18th Wing

The 18th Wing's mission is to defend U.S. and Japanese' mutual interests by providing a responsive staging and operational airbase with integrated, deployable, forward-based airpower.

Its organization was as follows: At the outbreak of the Korean War, the 18th FBG's 12th FBS provided personnel to form the "Dallas" fighter squadron, which rushed into battle.

In late July, the group headquarters with two of its squadrons (12th and 67th FBSs) deployed with F-80s from the Philippines to Taegu AB (K-37), South Korea.

From 28 July to 3 August, the 18th Group operated directly under Fifth Air Force then passed to the control of the 6002nd Fighter (later, Tactical Support) Wing.

Combat targets included tanks and armored vehicles, locomotives and trucks, artillery and antiaircraft guns, fuel and ammunition dumps, warehouses and factories, and troop concentrations.

The Chinese Communist (CCF intervention) caused the group to move twice in as many weeks, first to Suwon AB (K-13), South Korea, then to Chinhae (K-10).

From November 1950 through January 1951, it earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for destroying roughly 2,400 enemy vehicles and severely damaging almost 500 more.

The group earned its second Distinguished Unit Citation from 22 April to 8 July 1951, when it flew 6,500 combat sorties while operating from sod, dirt filled, and damaged runways to counter the enemy's 1951 spring offensive.

When in January 1953 the group rejoined the wing at Osan-ni AB (K-55), its squadrons transitioned to F-86 Sabrejets without halting the fight against the enemy.

In the final days of the war, the 18th FBG attacked dispersed enemy aircraft at Sinuiju and Uiju Airfields.

From 14 – 28 March 1961, the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing deployed the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron to Kung Kuan Air Base, Taiwan equipped with McDonnell RF-101 Voodoo.

Known Vietnam-era squadrons of the wing were: The deployments to Southeast Asia continued until the end of United States involvement in the conflict.

During the 1968 Pueblo crisis, the 18th deployed between January and June to Osan Air Base, South Korea following the North Korean seizure of the vessel.

In 2003 the 374th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan was moved to Kadena and redesignated the 18th AES giving the 18th Wing an added mission of patient transport.

North American F-51D-30-NA Mustang, AF Ser. No. 44-74651, cira 1950. This aircraft was deployed to South Korea and is marked as the Wing Commander's.
North American F-86F-25-NH Sabre, AF Ser. No. 52-5371, of the 18th Fighter-Bomber Group, 1953. Aircraft marked as Wing Commander's.
South African Mustangs during the Korean War
18th TFW North American F-100A-15-NA Super Sabre Serial, AF Ser. No. 53-1587, landing at Kadena Air Base.
Republic F-105D-31-RE Thunderchief, AF Ser. No. 62-4375, 12th TFS/18th TFW on 18 May 1971. Noted in October 2003 at the Combat Air Museum, Topeka, KS and still there October 2006, this F-105 was the last of its kind in use with any US military service when retired from the Air National Guard in 1983. It was a static display for four years at McGhee Tyson ANG Base, Knoxville, Tennessee, prior to transfer to the Combat Air Museum in 1992.
McDonnell F-4C-18-MC Phantom, AF Ser. No. 63-7474, 67th TFS/18th TFW (photo taken at Korat RTAFB, Thailand). This aircraft was later modified to the EF-4C Wild Weasel flak suppression aircraft.
Douglas RB-66B-DL Destroyer (Modified to EB-66E), AF Ser, No. 54-0542, 19th TEWS/18th TFW on 23 August 1974.
McDonnell Douglas F-15C-22-MC Eagle Serial, AF Ser. No. 78-0497, 67th TFS/18th TFW on 13 October 1984.
The 44th and 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed to Ching Chuan Kang Air Base in Taiwan, two F-4 fighter pilots and ROC Air Force pilots were interviewed by reporters, 20 November 1972
McDonnell F-4C-23-MC Phantoms of the 44th TFS/18th TFW deployed at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base Taichung, Taiwan, 2 October 1973. Serial 64-0750 in foreground.