 Jul 2016-30 Jun 2017.       

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 3 Jul 2019.

Commanders through Aug 2012; Aircraft, and Operations through Sep 2011.

Supersedes statement prepared in Jan 2014.

Emblem. Group will use the wing emblem with group designation in the scroll.

Prepared by Daniel Haulman.