| 72d Fighter Wing | |
|---|---|
 P-47 Thunderbolts as flown by the wing | |
| Active | 1943–1946 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Command of Fighter operational and replacement training units |
The 72d Fighter Wing was a wing of the United States Army Air Forces. It was assigned to Second Air Force, stationed at Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado. It was inactivated on 9 April 1946.1
History
The wing was initially activated in August 1943 as the 72d Bombardment Operational Training Wing, a command organization for heavy bomber training. Ten days after activation, it was redesignated the 72d Fighter Wing and became single-engine fighter training organization for Second Air Force.1 The wing had jurisdiction over fighter Operational Training Unit and Replacement Training Unit in the midwest.
Stations assigned to the wing included:
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|
Lineage
- Constituted as 72d Bombardment Operational Training Wing (Heavy) on 12 August 1943
- Activated on 20 August 1943
- Redesigned 72d Fighter Wing on 1 September 1943
- Inactivated on 9 April 19461
- Disbanded on 15 June 19834
- Reconstituted on 31 July 1985 and redesigned 372d Electronic Warfare Group5
- Disbanded on 9 September 1992
Assignments
- Second Air Force, 12 August 1943 – 9 April 19461
Components
- 36th Fighter Group, 17 September 1943 – 4 April 19443
- 84th Fighter Group, 1 November 1943 – 1 April 19446
- 357th Fighter Group, 7 October – 9 November 1943
- 407th Fighter Group, 9 March 1943 – 21 March 1944
- 408th Fighter Group, 1 November 1943 – 1 April 1944
- 476th Fighter Group, 26 March – 1 April 1944
- 507th Fighter Group, 12 October 1944 – 24 June 1945
- 508th Fighter Group, 12 October 1944 – 6 January 19451
Stations
- Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota, 20 August 1943
- Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado, 7 October 1943
- Peterson Field, Colorado, November 1943
- Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado, December 1945 – 9 April 19461
Aircraft
- Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943 – 19443
Campaign
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
American Theater without inscription | 20 August 1943–2 March 1946 | 72md Bombardment Operational Training Wing (later 72nd Fighter Wing)1 |
References
References
Notes
- Maurer, Combat Units, p. 406
- Maurer, Combat Units, p. 150
- Robertson, Patsy (11 June 2014). "36 Operations Group (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
- Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 498q, 15 June 1983, Subject: Disbandment of Certain Inactive Air Force Units
- Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 648q, 31 July 1985, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Organizations
- Maurer, Combat Units, p. 406 (year only)
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- 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. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016.