Page 12 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt 1-15-16

Jan. 15, 2016 NEWS Thunderbolt
http://www.luke.af.mil
12 www.aerotechnews.com/lukeafb week in
history
This

Jan. 15, 1940: Groups activate at Luke

Seventy-five years ago today two of the current groups Japanese on American soil. The 56th FG was one of the Operations Group moved to Kirkland AFB, New Mexico. On
in the 56th Fighter Wing activated for the first time. first U.S. units to take part in combat in the European March 1, 2014, the 54th Fighter Group reactivated at Hol-
Theater of Operations. In February 1944, the 58th FG en- loman AFB, but reports to the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke.
Today they are the 56th Operations Group at Luke tered combat in the Pacific Theater of Operations.That was
Air Force Base and the 54th Fighter Group at Holloman early in the Allied counter-offensive against the Japanese. Thus, the circle is complete with all three groups flying
AFB, New Mexico. The next day, another group activated once again to protect our nation.
for the first time, the 58th Fighter Group. All three were Of the three groups, the 54th disbanded first on May 1,
constituted on the same day, Nov. 20, 1940, as pursuit 1944. The 56th FG inactivated on Oct. 18, 1945, and the
groups (interceptor). On May 15, 1942, all three became 58th inactivated on Jan. 27, 1946. Three months later the
fighter groups. 56th reactivated for fighter escort duties due to uneasiness
with the Soviets. Later its mission changed to air defense.
What makes those activations interesting is that the
United States was officially a neutral nation. Up to that In 1952, five months after the 56th inactivated, the 58th
date, the Axis powers enjoyed a series of victories. The reactivated in an air defense mission. Three years later
nine-month German bomber Blitz of London was about the 54th joined that mission. The 56th and 58th activated
half over. In December 1940, President Franklin Roosevelt and inactivated a couple more times during the 1950s and
upped his request for pilots from 12,000 to 30,000. early 1960s. The 58th even spent four years as a tactical
missile group. By the end of March 1962, all of the groups
Another interesting fact is that all three groups were were inactivated and remained so until 1991.
later associated with Luke AFB. The three groups’ service
represented the U.S. Army Air Force’s fighter combat ef- On Oct. 1, 1991, the newly renamed 58th Operations
forts in three of the main theaters during World War II. Group reactivated at Luke AFB. A month later, the 56th
All three groups received the American Theater Service Operations Group activated at MacDill AFB, Florida. The
Streamer. 56th Operations Group inactivated 26 months later only to
reactivate at Luke April 1, 1994. That same day the 58th
However, the 54th Fighter Group actually fought the

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