V Fighter Command

V Fighter Command
V Fighter Command
Active	1941–1946
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Command of fighter units
Engagements	Southwest Pacific Theater
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation; Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

The V Fighter Command is an inactive United States Army formation. It was last assigned to Fifth Air Force, based at Fukuoka AB, Japan. It was inactivated on 31 May 1946.

The headquarters was constituted as 2nd Interceptor Command on 26 May 1941, and activated on 4 June 1941.

After the Attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 the headquarters initially controlled fighter units in the Northwestern United States. In 1942, V Fighter Command became the primary command and control organization for Fifth Air Force, fighter units operating primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater. Its assigned units fought in the Fifth Air Force Area of Responsibility flying cover missions for convoys, patrols, escorted bombers, attacked enemy airfields, and supported ground forces.

Afterward, served with the occupation force in Japan before being inactivated in 1946.

Lineage[]

Constituted as 2nd Interceptor Command on 26 May 1941^{[note 1]}

Activated on 4 June 1941

Redesignated 2nd Fighter Command on 15 May 1942

Redesignated 5th Fighter Command c. 28 August 1942

Redesignated V Fighter Command c. 18 September 1942

Inactivated on 31 May 1946

Disbanded on 8 October 1948^[1]

Assignments[]

Air Force history records mention 2 Interceptor Command as part of Second Air Force at some point during the period 7 December 1941 - 31 December 1942.^[2]

Fifth Air Force, 25 August 1942 – 31 May 46^[1]^[3]

Components[]

3d Air Commando Group*: 13 December 1944 – 25 March 1946
8th Fighter Group: November 1942 – c. 31 May 1946^[4]
35th Fighter Group: 11 November 1942 – 19 April 1944; 11 May – 10 November 1945^[5]
38th Bombardment Group*: 1 August 1942 – 22 November 1945
42nd Bombardment Group: 25 March – 10 May 1946^[6]
49th Fighter Group: 11 November 1942 – 19 April 1944; 11–21 August 1944; 8 December 1944 – 10 November 1945^[7]

54th Pursuit Group: 4 June 1941 – 31 January 1942^[8]^{[note 2]}
55th Pursuit Group: 2 October 1941 – 5 January 1942^[9]
58th Fighter Group*: 6 March – 23 November 1945
312th Bombardment Group: 19 November 1943 – 16 January 1944
348th Fighter Group: 23 June 1943 – 10 May 1946
475th Fighter Group: 14 May 1943 – 1 February 1946

*Note; Does not include periods detached to combat wings

Stations[]

Fort George Wright, Washington, 4 June 1941
Fort Lawton, Washington, 19 June 1941 – 2 October 1942
RAAF Base Townsville, Australia, 5 September–December 1942
Wards Airfield (5 Mile Drome), Port Moresby, December 1942
Nadzab Airfield, New Guinea, January 1944
Owi Airfield, Schouten Islands, Netherlands East Indies, July 1944

Bayug Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, November 1944
McGuire Field, Mindoro, Philippines, January 1945
Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, March 1945
Hamasaki (Motobu Airfield), Okinawa, August 1945
Itazuke Air Base, Japan, October 1945-31 May 1946^[1]

References[]

Notes[]

Explanatory notes

^ Maurer indicates unit was constituted as the "II" 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.
^ Haulman gives the date of assignment as 18 April 1942. However, this is before the 2nd Interceptor Command was activated, and probably includes assignment to the Interceptor Command, 2nd Air Force, a predecessor unit.

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c Maurer, pp. 443-444
^ http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/200/318.xml
^ Robertson, Patsy (26 August 2009). "Factsheet Fifth Air Force (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
^ Robertson, Paatsy (27 June 2017). "Factsheet 8 Operations Group (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
^ Robertson, Patsy (19 April 2017). "Factsheet 35 Operations Group (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
^ Haulman, Daniel (13 June 2018). "Factsheet 42 Air Base Wing (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
^ Robertson, Patsy E. (7 July 2017). "Factsheet 49 Operations Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
^ Haulman, Daniel (25 November 2018). "Factsheet 54 Fighter Group (AETC)". 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.

Bibliography[]

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

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.

[1] Maurer indicates unit was constituted as the "II" 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.

[10] Haulman gives the date of assignment as 18 April 1942. However, this is before the 2nd Interceptor Command was activated, and probably includes assignment to the Interceptor Command, 2nd Air Force, a predecessor unit.

[MaurerVFC-2] Maurer, pp. 443-444

[3] ttp://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/200/318.xml

[4] Robertson, Patsy (26 August 2009). "Factsheet Fifth Air Force (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 14 December 2021.

[5] Robertson, Paatsy (27 June 2017). "Factsheet 8 Operations Group (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 27 December 2021.

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

[7] Haulman, Daniel (13 June 2018). "Factsheet 42 Air Base Wing (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 30 December 2021.

[8] Robertson, Patsy E. (7 July 2017). "Factsheet 49 Operations Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 31 December 2021.

[9] Haulman, Daniel (25 November 2018). "Factsheet 54 Fighter Group (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 January 2022.

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

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