IV Fighter Command

IV Fighter Command
IV Fighter Command
Active	1941–1944
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Command and training of fighter units
Insignia
IV Fighter Command emblem

The IV Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Fourth Air Force, based at Oakland Airport, California. It was inactivated on 31 March 1944. It was part of Fourth Air Force throughout its existence, from July 1941 to the end of March 1944.

History[]

It provided air defense for the U.S. West Coast, and trained fighter organizations and personnel.

Lineage[]

Constituted as 4th Interceptor Command on 26 May 1941^{[note 2]}^{[note 3]}

Activated on 8 July 1941

Redesignated 4th Fighter Command on 15 May 1942

Redesignated as IV Fighter Command c. 18 September 1942

Disbanded on 31 March 1944^[1]

Components[]

Wings

85th Fighter Wing: 28 November 1943 – 10 January 1944^[2]
Los Angeles Air Defense Wing (later Los Angeles Fighter Wing): 20 August 1942 – 7 June 1944^[3]
(later San Diego Fighter Wing): 20 August 1942 – 7 June 1944^[4]
San Francisco Air Defense Wing (later San Francisco Fighter Wing): 20 August 1942 – 7 June 1944^[5]
Seattle Air Defense Wing (later Seattle Fighter Wing): 20 August 1942 – 7 June 1944^[6]

Groups

1st Pursuit Group (later 1st Fighter Group), attached 22 December 1941 – January 1942, assigned January 1942 – 10 June 1942^[7]
14th Pursuit Group (later 14th Fighter Group), attached 17 October – December 1941, assigned 26 January – August 1942^[8]
20th Pursuit Group (later 20th Fighter Group), 1 October 1941 – 25 August 1943 (attached to Third Air Force c. February – September 1942; Seattle Air Defense Wing October 1942 – unknown)^[9]
35th Pursuit Group, 2 October 1941 – 23 April 1942^[10]
51st Pursuit Group, attached 14 October 1941 – c. 12 January 1942^[11]
55th Pursuit Group (later 55th Fighter Group), 16 January 1942 – 12 April 1943 (attached to Seattle Air Defense Wing after 28 October 1942)^[12]

Squadrons

426th Night Fighter Squadron: 1 January – 7 February 1944^[13]
427th Night Fighter Squadron: 1 January – 11 June 1944 (attached to 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group)^[14]
547th Night Fighter Squadron: 31 March – 4 September 1944^[15]

Stations[]

March Field, California, 8 July 1941
Riverside Municipal Airport, California, c. July 1941
Oakland Airport, California, June 1942-31 March 1944^[1]

References[]

Notes[]

Explanatory notes

^ Approved 28 November 1942.
^ This command is not related to a previous Interceptor Command, 4th Air Force, apparently a provisional organization, that was organized on 22 April 1941 and discontinued on 19 September 1941.
^ Maurer indicates that the unit was constituted as the "IV" Interceptor Command. However, the unit was constituted and activated with an arabic number in its name. The use of roman numerals to designate Army Air Forces combat commands did not begin until September 1942. "Air Force Historical Research Agency Organizational Reconds: Types of USAF Organizations". Air Force History Index. 9 January 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2016.

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c Maurer, Combat Units, p. 442
^ "Factsheet 85 Air Division (Defense)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
^ Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 426-427 (assignment to Fourth Air Force)
^ Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 428-429 (assignment to Fourth Air Force)
^ Maurer, Combat Units, p. 429 (assignment to Fourth Air Force)
^ Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 429-430 (assignment to Fourth Air Force)
^ Haulman, Daniel (7 November 2017). "Factsheet 1 Operations Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
^ Haulman, Daniel (3 June 2019). "Factsheet 14 Operations Group (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
^ Haulman, Daniel (26 June 2017). "Factsheet 20 Operations Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
^ Robertson, Patsy (19 April 2017). "Factsheet 35 Operations Group (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
^ Haulman, Daniel (10 July 2017). "Factsheet 51 Operations Group (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
^ Musser, James (20 October 2019). "Factsheet 55 Operations Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 523
^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 523
^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p6. 650-651

Bibliography[]

Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

[1] Approved 28 November 1942.

[3] This command is not related to a previous Interceptor Command, 4th Air Force, apparently a provisional organization, that was organized on 22 April 1941 and discontinued on 19 September 1941.

[4] Maurer indicates that the unit was constituted as the "IV" Interceptor Command. However, the unit was constituted and activated with an arabic number in its name. The use of roman numerals to designate Army Air Forces combat commands did not begin until September 1942. "Air Force Historical Research Agency Organizational Reconds: Types of USAF Organizations". Air Force History Index. 9 January 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2016.

[Maurer4FC-2] Maurer, Combat Units, p. 442

[5] "Factsheet 85 Air Division (Defense)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2014.

[6] Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 426-427 (assignment to Fourth Air Force)

[7] Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 428-429 (assignment to Fourth Air Force)

[8] Maurer, Combat Units, p. 429 (assignment to Fourth Air Force)

[9] Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 429-430 (assignment to Fourth Air Force)

[10] Haulman, Daniel (7 November 2017). "Factsheet 1 Operations Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 27 December 2021.

[11] Haulman, Daniel (3 June 2019). "Factsheet 14 Operations Group (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 26 August 2017.

[12] Haulman, Daniel (26 June 2017). "Factsheet 20 Operations Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 29 December 2021.

[13] Robertson, Patsy (19 April 2017). "Factsheet 35 Operations Group (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 30 December 2021.

[14] Haulman, Daniel (10 July 2017). "Factsheet 51 Operations Group (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 January 2022.

[15] Musser, James (20 October 2019). "Factsheet 55 Operations Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 January 2022.

[16] Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 523

[17] Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 523

[18] Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p6. 650-651

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