{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Use American English|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox military unit |unit_name= 72d Fighter Wing |image=Republic P-47 Thunderbolt USAF.JPG |image_size=300 |caption=P-47 Thunderbolts as flown by the wing |dates=1943–1946 |country={{USA}} |branch={{air force|USA}} |type= |role=Command of Fighter operational and replacement training units |size= |command_structure= |current_commander= |garrison= |nickname= |motto= |colors= |march= |mascot= |battles= |notable_commanders= |anniversaries= |decorations= |battle_honors= }} The '''72d Fighter Wing''' was a wing of the United States Army Air Forces. It was assigned to Second Air Force, stationed at Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado. It was inactivated on 9 April 1946.<ref name=Maurer406>Maurer, ''Combat Units'', p. 406</ref>
==History== The wing was initially activated in August 1943 as the '''72d Bombardment Operational Training Wing''', a command organization for heavy bomber training. Ten days after activation, it was redesignated the '''72d Fighter Wing''' and became single-engine fighter training organization for Second Air Force.<ref name=Maurer406/> The wing had jurisdiction over fighter Operational Training Unit and Replacement Training Unit in the midwest.
Stations assigned to the wing included:{{Citation needed|reason=need support for bases|date=December 2012}} {{Col-begin}} {{Col-break|width=50%}} * Abilene Army Air Field, Texas * Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico * Bruning Army Air Field, Nebraska * Casper Army Air Field, Wyoming * Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas {{Col-break|width=50%}} * DeRidder Army Air Base, Louisiana * Galveston Army Air Field, Texas * Harding Field, Louisiana<ref>Maurer, ''Combat Units'', p. 150</ref> * Peterson Field, Colorado * Pocatello Army Air Field, Idaho * Scribner Army Air Field, Nebraska<ref name=36OGfacts>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/434107/36-operations-group-pacaf/|title=36 Operations Group (PACAF)|last=Robertson|first=Patsy|date=11 June 2014|publisher=Air Force Historical Research Agency|access-date=January 5, 2026}}</ref> {{col-end}}
==Lineage== * Constituted as '''72d Bombardment Operational Training Wing''' (Heavy) on 12 August 1943 : Activated on 20 August 1943 : Redesigned '''72d Fighter Wing''' on 1 September 1943 : Inactivated on 9 April 1946<ref name=Maurer406/> * Disbanded on 15 June 1983<ref>Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 498q, 15 June 1983, Subject: Disbandment of Certain Inactive Air Force Units</ref> * Reconstituted on 31 July 1985 and redesigned '''372d Electronic Warfare Group'''<ref>Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 648q, 31 July 1985, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Organizations</ref> * Disbanded on 9 September 1992
===Assignments=== * Second Air Force, 12 August 1943 – 9 April 1946<ref name=Maurer406/>
===Components=== * 36th Fighter Group, 17 September 1943 – 4 April 1944<ref name=36OGfacts/> * 84th Fighter Group, 1 November 1943 – 1 April 1944<ref name=Maurer72FW406>Maurer, ''Combat Units'', p. 406 (year only)</ref> * 357th Fighter Group, 7 October – 9 November 1943 * 407th Fighter Group, 9 March 1943 – 21 March 1944 * 408th Fighter Group, 1 November 1943 – 1 April 1944 * 476th Fighter Group, 26 March – 1 April 1944 * 507th Fighter Group, 12 October 1944 – 24 June 1945 * 508th Fighter Group, 12 October 1944 – 6 January 1945<ref name=Maurer406/>
===Stations=== * Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota, 20 August 1943 * Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado, 7 October 1943 * Peterson Field, Colorado, November 1943 * Colorado Springs Army Air Base, Colorado, December 1945 – 9 April 1946<ref name=Maurer406/>
===Aircraft=== * Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943 – 1944<ref name=36OGfacts/>
===Campaign=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Campaign Streamer ! Campaign ! Dates ! Notes |- |200px ||American Theater without inscription||20 August 1943–2 March 1946||72md Bombardment Operational Training Wing (later 72nd Fighter Wing)<ref name=Maurer406/> |}
==References==
===Notes=== {{reflist|30em}}
===Bibliography=== {{Air Force Historical Research Agency}} * {{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II|orig-year= 1961|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161220180735/http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= 20 December 2016 |edition=reprint|year=1983|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-02-1}}
{{USAAF 2d Air Force World War II}}
Category:Military units and formations in Colorado 072