The III Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.
History
Background
GHQ Air Force (GHQ, AF) had been established with two major combat functions, to maintain a striking force against long range targets, and the air defense of the United States.[1] In the spring of 1941, the War Department established four strategic defense areas and GHQ, AF reorganized its Southeast Air District as 3rd Air Force with responsibility for air defense planning and organization in the southeastern.[2] 3rd Air Force activated 3rd Interceptor Command at Drew Field, Florida in 1941, under the command of Major General Walter H. Frank.[3] The command's initial tactical component was the 8th Pursuit Wing.[4]
Air defense
The attack on Pearl Harbor put all units on heightened alert.[5] The command was charged with control of "active agents" for air defense in its area of responsibility, which included interceptor aircraft, antiaircraft artillery and barrage balloons. Civilian organizations provided air raid warnings and enforced blackouts and came under the authority of the Office of Civilian Defense and the command worked "feverishly" to create a ground observer corps as elements of its Aircraft Warning Service.[6] However, it soon became apparent that having two commands responsible for air defense in the Eastern Theater of Operations was impractical. 1st Interceptor Command was given the mission of defending the East and Gulf coasts, while 3rd concentrated on the training mission starting early in 1942.[7] Although the command retained responsibility for air defense on the Gulf coast west of the Apalachicola River, no "vital air defense zone" was established for this area, as it was for the Pacific and East coasts.[8]
Unit and crew training
The command trained fighter organizations and personnel.[3] By the end of 1942, the command's training consisted almost entirely of Replacement Training Units (RTU).[9]
The command was inactivated in April 1946. It was transferred in inactive status to the newly-independent United States Air Force in September 1947, and was disbanded in October 1948.[3]
Lineage
Constituted as the 3rd Interceptor Command on 26 May 1941[note 2]
^Maurer indicates that there is a question whether the command was activated on this date or not until about 14 July. Maurer, p. 440.
^Robertson says attachment was to I Ground Air Support Command, but the command had been redesignated a division by this time. Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 440-441
^ abStaff Historian (5 October 2007). "Factsheet 57 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 13 October 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
^Staff historian (4 October 2007). "Factsheet 19 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
^Staff historian (5 October 2007). "Factsheet 22 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
Cate, James L.; Williams, E. Kathleen (1948). "Prelude to War, Chapter 4, The Air Corps Prepares for War, 1939-41". In Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II(PDF). Vol. I, Plans and Early Operations. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN48003657. OCLC704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Goss, William A. (1955). "Tactical Demands, Chapter 8, Air Defense of the Western Hemisphere". In Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II(PDF). Vol. I, Plans and Early Operations. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN48003657. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
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