Organized as 18th Pursuit Group in Hawaii in Jan 1927. Redesignated
18th
Pursuit Group (Interceptor) in 1939, and 18th Fighter Group in
1942. Before
World War II the group engaged in routine flying and
gunnery training and
participated in joint Army-Navy maneuvers, using
DH-4, PW-9, P-12, P-26, P-36,
and other aircraft. When the Japanese
attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 Dec 1941,
the group, which had recently
converted to P-40's, sustained severe losses.
The two planes that its
pilots were able to get into the air during the attack
were quickly
shot down. The group, assigned to Seventh AF in Feb 1942, had to
be
re-equipped before it could resume training and begin patrol missions.
Moved to the South Pacific in Mar 1943. Assigned to Thirteenth
AF.
Began operations from Guadalcanal. Flew protective patrols over US
bases in
the Solomons; later, escorted bombers to the Bismarcks,
supported ground
forces on Bougainville, and attacked enemy airfields
and installations in the
northern Solomons and New Britain. Used P-38,
P-39, P-61, and P-70 aircraft.
Moved to New Guinea in Aug 1944.
Equipped with P-38's. Escorted bombers to
targets in the southern
Philippines and Borneo, and attacked enemy airfields
and installations
in the Netherlands Indies. Received a DUC for actions at
Ormoc Bay: on
10 Nov 1944 the group withstood intense flak and vigorous
opposition
from enemy interceptors to attack a Japanese convoy that was
attempting
to bring in additional troops for use against American forces that
had
landed on Leyte; on the following day a few of the group's planes
returned
to the same area, engaged a large force of enemy fighters, and
destroyed a
number of them. Moved to the Philippines in Jan 1945.
Supported ground
forces on Luzon and Borneo, attacked shipping in the
central Philippines,
covered landings on Palawan, attacked airfields
and railways on Formosa, and
escorted bombers to such widely-scattered
targets as Borneo, French Indochina,
and Formosa.
Remained in the Philippines as part of Far East Air Forces after the
war.
Flew patrols and trained with F-80's. Lost all personnel in Mar
1947 but was
remanned in Sep 1947. Equipped first with F-47's, later
with F-51's, and
still later (1949) with F-80's. Redesignated 18th
Fighter-Bomber Group in Jan
1950.
Moved to Korea in Jul 1950 and entered combat, using F-51's.
Supported
UN ground forces and attacked enemy installations and supply
lines. Maj Louis
Sebille was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
for his action on 5 Aug
1950: although his plane was badly damaged by
flak while attacking a
concentration of enemy trucks, Maj Sebille
continued his strafing passes until
he crashed into an armored vehicle.
The group converted to F-86's early in
1953 and remained in Korea for
some time after the war. Moved to Okinawa in
Nov 1954.
Squadrons. 6th: 1927-1943. 12th: 1943-. 19th: 1927-1943.
36th:
1931-1932. 44th: 1941-1942, 1943-. 55th: 1931. 67th: 1945-.
68th:
1945-. 70th: 1943-1945. 73d: 1929-1931, 1941-1942. 74th:
1929-1932.
78th: 1940-1943. 333d: 1942-1943. 419th: 1943-1944.
Stations. Wheeler Field, TH, Jan 1927; Espiritu Santo, 11 Mar
1943;
Guadalcanal, 17 Apr 1943; Sansapor, New Guinea, 23 Aug 1944;
Lingayen, Luzon,
c. 13 Jan 1945; San Jose, Mindoro, c. 1 Mar 1945;
Zamboanga, Mindanao, 4 May
1945; Palawan, 10 Nov 1945; Floridablanca,
Luzon, Mar 1946; Clark Field,
Luzon, 16 Sep 1947; Taegu, Korea, 28 Jul
1950; Ashiya, Japan, 8 Aug 1950;
Tongnae, Korea, 8 Sep 1950; Pyongyang,
Korea, c. 21 Nov 1950; Suwon, Korea, 1
Dec 1950; Chinhae, Korea, 9 Dec
1950; Hoengsong, Korea, 26 Dec 1952; Osan-Ni,
Korea, 11 Jan 1953;
Kadena AB, Okinawa, 1 Nov 1954-.
Commanders. Unkn, 1927-1940; Maj Kenneth M Walker, 22 Mar 1940;
Maj
William R Morgan, 1941; Lt Col Aaron W Tyer, Dec 1941; Lt Col W H
Councill, 10
Dec 1943; Col Milton B Adams, 8 Jul 1944; Col Harry L
Donicht, 24 May 1945; Lt
Col Bill Harris, 1 Aug 1945; Lt Col Wilbur
Grumbles, 18 Oct 1945-unkn; Col
Victor R Haugen, 1946; Col Homer A
Boushey, 7 Aug 1946-Mar 1947; Maj Kenneth M
Taylor, 16 Sep 1947; Lt Col
Joseph Kruzel, 1 Oct 1947; Col Marion Malcolm, 3
Sep Lt Col Henry H
Norman Jr, 24 Jul 1949; Col Ira L Wintermute, 16 Jun 1950;
Lt Col Homer
M Cox, 20 Feb 1951; Col William P McBride, May 1951; Col Ralph
H
Saltsman Jr, 5 Jun 1951; Col Seymour M Levenson, 30 Nov 1951; Col
Sheldon S
Brinson, 17 May 1952; Lt Col Albert Freund Jr, 25 Nov 1952;
Col Maurice L
Martin, 24 Jan 1953; Lt Col Edward L Rathbun, 17 Dec
1953; Col John H Buckner,
1 Feb 1954; Lt Col Edward L Rathbun, 24 May
1954; Lt Col Clifford P Patton, 17
Aug 1954; Col Nathan Adams, 7 Sep
1954; Col John B Murphy, 1 Nov 1954; Lt Col
Clifford P Patton, 10 Nov
1954; Col Paul E Hoeper, 1 Jan 1955; Lt Col Joseph E
Andres, 22 Jul
1955; Col Leo C Moon, 21 Nov 1955-.
Campaigns. World War II: Central Pacific; China Defensive; New
Guinea;
Northern Solomons; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific;
Leyte; Luzon;
Southern Philippines. Korean War: UN Defensive; UN
Offensive; CCF
Intervention; 1st UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring
Offensive; UN Summer-Fall
Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Korea
Summer-Fall, 1952; Third Korean Winter;
Korea Summer-Fall, 1953.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Philippine Islands, 1-11
Nov
1944; Korea, 3 Nov 1950-24 Jan 1951; Korea, 22 Apr-8 Jul 1951.
Philippine
Presidential Unit Citation. Republic of Korea Presidential
Unit Citations:
24 Jul 1950-31 Jan 1951; 1 Feb 1951-31 Mar 1953.
Insigne. Shield: Or, a fighting cock with wings displayed sable
wattled
and combed gules. Crest: On a wreath or and sable two wings
conjoined and
displayed tenne (orange). Motto: Unguibus Et Rostro -
With Talons and Beak.
(Approved 21 Feb 1931.) Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986 |
