31st Fighter Group
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During The Cold War
After being victorious in WWII, and earning the top fighter group in the MTO, the 31st FG was returned to Drew Field in Flordia in August of 1945 and was deactivated on November 7th the same year.
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On 20 August, 1946 the 31st Fighter Group was reactivated in Germany assigned to the United States Air Force in Europe command, formerly known as the Eighth Air Force. During this time the 31st FG began to operate the new American jet fighter, the North American P-80 Shooting Star. The 31st was based out of Giebelstadt, Germany as part of the 12th Tactical Air Command from 20 August to 30 September 1946. Then the group was relocated to Kitzingen, Germany until 25 June 1947.
F-84s from the 31st FG, Germany
The 31st FG was then transferred to Turner AFB in Georgia on 20 November of 1947 and was re-designated as the 31st Fighter Wing as part of the newly formed United States Air Force under the Tactical Air Command. Then from 1947 to 1950, the 31st trained hard and was re-designated as the 31st Fighter-Bomber Wing and was placed under the Strategic Air Command on 20 January 1950. Soon the 31st was once again re-designated as the 31st Fighter-Escort Wing with Fairchild F-84 Thunderjets, still under SAC, who's duty was switched to escorting B-29 and B-50 bombers.
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The 31st FEW was then deployed to England from December 1950 to July 1951. When the 31st returned back home they were once again deployed, this time to Japan from Turner AFB to provide air defense from July to October 1952 and November 1953 to February 1954 at Misawa Airbase. During these deployments, the 31st were once again re-designated, this time as the 31st Strategic Fighter Wing on 20 January 1953. As well the 31st earned an Outstanding Unit Award citation for their trek across the Pacific which was the first mass crossing of a fighter jet unit, adding another "first" for the history of the 31st.
Members of the 31st FEW pose in front of their F-84 Thunderjet
On the 1st of April the 31st was transferred back to the Tactical Air Command re-designated once again to the 31st Fighter-Bomber Wing and began to equip themselves in the F-100 Super Saber at their new base, Turner AFB. They would then move to George AFB and begin rotating units to Alaska and Europe. At George AFB the 31st underwent one last name change that would last for the next several decades as they became the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing on the 1st of July 1958.
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In May of 1962, the 31st TFW was relocated once again to Homestead AFB, their new home for several years. Here the 31st would participate in the Cuban Missile Crisis of October-November 1962. Afterwards the 31st maintained combat readiness in their F-100s by deploying small units where needed, and began gearing up for their next big challenge in the Southeast Asia country of Vietnam.