in: Articles incorporating text from the Air Force Historical Research Agency, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, Military units and formations established in 1941,
Military units and formations of the United States in World War II
United States Air Force units and formations in the Korean War
Fighter groups of the United States Air Force
Operations groups of the United States Air Force
Military units and formations in New Mexico
Emblem of the 58th Operations Group
1941–1945; 1946–1952; 1955–1961; 1991–1994; 1994–present
58 SOW Boeing CV-22B Osprey 04-0026
The 58th Operations Group (58 OG) is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 58th Special Operations Wing. It is stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.
During World War II, the units predecessor unit, the 58th Fighter Group operated primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater as part of Fifth Air Force. The unit received a Distinguished Unit Citation strafing a Japanese naval force off Mindoro in the Philippines on 26 December 1944 to prevent destruction. During the Korean War, the unit bombed and strafed enemy airfields and installations and supported UN ground forces, remaining in South Korea after the 1953 Armistice.
2.1 Korean War
2.2 Modern era
2.3 Lineage
2.4 Assignments
2.7 Aircraft and missiles
The 58 OG trains mission-ready special operations, combat search and rescue (CSAR) and airlift aircrews in the UH-1H/N, HH-60G, HC-130N/P, MC-130P, MC-130H, CV-22 and corresponding simulators; provides Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training-Helicopter; conducts special operations and CSAR intelligence training; responds to contingencies and humanitarian missions.
Its component squadrons are:
23d Flying Training Squadron
58th Training Squadron
71st Special Operations Squadron
512th Rescue Squadron
550th Special Operations Squadron
For additional history and lineage, see 58th Special Operations Wing
From beginning of World War II until 1943, served as replacement training unit for fighter pilots. Trained for combat and moved overseas to Southwest Pacific Theater in 1943. Began combat operations in February 1944, providing protection for U.S. bases and escorting transports initially, then escorting bombers over New Guinea and sea convoys to Admiralty Islands. From Noemfoor, bombed and strafed Japanese airfields and installations on Ceram, Halmahera, and the Kai Islands.
Moved to the Philippines in Nov, flew fighter sweeps against enemy airfields, supported U.S. ground forces, and protected sea convoys and transport routes. Earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for strafing a Japanese naval force that was attacking a U.S. base on Mindoro on 26 December 1944. Beginning in July 1945, attacked railways, airfields, and enemy installations in Korea and Kyushu, Japan from Okinawa.
After V-J Day, flew reconnaissance missions over Japan. Moved without personnel or equipment to the Philippines in Dec to be inactivated in January 1946.
58th Fighter-Bomber Group F-84E South Korea, 1952. Commander's aircraft 51-1535, other three squadrons aircraft shown in different tail markings
Activated in Korea during the Korean War, absorbed the personnel and equipment of the 136th Fighter-Bomber Group, then provided close air support for UN ground forces and attacked enemy airfields and installations. Having entered the war with slow, short-ranged F-84D ThunderJets, the 58 FBG transitioned in late 1952 to the new "G" model, designed with more speed and range. New targets included enemy ports, railroads, and airfields. The group attacked the major supply port of Sinuiju in September, inflicting heavy damage without loss of personnel or aircraft. Combining with other fighter-bomber units, it attacked the Kumgang Political School at Odong-ni in October 1952 and the North Korean tank and infantry school at Kangso in February 1953. In May, the 58th FBG bombed North Korean dams, flooding enemy lines of communication and rice fields. On 27 July 1953, attacked runway at Kanggye and, with the 49 FBG, bombed Sunan Airfield for the final action of fighter-bombers in the Korean War. Earned a second DUC for its actions in the last three months of the war.
After the war, provided air defense for South Korea and deployed tactical components on rotational basis to Taiwan, January 1955 – February 1957. In October 1958, armed with tactical missiles to provide air defense of South Korea until 1962.
From October 1991, conducted combat crew training for F-15E aircrews and F-16 pilots; F-16C/D squadrons had a secondary, wartime mission of augmenting national air defenses. Early in 1993, added a mission of training international (Republic of Singapore) pilots in F-16 A/B aircraft, the first one arriving in March 1993. The next month, the group lost its wartime mission. In April 1994, gave up fighter pilot training function and moved without personnel or equipment from Luke to Kirtland AFB, NM, taking over the resources of the 542 Crew Training Wing (which inactivated). Trained aircrews in special operations and in search, rescue, and recovery. Additional missions included training pararescue and combat control teams, deploying personnel and equipment to support contingencies, and conducting search and rescue missions at request of local authorities. The 58 OG also accomplished all USAF undergraduate helicopter training via the 23 Flying Training Flight (later, Squadron) at Fort Rucker, AL. On 11 September 2001, after terrorists hijacked four civilian airliners and flew three of them into buildings in New York and Washington, the group airlifted a federal task force to Pennsylvania to investigate the crash site of the fourth airliner. Deployed personnel to support combat operations in Afghanistan (2001–) and Iraq (2003–).
Established as 58th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940
Activated on 16 January 1941
Redesignated: 58th Fighter Group on 15 May 1942
Redesignated: 58th Fighter Group, Single Engine, on 20 August 1943
Inactivated on 27 January 1946
Redesignated 58th Fighter-Bomber Group on 25 June 1952
Activated on 10 July 1952
Inactivated on 8 November 1957
Redesignated 58th Tactical Missile Group on 17 June 1958
Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 March 1962
Redesignated 58th Operations Group, and activated, on 1 October 1991.
Northeast Air District (later, First Air Force), 16 January 1941
3 Interceptor Command, 2 October 1941
I Fighter Command, 17 October 1942
Attached to: Philadelphia Fighter Wing, 24 October 1942-c. 3 March 1943
Attached to: New York Fighter Wing, 3 March-28 April 1943
Attached to: Boston Fighter Wing, 28 April-22 October 1943
Fifth Air Force, 19 November 1943
Attached to: 86th Fighter Wing, 1 May-25 August 1944
Attached to: 309th Bombardment Wing, 25 August 1944 – 1 January 1945
Attached to: 310th Bombardment Wing, 1 January 1945–
V Fighter Command, by 6 March 1945
Remained attached to: 310th Bombardment Wing until 7 April 1945
Far East Air Forces, 23 November 1945
Pacific Air Command, by 10–27 January 1946
58th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 10 July 1952 – 8 November 1957
Fifth Air Force, 15 July 1958
314th Air Division, 24 April 1959 – 25 March 1962
58th (later, 58 Special Operations) Wing, 1 October 1991–present
23d Flying Training (formerly, 23 Flying Training Flight) Squadron: 1 April 1994–present
62d Fighter Squadron: 18 March-1 April 1994
63d Fighter Squadron: 25 February 1993 – 1 April 1994
67th Pursuit (later, 67th Fighter) Squadron: 16 January 1941 – 3 October 1942
69th Pursuit (later, 69th Fighter; 69th Fighter-Bomber) Squadron: 16 January 1941 – 27 January 1946; 10 July 1952 – 8 November 1957
71st Special Operations Squadron: 20 May 2005–present
310th Pursuit (later, 310th Fighter, 310th Fighter-Bomber, 310th Tactical Missile, 310th Tactical Fighter Training, 310th Fighter) Squadron: 9 February 1942 – 27 January 1946; 10 July 1952 – 8 November 1957; 15 July 1958 – 25 March 1962; 1 October 1991 – 1 April 1994
311th Pursuit (later, 311th Fighter, 311th Fighter-Bomber, 311th Tactical Fighter Training, 311th Fighter) Squadron: 9 February 1942 – 27 January 1946; 10 July 1952 – 8 November 1957; 1 October 1991 – 1 April 1994
314th Tactical Fighter Training (later, 314th Fighter) Squadron: 1 October 1991 – 1 April 1994
415th Special Operations Squadron: 2010–Present
425th Fighter Squadron: 30 December 1992 – 1 April 1994
461st Tactical Fighter Training (later, 461st Fighter) Squadron: 1 October 1991 – 1 April 1994
512th Special Operations (later, 512th Rescue) Squadron: 1 April 1994–present
550th Special Operations Squadron: 1 April 1994–present
550th Tactical Fighter Training (later, 550th Fighter) Squadron: 1 October-14 November 1991; 25 March-1 April 1994
551st Special Operations Squadron: 1 April 1994 – 8 December 2007
555th Tactical Fighter Training (later, 555th Fighter) Squadron: 1 October-25 March 1994
607th Air Control Squadron: 1 May 1992 – 1 July 1993.
Selfridge Field, Michigan, 15 January 1941
Harding Army Airfield, Louisiana, 5 October 1941
Dale Mabry Field, Florida, 4 March 1942
Richmond AAB, Virginia, 16 October 1942
Philadelphia Muni Aprt, Pennsylvania, 24 October 1942
Bradley Field, Connecticut, c. 3 March 1943
Green Field, Rhode Island, 28 April 1943
Grenier Field, New Hampshire, 16 September-22 October 1943
Sydney Airport, Australia, 19 November 1943
Archerfield Airport, Brisbane, Australia, 21 November 1943
Dobodura Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 28 December 1943
Saidor Airfield, New Guinea, c. 3 April 1944
Kornasoren Airport, Noemfoor, Schouten Islands, 30 August 1944
San Roque Airfield, Mindanao, Philippines, 18 November 1944
McGuire Field, San Jose, Mindoro, Philippines, c. 30 December 1944
Mangaldan Airfield, Luzon, Philippines, 5 April 1945
Porac Airfield, Luzon, Philippines, 18 April 1945
Motobu Airfield, Okinawa, 10 July 1945
Japan, 26 October 1945
Fort William McKinley, Luzon, Philippines, 28 December 1945 – 27 January 1946
Taegu AB (K-2), South Korea, 10 July 1952
Osan-Ni (later, Osan) AB, South Korea, 15 March 1955 – 8 November 1957
Osan AB, South Korea, 15 July 1958 – 25 March 1962
Luke AFB, Arizona, 1 October 1991
Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, 1 April 1994–present
Aircraft and missiles
Seversky P-35, 1941–1943
Curtiss P-36 Hawk, 1941–1943
P-39 Aircobra, 1941–1943
P-40 Warhawk, 1941–1943
P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943–1945
F-84 Thunderjet, 1952–1954
F-86 Sabre, 1954–1957
MGM-1 Matador, 1958–1962
F-15 Eagle, 1991–1994
F-16 Falcon, 1991–1994
UH-1 Iroquois, 1994–present
HH-60 Pave Hawk, 1994–present
MH-53 Pave LowJ/M, 1994–2007
CH-53 Sea Stallion, 1994–2001
HC-130 Combat King, 1994–1997, 2000–present
MC-130P Combat Shadow, 1994–present
C-12 Huron, 1999–2002
CV-22B Osprey, 2006–present
TH-1H, 2008–present
HC-130J Combat King II, 2011–Present
MC-130J Commando II II, 2011–Present
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
58th Operations Group Factsheet
United States Air Force In South Korea
United States Forces Korea
Pacific Air Forces
Seventh Air Force
8th Fighter Wing
51st Fighter Wing
(wartime)
Fifth Air Force
314th Air Division
Far East Air Forces Bomber Command
Far East Air Forces Combat Cargo Command
Far East Air Forces Materiel Command
4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing
8th Fighter-Bomber Wing
18th Fighter-Bomber Wing
27th Fighter-Escort Wing
35th Fighter-Interceptor Wing
51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing
474th Fighter-Bomber Wing
116th Fighter-Bomber Wing (ANG)
319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
3rd Bombardment Wing
17th Bombardment Wing
22d Bombardment Group
92d Bombardment Wing
307th Bombardment Wing
452d Bombardment Wing
31st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron
56th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron
67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
512th Reconnaissance Squadron
543d Tactical Support Group
1st Troop Carrier Group (Provisional)
61st Troop Carrier Group
314th Troop Carrier Group
315th Troop Carrier Wing
403d Troop Carrier Wing
483rd Troop Carrier Wing
502nd Tactical Control Group
6147th Tactical Control Group
581st Air Resupply and Communications Wing
6167th Air Base Group
USAF units and aircraft of the Korean War
USAF Pacific Air Forces (PACAF)
Air Forces
Thirteenth
Eielson
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (Elmendorf Air Force Base)
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (Hickam Field)
Yokota
8th Fighter
35th Fighter
51st Fighter
354th Fighter
374th Airlift
Articles incorporating text from the Air Force Historical Research Agency