23d Fighter Group

23d Fighter Group
23rd Fighter Group A-10 Thunderbolt II attached to the 332d Air Expeditionary Wing takes off from a forward-deployed location during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Active	1942–1946, 1946–1949, 1951–1952, 1955–1959, 1991–1997, 2006-present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Close Air Support
Size	900 personnel 48 A-10C aircraft
Garrison/HQ	Moody Air Force Base, Georgia
Nickname(s)	Flying Tigers
Engagements	China Offensive Western Pacific China Defensive India-Burma
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel Tim "Smudge" Sumja
Notable commanders	Col. Robert L. Scott General Bruce K. Holloway Brig, Gen. David Lee "Tex" Hill
Insignia
23rd Wing emblem (approved 24 January 1957)

The 23d Fighter Group (23 FG) is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 23d Wing and stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.

The 23d Fighter Group was established in World War II as the 23d Pursuit Group of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Redesignated the 23d Fighter Group before its activation, the group was formed in China on 4 July 1942, as a component of the China Air Task Force and received a small cadre of volunteer personnel from the simultaneously disbanded 1st American Volunteer Group (AVG) – the "Flying Tigers" of the Chinese Air Force.

To carry on the traditions and commemorate the history of the AVG, aircraft of the USAF 23d Fighter Group carry the same "Shark Teeth" nose art of the AVG's Curtiss P-40 Warhawks, along with the "FT" (Flying Tiger) tail code. The 23d Fighter Group's aircraft are the only United States Air Force aircraft currently authorized to carry this distinctive and historical aircraft marking.

Currently based at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, the group is assigned as one of two operations groups of the 23d Wing at Moody. Both organizations serve as part of the Ninth Air Force and Air Combat Command. The 23d Fighter Group's primary missions are forward air control, close air support, air interdiction and combat search and rescue operations.

The group has two operational squadrons assigned: the 74th and the 75th Fighter Squadrons both flying A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft.