XII Tactical Air Command

XII Tactical Air Command
Emblem of the XII Tactical Air Command
Active	1942-1947
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army Air Forces
Type	Command and Control
Engagements	World War II

The XII Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, based at Bad Kissingen, Germany. It was inactivated on 10 November 1947.

Formed in United States in early 1942. Moved to North Africa, October–November 1942.

The command served in combat in the Mediterranean and European theaters until May 1945. Afterward, remained in Europe as part of the occupation force.

Lineage

• Constituted as XII Ground Air Support Command on 10 September 1942

Activated on 17 September 1942

Redesignated XII Air Support Command in September 1942

Redesignated XII Tactical Air Command in April 1944

Inactivated in Germany on 10 November 1947

Disbanded on 8 October 1948.

Assignments

• Third Air Force, 17 September 1942

First Air Force (Attached), 25 September 1942

• Twelfth Air Force, 9 November 1942
• Mediterranean Air Command/Northwest African Air Forces/Northwest African Tactical Air Force February 18 - December 10, 1943
• Mediterranean Allied Air Forces/Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force/12th Air Force 1944-45
• United States Air Forces in Europe, July 1945-10 November 1947

Stations

Birmingham Army Airfield, Alabama, 17 September 1942 Bolling Field, DC, 25 September-18 October 1942 French Morocco, 9 November 1942 Algeria, January 1943 Tunisia, 13 March 1943 Sicily, c. 12 July 1943

Italy, c. 9 September 1943 France, 18 August 1944 Germany, 27 March 1945 Erlangen, Germany, July 1945 Bad Kissingen, Germany, 1 November 1945 – 10 November 1947

Forces and Wings

• 5th Bombardment Wing: 13 October 1942 – 1 November 1943
• 7th Fighter Wing: 1942 (Never activated)
• 42d Bombardment Wing: 21 May-26 July 1945
• 57th Bombardment Wing: 31 August 1943 – 1 January 1944
• 63d Fighter Wing: 14 June–December 1945
• 64th Fighter (formerly 3d Air Defense) Division: 9 March 1943 – 5 June 1947
• 70th Fighter Wing: 2 December 1945 – 25 September 1947
• 71st Fighter Wing: 25 September–November 1945
• 87th Fighter Wing: 11 January-22 September 1944

1945-1947

2d Bombardment Group Foggia Airfield, Italy, 19 November 1945 – 28 February 1946 10th Reconnaissance Group AAF Station Fürth, Germany, 28 April 1945 – April 1947 AAF Station Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany, April – June 1947 27th Fighter Group AAF Station Fritzlar, Germany, 20 August 1946 – 25 June 1947 31st Fighter Group AAF Station Giebelstadt, Germany, 20 August – 30 September 1946 AAF Station Kitzingen, Germany, 30 September 1946 – 25 June 1947 33d Fighter Group AAF Station Neubiberg, Germany, 20 August 1946 – July 1947 AAF Station Bad Kissingen, Germany, – 25 July August 1947 36th Fighter Group AAF Station Kassel-Rothwesten, Germany, 21 April 1945 – 15 February 1946 52d Fighter Group AAF Station Schweinfurt, Germany, 9 November 1946 – 5 May 1947 AAF Station Bad Kissingen, Germany, 5 May 1947 – 25 June 1947 55th Fighter Group AAF Station Kaufbeuren, Germany, 22 July 1945 – 28 April 1946 AAF Station Giebelstadt, Germany, 29 April – 20 August 1946 78th Fighter Group AAF Station Straubing, Germany, 20 August 1946 – June 1947

306th Bombardment Group AAF Station Giebelstadt, Germany, December 1945 – February 1946 AAF Station Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany, 16 August – 13 September 1946 AAF Station Lechfeld, Germany, 13 September – 25 December 1946 344th Bombardment Group AAF Station Oberschleißheim, Germany, 15 September 1945 – 15 February 1946 355th Fighter Group AAF Station Gablingen, Germany, 3 July 1945 – 15 April 1946 357th Fighter Group AAF Station Neubiberg, Germany, 21 July 1945 – 20 August 1946 366th Fighter Group AAF Station Munster-Handorf, Germany, 11 April – 25 June 1945 AAF Station Bayreuth-Bindlach, Germany, 25 June – 14 September 1945 AAF Station Fritzlar, Germany, 14 September 1945 – 20 August 1946 368th Fighter Group AAF Station Rhein-Main, Germany, 15 April 1945 – 13 May 1946 AAF Station Buchschwabach, Germany, 13 May – 13 August 1945 AAF Station Straubing, Germany, 13 August 1945 – 20 August 1946 394th Bombardment Group AAF Station Kitzingen, Germany, September 1945 – 15 February 1946 406th Fighter Group AAF Station Münster-Handorf, Germany, 15 April – 9 June 1945 AAF Station Nordholz, Germany, 5 June 1945 – 20 August 1946

1948-1952

• 36th Fighter Group

Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base, Germany, August 1948 – 17 November 1952

• 60th Troop Carrier Group

Kaufbeuren Air Base, Germany, 1 July 1948

RAF Fassberg, Germany, 20 January 1949 – 1 October 1949

• Wiesbaden Air Base, West Germany, 1 October 1949 – 2 June 1951

61st Troop Carrier Group

Rhein-Main AFB (later, AB), Germany, 1 July 1948 – 2 June 1951

(Unit operated Rhein-Main AB, Germany, 1 July 1948 – 2 June 1951, and Tempelhof AB, Germany, 1 July – 5 November 1948. Also operated Tulln Airport in Austria, 1 July – 10 December 1948)

• 86th Fighter Group

Neubiberg Air Base, Germany (Later: West Germany), 1 July 1948 – 21 August 1952

XII TAC operated bomb ranges at Trendelsberg; Fresland Islands; Lechfeld and Nordholz

Operations

Col Demas T Craw was awarded the Medal of Honor for action during the invasion of Algeria-French Morocco: when the Allies landed on 8 November 1942, Col Craw volunteered to negotiate an armistice; while trying to pass through the lines near Port Lyautey, he was killed by machine-gun fire.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.