World War II

The unit was constituted as the 52d Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940, activated at Selfridge Field, Michigan on 15 January 1941 with the 2d,^[2] 4th,^[3] and 5th Pursuit Squadrons^[4] assigned as its original squadrons. It was redesignated as the 52d Fighter Group in May 1942.^[5] The group trained with Bell P-39 Airacobra and Curtiss P-40 aircraft, and participated in maneuvers with them until 1942 when it moved to the United Kingdom, the air echelon arriving in July 1942 and the ground echelon in August.^[5]

The group trained with the Royal Air Force as part of Eighth Air Force, reequipped with Supermarine Spitfires and flew missions from England to France during August and September of that year.^[5]

^[6]

Group pilots flew Spitfires from Gibraltar to Algeria during Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa on 8 November 1942.^[5] The remainder of the group arrived by ship after the campaign in Algeria and Morocco had ended.^[5] The group then operated as part of Twelfth Air Force through April 1944, thereafter becoming a part of Fifteenth Air Force, serving in combat in the Mediterranean until the end of World War II. It flew escort, patrol, strafing, and reconnaissance missions to help defeat Axis forces in Tunisia.^[5] In Sicily, it attacked railroads, highways, bridges, coastal shipping and other targets to support the Allied operations. Having converted to North American P-51 Mustangs in April and May 1944, the group escorted bombers that attacked objectives in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia.^[5] It received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for a mission on 9 June 1944 when the group protected bombers that struck aircraft factories, communications centers, and supply lines in Germany.^[5] The 52d flew one of the first shuttle missions to Russia from 4–6 August 1944, and received a second DUC for strafing attacks on a landing field in Romania on 31 August 1944, destroying a large number of enemy fighter and transport planes.^[5] On 24 March 1945, the group's aircraft flew the longest escort mission ever flown in Europe—1600 miles round-trip to Berlin. By the end of the war, the group's Mustangs had adopted yellow markings that covered the entire tail of the aircraft, earning them the nickname of "Yellow Tails.^[6] The 52d returned to the US in August 1945 and was inactivated on 7 November 1945.^[5]

Cold War

Air Defense Command

52d Fighter Group North American F-82 Twin Mustang 46-415, 1949.

In June 1947 the group was transferred without personnel and equipment to the United States, and became the 52d Fighter-Interceptor Group in May 1951 again flying P-61s and later North American F-82 Twin Mustangs, receiving its first jets, Lockheed F-94 Starfires beginning in 1950. In 1947, the Air Force began a service test of what was called the Hobson Plan^[11] to unify control at air bases.^[12] As a result of this test, the group was assigned to a provisional fighter wing at Mitchel Air Force Base, New York. This test proved the wing-base plan to the satisfaction of the Air Force^[11] and in 1948 group was assigned as the operational element of the 52d Fighter Wing before moving with the wing to McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey.^[13] In a major reorganization of Air Defense Command (ADC) responding to ADC's difficulty under the existing wing base organizational structure in deploying fighter squadrons to best advantage.^[14] the 52d was inactivated along with the 52nd Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 6 February 1952^[5] and its two operational squadrons were transferred to the recently activated 4709th Defense Wing.^[15][16]

Lockheed F-94A Starfire 49-2563 at McGuire Air Force Base, July 1951.

The 52d was redesignated the 52d Fighter Group (Air Defense) and activated at Suffolk County Air Force Base, New York on 18 August 1955, replacing the 519th Air Defense Group^[17] as part of ADC's Project Arrow, a program to restore fighter units that had achieved distinction in the two World Wars.^[5][18] Because one of the additional objectives of Project Arrow was to reunite groups with their traditional squadrons, the 2d^[2] and 5th^[4] Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons (FIS) moved to Suffolk County from McGuire and took over the personnel, equipment, and radar equipped and rocket armed North American F-86D Sabre aircraft of the 75th and 331st FIS, which moved elsewhere.^[19] It also became the USAF host organization for Suffolk County and was assigned several support units to fulfill this function.^{[20][21][22][23]}

The 2d FIS converted to F-102 Delta Daggers in January 1957, followed by the 5th FIS in April.^[24] In December 1959, the 2d FIS began to fly F-101 Voodoos, while the 5th FIS retained its F-102s until moving to Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota two months later.^[4][24] The group served as an air defense unit in the New York/New Jersey area of the United States and also flew anti-submarine warfare missions until being inactivated in 1963 and replaced as the host unit at Suffolk County by the 52d Fighter Wing (Air Defense).^[13][25] In 1968, as USAF operations at Suffolk County were reduced, it once again activated with F-101s to replace the 52d wing and close down USAF operations at the station in 1969.^[13][25]

Return to Germany

McDonnell Douglas F-4G Wild Weasel Vs and General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcons at Spangdahlem, 1990.

The 52d was redesignated the 52d Tactical Fighter Group and activated at Erding Air Base, West Germany under Seventeenth Air Force in 1971.^[13] The group provided administrative and logistical support as the USAF host unit at Erding for F-102 Delta Dagger NATO air defense operations, but had no tactical units assigned. In 1972 the F-102s were withdrawn from Europe and the 52d FG was inactivated.^[13]

Modern era

On 31 March 1992, the group was redesignated the 52d Operations Group (OG) and activated as a result of the USAF objective wing reorganization.^[13] Upon activation, the 52d OG assumed responsibility for the 52 Fighter Wing's operational squadrons and the newly activated 52d Operations Support Squadron.

During the 1990s, the wing supported no-fly zone operations over Bosnia and northern Iraq and combat operations against Serbia during Operation Allied Force in 1999. After terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001, the wing supported Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, deploying combat and support elements in support of US and NATO missions. Although the group has also provided forces for Operation Urgent Fury, Operation Just Cause, Operation Southern Watch, Operation Coronet Macaw, Operation Restore Hope, Operation Support Justice and Operation Uphold Democracy, its forces were organized into provisional organizations, rather than remaining under group control for operations.

Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II 81-0992 of the 81st Fighter Squadron taxiing at Spangdahlem, September 2012.

On 9 November 2012, the 52nd OG formed a detachment at Łask Air Base in Poland – 52nd OG Det 1.^[26]

The 81st Fighter Squadron was inactivated at Spangdahlem on 18 June 2013, leaving the 480th Fighter Squadron as the 52nd OG's sole flying unit.^[27]

Assignments

Components

Operational Squadrons

• 2d Pursuit (later, 2d Fighter; 2d Fighter [All Weather]; 2d Fighter, All Weather; 2d Fighter-Interceptor) Squadron: 16 January 1941 – 7 November 1945; 9 November 1946 – 6 February 1952; 18 August 1955 – 1 July 1963; 30 September 1968 – 31 December 1969
• 4th Pursuit (later, 4th Fighter) Squadron: 16 January 1941 – 7 November 1945
• 5th Pursuit (later, 5th Fighter; 5th Fighter [All Weather]; 5th Fighter, All Weather; 5th Fighter-Interceptor) Squadron: 16 January 1941 – 7 November 1945; 9 November 1946 – 6 February 1952; 18 August 1955 – 1 February 1960
• 22d Fighter Squadron: 1 April 1994 – 12 August 2010
• 23d Fighter Squadron: 31 March 1992 – 12 August 2010
• 53d Fighter Squadron: 25 February 1994 – 31 March 1999
• 81st Fighter Squadron: 31 March 1992 – 18 June 2013
• 98th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: attached, c. 20 June – 1 July 1963
• 480th Fighter Squadron: 31 March 1992 – 1 April 1994, 13 August 2010 – present
• 510th Fighter Squadron: 1 October 1992 – 1 February 1994^[13]

Support Organizations

Stations

Awards and campaigns

Award streamer	Award	Dates	Notes
	Distinguished Unit Citation	9 June 1944	52d Fighter Group, Munich[5]
	Distinguished Unit Citation	31 August 1944	52d Fighter Group, Rumania[5]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device	19 March 2003 – 16 April 2003	52d Operations Group[13]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	(31 March 1992) – 30 June 1993	52d Operations Group[13]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1993 – 30 June 1995	52d Operations Group[13]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 August 1995 – 31 July 1997	52d Operations Group[13]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1997 – 30 June 1999	52d Operations Group[13]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	24 March 1999 – 1 June 1999	52d Operations Group[13]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1999 – 30 June 2001	52d Operations Group[13]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 2001 – 30 June 2003	52d Operations Group[13]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 2003 – 30 June 2005	52d Operations Group[13]

Campaign or Service Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	American Theater without inscription	7 December 1941-24 Jun 42	52d Fighter Group
	Air Offensive, Europe	16 August 1942 – 5 June 1944	52d Fighter Group[5]
	Air Combat, EAME Theater	26 August-11 May 1945	52d Fighter Group[5]
	Algeria-French Morocco	9 November 1942 – 11 November 1942	52d Fighter Group[5]
	Tunisia	12 November 1942 – 13 May 1943	52d Fighter Group[5]
	Sicily	14 May 1943 – 17 August 1943	52d Fighter Group[5]
	Naples-Foggia	18 August 1943 – 21 January 1944	52d Fighter Group[5]
	Rome-Arno	22 January 1944 – 9 September 1944	52d Fighter Group[5]
	Normandy	6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944	52d Fighter Group[5]
	Northern France	25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944	52d Fighter Group[5]
	Southern France	15 August 1944 – 14 September 1944	52d Fighter Group[5]
	North Apennines	10 September 1944 – 4 April 1945	52d Fighter Group[5]
	Rhineland	15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945	52d Fighter Group[5]
	Central Europe	22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945	52d Fighter Group[5]
	Po Valley	3 April 1945 – 8 May 1945	52d Fighter Group[5]
	World War II Army of Occupation (Germany)	9 November 1946 – 15 June 1947	52d Fighter Group
	Kosovo		52d Operations Group[13]

Aircraft assigned

• 
  480 FS
• 
  52 OSS

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

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

• Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
• Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, 1956
• Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2006. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
• Goss, William A (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II. Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48-3657.
• Grant, C.L., (1961) The Development of Continental Air Defense to 1 September 1954, USAF Historical Study No. 126
• 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.
• 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.
• Newton, Wesley P., Jr. and Senning, Calvin F., (1963) USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II, USAF Historical Study No. 85
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
• Watkins, Robert A. (2009). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. Vol. IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-3401-6.

Further reading

• Ivie, Tom; Ludwig, Paul (2005). Spitfires and Yellow Tail Mustangs: The 52d Fighter Group in World War 2. Crowborough, East Sussex, UK: Hikoki Publications. ISBN 1-902109-43-0.
• Rust, Kenn C. (1976). Fifteenth Air Force Story...In World War II. Temple City, CA: Historical Aviation Album. ISBN 0-911852-79-4.
• Anonymous, (1958) History of the 52d Fighter Group. Suffolk County Air Force Base, NY 52d Fighter Group, 1958.