12th Operations Group: Difference between revisions

12th Operations Group
Emblem of the 12th Operations Group
Active	1941-1946; 1947-1948; 1950-1952; 1991-Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Training
Part of	12th Flying Training Wing
Garrison/HQ	Randolph Air Force Base

The 12th Operations Group (12 OG) is the flying component of the 12th Flying Training Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command. The group is stationed at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.

The 12th Operations Group is primarily responsible for conducting joint and allied pilot instructor training as well as Air Force and Navy undergraduate combat systems officer training at Randolph AFB.

The units' main missions include T-6, T-38C and T-1 aircraft instructor pilot training, combat systems officer training and fighter fundamentals student pilot instructor training in the AT-38C.

The group contains seven squadrons (Tail Code: RA):

• 12th Operations Support Squadron

• 99th Flying Training Squadron T-1A Jayhawk Primary jet pilot training
• 559th Flying Training Squadron T-6A Texan II Basic pilot training
• 560th Flying Training Squadron T-38C Talon Advanced jet training
• 562nd Flying Training Squadron Boeing T-43A Navigator Training

• 435th Fighter Training Squadron

Conducts initial instructor and student flying training for over 130 U.S. Air Force and international pilots and WSOs annually in Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals

• 563rd Flying Training Squadron

U.S. Air Force Electronic Warfare Training School,

See 12th Flying Training Wing for additional history and lineage information

• Established as 12 Bombardment Group, Light, on 20 Nov 1940

Activated on 15 Jan 1941

Redesignated: 12 Bombardment Group (Medium) on 30 Dec 1941

Redesignated: 12 Bombardment Group, Medium, on 20 Aug 1944

Inactivated on 22 Jan 1946

• Redesignated 12 Bombardment Group, Light, on 29 Apr 1947

Activated on 19 May 1947

Inactivated on 10 Sep 1948

• Redesignated 12 Fighter-Escort Group on 27 Oct 1950

Activated on 1 Nov 1950

Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952

Redesignated: 12 Tactical Fighter Group on 31 Jul 1985 (Remained inactive)

• Redesignated: 12 Operations Group on 9 Dec 1991

Activated on 15 Dec 1991

• Northwest Air District (later, Second Air Force), 15 Jan 1941
• IV Air Support Command, 3 Sep 1941
• V Air Support Command, 21 Jan 1941
• III Bomber Command, 18 Apr 1942
• Ninth Air Force, 16 Aug 1942
• Twelfth Air Force, 22 Aug 1943
• XII Air Support Command, 1 Sep 1943
• XII Bomber Command, 2 Jan 1944
• Tenth Air Force, c. 21 Mar 1944; unkn, c. 24 Dec 1945-22 Jan 1946
• Tactical Air Command, 19 May 1947-10 Sep 1948
• 12 Fighter-Escort Wing, 1 Nov 1950-16 Jun 1952
• 12 Flying Training Wing, 15 Dec 1991-Present

• 1 Flight Screening (later, Flying Training): 15 Dec 1991-1 Apr 1994
• 3 Flying Training: 1 Apr 1994-7 Apr 2000
• 21 Test and Evaluation: 15 Sep 1992-31 Mar 1994
• 81 Bombardment (later, 559 Fighter-Escort; 559 Flying Training): 15 Jan 1941-22 Jan 1946; 19 May 1947-10 Sep 1948; 1 Nov 1950-16 Jun 1952; 15 Dec 1991-Present
• 82 Bombardment (later, 560 Fighter-Escort): 15 Jan 1941-22 Jan 1946; 19 May 1947-10 Sep 1948; 1 Nov 1950-16 Jun 1952
• 83 Bombardment (later, 561 Fighter-Escort): 15 Jan 1941-22 Jan 1946; 19 May 1947-10 Sep 1948; 1 Nov 1950-16 Jun 1952
• 19 Reconnaissance (later, 94 Bombardment; 94 Reconnaissance; 434 Bombardment): attached 15 Jan-13 Aug 1941, assigned 14 Aug 1941-22 Jan 1946
• 99 Flying Training: 14 May 1993-Present
• 435 Flying Training: 14 May 1998-1 Oct 2001
• 557 Flying Training: 1 Jul 1993-1 Oct 2000
• 558 Flying Training: 15 Dec 1992-1 Oct 1996; 16 Jan 2002-Present
• 560 Flying Training: 15 Dec 1991-Present
• 562 Flying Training: 14 May 1993-Present
• 563 Flying Training: 14 May 1993-3 Jun 1996; 30 Apr 1999-Present
• 3307 Test and Evaluation: 15 Dec 1991-15 Sep 1992.

The 12th Bombardment Group (Light) was activated on January 15, 1941 and Prior to the United States’ entry into World War II the group trained with Douglas B-18 Bolo , B-23 Dragon, and Boeing Stearman aircraft at McChord Field, Washington. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii the 12th patrolled west coast of United States.

In February 1942, the group was redesignated the 12th Bombardment Group (Medium) and moved to Esler Field, Louisiana, where it trained with B-25s for duty overseas. The group moved to North Africa in July and August 1942 and supported the Allied drive from Egypt to Tunisia as part of Ninth Air Force.

From April 1943, it raided enemy-held islands in Mediterranean Sea, including Pantelleria, Lampedusa, and Sicily as part of Twelfth Air Force. In August 1943, the group began to attack enemy targets on Italian mainland. From November until early February, the 12th bombed aerodromes, docks, marshalling yards, bridges, and other targets in Italy, Yugoslavia, and Albania.

In February, March, and April 1944, the 12th was reassigned to Tenth Air Force and was relocated to the China Burma India Theater (CBI) where it flew most of its missions from India and Burma between April 1944 and May 1945, supporting the British Fourteenth Army. When Allied forces at Imphal, India, were threatened by a Japanese offensive, the group delivered ammunition. It began training with Douglas A-26 Invader aircraft in summer 1945 before the war ended.

On return to United States in 1946, it was immediately inactivated.

The 12th Fighter Escort Group was activated at Turner Air Force Base, Georgia, on 27 Oct 1950. Its mission was to fly fighter escort for Strategic Air Command B-50 and B-36 strategic bombers. Operational squadrons were:

• 559th Fighter Escort Squadron
• 560th Fighter Escort Squadron
• 561st Fighter Escort Squadron

On December 12 the 559th Fighter Escort Squadron received their first three Republic F-84E Thunderjets, and would have received a fourth, but it crashed en route from Turner AFB to its refueling stop at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. During Dec 1950-Feb 1951, the squadrons were assigned directly to the parent wing and the group was turned into a "paper unit" as part of the Air Force tri-deputate reorganization. Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952.

12 Operations Group performed flight screening and undergraduate pilot training. Due to impending closure of Mather AFB, California, in 1992 group assumed undergraduate navigator training. Also, conducted specialized undergraduate pilot training. In 1995, began transition to joint navigator training.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.