20th

HISTORY OF THE 20th FIGHTER WING
Today’s 20th Fighter Wing (FW) can trace its lineage to the initial creation, on Jul. 28, 1947, of the 20th Fighter
Wing, organized (manned) on Aug. 15 of the same year at Shaw Field, South Carolina, as a Ninth Air Force
unit. Components of the new fighter wing included the 20th Maintenance and Supply Group, the 20th Airdrome
Group, and the 20th Station Medical Group (later Tactical Hospital). At the same time, the 20 FG with its 55, 77,
and 79 FSs and P-51 Mustangs formed the combat element of the 20th FW. The group exchanged its P-51s in
February 1948 for P-84B (later D) Thunderjets.
On Aug. 24, 1948, a reorganization of the 20th Maintenance and Supply Group featured the activation of the 20th
Supply Squadron, Fighter, Jet (later simplified to 20th Supply Squadron) and the 20th Maintenance Squadron,
Fighter, Jet (renamed 20th Maintenance Squadron in 1950, 20th Field Maintenance Squadron in 1954, and 20th
Equipment Maintenance Squadron in 1981).
Two days later, on Aug. 26, 1948, the wing’s 20th Airdrome Group was discontinued and its security police (now
the 20th Security Police Squadron), installations, food service and air base elements became realigned under
the 20th Air Base Group. The creation of the new group fostered the activation of the 20th Finance Disbursing
Unit (today’s 20th Comptroller Squadron), the 20th Motor Vehicle Squadron (predecessor of the 20th Transportation
Squadron), the 20th Installations Squadron (redesignated 20th Civil Engineering Squadron fourteen years
later), the 20th Food Service Squadron (antecedent of the 20th Services Squadron), and the 20th Communications
Squadron (no relation to the communications organizations serving the wing today).
20th Becomes Fighter Bomber Wing
Control over the wing changed hands on Feb. 1, 1949 with its assignment to the Fourteenth Air Force. Eleven
months later, on Jan. 20, 1950, the wing was redesignated as the 20th Fighter Bomber Wing (FBW). Similar
redesignations altered the titles of the 20th Group and its three flying squadrons.
Front Row L-R: Capt. Tom Ross (USMC exchange officer),
Maj. Delynn E. Anderson (CO 79th FS), May Jacobson, Maj.
Alan Armstrong (USMC exchange officer), Col Dunning (CO
20th FG), Col Cy Wilson (ex 20th FG CO WW II on loan from
Pentagon for Fox Able deployment). 2nd row: Lt. Col. Mitchell
(CO 55th FS). Briefing for deployment to RAF Manston in
Shaw Base Theater. Many in this picture became important
leaders for developing jet fighter operations, and for Korean
and Vietnam combat. The future was here!
The Korean War had just begun. USAF plans had been
to send the SAC 12th FW to England to bolster the forces
in Europe. But the Cold War got hot before the 12th’s
F-84s were ready to go. The 20th’s Director of Operations
was called from a Saturday night party at the club
to take a message that the 20th was going to England.
The 20th had about seven days to get ready. Getting
ready included receiving a set of two-230 gallon tip tanks
for each airplane to replace the two-185 gallon tanks that
had been provided with their F-84Ds. On Jul. 19, 1950
the 20th Fighter Bomber Group (FBG) under the command
of Col. John Dunning executed the first movement
of a full jet fighter group to Europe. The 20th flew their
F-84Ds from Shaw AFB to Dow AFB Maine. At Dow AFB
a message was received to remove personal baggage
from the .50 cal. ammunition compartments so that live
ammunition could be loaded. Headquarters felt there
was a strong possibility that the Soviets would try to interfere
with the movement of the unit to England. The
20th would then continue on its movement without Soviet
action via Goose Bay Labrador, Bluie West One, Greenland,
Keflavik, Iceland, Kinross, Scotland and finally to
Manston, England. Half way between Greenland and
20th Fighter Wing History --- Page Number 16.