Shield of the Twelfth Air Force Shield of Air Forces Southern
Active
29 February 2008 – present (as Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern)) 21 January 1951 – 29 February 2008 17 May 1946 – 1 July 1950 20 August 1942 – 31 August 1945 (as Twelfth Air Force) (81 years, 8 months)[1]
Country
United States of America
Branch
United States Air Force (18 September 1947 – present) United States Army ( Army Air Forces, 20 August 1941 – 18 September 1947)
Type
Numbered Air Force
Role
Air component to U.S. Southern Command[2]
Part of
Air Combat Command U.S. Southern Command
Headquarters
Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, U.S.
Patron
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Engagements
See list
World War II – European-African-Middle Eastern Theater
Air Combat
Algeria-French Morocco with Arrowhead
Tunisia
Sicily
Naples-Foggia
Anzio
Rome-Arno
Southern France
North Apennines
Po Valley
Grenada Panama
[1]
Decorations
Meritorious Unit Commendation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Commanders
Current commander
Maj Gen Evan L. Pettus
Notable commanders
James Doolittle John K. Cannon Tony McPeak
Military unit
The Twelfth Air Force (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
The command is the air component to United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) conducting security cooperation and providing air, space, and cyberspace capabilities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
Established on 20 August 1942 at Bolling Field, District of Columbia, 12th Air Force was a United States Army Air Forces combat air force deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of World War II. It engaged in operations in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and Western Europe.
During the Cold War, 12 AF was one of the Numbered Air Forces of the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and later Tactical Air Command (TAC), Its units engaged in combat operations during the Vietnam War, as well as Operation Desert Storm. As a result of the War on Terror, most Twelfth Air Force units have operated in the United States Central Command AOR.
Since 1987, Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) trains, equips, and prepares assigned units from Air Combat Command and also serves as the air and space component to United States Southern Command.
^ ab"Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
^"12th AIR FORCE (AFSOUTH) History". 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern).
The TwelfthAirForce (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a Numbered AirForce of the United States AirForceAir Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered...
previous units of the Ninth AirForce and TwelfthAirForce into a new numbered airforce responsible for generating and presenting Air Combat Command’s conventional...
element, an AirForce forces staff and an Air Operations Center. Operating as a WFHQ since June 2004, TwelfthAirForce has served as the AirForce model for...
Group, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber unit in the Eighth AirForce in eastern England during World War II. The series serves as a companion...
Neubiberg Air Base near Munich. On 1 June 1953, Ramstein Air Station was opened. Ramstein was the location of headquarters, TwelfthAirForce, and supported...
A Numbered AirForce (NAF) is a type of organization in the United States AirForce that is subordinate to a major command (MAJCOM) and has assigned to...
Air Force Alaska TwelfthAirForce North Africa Mediterranean Thirteenth AirForce South Pacific Fourteenth AirForce China Fifteenth AirForce Mediterranean...
former air base, including buildings, trees, and structures, was completely demolished, with a few exceptions such as the circular TwelfthAirForce Headquarters...
U.S. AirForce major general insignia This is a list of active duty United States AirForce major generals collected from publicly available and accessible...
Bolling AirForce Base or Bolling AFB is a United States AirForce base in Washington, D.C. In 2010, it was merged with Naval Support Facility Anacostia...
the active aircraft squadrons that currently exist in the United States AirForce, sorted by type. Most squadrons have changed names and designations many...
aircraft of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Decimomannu airfield was used by the USAAF TwelfthAirForce 320th Bombardment Group, which flew...
new Tactical Air Command (TAC) as part of the postwar reorganization of the Army AirForce. March was allocated to TAC's TwelfthAirForce. The first TAC...
Second AirForce (2 AF; 2d AirForce in 1942) is a USAF numbered airforce responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for AirForce enlisted...
The First AirForce (Air Forces Northern & Air Forces Space; 1 AF-AFNORTH & AFSPACE) is a numbered airforce of the United States AirForceAir Combat Command...
in AirForce Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The 24th SOW is a reactivation of the 24th Wing, previously assigned with the TwelfthAirForce, stationed...
Nineteenth AirForce (19 AF) is an active Numbered AirForce of the United States AirForce. During the Cold War it was a component of Tactical Air Command...
the TwelfthAirForce over North Africa, the Fifteenth AirForce over the Mediterranean, and the Eighth AirForce over Europe. He retired from the Air Force...
Air Forces Panama is an inactive United States AirForce (USAF) headquarters. It was assigned to Tactical Air Command, most recently to TwelfthAir Force...
Ninth AirForce, which conducted the first Operation Crossbow "No-Ball" missions on 5 December 1943; the TwelfthAirForce; and the Fifteenth AirForce, which...
Global Information
United States of America
United States Air Force (18 September 1947 – present)
United States Army (
Army Air Forces, 20 August 1941 – 18 September 1947)
Air Combat Command
U.S. Southern Command
