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| 70th Fighter Wing | |
|---|---|
 367th Fighter Group Lockheed P-38G-10-LO Lightning 42-12982 | |
| Active | 1943–1947 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Army Air Forces |
| Role | Fighter (Command & Control) |
| Part of | United States Air Forces in Europe |
The70th Fighter Wing (70th FW) is an inactiveUnited States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with theUnited States Air Forces in Europe, based atNeubiberg Air Base, Germany. It was inactivated on 25 September 1947.
Established and organized at Paine Field, Washington in 1943 as a command and control organization. Deployed to theEuropean Theater of Operations (ETO) in late 1943 and assigned toIX Fighter Command,Ninth Air Force. Initial Mission of the Wing was to receive operational orders from Headquarters, IX Fighter Command and direct subordinate groups in attacking enemy targets inOccupied France and theLow Countries in preparation for theNormandy Invasion in June 1944. Targets included bridges, roads, railroads and enemy interceptor aircraft both on the ground as well as in air-to-air combat.
After theD-Day invasion, was reassigned toIX Tactical Air Command (IX TAC) and directed to provide ground support for advancingUnited States First Army forces in France, attacking enemy targets initially in theCotentin Peninsula, then supported Operation Cobra, the breakout of Normandy and attacked enemy forces in theFalaise-Argentan Gap. Wing headquarters and subordinate units operated primarily from liberated airfields and newly built temporaryAdvanced Landing Grounds in France, moved into north-central France, its groups attacking enemy targets nearParis then north-west intoBelgium and the southernNetherlands. In December 1944/January 1945, engaged enemy targets on the north side of theBattle of the Bulge, then moved eastward into the NorthernRhineland as part of theWestern Allied invasion of Germany.
Supported First Army as it crossed theRhine River atRemagen then moved north to attack ground targets in theRuhr, providing air support as Allied ground forces encircled enemy forces in theRuhr Pocket, essentially ending organized enemy resistance in Western Germany. First Army halted its advance at theElbe River in late April 1945, the wing engaging targets of opportunity in enemy-controlled areas until combat was ended on 5 May 1945.
Remained in Europe after the war as part ofUnited States Air Forces in Europe, performing occupation duty and the destruction or shipment to the United States of captured enemy combat equipment. Assigned units also performed air defense duty over theAmerican Zone of Occupation. Inactivated in Germany on 25 September 1947.
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This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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