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Ninth Air Force

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9th Air Force
200px
Ninth Air Force
Active 1942
Country United States
Branch United States Army Air Forces (1942-1945, 1946-1947)
United States Air Force (1947 - Present)
Part of Air Combat Command
Garrison/HQ Shaw Air Force Base

Image:9thaf-map2006.jpg Ninth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force in Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, South Carolina. It is an intermediate echelon responsible primarily for fighter units in the eastern United States.

Ninth Air Force also serves as headquarters for United States Central Command Air Forces (USCENTAF) component of the United States Central Command, serving as the air component for a 25-nation area within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

The mission of Ninth Air Force is to project decisive air and space power for U.S. Central Command and America. It is responsible for five active-duty flying wings, as well as overseeing the operational readiness of 18 designated units of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.

Major units of Ninth Air Force are:

The 1st Fighter Wing at Langley AFB has been selected as first operational F-22A wing

Non-Flying Units:

  • 18th Air Support Operations Group, Pope AFB, North Carolina
  • 820th Security Forces Group, Moody AFB, Georgia
  • 823d RED HORSE Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida
  • 5th Combat Communications Group, Robins AFB, Georgia

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Origins

During World War II, the the offensive air forces of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) came to be classified as strategic or tactical. A strategic air force was that with a mission to attack an enemy's war effort beyond his front-line forces. predominantly production and supply facilities, whereas a tactical air force supported ground campaigns, usually with objectives selected through co-operation with the armies.

In Europe, Eighth Air Force was the first USAAF strategic air force, with a mission to support an invasion of continental Europe from the British Isles. Originally equipped with tactical units, some of these units were transferred to the Twelfth Air Force which was formed in the United Kingdom in the fall of 1942. Twelfth Air Force was created to provide tactical air support for the invasion of North Africa later that year.

Meanwhile in Eastern North Africa, the U.S. Army - Middle East Air Force (USAMEAF) was formed on 11 June 1942 as part of the U.S. Army Forces in the Middle East (USAFIME) fighting in the Egypt-Libya Campaign. After Axis victories in May and June, the United States agreed to commit to that theater a total of nine combat groups, of which seven groups were to be in operation by the end of 1942.

Initally, a small detachment of B-24 Liberators deployed from Tenth Air Force units in India formed the 1st Provisional Group USAAF in Cairo and began operations. Shortly afterward the USAAF deployed the 57th Fighter Group (P-40F); the 12th Bombardment Group (Medium) (B-25C), and the 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy) (B-24D) along with some Douglas C-47 Skytrain transports to bases in Egypt and Palestine.

[edit] North Africa

Image:Eame-map-ww2.jpg Image:376bg-b24-libya-1943.jpg USAMEAF units took part in the British victory at the Second Battle of El Alamein in November 1942. Their operations demonstrated the importance of having heavy bombers in the theater as well as tactical air forces. On 12 November 1942 the USAMEAF was re-designated as Ninth Air Force with the responsiblity to (1) Gain air superiority; (2) Deny the enemy the ability to replenish or replace losses, and (3) Offer ground forces close support in North-East Africa.

Ninth Air Force in North Africa consisted of:

  • IX Bomber Command
    • 12th Bombardment Group (Medium) (B-25C) (All squadrons detatched to RAF)
    • 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy) (B-24D)
    • 340th Bombardment Group (Medium) (B-25C)
    • 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) (B-24D) (Formerly 1st Provisional Group USAAF)
  • IX Fighter Command
    • 57th Fighter Group (P-40F) (All squadrons detatched to RAF)
    • 79th Fighter Group (P-40F)
    • 324th Fighter Group (P-40F)
  • 316th Troop Carrier Group (C-47)

By the end of 1942 a total of 370 aircraft had been ferried to the Ninth Air Force. While the great majority were P-40's, B-24's, and B-25's, there were also more than 50 twin-engine transports, which made it possible to build an effective local air transport service. Ninth Air Force fighter supported the British Eighth Army's drive across Egypt and Libya, escorting bombers and flying strafing and dive-bombing missions against airfields, communications, and troop concentrations. Other targets attacked were shipping and harbor installations in Libya, Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, Crete, and Greece to cut enemy supply lines to Africa

In February 1943, after the Afrika Korps had been driven into Tunisia, the Germans took the offensive and pushed through Kasserine Pass before being stopped. With both Ninth and Twelfth Air Force units in the battle, the Allies drove the enemy back into a pocket around Bizerte and Tunis, where Axis forces surrendered in May. Thus Tunisia became available for launching an attack on Sicily as a preliminary to an assault on Italy.

After the Allied victory in Tunisa, Ninth Air Force groups attacked airfields and rail facilities in Sicily and Italy. On one of these missions, the 376th Bomb Group B-24D "Lady Be Good" Serial Number 41-24301, took off from the group's airfield at Benina Airfield in Soluch, Libya and failed to return to base. On 9 November 1958, British oil surveyors located the wreckage of the Lady Be Good 440 statute miles southeast of Soluch in the remote Libyan desert. It took several years for USAF personel to recover the remains of all but one of the aircrew, some of which had walked nearly 100 miles from the crash site in an attempt to reach civilzation. Pieces of the aircraft were recovered for evaluation and placed in various musems over the years, the rest of the aircraft being methodically stripped by souvenir hunters. However, in August 1994, the remains of the aircraft were recovered by a Libyan team led by Dr. Fadel Ali Mohammed and taken to a military base in Tobruk for safekeeping.

Ninth Air Force units took part in the Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, carrying paratroopers and flew reinforcements to ground units on the island. Heavy bomb units of the Ninth participated in the famed low-level assault on oil refineries at Ploesti (Operation "Tidal Wave") Romania on 1 August 1943.

In August and September 1943, Ninth Air Force units in North Africa were transferred to Twelfth Air Force in preperation for the move of the organization to the United Kingdom. The command was deactivated on 16 October 1943 in Egypt.

[edit] Pre-Invasion Buildup and Operations

Image:P-51d-354fg-1944.jpg Image:B-26-322bg-andfld-1944.jpg On 16 October 1943, Headquarters Ninth Air Force was reactivated at RAF Burtonwood, England and became the crucial and decisive tactical air force in Western Europe, under the command of USAAF General Hoyt S. Vandenberg. With the formation of Ninth Air Force in England, Ninth Air Force's mission became that of tactical support of ground units as part of the invasion of Europe, while Eighth Air Force retained the strategic bombing mission.

In the United Kingdom, the nuceleus of the Ninth Air Force was formed in November 1943 by the transfer of some Eighth Air Force tactical bomber, fighter and troop carrier groups. These were designated as follows:

  • IX Troop Carrier Command

During the winter of 1943-44 Ninth Air Force expanded at an extraordinary rate, so that by the end of May, when the last combat group became operational, its complement ran to 45 flying groups operating some 5,000 aircraft (See Below). With the necessary ground support units, the total number of personnel assigned to Ninth Air Force was more than 200,000 - greater than that of Eighth Air Force.

The first mission for the Ninth was operation "Point Blank". Along with with the Eighth Air Force, the Ninth was to smash the German Luftwaffe in the air and on the ground to bring about complete air supremacy prior to D-Day. In effect, the plan was to prepare the Ninth's units for their major role: that of direct tactical support for ground forces in the coming invasion. Operational missions involved attacks on rail marshalling yards, railroads, airfields, industrial plants, military installations, and other enemy targets in France, Belgium, and Holland. Other targets were German Atlantic Wall defenses along the English Channel coast of France.

[edit] Battle of Normandy

Image:P-38-370fg-1945.jpg Image:P-47d-406fg-1944.jpg Image:C-47-62dtcg-varsity-1945.jpg On D-Day Ninth Air Force transport units flew missions supporting parachute and glider landings, carried out massive air attacks with its P-51 Mustang and P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bombers along with its tactical B-25 Mitchell and B-26 Marauder medium bombers. Air cover during the morning amphibious assault by Allied forces on the beaches of France was flown by P-38 Lightnings.

With the beaches secure, it's tactical air units then provided the air power for the Allied break-out from the Normandy beachhead in the summer of 1944 during the Battle of Cherbourg, Caen, and the ultimate breakout from the beachhead, Operation Cobra.

By early August most Ninth Air Force opeational fighter and bomber groups were transferred to bases in France and assigned to the U. S. Twelfth Army Group. These groups were then assigned to Tactical Air Command (TAC) organizations which supported Army ground units. XXIX TAC supported the Ninth Army in the north; IX TAC supported the First Army in the center; and XIX TAC supported the Third Army in the south. Air cover over Allied-controlled areas on the continent was performed by the IX Air Defense Command. Ninth Air Force groups made numerous moves within France, the Low Countries and western Germany to keep within range of the advancing battle front before the end of hostilities in May 1945.

During Operation Dragoon, the invasion of Southern France in August 1944. two Ninth fighter groups were transferred to the provisional United States/Free French 1st Tactical Air Force supporting the invasion force's drive north. As part of Operation Market-Garden, Ninth Air Force transferred its entire IX Troop Carrier Command with its fourteen C-47 groups to the 1st Allied Airborne Army in September 1944. Those transport groups flew the many of the C-47s and towed CG-4 Hadrian gliders for the Allied airborne unit drops - Operation Market - to take the bridges northwest of Eindhoven at Son (mun. Son en Breugel), Veghel, Grave, Nijmegen and Arnhem in Holland.

In December 1944 through January 1945, Ninth Air Force fighters and bombers were critical in defeating the Wehrmacht during the Battle of the Bulge. There was a noteworthy incident in which American, British, and Candian air power was grounded by very bad winter weather, but then the bad weather broke, freeing those tactical air forces to help break the back of the Wehrmacht attack. For more information, see the film "Patton", starring George C. Scott. The long smash across France, Belgium, and Luxembourg was the highlight of the existence of the 9th Air Force.

[edit] Victory In Europe

In the spring of 1945, Ninth Air Force transport units flew airborne parachute and glider units again during Operation Varsity, the Allied assault over the Rhine river on 24 March 1945. Operation Varsity was the the single largest airborne drop in history. The operation saw the first use of the Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando transport in Europe, operating with the reliable C-47 Skytrain of previous airborne operations.

Tactical air support operations were flown over western Germany until the end of hostilities on 7 May. After the end of hostilities, some units moved back into France, while others remained in Germany on occupational duties. On 2 December 1945 the Ninth Air Force was inactivated.

[edit] Ninth Air Force Units During World War II

This table shows the 1 June 1944 Order of Battle for the Ninth Air Force in the United Kingdom, prior to the deployment of units to the Continent. The United Kingdom airfield for the group is shown with the type aircraft used in parentheses.

Unlike Eighth Air Force, whose units stayed in the United Kingdom, Ninth Air Force units were very mobile, first deploying to France on 16 June 1944, ten days after the Normandy invasion by moving P-47 Thunderbolts to a beach-head landing strip.

Because of their short range, operational combat units would have to move to quickly-prepared bases close to the front as soon as the Allied ground forces advanced. The bases were called "Advanced Landing Grounds" or "ALGs". On the continent, many ALGs were built either from scratch or from captured enemy airfields throughout France, the Low Countries and Germany. Ninth Air Force units moved frequently from one ALG to another.

The Advanced Landing Grounds (ALG) on the continent for each group will be included in this article at a later time.

IX Bomber Command (1943-45)

  • 1st Pathfinder Squadron (Provisional) A-72, Peronne, France - (B-26)

IX Bomber Command was headquartered at Marks Hall, England, 6 Nov 1943; Chartres, France, 18 Sep 1944; Reims, France, Oct 1944, and Namur, Belgium, Apr 1945.

It was inactivated on 20 Nov 1945.

<P>
IX Fighter Command (1943-45)
IX Tactical Air Command

Provided tactical air support in support of U.S. First Army.

<p>

Note: 71st Fighter Wing and subordinate groups transferred to IX Air Defense Command in September 1944, providing air defense for areas behind the advancing ground forces.


XIX Tactical Air Command)

Provided tactical air support in support of U.S. Third Army.

Note: 303d Fighter Wing and subordinate groups transferred to XXIX Tactical Air Command on 15 September 1944.

XXIX Tactical Air Command
(Activated 15 September, 1944)

Provided tactical air support in support of U.S. Ninth Army.

  • 303d Fighter Wing
    • 36th Fighter Group - A-76 Athis, France (P-47)
    • 373d Fighter Group - A-62D Reims, France (P-47)
    • 406th Fighter Group - A-80 Mourmelon-le-Grand, France (P-47)
  • 363rd Reconnaissance Group - A-35 Le Mans, France (F-5/F-6)

Note: Initial activation ALG shown for XXIX units.

IX Fighter Command was headquartered at Middle Wallop, England, 30 Nov 1943-Jul 1944; Les Obeaux, France, Jul 1944; Canisy, France, Aug 1944; Charleroi, Belgium, Sep 1944; Verviers, Belgium, Oct 1944; Bruhl, Germany, Mar 1945; Welmar, Germany, Apr 1945; Fritzlar, Germany, Jul 1945, and Erlangen, Germany, Sepember 1945. It was inactivated on 20 Nov 1945. <P>

<P>
IX Troop Carrier Command (1943-45)
All Groups flew C-47/C-53 Aircraft
<p>

IX Troop Carrier Command was headquartered at Cottesmore, England, 16 Oct 1943; Grantham, England, 1 Dec 1943; Ascot, England, 20 Sep 1944-5 Sep 1945.

It returned to the United States and was headquarterd at Stout AAF Indiana on 5 Sep 1945.

[edit] Cold War

Image:F-100-363tfs-wc-354tfw.jpg Image:A-7d-71-0338-75tfs-0573.jpg Image:F-4e-68-0326-31tfw-hs-1971.jpg Image:F-15e-88-1690-4tfw-sj-1990.jpg Image:F-16a-80-537-shaw.jpg Following WW II, Ninth Air Force served as one of the tactical air forces of the United States Air Force Tactical Air Command, being activated on 28 March 1946 at Biggs AAF, Texas. After several relocations, on 20 August 1954, Ninth Air Force Headquarters was assigned to Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, where it remains today. Ninth Air Force commanded TAC Wings east of the Mississippi River.

Initially being equipped with propeller-driven F-51, F-47 and F-82 aircraft during the postwar years, in the 1950s, Ninth Air Force units recieved the jet-powered F/RF-80 Shooting Star, F-84G/F Thunderjet, F-86D/H Sabre, and F-100 Super Sabre aircraft. Ninth Air Force squadrons and wings were frequently deployed to NATO during the 1950s and 1960s as "Dual-Based" USAFE units, and reinforcing NATO forces in West Germany and France during the Lebanon crisis of 1958 and the 1961 Berlin Wall Crisis.

During the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, Ninth Air Force units went on war alert, deploying to bases in Florida, being able to respond to the crisis on a moments notice.

During the Vietnam War, detatched Ninth Air Force units engaged in combat operations over Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. The practice of stripping away squadrons and aircraft from their home Tactical Air Command Wings and attaching them indefinitely to a new wing under Pacific Air Forces was the method used for long-term deployments to the South Vietnam and Thailand air bases engaged in combat operations. In addition to these operational deployments, Ninth Air Force units performed a "backfilling" role in Japan and South Korea for PACAF as well as in Italy and Spain for USAFE to replace units whose aircraft and personnel were deployed to Southeast Asia. With the end of American involvement during the early 1970's, these units were returned in large part to their home Ninth Air Force units in the United States.

During the remainder of the 1970s, NATO deployments resumed supporting the COMET, CORONET and CRESTED CAP exercises. These deployments were designed to exercise CONUS based Air Force squadrons long range deployment capabilities and to familiarize the personnel with the European theatre of operations. During these NATO deployments, exercises with Army infantry and armored units were conducted to enhance the Close Air Support role in Europe.

Ninth Air Force Wings in 1979 were:

During the 1980s, Ninth Air Force wings upgraded from the Vietnam-Era F-4s and A-7s to newer F-15s, F-16 and A-10 aircraft. First-generation F-15A/B models were sent to Air National Guard units, being upgraded to the higher-capability F-15C/Ds and the new F-15E with the 4th TFW.

In 1980, Ninth Air Force units was allocated to President Carter's Rapid Deployment Force, formally known as the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF). In 1983 the RDJTF became a separate unified command known as the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), focusing on the Middle East. Ninth Air Force provided the aircraft, personnel and materiel to form United States Central Command Air Forces (CENTAF), the air power of CENTCOM, which is also headquarted at Shaw. Starting in 1981, Ninth Air Force aircraft and personnel were deployed to Egypt for BRIGHT STAR exercises.

During Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, Ninth Air Force units deployed to the Middle East flew combat missions over Kuwait and Iraq. After the end of hostilities, units from the Ninth flew air missions over Iraq as part of Operation Deny Flight, Operation Northern Watch and Operation Southern Watch. Combat missions briefly resumed in 1998 during Operation Desert Fox.

With the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission reductions meant the closing of Myrtle Beach and England AFB. MacDill AFB was realigned to be the headquarters of United States Central Command with tactical aircraft operations ended.

The restructuring of USAF CONUS forces by the deactivation of Tactical Air Command and subsequent creation of Air Combat Command realigned Ninth Air Force with new units and new missions. In addition, the effects of Hurricane Andrew at Homestead AFB on 24 August 1992 essentially destroyed the facility. Although both President George H. W. Bush and President Clinton promised to rebuild Homestead, the BRAC designated the installation for realignment to the Air Force Reserve, and on 1 April 1994, Headquarters, ACC inactivated its base support units, effectively ending ACC ownership of the base.

[edit] Global War On Terror

Ninth Air Force units, flying as USCENTAF, flew operational missions during the 2002 Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan (OEF-A) and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The task of developing a comprehensive listing of Ninth Air Force/USCENTAF units present in the area is particularly difficult as the events of 11 September 2001 and the Global War on Terrorism has made such an effort significantly difficult. The USAF seeks to improve operational security (OPSEC) and to deceive potential enemies as to the extent of American operations, therefore a listing of which units deploying where and when is unavailable.

However, it is certain that CENTAF units are activley flying missions currently over both Afghanistan and Iraq.

[edit] See Also

[edit] References

This article incorporates text from http://www.centaf.af.mil, a public domain work of the United States Government.

  • Maurer Maurer, Air Force Combat Units Of World War II, Office of Air Force History, 1983
  • Ravenstein, Charles A., Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977, Office of Air Force History, 1984
  • Mueller, Robert, Air Force Bases Volume I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982, Office of Air Force History, 1989
  • Endicott, Judy G., USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Office of Air Force History

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikivisual.com/index.php/Ninth_Air_Force"
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