UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ORDERS OF BATTLE
All U.S. Air Force organizations must be readily identifiable. To accomplish this, each organization has a unique designation. The designation includes a number or name; a functional term describing its primary mission and an organizational type denoting its position in the Air Force organizational hierarchy.
Organization: 1st Fighter Wing
Number: 1
Organization Kind: Fighter
Organization Type: Wing
Organization: 15th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
Number: 15
Organization Kind: Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance
Organization Type: Squadron
Organization: Ogden Air Logistics Center
Name: Ogden
Organization Kind: Air Logistics
Organization Type: Center
Orders of Battle
Entries contain information that is standardized in its presentation as far as possible. USAF organizations are listed numerically, then alphabetically.
Designation
The Orders of Battle are presented with the organization’s official designation. The designation is obtained from the organization’s G-Series orders.
Stations
The list of stations shows the locations and movements of the organization. Permanent locations of the organization are listed chronologically. Temporary stations are not listed. The name given for each base is the one in use at the time the organization arrived. The state in which an organization is station is listed with the abbreviations used by the US Post Office; MS for Mississippi, not Miss. If the organization moved frequently, as some organizations did in the Mediterranean and Pacific areas during World War II, countries, rather than specific places, are shown. Foreign nations are identified by their popular name, rather than their official name, ie the Republic of Korea appears as South Korea; the Republic of Vietnam as South Vietnam, and the Republic of China as either Formosa or Taiwan, depending upon the period. Organizations located in occupied Germany prior to 1 Sep 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany, or after the reunification are listed as being in Germany.
Assignments and attachments
Each of the organization's immediate parent organizations is listed chronologically. A single date indicates the date of assignment; where a double date appears, the second date indicates termination of assignment. If the organization was attached for operational control to another organization, the attachment appears in the attachment section. Each attachment contains double dates. Where the exact dates for assignment or attached service could not be determined with certainty a circa (c.) date is used.
Components
Establishments do not have components listed because of the sheer number assigned at any given time. Units with components; for example an Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron’s detachments, are listed alphabetically or numerically.
Weapon systems
The aircraft and/or missiles used by an organization appear in this section. Aircraft are listed by series and number and when available by model (B-52H or KC-135A). Missiles are listed by their official designation and popular names (SM-65 Atlas, LGM-25C Titan II, LGM-30G Minuteman III). The time period during which the organization possessed the weapon systems are listed. (RF-101A, 1959-1965). When available and pertinent, exact dates in which the organization received or disposed of its weapon systems are covered in the operations section. No attempt is made to list the weapon system’s manufacturer or the official or unofficial nickname, unless there is a possibility of confusion. For example the B-26 will be identified as either the B-26 Marauder or B-26 Invader.
Assigned aircraft Serial numbers
The serial number corresponds to the fiscal year in which the aircraft was procured and the number procured during that year. Serial numbers are listed with the aircraft type and then sequentially. Due to availability, serial numbers are listed in one of two ways; the official serial number: 05-5147 or the "tail number:" 55147. Every effort is made to use the proper serial number in the Orders of Battle.
Assigned aircraft tail/unit/base codes
Tail/unit/base codes are used to readily identify the organization in which the aircraft is assigned. Generally the code is made up of two letters on the vertical stabilizer. During World War II, the codes were applied to the rear fuselage and the vertical stabilizer. The codes are listed by aircraft type then alphabetically or numerically.
Unit Colors
Colors are used to identify the aircraft’s unit within the parent establishment. The colors are applied to various places on the aircraft; for example the tip of the vertical stabilizer, bands around the vertical stabilizer, bands around the fuselage, bands around the wings, engine nacelles, and propeller spinner. Units also use checkerboards, flashes, lightning bolts and geometric shapes to represent its place within the establishment.
Commanders
Commanders of the organization are listed chronologically, along with the highest rank attained during the command tenure. When an organization was active but not manned, the statement "none (not manned)" and double dates appear. If a commander was at first temporarily and then permanently appointed, the commander's name will be followed by a date and a parenthetical "temporary," followed by a second date and parenthetical "permanent." In some cases the inclusive dates for a given commander are not known. In those cases, the entry “#” followed by a month and year indicate the earliest or latest date known for that commander to be in command of the unit indicated.
Name, date—date the officer took command
Name, @date—approximate date officer took command
Name, #date—officer was in position of command on that date; doesn’t indicate assumption of command date
Commanders’ ranks are listed as 2 or 3 letter abbreviations: 2LT, 1LT, CPT, MAJ, LTC, COL, BG, MG, LTG, GEN
Honors
Service Streamers
Service streamers represent noncombat service in the various theaters of military operations.
Campaign Streamers
When an organization participates in combat operations in a theater, it earns a campaign streamer.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers
The streamer is awarded for participation in any military campaign of the United States for which no other service medal is authorized.
Decorations
Decorations include citations and awards recognizing distinguished or meritorious acts by the organization. In this section, the type of decoration is cited together with specific dates.
Emblems
The current or most recent official emblem of the organization is posted at the top of the Order of Battle. Older official emblems and patches are located at the end of the bottom of the order of battle.
This nonprofit site depicts original insignias and in doing so intends no infringement on the property rights of the owner of any copyright.
Motto
Official mottos are listed chronologically. Mottos in foreign languages are provided with an English translation and when applicable an explanation of the motto.
Nickname
Since nicknames are not approved by the Air Force Historical Research Agency, nicknames are listed as they are recorded without regard to when they were used. When available and pertinent, nicknames are explained.
Operations
Exercises, competitions, combat and general events are mentioned without an explanation of the topic because adequate explanation of every topic would make the Orders of Battle extremely unwieldy.
Sources
All sources are cited at the end of each order of battle. Wing, group, and squadron lineage obtained from books published by the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA), unit data cards; unit periodic histories and current information from the AFHRA website are combined and listed as Air Force Historical Research Agency.
Books published by the Air Force history program or under the auspices of the Air Force history program are cited as such.
Other primary sources include:
Unit and base yearbooks
Heritage pamphlets
Websites maintained by the organization
Heritage/Reunion websites are used as sources with permission of their webmaster and cited as such.
Secondary sources include books and websites published privately or commercially are cited as such.
Writing credit
When compiling a unit’s Order of Battle, it became apparent early on that rewriting the organization’s history completely destroys the rich flavor of the original manuscript and the context is completely lost. It is impossible to convey the texture and prose of a young man writing about his buddies and his unit in the throes of war. Consequently, the webmaster functions almost entirely as an editor. When practical, the original text from the unit history is used in its entirety and proper credit is annotated.
Copyright
I have sought out and as of present have obtained permission from the original authors or publisher to use all material protected by copyright.
Disputing information
An exurbanite amount of effort and time has been expended attempting to record the vast amount of information in these Orders of Battle. However, mistakes and omissions will occur and I will make every effort to correct even the smallest detail. When information is disputed or just merely questioned, please contact the webmaster
Submitting information
All U.S. Air Force organizations must be readily identifiable. To accomplish this, each organization has a unique designation. The designation includes a number or name; a functional term describing its primary mission and an organizational type denoting its position in the Air Force organizational hierarchy.
Organization: 1st Fighter Wing
Number: 1
Organization Kind: Fighter
Organization Type: Wing
Organization: 15th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
Number: 15
Organization Kind: Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance
Organization Type: Squadron
Organization: Ogden Air Logistics Center
Name: Ogden
Organization Kind: Air Logistics
Organization Type: Center
Orders of Battle
Entries contain information that is standardized in its presentation as far as possible. USAF organizations are listed numerically, then alphabetically.
Designation
The Orders of Battle are presented with the organization’s official designation. The designation is obtained from the organization’s G-Series orders.
Stations
The list of stations shows the locations and movements of the organization. Permanent locations of the organization are listed chronologically. Temporary stations are not listed. The name given for each base is the one in use at the time the organization arrived. The state in which an organization is station is listed with the abbreviations used by the US Post Office; MS for Mississippi, not Miss. If the organization moved frequently, as some organizations did in the Mediterranean and Pacific areas during World War II, countries, rather than specific places, are shown. Foreign nations are identified by their popular name, rather than their official name, ie the Republic of Korea appears as South Korea; the Republic of Vietnam as South Vietnam, and the Republic of China as either Formosa or Taiwan, depending upon the period. Organizations located in occupied Germany prior to 1 Sep 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany, or after the reunification are listed as being in Germany.
Assignments and attachments
Each of the organization's immediate parent organizations is listed chronologically. A single date indicates the date of assignment; where a double date appears, the second date indicates termination of assignment. If the organization was attached for operational control to another organization, the attachment appears in the attachment section. Each attachment contains double dates. Where the exact dates for assignment or attached service could not be determined with certainty a circa (c.) date is used.
Components
Establishments do not have components listed because of the sheer number assigned at any given time. Units with components; for example an Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron’s detachments, are listed alphabetically or numerically.
Weapon systems
The aircraft and/or missiles used by an organization appear in this section. Aircraft are listed by series and number and when available by model (B-52H or KC-135A). Missiles are listed by their official designation and popular names (SM-65 Atlas, LGM-25C Titan II, LGM-30G Minuteman III). The time period during which the organization possessed the weapon systems are listed. (RF-101A, 1959-1965). When available and pertinent, exact dates in which the organization received or disposed of its weapon systems are covered in the operations section. No attempt is made to list the weapon system’s manufacturer or the official or unofficial nickname, unless there is a possibility of confusion. For example the B-26 will be identified as either the B-26 Marauder or B-26 Invader.
Assigned aircraft Serial numbers
The serial number corresponds to the fiscal year in which the aircraft was procured and the number procured during that year. Serial numbers are listed with the aircraft type and then sequentially. Due to availability, serial numbers are listed in one of two ways; the official serial number: 05-5147 or the "tail number:" 55147. Every effort is made to use the proper serial number in the Orders of Battle.
Assigned aircraft tail/unit/base codes
Tail/unit/base codes are used to readily identify the organization in which the aircraft is assigned. Generally the code is made up of two letters on the vertical stabilizer. During World War II, the codes were applied to the rear fuselage and the vertical stabilizer. The codes are listed by aircraft type then alphabetically or numerically.
Unit Colors
Colors are used to identify the aircraft’s unit within the parent establishment. The colors are applied to various places on the aircraft; for example the tip of the vertical stabilizer, bands around the vertical stabilizer, bands around the fuselage, bands around the wings, engine nacelles, and propeller spinner. Units also use checkerboards, flashes, lightning bolts and geometric shapes to represent its place within the establishment.
Commanders
Commanders of the organization are listed chronologically, along with the highest rank attained during the command tenure. When an organization was active but not manned, the statement "none (not manned)" and double dates appear. If a commander was at first temporarily and then permanently appointed, the commander's name will be followed by a date and a parenthetical "temporary," followed by a second date and parenthetical "permanent." In some cases the inclusive dates for a given commander are not known. In those cases, the entry “#” followed by a month and year indicate the earliest or latest date known for that commander to be in command of the unit indicated.
Name, date—date the officer took command
Name, @date—approximate date officer took command
Name, #date—officer was in position of command on that date; doesn’t indicate assumption of command date
Commanders’ ranks are listed as 2 or 3 letter abbreviations: 2LT, 1LT, CPT, MAJ, LTC, COL, BG, MG, LTG, GEN
Honors
Service Streamers
Service streamers represent noncombat service in the various theaters of military operations.
Campaign Streamers
When an organization participates in combat operations in a theater, it earns a campaign streamer.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers
The streamer is awarded for participation in any military campaign of the United States for which no other service medal is authorized.
Decorations
Decorations include citations and awards recognizing distinguished or meritorious acts by the organization. In this section, the type of decoration is cited together with specific dates.
Emblems
The current or most recent official emblem of the organization is posted at the top of the Order of Battle. Older official emblems and patches are located at the end of the bottom of the order of battle.
This nonprofit site depicts original insignias and in doing so intends no infringement on the property rights of the owner of any copyright.
Motto
Official mottos are listed chronologically. Mottos in foreign languages are provided with an English translation and when applicable an explanation of the motto.
Nickname
Since nicknames are not approved by the Air Force Historical Research Agency, nicknames are listed as they are recorded without regard to when they were used. When available and pertinent, nicknames are explained.
Operations
Exercises, competitions, combat and general events are mentioned without an explanation of the topic because adequate explanation of every topic would make the Orders of Battle extremely unwieldy.
Sources
All sources are cited at the end of each order of battle. Wing, group, and squadron lineage obtained from books published by the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA), unit data cards; unit periodic histories and current information from the AFHRA website are combined and listed as Air Force Historical Research Agency.
Books published by the Air Force history program or under the auspices of the Air Force history program are cited as such.
Other primary sources include:
Unit and base yearbooks
Heritage pamphlets
Websites maintained by the organization
Heritage/Reunion websites are used as sources with permission of their webmaster and cited as such.
Secondary sources include books and websites published privately or commercially are cited as such.
Writing credit
When compiling a unit’s Order of Battle, it became apparent early on that rewriting the organization’s history completely destroys the rich flavor of the original manuscript and the context is completely lost. It is impossible to convey the texture and prose of a young man writing about his buddies and his unit in the throes of war. Consequently, the webmaster functions almost entirely as an editor. When practical, the original text from the unit history is used in its entirety and proper credit is annotated.
Copyright
I have sought out and as of present have obtained permission from the original authors or publisher to use all material protected by copyright.
Disputing information
An exurbanite amount of effort and time has been expended attempting to record the vast amount of information in these Orders of Battle. However, mistakes and omissions will occur and I will make every effort to correct even the smallest detail. When information is disputed or just merely questioned, please contact the webmaster
Submitting information
