Lineage. Established as 4 Fighter Wing on 28 Jul 1947. Organized on 15 Aug 1947. Redesignated as: 4 Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 20 Jan 1950; 4 Fighter-Bomber Wing on 8 Mar 1955; 4 Fighter-Day Wing on 25 Apr 1956; 4 Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 Jul 1958; 4 Wing on 22 Apr 1991; 4 Fighter Wing on 1 Dec 1995.
Assignments. Strategic Air Command, 15 Aug 1947; Fourteenth Air Force, 1 Dec 1948 (attached to First Air Force, 15 Jan–22 Feb 1949); Ninth Air Force, 23 Feb 1949 (attached to Eastern Air Defense Force, 10 Nov 1949–; further attached to 26 Air Division, 20 Feb 1950–); First Air Force, 1 Aug 1950 (remained attached to Eastern Air Defense Force and further attached to 26 Air Division); Eastern Air Defense Force, 1 Sep 1950 (remained attached to 26 Air Division to c. 19 Nov 1950; attached to Fifth Air Force, 28 Nov 1950–7 Mar 1955; further attached to 314 Air Division, 22 Dec 1950–7 May 1951; further attached to 39 Air Division, 1–7 Mar 1955); 39 Air Division, 8 Mar 1955; Ninth Air Force, 8 Dec 1957; Twelfth Air Force, 1 Jul 1960; Ninth Air Force, 1 Jan 1962 (attached to 2 Air Division [Provisional], c. 10-29 Nov 1962); 833 Air Division, 1 Oct 1964 (attached to Fifth Air Force ADVON, 29 Jan–c. 29 Jul 1968); Ninth Air Force [later, Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central)], 24 Dec 1969; Ninth Air Force (new Ninth Air Force),5 Aug 2009–.
Operational Components. Wings. 354 Tactical Fighter: attached 5–24 Jul 1968. Groups. 4 Fighter (later, 4 Fighter-Interceptor; 4 Fighter-Bomber; 4 Fighter-Day; 4 Operations): 15 Aug 1947–8 Dec 1957; 22 Apr 1991–. 23 Fighter: 27 Jun 2000-18 Aug 2006. 363 Tactical Reconnaissance: attached 26 Apr 1949–c. 1 Aug 1950. Squadrons. 7 Fighter-Bomber: attached 21 Mar–1 Jul 1957. 333 Fighter-Day (later, 333 Tactical Fighter): 8 Dec 1957–4 Dec 1965 (detached 10 Mar 1964–c. 15 Mar 1965). 334 Fighter-Day (later, 334 Tactical Fighter): 8 Dec 1957–22 Apr 1991 (detached 1 Apr–13 Aug 1963, 15 Feb–29 May 1965, 28 Aug 1965–5 Feb 1966, 13 Dec 1969–c. 31 May 1970, 11 Apr– 5 Aug 1972, 30 Sep 1972–18 Mar 1973, 29 Aug–29 Sep 1980, 26 Aug– 29 Sep 1981, 22 May–20 Jun 1984). 335 Fighter-Day (later, 335 Tactical Fighter): 8 Dec 1957–22 Apr 1991 (detached 1 May 1960–22 Nov 1961, 16 Nov 1964–21 Feb 1965, 3 Jul–15 Dec 1965, 4 Dec 1969–c. 25 May 1970, 6 Jul–22 Dec 1972, 2 Sep–2 Oct 1978, 28 Aug–29 Sep 1979, 27 Dec 1990–22 Apr 1991). 336 Fighter-Day (later, 336 Tactical Fighter): 8 Dec 1957– 22 Apr 1991 (detached 12 Aug 1963–7 Jan 1964, 25 May–30 Aug 1965, 12 Apr–30 Sep 1972, 9 Mar–7 Sep 1973, 25 Mar–17 Apr 1977, 11 Sep–13 Oct 1978, 31 Aug–1 Oct 1979, 26 Aug–26 Sep 1980, 5 Sep–3 Oct 1983, 26 Aug–26 Sep 1985, 9 Aug 1990–13 Mar 1991). 337 Tactical Fighter: 1 Apr 1982–1 Jul 1985. 339 Fighter-Interceptor: attached 18 Nov 1954–15 Sep 1957. 476 Tactical Fighter: 25 Sep 1968-18 Mar 1969. 558 Tactical Fighter: attached 4 Feb–10 Mar 1968 and 26 Mar–22 Jul 1968.
Stations. Andrews AFB, MD, 15 Aug 1947; Langley AFB, VA, 26 Apr 1949; New Castle County Aprt, DE, 8 Sep–19 Nov 1950; Johnson AB, Japan, 28 Nov 1950; Suwon AB, South Korea, 7 May 1951; Kimpo AB, South Korea, 23 Aug 1951; Chitose AB, Japan, 1 Oct 1954–8 Dec 1957; Seymour Johnson AFB, NC, 8 Dec 1957–.
Commanders. Brig Gen Yantis H. Taylor, 15 Aug 1947; Col Arthur C. Agan Jr., 17 Feb 1949; Col Robert W. C. Wimsatt, 26 Apr 1949; Col Henry B. Fisher, 14 Jun 1949; Col Albert L. Evans Jr., 13 Aug 1949; Col Bela A. Harcos, 22 Aug 1949; Brig Gen George F. Smith, 3 Oct 1949; Col Herman A. Schmid, c. 31 May 1951; Col Harrison R. Thyng, 1 Nov 1951; Col Charles E. King, 2 Oct 1952; Col James K. Johnson, 11 Nov 1952; Col Donald P. Hall, 9 Aug 1953; Col Neil A. Newman, 30 Jun 1954; Col Alvin E. Hebert, 10 Aug 1954; Col Grover C. Brown, 1 May 1955; Col Robert P. Montgomery, 17 Aug 1956; Col Earle R. Myers, 6 Jun 1957; Col James M. Smelley, 2 Jul 1957; Col Robert C. Richardson III, 8 Dec 1957; Col Timothy F. O’Keefe, 5 Jan 1958; Brig Gen Joseph H. Moore, 28 Feb 1959; Col Albert L. Evans Jr., 18 Oct 1961; Brig Gen Gordon M. Graham, 15 Jul 1962; Col John R. Murphy, 16 Oct 1963; Col William E. Bryan Jr., 4 Jan 1965; Col Homer C. Boles, 27 Jan 1966; Col William R. Eichelberger, 30 May 1966; Col Robert V. Spencer, 1 Jul 1966; Col William R. Eichelberger, 28 Jan 1967; Col Paul C. Watson, 17 Feb 1967; Col Everett N. Farrell, 6 Jan 1968; Col Jack W. Hayes Jr., 26 Jan 1968; Col Charles E. Yeager, 23 Mar 1968; Col Marion L. Boswell, 30 May 1969; Col Walter P. Paluch Jr., 16 May 1970; Col James R. Hildreth, 19 Feb 1971; Col John E. Ralph, 21 Apr 1972; Col Len C. Russell, 21 May 1973; Col James N. Portis, 11 Feb 1974; Col Robert D. Russ, 7 Aug 1975; Col Robert S. Beale, 31 Jan 1977; Col Craven C. Rogers Jr., 2 Jun 1978; Col Peter T. Kempf, 19 Jun 1980; Col Lawrence E. Huggins, 24 May 1982; Col Gerald A. Daniel, 29 May 1984; Col William J. Ball, 19 Mar 1986; Col John O. McFalls III, 18 Mar 1988; Col Hal M. Hornburg, 23 Apr 1990; Col James C. Wray, 10 Aug 1990 (acting); Col Hal M. Hornburg, 15 Mar 1991; Maj Gen Eldon W. Joersz, 31 Jul 1992; Brig Gen Jeffrey R. Grime, 16 Jul 1993; Col George R. Hindmarsh, 8 Feb 1994; Brig Gen Lance L. Smith, 30 Jun 1995; Brig Gen Randall K. Bigum, 11 Jul 1997; Brig Gen Norman R. Seip, 27 Apr 1999; Brig Gen David M. Edgington, 10 May 2001; Brig Gen Eric J. Rosborg, 28 Aug 2002; Col James M. Holmes, 16 Aug 2004; Col Steve Kwast, 8 Sep 2006; Col Mark D. Kelly, 9 Sep 2008; Col Patrick J. Doherty, 1 Apr 2010; Col Jeannie M. Leavitt, 1 Jun 2012-.
Aircraft. P (later, F)-80, 1947–1949, 1954; RB-26, 1949–1950; B-45, 1949–1950; FP-80, 1949–1950; RF-80, 1949–1950; F-86, 1949–1957, 1957–1958; F-100, 1957–1960; F-105, 1958–1966; F-4, 1967–1991; F-15, 1988–; KC-10, 1991–1995; T-38, 1993–1995; A-10, 2000-2006.
Operations. Performed tactical operations as part of air defense in the United States, 1947–1948. Flew air defense with own components, and reconnaissance and bombardment with attached 363 Tactical Reconnaissance Group (which itself had two fighter-bomber squadrons attached), 1948–1950. Moved to Japan in Nov 1950. The tactical group moved to South Korea for combat in Dec 1950, but the wing remained in Japan, performing air defense operations. Moved to South Korea in May 1951 and primarily conducted air superiority operations, 7 May 1951–27 Jul 1953. Wing components accounted for more than 500 air-to-air kills, and produced 25 aces. Also performed bomber escort and interdiction missions. Provided air defense and reconnaissance in Korea, Japan, Formosa, and the Philippines, 1953–1957. Returned to the United States in Dec 1957. Participated in tactical evaluation of the F–105 aircraft, May 1958–Oct 1961. Deployed in Florida during the Cuban missile crisis, 21 Oct–29 Nov 1962. Operated an F–105 replacement training function, Mar–Nov 1966. Deployed at Kunsan AB, South Korea, following the Pueblo crisis, Jan–Jul 1968. Rotated tactical squadrons to Ubon RTAFB, Thailand, as augmentees of the 8 Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) for combat operations, Apr 1972 until the end of the Southeast Asian conflict. Executed short-term deployments to Korea and Germany during 1977 and assumed a dual-based mission that required annual deployments to Europe through 1985. Continued deployments to Denmark and Germany in 1987 and 1989. Began conversion to F-15E aircraft in Dec 1988. At the height of transition training, deployed 335 and 336 squadrons and support personnel to Saudi Arabia, to participate in the Gulf War to liberate Kuwait, beginning in Aug 1990. Continued rotating squadron elements to Southwest Asia during the 1990s, taking part in enforcement of the no-fly zones in Iraq. Controlled two air refueling squadrons equipped with KC–10 aircraft, 1991-1995. Added A-10 group in mid-2000; lost in 2006. Since 2000, prepared and provided expeditionary forces to fulfill taskings; trained replacement pilots and weapon systems officers to sustain assigned fighter aircraft manning requirements.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. Korea: CCF Spring Offensive; UN Summer–Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Korea Summer–Fall, 1952; Third Korean Winter; Korea Summer, 1953. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Meritorious Unit Award: 1 Jun 2008-30 Apr 2009. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1967–30 Jun 1968; 16 Sep 1973–15 Apr 1974; 22 Nov 1974–31 Dec 1975; 2 Feb 1976–18 Apr 1977; 1 Jun 1982–31 May 1984; 1 Jan 1987–30 Jun 1988; 1 Jul 1989–22 Apr 1991; 23 Apr 1991–31 Mar 1993; 1 Jun 1994-31 May 1996; 1 Jun 1998-31 May 2000; 1 Jun 2000-31 May 2002; 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2003; 1 Jun 2011-31 May 2012. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations: 1 Nov 1951–30 Sep 1952; 1 Oct 1952–31 Mar 1953.
Bestowed Honors. Authorized to display honors earned by the 4 Operations Group prior to 15 Aug 1947. Service Streamers. None. Campaign
Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe. Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: France, 5 Mar–24 Apr 1944.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 20 Sep 2013.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Aug 2013
Supersedes statement prepared on 13 Oct 2006.
Emblem. Approved for 4 Group on 26 Sep 1949 and for 4 Wing on 7 Oct 1952; latest rendering, 18 Jul 2019.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Approved by Daniel Haulman.