The 72d Fighter Wing was a wing of the United States Army Air Forces. It was assigned to Second Air Force, stationed at Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado. It was inactivated on 9 April 1946.Maurer, Combat Units, p. 406
History The wing was initially activated in August 1943 as the 72d Bombardment Operational Training Wing, a command organization for heavy bomber training. Ten days after activation, it was redesignated the 72d Fighter Wing and became single-engine fighter training organization for Second Air Force. The wing had jurisdiction over fighter Operational Training Unit and Replacement Training Unit in the midwest.
Stations assigned to the wing included:
Abilene Army Air Field, Texas Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico Bruning Army Air Field, Nebraska Casper Army Air Field, Wyoming Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas
DeRidder Army Air Base, Louisiana Galveston Army Air Field, Texas Harding Field, LouisianaMaurer, Combat Units, p. 150 Peterson Field, Colorado Pocatello Army Air Field, Idaho Scribner Army Air Field, Nebraska
Lineage Constituted as 72d Bombardment Operational Training Wing (Heavy) on 12 August 1943 Activated on 20 August 1943 Redesigned 72d Fighter Wing on 1 September 1943 Inactivated on 9 April 1946 Disbanded on 15 June 1983Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 498q, 15 June 1983, Subject: Disbandment of Certain Inactive Air Force Units Reconstituted on 31 July 1985 and redesigned 372d Electronic Warfare GroupDepartment of the Air Force/MPM Letter 648q, 31 July 1985, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Organizations Disbanded on 9 September 1992
Assignments Second Air Force, 12 August 1943 – 9 April 1946
Components 36th Fighter Group, 17 September 1943 – 4 April 1944 84th Fighter Group, 1 November 1943 – 1 April 1944Maurer, Combat Units, p. 406 (year only) 357th Fighter Group, 7 October – 9 November 1943 407th Fighter Group, 9 March 1943 – 21 March 1944 408th Fighter Group, 1 November 1943 – 1 April 1944 476th Fighter Group, 26 March – 1 April 1944 507th Fighter Group, 12 October 1944 – 24 June 1945 508th Fighter Group, 12 October 1944 – 6 January 1945
Stations Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota, 20 August 1943 Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado, 7 October 1943 Peterson Field, Colorado, November 1943 Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado, December 1945 – 9 April 1946
Aircraft Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943 – 1944
Campaign Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes American Theater without inscription20 August 1943–2 March 194672md Bombardment Operational Training Wing (later 72nd Fighter Wing)
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