Patch with San Francisco Fighter Wing emblem[note 2][1]
Military unit
TheSan Francisco Fighter Wing is a disbandedUnited States Air Force unit. Thewing providedair defense of the central Pacific coast and trainedfighter units and pilots. It was stationed atSan Francisco, California, where it was disbanded on 7 June 1944.
Along the Pacific coast,Western Defense Command established a "vital air defense zone", extending from the coast approximately 150 miles (240 km) inland and 200 miles (320 km) to sea.[2] To carry out this mission,Fourth Air Force organized regional air defense wings in August 1942.[3][4] TheSan Francisco Air Defense Wing was organized to provide air defense for the central Pacific coast area and train fighter groups and pilots.[1]
TheArmy Air Forces later found that standard military units like thewing, whose manning was based on relatively inflexibletables of organization were not well adapted to the training mission, even more so to the replacement mission. Accordingly, theArmy Air Forces adopted a more functional system in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit, with similar flexible units established for headquarters.[5]
In this reorganization, the wing's mission, equipment and personnel were transferred to the 411th AAF Base Unit (Fighter Wing) on 1 April 1944,[6] The wing remained a paper unit until 7 June, when the 411th was simultaneously redescribed as the 411th AAF Base Unit (Air Defense Region). In 1946, the 411th became the 411th AAF Base Unit (San Francisco Control Group). It was discontinued on 1 January 1947.
^When theUnited States Air Force became a separate service in September 1947, all former Army Air Forces units, including disbanded units were transferred to its control.
Goss, William A. (1955). "Tactical Demands, Chapter 8, Air Defense of the Western Hemisphere". In Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L (eds.).The Army Air Forces in World War II(PDF). Vol. I, Plans and Early Operations. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.LCCN48003657. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 18 February 2017. Retrieved17 December 2016.
Goss, William A. (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F.; Cate, James L. (eds.).The Army Air Forces in World War II(PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.LCCN48003657.OCLC704158. Retrieved17 December 2016.
United States
United States Army
United States Air Force[note 1]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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