XXII Tactical Air Command
{{use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{use American English|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=XXII Tactical Air Command
|image=Tuskegee Airmen - Circa May 1942 to Aug 1943.jpg
|image_size=300px
|caption=Members of 332d Fighter Group of XII Fighter Command
|dates=1942-1945
|country={{USA}}
|branch={{air force|USA}}
|type=
|role=Command of fighter and air support units
|size=
|command_structure=
|mascot=
|battles=Mediterranean Theater of OperationsMaurer, Combat Units, p. 434
|notable_commanders=Brig Gen Elwood Richard Quesada
Brig Gen Benjamin W. Chidlaw
|anniversaries=
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
}}
The XXII Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Twelfth Air Force, at Pomigliano Airfield, Italy, where it was inactivated on 4 October 1945.
The command was formed in the southeast United States in early 1942. It moved to the United Kingdom in September 1942 and to North Africa during October–November 1942. Served in combat in the Mediterranean theater until the end of the war. Inactivated in Italy
Lineage
- Constituted as the 12th Interceptor Command on 26 February 1942
: Activated on 5 March 1942
: Redesignated 12th Fighter Command 15 May 1942
: Redesignated XII Fighter Command c. 24 September 1942
: Redesignated XXII Tactical Air Command in November 1944
: Inactivated on 4 October 1945
=Assignments=
- Third Air Force, 5 March 1942{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}
- Twelfth Air Force, 12 September 1942 – 4 October 1945Maurer, Combat Units, p. 434 (years only). (attached to Eighth Air Force, 12 September-26 October 1942){{citation needed|date=December 2021}}
=Stations=
{{div col|colwidth=40em}}
- Drew Field, Florida, 5 March-27 August 1942
- RAF Wattisham, England, 12 September 1942
- RAF Bushey Hall, England, 17 September-26 October 1942
- Oran Tafaraoui Airport, Algeria, 8 November 1942
- La Senia Airfield, Algeria, 12 November 1942
- Tebessa Airfield, Algeria, December 1942
- La Senia Airfield, Algeria, 12 January 1943
- Algiers, Algeria, 20 March 1943
- Caserta, Italy, 14 July 1944
- Florence Airfield, Italy, 15 September 1944
- Pomigliano Airfield, Italy, August-4 October 1945Maurer, Combat Units, p. 434, except as noted.
{{div col end}}
=Components=
; Wings
- 1st Air Defense Wing (later 62d Fighter Wing): 30 January 1943 – 12 September 1945
- 2d Air Defense Wing (later 63d Fighter Wing): 27 January 1943 – 14 June 1945
- 3rd Air Defense Wing: 22 February – 9 March 1943{{cite web |url=http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=10113 |title=Factsheet 64 Air Division (Defense) |date=5 October 2007|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121014002920/http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=10113 |archive-date=14 October 2012 |access-date=2 April 2014}}
- 87th Fighter Wing: 11 January 1944 – 1 April 1945.
; Groups
{{div col|colwidth=40em}}
- 1st Fighter Group: 14 September – 24 December 1942{{cite web |url= http://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/434143/2-operations-group-acc |last1=Haulman|first1=Daniel|title=Factsheet 1 Operations Group (ACC)|date=November 7, 2017|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=December 27, 2021}}
- 14th Fighter Group: 14 September – 11 December 1942{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/434130/14-operations-group-aetc/ |last1=Haulman|first1=Daniel|title=Factsheet 14 Operations Group (AETC)|date=June 3, 2019|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=August 26, 2017}}
- 31st Fighter Group: 27 September – November 1942{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/434112/31-operations-group-usafe/ |last1=Robertson|first1=Patsy|title=Factsheet 31 Operations Group (USAFE)|date=June 27, 2017|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=December 27, 2021}}
- 33d Fighter Group: 6 December 1942 – 13 January 1943{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/434110/33-operations-group-acc/ |last1=Dollman|first1=TSG David|title=Factsheet 33 Operations Group (ACC)|date=October 18, 2016|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=December 29, 2021}}
- 47th Bombardment Group: 15 September 1944 – 7 June 1945{{cite web|url=https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/433520/47-operations-group-aetc/|last1=Robertson|first1=Patsy E.|title=Factsheet 47 Operations Group (AETC)|date=July 7, 2017|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|url-status=live|access-date=December 31, 2021|archive-date=28 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228135346/https://www.afhra.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/433520/47-operations-group-aetc/}}
- 52d Fighter Group: 14 September 1942 – 18 February 1943 (attached to Tunis Fighter Sector after c. 19 January 1943){{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/431941/52-operations-group-usafe/ |last1=Robertson|first1=Patsy|title=Factsheet 52 Operations Group (USAFE)|date=May 7, 2013|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=January 1, 2022}}
- 79th Fighter Group: assigned 20 September 1944 – 1 October 1944 (attached to 64th Fighter Wing to 30 September 1944); attached 12 May – 7 June 1945{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/432821/53-test-and-evaluation-group-acc/ |last1=Stevens|first1=Maj Sonia|title=Factsheet 53 Test and Evaluation Group (ACC)|date=July 11, 2017|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=January 7, 2022}}
- 86th Fighter Group: 15 September 1944 – 20 February 1945{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/432784/86-operations-group-usafe/ |last1=Forte|first1=Maria|title=Factsheet 86 Operations Group (USAFE)|date=April 4, 2018|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=January 10, 2022}}
- 332d Fighter Group: 15 September 1944 – 20 February 1945{{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/433617/332-expeditionary-operations-group-acc/ |last1=Haulman|first1=Daniel L.|title=Factsheet 332 Expeditionary Operations Group (ACC)|date=May 2011|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=January 17, 2022}}
{{div col end}}
; Squadrons
- 1st Emergency Rescue Squadron, 12 March − 1 October 1944 (attached to Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Force after 14 September 1944){{cite web |url= https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/862206/1-expeditionary-rescue-group-acc/ |last1=Haulman|first1=Daniel L.|title=Factsheet 1 Expeditionary Rescue Group (ACC)|date=9 June 2015|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=January 17, 2022}}
- 414th Night Fighter Squadron: 1 April – 7 June 1945Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 506-507
- 417th Night Fighter Squadron: 1 April – 17 August 1945Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 509-510
- 350th Fighter Group:The group operated with Twelfth Air Force from January 1943 until the end of the war with three subordinate Squadrons, the 345th, 346th and 347th; The First Brazilian Fighter Squadron joined the 350th Fighter Group as a fourth squadron in October 1944.
References
=Notes=
{{reflist|40em}}
=Bibliography=
{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}
- {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II|orig-year= 1961|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161220180735/http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf|url-status= dead|archive-date= 20 December 2016|access-date= December 17, 2016|edition=reprint|year=1983|publisher= Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-02-1|lccn=61060979}}
- {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II|orig-year=1969|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf |archive-url= https://archive.today/20230820144531/https://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= 20 August 2023 |edition= reprint|access-date= December 17, 2016|year=1982|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-405-12194-6|oclc=72556|lccn=70605402}}
{{USAAF 12th Air Force World War II}}
Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1948