In the Aftermath of December 7th 1941, the
American public
responded. Thousands upon thousands of young men flocked
to their local
recruiting office, these fresh faced young men were about to embark on an
enormous quest.A quest for glory,a quest for revenge. A quest
many of them will
never return from.
The history of
the 49th fighter wing is one of
distinction.Organized as the 49th Pursuit
Group (interceptor) in 1940, the unit
was among the first to deploy from
the United States to the Pacific Theater of
operations during World War II.
Redesignated the 49th Fighter Group, the unit
played an important role
in halting Japenese advances in the Southwest Pacific.
During four years of
World War II combat, the group was successful in providing
air defense from
Australia to the Phillipines.
By wars end, the groups
pilots destroyed 678 enemy aircraft, a
record surpassing that of any other
fighter group in the Pacific Theater. The
group's world War II activities
merited two Phillipine Republic Presidential
Unit Citations, three
Distinguished Unit Citations, and 10 battle Honors. Among
the units 43 Aces were Lt.Colonel Boyd D. "Buzz" Wagner, the first world War II
ace in the
Pacific Theatre, and Major Richard I. Bong, whose 40 kills made him
America's number one ace (a record that still stands). The 49th soon became
endeared to the American people through the nickname, "FIGHTING 49ERS".
American public
responded. Thousands upon thousands of young men flocked
to their local
recruiting office, these fresh faced young men were about to embark on an
enormous quest.A quest for glory,a quest for revenge. A quest
many of them will
never return from.
The history of
the 49th fighter wing is one of
distinction.Organized as the 49th Pursuit
Group (interceptor) in 1940, the unit
was among the first to deploy from
the United States to the Pacific Theater of
operations during World War II.
Redesignated the 49th Fighter Group, the unit
played an important role
in halting Japenese advances in the Southwest Pacific.
During four years of
World War II combat, the group was successful in providing
air defense from
Australia to the Phillipines.
By wars end, the groups
pilots destroyed 678 enemy aircraft, a
record surpassing that of any other
fighter group in the Pacific Theater. The
group's world War II activities
merited two Phillipine Republic Presidential
Unit Citations, three
Distinguished Unit Citations, and 10 battle Honors. Among
the units 43 Aces were Lt.Colonel Boyd D. "Buzz" Wagner, the first world War II
ace in the
Pacific Theatre, and Major Richard I. Bong, whose 40 kills made him
America's number one ace (a record that still stands). The 49th soon became
endeared to the American people through the nickname, "FIGHTING 49ERS".