6th Fighter Wing

Constituted as 6th Pursuit Wing on 19 Oct 1940. Activated on 18 Dec 1940. Inactivated on 7 Dec 1941.

Redesignated 6th Fighter Wing. Activated on 7 Jun 1942. No combat groups were assigned. Moved to England in Aug 1942 for duty with Eighth AF. Trained replacement pilots for fighter organizations. Disbanded in England in 13 Sep 1943.

Reconstituted on 5 Aug 1946 and activated in the Panama Canal Zone on 25 Aug. Inactivated in the Canal Zone on 28 Jul 1948.

Redesignated 6th Air Division. Organized in the US on 10 Feb 1951. Assigned to Strategic Air Command.

Components. Groups. 1st Pursuit: 1940-1941. 31st Pursuit: 1940-1941. 36th Fighter: 1946-1948. 52d Pursuit: 1941.

Wings. 305th Bombardment: 1951. 306th Bombardment: 1951-. 307th Bombardment: 1951-1953.

Stations. Selfridge Field, Mich, 18 Dec 1940-7 Dec 1941. Harrisburg Mun Aprt, Pa, 7 Jun-c. 4 Aug 1942; Bushey Hall, England, c. 16 Aug 1942; Atcham, England, c. 24 Aug 1942-13 Sep 1943. Howard Field, CZ, 25 Aug 1946-28 Jul 1948. MacDill AFB, Fla, 10 Feb 1951-.

Commanders. Brig Gen Henry B Clagett, c. 16 Jan 1941-unkn; Col Lawrence P Hickey, c. 8 Apr-c. 7 Dec 1941. Lt Col Paul M Jacobs, 13 Jul-14 Sep 1942; Lt Col John W Ranson, c. 17 Sep 1942; Lt Col Jack W Hickman, 13 Mar 1943; Col Ross G Hoyt, 18 Mar 1943; Col Jack W Hickman, c. 4 Jun 1943-unkn. Brig Gen Morris R Nelson, Aug 1946; Col William R Morgan, 29 Dec 1947; Col Murray C Woodbury, 17 Feb 1948-unkn. Col Thayer S Olds, 10 Feb 1951; Maj Gen Frank A Armstrong Jr, May 1951; Brig Gen Henry K Mooney, 16 Nov 1952; Brig Gen Kenneth O Sanborn, 31 Jul 1954-.

Campaigns. European-African-Middle Eastern Theater.

Decorations. None.

Insigne. Shield: Per chevron argent and gules, in chief, a stylized silhouetted jet aircraft, issuing from chief, nose toward base azure; in base a sphere with land areas of the first and water areas of the third, grid lines black, over a branch of olive or, between two lightning bolts argent; superimposed over-all and flanking the dexter and sinister, two stylized arrows or. Motto: Power For Peace. (Approved 5 Oct 1955.)

Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986