63rd Fighter Wing

63d Fighter Wing
111th Fighter Squadron, F-51D Mustang 44-73656, Ellington Field, Houston, Texas, 1948
Active	1942–1945; 1946–1950
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Wing
Role	Command and Control
Part of	Texas Air National Guard
Engagements	World War II

The 63d Fighter Wing (63 FW) is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force, last stationed at Ellington Field, Houston, Texas. It was withdrawn from the Texas Air National Guard (TX ANG) and inactivated on 11 October 1950.

This wing is not related to the 63d Troop Carrier Wing, Medium, or subsequent units that was constituted on 10 May 1949 and activated on 27 June 1949.

History

World War II

Organized as a command and control organization for Twelfth Air Force. Deployed to Algeria in January 1943 and initially was used to organize air defense units. Transferred to XII Fighter Command and controlled fighter groups engaged in escort, patrol, strafing, and reconnaissance missions against enemy forces in North Africa. Later moved to Italy and participated in Italian Campaign, also in Rhone Valley Campaign in Southern France; Western Allied Invasion of Germany in the spring of 1945. Inactivated in November 1945.

Air National Guard

Allocated to the Texas Air National Guard for command and control origination for units in the South Central region (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana) of the United States. Extended federal recognition and activated on 24 May 1946.

At the end of October 1950, the Air National Guard converted to the wing-base (Hobson Plan) organization. As a result, the wing was withdrawn from the Texas ANG and was inactivated on 31 October 1950. Assigned units were federalized as a result of the Korean War and assigned to USAF Major Commands,

Lineage

• Constituted as 2d Air Defense Wing on 12 December 1942 and activated the same day.

Re-designated 63d Fighter Wing in July 1943

Inactivated on 11 December 1945.

• Allotted to the Texas ANG on 24 May 1946

Extended federal recognition and activated on 23 May 1948

Inactivated, and returned to the control of the Department of the Air Force, on 31 October 1950

• Disbanded on 15 June 1983

Assignments

• First Air Force, 12 December 1942
• XXII Tactical Air Command, 27 January 1943
• XII Tactical Air Command, 7 April 1945
• Army Service Forces, December 1945.
• Texas Air National Guard, 23 May 1949 – 31 October 1950

Components

World War II

• 52d Fighter Group: 16 November 1943 – 1 May 1944
• 350th Fighter Group: 6 January 1943 – 14 July 1945

Texas Air National Guard

• 136th Fighter Group, 23 May 1948 – 10 October 1950
• 137th Fighter Group, 23 May 1948 – 26 October 1950 (Oklahoma ANG)
• 122d Bombardment Group (Light), 23 May 1948 – 30 October 1950 (Louisiana ANG)

Stations

• Mitchel Field, New York, 12 December 1942 – 13 January 1943
• Oran Es Sénia Airport, Algeria, 27 January 1943
• Maison Blanche Airport, Algiers, Algeria, c. May 1943
• Rerhaia Airfield, Algeria, 8 August 1943
• Bastia, Corsica, c. October 1943
• San Pietro a Patierno (Naples), Italy, c. 15 October 1944

• Vittel, France, 22 November 1944
• Heidelberg, Germany, c. 7 April 1945
• Schwäbisch Hall, Germany, 14 June 1945
• Darmstadt, Germany, 17 July 1945 – unknown
• Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, December – 11 December 1945.
• Ellington Field, Texas, 23 May 1949 – 31 October 1950

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.