XIII Fighter Command

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title: "XIII Fighter Command" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["intermediate-fighter-commands-of-the-united-states-army-air-forces", "military-units-and-formations-established-in-1943", "military-units-and-formations-disestablished-in-1946"] topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XIII_Fighter_Command" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox military unit"]

Field	Value
unit_name	XIII Fighter Command
image	413th Fighter Squadron F-47N Thunderbolt 1945.jpg
image_size	300px
caption	Command P-47 ThunderboltAircraft is Republic P-47N-5-RE Thunderbolt, serial 44-88572 of the 413th Fighter Squadron.
dates	1943–1946
country
branch
role	Command of fighter units
battles	Southwest Pacific Theater
China-Burma-India Theater
notable_commanders	Brig Gen Dean C. Strother
::

The **XIII Fighter Command ** was a United States Army Air Forces formation. It was last assigned to Thirteenth Air Force, based at Manila, Luzon, Philippines. It was inactivated on 15 March 1946.

History

XIII Fighter Command was a World War II command and control organization for Thirteenth Air Force. Its mission was to provide command and control authority of Army Air Force fighter organizations within the Thirteenth Air Force Area of Responsibility.

It participated in the following campaigns: China Defensive; Guadalcanal; New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; China Offensive.

Lineage

Constituted as the XIII Fighter Command on 14 December 1942 : Activated on 13 January 1943 : Inactivated on 15 March 1946 : Disbanded on 8 October 1948

Assignments

Thirteenth Air Force, 13 January 1943 – 15 March 1946

Stations

Plaine Des Gaiacs Airfield, New Caledonia, Melanesia, 13 January 1943
Pekoa Airfield, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 22 January 1943
Carney Airfield, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, December 1943
Sansapor (March) Airfield, Netherlands East Indies, 15 August 1944
Bayug Airfield, Burauen, Leyte, Philippines, 10 January 1945
Puerto Princesa Airfield, Palawan, Philippines, 1 March 1945
Manila, Luzon, Philippines, November 1945 – 15 March 1946

Components

; Groups

18th Fighter Group, 14 April 1943 – 15 March 1946
42nd Bombardment Group, attached 1 October 1944 – 8 January 1945, c. 22 March – c. September 1945
347th Fighter Group: 13 January 1943 – 1 January 1946 (attached to I Island Command 1 July – c. 29 December 1943)
414th Fighter Group: 1 January–30 September 1946

; Squadrons

17th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron: 10 December 1945 – 1 February 1946
419th Night Fighter Squadron: 25 August 1944 – 10 January 1946
550th Night Fighter Squadron: 12 December 1944 – 15 December 1945 (attached to XIII Bomber Command 14 February 1945, 85th Fighter Wing 7 April – c. 17 June 1945)

References

Notes

; Explanatory notes

; Citations

Bibliography

References

Maurer, ''Combat Units'', p. 451
(October 21, 2011). "Thirteenth Air Force (Air Forces Pacific) (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
(June 27, 2017). "Factsheet 18 Operations Group (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
(June 13, 2018). "Factsheet 42 Air Base Wing (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
(July 12, 2017). "Factsheet 347 Rescue Group (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
(August 9, 2017). "Factsheet 414 Fighter Group (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 93-94
Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 515
Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 654-655

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