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| 8th Operations Group | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the 8th Operations Group | |
| Active | 1931–1957; 1992–present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Nickname | Cyclone's Flying Circus |
| Engagements |   
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| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Col.Emmett "Cyclone" Davis |
The8th Operations Group (8 OG) is the operational flying component of theUnited States Air Force8th Fighter Wing. It is stationed atKunsan Air Base, South Korea, and is a part ofPacific Air Forces (PACAF).
The group is a direct successor organization of the8th Pursuit Group, one of the 15 original combat air groups formed by the Army before World War II.
During World War II, the unit operated primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater as part ofFifth Air Force. When the unit arrived inBrisbane, Australia, in April 1942, three squadrons were assigned: the 35th, 36th and 80th Pursuit Squadrons. Since fighting became the new objective, the unit took on the new designation of the8th Fighter Group. During the course of World War II in the Pacific, the 8th participated in battles inPort Moresby, Nadaab, Owi, Zamboanga, thePhilippines, Minadoro,Ie Shima and Japan. The Group participated in nine campaigns and received twoDistinguished Unit Citations. The 8th spawned twenty-seven "Aces" and accounted for destroying 449 enemy aircraft during World War II.
During theKorean War, the group was the first USAF air unit committed to combat, first jet unit, first unit to shoot down an enemy airplane, first to fly 255 sorties in one day, first to fly 50,000 sorties in jet warfare, first to fly 60,000 sorties, and first to fly 291 sorties in a single day. The Group added eleven streamers to their flag, two Republic of Korea citations, and another Distinguished Unit Citation.
The 8 OG is a combat-ready fighter group composed of two deployableLockheed F-16CJ fighter squadrons (Tail Code: WP), and one operational support squadron. The group is assigned the following squadrons:
The squadrons conduct interdiction, close air support, counter air, air superiority, and suppression of enemy air defense missions
The group's emblem, approved in 1934, is a simple chevron in the stylized shape of clouds.
The 8th Operations Group's origins go back toWorld War I, when the 33rd, 35th and36th Aero Squadrons were activated in 1917 at Camp Kelly, Texas. These squadrons would later be combined in the 8th Pursuit Group.
In 1931, the 8th Pursuit Group was reactivated helped fly the air corpsair mail routes across the United States. In addition, the group trained, took part in maneuvers and reviews, and tested planes and equipment. Initially, the group had two flying squadrons assigned, but both operated from other bases. The36th Pursuit Squadron flew fromSelfridge Field,Michigan, while the55th Pursuit Squadron operated fromMather Field, California.
In June 1932 the group reorganized. It gained the33rd and 35th Pursuit Squadrons, and activated atLangley Field,Virginia. The 36th moved from Selfridge to Langley to join the rest of the group. At the same time, the 55th Pursuit Squadron transferred to the20th Fighter Group, leaving the 8th with three squadrons.
At Langley the group trained in such aircraft as theConsolidated PB-2,Curtiss P-6, andBoeing P-12. Over the next several years, the group transitioned to such newer aircraft as theSeversky P-35,Curtiss P-36 Hawk,Bell P-39 Airacobra, and theCurtiss 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 theUSS 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 inWorld War II.
In December 1940, the group became part of the defense force for the New Yorkmetropolitan area, being reassigned toMitchel Field onLong Island. At Mitchel, the 33rd Pursuit Squadron was transferred to the342d Composite Group in Iceland in August 1941 to engage in North Atlantic defense. This left the group with two flying squadrons, the 35th and 36th. To replace the 33rd the58th was activated, but then was transferred to form the33rd Fighter Group. Finally, the80th Squadron was activated on 10 January 1942.
In May 1942, the unit was redesignated as the8th Fighter Group, as fighting became the new mission. The group was assigned to theSouth West Pacific Theatre and deployedBrisbane, Australia, sailing on the Army Transport ShipMaui. After a 21-day voyage, headquarters was established on 6 March 1942. Upon completion of the reassembly of planes, men and equipment they moved to theTownsville area.
On 26 April while the U.S. Navy was preparing to engage the Japanese invasion fleet headed forPort Moresby,New Guinea, men from the 35th and 36th arrived at the 7 mile strip where the 75th and 76th Australian Squadrons were sacrificing their last P-40s to the Japanese Zero's. When the squadrons arrived their first act included preparation and take-off over theOwen Stanley Range to surprise the Japanese atLae. Meanwhile, the Japanese fleet withdrew from the intended invasion and theBattle of the Coral Sea. During the month of May the 35th and 36th were experiencing not only daily and night raids, but endured the shortage of food, excessive heat, rain, mud, mosquito's and necessary parts for planes and vehicles plus continuous alerts, bombing and strafing.
Returning to Townsville in June, the 35th and 36th Squadrons were equipped and prepared to leave forOro Bay when word was received that the Japanese began offensive action to occupy the same territory. On 20 July 1942 the 80th left the group forNew Guinea equipped withP-400s for action nearPort Moresby.
In August 1942 the Japanese invadedMilne Bay where it was reported that the 8th Fighter Control Squadron played an important part of the ground defense with four wheel drive vehicles capable of moving supplies and ammo through mud to the ground personnel. Once again the 35th and the 36th replaced the Australian 75th and 76th in Milne Bay on 18 September 1942 with the 80th following on 8 November for limited air action. The group served incombat until February 1943 flying P-40s. In February 1943 the Group returned to Mareeba where the 80th was equipped with theP-38 Lightning which they took to Port Moresby in March.
Resuming operations in April 1943, the 8th served in combat operations through the rest of the Second World War, providing cover for Alliedlandings, escortingbombers, and attacking enemyairfields. The group supported operations of theMarines atCape Gloucester, February and March 1944; flew long-range escort and attack missions toBorneo,Ceram,Halmahera, and the southernPhilippines; provided cover forconvoys; and attacked enemy shipping.
The unit won a Distinguished Unit Citation for strafing a Japanesenaval force offMindoro on 26 December 1944. The group went on to cover landings atLingayen; support ground forces onLuzon; escort bombers to targets on the Asian mainland and onFormosa; and, in the last days of the war, attack enemy airfields and railways in Japan.
AfterV-J Day, the group remained as part of theFar East Air Forcesoccupation force atAshiya Air Field on the island ofKyūshū.
Initially flyingNorth American P-51D Mustangs in 1946, the 8th provided air defense for the Japanese region. While stationed in Japan, the wing upgraded to the more sophisticatedLockheed F-80C Shooting Star jet fighter in 1948.
It began operations in theKorean War on 26 June 1950 by providing cover for the evacuation of US personnel fromSeoul, entering into combat the next day. The group is known for the heroic actions of its members, including MajorCharles J. Loring, a pilot in the 80th FS, who was posthumously awarded theMedal of Honor for his actions on 22 November 1952 when he flew his badly damagedF-80 aircraft into an enemy artillery emplacement near Sniper Ridge so that entrenched U.S. Infantry men could escape. During the next three years, the 8th flew more than 60,000 sorties while operating from bases in bothKorea and Japan. The wing participated in 10 campaigns and earned three unit citations.
Following the war, it performed air defense in Japan and maintained a quick reaction strike force. The group was not operational from 1 February 1957 until its inactivation in October 1957.
Activated again in 1992, and assumed responsibility for flight operations of the 8th Fighter Wing.
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This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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