414th Fighter Group

The 414th Fighter Group is a United States Air Force Reserve unit based at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina. It is assigned to the 944th Fighter Wing, which belongs to Tenth Air Force within Air Force Reserve Command. In its present form, the group operates as an associate organization with the active-duty 4th Fighter Wing of Air Combat Command. Its principal responsibilities are to increase the base’s capacity to generate qualified F-15E Strike Eagle aircrew and to provide experienced reserve personnel for aircraft maintenance. The unit traces its lineage to World War II. Constituted in October 1944 and activated later that month at Seymour Johnson Field, it was initially equipped with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts. The group moved to Selfridge Field, Michigan, for conversion to the long-range P-47N and then relocated to Bluethenthal Field, North Carolina, before deploying to the Pacific. In 1945 it operated from Iwo Jima and Guam under VII Fighter Command and Twentieth Air Force. Its missions included attacks on Japanese airfields, transportation facilities, industrial and military installations, and shipping, as well as support for B-29 Superfortress operations. The group flew a final force-demonstration mission over Tokyo shortly before the formal Japanese surrender. After the war it moved to Clark Field in the Philippines, later operated a mixture of P-47N, P-51, and P-80 aircraft, and was inactivated in September 1946. The 414th returned to active service in 1955 as an Air Defense Command organization at Oxnard Air Force Base, California. Reestablished through Project Arrow, a program intended to revive historically distinguished combat units, it assumed the air-defense and support responsibilities of the 533d Air Defense Group. The group served as Oxnard’s host organization and supported nearby radar stations while its 437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron operated progressively more advanced interceptor aircraft. Its equipment included the F-94C Starfire, F-89D, F-89H, F-89J, F-101B Voodoo, and, late in the period, the F-106 Delta Dart. The group was inactivated at the end of 1969 as the Air Force reduced its manned interceptor force in response to a lower perceived threat from Soviet bomber aviation. The lineage was preserved through redesignations in 1985 and 2010. The group was redesignated the 414th Tactical Fighter Group in 1985 but remained inactive. It was redesignated the 414th Fighter Group again in June 2010 and activated at Seymour Johnson in July of that year. The modern organization includes the 307th Fighter Squadron and 414th Maintenance Squadron. Unlike a commercial brand, the group represents a military lineage and operational capability rather than a consumer product or independently owned enterprise.

The 414th Fighter Group was constituted on 5 October 1944 as a single-engine fighter group and activated on 15 October at Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina. Its original squadrons were the 413th, 437th, and 456th Fighter Squadrons. The group initially flew P-47 Thunderbolts, then moved to Selfridge Field, Michigan, in November 1944 to transition to the long-range P-47N variant. In March 1945 it relocated to Bluethenthal Field, North Carolina, for deployment preparations. The group sent aircraft and personnel to the Pacific in stages during the final months of the war. One contingent reached Iwo Jima on 7 July 1945 aboard USS Cape Esperance, while another arrived at Guam aboard USS Casablanca later that month. Assigned to the 301st Fighter Wing of VII Fighter Command within Twentieth Air Force, the group conducted operations from Iwo Jima and Guam. Its combat activity included strikes against radar installations, airfields, hangars, barracks, ammunition storage, rail facilities, marshalling yards, and shipping. It also supported B-29 operations over Japan. The group’s final wartime mission was a show-of-force flight over Tokyo on 30 August 1945. It was reassigned to Thirteenth Air Force at Clark Field in the Philippines in December 1945 and subsequently operated P-47Ns, P-51 Mustangs, and a small number of P-80 Shooting Stars. As aircraft were transferred to other organizations, the group was inactivated on 30 September 1946. The unit was redesignated the 414th Fighter Group (Air Defense) in June 1955 and activated at Oxnard Air Force Base, California, on 18 August. This reactivation formed part of Project Arrow, which restored the names of historically significant fighter organizations. The group inherited the air-defense mission and resources of the inactivated 533d Air Defense Group. It also became Oxnard’s host organization, providing base support and logistical assistance to nearby Air Defense Command radar stations. The 437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron initially operated F-94C Starfires, then converted to F-89D, F-89H, and F-89J Scorpions. The latter could employ the AIR-2 Genie nuclear air-to-air rocket. In 1960 the group began receiving F-101B Voodoos. In 1968 the 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron replaced the 437th and introduced the F-106 Delta Dart. The group and most of its subordinate elements were inactivated on 31 December 1969 during a reduction in manned interceptor forces. Although redesignated the 414th Tactical Fighter Group in 1985, the organization remained inactive. Its modern phase began when it was redesignated the 414th Fighter Group on 22 June 2010 and activated on 15 July 2010 as an Air Force Reserve associate unit at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. It was assigned to the 944th Fighter Wing and partnered with the active-duty 4th Fighter Wing. The 307th Fighter Squadron and 414th Maintenance Squadron support the group’s contemporary mission of producing F-15E aircrew and augmenting aircraft maintenance. The unit therefore combines a World War II combat lineage, a Cold War air-defense history, and a current reserve-associate role.

• 2010

  Return as a reserve associate unit

  [1]414th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was redesignated and activated at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base to support the active-duty 4th Fighter Wing’s F-15E mission.

• 1969

  Cold War inactivation

  [1]414th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was inactivated as the Air Defense Command reduced its manned interceptor force.

• 1960

  Supersonic interceptor transition

  [1]414th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group began receiving McDonnell F-101B Voodoos, replacing earlier subsonic interceptor types.

• 1955

  Air Defense Command reactivation

  [1]414th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was redesignated for air defense and activated at Oxnard Air Force Base under Project Arrow.

• 1946

  Postwar inactivation

  [1]414th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  After reassignment to the Philippines and transfer of most aircraft to another fighter group, the 414th was inactivated on 30 September.

• 1945

  Pacific deployment

  [1]414th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group deployed to Guam and Iwo Jima, joining VII Fighter Command and conducting long-range fighter operations against Japanese targets.

• 1945

  Final World War II mission

  [1]414th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group flew a final show-of-force mission over Tokyo on 30 August, shortly before the formal surrender of Japan.

• 1944

  Constitution and activation

  [1]414th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The 414th Fighter Group was constituted on 5 October and activated on 15 October at Seymour Johnson Field, equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts.

A reserve associate fighter organization that augments active-duty Air Force combat capability through trained aircrew, maintainers, operational readiness, and a long-standing fighter-unit lineage.

• World War II fighter aircraft

  Republic P-47 Thunderbolt

  The group’s initial fighter, used during its formation and training period in 1944. The unit later transitioned to the long-range P-47N for Pacific operations.

• Air-defense interceptor

  F-89 Scorpion

  The principal interceptor family used during the group’s 1950s air-defense period at Oxnard. The D, H, and J variants provided increasingly capable rocket, guided-missile, and nuclear air-to-air weapon options.

• Supersonic interceptor · 1960

  McDonnell F-101B Voodoo

  The F-101B became the group’s first Century Series interceptor beginning in 1960 and served through the later 1960s.

• Multirole fighter aircraft

  McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle

  The current group supports the active-duty 4th Fighter Wing by helping generate qualified F-15E aircrew and supplying reserve maintainers for aircraft upkeep and sortie production.

• 1945Pacific War operations

  Japan · Iwo Jima · Guam

  The group conducted long-range fighter missions from Iwo Jima and Guam against Japanese military infrastructure and supported B-29 operations during the final phase of World War II.

  Outcome. The group completed five missions to Japan from Iwo Jima and flew a final show-of-force mission over Tokyo.

  Source

• 2010

  Creation of a reserve associate fighter groupStrategy

  Background

  The Air Force Reserve reactivated the lineage at Seymour Johnson to augment the active-duty 4th Fighter Wing.

  Action taken

  The group was assigned responsibility for additional F-15E aircrew generation and maintenance support.

  Aftermath

  The 414th became an ongoing associate unit of the active-duty wing under Air Combat Command.

  Source

• 1955

  Adoption of an air-defense roleStrategy

  Background

  The reactivated group was assigned responsibility for air defense around Oxnard and support of nearby radar stations.

  Action taken

  It assumed the mission, personnel, and equipment of the inactivated 533d Air Defense Group.

  Aftermath

  The group served as both an interceptor organization and the host organization for Oxnard Air Force Base until its 1969 inactivation.

  Source

1. 1414th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org