Strategic Air Command The 508th Fighter-Escort Wing was activated at Turner Air Force Base, Georgia by Strategic Air Command in July 1952, drawing its initial personnel and equipment from the 31st Fighter-Escort Wing, which was already stationed at Turner. Its mission was to provide fighter escort for Strategic Air Command (SAC) bombers and to provide point defense, particularly for areas of strategic importance. It had a secondary mission of conducting long range offensive intruder missions. Little more than six months after its activation the wing became the 508th Strategic Fighter Wing, emphasizing that its mission went beyond escorting bombers. In Operation Long Stride, the wing performed what at the time was the longest nonstop flight by single engine jet aircraft in history. In August 1953, twenty wing aircraft flew from its home base at Turner to RAF Lakenheath in England, returning in September. Strategic Air Command fighter wings had deployed to augment the air defenses of Far East Air Forces since the Korean War. In 1953 and 1954, the wing twice deployed to Misawa Air Base, Japan, to augment the 39th Air Division, which was responsible for air defense in northern Japan. SAC fighters deployed to Japan also provided escort for reconnaissance aircraft flying missions in the area. The wing was inactivated on 11 May 1956 in Project Black Knight. Its 508th Tactical Hospital was transferred to the 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, which activated at Turner on 1 May and a number of its personnel were transferred to form the cadre for the 4080th Wing. The 506th's commander, Col Gerald W. Johnson became the first commander of the 4080th. Air Force Reserve In 1972 the Air Force Reserve began to receive Republic F-105 Thunderchiefs, which were becoming surplus to Air Force needs in Southeast Asia. To operate these fighters, it formed three tactical fighter groups, the last of which was the 508th Tactical Fighter Group at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, which was activated in January 173. Hill was selected because the 945th Military Airlift Group there was slated to lose its Douglas C-124 Globemaster IIs, which were being removed from the inventory. The transition from four reciprocating engine transports to supersonic jet fighters was one of the most difficult the reserves had faced. Less than four months later the Reserve reassigned its tactical fighter squadrons directly to the 301st Tactical Fighter Wing. During the period the group was inactive,