Constituted as 53d Troop Carrier Wing on 27 Jul 1942. Activated on 1 Aug 1942. Moved to England, Jan-Mar 1944. Assigned to Ninth AF. Operated in the European theater until after V-E Day. Returned to the US in Oct 1945. Inactivated on 11 Oct 1945.
Redesignated 53d Fighter Wing. Allotted to ANG (Pa) on 24 May 1946. Extended federal recognition on 17 Jan 1947. Inactivated on 31 Oct 1950.
Groups. 61st: 1942-1943. 63d: 1942-1943. 89th: 1942. 313th: 1942. 314th: 1942. 316th: 1942. 433d: 1943. 434th: 1943, 1944-1945. 435th: 1943, 1944-1945. 436th: 1943, 1944-1945. 437th: 1943, 1944-1945. 438th: 1943, 1944-1945. 439th: 1943. 440th: 1943.
Stations. General Billy Mitchell Field, Wis, 1 Aug 1942; Pope Field, NC, 26 Aug 1942; Ft Sam Houston, Tex, 15 Sep 1942; Bergstrom AAFld, Tex, 5 Nov 1942; Sedalia AAFld, Mo, 15 Apr 1943; Alliance AAFld, Neb, 25 Jul 1943; Laurinburg-Maxton AAB, NC, 19 Sep 1943; Pope Field, NC, 20 Dec 1943-19 Jan 1944; Greenham Common, England, 11 Mar 1944; Voisenon, France, 20 Feb-Oct 1945; Camp Shanks, NY, 10-11 Oct 1945.
Commanders. Col Harold L Clark, 1 Aug 1942; Brig Gen Maurice M Beach, 22 Aug 1942-1945.
Campaigns. American Theater; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.
Decorations. None.
Insigne. Shield: Over and through an ultramarine blue disc, within a light blue annulet, piped gold, a torch of liberty fired proper, handle of torch formed of open parachute argent, surmounted by a C-47 transport plane or, in flight, in front of flames of torch; on the field eight mullets or, arranged five to dexter, three to sinister. (Approved 6 Apr 1943.)
Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986
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