The Los Angeles Fighter Wing was a unit of the
United States Army Air Forces. The
wing provided
air defense of southern California and trained
fighter units and pilots. It was stationed at
Los Angeles, California, where it was disbanded on 7 June 1944.
History
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.[1] To carry out this mission,
Fourth Air Force organized regional air defense wings in August 1942.[2][3] The Los Angeles Air Defense Wing was organized to provide air defense for the
Los Angeles area and train fighter groups and pilots.[4]
The
Army Air Forces later found that standard military units like the
wing, whose manning was based on relatively inflexible
tables of organization were not well adapted to the training mission, even more so to the replacement mission. Accordingly, the
Army 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 headquarters squadron was replaced by the 410th AAF Base Unit (Fighter Wing) on 1 April 1944. The wing itself was disbanded on 7 July 1944,[4] and the 410th was redescribed as the 410th AAF Base Unit (Air Defense Region). In 1946, it became the 410th AAF Base Unit (Los Angeles Control Group), and was discontinued on 1 January 1947.
Lineage
Constituted as the Los Angeles Air Defense Wing on 6 August 1942
Activated on 11 August 1942
Redesignated Los Angeles Fighter Wing c. 2 July 1943
Los Angeles, California, 11 August 1942 – 7 June 1944[4]
References
Notes
Explanatory notes
^When the
United States Air Force became a separate service in September 1947, all former Army Air Forces units, including disbanded units were transferred to its control.
^However, Robertson indicates the group was assigned directly to IV Fighter Command until March 1944, then directly to Fourth Air Force. Robertson, Patsy (May 2012).
"Factsheet 412 Test Wing (AFMC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
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. Retrieved 17 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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.