USAF PATCH 33 FIGHTER WING US AIR FORCE PATCH

 Lineage.   Established as 33 Fighter Wing on 15 Oct 1947.  Organized on 5 Nov 1947. Redesignated as 33 Fighter-Interceptor Wing on 20 Jan 1950.  Inactivated on 6 Feb 1952. Redesignated as 33 Fighter Wing (Air Defense) on 14 Sep 1956.  Activated on 18 Oct 1956. Inactivated on 18 Aug 1957.  Redesignated as 33 Tactical Fighter Wing, and activated, on 9 Feb 1965.  Organized on 1 Apr 1965.  Redesignated as 33 Fighter Wing on 1 Oct 1991.

Assignments.    Eighth Air Force, 5 Nov 1947 (attached to 509 Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy, 17 Nov 1947–15 Nov 1948); First Air Force, 1 Dec 1948 (attached to Eastern Air Defense Force, 10 Nov 1949–31 Aug 1950, and further attached to 32 Air Division [Defense], 20 Feb 1950-); Eastern Air Defense Force, 1 Sep 1950–6 Feb 1952 (remained attached to 32 Air Division [Defense] to 1 Feb 1952).   26 Air Division (Defense), 18 Oct 1956 (attached to 4622 Air Defense Wing [SAGE], 18 Oct 1956–7 Jan 1957); Boston Air Defense Sector, 8 Jan–18 Aug 1957.  Tactical Air Command, 9 Feb 1965; 836 Air Division, 1 Apr 1965; Ninth Air Force, 30 Jun 1971; Ninth Air Force (original Ninth Air Force was redesignated and a new Ninth Air Force was constituted and activated), 5 Aug 2009; Nineteenth Air Force, 1 Oct 2009; Air Education and Training Command, 12 Jul 2012–.

Operational Components.   Wing.  50 Fighter (later, 50 Fighter-Interceptor): attached 1 Jun 1949– 2 Jun 1951.  Group.  33 Fighter (later, 33 Fighter-Interceptor; 33 Fighter; 33 Operations):  5 Nov 1947–6 Feb 1952 (detached 5 Nov 1947–15 Nov 1948); 18 Oct 1956–18 Aug 1957 (detached 1 Jul–18 Aug 1957); 1 Dec 1991–.  Squadrons.  4 Tactical Fighter:  20 Jun 1965–12 Apr 1969.  16 Tactical Fighter: 20 Jun 1965–1 Nov 1970 (detached 27 Aug–13 Sep 1966, 13–31 Oct 1967, 26 May–9 Sep 1970).  25 Tactical Fighter:  20 Jun 1965–28 May 1968.  40 Tactical Fighter:  20 Jun 1965–15 Oct 1970.  58 Tactical Fighter:  1 Sep 1970–1 Dec 1991 (detached 29 Apr–14 Oct 1972, 8 Jun–14 Sep 1973, 8–22 Aug 1975, 31 Jan–14 Feb 1977; 28 Aug 1990–1 Dec 1991).  59 Tactical Fighter (later, 59 Fighter):  1 Sep 1970–1 Dec 1991 (detached 24–29 Mar 1974).  60 Tactical Fighter (later, 60 Fighter):  1 Sep 1971–1 Dec 1991.  133 Fighter:  attached 21 Jul 1951–6 Feb 1952.  786 Tactical Fighter:  1 Apr–20 Jun 1965.  787 Tactical Fighter:  1 Apr–20 Jun 1965.  788 Tactical Fighter:  1 Apr–20 Jun 1965.  789 Tactical Fighter:  1 Apr–20 Jun 1965.  4533 Tactical Training Squadron (Test):  7 Dec 1967–12 Apr 1971.

Stations.   Roswell AAFld (later, Walker AFB), NM, 5 Nov 1947; Otis AFB, MA, 16 Nov 1948–6 Feb 1952.  Otis AFB, MA, 18 Oct 1956–18 Aug 1957.  Eglin AFB, FL, 1 Apr 1965–.

Commanders.   Lt Col Joseph C. Smith, 5 Nov 1947 (additional duty); Col Gwen G. Atkinson, Jan 1948 (additional duty to 16 Nov 1948); Col Arthur C. Agan Jr., 23 May 1949; Col Harrison R. Thyng, Apr 1951; Col Leon W. Gray, Oct 1951–6 Feb 1952.  Col Hilmer C. Nelson, 18 Oct 1956; Col Delbert H. Hahn, (by May)–c. 30 Jun 1957; none (not manned), 1 Jul–18 Aug 1957.  None (not manned), 9 Feb–31 Mar 1965; Col David C. Jones, 1 Apr 1965; Col George I. Ruddell, 1 Oct 1965; Col Robert W. Maloy, 26 Aug 1966; Col Abner M. Aust Jr., 12 May 1967; Col Franklin L. Fisher, 15 Jun 1967; Col Richard C. Henry, 30 Sep 1970; Col William E. Skinner, 24 Mar 1972; Col Gordon B. Mickelson, 10 May 1973; Col Donald C. Hanto, 15 Feb 1975; Col David L. Nichols, 29 Apr 1977; Brig Gen Charles R. Hamm, 20 Jul 1979; Col Stanton R. Musser, 21 Apr 1980; Col Jack R. Petry, 22 Jan 1982; Col Robert K. Wagner, 19 Aug 1983; Col George J. Forster, 14 May 1985; Col John P. Jumper, 19 Feb 1987; Col Robert W. Mendell, 19 Jan 1988; Col Rick N. Parsons, 30 May 1989; Col David L. Yates, 25 Aug 1990; Col Richard F. Hardy, 1 Mar 1991; Col Rick N. Parsons, c. 12 Apr 1991; Col Gregory S. Martin, 2 Aug 1991; Col William R. Looney III, 4 Jun 1993; Col Carrol H. Chandler, 15 May 1995; Col Gary R. Dylewski, 28 Mar 1996; Col Felix Dupre, 3 Oct 1997; Col John T. Brennan, 5 Apr 1999; Col Herbert J. Carlisle, 2 Mar 2001; Col Stanley T. Kresge, 14 Feb  2003; Col Brett T. Williams, 30 Jul 2004; Col Russell J. Handy, 20 Jun 2006; Col Todd P. Harmer, 4 Jan 2008; Col David A. Hlatky, 1 Oct 2009; Col Andrew J. Toth, 31 Mar 2011-. 

Aircraft.   F–51, 1948–1950; F–84, 1948–1950; F–86, 1950–1952; F–94, 1951–1952; F–47, 1951–1952.  F–89, 1956–1957; F–94, 1956–1957.  F–4, 1965–1979; F–15, 1978–2009; F-35,  2010-; F-16, 2011-.

Operations.   33 Fighter Wing headquarters was not operational and all of its components were detached, Nov 1947– Nov 1948, with the 509 Bombardment Wing at Walker AFB, NM, controlling the wing’s tactical units.  Headquarters of the 33 Fighter Wing became operational upon movement to Otis AFB, MA, in mid-Nov 1948.  The wing trained to maintain tactical proficiency and participated in exercises and aerial demonstrations Nov 1948–Nov 1949.  It assumed an air defense mission in Dec 1949 and provided air defense in the northeastern United States until inactivated in Feb 1952.  Once again it provided air defense in the northeastern United States, Oct 1956–Jun 1957, but was non-operational, 1 Jul–18 Aug 1957.  In Apr 1965 the wing activated at Eglin AFB, FL, and embarked on a program of tactical training operations to maintain proficiency.  Operated a test support division, Jul 1965–Dec 1967, and a special test squadron, Dec 1967–Apr 1971, in support of tests for weapon systems, aircraft armament and munitions, and tactical procedures of the Tactical Air Warfare Center.  The wing also provided F–4 replacement training, 15 Dec 1966–28 Feb 1967.  Through deployment of combat-ready tactical components, with personnel and equipment transferred to PACAF units upon arrival, the wing provided fresh aircraft and aircrews for the forces in Southeast Asia and in Korea.  Entire resources of squadrons were released as follows:  40 Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS), May 1967, Nov 1968, and May 1969; 4 TFS, Jul 1967; and 16 TFS, Oct 1967 and Apr 1969.  In all cases except for the 40 TFS, in May 1969, the squadrons were immediately remanned and reequipped.  The wing also transferred two of its combat-ready squadrons to PACAF, the 25 TFS in May 1968 and the 4 TFS in Apr 1969.  The wing’s last combat-ready squadron, the 58 TFS, deployed to Southeast Asia for combat operations from Apr to Oct 1972 and again from Jun to Sep 1973.  The wing supported the 4485 Test Squadron of the Tactical Air Warfare Center in weapon systems evaluation program tests, Jan–Dec 1973, and periodically thereafter until Jul 1978.  Aircrews ferried F–4Es to Israel in Oct 1973.  The Wing augmented intercept defense forces of the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD), 1 Jan 1976–15 Jan 1979 and 4 Jan–5 Apr 1982.  While awaiting delivery of F–15s, the 60 FS conducted F–15 mission qualifications training for the 18 TFW, 15 July 1979–30 April 1980.  The wing provided personnel and equipment to fly combat air patrols and air intercept missions for contingency operations in Grenada, Oct–Nov 1983, and Panama, Dec 1989–Jan 1990.  During combat operations while deployed in Southwest Asia, 26 Aug 1990–12 Apr 1991, wing personnel were credited with sixteen air-to-air victories.  Wing personnel and aircraft continued rotations to Saudi Arabia to protect coalition assets and to ensure that Iraq complied with treaty terms.  From 1992-2002, continued to deploy aircraft and personnel to Saudi Arabia, Canada, the Caribbean, South America, Jamaica, Iceland, Italy, and Puerto Rico and participated in operations SOUTHERN WATCH, CORONET MACAW; RESTORE HOPE, SUPPORT JUSTICE IV; UPHOLD DEMOCRACY.   It lost 13 members in the bombing of Khobar Towers, Saudi Arabia on 25 Jun 1996. Between 2001 and 2010, supported operations NOBLE EAGLE, ENDURING FREEDOM, and IRAQI FREEDOM.  Trained US Air Force, US Marine Corps, US Navy and international partner pilots and maintainers of F-35 joint strike fighter aircraft, 2010-.

Service Streamers.   None.