| Pacific Air Forces | |
|---|---|
 Shield of Pacific Air Forces | |
| Active | 31 July 1944 – present (81 years, 3 months) Detailed
|
| Country |  United States of America |
| Branch |  United States Air Force United States Army ( Army Air Forces; 31 July 1944- 26 September 1947)[1] |
| Type | Major Command |
| Role | "PACAF's primary mission is to deliver rapid and precise air, space and cyberspace capabilities to protect and defend the United States, its territories and our allies and partners."[2] |
| Size | 31,299 airmen 334 aircraft[3] |
| Part of |  United States Indo-Pacific Command |
| Headquarters | Hickam Air Force Base,Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam,Hawaii, U.S. |
| Engagements |  World War II – Asiatic-Pacific Theater *New Guinea campaign *Battle of Leyte *Battle of Luzon  Korean War[1]*  Vietnam War  Laotian Civil War Cambodian Campaign |
| Decorations |  Air Force Organization Excellence Award _Streamer.png) Philippine Presidential Unit Citation[1] |
| Website | www |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | GenKevin B. Schneider[4] |
| Deputy Commander | Lt GenLaura L. Lenderman[5] |
| Deputy Commander - RAAF[7] | AVM Carl Newman[6] |
| Command Chief | CCMKathleen M. McCool[8] |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | A-10C |
| Electronic warfare | E-3B/C |
| Fighter | F-15C/D,F-16C/D,F-22A |
| Multirole helicopter | HH-60G,UH-1N |
| Transport | C-12J,C-17A,C-37A,C-40B,C-130H |
| Tanker | KC-135R |
ThePacific Air Forces (PACAF) is amajor command (MAJCOM) of theUnited States Air Force and is also the air component command of theUnited States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at theHickam AFB portion ofJoint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii, and is one of two USAF MAJCOMs assigned outside the continental United States, the other being theUnited States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa. Over the past sixty-five plus years, PACAF has been engaged in combat during the Korean and Vietnam Wars and Operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
The mission of Pacific Air Forces is to provide ready air and space power to promote U.S. interests in the Asia-Pacific region during peacetime, through crisis, and in war. PACAF organizes, trains, and equips the 45,000 Total Force personnel of theRegular Air Force, theAir Force Reserve and theAir National Guard with the tools necessary to support the Commander ofUnited States Indo-Pacific Command. PACAF comprises three numbered Air Forces, nine main bases and nearly 375 aircraft.
The command'sarea of responsibility extends from the west coast of theUnited States to the east coast ofAsia and from theArctic to theAntarctic, more than 100,000,000 square miles (260,000,000 km2). The area is home to nearly two billion people who live in 44 countries.
The beginnings of PACAF can be traced back to June 1944, whenMajor GeneralSt. Clair Streett'sThirteenth Air Force was added to Allied Air Forces,South West Pacific Area. At approximately the same time,Lieutenant GeneralGeorge Kenney[9] created theFar East Air Forces (FEAF) from hisFifth Air Force headquarters, while the Advanced Echelon became theFifth Air Force underMajor GeneralEnnis Whitehead, Sr.[10]
TheRAAF also formed theAustralian First Tactical Air Force underAir CommodoreHarry Cobby in October 1944,[11] and whenGeneralDouglas MacArthur became commander of all Army forces in the Pacific, theSeventh Air Force was added as well.[12]
Far East Air Forces (FEAF) was activated on 3 August 1944, atBrisbane,Queensland,Australia.[13] FEAF (Provisional) had actually been created on 15 June 1944, andFifth Air Force assigned to it. FEAF was subordinate to theU.S. Army Forces Far East and served as the headquarters of Allied Air ForcesSouthwest Pacific Area.[14]
The creation of FEAF consolidated the command and control authority overUnited States Army Air Forces (USAAF) units widely deployed throughout the southwest Pacific in World War II. On 15 June 1945,Fifth Air Force,Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines;Seventh Air Force, Hickam Field, Hawaii, USA; andThirteenth Air Force, Clark Field,Luzon,Philippines were assigned to FEAF to support combat operations in the Pacific.
With the end of World War II in September 1945, the USAAF found its units deployed throughout the Pacific, from Hawaii toIndia, from Japan to Australia, and based on a hundred island airstrips, along with bases in China andBurma. A realignment of these forces was needed by the USAAF to better organize its forces in the Pacific for peacetime. On 6 December 1945, Far East Air Forces was redesignatedPacific Air Command, United States Army (PACUSA), and its Air Forces were redeployed as follows:
With this realignment and reassignment of forces, PACUSA controlled and commanded all United States Army Air Forces in the Far East and Southwest Pacific, and all air forces were placed under one Air Force commander for the first time.[15][16][17]
In November 1945, the509th Composite Group leftNorth Field on the island ofTinian and was reassigned toRoswell Army Air Field,New Mexico, taking theatomic bomb delivery capability of PACUSA to the United States. Shortly afterwards, Eighth Air Force was reassigned to the newly establishedStrategic Air Command (SAC) on 7 June 1946 and its strategic units reassigned to the1st Bombardment Division.
The major mission of PACUSA in the postwar years (1946–1950) was occupation duty in Japan and the demilitarization of the Japanese society in conjunction with the United States Army. In addition, PACUSA helped to support atomic bomb testing in thePacific Proving Grounds beginning with theOperation Crossroads test onBikini Atoll in theMarshall Islands in 1946.
With the impending establishment of theUnited States Air Force as an independent service later that year, PACUSA was redesignatedFar East Air Forces (FEAF) on 1 January 1947. On that same date, Seventh Air Force in Hawaii was inactivated with its organization absorbed by HQ, FEAF.[18]
Coinciding with the establishment of theUnited States Air Force (USAF) as an independent service in September 1947, PACUSA/FEAF deployments to Korea prior to the 1948 partition of the country helped in the establishment of theRepublic of Korea (e.g.,South Korea), along with the transfer of surplus military equipment and other aid toFrench Indochina as well as aid to theNationalist Chinese during theChinese Civil War which resumed after the end of World War II (1945–1949).
On 25 June 1950, the armed forces of theDemocratic People's Republic of Korea (e.g.,North Korea) invaded South Korea. On 27 June, theUnited NationsSecurity Council voted to assist the South Koreans in resisting the invasion.President Harry Truman authorizedGeneral of the ArmyDouglas MacArthur (commander of the US occupying forces in Japan) to commit units to the battle. MacArthur orderedGeneral George E. Stratemeyer, CIC of FEAF, to attack attacking North Korean forces between the front lines and the38th parallel.[19]
Despite the post-World War II demobilization of United States armed forces, theUnited States Air Force still had substantial forces in the Pacific to oppose the North Korean military. When the North Koreans crossed the 38th parallel on 25 June 1950, FEAF consisted of the following primary units*:[20][21][22]
|
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At that time, the combat units of the FEAF were equipped with theLockheed F-80 Shooting Star jet fighter, theNorth American F-82 Twin Mustang all-weather escort fighter, theDouglas B-26 Invader light attack bomber, the Lockheed RF-80A Shooting Star tactical reconnaissance aircraft, and theBoeing B-29 Superfortress heavy bomber. Support units were equipped with theDouglas C-54 Skymaster cargo aircraft and theBoeing RB-17 Flying Fortress, a former heavy bomber converted to photo mapping duties. FEAF personnel also trained, supported and flew with the fledglingRepublic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) under theBout One Project, primarily operating excess World War II-vintageF-51D Mustang fighter aircraft transferred from USAF inventory, re-marked with ROKAF insignia, and operated in interdiction/ground attack and close air support roles.[23][24]
* Elements of the 2d and 3d Air Rescue squadrons, attached to FEAF by theMilitary Air Transport Service (MATS), were located at various bases where they could best perform emergency rescue services with theirSB-17 Flying Fortresses. The 512th and 514th Weather Reconnaissance Squadrons of the 2143d Air Weather Wing were located at Yokota Air Base, Japan, and Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. All USAF units engaged in combat during the Korean War were under the overall command of Far East Air Forces.
** The 31st Photo Reconnaissance Squadron was aStrategic Air Command unit, attached to FEAF for operations. On 29 June 1950, the unit began flying combat missions over the Korean Peninsula in theirRB-29 Superfortresses to provide FEAF Bomber Command with target and bomb-damage assessment photography.
In response to the threat posed by the introduction of Soviet-built (and often Soviet-manned)MiG-15 jet fighters into theKorean People's Air Force (KPAF), USAF F-80 and F-82 units were later re-equipped with theNorth American F-86 Sabre jet fighter between December 1951 and Spring 1953.[25] Eventually, these USAF F-86 units would establish a kill ratio of 10:1 versus their KPAF adversaries. During theKorean War (1950–1953), alongside the U.S. Navy and small allied contingents, FEAF's Fifth Air Force bore the brunt of the coalition air combat operations.
With the 1953 Korean Armistice, the deployed SAC andTAC units to Japan and Korea were gradually withdrawn, and returned to the United States.Twentieth Air Force was inactivated on 1 March 1955, leaving FEAF with two Air Forces, the Fifth in Japan and the Thirteenth in the Philippines, although units were maintained on Guam and Okinawa.[20]
On 1 July 1954,Pacific Air Force was activated atHickam Air Force Base,Territory of Hawaii, and assigned to Far East Air Forces (FEAF), which was headquartered in Japan. Pacific Air Force at Hickam functioned primarily as the Air Force staff component and planning element of U.S. Pacific Command. On 1 July 1956, Pacific Air Force was redesignatedPacific Air Force/FEAF (Rear). Headquarters FEAF began preparations to move from Japan to Hawaii. Smith assumed additional responsibilities as deputy commander, Far East Air Forces. This was followed on 1 July 1957 with United States Far East Air Forces being redesignated as Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) and transferring its headquarters toHickam AFB,Territory of Hawaii.[20]
On 1 October 1955, theFar East Air Materiel Command was transferred from Far East Air Forces toAir Force Materiel Command.
Tensions between theCommunist Chinese on the mainland and theNationalist Chinese onTaiwan dominated FEAF and PACAF during the mid and late 1950s. The1954 and1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis both threatened to break out into a war, and USAF F-104C fighter squadrons were deployed toKung Kuan Air Base onTaiwan in 1958.[26] The question of "Matsu andQuemoy" became an issue in the1960 American Presidential election whenRichard Nixon accusedJohn F. Kennedy of being unwilling to commit to using nuclear weapons if the People's Republic of China invaded the Nationalist outposts.[27]
By 1960, PACAF maintained a combat-ready deterrent force of some 35 squadrons, operating from 10 major bases in a half-dozen countries.[20]
In the early 1960s, communist military strength and firepower inVietnam increased. As a result, PACAF began a buildup in the area with the addition of troops and better arms and equipment.
In response to what has become known as theGulf of Tonkin incident in 1964,Tactical Air Command (TAC) pilots, navigators and support personnel found themselves deployed from theContiguous US (CONUS) to PACAF bases such asDa Nang Air Base andPhan Rang AB in South Vietnam.Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base andKorat Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand were also used by deployed TAC fighter squadrons.[28]
As the American effort in Southeast Asia increased, TAC permanently reassigned entire wings of aircraft from CONUS bases to PACAF and increased the number of rotated tactical fighter and reconnaissance squadrons on rotating Temporary Duty (TDY) commitments to PACAF bases in Vietnam and Thailand, along with units to South Korea, Japan and the Philippines. On a daily basis, flight crews would hurl themselves and their planes at targets across the area of operations over the skies ofNorth andSouth Vietnam.[28]
At the height of theVietnam War (1968), PACAF commanded forces at major air bases in the following countries:[29]
In 1962, PACAF activated the2d Air Division to be the main warfighting organization in South Vietnam. As the conflict escalated,Seventh Air Force was activated on 1 April 1966, replacing 2d Air Force. PACAF units inThailand were under the command ofThirteenth Air Force beginning in 1964, then in 1973 a joint Seventh/Thirteenth Air Force headquarters was established in Bangkok to direct PACAF forces in Thailand operating in Indochina (until 15 August 1973), and Thailand until the final USAF withdrawal from Southeast Asia in the beginning of 1976.[29][30]
By 1970, direct PACAF involvement the war was winding down as the conflict was being increasingly turned over to the South Vietnamese under the process known asVietnamization. Units from the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (VNAF) took on more and more combat to defend their nation while PACAF tactical air strength was being reduced as several air bases were turned over to the VNAF. Combat aircraft of PACAF flew their last strikes inCambodia 15 August 1973, writing the final chapter to the long and costly history of active American participation in theIndochina War. TheParis Peace Accords of 1973 ended PACAF's use of South Vietnamese bases, and by 1976 bases in Thailand were turned over to the Thai government. In 1979, normalization of relations with the People's Republic of China also led to the withdrawal of PACAF personnel fromChing Chuan Kang Air Base,Republic of China (Taiwan).[29]
The post-Vietnam era found the command focusing on improving its readiness and PACAF's organizational structure saw a marked period of rapid and extensive changes. Inactivated at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975,Seventh Air Force was reactivated atOsan Air Base, South Korea in 1986 to take overFifth Air Force activities in South Korea. Also in 1986, theGoldwater-Nichols Act reworked the overall command structure of the United States military. With the creation ofUnified Combatant Commands (UCC) organized either on a geographical basis (known as "Area of Responsibility", AOR) or on a functional basis, Pacific Air Forces became a part of theUnited States Pacific Command (USPACOM).
Andersen AFB in Guam was reassigned fromStrategic Air Command (SAC) to PACAF in 1989, andEleventh Air Force became a part of the command in late 1990. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, civil unrest in the Philippines and negotiations with the extant government of theRepublic of the Philippines for the lease ofClark Air Base, along with other U.S. military installations in the Philippines, had reached an impasse. However, following the volcanic eruption ofMount Pinatubo, the resultant damage to Clark AB, and with a post-Cold War desire by the U.S. Government to reduce defense spending, Clark AB was closed andThirteenth Air Force relocated in 1991.[20]
In 1992, changes took place in force structure within PACAF as the command assumed control of theater-based tactical airlift wings, theater C-130 aircraft and crews, and associated theater C-130 support following the disestablishment ofMilitary Airlift Command (MAC). PACAF also gained control of all operational support aircraft and all aeromedical airlift assets in the Pacific previously under the cognizance of MAC.[20] With the concurrent disestablishment ofStrategic Air Command (SAC) andTactical Air Command (TAC) the same year, PACAF also assumed responsibility for all active KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft based in Hawaii and Japan, "gaining command" responsibility for all Air National Guard KC-135 aircraft in Hawaii and Alaska, and all E-3 AWACS aircraft in Japan and Alaska.
Throughout its history PACAF has played a vital role in world events. In addition to its key combat role in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, PACAF units fought inDesert Storm in 1991 and continued to deploy toSaudi Arabia, Turkey andItaly for peacekeeping operations such asOperation Southern Watch andOperation Northern Watch. PACAF provided its expertise, aircraft, personnel and equipment to facilitate the new Expeditionary Air Force, especially as it applied to successful airbridge operations spanning the vast Pacific Ocean. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, PACAF again demonstrated its intrepid spirit through its units deployed in support ofOperation Noble Eagle,Operation Enduring Freedom and, in 2003,Operation Iraqi Freedom.[20]
Since 1944, the command has also participated in more than 140 humanitarian operations within its area of responsibility and beyond. In these operations PACAF people quickly and efficiently airlifted food, medicine and other supplies to areas devastated by storms, floods, earthquakes, volcanoes and other natural disasters.[20]
As PACAF entered the second decade of the 21st century, expanding theatre challenges and simultaneous resource constraints have forced continuing innovation and adjustments by PACAF in order to meet mission requirements. Previously assigned four numbered air forces, PACAF downscoped to three numbered air forces in September 2012, inactivating13th Air Force and merging its functions into PACAF. Base consolidations and infrastructure limitations have also required the Air Force and PACAF to developed increased capability while striving to remain within budgetary resource constraints. One such example has been the evaluation of alternate runway(s)/divert field(s) in the Marianas since late 2011 as a backup to Andersen AFB on Guam, a process that remains on-going as of 2014.[31][32] In 2023, The first Royal Australian Air Force Deputy Commander took up position alongside the USAF Command Chain.
Commands
Force
Air Forces
Air Divisions
Wings
| No. | Commander | Term | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | |
| 1 |  | Kuter, Laurence S.General Laurence S. Kuter | 1 July 1957 | 1 August 1959 | 2 years, 31 days |
| 2 |  | O'Donnell, Emmett Jr.General Emmett O'Donnell Jr. | 1 August 1959 | 1 August 1963 | 4 years |
| 3 |  | Smart, Jacob E.General Jacob E. Smart | 1 August 1963 | 1 August 1964 | 1 years |
| 4 |  | Harris, Hunter Jr.General Hunter Harris Jr. | 1 August 1964 | 1 February 1967 | 2 years, 184 days |
| 5 | .jpg) | Ryan, John D.General John D. Ryan | 1 February 1967 | 1 August 1968 | 1 year, 182 days |
| 6 |  | Nazzaro, Joseph J.General Joseph J. Nazzaro | 1 August 1968 | 1 August 1971 | 3 years |
| 7 |  | Clay, Lucius D. Jr.General Lucius D. Clay Jr. | 1 August 1971 | 1 October 1973 | 2 years, 61 days |
| 8 |  | Vogt, John W. Jr.General John W. Vogt Jr. | 1 October 1973 | 1 July 1974 | 273 days |
| 9 |  | Wilson, Louis L. Jr.General Louis L. Wilson Jr. | 1 July 1974 | 3 June 1977 | 3 years, 2 days |
| 10 |  | Hill, James A.Lieutenant General James A. Hill | 3 June 1977 | 15 June 1978 | 347 days |
| 11 |  | Hughes, James D.Lieutenant General James D. Hughes | 15 June 1978 | 8 June 1981 | 2 years, 358 days |
| 12 |  | Braswell, Arnold W.Lieutenant General Arnold W. Braswell | 8 June 1981 | 8 October 1983 | 2 years, 122 days |
| 13 |  | O'Malley, Jerome F.General Jerome F. O'Malley | 8 October 1983 | 25 September 1984 | 353 days |
| 14 |  | Bazley, Robert W.General Robert W. Bazley | 25 September 1984 | 16 December 1986 | 2 years, 82 days |
| 15 |  | Gregory, Jack I.General Jack I. Gregory | 16 December 1986 | 22 July 1988 | 1 year, 219 days |
| 16 | _Merrill_A._McPeak_(uncovered).jpg) | McPeak, MerillGeneral Merrill McPeak | 22 July 1988 | 5 November 1990 | 2 years, 106 days |
| 17 |  | Adams, Jimmie V.General Jimmie V. Adams | 19 February 1991 | 22 January 1993 | 1 year, 338 days |
| 18 |  | Rutherford, Robert L.General Robert L. Rutherford | 22 January 1993 | 12 October 1994 | 1 year, 263 days |
| 19 |  | Lorber, John G.General John G. Lorber | 12 October 1994 | 7 July 1997 | 2 years, 268 days |
| 20 |  | Myers, Richard B.General Richard B. Myers | 7 July 1997 | 23 July 1998 | 1 year, 16 days |
| 21 |  | Gamble, Patrick K.General Patrick K. Gamble | 23 July 1998 | 9 April 2001 | 2 years, 260 days |
| — |  | Trapp, Lansford E.Lieutenant General Lansford E. Trapp Acting | 9 April 2001 | 4 May 2001 | 25 days |
| 22 |  | Begert, William J.General William J. Begert | 4 May 2001 | 2 July 2004 | 3 years, 59 days |
| 23 |  | Hester, Paul V.General Paul V. Hester | 2 July 2004 | 30 November 2007 | 3 years, 151 days |
| 24 |  | Chandler, CarrolGeneral Carrol Chandler | 30 November 2007 | 19 August 2009 | 1 year, 262 days |
| 25 |  | North, Gary L.General Gary L. North | 19 August 2009 | 3 August 2012 | 2 years, 350 days |
| 26 | .JPG) | Carlisle, Herbert J.General Herbert J. Carlisle | 3 August 2012 | 16 October 2014 | 2 years, 74 days |
| 27 |  | Robinson, Lori J.General Lori Robinson | 16 October 2014 | 11 May 2016 | 1 year, 270 days |
| – | ![Russell J. Handy[34]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aLIEUTENANT_GENERAL_RUSSELL_J._HANDY_USAF.JPG) | Martinez, Jerry. P.Lieutenant General Russell J. Handy[34] Acting | 11 May 2016 | 12 July 2016 | 62 days |
| 28 |  | O'Shaughnessy, Terrence J.General Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy | 12 July 2016 | 24 May 2018 | 2 years, 14 days |
| – |  | Martinez, Jerry. P.Lieutenant General Jerry P. Martinez Acting | 24 May 2018 | 26 July 2018 | 63 days |
| 29 |  | Brown, Charles Q. Jr.General Charles Q. Brown Jr. | 26 July 2018 | 8 July 2020 | 1 year, 348 days |
| 30 |  | Wilsbach, Kenneth S.General Kenneth S. Wilsbach | 8 July 2020 | 9 February 2024 | 3 years, 216 days |
| 31 | .jpg) | Schneider, KevinGeneral Kevin B. Schneider | 9 February 2024 | Incumbent | 1 year, 286 days |
Pacific Air Forces comprises the following wings and major units.[35][36]
TheFifth Air Force is responsible for USAF operations in Japan. Its role is to defend Japan, respond to regional events, and enhance theU.S. and Japan Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement alliance between the U.S. and Japan.[37]
Permanent units
TheSeventh Air Force contributes to maintaining thearmistice betweenSouth Korea andNorth Korea.[38]
Permanent units
TheEleventh Air Force is responsible for USAF operations across the Pacific, including the states ofAlaska andHawaii and the US territory ofGuam.[39]
Permanent units
Expeditionary units
Pacific Air Forces has operational "gaining command" responsibility for severalAir Reserve Component (ARC) units, comprising personnel and aircraft fromAir Force Reserve Command (AFRC) and theAir National Guard (ANG).
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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