Constituted as 507th Fighter Group on 5 Oct 1944 and activated on 12 Oct. Moved to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, Apr-Jun 1945. Assigned to Twentieth AF; reassigned to Eighth AF in Aug 1945. Entered combat on 1 Jul 1945, operating from Ie Shima with P-47's. Flew missions to Japan, Korea, and China to attack such targets as shipping, railroad bridges, airfields, factories, and barracks. Met little fighter opposition until 8 Aug 1945 when the group, flying its only B-29 escort mission of the war, encountered many enemy planes over Yawata, Japan. Received a DUC for its performance on 13 Aug 1945: while flying a long-range sweep to Korea, the group engaged a host of interceptors and destroyed a number of them. Moved to Okinawa in Jan 1946. Inactivated on 27 May 1946.
Redesignated 507th Fighter Group (Air Defense). Activated on 18 Aug 1955. Assigned to Air Defense Command and equipped with F-89's.
Squadrons. 438th: 1955-. 463d: 1944-1946. 464th: 1944-1946. 465th: 1944-1946.
Stations. Peterson Field, Colo, 12 Oct 1944; Bruning AAFld, Neb, 20 Oct 1944; Dalhart AAFld, Tex, 15 Dec 1944-24 Apr 1945; Ie Shima, 24 Jun 1945; Yontan, Okinawa, 29 Jan-27 May 1946. Kinross AFB, Mich, 18 Aug 1955-.
Commanders. Col Loring F Stetson Jr, 27 Oct 1944; Lt Col Woodrow W Korges, 12 Sep 1945; Maj Byron H Foreman, 2 Nov 1945; Capt Franklin L Fisher, 20 Nov 1945-unkn. Col John L Locke, 1955-.
Campaigns. Air Offensive, Japan; Western Pacific; Ryukyus; China Offensive.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Korea, 13 Aug 1945.
Insigne. Shield: Azure, edged argent, over a point pointed in point bendwise and arched gules, fimbriated of the second, a falcon flying downward per bend argent; between two planets and a star in sinister chief, and the Great Dipper in dexter base all proper. Motto: Defendimus Usque Ad Astra - We Defend Even to the Stars. (Approved 17 Aug 1956.)
Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986
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