906th Fighter Group

The 906th Fighter Group was a United States Air Force Reserve organization based in Ohio during its periods of service. Although its final designation was 906th Fighter Group, the unit had a substantially broader lineage. It was established in the early 1960s as the 906th Troop Carrier Group to provide headquarters and support elements for the 355th Troop Carrier Squadron at Clinton County Air Force Base, Ohio. The group formed as part of a wider reorganization of Air Force Reserve wings intended to make dispersed reserve flying units easier to mobilize and operate. The organization initially flew Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars as one of two C-119 groups assigned to the 302d Troop Carrier Wing. In 1967, it transitioned to Fairchild C-123 Providers and was redesignated the 906th Tactical Airlift Group. Its mission expanded during the Vietnam-era period, and in 1970 the group became the 906th Special Operations Group when its parent wing was redesignated as a special operations organization. It returned to the tactical-airlift designation in 1971. The group was inactivated in September 1975 during the post-Vietnam reduction of United States military forces. The unit returned to the Air Force Reserve in 1981 at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio, initially operating Fairchild UC-123K Providers in an aerial-spraying role. In 1982, it underwent a major mission change and moved to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. It was redesignated the 906th Tactical Fighter Group and became associated with the 445th Military Airlift Wing, later the 445th Airlift Wing. The group received McDonnell F-4D Phantom II aircraft, transferred from the 704th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas. Its aircraft used the Tactical Air Command tail code “DO.” In 1989, the group replaced its Phantom IIs with General Dynamics F-16A and F-16B Fighting Falcons. The aircraft came from the inactivating 474th Tactical Fighter Wing at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The transition reflected the broader modernization of Air Force Reserve tactical aviation during the late Cold War and the period immediately after it. The group adopted its final designation, 906th Fighter Group, on 1 February 1992. It remained at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base until it was inactivated on 1 October 1994 as part of the post-Cold War force reduction. The 445th Operations Group and the 89th Fighter Squadron assumed the relevant successor organizational role. The 906th is therefore best understood not as a commercial brand, but as a historical military aviation unit whose identity changed repeatedly with its missions, aircraft, parent wings, and Air Force organizational structures.

The 906th Fighter Group originated in the Air Force Reserve reorganization of the early 1960s. During the 1950s, the Air Force had experimented with separating reserve flying squadrons from their parent wings and placing them at smaller or geographically distributed bases. The arrangement improved local recruiting and community integration, but the Berlin Crisis of 1961 demonstrated that mobilizing an individual squadron together with the necessary support personnel could be difficult. Continental Air Command therefore developed a structure in which each reserve flying squadron would have an associated group headquarters and dedicated support elements. The 906th Troop Carrier Group was established on 15 January 1963 and organized in the Reserve at Clinton County Air Force Base, Ohio, on 11 February. It served as the headquarters for the 355th Troop Carrier Squadron, which had already been based at Clinton County since 1952. The new group included a combat support squadron, a materiel squadron, and a tactical infirmary. It was assigned to the 302d Troop Carrier Wing and operated Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars. The 906th was one of two C-119 groups at Clinton County, alongside the 907th Troop Carrier Group. In 1967, the organization exchanged its C-119s for Fairchild C-123 Providers and became the 906th Tactical Airlift Group. When the parent wing moved into a special-operations role in 1970, the group was redesignated the 906th Special Operations Group. It returned to the tactical-airlift designation in 1971. During this first period of service, the group was associated with Clinton County Air Force Base and later Lockbourne Air Force Base, subsequently known as Rickenbacker Air Force Base. It was inactivated on 1 September 1975 during the post-Vietnam drawdown. The organization was reactivated in the Air Force Reserve on 1 April 1981 at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base. It initially operated Fairchild UC-123K Providers for aerial-spraying missions. On 1 July 1982, the group moved to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and was redesignated the 906th Tactical Fighter Group. At the same time, it came under the 445th Military Airlift Wing, later renamed the 445th Airlift Wing. Its initial fighter aircraft were McDonnell F-4D Phantom IIs obtained from the 704th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Bergstrom Air Force Base. The group used the tail code “DO” under Tactical Air Command alignment. The group modernized again in 1989 when it received F-16A and F-16B Fighting Falcons from the inactivating 474th Tactical Fighter Wing at Nellis Air Force Base. The conversion replaced the Cold War-era Phantom II with a more modern multirole fighter platform. On 1 February 1992, following broader changes in Air Force nomenclature, the organization was redesignated the 906th Fighter Group. The 906th Fighter Group remained at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base until 1 October 1994. Its inactivation formed part of the post-Cold War reduction and restructuring of United States military forces. The 445th Operations Group and the 89th Fighter Squadron became associated with the successor operational structure. The group therefore represents several successive phases of Air Force Reserve aviation: dispersed-reserve troop carriage, tactical airlift, special operations, aerial spraying, and tactical fighter operations.

• 1994

  Final inactivation

  [1]906th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was inactivated at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on 1 October as part of the post-Cold War force restructuring.

• 1992

  Adopted final designation

  [1]906th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The unit was redesignated the 906th Fighter Group on 1 February.

• 1989

  F-16 modernization

  [1]906th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group replaced its F-4Ds with F-16A and F-16B Fighting Falcons transferred from the inactivating 474th Tactical Fighter Wing.

• 1982

  Conversion to tactical fighters

  [1]906th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group moved to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, received F-4D Phantom IIs, and became the 906th Tactical Fighter Group.

• 1981

  Reactivated in the Air Force Reserve

  [1]906th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The organization returned to service at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio, operating UC-123K aircraft for aerial-spraying missions.

• 1975

  First inactivation

  [1]906th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group was inactivated on 1 September during the post-Vietnam reduction of Air Force Reserve forces.

• 1970

  Redesignated as a special operations group

  [1]906th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The organization became the 906th Special Operations Group as its parent wing adopted a special-operations designation.

• 1967

  Transition to tactical airlift

  [1]906th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group replaced its Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars with Fairchild C-123 Providers and was redesignated the 906th Tactical Airlift Group.

• 1963

  Group established and organized in the Reserve

  [1]906th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The 906th Troop Carrier Group was established on 15 January and organized at Clinton County Air Force Base, Ohio, on 11 February to support the 355th Troop Carrier Squadron.

A United States Air Force Reserve operational group whose lineage evolved from reserve troop carriage and tactical airlift to special operations and tactical fighter missions.

• Troop carrier aircraft · 1963

  Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

  The C-119 was the group's initial aircraft during its first period of service. The twin-engine transport supported reserve troop-carrier operations from Clinton County Air Force Base from 1963 until the group's transition to the C-123 in 1967.

• Tactical airlift aircraft · 1967

  Fairchild C-123 Provider

  The C-123 Provider replaced the C-119 and supported the group's tactical-airlift and later special-operations missions. The aircraft remained associated with the group until its first inactivation in 1975.

• Aerial-spraying aircraft · 1981

  Fairchild UC-123K Provider

  The UC-123K variant was operated after the group's 1981 reactivation for aerial-spraying operations. This was a short transitional assignment before the organization converted to tactical fighter operations in 1982.

• Tactical fighter aircraft · 1982

  McDonnell F-4D Phantom II

  The F-4D Phantom II became the group's principal fighter after its 1982 conversion. The aircraft were transferred from the 704th Tactical Fighter Squadron, and the group operated them until its modernization with F-16s in 1989.

• Multirole fighter aircraft · 1989

  General Dynamics F-16A/B Fighting Falcon

  F-16A and F-16B Fighting Falcons were the group's final aircraft. They replaced the F-4D Phantom II in 1989 and remained in service with the organization until its inactivation in 1994.

• 1994

  Post-Cold War inactivationStrategy

  Background

  The end of the Cold War led to broad reductions and reorganizations across the United States military.

  Action taken

  The 906th Fighter Group was inactivated at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on 1 October.

  Aftermath

  The 445th Operations Group and the 89th Fighter Squadron assumed successor organizational responsibilities.

  Source

• 1989

  Conversion from F-4D Phantom II to F-16A/BGeneration change

  Background

  The Air Force Reserve modernized its tactical-fighter inventory as older Phantom II units were retired or reorganized.

  Action taken

  The group received F-16A and F-16B Fighting Falcons from the inactivating 474th Tactical Fighter Wing.

  Aftermath

  The F-16 became the group's final aircraft type before its 1994 inactivation.

  Source

• 1982

  Conversion from airlift to tactical fightersStrategy

  Background

  After reactivation with UC-123K aircraft, the group was reorganized for a tactical-fighter mission within the 445th Military Airlift Wing.

  Action taken

  The group moved to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, received F-4D Phantom IIs, and was redesignated the 906th Tactical Fighter Group.

  Aftermath

  The unit operated as a reserve tactical-fighter group until it converted to F-16s in 1989.

  Source

• 1967

  Replacement of C-119 aircraft with C-123 aircraftGeneration change

  Background

  The group moved from its original troop-carrier equipment toward a tactical-airlift role.

  Action taken

  Fairchild C-123 Providers replaced Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars, and the group adopted the 906th Tactical Airlift Group designation.

  Aftermath

  The change supported later special-operations training and operations under the group's 1970 designation.

  Source

1. 1906th Fighter Groupen.wikipedia.org