United States Army Air Forces in Okinawa - USAAF Combat Units Assigned To Okinawa

USAAF Combat Units Assigned To Okinawa

Fifth and Seventh Air Force tactical fighter-bomber aircraft were based on Okinawa, along with B-24 Liberators and B-25 Mitchell bombers to be employed in tactical bombing missions. In addition, the Eighth Air Force was reassigned from England to establish a second strategic air force to complement the Twentieth Air Force based in the Mariana Islands with B-29s. The Eighth also controlled long-range P-47N and P-51H Fighter groups to provide escort to the very heavy bombers.

  • # indicates units based on Ie Shima

Army Air Forces, Pacific Ocean Areas

# 301st Fighter Wing (attached), 19–31 May 1945
Assigned to Twentieth Air Force

Fifth Air Force

  • Headquarters, Fifth Air Force, 4 August – 25 September 1945
  • Headquarters, V Bomber Command, August–October 1945
  • Headquarters, V Fighter Command, August–October 1945
  • 308th Bombardment Wing (Heavy), 16 June – 22 September 1945
  • 3d Bombardment Group (Light), A-20 Havoc, 6 August – 8 September 1945
  • 8th Fighter Group P-47 Thunderbolt, 6 August – 22 November 1945
  • 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy) B-24 Liberator, 15 August – 23 November 1945
  • 35th Fighter Group P-51 Mustang, 28 June – October 1945
  • 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) B-25 Mitchell, 25 July – 22 November 1945
  • 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy) B-24 Liberator, 26 July – 10 December 1945
  • 49th Fighter Group P-47 Thunderbolt, 16 August – 15 September 1945
  • 58th Fighter Group P-47 Thunderbolt, 10 July – 26 October 1945
  • 90th Bombardment Group (Heavy) B-24 Liberator, 10 August–December 1945
  • 312th Bombardment Group (Heavy) B-32 Dominator, 13 August – 13 December 1945
  • 317th Troop Carrier Group, 22 August - 20 September 1945
    • 46th Troop Carrier Squadron, 19 August - 18 October 1945
  • 345th Bombardment Group (Medium) B-25 Mitchell, 25 July – 10 December 1945
  • 348th Fighter Group P-47 Thunderbolt, 9 July–October 1945
  • 380th Bombardment Group (Heavy) B-24 Liberator, 9 August – 28 November 1945
  • 417th Bombardment Group (Light) A-20 Havoc, 17 August – 1 November 1945
  • 475th Fighter Group P-51 Mustang, 8 August – 23 September 1945

Seventh Air Force L Headquarters, Seventh Air Force, Army Air Forces, Pacific Ocean Areas, 12–13 July 1945

Headquarters, Seventh Air Force, Far East Air Forces, 14 July–31 December 1945
Headquarters VII Bomber Command, July 1945–March 1946
# 301st Fighter Wing (attached), 1 Jun-14 August 1945
Assigned to Twentieth Air Force
11th Bombardment Group, Heavy (B-24 Liberator), 2 July-10 December 1945
41st Bombardment Group, Medium (B-25 Mitchell), 7 June–December 1945
318th Fighter Group P-47 Thunderbolt, 30 April–November 1945
Attached to Twentieth (later Eighth) Air Force, 16 July–November 1945
319th Bombardment Group, Light (A-26 Invader), 2 July-21 November 1945
494th Bombardment Group, Heavy (B-24 Liberator), 24 June–8 December 1945

Eighth Air Force

Headquarters, Eighth Air Force, 16 July 1945 – 7 June 1946
# 301st Fighter Wing, 15 August-28 November 1945
316th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy), 5 September 1945 – 21 June 1948
333d Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) B-29 Superfortress, 5 August 1945 – 28 May 1946
346th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) B-29 Superfortress, 7 August 1945 – 30 June 1946
# 413th Fighter Group P-47 Thunderbolt, 19 May–9 November 1945
507th Fighter Group P-47 Thunderbolt, 24 June 1945 – 29 January 1945

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