Northwest Air District
| Second Air Force | |
|---|---|
Brig. Gen. O.G. Mannon, left, commander of the 82d Training Wing, renders a salute to the flags of the 50 United States during a parade at Sheppard AFB at the base parade grounds.
|
|
| Active | 19 October 1940 – present |
| Country |
 United States
|
| Branch |
 United States Air Force
|
| Part of |
 Air Education and Training Command
|
| Garrison/HQ | Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi |
| Motto(s) | Second to None |
| Engagements |
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| Decorations |
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| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Major General Robert D. LaBrutta |
| Senior Enlisted Advisor | Command Chief Master Sergeant David Staton |
| Notable commanders |
Alfred K. Flowers |
| Insignia | |
| Emblem of the Second Air Force | .png) |
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The Second Air Force (2 AF; 2d Air Force in 1942) is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and support officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defended the Northwestern United States and Upper Great Plains regions and during the Cold War, was Strategic Air Command unit with strategic bombers and missiles. Elements of Second Air Force engaged in combat operations during the Korean War; Vietnam War, as well as Operation Desert Storm.
The Northwest Air District of the GHQ Air Force was activated on 19 October 1940 at McChord Field along with 3 other CONUS districts and organized on 16 January 1941. The district was redesignated 2nd Air Force on 9 April 1941.5th Bombardment Wing was assigned to Second Air Force up to 5 September 1941.
On 11 December 1941, four days after the Pearl Harbor attack, 2d Air Force was placed under Western Defense Command. However, on 5 January 1942, it was returned to the Air Force Combat Command (a redesignation of GHQAF after creation of the United States Army Air Forces on 20 January 1941), and later placed directly under Headquarters AAF when Air Force Combat Command was dissolved in March 1942.
From December 1941, 2d Air Force organized air defense for the northwest Pacific Ocean coastline of the United States (1940–1941) and flew antisubmarine patrols along coastal areas until October 1942. It appears that immediately after 7 December 1941, only the 7th, 17th, 39th and 42d Bombardment Groups under II Bomber Command were available for this duty. In late January 1942, elements of the B-25 Mitchell-equipped 17th Bombardment Group at Pendleton Field, Oregon were reassigned to Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina ostensibly to fly antisubmarine patrols off the southeast coast of the United States, but in actuality came to prepare for the Doolittle Raid against Japan.
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Wikipedia