85th Group

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 85th Group


caption= Emblem of the 85th Group
dates= 1942-2006
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=
type=
role=
size=
command_structure=
garrison= Naval Air Station Keflavik
garrison_label=
nickname=
patron=
motto= "Guardians of the North"
colors=
colors_label=
march=
mascot=
equipment=
equipment_label=
battles=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=
aircraft_transport= The 85th Groupis an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with United States Air Forces in Europe, assigned to Third Air Force, being stationed at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland. It was inactivated on 28 June 2006.

History

Lineage

* Established as 85 Bombardment Group (Light) on 13 Jan 1942: Activated on 10 Feb 1942: Redesignated: 85 Bombardment Group (Dive) on 27 Jul 1942: Redesignated: 85 Fighter-Bomber Group on 10 Aug 1943: Disestablished on 1 May 1944
* Reestablished, and redesignated 85 Tactical Fighter Training Wing on 31 Jul 1985:: Consolidated (29 Sep 1994) with Air Forces Iceland, which was established as Iceland Air Defense Force, and organized, on 1 Apr 1952: Redesignated Air Forces Iceland on 1 Jan 1960: Inactivated on 31 May 1993
* Redesignated 85 Wing on 29 Sep 1994: Activated on 1 Oct 1994: Redesignated 85 Group on 1 Jul 1995.

Assignments

* Third Air Force : 3 Air Support Command, 10 Feb 1942: III Bomber Command, 16 Mar 1942: XII Bomber Command, 2 May 1942: III Bomber Command, 8 May 1942: III Ground Air Support (later, III Air Support) Command, 10 Aug 1942
* Fourth Air Force: IV Air Support Command, 2 Nov 1942: Desert Training Center, 21 Jan 1943
* Third Air Force: III Air Support Command, 8 Apr 1943: 23 Bombardment Training Wing, 10 Apr 1943: III Fighter Command, 6 Aug 1943-1 May 1944
* Military Air Transport Service, 1 Apr 1952:: (Established as Iceland Air Defense Force): 65th Air Division, 24 Apr 1952-8 Mar 1954
* Air Defense Command: 64th Air Division, 1 Jul 1962: 26th Air Division, 1 Jul 1963: Goose Air Defense Sector, 4 Sep 1963: 37th Air Division, 1 Apr 1966: 21th Air Division, 31 Dec 1969
* Aerospace Defense Command, 1 Oct 1975
* Tactical Air Command, 1 Oct 1979: First Air Force, 6 Dec 1985-31 May 1993
* Air Combat Command, 1 Jun 1992: Eighth Air Force, 1 Oct 1994
* United States Air Forces in Europe: Third Air Force, 1 Oct 2002: 48th Fighter Wing, 8 Oct 2004-28 Jun 2006

Stations

* Savannah AB, Georgia, 10 Feb 1942
* Bowman Fld, Kentucky, c. 16 Feb 1942
* Hunter Fld, Georgia, 9 Jun 1942
* Waycross AAF, Georgia, 15 Aug 1942
* Gillespie Fld, Tennessee, 3 Oct 1942
* Blythe AAB, California, 2 Nov 1942
* Rice AAF, California, c. 11 Dec 1942
* Camp Young, California, 21 Jan 1943
* Harding Fld, Louisiana, 8 Apr 1943
* Waycross AAF, Georgia, c. 27 Aug 1943-1 May 1944
* Keflavik Aprt (later, NAS), Iceland, 1 Apr 1952-31 May 1993
* Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, 1 Oct 1994-28 Jun 2006

Components

Groups
* 85 Operations: 1 Oct 1994-1 Jul 1995
* 1400 Operations: 18 Dec 1955-1 Jul 1960

Squadrons
* 56 Rescue: 1 Jul 1995-28 Jun 2006
* 57 Fighter-Interceptor: 13 Nov 1954-18 Dec 1955; 1 Jul 1960-31 May 1993
* 85 Operations: 15 Apr 1996-28 Jun 2006
* 305 Bombardment (later, 499 Fighter-Bomber): 10 Feb 1942-1 May 1944
* 306 Bombardment (later, 500 Fighter-Bomber): 10 Feb 1942-1 May 1944
* 307 Bombardment (later, 501 Fighter-Bomber): 10 Feb 1942-1 May 1944
* 308 Bombardment (later 502 Fighter-Bomber): 10 Feb 1942-1 May 1944.

Aircraft

* Vultee V-72, 1942;
* A-24 Banshee, 1942–1943;
* A-36 Apache, 1943–1944;
* P-40 Warhawk, 1944;
* P-47 Thunderbolt, 1944.
* F-51 Mustang (rotational aircraft), 1952–1953;
* F-89 Scorpion, 1954–1962;
* F-102 Delta Dagger, 1962–1973;
* F-4 Phantom II, 1973–1985;
* F-15 Eagle, 1985–1993; 1994–1995; (rotational aircraft), 1995–2006
* HH-60 Pave Hawk, 1994–2006
* KC-135 Stratotanker (rotational aircraft), 1994–2006
* HC-130P/N (rotational aircraft), 1994–2006
* F-16 Fighting Falcon (rotational aircraft), 1997 and 1999.

Operational History

Operated as a training unit within the United States, first using Vultee V-72 aircraft. Converted to A-24 Banshees in August 1942, A-36 Apaches in early 1943, and P-40 Warhawks in early 1944. Received a few P-47 Thunderbolts in March 1944. Participated in maneuvers in California during fall and winter of 1942 through 1943 and in Kentucky in April 1943. Afterward, served as a replacement training unit until it disbanded on 1 May 1944.

Between 1952 and 1961, provided air defense for Iceland, operated Keflavik Airport, and furnished base support for all U.S. military forces in Iceland participating in its defense under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Installation transferred to the U.S. Navy on 30 June 1961, along with base support activities. Air Forces Iceland continued the air defense mission of Iceland as a tenant organization at Keflavik until 1993. After a brief period of inactivation (June 1993 through September 1994), resumed air defense mission of Iceland.

The 85th Group inactivated during a one-hour, formal ceremony on 28 June 2006, because the Air Force had announced a reduction in forces for Iceland. All rotational fighters left and the 56th Rescue Squadron ceased operation at the end of the fiscal year.

References

* http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123020835
* http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123022673

External links

* [http://www.maxwell.af.mil/au/afhra/rso/wings_groups_pages/0085gp.asp Air Force Historical Research Agency: 85th Group]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usaf/85gp.htm GlobalSecurity.org: 85th Group]