First Air Force
Encyclopedia
The First Air Force (1 AF-AFNORTH) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force
Air Combat Command
(ACC). It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base
, Florida.
Its primary mission is the air defense of the Contiguous United States
(CONUS), United States Virgin Islands
and Puerto Rico
. Its mission lineage can be traced to the Air Defense Command, one of the original USAAF major commands formed in 1946.
One of the four original pre-World War II
numbered air forces, 1 AF was activated on 18 December 1940, at Mitchel Field, Long Island
, New York with a mission of air defense of the Northeastern United States and Great Lakes
regions. During the war, its primary mission became the organization and training of combat units prior to their deployment to the overseas combat air forces.
1 AF is commanded by Major General Garry C. Dean. Its Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sgt. Joseph E. Thornell Sr..
(CONUS), United States Virgin Islands
and Puerto Rico
. As the CONUS Region (CONR) for NORAD, the bi-national North American Aerospace Defense Command
, CONR provides air defense in the form of airspace surveillance and airspace control.
1AF (AFNORTH) is also the designated air component for the United States Northern Command
(USNORTHCOM). USNORTHCOM's area of responsibility includes the continental United States, Alaska, Canada and Mexico
, and its air, land and maritime approaches.
The command is unique in both its mission and composition. With the transfer of responsibility for continental air defense from the active duty component of the Air Force to the Air National Guard
, 1 AF became the first numbered air force to be made up primarily of citizen airmen.
Units aligned under First Air Force/AFNORTH include:
Additionally, First Air Force provides operational control of alert Air National Guard air defense fighter units:
Non-flying units
, New York. It was redesignated First Air Force on 9 April 1941 with a mission for the defense of the Northeast and Great Lakes regions of the United States.
(AAFSC), obtaining most of its forces from I Bomber Command
to combat the German U-Boat
threat along the Atlantic Coast. AAFSC would eventually expand that mission to the Gulf of Mexico
and Caribbean
until the Antisubmarine mission was taken over by the Navy in mid-1943.
Beginning in 1942, the mission of First Air Force became supporting the Army Air Forces Training Command
's mission of training of units, crews, and individuals for bombardment, fighter, and reconnaissance operations. After personnel graduated from AAFTC flight schools; navigator training; flexible gunnery schools and various technical schools, First Air Force organized the personnel, aircraft and equipment into combat groups and squadrons. The newly-formed units received secondary training prior to their assignment to the deployed combat air forces in the various overseas theaters. Most P-47 Thunderbolt
fighter groups were trained by I Fighter Command
, along with P-39/P-63 Airacobra groups; C-47 Skytrain
and later C-46 Commando
groups by I Troop Carrier Command
. In addition, the command performed training through Army Air Forces Training Command
of units, crews, and individuals for specialized bombardment, and reconnaissance operations. By 1944, most of the Operational Training of groups ended, with the command concentrating on the training of replacement personnel, using Army Air Force Base Units (AAFBU) as training organizations at the airfields controlled by First Air Force.
Air Defense Wings were also organized for the major metropolitan areas along the northeast coast, using training units attached to the Wings. By 1944 the likelihood of an air attack along the eastern seaboard was remote, and these air defense wings were reduced to paper units.
By 1944, the vast majority of the USAAF was engaged in combat operations in various parts of the world, such as the Eighth Air Force
in Europe and the Twentieth Air Force
in the Pacific. The training units located within the United States (known as the Zone of the Interior, or "ZI".) under First, Second, Third and Fourth Air Force were all were placed under the unified command of the Continental Air Forces (CAF) on 13 December 1944, with the Numbered Air Forces becoming subordinate commands of CAF.
had undertaken a major re-organization of the postwar USAAF that had included the establishment of Major Commands (MAJCOM), who would report directly to HQ United States Army Air Forces. Continental Air Forces was inactivated, and First Air Force was assigned to the postwar Air Defense Command in March 1946 and subsequently to Continental Air Command
(ConAC) in December 1948 being primarily concerned with air defense.
The command was originally assigned the region of the New England states, along with New York and New Jersey. With the inactivation of the ADC Eleventh Air Force on 1 July 1948 due to budget restrictions, command's region of responsibility was increased to include the upper Midwest states of Michigan and Ohio, along with the Mid-Atlantic region south to the North Carolina/Virginia Border.
In 1949 Air National Guard
and Air Force Reserve units were placed under First Air Force command, with its active-duty units being reassigned to Eastern Air Defense Force (EADF) or to the 30th, 32d or 26th Air Divisions.
The command was inactivated on 23 June 1958 for budgetary reasons, its assigned units being reorganized under ConAC.
First Air Force was reactivated at Stewart Air Force Base, Newburgh, N.Y., on 20 January 1966 due to the inactivation of the ADC Air Defense Sectors. First Air Force assumed responsibility for the ADC 21st, 33d, 34th, 35th, and 36th Air Divisions, primarily located in the northeast and upper Midwest regions of the United States. It also was responsible for the air defense of Greenland
, Iceland and parts of Canada. By July 1968, First Air Force had again assumed total responsibility for the air defense of the eastern seaboard, just as it had during World War II.
On 16 January 1968 Air Defense Command was re-designated Aerospace Defense Command
(ADCOM) as part of a restructuring of USAF air defense forces. First Air Force's second period of service was short lived, however, and the command was again inactivated as the result of a major ADCOM reorganization on 31 December 1969 of the First, Fourth, Tenth Air Forces and several Air Divisions. This reorganization was the result of the need to eliminate intermediate levels of command in ADCOM driven by budget reductions and a perceived lessening of the need for continental air defense against attacking Soviet aircraft.
ADCOM reassigned the units under the inactivated First Air Force were reassigned primarily to the 20th, 21st or 23d Air Divisions.
(TAC). With this move many Air National Guard
units that had an air defense mission also came under the control of TAC, which established a component called Air Defense, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC), at the level of an Air Division.
On 6 December 1985 HQ USAF reactivated First Air Force at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, and assigned it to Tactical Air Command
(TAC). First Air Force was given the mission to provide, train and equip ADTAC combat ready forces for the air defense of the North American continent.
Upon its reactivation, First Air Force was composed of units of the active Air Force and the Air National Guard. Because of its unique mission and its binational responsibilities, First Air Force works closely with the Canadian Forces. Canadian personnel are stationed at First Air Force Headquarters at Tyndall Air Force Base
Florida, and at the various regional air defense sectors located throughout the United States.
Activation of the Continental United States North American Aerospace Defense Regions on 1 October 1986, resulted in a new structure for the 30-year-old, binational North American Aerospace Defense Command
(NORAD). Although the U.S. Air Force had already deactivated Aerospace Defense Command, the continental U.S. region, along with Alaskan and Canadian regions provided an improved command and operational system for North American air defense.
.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the role of the Air National Guard in the defense of North America increased. As this role changed, discussions between the active Air Force and the Air National Guard commenced concerning roles and responsibilities.
As the Cold War
began to wind down and budgetary constraints became realities, more and more of the missions previously carried out by active duty forces began to be transferred into the reserve components. By the 1990s, 90 percent of the air defense mission was being handled by the Air National Guard.
In October 1997, First Air Force became a primarily Air National Guard numbered air force charged with the air defense of the North American continent. Today, First Air Force consists primarily of members of the Air National Guard. Its headquarters is located at Tyndall Air Force Base
, Florida. It comprises 10 Air National Guard fighter wings and two air defense sectors for the East and Western regions of the country.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
(ACC). It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base
Tyndall Air Force Base
Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt Frank Benjamin Tyndall...
, Florida.
Its primary mission is the air defense of the Contiguous United States
Contiguous United States
The contiguous United States are the 48 U.S. states on the continent of North America that are south of Canada and north of Mexico, plus the District of Columbia....
(CONUS), United States Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. Its mission lineage can be traced to the Air Defense Command, one of the original USAAF major commands formed in 1946.
One of the four original pre-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
numbered air forces, 1 AF was activated on 18 December 1940, at Mitchel Field, Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York with a mission of air defense of the Northeastern United States and Great Lakes
Great Lakes region (North America)
The Great Lakes region of North America, occasionally known as the Third Coast or the Fresh Coast , includes the eight U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as well as the Canadian province of Ontario...
regions. During the war, its primary mission became the organization and training of combat units prior to their deployment to the overseas combat air forces.
1 AF is commanded by Major General Garry C. Dean. Its Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sgt. Joseph E. Thornell Sr..
Overview
The command has sole responsibility for ensuring the air sovereignty and air defense of the Contiguous United StatesContiguous United States
The contiguous United States are the 48 U.S. states on the continent of North America that are south of Canada and north of Mexico, plus the District of Columbia....
(CONUS), United States Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. As the CONUS Region (CONR) for NORAD, the bi-national North American Aerospace Defense Command
North American Aerospace Defense Command
North American Aerospace Defense Command is a joint organization of Canada and the United States that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and defense for the two countries. Headquarters NORAD is located at Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado...
, CONR provides air defense in the form of airspace surveillance and airspace control.
1AF (AFNORTH) is also the designated air component for the United States Northern Command
United States Northern Command
United States Northern Command is a Unified Combatant Command of the United States military. Created on 1 October 2002 in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks, its mission is to protect the United States homeland and support local, state, and federal authorities...
(USNORTHCOM). USNORTHCOM's area of responsibility includes the continental United States, Alaska, Canada and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and its air, land and maritime approaches.
The command is unique in both its mission and composition. With the transfer of responsibility for continental air defense from the active duty component of the Air Force to the Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
, 1 AF became the first numbered air force to be made up primarily of citizen airmen.
Units
First Air Force has been an Air Combat Command organization since 1 June 1992. Its subordinate units are located throughout the continental United States.Units aligned under First Air Force/AFNORTH include:
- Eastern Air Defense SectorEastern Air Defense SectorThe Eastern Air Defense Sector is a United States Air Force unit and a component of the New York Air National Guard. It is stationed at the former Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, New York.-Overview:...
(EADS), Rome, New YorkRome, New YorkRome is a city in Oneida County, New York, United States. It is located in north-central or "upstate" New York. The population was 44,797 at the 2010 census. It is in New York's 24th congressional district. In 1758, British forces began construction of Fort Stanwix at this strategic location, but... - Western Air Defense SectorWestern Air Defense SectorThe Western Air Defense Sector is a United States Air Force unit and a component of the Washington Air National Guard. It is stationed at McChord Field, Washington-Overview:...
(WADS), McChord AFB Washington - 601st Air and Space Operations Center601st Air and Space Operations CenterThe 601 Air and Space Operations Center plans, directs, and assesses air and space operations for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, and the United States Northern Command . The AOC provides aerospace warning and control for NORAD Defensive Counter Air activities...
(601 ASOC), Tyndall AFB, Florida - Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC), Tyndall AFB, Florida
- Air Force National Security Emergency Preparedness Agency (AFNSEP), Tyndall AFB, Florida
- 1 AF Detachment 1, WinnipegWinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba, Canada - 702nd Computer Support Squadron (702 CSS), Tyndall AFB, Florida
- AFELM JADOC, Bolling AFB, District of Columbia.
- 722nd Air Defense Squadron (722 ADS), North Bay, OntarioNorth Bay, OntarioNorth Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:...
, Canada
Additionally, First Air Force provides operational control of alert Air National Guard air defense fighter units:
- 119th Wing119th WingThe United States Air Force's 119th Wing is an Air National Guard unit located at Hector International Airport, North Dakota flying the MQ-1 Predator and the C-21A Learjet.-History:...
(119 WG), Fargo Airport, North Dakota, MQ-1 Predator, C-21A
- Detachment 1, 119 FW, Langley AFB, Virginia
- 120th Fighter Wing120th Fighter WingThe United States Air Force's 120th Fighter Wing is a unit located at Great Falls International Airport, Montana.-Mission:The 120th Fighter Wing, as part of the Montana Air National Guard,serves a dual mission:...
(120 FW), Great Falls IAP, Montana, F-16 Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since... - 125th Fighter Wing125th Fighter WingThe United States Air Force's 125th Fighter Wing is a unit of the Florida Air National Guard, operationally-gained by the Air Combat Command . Its primary installation is Jacksonville Air National Guard Base at Jacksonville International Airport, Florida...
(125 FW), Jacksonville IAP, Florida, F-15 EagleF-15 EagleThe McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights... - Detachment 1, 125 FW, Homestead ARS, Florida
- 142d Fighter Wing142d Fighter WingThe United States Air Force's 142d Fighter Wing is a unit located in Oregon.-Mission:To serve the nation, State, and community by providing mission-ready units, personnel and equipment for:* Air defense of the Pacific Northwest....
(142 FW), Portland IAP, Oregon, F-15 EagleF-15 EagleThe McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights... - 144th Fighter Wing144th Fighter WingThe United States Air Force's 144th Fighter Wing is a unit of the California Air National Guard, operationally gained by the Air Combat Command and located at Fresno Air National Guard Base / Fresno Yosemite International Airport in Fresno, California....
(144 FW), Fresno AP California, F-16 Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
- 120th Fighter Wing
- Detachment 1, 144 FW, March ARB, California
- 147th Reconnaissance Wing147th Reconnaissance WingThe United States Air Force's 147th Reconnaissance Wing is a Texas Air National Guard reconnaissance unit located at Ellington Field, Houston, Texas.-History:The 147th Fighter Interceptor Group was activated in May 1958 by the Texas Air National Guard...
(147 RW), Ellington ANG Base, Texas, MQ-1 Predator, C-26 MetrolinerC-26 Metroliner|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Donald, David, general editor. Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Etobicoke, ON: Prospero Books, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.... - 148th Fighter Wing148th Fighter WingThe 148th Fighter Wing is a unit of the Minnesota National Guard based at Duluth International Airport. It falls under 1st Air Force and Air Combat Command...
(148 FW), Duluth IAP, Minnesota, F-16 Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since... - 158th Fighter Wing158th Fighter WingThe United States Air Force's 158th Fighter Wing is a fighter unit located at Burlington International Airport, in Burlington, Vermont.-Mission:...
(158 FW), Burlington AP, Vermont, F-16 Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since... - 177th Fighter Wing177th Fighter WingThe United States Air Force's 177th Fighter Wing is an Air National Guard fighter unit located at Atlantic City IAP, New Jersey.-Mission:Federal Mission: provide combat-ready citizen airmen, aircraft and equipment for worldwide deployment in support of United States Air Force objectives.State...
(177 FW), Atlantic City AP, New Jersey, F-16 Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
- 147th Reconnaissance Wing
Non-flying units
- 101st Information Operations Flight (101 IOF), Salt Lake City IAP, Utah
- 254th Combat Communications Group (254 CCG), Garland, TexasGarland, Texas-Climate:* The average warmest month is July.* The highest recorded temperature was in 2000.* On average, the coolest month is January.* The lowest recorded temperature was in 1989.* The maximum average precipitation occurs in May....
History
One of the four original numbered air forces, First Air Force was activated as the Northeast Air District of the GHQ Air Force on 18 December 1940, at Mitchel Field, Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York. It was redesignated First Air Force on 9 April 1941 with a mission for the defense of the Northeast and Great Lakes regions of the United States.
World War II
During the initial months after the Pearl Harbor Attack, First Air Force organized what would eventually become the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine CommandArmy Air Forces Antisubmarine Command
The Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command was a direct reporting agency of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Its mission was to deal with the German Navy U-boat threat.-Lineage:...
(AAFSC), obtaining most of its forces from I Bomber Command
XX Bomber Command
The XX Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Far East Air Forces, based on Okinawa. It was inactivated on July 16, 1945.- History:...
to combat the German U-Boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
threat along the Atlantic Coast. AAFSC would eventually expand that mission to the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
and Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
until the Antisubmarine mission was taken over by the Navy in mid-1943.
Beginning in 1942, the mission of First Air Force became supporting the Army Air Forces Training Command
Army Air Forces Training Command
Army Air Forces Training Command was a command of the United States Army Air Forces. It was redesignated Air Training Command on 1 July 1946 as part of the reorganization of the Army Air Forces after World War II....
's mission of training of units, crews, and individuals for bombardment, fighter, and reconnaissance operations. After personnel graduated from AAFTC flight schools; navigator training; flexible gunnery schools and various technical schools, First Air Force organized the personnel, aircraft and equipment into combat groups and squadrons. The newly-formed units received secondary training prior to their assignment to the deployed combat air forces in the various overseas theaters. Most P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
fighter groups were trained by I Fighter Command
I Fighter Command
The I Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, based at Mitchel Army Airfield, New York...
, along with P-39/P-63 Airacobra groups; C-47 Skytrain
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
and later C-46 Commando
C-46 Commando
The Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando was a transport aircraft originally derived from a commercial high-altitude airliner design. It was instead used as a military transport during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces as well as the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps under the designation R5C...
groups by I Troop Carrier Command
I Troop Carrier Command
The I Troop Carrier Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, based at Stout Army Air Field, Indiana.Its primary mission was theater troop and logistics transport training...
. In addition, the command performed training through Army Air Forces Training Command
Army Air Forces Training Command
Army Air Forces Training Command was a command of the United States Army Air Forces. It was redesignated Air Training Command on 1 July 1946 as part of the reorganization of the Army Air Forces after World War II....
of units, crews, and individuals for specialized bombardment, and reconnaissance operations. By 1944, most of the Operational Training of groups ended, with the command concentrating on the training of replacement personnel, using Army Air Force Base Units (AAFBU) as training organizations at the airfields controlled by First Air Force.
Air Defense Wings were also organized for the major metropolitan areas along the northeast coast, using training units attached to the Wings. By 1944 the likelihood of an air attack along the eastern seaboard was remote, and these air defense wings were reduced to paper units.
By 1944, the vast majority of the USAAF was engaged in combat operations in various parts of the world, such as the Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
in Europe and the Twentieth Air Force
Twentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
in the Pacific. The training units located within the United States (known as the Zone of the Interior, or "ZI".) under First, Second, Third and Fourth Air Force were all were placed under the unified command of the Continental Air Forces (CAF) on 13 December 1944, with the Numbered Air Forces becoming subordinate commands of CAF.
Air Defense Command
In March 1946, USAAF Chief General Carl SpaatzCarl Spaatz
Carl Andrew "Tooey" Spaatz GBE was an American World War II general and the first Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. He was of German descent.-Early life:...
had undertaken a major re-organization of the postwar USAAF that had included the establishment of Major Commands (MAJCOM), who would report directly to HQ United States Army Air Forces. Continental Air Forces was inactivated, and First Air Force was assigned to the postwar Air Defense Command in March 1946 and subsequently to Continental Air Command
Continental Air Command
Continental Air Command was a Major Command of the United States Air Force responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.-Lineage:...
(ConAC) in December 1948 being primarily concerned with air defense.
The command was originally assigned the region of the New England states, along with New York and New Jersey. With the inactivation of the ADC Eleventh Air Force on 1 July 1948 due to budget restrictions, command's region of responsibility was increased to include the upper Midwest states of Michigan and Ohio, along with the Mid-Atlantic region south to the North Carolina/Virginia Border.
In 1949 Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
and Air Force Reserve units were placed under First Air Force command, with its active-duty units being reassigned to Eastern Air Defense Force (EADF) or to the 30th, 32d or 26th Air Divisions.
The command was inactivated on 23 June 1958 for budgetary reasons, its assigned units being reorganized under ConAC.
First Air Force was reactivated at Stewart Air Force Base, Newburgh, N.Y., on 20 January 1966 due to the inactivation of the ADC Air Defense Sectors. First Air Force assumed responsibility for the ADC 21st, 33d, 34th, 35th, and 36th Air Divisions, primarily located in the northeast and upper Midwest regions of the United States. It also was responsible for the air defense of Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
, Iceland and parts of Canada. By July 1968, First Air Force had again assumed total responsibility for the air defense of the eastern seaboard, just as it had during World War II.
On 16 January 1968 Air Defense Command was re-designated Aerospace Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1946 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the integrated air defense system of the Continental United States , exercise direct control of all active...
(ADCOM) as part of a restructuring of USAF air defense forces. First Air Force's second period of service was short lived, however, and the command was again inactivated as the result of a major ADCOM reorganization on 31 December 1969 of the First, Fourth, Tenth Air Forces and several Air Divisions. This reorganization was the result of the need to eliminate intermediate levels of command in ADCOM driven by budget reductions and a perceived lessening of the need for continental air defense against attacking Soviet aircraft.
ADCOM reassigned the units under the inactivated First Air Force were reassigned primarily to the 20th, 21st or 23d Air Divisions.
Tactical Air Command
As part of realignment of military assets. ADCOM was reorganized on 1 October 1979. The atmospheric defense resources (interceptors and warning radars) of ADCOM were reassigned to Tactical Air CommandTactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
(TAC). With this move many Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
units that had an air defense mission also came under the control of TAC, which established a component called Air Defense, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC), at the level of an Air Division.
On 6 December 1985 HQ USAF reactivated First Air Force at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, and assigned it to Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
(TAC). First Air Force was given the mission to provide, train and equip ADTAC combat ready forces for the air defense of the North American continent.
Upon its reactivation, First Air Force was composed of units of the active Air Force and the Air National Guard. Because of its unique mission and its binational responsibilities, First Air Force works closely with the Canadian Forces. Canadian personnel are stationed at First Air Force Headquarters at Tyndall Air Force Base
Tyndall Air Force Base
Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt Frank Benjamin Tyndall...
Florida, and at the various regional air defense sectors located throughout the United States.
Activation of the Continental United States North American Aerospace Defense Regions on 1 October 1986, resulted in a new structure for the 30-year-old, binational North American Aerospace Defense Command
North American Aerospace Defense Command
North American Aerospace Defense Command is a joint organization of Canada and the United States that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and defense for the two countries. Headquarters NORAD is located at Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado...
(NORAD). Although the U.S. Air Force had already deactivated Aerospace Defense Command, the continental U.S. region, along with Alaskan and Canadian regions provided an improved command and operational system for North American air defense.
Air National Guard
In the years since its third activation, more of the responsibility for the defense of American air sovereignty has shifted to the Air National Guard. Also, reorganization of the command structure of the U.S. Air Force saw the assignment of air defense to Tactical Air Command and later, its successor, Air Combat CommandAir Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the role of the Air National Guard in the defense of North America increased. As this role changed, discussions between the active Air Force and the Air National Guard commenced concerning roles and responsibilities.
As the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
began to wind down and budgetary constraints became realities, more and more of the missions previously carried out by active duty forces began to be transferred into the reserve components. By the 1990s, 90 percent of the air defense mission was being handled by the Air National Guard.
In October 1997, First Air Force became a primarily Air National Guard numbered air force charged with the air defense of the North American continent. Today, First Air Force consists primarily of members of the Air National Guard. Its headquarters is located at Tyndall Air Force Base
Tyndall Air Force Base
Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt Frank Benjamin Tyndall...
, Florida. It comprises 10 Air National Guard fighter wings and two air defense sectors for the East and Western regions of the country.
Lineage
- Established as Northeast Air District on 19 October 1940
- Activated on 18 December 1940.
- Redesignated: 1 Air Force on 26 March 1941
- Redesignated: First Air Force on 18 September 1942
- Discontinued on 23 June 1958
- Activated on 20 January 1966
- Organized on 1 April 1966
- Inactivated on 31 December 1969
- Activated on 6 December 1985.
- Redesignated First Air Force (ANG) on 1 October 1995
Assignments
- General Headquarters Air Force (later, Air Force Combat Command), 18 Dec 1940
- Eastern Theater of Operations (later, Eastern Defense Command)Eastern Defense CommandEastern Defense Command was established on 17 March 1941 as the command formation of the U.S. Army responsible for coordinating the defense of the Atlantic Coast region of the United States. EDC replaced the existing Northeast Defense Command. A second major responsibility of EDC was the training...
, 24 Dec 1941 - United States Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air ForcesThe United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
, 17 Sep 1943 - Continental Air Forces, 16 Apr 1945
- Air Defense Command, 21 Mar 1946
- Continental Air CommandContinental Air CommandContinental Air Command was a Major Command of the United States Air Force responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.-Lineage:...
, 1 Dec 1948 – 23 Jun 1958 - Air (later, Aerospace) Defense Command, 20 Jan 1966 – 31 Dec 1969
- Tactical Air CommandTactical Air CommandTactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
, 6 Dec 1985 - Air Combat CommandAir Combat CommandAir Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
, 1 Jun 1992 – present
Major components
- 15 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: 3 February 1946.
- 1 Sea Search Attack Group (Medium): November 1943-10 April 1944.
Commands
- 1 Air Force Service (later, 1 Air Force Base; 1 Base): 1 October 1941 – 13 May 1942
- 1 Air Support (later, I Air Support; I Ground Air Support) CommandIII Reconnaissance CommandThe III Reconnaissance Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
: 1 September 1941 – 17 August 1942 - 1 Bomber (later, I Bomber) CommandXX Bomber CommandThe XX Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Far East Air Forces, based on Okinawa. It was inactivated on July 16, 1945.- History:...
: 5 September 1941 – 15 October 1942 - 1 Bomber CommandArmy Air Forces Antisubmarine CommandThe Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command was a direct reporting agency of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Its mission was to deal with the German Navy U-boat threat.-Lineage:...
: 24 August 1943 – 21 March 1946 - 1 Interceptor (later, I Interceptor; I Fighter) CommandI Fighter CommandThe I Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, based at Mitchel Army Airfield, New York...
: 5 June 1941 – 21 March 1946
- XVI Air Force Service: 27 December 1946 – 1 April 1949
- XVII Air Force Service: 1 July 1948 – 23 February 1949
- XIX Air Force Service: 13 August 1948 – 23 February 1949.
Air Divisions
- 3d Air Division (formerly, 98 Bombardment Wing; 3 Bombardment Wing): 20 Dec 1946 – 27 Jun 1949
- 4th Air Division (formerly, 4 Combat Bombardment; 4 Bombardment Wing): 20 Dec 1946 – 27 Jun 1949
- 90th Air Division (formerly, 90 Reconnaissance Wing)90th Air DivisionThe 90th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with First Air Force, based at Niagara Falls Airport, New York...
: 20 Dec 1946 – 27 Jun 1949 - 91st Air Division (formerly, 91 Reconnaissance Wing): 20 Dec 1946 – 27 Jun 1949
- 12th Air Division: 1 Jul 1948 – 23 Feb 1949
- 69th Air Division: 1 Jul 1948 – 23 Feb 1949
- 26th Air Defense (later, 26 Air) Division: 16 Nov 1948 – 1 Apr 1949; 16 Nov 1949-1 Sep 1950 (detached 8 Dec 1949 – 1 Sep 1950); 6 Dec 1985-30 Sep 1990
- 32d Air Division: 8 Dec 1949 – 1 Sep 1950 (detached 8 Dec 1949 – 19 Feb 1950); 1 Jul 1968-31 Dec 1969
- 21st Air Division: 1 Apr 1966 – 31 Dec 1967
- 33d Air Division: 1 Apr 1966 – 19 Nov 1969
- 34th Air Division: 1 Apr 1966 – 31 Dec 1969
- 35th Air Division: 1 Apr 1966 – 19 Nov 1969
- 36th Air Division: 1 Apr 1966 – 30 Sep 1969
- 37th Air Division: 1 Apr 1966 – 1 Dec 1969
- 29th Air Division: 15 September – 19 November 1969
- 23d Air Division: 19 November – 1 December 1969; 6 Dec 1985 – 1 Jul 1987
- 24th Air Division: 6 Dec 1985 – 30 Sep 1990
- 25th Air Division: 6 Dec 1985 – 30 Sep 1990
Centers
- 1 Airborne Engineer Aviation Unit Training Center: 1 Apr 1943 – 10 Apr 1944
- Combined Air Defense Training Center: 4 Aug 1943 – 15 Jul 1944
- Eastern Signal Aviation Unit Training Center: 12 Mar 1943 – 12 Feb 1944
- USAF Air Defense Weapons Center: 6 Dec 1985 – 12 Sep 1991
- 601 Air and Space Operations Center: 1 Nov 2007 – present
- Air Force Rescue Coordination Center: 27 Apr 2007 – present
Sectors
- Northwest Air Defense Sector, 1 October 1990 – 31 December 1994
- Western Air Defense SectorWestern Air Defense SectorThe Western Air Defense Sector is a United States Air Force unit and a component of the Washington Air National Guard. It is stationed at McChord Field, Washington-Overview:...
, 1 January 1995–present - Southeast Air Defense SectorSoutheast Air Defense SectorThe Southeast Air Defense Sector , was a unit of the US Air Force located at Tyndall Air Force Base near Panama City, Florida. It provided air defense and surveillance of the southeastern region of the US...
, 1 October 1990 – 31 December 1994 - Southwest Air Defense SectorSouthwest Air Defense SectorThe Southwest Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, being stationed at March Air Force Base, California...
, 1 October 1990 – 31 December 1994
Stations
- Mitchel Field, New York, 18 December 1940
- Fort Slocum (later, Slocum AFB)Fort Slocum (New York)Fort Slocum, New York was a US military base occupying Davids' Island and Hart Island at the western end of Long Island Sound. The fort was named for Major General Henry W...
, New York, 3 June 1946 - Mitchel AFB, New York, 17 October 1949 – 23 June 1958
- Stewart AFB, New York, 1 April 1966 – 31 December 1969
- Langley AFB, Virginia, 6 December 1985
- Tyndall AFB, Florida, 12 September 1991–present