53-555: The Twelfth Air Force ( 12 AF ; Air Forces Southern , (AFSOUTH) ) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base , Arizona . The command is the air component to United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) conducting security cooperation and providing air, space, and cyberspace capabilities throughout Latin America and
106-590: A NAF were traditionally numbered 6XX (where XX is the NAF number). For example, the 609th Air Operations Center is a unit subordinate to the Ninth Air Force . This is no longer completely accurate, due to regular reorganization of Wings and Numbered Air Forces. Numbered air forces began as named organizations in the United States Army Air Corps before World War II. The first four NAFs were established as
159-547: A cease fire. After landing on the beach under hostile fire, Craw, his interpreter Major Pierpont M. Hamilton , and their driver Private Orris Correy approached the French headquarters in a light truck. They came under machine gun fire, leaving Craw dead. Hamilton and Correy were captured. Although imprisoned, Major Hamilton succeeded in persuading the French to surrender and was awarded the Medal of Honor on 19 February 1943. Private Correy
212-575: A command level between major commands and air divisions . Although variations existed, and number air forces were often reassigned, this basic arrangement persisted throughout the Cold War . The role of numbered air forces changed in the 1990s during the Air Force reorganization initiated by Air Force Chief of Staff General Merrill McPeak . The goal of the reorganization was to "streamline, take layers out, flatten (Air Force) organizational charts, while at
265-442: A management role, a NAF is a tactical organization with an operational focus, and does not have the same functional staff as a MAJCOM. Numbered air forces are typically commanded by a major general or a lieutenant general . Numeric designations for Numbered Air Forces are written in full using ordinal words (e.g., Eighth Air Force), while cardinal numerals are used in abbreviations (e.g., 8 AF). Units directly subordinate to
318-520: A new Air Force base, named Bolling Air Force Base, was constructed just to the south on 24 June 1948. Bolling AFB has served as a research and testing ground for new aviation equipment and its first mission provided aerial defense of the capital. It moved to its present location, along the Potomac in the city's southwest quadrant , in the 1930s. Over the years, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and National Guard units, as well as DOD and federal agencies also found
371-868: A peacetime restructuring in March 1946, the United States Army Air Forces were reorganized into three major operating commands: the Strategic Air Command (SAC), the Tactical Air Command (TAC), and the Air Defense Command (ADC). These commands reflected the basic air combat missions that evolved during the war, and each reported directly to General Carl Spaatz , the Commanding General, Army Air Forces. Numbered air forces served as an intermediate headquarters between these commands and
424-721: A range of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), intra-theatre airlift and information assets. In addition the 612th Air Operations Center (612th AOC) is responsible for developing strategy and plans to execute air operations in support of US Southern Command objectives. The 612th AOC also provides command and control of all Air Forces Southern assets in its area of responsibility. Air Forces Southern does not have its own assets, but draws on forces provided to it by US Southern Command . Currently, AFSOUTH manages four rotational Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard C-130s based out of Muñiz Air National Guard Base , Puerto Rico. The following units are subordinate to
477-614: A sub-command of RAF Middle East Command and most of its groups were assigned to other operational commands such as NATAF after the February reorganization of the Allied air forces. On 22 August 1943, the Ninth Air Force's 12th and 340th Bombardment Groups, and its 57th, 79th, and 324th Fighter Groups were transferred to the 12th AF. This change coincided with the transfer of the 9th AF from the MTO to
530-481: Is a type of organization in the United States Air Force that is subordinate to a major command (MAJCOM) and has assigned to it operational units such as wings, squadrons, and groups. A Component Numbered Air Force ( C-NAF ) has the additional role as an Air Force Component Command exercising command and control over air and space forces supporting a Unified Combatant Command . Unlike MAJCOMs, which have
583-575: Is designated as Air Force Northern (AFNORTH) in its role as the air component of the United States Northern Command . Most C-NAFs have an Air and Space Operations Center (AOC) to provide command and control of air and space operations for the supported combatant commander. The table below lists current and historical numbered air forces of the US Air Force, their C-NAF designation (if applicable), their current shield and station, and
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#1733092665047636-541: Is located at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona . It reports to Air Combat Command , a major command of the US Air Force. As the air and space component to US Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), Air Forces Southern conducts security cooperation and provides air, space, and cyberspace capabilities throughout its area of responsibility, covering Latin America and the Caribbean . To fulfil these responsibilities it employs
689-605: The European Theater of Operations (ETO). On 1 September 1943 all administrative functions of USAAF elements of NAAF were transferred to the appropriate Twelfth AF organizations: HQ NAAF to HQ Twelfth AF, NASAF to XII Bomber Command, NATAF to XII Air Support Command, NACAF to XII Fighter Command, NAASC to XII AFSC, NAAF TCC to XII Troop Carrier Command (Provisional), NWPRW to Photographic Reconnaissance Wing (Provisional), and NATC to XII Training Command (Provisional) but operational control remained with NAAF. On 10 December 1943 MAC
742-619: The Mediterranean and European theaters until May 1945. Known units were: Colonel Demas T. Craw and Major Pierpont M. Hamilton were awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during the invasion of Algeria-French Morocco ( Operation Torch ). When the Allies landed at Mehdia , French Morocco on 8 November 1942, both men volunteered to go behind enemy lines and meet with the French commander near Port Lyautey , French Morocco , to broker
795-663: The Mediterranean , French Morocco , Algeria, Tunisia , Greece, Italy , Southern France , Yugoslavia , Albania, Romania , and Austria . By V-E Day , 12th AF had flown 430,681 sorties, dropped 217,156 tons of bombs, claimed destruction of 2,857 enemy aircraft, and lost 2,667 of its own aircraft. When hostilities ended, Twelfth Air Force was inactivated at Florence , Italy, on 31 August 1945. 12th Air Force Stations: 12th Air Force Commanders: 12th Air Force Campaigns: Air Combat, EAME Theater; Algeria-French Morocco; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; southern France; North Apennines; Po Valley. XII Tactical Air Command
848-519: The Tunisian campaign , Tedder's MAC headquarters were adjacent to those of his immediate superior, the Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower at Algiers, Algeria soon after the new Allied air force reorganization took effect on 18 February 1943. The Northwest African Air Forces (NAAF) under Lieutenant General Carl Spaatz was the largest component of MAC and its organization
901-615: The Vietnam War , as well as Operation Desert Storm . As a result of the War on Terror , most Twelfth Air Force units have operated in the United States Central Command AOR. Since 1987, Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) trains, equips, and prepares assigned units from Air Combat Command and also serves as the air and space component to United States Southern Command. The Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) headquarters
954-572: The War in Iraq ; and, with a more recent start, air refueling and other support in regard to the Yemeni Civil War . Source: Bolling AFB Bolling Air Force Base or Bolling AFB is a United States Air Force base in Washington, D.C. In 2010, it was merged with Naval Support Facility Anacostia to form Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling . From its beginning, the installation has hosted elements of
1007-456: The 12th AF, also under Cannon, were assigned to his various MATAF sub-commands after the 12th's heavy bomb groups (and three B-26 medium bomb groups that were eventually returned to the 12th) were transferred to the newly created Fifteenth Air Force (1 November 1943; briefly under Doolittle and then Twining) as part of MASAF. In January 1944, Doolittle took over the 8th AF in England which along with
1060-579: The 15th AF in Italy, formed the United States Strategic Air Forces (USSTAF) under Spaatz. As the U.S. tactical air force in the Mediterranean, the 12th AF primarily provided close tactical support to U.S. ground forces in Italy and Southern France and targeted lines of transportation and communication, particularly roads, railroads, and bridges until the end of the war. 12th AF operated in
1113-606: The Air Force Combat Command in 1941. Several of the numbered air forces began as named air forces. Since World War II other named air forces have existed in both operational and support commands. Air Forces Iceland , and the Central, Eastern, Japan, and Western Air Defense Forces, have provided air defense capability. The USAF Special Operations Force controlled operational special forces. The Crew, Flying, and Technical Training Air Forces served Air Training Command both in
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#17330926650471166-464: The Air Force contribution to United States Space Command , in addition to its Northern Command and Continental NORAD roles. Contains components of the inactivated 24, and 25 AF's. Named Air Forces operate at the same level as Numbered Air Forces. General Headquarters Air Force, the first named air force of the United States Army 's air arm, began operations in 1935. The GHQ Air Force became
1219-572: The Army Air Corps (predecessor to today's Air Force) and Navy aviation and support elements. Before European colonization , the area where Bolling Air Force Base is located was inhabited by the Nacotchtank , an Algonquian people. The largest village of the Nacotchtank was located just north of the air force base, south of Anacostia Park . Another Nacotchtank village is believed to have existed on
1272-850: The Caribbean. Established on 20 August 1942 at Bolling Field , District of Columbia , 12th Air Force was a United States Army Air Forces combat air force deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of World War II. It engaged in operations in North Africa, the Mediterranean , and Western Europe. During the Cold War , 12 AF was one of the Numbered Air Forces of the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and later Tactical Air Command (TAC), Its units engaged in combat operations during
1325-749: The Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest Air Districts on 19 October 1940 to provide air defense for the United States. These Air Districts were redesignated as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Air Forces, respectively, on 26 March 1941. Over a year after the establishment of the United States Army Air Forces on 20 June 1941, the Arabic numerals were changed to the First , Second , Third , and Fourth Air Forces on 18 September 1942. Other organizations established during this period and that became Numbered air forces include
1378-731: The Philippine Department Air Force (became Fifth Air Force ), the Panama Canal Air Force (became Sixth Air Force ), the Hawaiian Air Force (became Seventh Air Force ), and the Alaskan Air Force (became Eleventh Air Force ). After World War II, the US Air Force continued to use both named and numbered air forces. While named air forces were used in both tactical and support roles, numbered air forces were generally employed only in tactical roles. As part of
1431-654: The Royal Air Force which had been fighting in North Africa for two years. Such Allied cooperation was a major concern of American President Franklin D. Roosevelt , British Prime Minister Winston Churchill , and their staffs at the Casablanca Conference in January 1943 where they created the Mediterranean Air Command (MAC) with Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder as Air Commander-in-Chief. For planning of
1484-551: The Twelfth Air Force. Established in the United States during World War II to be the Army Air Forces air component of Operation Torch in 1942, Twelfth Air Force initially moved to England for training, then participated in the invasion of North Africa. It engaged in tactical operations for the remainder of the war in the Mediterranean . Since World War II, Twelfth Air Force has subsequently served both in Europe and later
1537-515: The Twelfth on March 1. As commander, however, he had no staff as such, it being assumed that AAF officers named to the NAAF staff had been automatically placed in equivalent positions in the Twelfth. Actually, all administrative functions were carried on by NAAF and the half-existence of the Twelfth served mainly to mystify all but a few headquarters experts." Although the 12th AF was essentially unrecognized in
1590-625: The United States Navy named their air base at Port Lyautey, French Morocco Craw Field in his honor on 12 January 1944. The only member of the Twelfth Air Force to be awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in the air was Lt. Raymond L. Knight of the 350th Fighter Group . XII Bomber Command was constituted on 26 February 1942 and activated on 13 March at MacDill AAF Florida. It was assigned to Twelfth Air Force in August and transferred, without personnel and equipment, to High Wycombe England where
1643-534: The United States. The Twelfth Air Force serves as the Air Force component to the United States Southern Command. The origins of Twelfth Air Force are traced back to a series of mid-1942 Allied planners' meetings to develop a strategy for the invasion of French North Africa ( Operation Torch ). Because this extensive operation required a new organization to provide enough manpower and equipment, activation plans were prepared simultaneously with
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1696-481: The air and on the ground. Pacific Air Force/FEAF (Rear) controlled both operational and support forces of Far East Air Forces . Air Materiel Force, European Area, and Air Materiel Force, Pacific Area, on the other hand, served primarily as logistics support establishments. Since 2001 United States Air Forces Central has supervised U.S. Air Force elements engaged in the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) ; since 2003 for
1749-527: The base grounds, where two ossuaries (burial mounds) were discovered in 1936. Other Nacotchtank archaeological sites have been found at Giesboro Point on the Potomac River. The Department of Defense (DOD) has owned the Bolling grounds since 1917, when the tract of land was scouted by William C. Ocker at the direction of General Billy Mitchell . Founded on 2 October 1917 as The Flying Field at Anacostia , it
1802-727: The command was re-formed. XII Bomber Command was moved to Tafaraoui, Algeria on 22 November 1942 as part of the Operation Torch landings in North Africa. XII Bomber Command served in combat in the Mediterranean theater until 1 November 1943 when most of the personnel were withdrawn. The command was restaffed in January 1944 and served in combat until 1 March. It was disbanded in Corsica on 10 June 1944. Known XII Bomber Command units were: .** Survivors of Australian-based 27th Bomb Group transferred to 12th AF. Absorbed into 47th BG Numbered Air Force A Numbered Air Force ( NAF )
1855-407: The following new units were assigned to NAAF: Lieutenant General Lewis Brereton 's 9th Air Force was assigned to RAF Middle East although its 12th Bombardment (B-25Cs) and 57th Fighter (P-40Fs) Groups formed a Desert Air Task Force detached to NATAF's Western Desert Air Force under Air Vice-Marshal Harry Broadhurst who replaced Coningham when he was promoted to NATAF commander. The 12th AF,
1908-594: The installation to be an ideal place from which to operate. Although fixed-wing aircraft operations ceased, the installations continued to serve the Military Airlift Command (MAC); the headquarters for the Air Force District of Washington; the Air Force 11th Wing; Commander, Naval Installations Command, Naval Media Center (now, Defense Media Activity-Navy) and many other military commands and federal agencies. The Air Force District of Washington (AFDW)
1961-434: The invasion strategy. On 20 August 1942, Twelfth Air Force was activated at Bolling AAF , Maryland . On 23 September 1942, Brigadier General Jimmy Doolittle formally assumed command with Colonel Hoyt Vandenberg as chief of staff. Barely four months after it was conceived, 12th AF made its first contributions to World War II. When D-Day for the invasion of North Africa (Operation Torch) arrived on 8 November 1942, 12th AF
2014-729: The largest air force ever assembled soon after its inception several months earlier, ceased to exist in the new MAC organizational structure. As an operational organization, the 12th AF simply disappeared when its groups were distributed among the various new NAAF commands. The only remaining reference to the 12th AF among these commands was Major General Edwin House 's XII Air Support Command which along with Broadhurst's Western Desert Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Sir Laurence Sinclair 's Tactical Bomber Force , and Air Vice-Marshal Sir Kenneth Cross ' No. 242 Group , became part of Coningham's NATAF. Later, XII Air Support Command became even less obvious when it
2067-469: The major command (MAJCOM) to which they are currently assigned. Note that the lineage of some numbered air forces is continued by non-NAF organizations (e.g., the 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force continues the lineage of the Fifteenth Air Force). Boldface indicates a NAF or C-NAF that is currently active. In May 2022, First Air Force was officially designated as "Air Forces Space" (AFSPACE),
2120-572: The official Allied air force organization (MAC), it was of course, still a major entity in the USAAF. But even the U.S. Army Air Forces World War II Combat Chronology 1941–1945, recorded its daily chronology entries under "NAAF" rather than "12th AF" between 1 March and 1 September 1943. The U.S. Ninth Air Force retained its identity in MAC (and in the USAAF Combat Chronology) even though it was officially
2173-551: The operational wings and groups. Eleven of the sixteen wartime air forces remained. The Eighth and Fifteenth Air Forces were assigned to SAC; the Third, Ninth, and Twelfth Air Forces were assigned to TAC; and the First, Second, Fourth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Fourteenth Air Forces were assigned to ADC. Second Air Force would later be transferred to SAC in 1949. The numbered air forces had both operational and administrative authority, and existed as
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2226-541: The opinion that once such matters as courts-martial had been wound up, the "skeleton" of the Twelfth--"the name only"--would have either to be returned to the States for a reincarnation or be decently interred by War Department order. Spaatz put the question to Eisenhower and, receiving answer that Headquarters, Twelfth Air Force, would be continued as the administrative headquarters for the U.S. Army elements of NAAF, he took command of
2279-436: The same time clarifying the roles and responsibilities of essential supporting functions." Numbered air forces were reorganized into tactical echelons focused on operations, and their administrative staff functions were eliminated. This reorganization also reduced the number of major commands, and eliminated the air divisions to place numbered air forces directly in command of operational wings. The role of numbered air forces
2332-558: Was again changed in 2006 with the implementation of the Component Air Force (C-NAF) concept. Some numbered air forces have an additional mission as the Air Force Component Command exercising command and control over air and space forces supporting a Unified Combatant Command . C-NAFs have a second designation to identify their role. For example, First Air Force , a numbered air force assigned to Air Combat Command ,
2385-400: Was based on the 'tri-force' model ( No. 205 Group 'strategic', No. 201 Group 'coastal', and Air Headquarters Western Desert 'tactical') indicated above. Thus the three major combat commands of NAAF were: In keeping with the MAC priority of encouraging USAAF-RAF cooperation, Air Vice-Marshal James Robb was named Spaatz's deputy commander of NAAF and he handled operations. Additionally,
2438-464: Was constituted as XII Ground Air Support Command on 10 September 1942 and activated on 17 September. It was assigned to Twelfth Air Force and redesignated as XII Air Support Command, and later redesignated as XII Tactical Air Command in April 1944. The command was moved to French Morocco on 9 November 1942 as part of the Operation Torch landings in North Africa. XII Tactical Air Command served in combat in
2491-580: Was created and activated at Bolling on 1 October 1985 with the mission of providing administrative support to Air Force members. On 15 July 1994, AFDW was inactivated, but was reactivated 5 January 2005 to "provide a single voice for Air Force requirements in the National Capital Region" according to the base's website. Between 19 and 23 December 2000, representatives from the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority convened at Bolling to negotiate
2544-485: Was detached to No. 242 Group. The curious status of the 12th AF in February 1943 is illustrated by the quotation below taken from the official history "One of the admittedly minor problems of the reorganization concerned the status of the Twelfth Air Force. Its units, personnel, and equipment having been transferred entirely to NAAF on February 18, both on paper and in actuality the Twelfth seemed to have vanished. At his last staff meeting, on February 22, Doolittle expressed
2597-663: Was disbanded and reorganized as the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (MAAF) with Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder as Air Commander-in-Chief. In mid-January 1944, Lieutenant General Ira Eaker took over MAAF when Eisenhower chose Tedder to oversee air operations and planning for the Normandy Landings . The new MAAF organization retained the original tri-force model adopted by the Casablanca Conference in creating MAC nearly one year earlier: Components of
2650-617: Was organized ( Douglas A-20 light bombers) (Lockheed P-38 Lightning ) ( North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber) ( Martin B-26 Marauder medium bombers) ( Supermarine Spitfire ) Initially, 12th AF was a composite organization containing both strategic heavy bombardment groups; and tactical light and medium bombardment, fighter-bomber, and fighter groups. Based in French Morocco and Algeria after Operation Torch, it became very important for 12th AF to coordinate and cooperate with
2703-520: Was promoted to Sergeant and Pierpont Hamilton, a descendant of Alexander Hamilton , became an intelligence officer in the Northwest African Tactical Air Force a subordinate command of the newly created Northwest African Air Forces under Lieutenant General Carl Spaatz who also assumed administrative command of the Twelfth Air Force on 1 March 1943. Colonel Demas Craw was awarded his Medal of Honor posthumously on 4 March 1943 and
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#17330926650472756-610: Was the Assistant Chief of the Air Service, and was killed in action near Amiens, France , on 26 March 1918 while defending himself and his driver, Private Paul L. Holder, from German soldiers. Flying activities began on 4 July 1918 with mailplanes landing there, with all equipment removed from the former location at the Polo Grounds, Washington, D.C. In the late 1940s, Bolling Field's property became Naval Air Station Anacostia and
2809-418: Was the first military airfield near the United States Capitol . It was renamed Anacostia Experimental Flying Field in June 1918. Soon, the single installation evolved into two separate, adjoining bases; one Army (later Air Force) and one Navy. Bolling Field was opened 1 July 1918 and was named for Colonel Raynal C. Bolling , the first high-ranking air service officer killed in World War I . Colonel Bolling
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