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The group was sent overseas to Australia in January 1942 and was assigned to the Fifth Air Force. They moved to Darwin in April 1942 and was redesignated 49th Fighter Group in May. The group was equipped with P-40's Curtiss P-40 Warhawk aircraft in Australia and after a brief period of training, provided air defense for the Northern Territory.
During World War II, the unit's predecessor unit, the 49th Fighter Group, operated primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater as part of the Fifth Air Force. The group earned three Distinguished Unit Citations (DUC) for engaging the enemy in frequent and intense aerial combat in numerous campaigns between 1942 and 1945.
Gerald Richard Johnson (June 23, 1920 – October 7, 1945) was a World War II flying ace who flew for the United States Army Air Forces. Johnson commanded the 9th Fighter Squadron and 49th Fighter Group, and became the fourth ranking fighter ace in the Pacific during World War II. He ended his war career with 22 kills.
With the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, the 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing was one of the first USAF units dispatched to Korea from Japan, its tactical squadrons began operations with P-51D Mustangs. Initially under its parent wing, the 49th was reassigned to the 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing during July through September, and finally the 6149th ...
The squadron was first activated as the 49th Pursuit Squadron in 1941 during the expansion of the United States military that preceded World War II. Immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor , the squadron flew air defense patrols off the southern Pacific coast.
The 8th Fighter Squadron and its sister squadrons (7th and 9th Fighter Squadrons) attained a record of 668 aerial victories not matched in the Pacific Theater during World War II. [ 4 ] After the Japanese Capitulation, the squadron moved to the Japanese Home Islands, initially being stationed at the former Imperial Japanese Navy Atsugi Airfield ...
49th Pursuit Group (later 49th Fighter Group, 49th Fighter-Bomber Group), 15 January 1941; Attached to Japan Air Defense Force, 17 December 1952 – November 1953; 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 17 August–c. 6 September 1950 and after 15 April 1957) 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing (later 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, 49th Fighter Wing, 10 December 1957
49th Fighter-Bomber Wing (later 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, 49 Fighter Wing), 10 December 1957; Attached to 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 10 September – 6 October 1971, 86th Tactical Fighter Wing, 2 March – 4 April 1973 and 23 August – 25 September 1976, 36th Tactical Fighter Wing, 2 April – 3 May 1974 and 4 October – 6 November 1975