63rd Fighter Wing


The 63d Fighter Wing is a disbanded unit of the United States Air Force, last stationed at Ellington Field, Houston, Texas. It was withdrawn from the Texas Air National Guard and inactivated on 11 October 1950.
This wing is not related to the 63d Troop Carrier Wing, Medium, or subsequent units that was constituted on 10 May 1949 and activated on 27 June 1949.

History

The wing was first organized as a command and control organization for Twelfth Air Force during World War II. It was deployed to Algeria in January 1943, and initially used to organize air defense units. Transferred to XII Fighter Command and controlled fighter groups engaged in escort, patrol, strafing, and reconnaissance missions against enemy forces in North Africa. Later moved to Italy and participated in Italian Campaign, also in Rhone Valley Campaign in Southern France; Western Allied Invasion of Germany in the spring of 1945. Inactivated in November 1945.
The wing was allocated to the Texas Air National Guard for command and control origination for units in the South Central region of the United States. It was extended federal recognition and activated on 24 May 1946.
At the end of October 1950, the Air National Guard converted to the wing-base organization. As a result, the wing was withdrawn from the Texas ANG and was inactivated on 31 October 1950. Its assigned units were federalized as a result of the Korean War and assigned to USAF Major Commands.

Lineage, assignments, and components

World War II