7th Air Force

Seventh Air Force, headquartered at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, is one of four numbered Air Forces in Pacific Air Forces. Organizations assigned to 7th Air Force include the 51st and 8th Fighter Wings, and the following direct reporting units: 607th Air Operations Group, 607th Air Intelligence Group, 607th Air Support Operations Group, 607th Air Support Group, 607th Air and Space Communications Group, 607th Accounting and Finance Squadron, 607th Air Communications Squadron, 554th RED HORSE Squadron and 607th Training Squadron.

The mission of 7th AF is to plan and direct air component operations in the Republic of Korea and in the Northwest Pacific in support of U.S. Pacific Command, United Nations Command, U.S. - ROK Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea. The numbered air force develops the total air campaign and reinforcement plans for ROK defense and sustains mission readiness of 117 operational units and 8,300 U.S. Air Force personnel.

Seventh AF constituted Oct. 19, 1940 and activated initially as the Hawaiian Air Force Nov. 1, 1940. The command was twice renamed, becoming 7th AF on Feb. 5, 1942 and Pacific Air Command on Dec. 15, 1947. During World War II, 7th AF played key roles in the aerial bombardment of the Battle of Midway and Wake Island; the assault on Marshall, Gilbert and Marianas Island and the attack on the Japanese stronghold of Iwo Jima. The command was inactivated June 1, 1949.

Redesignated the 7th AF on Dec. 10, 1954 and activated on Jan. 5, 1955. Primarily an administrative command, 7th AF operated, developed and maintained Air Force bases in PACAF's area of responsibility. Seventh AF participated in and later took responsibility for air defense of the Hawaiian Islands. The command again inactivated on July 1, 1957.

Seventh AF was activated on March 28, 1966, and designated a combat command at Tan San Nhut AB, Republic of Vietnam. It served as the Air Component Command of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, and assumed the constantly expanding mission and activities of the deactivated 2nd Air Division. The command assumed responsibility for all air operations in Vietnam from April 1966 until 1973.

On March 29, 1973, the command transferred to Nakhon Phanon Royal Thai AB, Thailand, where it accepted dual responsibility as the U.S. Support Activities Group and 7th AF. As a result, 7th AF controlled air assets and operations from Thailand. It served this role until inactivation on 30 June 1975.

The command did not reactivate again until it assumed its present role Sept 8, 1986. The unit's mission was designed to enhance effectiveness of U.S. Air Forces in Northeast Asia. Seventh AF works with the ROK Air Force Operations Command under the Combined Air Component Command in defense of the Republic of Korea. Receipt of the U.S. Presidential Unit Citation in June 1995 and ROK Presidential Unit Citation in Dec. 1996 recognized 7th AF's efforts.



 

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