History
- see 312th Fighter-Bomber Group for additional lineage and history
The 312th TFW was formed at Clovis (later Cannon) AFB, New Mexico in 1953 as a permanent wing, after a series of temporary wings were formed and trained at Clovis prior to being deployed to NATO to enhance the defense of Western Europe. The 312th was assigned to the Tactical Air Command Ninth Air Force upon activation.
The 312th was initially equipped with F-86H Sabres when it activated, however it began to receive the F-100D Super Sabre in December 1956. On 8 November 1954, the 474th Fighter Bomber Group was transferred to Clovis AFB from Taegu AB, South Korea after fighting in the Korean War. The 474th FBG became a second flying component of the 312th FBW, its mission to be a training organization.
From April 1956 to October 1957 the 312th TFW rotated tactical squadrons to either Châteauroux-Déols Air Base or Etain-Rouvres Air Base in France, for six month deployments to NATO. The 312th also furnished units for TAC composite air strike forces in the Far East during 1957 and 1958, deploying F-100s and crews to Taiwan during the 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis. Also in 1958, F-100s from Cannon deployed to Turkey.
HQ USAF redesignated the 312th as a Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 July 1958 as part of a world-wide re-designation of unit. In February 1959 with the transfer of Bergstrom AFB, Texas to Strategic Air Command, HQ TAC deactivated the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing at Bergstrom and activated it in place at Cannon AFB on 18 February, replacing the 312th TFW which was deactivated in place the same day for reasons of precedence.
Read more about this topic: 312th Tactical Fighter Wing
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