Norfolk Fighter Wing

The Norfolk Fighter Wing was a former United States Army Air Forces unit. Its last assignment was with the I Fighter Command, stationed at Norfolk Airport, Virginia.

The wing reported to First Air Force and was responsible for the air defense of the Norfolk area during World War II. The unit was not manned after July 1944, and inactivated after the end of the war on 3 April 1946.

History

The unit was constituted as the "Norfolk Air Defense Wing" on 6 August 1942 and activated on 11 August 1942 as part of the First Air Force, stationed in Norfolk. The wing was responsible for the air defense of the Norfolk area, operating with attached Army Air Force organizations and co-operating naval aircraft. The wing was commanded by Colonel Malcolm N. Stewart. On 24 September 1942, Colonel Murray C. Woodbury took command. After Woodbury was promoted to command of the 5th Air Defense Wing,^[1] Major Earl H. Dunham became the wing commander in April 1943. Around 24 June, Colonel Burton M. Hovey became the unit's commander. He was soon transferred to command the Philadelphia Fighter Wing,^[2] and now-Lieutenant Colonel Dunham commanded the wing again from 14 August. In July it was redesignated as the Norfolk Fighter Wing. Around 25 November Lieutenant Colonel Otis F. Tabler became wing commander. Lieutenant Colonel Charles A. Gayle became the wing's last commander around 2 April 1944. The wing was unmanned, without personnel, from July. It was inactivated on 3 April 1946 and disbanded on 8 October 1948.^[3]

For the period it was active it was assigned to I Fighter Command and stationed at Norfolk Airport, Virginia.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

1. ↑ "Brigadier General Murray C. Woodbury". United States Air Force. Retrieved 22 November 2016. 
2. ↑ "Major General Burton Murdock Hovey". United States Air Force. Retrieved 22 November 2016. 
3. ↑ Maurer 1983, p. 427.

• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. 

USAAF First Air Force in World War II
Airfields	First Air Force Group Training Stations First Air Force Replacement Training Stations First Air Force Tactical Airfields Freeman Army Airfield Godman Army Airfield Selfridge Field
Units	Commands I Bomber Command I Fighter Command I Ground Air Support Command Wings 25th Antisubmarine 50th Troop Carrier 52d Troop Carrier 53d Troop Carrier 60th Troop Carrier 61st Troop Carrier Boston Fighter New York Fighter Norfolk Fighter Philadelphia Fighter Groups Bombardment 2d Bombardment 13th Bombardment 22d Bombardment 34th Bombardment 43d Bombardment 45th Bombardment 301st Bombardment 302d Bombardment 400th Bombardment 402d Bombardment 455th Bombardment 459th Bombardment 460th Bombardment 471st Bombardment Combat Cargo 1st Combat Cargo 2d Combat Cargo 4th Combat Cargo Fighter 8th Fighter 31st Fighter 33d Fighter 52d Fighter 56th Fighter 57th Fighter 58th Fighter 59th Fighter 79th Fighter 80th Fighter 83d Fighter 87th Fighter 324th Fighter 325th Fighter 326th Fighter 327th Fighter 332d Fighter 348th Fighter 352d Fighter 353d Fighter 355th Fighter 356th Fighter 358th Fighter 359th Fighter 361st Fighter 362d Fighter 365th Fighter 366th Fighter 368th Fighter 370th Fighter 371st Fighter 373d Fighter 402d Fighter 413th Fighter 476th Fighter Reconnaissance 26th Reconnaissance 73d Reconnaissance Troop Carrier 10th Troop Carrier 60th Troop Carrier 61st Troop Carrier 62d Troop Carrier 63d Troop Carrier 89th Troop Carrier 313th Troop Carrier 314th Troop Carrier 315th Troop Carrier 316th Troop Carrier 317th Troop Carrier 349th Troop Carrier 375th Troop Carrier 403d Troop Carrier 433d Troop Carrier 434th Troop Carrier 435th Troop Carrier 436th Troop Carrier 437th Troop Carrier 438th Troop Carrier 439th Troop Carrier 440th Troop Carrier 441st Troop Carrier 442d Troop Carrier Other 1st Search Attack 477th Composite Incidents Freeman Field Mutiny
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