18th Air Force, US Air Force

18TH AIR FORCE, US AIR FORCE

History: Established as Eighteenth Air Force (Troop Carrier) on 7 March 1951. Organized on 28 March 1951. Redesignated as Eighteenth Air Force on 26 June 1951. Inactivated on 1 January 1958. Activated on 1 October 2003. Redesignated as Eighteenth Air Force (Air Forces Transportation) on 1 April 2007. Activated in March 1951 to discharge Tactical Air Command's troop carrier responsibilities. Became operational on 1 June 1951 and assumed control initially of nine continental "medium" troop carrier wings, seven of which were Reserve wings called to active duty. Added a "heavy" (C-124) wing in Fall 1951 and another in early 1953. By early 1953 the Reserve wing designations were replaced by active duty wings. Eighteenth Air Force organized, administered, equipped, trained, and prepared for combat assigned troop carrier units. Augmented troop carrier forces in the Far East and Europe and provided trained crews and replacement personnel to units in the Korean conflict. Provided USAF troop carrier participation in joint operations training. Took part in joint exercises and provided support for airborne paratroop training. Worked to improve communications capabilities and to include AF medical air evacuation in joint exercises. Provided airlift support to other USAF major commands and to other Tactical Air Command (TAC) organizations. Supplemented Military Airlift Transportation Service (MATS) airlift when needed. Moved units of USAF and US Army for training and/or deployment. Rotated troop carrier units to Europe in support of NATO. Heavily committed to airlift operations in arctic areas beginning autumn 1952. Airlanded and airdropped equipment supporting the construction of the Distant Early Warning radar system across northern Canada in proximity to the Arctic Circle, 1955-1957. Helicopters of the 310th TCS, operating from two icebreakers, provided support airlift to the U.S. Navy in the HIRAN (High Precision Air Navigation) project, January 1956. Provided airlift and airlift expertise to the U.S. Navy in Antarctic operations Deep Freeze I and II, establishing a base at the South Pole. Crews of the 63 TCW performed the first airdrop at the South Pole in October 1956; a combat controller of the 1 Aerial Port Squadron performed the first parachute jump at the South Pole in November 1956 in order to determine necessary corrections to ongoing airdrops of equipment. Provided airdrop and airland support, March-early June 1957, to Alaskan Air Command and Northeast Air Command to establish similar sites on ice islands in Arctic regions. Instrumental in development of aerial port concept, including techniques and equipment for loading troop carrier aircraft and airdropping cargo. Developed the AF "pathfinder" combat controller capability to establish ground to air communications and navigation aids at jump sites, and to select landing sites. Developed fixed wing assault mission using C-123 aircraft for landing on small unimproved landing areas. Organized the first rotary assault group in the USAF before losing the mission to the U.S. Army. Served as advisory body for reserve troop carrier wings. Tested new aerial delivery equipment, equipment and techniques for dropping paratroops and cargo, and navigation devices to determine "point of release". Lost troop carrier and airlift functions, July-August 1957. Moved to Texas in August 1957. Effective 1 October 1957, gained responsibility for Tactical Air Command's day fighter, fighter-bomber, and aerial tanker operations on western U.S. bases. Inactivated effective 1 January 1958, replaced by Twelfth Air Force, which moved on paper from Germany. Activated 1 October 2003 as Air Mobility Command's warfighting headquarters to accomplish the command's global mobility mission through a combination of airlift and air refueling missions, as well as the command and control of air mobility assets around the globe.


Coat of arms (crest) of the 18th Air Force, US Air Force
Official blazon
English blazon wanted

Origin/meaning

The Emblem was approved on 21 September 1951, modified on 28 July 2003.


Literature:Image from Wikimedia Commons. Information from https://www.afhra.af.mil/


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