During World War II, the 85th Fighter Wing was a command and control organization of Fifth Air Force, operating primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater. It had no units assigned before departing overseas from California. In the Southwest Pacific Area its units fought in "New Guinea and the Philippine Islands (February 1944 – August 1945) [flying] cover missions for convoys, patrols, escorted bombers, attacked enemy airfields, and support[ing] ground forces."[1]
"After the war's end, the organization provided fighter protection for the Philippine Islands and conducted an intensive training program in aerial combat, gunnery, and instrument flying, until [the units inactivation in] June 1948."[1]
95th FIS F-86D-55 at Andrews AFB in 1955[note 3]
During the Cold War the unit was reactivated as an Air Division by Air Defense Command. "It was assigned to the Eastern Air Defense Force in September 1955 with a mission to intercept unidentified aircraft over the Washington, D.C. area. It participated in numerous training exercises. It also took part in gunnery and air-launched training and readiness tests."[1] Inactivated in September 1958.
Lineage
Established as the 85th Fighter Wing on 4 November 1943
Activated on 10 November 1943
Inactivated on 30 June 1948
Redesignated 85 Air Division (Defense) on 3 May 1955
^Aircraft is Convair F-102A-65-CO Delta Dagger, serial 56-1154 in March 1958.
^Approved 26 December 1956.
^Aircraft is North American F-86D-55-NA Sabre Serial 53-600 in 1955.
Citations
^ a b c d e f g h i j"Factsheet 85 Air Division (Defense)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2006. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
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.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
Winkler, David F.; Webster, Julie L (1997). Searching the skies: The legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program (PDF). Champaign, IL: US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories. LCCN 97020912. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 October 2013.