User:Buckboard/drafts

8th Pursuit Group
The history of the group stretches all the way back to 1923. On 24 March of that year, the Army authorized the unit on the inactive list as the 8th Pursuit Group. For the next eight years, however, the group consisted only of a name on the Air Service's and the the Army Air Corps' list of units available for activation, with no personnel assigned. Activation of the group finally came on 1 April 1931 at Langley Field, Virginia. Initially, the group had two flying squadrons assigned, but both operated from other bases. The 36th Pursuit Squadron flew from Selfridge Field, Michigan, while the 55th Pursuit Squadron operated from Mather Field, California. In June 1932 the group reorganized. It gained the 33rd and 35th Pursuit Squadrons, activated at Langley, while the 36th PS moved from Selfridge to Langley to join the rest of the group. At the same time, the 55th PS transferred to the 20th Pursuit Group, leaving the 8th with three squadrons. At Langley the group trained in such aircraft as the PB-2A, P-6, and P-12. Over the next several years, the group transitioned to such newer aircraft as the P-35, P-36, P-39, and P-40. Significantly, on 11 October 1940, the 8th Pursuit Group participated in a test designed to compare the take-off runs of standard Navy and Army aircraft. On that day, 24 P-40s from the 8th Pursuit Group launched from the USS Wasp, an aircraft carrier, and returned to Langley Field. That experiment, the first time that Army planes had flown from a Navy carrier, foreshadowed the use of the ship in the ferry role that it performed admirably in World War II. In November 1940, the 8th Pursuit Group moved to Mitchel Field, New York, where it became responsible for the air defense of New York City. The 33rd Pursuit Squadron transferred to another unit in Iceland in August 1941, leaving the group with two flying squadrons, the 35th and 36th.

8th Fighter Group
Ten days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the 8th Pursuit Group received orders to relocate to the Pacific Theater. At the end of January 1942, the group acquired the 80th Pursuit Squadron as its third combat component and began its journey into war. After traveling by troop train across the United States and crossing the Pacific Ocean aboard the former World War I troop transport Maui, the group arrived at its headquarters location, Brisbane, Australia, on 6 March 1942. The transit to Australia had involved only personnel and support equipment, and the 8th PG received P-39s and P-400s (a slightly inferior export version of the P-39) after arrival. The three combat squadrons operated from forward bases in New Guinea. Dedicated mainly to air defense, the group occasionally attacked ground targets, flying its first offensive mission on 30 April 1942, by strafing aircraft and fuel dumps at Lae and Salamaua. The Air Force redesignated the group as the 8th Fighter Group in May 1942, with similar redesignations for its squadrons. In September of that year, the group headquarters moved to Milne Bay, New Guinea. Rampant malaria, with over half the group's personnel affected, forced a move in February 1943 to Mareeba, Australia, for rest and recuperation. During these early operations, the group and its squadrons concentrated on defense of Australia and Allied territory in New Guinea, but occasionally conducted offensive operations. Despite numerous problems in these early stages of the war with Japan, the 8th overcame adversity and performed well, earning its first Distinguished Unit Citation. The group returned to action in April 1943, moving to Port Moresby, New Guinea. Before the move, the 80th Fighter Squadron re-equipped with the P-38 Lightning (below). For a time the 80th conducted most of the group's missions, as the P-39 aircraft of the 35th and 36th Fighter Squadrons were in poor condition. Both of these squadrons transitioned to the P-40 by June, and then began to conduct escort missions in New Guinea. Later in the year, the 36th Fighter Squadron replaced its P-40 aircraft with the P-47 Thunderbolt. Thus, for a time all three of the group's squadrons operated with different aircraft. In 1944 the P-40 and P-47 squadrons converted to the P-38, bringing the group back to a single aircraft type. In this phase of the war, the 8th covered landings and supported offensive ground operations in New Britain, New Guinea, and Hollandia, with the group moving forward to different bases as territory was captured from the Japanese. Later in 1944, the group supported operations in the Philippines, earning a second Distinguished Unit Citation when, armed only with machine guns, the Lightnings of the 8th Fighter Group strafed a Japanese naval task force for three hours, halting the ships until bomber aircraft from more distant bases could attack the task force. Despite the fact that the group did not have time to load bombs on its fighters and used only .50 caliber bullets on the mission, the 8th managed to sink one of the Japanese ships. After moving to a base in the Philippines in December 1944, the group spent the next several months conducting offensive operations against Formosa and the Asian mainland, as well as flying escort missions in the area. Moving to a base in Ie Shima in August 1945, the group flew several missions against the Japanese island of Kyushu before the war ended. On 14 August 1945, the day of the Japanese surrender, the 8th’s 35th Fighter Squadron shot down the last enemy plane of the war. During its involvement in World War II, the 8th Fighter Group participated in nine campaigns, and its pilots shot down 446 enemy aircraft, creating 24 aces. These included Major Jay T. Robbins, with 22 kills, and Majors Edward Cragg and Cyril F. Homer with 15 kills each. Major Jay T. Robbins, 80th Fighter Squadron, was the 8th Fighter Group’s highest scoring ace of World War II with 22 kills. He is pictured here with his P-38L, nicknamed Jandina IV. In January 1944 he became commander of the 80th Fighter Squadron and in September 1944 became deputy commander of the 8th Fighter Group. The aircraft’s name Jandina is a combination of Major Robbin’s first initial and his wife’s first name, Ina. After the war, the group moved to Fukuoka, Japan in November 1945 as part of the occupation force. In early 1946 the group converted to the P-51 Mustang. Over the next few years, the group operated from several different bases, providing air defense for Japan.

SEA MiG kill table
=8th Fighter Wing draft= The history of the 8th Fighter Wing began on 10 August 1948, when the Air Force established the unit, making it available for activation. The wing existed only on paper awaiting assignment of personnel and equipment. The actual activation took place the next week, on 18 August 1948, at Ashiya Airfield, Japan. On 18 August 1948, the Air Force activated the 8th Fighter Wing. The 8th Fighter Group was assigned as a subordinate component of the wing. In the Mustang—redesignated from the "pursuit" P-51 to the "fighter" F-51—and later in the F-80 Shooting Star, the 8th provided air defense of Japan. On 20 January 1950, the wing designation changed to the 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing. Soon another war would begin.

Korean War combat operations
On 25 June 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea, starting a war that would last three years. As the war in Korea began, the 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing was the first fighter wing to fly combat missions, providing air cover for the evacuation of Americans from Korea on 26 June, the day after the invasion. In these early operations, the wing flew the F-80 Shooting Star jet fighter and propeller driven aircraft such as the F-51 Mustang and F-82 Twin Mustang. The wing had various squadrons attached to it during the first months of the war in addition to the 35th, 36th, and 80th Fighter Squadrons. This first aerial victory of the Korean War went to 1Lt William G. Hudson, of the 68th Fighter All-Weather Squadron (attached to the 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing), in an F-82. Later the same day, 35th Fighter-Bomber Squadron F-80s scored the Air Force's first confirmed kills from jet aircraft. In August, the wing briefly reverted to the F-51 Mustang, returning to the F-80 in December 1950. Throughout the war, the wing principally conducted air-to-ground operations, providing close air support to United Nations ground forces and attacking targets such as supply centers and transportation assets. One of the wing's flyers, Major Charles J. Loring Jr., was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor after he intentionally dove his crippled F-80 into an enemy anti-aircraft site on Sniper Ridge in November 1952. The wing finished the war flying the F-86 Sabre and became responsible for air defense over South Korea. Its wartime participation in Korea earned the wing two Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations and ten campaign streamers, while the 8th Fighter-Bomber Group separately earned a Distinguished Unit Citation. During the war in Korea, the 8th shot down 18 enemy aircraft, most in the earliest days of the war before the wing's mission changed to air-to-ground operations.

Itazuke, Japan
The wing relocated to Itazuke Air Base, Japan, in October 1954, where it remained at Itazuke for the next ten years. On 1 October 1957, the 8th Fighter-Bomber Group inactivated, with the flying squadrons then assigned directly to the wing, at which time the history and honors of the group were bestowed on the wing. Less than a year later, on 1 July 1958, the Air Force redesignated the wing as the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. During its tenure at Itazuke, the wing flew several different aircraft, including the F-86 Sabre, F-100 Super Sabre, F-102 Delta Dagger, and F-105 Thunderchief. All of the wing's components except the headquarters inactivated on 18 June 1964, and by 10 July the wing moved without personnel or equipment to George Air Force Base, California. Here the 8th absorbed the assets of the 32nd Tactical Fighter Wing. In the transfer, the wing gained all new personnel and units: the 431st, 433rd, and 497th Tactical Fighter Squadrons. For the next year and a half, the wing trained at George in the F-4C Phantom II and participated in various exercises and inspections before deploying to Thailand in December 1965.

Southeast Asia combat operations
The 8th Fighter Wing was stationed at Ubon Airfield, Thailand throughout its involvement in the Vietnam conflict. Combat operations varied over the years. The wing at times concentrated on combat air patrols and other times flew interdiction, ground support and armed reconnaissance missions. In 1967 the wing flew mostly air-to-air missions against enemy MiGs.

Operation Bolo and the birth of the Wolf Pack
During the war in Southeast Asia, political restrictions gave the North Vietnamese Air Force a distinct advantage over the U.S. One of the restrictions forbade U.S. air forces from bombing North Vietnamese air bases in and around Hanoi and Haiphong. This restriction essentially gave the North Vietnamese a safe haven for their MiG fighters. Because U.S. forces could not fire on the MiGs parked on airfields, the North Vietnamese could pick their fights. Communist targets usually consisted of aircraft like F-105 Thunderchief fighter-bombers that had to drop their bombs before they could defend themselves against an air threat. In fact, MiG pilots usually harassed the F-105 pilots just enough to get them to drop their bombs prematurely. The MiGs would then retreat to the safety of their airfields when the F-105s turned to fight. The MiGs also avoided confrontations with the powerful F-4 Phantoms. With the North Vietnamese using these tactics, MiG kills became few and far between. The situation became even more critical with the addition of the MiG-21 to the North’s arsenal. U.S. planners wanted to trick the North Vietnamese into committing their MiG-21s against American forces on equal ground. In concert with Seventh Air Force planners, Col. Robin Olds, commander of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, devised a plan to draw the MiGs into a fight against F-4Cs armed for air-to-air combat—wolves in sheep’s clothing so to speak. The Phantoms would simulate F-105s by flying at the same altitude, speed, and route. The fighters would also use F-105 call signs, tanker rendezvous points, and would even make false radio calls to trick communist ground controllers. To complete the illusion, the F-4s were modified to carry electronic countermeasure pods used only on F-105s until that time. Crews trained three days for the mission. The wing brought a lot of experience to the fight. Col. Olds carried 12 enemy kills from World War II to his credit and the Vice Commander, Col. Vermont Garrison, also had the distinction of being a World War II ace. Col. Garrison had also earned 10 kills during Korea making him a triple ace. In the final pre-flight brief on New Year’s Day 1967, Col. Olds told his pilots, “All right you wolf pack, let’s go get them.” On 2 January 1967, seven four-ship flights from the 8th began converging on the North Vietnamese airfield of Phuc Yen. The wing’s flights were stretched in a long line with five minutes separating each flight. The spacing allowed sustained coverage of the enemy airfield for 55 minutes—the fuel endurance of the MiG-21. In addition to crews from the 8th, F-4s of the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing flew into the area from Da Nang Air Base. Intended to prevent the MiGs from fleeing to China as the 8th attacked, the 366th returned to base due to cloud cover over the target area. The 8th continued with the mission. With a heavy cloud deck obscuring the ground, the first four-ship flight, Olds flight, arrived over Phuc Yen Airfield at 15:00. According to plan, the MiGs took the bait. Col. Olds’ flight scored three kills. Ford flight, led by Col. Daniel “Chappie” James—the 8th’s deputy commander for operations and later the Air Force’s first black four-star general—arrived five minutes later and scored one kill. Rambler flight scored another three kills five minutes after that. Later flights recorded no kills as the North Vietnamese realized what was happening and fled the area. The cloud deck also prevented the F-4s from pursuing the MiGs to low level. In 12 minutes, the 8th recorded seven confirmed and two possible kills without a single loss. One Phantom sustained damage when it flew through the debris cloud from an exploding MiG. The results of the operation would have been much more impressive had the weather been clear. Regardless, Operation Bolo established US air superiority over the North. In fact, four days later, the 8th, pretending to be a weather reconnaissance flight, shot down two more MiG-21s, forcing the North to temporarily ground its fleet. The 8th Tactical Fighter Wing had destroyed nearly half of North Vietnam’s most advanced fighters in only five days. Following Operation Bolo, the 8th began referring to itself as the Wolf Pack. Their reputation soon grew as their continued success in air-to-air missions prompted units throughout the Air Force to also refer to the 8th as the Wolf Pack. The 8th finished the war as the leading MiG-killer, logging 38.5 confirmed MiG kills. In fact, Bob Hope once referred to the 8th as the “world’s largest distributor of MiG parts.” The wing was also successful in several other areas. On 23 May 1968, the Wolf Pack made the first-ever combat drop of the Paveway laser-guided bomb. Later on 10 and 13 May 1972, the wing destroyed two seemingly-indestructible North Vietnamese bridges—the Paul Doumer and Than Hoa Bridges—in North Vietnam using laser-guided bombs. Hundreds of sorties over several years by a variety of U.S. aircraft had failed to put these two key targets permanently out of commission. Wolf Pack F-4s completed the job in just two days. Throughout the war, the wing flew the F-4 Phantom, first the C model and later the F-4D and F-4E. In addition to the main force of F-4 fighters, at various stages of the war the wing also had squadrons flying AC-123 Black Spot and AC-130 Spectre gunships, F-104 Starfighters, and B-57 Canberra bombers. From 1965 until it left Ubon in 1974, the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing earned 16 campaign streamers, three Presidential Unit Citations, six Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat V device, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm.

Kunsan, Korea
Although the 8th ceased combat operations in August 1973, it remained at Ubon until September 1974, maintaining a combat-ready force in the region. On 16 September 1974, the 8th moved to Kunsan Air Base, South Korea. This move took place without personnel or equipment, and the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing absorbed the assets of the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing. The 3rd moved without personnel or equipment to Clark Air Base in the Philippines. With the move, the 8th was reunited with two squadrons that had previously been associated with the wing, the 35th and the 80th Tactical Fighter Squadrons. Again the wing flew the F-4 Phantom, providing air defense over South Korea. Following the "tree-cutting incident," an August 1976 border confrontation involving the murder of two U.S. Army officers by North Koreans, tensions rose between North and South Korea. In response, the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing was placed on heightened alert and the 12th and 67th Tactical Fighter Squadrons from Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, temporarily joined the wing at Kunsan, bringing the strength of the 8 TFW to four squadrons of F-4 fighters. In September the tensions eased and the two augmenting squadrons returned to Kadena. On 1 October 1978, the wing gained a third flying unit, the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron, based at Taegu Air Base, South Korea. Operations continued unchanged for the next few years, until the wing transitioned from the F-4 to the newer F-16 Fighting Falcon. The Wolf Pack’s transition from the F-4 to the F-16 began with the arrival of the wing’s first F-16 on 29 May 1981. The wing’s first F-16 sortie was flown the following 18 September and, by 19 July 1982, the conversion of the 35th and 80th Fighter squadrons was complete as the last F-4 departed Kunsan. This aircraft conversion made the 8th the first active-duty overseas F-16 wing. On 1 January 1982, the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Taegu inactivated. For the next ten years the wing used the F-16 to maintain combat readiness for the defense of Korea. While the overall mission remained unchanged, the wing reorganized on 3 February 1992, becoming the 8th Fighter Wing. Further, the wing adopted a new organizational structure. Under the former tri-deputy system, the wing commander had three deputy commanders, one each for operations, maintenance, and resources. The squadrons remained directly to the wing.

In 1992, the wing adopted a multi-group structure. This reorganization re-activated the 8th Operations Group and created the 8th Logistics, 8th Support, and 8th Medical Groups assigned directly to the wing, with the squadrons now assigned and reporting to the groups. In 2002, the wing reorganized under the "Combat Wing Organization" concept. This reorganization redesignated the 8th Logistics Group as the 8th Maintenance Group and the 8th Support Group as the 8th Mission Support Group. The 8th Operations and Medical Groups remained unchanged, and the squadrons continued to be assigned to their functionally aligned groups. On 17 November, the 35th Fighter Squadron received its first Block 40 F-16s. The new aircraft carried Low-Altitude Navigation & Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pods. The 35th completed its conversion in February 2001. The combination of LANTIRN and night-vision goggles has allowed the Wolf Pack to take the fight into the night.

Wing

 * 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing - attached 25 September - 12 October 1950

Groups

 * 8th Fighter Group (later 8th Fighter-Bomber Group, 8th Operations Group) - 18 August 1948 - 1 October 1957  (detached 14 August - 30 November 1950, not operational 1 February - 1 October 1957), 3 February 1992 – present
 * 49th Fighter-Bomber Group - attached circa 9 July - 30 September 1950

Squadrons
Assigned Temporary
 * 13th Bombardment Squadron - attached 1-30 October 1970, assigned 31 October 1970-24 December 1972 (not operational 12 April-24 December 1972)
 * 16th Special Operations Squadron - 30 October 1968-8 December 1975 (detached 19 July 1974-8 December 1975)
 * 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron - 28 May 1968-5 July 1974
 * 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron - attached 1 February-30 September 1957, assigned 1 October 1957-18 June 1964 (detached 13 May- 8 June 1964), assigned 16 September 1974-2 February 1992
 * 36th Tactical Fighter Squadron - attached 1 February-30 September 1957, assigned 1 October 1957-18 June 1964 (detached 13 May-18 June 1964), assigned but not operational 16-30 September 1974
 * 68th Fighter Squadron, All Weather (later 68th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 68th Tactical Fighter Squadron) - attached 1 March-1 December 1950, 20 October 1954-1 March 1955, and 1 December 1961-15 June 1964, assigned 25 July 1964-6 December 1965 (detached 24 August-6 December 1965)
 * 80th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (later 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron) - attached 11 August-1 October 1950 and 1 February-30 September 1957, assigned 1 October 1957-18 June 1964 (detached 13 May-18 June 1964), assigned 16 September 1974-2 February 1992
 * 431st Tactical Fighter Squadron - 25 July 1964-6 December 1965 (detached 26 August-6 December 1965)
 * 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron - 25 July 1964-23 July 1974
 * 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron - attached 5 June-23 July 1966, assigned 24 July 1966-8 August 1974
 * 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron - 25 July 1964-6 December 1965, 8 December 1965-16 September 1974, 1 October 1978-1 January 1982
 * 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron - attached circa 25 February-24 March 1966, assigned 25 March 1966-1 June 1968
 * 4th Fighter Squadron, All Weather - attached 26 June - 13 July 1950
 * 9th Fighter-Bomber Squadron - attached circa 27 June-circa 9 July 1950
 * 58th Tactical Fighter Squadron - attached June - 11 September 1973
 * No. 77 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force - attached 2 July - 10 October 1950 and 25 June - 22 August 1951
 * 308th Tactical Fighter Squadron - attached December 1972 - June 1973
 * 319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron - attached 20 February - 17 August 1954
 * 334th Tactical Fighter Squadron - attached 11 April - 8 July 1972 and 25 September 1972 - March 1973
 * 335th Tactical Fighter Squadron - attached 8 July - December 1972
 * 336th Tactical Fighter Squadron - attached 12 April - 25 September 1972 and March - 7 September 1973
 * 339th Fighter Squadron, All Weather - attached 26 June - 5 July 1950

Stations

 * Ashiya Airfield, Japan - 18 August 1948 - 24 March 1949
 * Itazuke Airfield, Japan - 25 March 1949 - 30 November 1950
 * Pyongyang, Korea - 1-8 December 1950
 * Seoul, Korea - 9 December 1950
 * Itazuke Air Base, Japan - 10 December 1950 - 24 June 1951
 * Kimpo, Korea - 25 June - 22 August 1951
 * Suwon, Korea - 23 August 1951 - 19 August 1954
 * Itazuke Air Base, Japan - 20 August 1954 - 10 July 1964 (deployed at Kunsan, Korea, 14 - 22 October 1955)
 * George Air Force Base, California - 10 July 1964 - circa 6 December 1965
 * Ubon Airfield, Thailand - 8 December 1965 - 16 December 1974
 * Kunsan Air Base, Korea - 16 September 1974 - present

Wing commanders
Colonel Charles T. Olmstead 18 Aug 48-21 Jan 49 Colonel Daniel A. Cooper 22 Jan 49-28 Feb 49 Colonel John M. Price 1 Mar 49-8 Dec 50 Colonel Charles W. Stark 9 Dec 50-2 Apr 51 Colonel James B. Tipton 3 Apr 51-19 Feb 52 Colonel Raymond K. Gallagher 20 Feb 52-23 Jan 53 Colonel James J. Stone, Jr. 24 Jan 53-28 May 53 Colonel William E. Elder 29 May 53-10 Sep 53 Colonel Ernest H. Beverly 11 Sep 53-10 Jul 54 Colonel John B. Murphy 11 Jul 54-3 Aug 54 Colonel William W. Momyer 4 Aug 54-25 Feb 55 Colonel Orville H. Rehmann 26 Feb 55-7 Jun 57 Colonel Robert P. Montgomery 8 Jun 57-7 Jul 59 Colonel Raymond K. Gallagher 8 Jul 59-19 Jul 59 Colonel Chesley G. Peterson 20 Jul 59-22 May 60 Colonel William A. Daniel 23 May 60-15 May 62 Colonel John R. Roche 16 May 62-28 Jun 62 Colonel William E. Buck, Jr. 29 Jun 62-11 Jun 64 Colonel Jack G. Milne 12 Jun 64-18 Jun 64 - None, not manned 19 Jun 64-24 Jul 64 - Colonel John L. Gregory, Jr. 25 Jul 64-7 Dec 65 Colonel Joseph G. Wilson 8 Dec 65-29 Sep 66 Colonel Robin C. Olds 30 Sep 66-22 Sep 67 Wolf #11 Colonel Robert V. Spencer 23 Sep 67-4 Jul 68 Wolf #2 Colonel Charles C. Patillo 5 Jul 68-7 May 69 Wolf #3 Colonel Donald N. Stanfield 8 May 69-5 May 70 Wolf #4 Colonel David J. Schmerbeck 6 May 70-1 Oct 70 Wolf #5 Colonel Lloyd R. Leavitt 2 Oct 70-3 Oct 70 Wolf #6 Colonel Larry M. Killpack 4 Oct 70-19 May 71 Wolf #7 Colonel James A. Young 20 May 71-27 Feb 72 Wolf #8 Colonel Carl S. Miller 28 Feb 72-24 Nov 72 Wolf #9 Colonel Francis H. Humphreys, Jr. 25 Nov 72-24 Jan 74 Wolf #10 Colonel Tom M. Arnold, Jr. 25 Jan 74-15 Sep 74 Wolf #11 Colonel Harry W. Schurr 16 Sep 74-21 Nov 74 Wolf #12 Colonel Alfred M. Miller, Jr. 22 Nov 74-11 Mar 75 Wolf #13 Colonel Charles R. Hamm 12 Mar 75-11 Mar 76 Wolf #14 Colonel Reginald R. Davis 12 Mar 76-6 Mar 77 Wolf #15 Colonel Thomas S. Swalm 7 Mar 77-17 Mar 78 Wolf #16 Colonel Charles M. Summers 18 Mar 78-16 Mar 79 Wolf #17 Colonel Robert C. Beyer, Jr. 17 Mar 79-30 Mar 80 Wolf #18 Colonel Robert P. McGroarty 31 Mar 80-30 Mar 81 Wolf #19 Colonel Donald Snyder 31 Mar 81-6 Jun 82 Wolf #20 Colonel James F. Record 7 Jun 82-12 May 83 Wolf #21 Colonel Burton R. Moore 13 May 83-8 May 84 Wolf #22 Colonel E. Daniel Cherry 9 May 84-27 May 85 Wolf #23 Colonel Ronald N. Running 28 May 85-9 Jun 86 Wolf #24 Colonel Sidney J. Wise 10 Jun 86-14 Jun 87 Wolf #25 Colonel Everett H. Pratt, Jr. 15 Jun 87-6 Jun 88 Wolf #26 Colonel Joseph E. Hurd 7 Jun 88-15 Jun 89 Wolf #27 Colonel Patrick K. Gamble 16 Jun 89-7 Jun 90 Wolf #28 Colonel John F. Miller, Jr. 8 Jun 90-21 Jul 91 Wolf #29 Colonel Edward B. Carter 22 Jul 91-5 Jul 92 Wolf #30 Colonel Steven R. Polk 6 Jul 92-24 Jun 93 Wolf #31 Colonel Stephen E. Trent 25 Jun 93-24 Mar 94 Wolf #32 Colonel Hugh C. Cameron 5 Jul 94-4 Jul 95 Wolf #33 Colonel L.D. Johnston 22 Mar 95-21 Mar 96 Wolf #34 Colonel David L. Moody 22 Mar 96-27 Apr 97 Wolf #35 Colonel Mark A. Welsh, III 28 Apr 97- 27 May 98 Wolf #36 Colonel Stephen T. Sargeant 28 May 98-13 May 99 Wolf #37 Colonel Gary North 14 May 99-15 May 00 Wolf #38 Col Philip M. Breedlove 16 May 00-30 Apr 01 Wolf #39 Col Burton M. Field 1 May 01-6 May 02 Wolf #40 Col Guy K. Dahlbeck 7 May 02-13 May 03 Wolf #41 Col Robin Rand 14 May 02-Present Wolf #42

Aircraft
Primary: Attached:
 * F-51 - 1948-1950, 1950
 * F-80 - 1949-1950, 1950-1953
 * F-82 - 1950
 * F-86 - 1953-1957
 * F-100 - 1956-1963
 * F-102 - 1961-1964
 * F-105 - 1963-1964
 * F-4 - 1964-1974, 1974-1982
 * F-104 - 1966-1967
 * AC-130 - 1968-1974
 * AC-123 - 1969-1970
 * B-57 - 1970-1972
 * F-16 - 1982-present
 * Meteor 8 - 1951
 * F-94 - 1954
 * F-84 - 1956

Lineage

 * Established as 8th Fighter Wing, 10 Aug 1948.
 * Activated 18 Aug 1948.
 * Redesignated as 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 20 Jan 1950
 * Redesignated as 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Jul 1958
 * Redesignated as 8th Fighter Wing, 3 Feb 1992.

Honors
Campaign Streamers

Korea: Vietnam:
 * UN Defensive
 * UN Offensive
 * Chinese Communist Forces Intervention
 * First UN Counteroffensive
 * Chinese Communist Forces Spring Offensive
 * UN Summer-Fall Offensive
 * Second Korean Winter
 * Korea Summer-Fall 1952
 * Third Korean Winter
 * Korea Summer-Fall 1953
 * Vietnam Defense
 * Vietnam Air
 * Vietnam Air Offensive
 * Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II
 * Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III
 * Vietnam Air/Ground
 * Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV
 * Tet 69 Counteroffensive
 * Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
 * Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
 * Sanctuary Counteroffensive
 * Southwest Monsoon
 * Commando Hunt V
 * Commando Hunt VI
 * Commando Hunt VII
 * Vietnam Ceasefire Campaign

Decorations

 * Presidential Unit Citation: 16 Dec 1966-2 Jan 1967
 * Presidential Unit Citation: 1 Mar 1967-31 Mar 1968
 * Presidential Unit Citation: 1 Jan-1 Apr 1971
 * Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 12 May 1963-21 Mar 1964
 * Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat V Device: 16 Dec 1965-15 Dec 1966
 * Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat V Device: 1 Apr-30 Sep 1968
 * Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat V Device: 1 Jan-31 Dec 1970
 * Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat V Device: 1 Oct 1971-31 Mar 1972
 * Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat V Device: 1 Apr-22 Oct 1972
 * Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat V Device: 18 Dec 1972-15 Aug 1973
 * Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 Apr 1977-31 Mar 1978
 * Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 Jun 1986-31 May 1988
 * Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 Aug 1995-31 Jul 1997
 * Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: 27 Jun 1950-31 Jan 1951
 * Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: 1 Feb 1951-31 Mar 1953
 * Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 1966-28 Jan 1973

Bestowed awards
World War II Campaign Streamers: World War II decorations:
 * Air Offensive, Japan
 * Bismarck Archipelago
 * East Indies
 * Luzon
 * Northern Solomons
 * Papua
 * Western Pacific
 * Leyte
 * Distinguished Unit Citation - 23 July 1942-23 January 1943 (Papua)
 * Distinguished Unit Citation - 26 December 1944 (Philippine Islands)
 * Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

In addition, the 8th Fighter-Bomber Group earned a Distinguished Unit Citation in Korea, with inclusive dates of 16 Sep-2 Nov 1950, not shared by the wing.

Emblems
Emblem: Azure, a chevron nebule Or, all within a diminished bordure of the last. Motto: Attaquez et Conquerez — Attack and conquer. Approved for 8th Group on 6 Sep 1934 and for 8th Wing on 3 Jul 1952 (K 6538). Unofficial Emblem: The “Mach II Wolf,” “Wolf Cranium,” or simply the “Cranium.”  A wolf’s head with yellow eye (no pupil), gray muzzle, white teeth, red tongue, and black fur displayed horizontally. An imaginary horizontal line should pass through the nose and the third curl below the ear

Korean War
Headquarters Far East Air Forces (HQ FEAF), the organization responsible for awarding victory credits during the Korean Conflict, required proof of the destruction of enemy aircraft before issuing general orders to confirm claims. This proof usually consisted of witness statements, gun camera film, or the sighting of aircraft wreckage…. Following the policy used for apportioning victory credits in World War II, FEAF divided into fractions each credit awarded to more than one flyer. For example, if two fighter pilots shot down the same airplane, each received a half credit. Korean victory credits were never divided between more than two men.2 NAME 	RANK 			UNIT 	KILLS           	A/C 	DATE Dewald, Robert H 1Lt 		35 FS 	1.0 IL-10	F-80 	27 Jun 50 Hudson, William G. 1Lt 		68 FS 	1.0 Yak-11 	F-82 	27 Jun 50 Little, James W. Maj 		339 FS	1.0 La-7 	F-82 	27 Jun 50 Moran, Charles B. 1Lt	 	68 FS 	1.0 La-7	F-82	27 Jun 50 Schillereff, Raymond E Capt	35 FS 	1.0 IL-10	F-80	27 Jun 50 Wayne, Robert E. 1Lt	 	35 FS 	2.0 IL-10	F-80 	27 Jun 50 Burns, Richard J. 1Lt 		35 FS 	1.0 IL-10 	F-51 	29 Jun 50 Thomas, John B. 1Lt 		36 FS 	1.0 Yak-9 	F-80 	30 Jun 50 Wurster, Charles A. 1Lt 	36 FS 	1.0 Yak-9 	F-80 	30 Jun 50 Clark, Francis B. Capt 		35 FS 	1.0 Yak-9	F-80 	17 Jul 50 Kees, Elwood A. 2Lt 		36 FS 	1.0 Yak-9 	F-80 	19 Jul 50 McKee, Robert D. 1Lt 		36 FS 	1.0 Yak-9 	F-80 	19 Jul 50 Wurster, Charles A. 1Lt 	36 FS 	1.0 Yak-9 	F-80 	19 Jul 50 Goodnough, David H. 2Lt 	35 FS 	1.0 Yak-9 	F-80 	20 Jul 50 Lee, Robert L. Capt 		35 FS 	1.0 Yak-9	F-80 	20 Jul 50 Landry, Howard J. 1Lt 		36 FS 	1.0 MiG-15 	F-80 	17 Mar 51 Smith, Robert E. 2Lt 		36 FS 	1.0 MiG-15 	F-80 	1 Dec 51 KOREAN WAR TOTALS: 35th Fighter Squadron 8 36th Fighter Squadron 7 68th Fighter Squadron 2 339th Fighter Squadron 1 8 FBW TOTAL 18

Southeast Asia (Vietnam War)
“Evaluators considered an enemy aircraft destroyed if it crashed, disintegrated, lost a vital flying component, caught fire, or was abandoned by its pilot. Confirming evidence consisted of written contemporary testimony of one or more witnesses, gun camera film from the time, or the sighting of enemy aircraft wreckage immediately after the event…. During the conflict in Southeast Asia, Air Force Chief of Staff John D. Ryan directed that each member of a two-man crew receive one full credit for the destruction of a hostile aircraft. Up to four men (two 2-man crews) could each receive one full credit for destroying a single enemy airplane. This liberal method of apportioning credit departed from the World War II practice of dividing credit into equal fractions among those responsible. It more closely resembled the World War I French and American systems of awarding whole credits to everyone involved in a victory. Totalling the Southeast Asia victories will therefore not produce the number of enemy airplanes destroyed in air-to-air combat.”3 Unlike during Korea, the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing flew two-seat aircraft in Vietnam. Both crewmembers in the F-4 Phantom received a full credit when they shot down an enemy aircraft, instead of splitting the credit between them. The unit, of course, received only one credit for each enemy aircraft. The only partial credits occurred when two separate fighters shot down the same enemy aircraft. In these cases, all involved crewmembers received a half credit. In the following list, the crew positions, in parentheses, follow the names. For the first several years of the Vietnam conflict, the F-4 crew consisted of an aircraft commander (the front-seater), and a pilot (the back-seater). Later, the term "weapons systems officer", or "WSO" (pronounced “wizzo”), replaced the designation "pilot" for the back-seater.

CREW RANK 			UNIT 		KILLS 		A/C 	DATE

Blake, Robert E. (AC) Capt 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	23 Apr 66 George, S. W. (pilot) 1Lt 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	23 Apr 66 Cameron, Max F. (AC) Capt 	555 TFS	 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	23 Apr 66 Evans, Robert E. (pilot) 1Lt 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	23 Apr 66 Dowell, William B. D. (AC) Capt 555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	29 Apr 66 Gossard, Halbert E. (pilot) 1Lt 555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	29 Apr 66 Keith, Larry R. (AC) Capt 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	29 Apr 66 Bleakley, Robert A. (pilot) 1Lt 555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	29 Apr 66 Golberg, Lawrence H. (AC) Capt 	555 TFS	 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C	30 Apr 66 Hardgrave, Gerald D. (pilot) 1Lt 555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C	30 Apr 66 Jameson, Jerry W. (AC) 1Lt 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	16 Sep 66 Rose, Douglas B. (pilot) 1Lt 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	16 Sep 66 Olds, Robin (AC) Col 		555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	2 Jan 67 Clifton, Charles C. (pilot) 1Lt 555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	2 Jan 67 Radeker, Walter S. III (AC) Capt 555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	2 Jan 67 Murray, James E. III (pilot) 1Lt 555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	2 Jan 67 Raspberry, Everett T. Jr. (AC) Capt 555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C	2 Jan 67 Western, Robert W. (pilot) 1Lt 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	2 Jan 67 Wetterhahn, Ralph F. (AC) 1Lt 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	2 Jan 67 Sharp, Jerry K. (pilot) 1Lt 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	2 Jan 67 Combies, Philip P. (AC) Maj 	433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	2 Jan 67 Dutton, Lee R. (pilot) 1Lt 	433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	2 Jan 67 Stone, John B. (AC) Capt	433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	2 Jun 67 Dunnegan, Clifton P. Jr. (pilot) 1Lt 433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	2 Jan 67 Glynn, Lawrence J. Jr. (AC) 1Lt 433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	2 Jan 67 Cary, Lawrence E. (pilot) 1Lt 	433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	2 Jan 67 Hirsch, Thomas M. (AC) Maj 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	6 Jan 67 Strasswimmer, Roger J. (pilot) 1Lt 555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	6 Jan 67 Pascoe, Richard M. (AC) Capt 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	6 Jan 67 Wells, Norman E. (pilot) 1Lt 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	6 Jan 67 Olds, Robin (AC) Col 		555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	4 May 67 Lafever, William D. (pilot) 1Lt 555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4C 	4 May 67 Kirk, William L. (AC) Maj 	433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	13 May 67 Wayne, Stephen A. (pilot) 1Lt 	433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	13 May 67 Haeffner, Fred A. (AC) Lt Col 	433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	13 May 67 Bever, Michael R. (pilot) 1Lt 	433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	13 May 67 Pardo, John R. (AC) Maj 	433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17	F-4C 	20 May 67 Wayne, Stephen A. (pilot) 1Lt 	433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17	F-4C 	20 May 67 Olds, Robin (AC) Col 		433 TFS	 	2.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	20 May 67 Croker, Stephen B. (pilot) 1Lt 	433 TFS 	2.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	20 May 67 Combies, Philip P. (AC) Maj 	433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	20 May 67 Lafferty, Daniel L. (pilot) 1Lt 433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	20 May 67 Pascoe, Richard M. (AC) Maj 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	5 Jun 67 Wells, Norman E. (pilot) Capt 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4C 	5 Jun 67 Raspberry, Everett T. Jr. (AC) Maj 555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	5 Jun 67 Gullick, Francis M. (pilot) Capt 555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	5 Jun 67 Kirk, William L. (AC) Maj 	433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4D 	24 Oct 67 Bongartz, Theodore R. (pilot) 1Lt 433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4D 	24 Oct 67 Cobb, Larry D. (AC) Capt 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	26 Oct 67 Lavoy, Alan A. (pilot) Capt	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	26 Oct 67 Gordon, William S. III (AC) Capt 555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	26 Oct 67 Monsees, James H. (pilot) 1Lt 	555 TFS	 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	26 Oct 67 Logeman, John D. Jr. (AC) Capt 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	26 Oct 67 McCoy, Fred E. II (pilot) 1Lt 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	26 Oct 67 Simmonds, Darrell D. (AC) Capt 	435 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	6 Nov 67 McKinney, George H. Jr. (p) 1Lt 435 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	6 Nov 67 Simmonds, Darrell D. (AC) Capt 	435 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	6 Nov 67 McKinney, George H. Jr. (p) 1Lt 435 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	6 Nov 67 Moore, Joseph D. (AC) Maj 	435 TFS 	0.5 MiG-17 	F-4D 	19 Dec 67 McKinney, George H. Jr. (p) 1Lt 435 TFS 	0.5 MiG-17 	F-4D 	19 Dec 67 Squier, Clayton K. (AC) Lt Col 	435 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	3 Jan 68 Muldoon, Michael D. (pilot) 1Lt 435 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	3 Jan 68 Bogoslofski, Bernard J. (AC) Maj 433 TFS	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	3 Jan 68 Huskey, Richard L. (pilot) Capt 433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	3 Jan 68 Simonet, Kenneth A. (AC) Maj 	435 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	18 Jan 68 Smith, Wayne O. (pilot) 1Lt 	435 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	18 Jan 68 Boles, Robert H. (AC) Capt 	433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4D 	6 Feb 68 Battista, Robert B. (pilot) 1Lt 433 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4D 	6 Feb 68 Lang, Alfred E. Jr. (AC) Lt Col 435 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4D 	12 Feb 68 Moss, Randy P. (pilot) 1Lt 	435 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4D 	12 Feb 68 Williams, David O. Jr. (AC) Col 435 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	14 Feb 68 Feighny, James P. Jr. (pilot) 1Lt 435 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	14 Feb 68 Howerton, Rex D. (AC) Maj 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	14 Feb 68 Voigt, Ted L. II (pilot) 1Lt 	555 TFS 	1.0 MiG-17 	F-4D 	14 Feb 68 Sheffler, Fred W. (AC) Capt 	336 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4E 	15 Aug 72 Massen, Mark A. (WSO) Capt 	336 TFS 	1.0 MiG-21 	F-4E 	15 Aug 72 VIETNAM WAR TOTALS: 336th Tactical Fighter Squadron:  1.0 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron: 12.0 425th Tactical Fighter Squadron:  6.5 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron: 19.06 8th Tactical Fighter Wing Total: 38.5

4 Kill shared with 333 TFS F-105