Lineage. Designated as 31 Fighter Wing on 6 Nov 1947. Organized on 20 Nov 1947. Discontinued on [22] Aug 1948. Consolidated (1 Oct 1984) with the 31 Fighter Wing, which was constituted on 15 Jun 1948. Activated on 22 Aug 1948. Redesignated as: 31 Fighter-Bomber Wing on 20 Jan 1950; 31 Fighter-Escort Wing on 16 Jul 1950; 31 Strategic Fighter Wing on 20 Jan 1953; 31 Fighter-Bomber Wing on 1 Apr 1957; 31 Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 Jul 1958; 31 Tactical Training Wing on 30 Mar 1981; 31 Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 Oct 1985; 31 Fighter Wing on 1 Oct 1991.
Assignments. Ninth Air Force, 20 Nov 1947-[22] Aug 1948. Ninth Air Force, 22 Aug 1948; Fourteenth Air Force, 1 Feb 1949; Second Air Force, 1 Jul 1950; 40 Air Division, 14 Mar 1951 (attached to 39 Air Division [Defense], 10 Jul-11 Oct 1952 and 10 Nov 1953-12 Feb 1954); Ninth Air Force, 1 Apr 1957; 831 Air Division, 15 Mar 1959; Ninth Air Force, 1 Jun 1962 (attached to Air Force Atlantic Command, 24 Oct-9 Nov 1962; 1 Air Division Provisional, 10 Nov-c. 30 Nov 1962); 836 Air Division, 1 Oct 1964; 834 Air Division, 1 Jan 1965; 836 Air Division, 1 Aug 1966 (attached to Seventh Air Force, 16-24 Dec 1966); Seventh Air Force, 25 Dec 1966; 836 Air Division, 15 Oct 1970; Ninth Air Force, 30 Jun 1971; Sixteenth Air Force, 1 Apr 1994; United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 Nov 2005; Air Command Europe, 18 Nov 2005; Third Air Force (Air Forces Europe), 1 Dec 2006-.
Operational Components. Groups. 31 Fighter (later, 31 Fighter-Bomber; 31 Fighter-Escort; 31 Operations): 20 Nov 1947-22 Aug 1948; 22 Aug 1948-16 Jun 1952 (detached 15 Dec 1950-10 Feb 1951); 1 Nov 1991-1 Apr 1994; 1 Apr 1994-. Squadrons. 68 Fighter-Escort: 15-30 Oct 1970. 136 Tactical Fighter: 14 Jun 1968-25 May 1969. 188 Tactical Fighter: 7 Jun 1968-18 May 1969. 306 Fighter-Bomber (later, 306 Tactical Fighter Training; 306 Tactical Fighter): 25 Sep 1957-28 Sep 1970 (detached 8 Apr-16 Jul 1960, 15 Feb-1 Mar 1961, 20 Aug-1 Sep 1961, 24 Apr-19 Jul 1962, 27 Jun-30 Sep 1963, 1 May-8 Aug 1964, 7 Jul 1965-27 Jan 1966); 30 Oct 1970-15 Jul 1971; 1 Jul 1978-1 Sep 1983; 1 Oct 1985-1 Oct 1986. 307 Fighter-Escort (later, 307 Strategic Fighter; 307 Fighter-Bomber; 307 Tactical Fighter; 307 Tactical Fighter Training; 307 Tactical Fighter): attached 27 Jul 1951-15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952-27 Apr 1966 (detached 7 Nov-7 Dec 1956, 25 Feb-17 Aug 1958, 15 Mar-19 Jul 1959, 8 Nov 1960-9 Mar 1961, 18-28 Feb 1962, 17 Dec 1962-16 Mar 1963, 27 Dec 1963-5 Mar 1964, 23 Nov 1964-14 Mar 1965, 24 Jun-7 Dec 1965); 15 Jul 1971-1 Jul 1989; (detached 29 Jul-31 Oct 1972); 30 Sep-1 Nov 1991. 308 Fighter-Escort (later, 308 Strategic Fighter; 308 Fighter-Bomber; 308 Tactical Fighter; 308 Tactical Fighter Training; 308 Tactical Fighter): attached 27 Jul 1951-15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952-2 Dec 1965 (detached 5 Dec 1956-7 Jan 1957, 15 Aug 1958-19 Jan 1959, 11 Jul-c. Dec 1959, 7 Mar-c. 19 Jul 1961, 13 Mar-3 Jul 1963, 9 Feb-5 May 1964, 9 Mar-8 Jul 1965); attached 16-24 Dec 1966, assigned 25 Dec 1966-5 Oct 1970; assigned 30 Oct 1970-1 Nov 1991 (detached 28 Apr-29 Jul 1972, 11 Dec 1972-11 Jun 1973). 309 Fighter (later, 309 Strategic Fighter; 309 Fighter-Bomber; 309 Tactical Fighter; 309 Tactical Fighter Training; 309 Tactical Fighter): attached 27 Jul 1951-15 Jun 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952-5 Oct 1970 (detached 5 Jan-9 Feb 1957, 9 Jul-15 Nov 1960, 9 Oct-26 Nov 1961, 17 Jul-22 Dec 1962, 26 Sep-31 Dec 1963, 5 Aug-27 Nov 1964, 18 Jan-24 Apr 1966); assigned 30 Oct 1970-1 Nov 1991. 355 Tactical Fighter: 15 May 1969-30 Sep 1970. 416 Tactical Fighter: 28 May 1969-28 Sep 1970. 431 Air Refueling: attached 1 Apr-24 Nov 1957, assigned 25 Nov 1957-1 Jul 1958. 436 Tactical Fighter: 15-30 Oct 1970. 478 Tactical Fighter: 15-31 Oct 1970. 508 Air Refueling: attached 10 Feb-1 Jun 1954; assigned 11 May 1956-1 Apr 1957. 560 Tactical Fighter: 15-31 Oct 1970. 4431 Tactical Fighter Replacement: 1 Oct 1971-1 May 1973.
Stations. Turner Field, GA, 20 Nov 1947-22 Aug 1948. Turner Field (later, AFB), GA, 22 Aug 1948; George AFB, CA, 15 Mar 1959; Homestead AFB, FL, 31 May 1962-6 Dec 1966; Tuy Hoa AB, South Vietnam, 25 Dec 1966-15 Oct 1970; Homestead AFB, FL, 15 Oct 1970-1 Apr 1994; Aviano AB, Italy, 1 Apr 1994-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. Vietnam: Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/ Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall, 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon. Kosovo: Air Campaign.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Presidential Unit Citation: Vietnam, 1 May-31 Dec 1968. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat “V” Device: [25] Dec 1966-30 Apr 1968. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 4-16 Jul 1952; 1 Mar-30 Nov 1962; 1 Jun-16 Dec 1966; 1 Apr 1994-1 Apr 1966; 2 Apr 1996-1 Apr 1998; 2 Apr 1998-1 Apr 2000; 24 Mar-10 Jun 1999; 1 Oct 2000-1 Oct 2002; 2 Oct 2002-30 Sep 2004; 1 Jun 2009-31 May 2011; 1 Jan 2012-31 Dec 2013; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2014. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosses with Palm: 17 Dec 1966-31 Oct 1970; 1 Jan 1968-19 May 1969.
Bestowed Honors. Authorized to display honors earned by the 31 Operations Group prior to 20 Nov 1947. Service Streamers. None. Campaign Streamers. World War II: Algeria-French Morocco, with Arrowhead; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Southern France; North Appenines; Po Valley; Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Rumania, 21 Apr 1944; Poland, 25 Jul 1944.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 9 Nov 2022.
Supersedes statement prepared on 11 Jun 2018.
Emblem. Approved on 13 Dec 1951; latest rendering, 25 Sep 2007.
Prepared by James Musser.
Reviewed by Margaret Ream.