306th Fighter Wing

306th Fighter Wing
Active	1943–1945
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army Air Forces
Role	Fighter
Part of	Fifteenth Air Force
Engagements	World War II European Campaign (1943–1945)

The 306th Fighter Wing (306th FW) was a World War II United States Army Air Forces organization assigned to Fifteenth Air Force as an intermediate-level command and control organization. It was last stationed at Drew Field, Florida and was inactivated on 7 November 1945.

History

Lineage

• Constituted as 306th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 7 December 1943.

Activated on 15 January 1944.

Redesignated 306th Fighter Wing in May 1944

Inactivated on 7 November 1945.

Assignments

• Fifteenth Air Force, 15 January 1944 – 15 July 1945
• Continental Air Command
• Third Air Force, August −7 November 1945

Stations

• Bari Airfield, Italy, 15 January 1944
• Foggia Airfield, Italy, 27 January 1944
• Lucera Airfield, Italy, 23 February 1944
• Torremaggiore, Italy, 8 March 1944
• Lesina Airfield, Italy, 3 September 1944
• Fano Airfield, Italy, 5 March – 15 July 1945
• Drew Field, Florida, August −7 November 1945

Components

• Transferred from 5th Bombardment Wing:

1st Fighter Group 27 March – November 1944

82d Fighter Group 27 March 1944 – 13 June 1945

325th Fighter Group May 1944 – 13 June 1945

• Transferred from Twelfth Air Force

14th Fighter Group 1 November 1943 – 27 March 1944

31st Fighter Group 2 April 1944 – 13 June 1945

52d Fighter Group 14 May 1944 – 13 June 1945

332d Fighter Group 28 May 1944 – 13 June 1945

All units were transferred to 305th Fighter Wing

Aircraft

• P-38 Lightning (1st, 14th 82d FG 1 November 1943 – Summer 1944)
• P-51 Mustang (All)
• P-47 Thunderbolt, B-26 Marauder (325th FG, also P-51 Mustang)

Operational history

Constituted originally as the 306th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) on 7 December 1943. Activated in Italy on 15 January 1944. Assigned to Fifteenth Air Force.

Entered combat in Mar as a fighter organization. Re-designated 306th Fighter Wing in May 1944. Operated in the Mediterranean and European theaters until the end of the war.

Moved to the US, July–August 1945. Inactivated on 7 November 1945.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.