906th Fighter Group
| 906th Fighter Group | |
|---|---|
| 250px
906th Tactical Fighter Group - Emblem
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| Active | 1962-1994 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force Reserve |
| Role | Fighter |
The 906th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force Reserve unit. It was last active with the 445th Airlift Wing, based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. It was inactivated on 1 October 1994.
Contents
History
Following the mobilizations in 1961 and 1962 for the Berlin Crisis and the Cuban Missile Crisis, Continental Air Command (ConAC) realized that it was unwieldy to mobilize an entire wing unless absolutely necessary. Their original Table of Organization for each Wing was a wing headquarters, a troop carrier group, an Air Base Group, a maintenance and supply group, and a medical group. In 1957, the troop carrier group and maintenance and supply groups were inactivated, with their squadrons reassigned directly to the wing headquarters - despite the fact that many wings had squadrons spread out over several bases due to the Detached Squadron Concept dispersing Reserve units over centers of population.
To resolve this, in late 1962 and early 1963, ConAC reorganized the structure of its reserve Troop Carrier Wings by establishing fully deployable Troop Carrier Groups and inserting them into the chain of command between the Wing and its squadrons at every base that held a ConAC troop carrier squadron. At each base, the group was composed of a material squadron, a troop carrier squadron, a tactical hospital or dispensary, and a combat support squadron. Each troop carrier wing consisted of 3 or 4 of these groups. By doing so, ConAC could facilitate the mobilization of either aircraft and aircrews alone, aircraft and minimum support personnel (one troop carrier group), or the entire troop carrier wing. This also gave ConAC the flexibility to expand each Wing by attaching additional squadrons, if necessary from other Reserve wings to the deployable groups for deployments.
The 906th Troop Carrier Group was one of two C-119 groups assigned to the 302d TCW in 1963, the other being the 907th Troop Carrier Group also at Clinton County AFB. Replaced C-119s with C-123 Provider assault transport in 1967, began training with special operations forces when parent 302d Tactical Airlift Wing was redesignated as a Special Operations Wing in 1970. Inactivated in 1975 as part of post-Vietnam War drawdown.
Fighter operations
Reactivated in 1981 as a UC-123K Provider reserve squadron at Rickenbacker ANGB, Ohio for aireal spraying operations. Re-aligned to an F-4D Phantom II Tactical Fighter squadron in 1982 at Wright-Patterson AFB; F-4Ds came from 704th TFS at Bergstrom AFB. Carried Tail Code "DO", aligned to Tactical Air Command.
Was upgraded to F-16A/B Falcons in 1989 as part of the retirement of the Phantom II, receiving F-16s from inactivating 474th TFW at Nellis AFB.
Inactivated in 1994 as part of post-Cold War drawdown. Replaced by 445th Operations Group with 89th Fighter Squadron transitioning to C-141B Starlifters on October 1, 1994 (89th Airlift Squadron).
Lineage
- Established as the 906th Troop Carrier Group, Medium and activated on 15 January 1963 (not organized)
- Organized in the Reserve on 11 February 1963
- Redesignated 906th Tactical Airlift Group on 1 July 1967
- Redesignated 906th Special Operations Group on 25 January 1970
- Redesignated 906th Tactical Airlift Group on 26 July 1971
- Inactivated on 1 September 1975
- Aactivated in the Reserve on 1 April 1981
- Redesignated 906th Tactical Fighter Group on 1 July 1982
- Redesignated 906th Fighter Group on 1 February 1992
- Inactivated on 1 October 1994
Assignments
- Continental Air Command, 15 January 1963
- 302d Troop Carrier (later Tactical Airlift; Special Operations; Tactical Airlift) Wing, 11 February 1963-1 Sep 1975
- 94th Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 April 1981 – 1 July 1982
- 445th Military Airlift (later Airlift) Wing, 1 July 1982 – 1 October 1994
Components
- 355th Troop Carrier (later Tactical Airlift) Squadron, 11 February 1963-1 Sep 1975; 1 April 1981 – 1 July 1982
- 89th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 1 July 1982 – 1 October 1994
Stations
- Clinton County Air Force Base, Ohio, 11 February 1963
- Lockbourne (later Rickenbacker) Air Force Base, Ohio, 2 August 1971 – 1 September 1975
- Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio, 1 April 1981 – 1 July 1982.
- Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, 1 July 1982 – 1 October 1994
Aircraft
- C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1963-1967
- C-123 Provider, 1967-1975
- UC-123K Provider, 1981-1982
- F-4D Phantom II, 1982-1989
- F-16A Fighting Falcon, 1989-1994
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
- Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
- Martin, Patrick. Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings. Schiffer Military Aviation History, 1994. ISBN 0-88740-513-4. Image source listed as United States Air Force
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
- AFHRA search 906th Fighter Group
- F-16.net 89th Fighter Squadron
