A Web Pocketbook Guide to

Air Force Lineage and Honors

Introduction

The Squadron

The term "squadron" literally means a square (from the Latin quadrare, to square). In military application, squadron describes a body of troops drawn into a square or arranged in formal order. For more than four centuries, western armed forces have ordered personnel and equipment in organizations known as squadrons. In navies, a squadron is a group of vessels consisting of two or more divisions of a fleet. For armies, the cavalry squadron is the most common type and consists of two or more elements called troops. How air forces came to adopt the squadron is an interesting story.

Early this century military doctrine treated air operations as an extension of the cavalry—a sky cavalry, so to speak. For example, a Jan 1912 report to the French Chamber of Deputies argued that "the aeroplane should not replace the cavalry, even in reconnaissance work; its action should be auxiliary to that of [the cavalry] and complete it." Echoing this sentiment in 1913, General George P. Scriven, Chief Signal Officer of the US Army, testified before Congress that "the aeroplane is an adjunct to the cavalry." Even as late as 1920 a much celebrated Air Service regulation seemed to reflect cavalry connections: "pilots will not wear spurs while flying!"

When the time came to form tactical aviation organizations, most military planners simply adapted the cavalry squadron organization to their purposes. Like the cavalry squadron, the new aero squadrons were administrative and tactical units which usually consisted of two or more elements. In England, the Royal Flying Corps formed the first two aero squadrons in May of 1912. Other nations quickly followed the British example. The widespread adoption of the squadron model prompted General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold, Commanding General of the US Army Air Forces in World War II, to observe that it is "the smallest administrative organization practically universally accepted for air units."

The US Army Signal Corps organized the 1st Provisional Aero (now, 1st Reconnaissance) Squadron on 5 Mar 1913. Initially, US aero squadrons consisted of two elements called companies. By the time the United States entered World War I, they contained two or more elements called flights. Through the years, squadrons have varied in size and composition according to specific mission needs. However, the basic aero squadron design still endures and continues to give formal order to US Air Force assets. Air Force Instruction 38–101, "Air Force Organization", defines the squadron as "the basic unit in the Air Force." A squadron may be either a functional organization, such as a maintenance, communications, or transportation squadron, or a mission organization, such as the flying, space and missile squadrons presented here.

The Wing

Organizations known as "wings" have been used by the Air Force for many years. Indeed, in July 1918 the American Expeditionary Forces of the United States Army organized in France its first aircraft organization higher than a group—the 1st Pursuit Wing. Although this wing did not survive post-World War I demobilization, new wings were created in the 1920s and 1930s. During World War II numerous wings existed; some provided training in the United States, while others controlled combat groups and support organizations overseas. Most of the wings that remained active after World War II were redesignated as numbered air divisions.

The service test of a wing-base plan in 1947-1948 prompted an important change in the field structure and organization of the Air Force. Old-style World War II wings supervised a mixture of combat groups and support organizations. None of the subordinate organizations were permanently affiliated with the wings or possessed similar numerical designations or standard functions. The wings organized for the service test featured standard functions. Each wing had a combat group, a maintenance and supply group, an airdrome (later, air base) group to operate base facilities and services, and a station medical group, all with identical numerical designations. The 1947-1948 wing-base service test rendered more nearly uniform the functions of the wing elements, and permanently aligned, or affiliated, support organizations with the parent wings through identical numerical designations.

All of the wings involved in the service test, whether manned by Table of Distribution (T/D) or Table of Organization (T/O) manning authority, were Air Force-controlled (AFCON) establishments. The term AFCON applied to all those organizations under the direct control of Headquarters USAF for organizational actions and retroactively to the service-test wings. The Air Force reserved the numbers 1 through 999 for these permanent organizations.

In addition to the permanent AFCON wings that replaced the service test organizations in 1948, the USAF provided for temporary organizations to be controlled by the major commands. The commands wanted a flexible organization at the lower echelons to permit rapid adjustments in manning that short-term requirements often dictated. Because the manning of permanent T/O organizations was judged to be too rigid, in 1948 the Air Force created a new type of temporary organization, to be manned under T/D authorization.

For a time, the Air Force differentiated between its temporary and permanent organizations by calling the temporary ones "designated" or "T/D," while the permanent organizations were referred to as "constituted" or "T/O." The temporary major command-controlled organizations would eventually become identified as "MAJCON," with the permanent ones known as "AFCON." The commands were authorized to create and end MAJCON organizations as needed, using four-digit numbers allotted to each command by Headquarters USAF. When a MAJCON organization was discontinued (later, inactivated), its life ended, never to be revived. The number of this organization could then be reused to designate another, entirely new MAJCON organization. Although the original intent was to provide major command flexibility in establishing and terminating short-lived, temporary organizations, some MAJCON organizations existed more than forty years.

The subordinate four-group structure accepted from the 1947-1948 service test (i.e., combat, maintenance and supply, air base, and medical) remained intact only a few years. By the mid- 1950s most wings had inactivated their combat groups and assigned the flying squadrons directly to the wing; maintenance and supply groups were eliminated, with their squadrons realigned either directly under the wing or under the air base group. Functionally, the subordinate squadrons were then controlled through directorates within the wing headquarters. The Air Force reorganized medical functions and inactivated or redesignated the medical groups having the same number as the wing. Of the original four groups, most wings only retained the air base (later redesignated to combat support) group.

By the end of the 1980’s, with the declared end of the Cold War and the continued decline in military budgets, the Air Force restructured its forces to meet changes in strategic requirements. This major reorganization of the early 1990s stressed elimination of unnecessary layers of authority, decentralization of decision-making, and consolidation of functions. The Air Force restored a wing organizational structure, called the "objective wing," similar to the original wing-base plan. The service organized each operational wing restoring a combat (now called operations) group, as well as logistics, support, and medical groups, with most wing squadrons again assigned under the appropriate groups. Overall, the restructuring maintained a high combat capability while increasing the operational flexibility of the much reduced force.

At the same time, the Air Force eliminated the authorization for commands to create MAJCON organizations. Those four digit organizations that were active on 30 April 1991 changed to organizations under the direct control of Headquarters USAF for organizational actions, eliminating the distinction between AFCON and active MAJCON organizations. Among the former MAJCON organizations were about twenty active four-digit wings. Within a few years, however, virtually all four-digit wings were inactivated, consolidated with, or replaced by lower numbered wings.

USAF Bestowed History

During World War II, combat squadrons were normally organized into combat groups, with three or four squadrons in each group, the group serving as the basic combat element of the Army Air Forces. In many commands, two or more combat groups formed a wing for administrative or operational control, although the practice was not uniform throughout the Army Air Forces. (see Air Force Combat Units of World War II, passim).

This organization changed in 1947 when the successor to the Army Air Forces, the United States Air Force (USAF), adopted the wing-base plan. Each combat wing was given one combat group (with three or four combat squadrons) and three support groups (air base, supply and maintenance, and medical). The wings required by this plan were new organizations, the old World War II wings having been redesignated as numbered air divisions (see wing histories in Air Force Combat Units of World War II).

The combat wing and its integral combat group carried the same numerical and functional designations; for example, the 9th Bombardment Group was an integral part of the 9th Bombardment Wing. In February 1951 the Strategic Air Command (SAC) began to eliminate its combat groups by reducing group headquarters to token strength (one officer and one enlisted man) and attaching the combat squadrons directly to the wings. Thus, the wing replaced the group as the basic combat element of SAC. On 16 June 1952, with the approval of Headquarters USAF, SAC inactivated all its combat groups (that had remained active under token manning) and assigned the remaining combat squadrons to the wings. The SAC reorganization also retired the World War II histories and honors of SAC’s combat groups, while the SAC wings, having been created during or after 1947, possessed no World War II histories or honors. Deviations from the wing-base plan by other commands, particularly Air Defense Command (ADC), also affected the perpetuation of histories and honors of World War II groups.

In 1954 SAC and ADC leaders asked Headquarters USAF to perpetuate the histories and honors of the World War II combat groups. The ad hoc committee that reviewed these requests rejected the idea of redesignating combat groups as wings. Instead, the committee recommended that combat groups and wings be maintained as separate and distinct organizations, and that the histories and honors of combat groups be bestowed upon the similarly designated combat wings. Although the ad hoc committee’s proposed bestowals ran counter to a longstanding policy of the Air Force against transferring history and honors from one organization to another, Headquarters USAF accepted the committee’s recommendations.

Beginning in November 1954 the Department of the Air Force, in a series of letters, bestowed upon each combat wing the history and honors of its similarly designated predecessor combat group; for example, SAC’s 9th Bombardment Wing received by bestowal the history and honors of the 9th Bombardment Group.

Through the 1950’s, other commands followed SAC’s lead, eliminating combat groups and assigning squadrons directly to the wings. The trend to do away with combat groups continued to the early 1990’s, although some survived as independent groups assigned usually to numbered air divisions. Others survived in the reserve forces. A few were again assigned briefly in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s to combat wings.

In the years since its implementation, bestowal generated much confusion. Many throughout the Air Force did not understand that the group and the wing remained two separate and distinct lineage entities. To alleviate some of the confusion, the Air Force in the 1980’s consolidated some combat wings with their predecessor combat groups. With the exception of a few early errors, these consolidations were limited to wings and groups whose periods of active service did not overlap. By consolidation, the wing and group became one organization, eliminating the need for bestowal of group history and honors on the wing. Bestowal, however, continued to be the policy for the majority of active Air Force wings.

In 1991, the Air Force began a massive reorganization into a wing structure similar to the original wing-base plan. Under this structure combat wings again had a combat group (now called Operations Group) assigned. An operations group was newly created for wings that had been consolidated with their World War II combat group. However, for most wings the World War II combat group was redesignated as the operations group and activated. Whether the combat (operations) group is active or inactive, bestowal continues in effect.

In bestowing group histories and honors on wings, Department of the Air Force directives noted only that bestowals are temporary. Over the succeeding years, the Air Force formulated more specific rules governing temporary bestowals of histories and honors. Currently, the bestowal of a combat group’s history and honors to a wing follows these guidelines:

1. Will be made only from the group that has the same numerical designation as the recipient wing and that the Air Force regards as the primary-mission group and thus is an integral part of the wing.

2. May be made if the group is:

a. Inactive.

b. Active and assigned to the similarly designated wing.

3. Will not be made if the group is active and assigned to any organization other than the similarly designated wing.

4. Will apply only to that portion of the group’s history that the group accrued and to those honors that the group earned, during a period when the wing was not active.

5. Is temporary and:

a. Becomes effective upon activation of the wing’s headquarters.

b. Terminates if:

(1) The group is assigned to any organization other than its similarly designated wing.

(2) The wing’s headquarters is inactivated.

NOTE: This information is based on Paragraph 4.2 of Chapter 4, "Organizational Lineage and Honors," in Air Force Instruction 84–101, Historical Products, Services, and Requirements. The original appendix appeared in Charles A. Ravenstein, Air Force Combat Wings: Lineage and Honors Histories, 1947–1977, (Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1984).

The Lineage and Honors History

The following explains the arrangement of information, and the terms and format used in USAF lineage and honors histories provided on this site. The Heading, Lineage, Assignments, and Stations sections of the histories list complete data as of 1 October 1995; other areas that required research into organization histories are compiled through 5 March 1993.

HEADING. The heading comprises the current numerical and functional designation of the organization.

LINEAGE. Lineage entails tracing the organizational actions affecting the history of an organization. The official USAF statement of lineage forms the foundation of the organization’s history and governs the organization's inheritance of emblem and honors. A description of the lineage system may be found in Air Force Instruction 38–101 "Air Force Organization." The Air Force is composed of primary elements called units and establishments. Units divide among three primary categories: squadrons (the numbered flight is considered a "small" squadron), miscellaneous (a category including such organizations as bands, infirmaries, hospitals, etc.), and headquarters. The headquarters organizations serve as headquarters for establishments. Establishments are Air Force organizations at group echelon or higher, having a headquarters organization as their primary component. The lineage of each organization contained here is ultimately determined by the language employed in the War Department and Department of the Air Force letters and command orders relating to organizational actions. The following glossary defines the more important terms that appear in the lineage and honors histories:

Activate. To bring into physical existence by assignment of personnel (from 1922 to 1959, and again after 1968). During the period 1959–1968, however, activate meant to place on the active list, available to be organized. In 1922, "activate" replaced the term "organize."

Assign. To place in a military organization, as a permanent element or component of that organization.

Attach. To place one military organization temporarily with another for operational control and other purposes, including administration and logistical support. An attached organization is one that is temporarily serving away from the establishment to which it is assigned. It is usually attached to another establishment.

Authorize. To designate an organization and place it on the inactive Army list. Used during the middle and late 1920s and early 1930s in place of "constitute," particularly for organizations held for an emergency and not scheduled for immediate activation.

Consolidate. To combine two (or more) organizations, merging their lineage into a single line, thereby forming a single organization.

Constitute. After 1922, to give an official name, or number and name, to an organization and place it on the inactive Army/Air Force List. See also "designate."

Demobilize. To withdraw all personnel from an active organization and remove the organization entirely from the Army List, 1907–1922. See also "disband."

Designate. To give an official name, or number and name, to an organization and place it on the inactive Army List, 1907–1922. After 1922, see "constitute." Also to give an official name, or number and name, to a nonconstituted organization, 1944–1991.

Designation. The name of a unit or establishment. The designation includes all parts of the name: numerical, functional, and generic. A designation also applies to named activities and certain functions. To further identify an organization, descriptive words are sometimes added parenthetically.

Disband. After 1922, to remove an inactive organization from the inactive Army/Air Force List. Shortly before and during World War II, this action was also used to withdraw all personnel from an active organization and simultaneously remove the organization from the Army List. Replaced the term "demobilize."

Discontinue. To withdraw all personnel from a constituted organization, 1959–1968.

Disestablish. To terminate an establishment concurrent with disbandment of its headquarters organization, until reestablished.

Establish. To assign a designation to an establishment concurrent with the designation or the constitution of the headquarters organization.

Establishment. A military organization at group or higher echelon, composed of a headquarters organization and any other elements that might be assigned. Personnel are not assigned to an establishment, but to its components.

Inactivate. To withdraw all personnel from a constituted organization and place the organization on the inactive list (from 1922 to 1959 and from 1968 to date). During the period 1959–1968, however, to be inactivated meant to be transferred from the active to the inactive list, after being discontinued.

Order to Active Service. To place a Reserve or National Guard organization on active duty with the regular Air Force.

Organization. As used on this site, the term organization applies to units and establishments.

Organize. To assign personnel to a designated organization (1907–1922), a nonconstituted organization (1944–1968), or a constituted organization (1959–1968). See also "activate."

Reconstitute. To return a disbanded or demobilized organization to the inactive Army/Air Force List, making it available for activation (1922–current).

Redesignate. To change the designation (number or number and name) of a organization.

Reestablish. To return a previously existing establishment from disestablished status to the active list, so that it can be activated.

Relieve from Active Duty. Reserve organizations are relieved from active duty with the regular Air Force upon completion of a period of active duty.

ASSIGNMENTS. Each of the organization's immediate "parent" organizations is listed chronologically. The designation of the parent organization is shown in abbreviated form, omitting information such as "Heavy," "Medium," or "Light." A single date indicates the date of assignment; where a double date appears, the second date indicates termination of assignment. A semicolon is used to show a change of assignment while the organization remained active; a period indicates the organization was demobilized, disbanded, discontinued, or inactivated. If the organization was attached for operational control to another organization, the attachment appears in parentheses, with brackets used to set off parenthetical elements within parentheses. Each attachment contains double dates. In some cases the exact dates for attached service could not be determined with certainty. A circa (c.) date is used in these instances.

COMPONENTS (Wings only). Tactical components assigned, or attached for operational control, to the wing are listed in hierarchical and numerical order. Each list shows only those components at the first subordinate echelon; the lists do not show subordinate squadrons of an assigned or attached group because these squadrons were not directly assigned to the wing. Of the tactical components, only the numerical designation appears if the functional designations (e.g. fighter, bombardment) were identical for both the component and wing. If the numerical designation of a component changed during its period(s) of assignment or attachment, the later designation is shown parenthetically. Example: 705th (later, 962d). Support-type components are excluded. A semicolon separating dates indicates a break in assignment or attachment. A comma indicates a change with no break in wing control. A squadron attached for a time and then assigned (with no break in wing control), for example, would be shown: attached 1 Jan-29 Jul 1952, assigned 30 Jul 1952-12 Jul 1957. Interrupted, attached service in a series would read: attached 12 Jul-10 Aug 1956, 17 Nov 1956-3 Jan 1957, 10 Jul-19 Aug 1957 and so forth, with commas separating the series entries. This same procedure is used to show detached status of wing components, when such detached periods are frequent. Periods of detached service, when components are detached from wing control for duty with another organization, appear in parentheses. In come cases the exact dates for detached service could not be determined with certainty. A circa (c.) date is used in these instances.

STATIONS. Permanent locations of the organizations are listed chronologically. The name of each base is the one in use at the time the organization arrived, with any changes appearing in parentheses. Some foreign nations that hosted Air Force organizations are identified by their "popular" name, rather than their official name. Thus, the Republic of Korea appears as South Korea, the Republic of Vietnam as South Vietnam, and the Republic of China as either Formosa or Taiwan, depending upon the time. Organizations located in occupied Germany prior to 1 September 1949 and in the Federal Republic of Germany before and since reunification on 3 October 1990, are listed as being in Germany. A single date indicates the arrival of the organization at a base. Semicolons separate the station-and-date entries while the organization remained active but changed stations. If an organization moved from one continent to another, a double date is provided for the station being vacated. A double date is also provided whenever an organization arrived at a base and was subsequently demobilized, disbanded, discontinued, or inactivated. A period at the end of a second date indicates demobilization, disbandment, discontinuance, or inactivation. If the entire organization maintained a significant deployment at another location, the deployment appears in parentheses. In some cases the exact dates of deployed service could not be determined with certainty. A circa (c.) date is used in these instances.

COMMANDERS (Wings only). Wings commanders are listed chronologically, along with the highest rank attained during the command tenure. Commanders are shown for all periods when the wing was active. Between 1959 and 1968 the Air Force required two organization actions (activate and organize) to place personnel in a wing headquarters (and in other organizations). During the time a wing was activated but not yet organized, the entry shows "None (not manned)," together with double dates, followed by a semicolon and the actual list of commanders. Whenever active wings were not manned at other times, the "None (not manned)" statement and double dates also appear. If for some reason a wing commander was at first temporarily and then permanently appointed, the commander's name may be followed by one date and a parenthetical "temporary," followed by a second date and parenthetical "permanent." Lists of commanders are as accurate as the sources permitted. Some wings kept excellent historical records; other kept poor records, or none at all. Commander lists, therefore, sometimes contain "unknown" as an entry, and in many of the commander lists circa (c.), or some other indicator such as "by" a date, are to be found. A second date followed by a semicolon indicates a gap in the command list. A second date followed by a period indicates the wing headquarters was inactivated.

AIRCRAFT/MISSILES AND SPACE VEHICLES. The aircraft, missiles, and/or space vehicles used by the organization appear in this section. In the missile category, only strategic or tactical surface-to-surface missiles are included because air-to-air, air-to-ground, or surface-to-air missiles are considered ordnance. Aircraft are listed by series and number (e.g., F–86 or EC–135), but not by model (e.g., B–52H or KC–135A). Missiles are listed by their popular names (e.g., Atlas, Titan I, Minuteman III). Space vehicles are listed as satellites. The years during which the organization possessed a weapon system are also listed (e.g., RF–101, 1959–1965). For each period of an organization's active service, different weapon systems possessed are separated by semicolons and the final entry followed by a period. An organization sometimes temporarily lost possession of its weapon system. Such temporary absences of a weapon system are shown by a comma. Example: B–52, 1957–1960, 1960–1962, 1963–1965. In other words, for a time in 1960 and in 1962–1963, the organization had no B–52 aircraft for its own use, all being under the control of another organization.

OPERATIONS. Information in this section is extremely abbreviated, but mentions all combat and some other significant operations. In wing histories, overseas deployments are mentioned, together with changes in wing status and the wing's mission. Readers who wish to know more about an individual organization’s operations may visit the Air Force Historical Research Agency to conduct research, or purchase through the mail microfilm copies of unclassified histories. Some additional information about squadrons may be found in the entries of the wing(s) to which an squadron was assigned or attached, either at this site or the earlier Charles A. Ravenstein’s Air Force Combat Wings: Lineage and Honors Histories, 1947–1977.

Service Streamers. Service streamers represent noncombat service in the various theaters of military operations. Those service streamers earned by the organization are listed here. If an organization participated in combat operations in a theater, it earned a campaign streamer instead of a service streamer.

World War I

Theater of Operations: 6 Apr 1917–11 Nov 1918.

World War II

American Theater: 7 Dec 1941–2 Mar 1946.

European-African-Middle Eastern (EAME) Theater: 7 Dec 1941–8 Nov 1945.

Asiatic-Pacific Theater: 7 Dec 1941–2 Mar 1946.

Korean War

Korean Theater: 27 Jun 1950–27 Jul 1954.

Vietnam

Vietnam Theater: 1 Jul 1958–28 Mar 1973.

Southwest Asia

Southwest Asia Theater: 2 Aug 1990–30 Nov 1995.

Campaign Streamers . Verified combat credit entitles an organization to the appropriate campaign streamers representing the named campaigns in which it participated. The Historical Research Agency has traditionally evaluated and verified organization combat credits. Campaign streamers listed in this volume reflect each organization’s verified combat record except for the Gulf War campaign credits. The credits for the first two campaigns of the Persian Gulf War were provided by US Central Command Air Forces. Recipients of the third and final campaign streamer credit have not yet been announced.

Mexico

Mexican Expedition: 14 Mar 1916–7 Feb 1917.

World War I

Somme Defensive: 21 Mar–6 Apr 1918.

Lys: 9–27 Apr 1918.

Champagne-Marne: 15–18 Jul 1918.

Aisne-Marne: 18 Jul–6 Aug 1918.

Somme Offensive: 8 Aug–11 Nov 1918.

Oisne-Aisne: 18 Aug–11 Nov 1918.

St. Mihiel: 12–16 Sep 1918.

Meuse-Argonne: 26 Sep–11 Nov 1918.

World War I—Defense Sectors:

Alsace

Champagne

Flanders

Ile-de-France

Lorraine

Picardy

World War II

American Theater:

Antisubmarine: 7 Dec 1941–2 Sep 1945.

European-African-Middle Eastern Theater:

Air Combat: 7 Dec 1941–2 Sep 1945.

Antisubmarine: 7 Dec 1941–2 Sep 1945.

Egypt-Libya: 11 Jun 1942–12 Feb 1943.

Air Offensive, Europe: 4 Jul 1942–5 Jun 1944.

Algeria-French Morocco: 8–11 Nov 1942.

Tunisia: 12 Nov 1942–13 May 1943.

Sicily: 14 May–17 Aug 1943.

Naples-Foggia: 18 Aug 1943–21 Jan 1944.

Anzio: 22 Jan–24 May 1944.

Rome-Arno: 22 Jan–9 Sep 1944.

Normandy: 6 Jun–24 Jul 1944.

Northern France: 25 Jul–14 Sep 1944.

Southern France: 15 Aug–14 Sep 1944.

North Apennines: 10 Sep 1944–4 Apr 1945.

Rhineland: 15 Sep 1944–21 Mar 1945.

Ardennes-Alsace: 16 Dec 1944–25 Jan 1945.

Central Europe: 22 Mar–11 May 1945.

Po Valley: 5 Apr–8 May 1945.

Asiatic-Pacific Theater:

Air Combat: 7 Dec 1941–2 Sep 1945.

Antisubmarine: 7 Dec 1941–2 Sep 1945.

Central Pacific: 7 Dec 1941–6 Dec 1943.

Philippine Islands: 7 Dec 1941–10 May 1942.

Burma: 7 Dec 1941–26 May 1942.

East Indies: 1 Jan–22 Jul 1942.

India-Burma: 2 Apr 1942–28 Jan 1945.

Air Offensive, Japan: 17 Apr 1942–2 Sep 1945.

Aleutian Islands: 3 Jun 1942–24 Aug 1943.

China Defensive: 4 Jul 1942–4 May 1945.

Papua: 23 Jul 1942–23 Jan 1943.

Guadalcanal: 7 Aug 1942–21 Feb 1943.

New Guinea: 24 Jan 1943–31 Dec 1944.

Northern Solomons: 22 Feb 1943–21 Nov 1944.

Eastern Mandates: 7 Dec 1943–16 Apr 1944.

Bismarck Archipelago: 15 Dec 1943–27 Nov 1944.

Western Pacific: 17 Apr 1944–2 Sep 1945.

Leyte: 17 Oct 1944–1 Jul 1945.

Luzon: 15 Dec 1944–4 Jul 1945.

Central Burma: 29 Jan–15 Jul 1945.

Southern Philippines: 27 Feb–4 Jul 1945.

Ryukyus: 26 Mar–2 Jul 1945.

China Offensive: 5 May–2 Sep 1945.

Korean War

United Nations Defensive: 27 Jun–15 Sep 1950.

United Nations Offensive: 16 Sep–2 Nov 1950.

Chinese Communist Forces Intervention: 3 Nov 1950–24 Jan 1951.

First United Nations Counteroffensive: 25 Jan–21 Apr 1951.

Chinese Communist Forces Spring Offensive: 22 Apr–8 Jul 1951.

United Nations Summer-Fall Offensive: 9 Jul–27 Nov 1951.

Second Korean Winter: 28 Nov 1951–30 Apr 1952.

Korea Summer-Fall, 1952: 1 May–30 Nov 1952.

Third Korean Winter: 1 Dec 1952–30 Apr 1953.

Korea Summer, 1953: 1 May–27 Jul 1953.

Vietnam War

Vietnam Advisory: 15 Nov 1961–1 Mar 1965.

Vietnam Defensive: 2 Mar 1965–30 Jan 1966.

Vietnam Air: 31 Jan–28 Jun 1966.

Vietnam Air Offensive: 29 Jun 1966–8 Mar 1967.

Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II: 9 Mar 1967–31 Mar 1968.

Vietnam Air/Ground: 22 Jan–7 Jul 1968.

Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III: 1 Apr–31 Oct 1968.

Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV: 1 Nov 1968–22 Feb 1969.

TET 69/Counteroffensive: 23 Feb–8 Jun 1969.

Vietnam Summer-Fall, 1969: 9 Jun–31 Oct 1969.

Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1970: 1 Nov 1969–30 Apr 1970.

Sanctuary Counteroffensive: 1 May–30 Jun 1970.

Southwest Monsoon: 1 Jul–30 Nov 1970.

Commando Hunt V: 1 Dec 1970–14 May 1971.

Commando Hunt VI: 15 May–31 Oct 1971.

Commando Hunt VII: 1 Nov 1971–29 Mar 1972.

Vietnam Ceasefire: 30 Mar 1972–28 Jan 1973.

Southwest Asia War

Defense of Saudi Arabia: 2 Aug 1990–16 Jan 1991.

Liberation and Defense of Kuwait: 17 Jan 1991–11 Apr 1991.

Southwest Asia Cease-Fire: 12 Apr 1991–30 Nov 1995.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. Until 1983, this Joint Chiefs of Staff award was given only to individuals, not to any USAF organization. Since that date, this award has been given to Air Force organizations for only two operations: the invasion and occupation of Grenada, 23 Oct–21 Nov 1983, and the US invasion of Panama, Dec 1989–Jan 1990.

Grenada: 23 Oct–21 Nov 1983. Panama: 20 Dec 1989–31 Jan 1990.

Decorations. Decorations include citations and awards recognizing distinguished or meritorious acts by an organization. In this list, the type of decoration is cited together with specific dates, if dates appeared in the award document. Air Force Pamphlet 900–2, produced by the Air Force Military Personnel Center, contains the official listing of organization decorations. The decorations listed in this volume generally agree with those appearing in the pamphlet, but some revisions have been made based on the basis of actual organization operations. For example, the dates stated in an order may cover a time before an organization was active or after it became inactive. Corrected dates are shown within brackets.

United States

Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC). Used by the US Army and Army Air Forces. First established by Executive Order 9075 on 26 Feb 1942, awarded for extraordinary valor in action on or after 7 Dec 1941.

Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). Equivalent to the Distinguished Unit Citation. The PUC is used by the US Navy and was awarded to a number of AAF organizations that operated under Navy control or in close support of the Navy. After 1965, the US Air Force adopted the Presidential Unit Citation instead of the Distinguished Unit Citation to recognize outstanding combat performance of its tactical organizations.

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device (AFOUA/V). The AFOUA/V is awarded in lieu of the AFOUA (below) to recognize achievement in combat by USAF units and establishments. The Combat "V" Device was first used during the conflict in Southeast Asia.

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (AFOUA). USAF decoration used to recognize outstanding efforts and meritorious actions of USAF units and establishments in peace and war, the AFOUA was announced in Department of the Air Force General Orders No. 1 on 6 Jan 1954. (Several units and establishments received this award retroactively, for meritorious actions during the Korean War.)

Air Force Organizational Excellence Award (AFOEA). The AFOEA was established on 26 Aug 1969 by the Secretary of the Air Force. It is awarded by the Secretary to recognize the achievements and accomplishments of Air Force organizations and activities that do not meet the eligibility requirements of the AFOUA (above). The AFOEA may be awarded with the "V" device for combat or direct combat support.

Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC). The US Army’s Meritorious Unit Commendation, roughly equivalent to the AFOUA (above), has been earned by a number of AAF and USAF organizations. This decoration recognizes outstanding and meritorious actions in both peace and war, but these actions are considered to be of a lesser consequence than those recognized by a Distinguished Unit Citation (above).

Navy Unit Commendation (NUC). The US Navy Unit Commendation, also roughly equivalent to the AFOUA (above), has been awarded to a few AAF and USAF organizations which worked closely with the Navy. The award recognizes outstanding and meritorious actions in both peace and war, but these actions are considered to be of a lesser consequence than those recognized by a Presidential Unit Citation (above).

Foreign

Belgium

Citation in the Order of the Day, Belgian Army. A citation by decree of the Belgian Government. Numerous AAF units and establishments which operated in or over Belgium during World War II received this award.

Belgian Fourragere. A decoration awarded, by decree of the Belgian Government, to organizations cited twice in the Order of the Day, Belgian Army.

France

Croix de Guerre. A citation by decree of the French Government, awarded to Army Air Service organizations in World War I and Army units and establishments in World War II. Generally identified as French Croix de Guerre with Palm.

French Fourragere. A decoration, awarded by decree of the French Government in World Wars I and II, to units and establishments cited twice for the Croix de Guerre.

Korea

Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. A citation for achievement during the Korean War. Most commonly presented to organizations based in Korea and carrying out combat operations there, but also awarded to some organizations, both combat and support types, based in adjacent areas. Since the cessation of hostilities in Korea in July 1953, this decoration has been awarded rarely to USAF units and establishments––usually in recognition of outstanding support in the defense of Korea.

Philippines

Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. A citation for achievement while serving in the Philippines during the periods 7 Dec 1941–10 May 1942 or 17 Oct 1944–4 Jul 1945. No date is connected with the citation. Only one award is authorized for every eligible organization, including those that served in the Philippines during both periods.

Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation. A number of USAF organizations stationed in the Republic of the Philippines in July and August 1972 earned this citation in recognition of their participation in disaster relief Operations.

Vietnam

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. This organization decoration was awarded to units and establishments actually engaged in combat in defense of the Republic of Vietnam. In numerous instances, it was also awarded to combat support organizations and tactical organizations that were based outside the Vietnam Theater yet flew missions or provided essential services to organizations flying to or operating within the theater.

EMBLEM. The official description is provided for the most current organization emblem. Any official motto is cited and translated to English if necessary. Finally, the date Headquarters USAF approved the emblem is cited with the negative number (when available) for obtaining photographs within parentheses. Also to assist the user in identifying and obtaining photographs of previous emblems of the organization, the approval dates of previous emblems are included with negative numbers placed within parentheses. If a MOTTO was approved separately, its date of approval is also shown. Negative numbers are preceded by "K, KE, K&KE, or DFSC." These prefixes denote color negative numbers. Those followed by "AC" indicate that only a black and white negative is available. Negatives are located in three separate photographic repositories. Those wishing to obtain photographs may contact the Air Force Historical Research Agency, to ascertain which repository retains the desired negative(s). Note that the current emblem on the negative may not show recent minor changes.

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