Lineage. Established as Southwest Air District on 19 Oct 1940. Activated on 18 Dec 1940. Redesignated: 4 Air Force on 26 Mar 1941; Fourth Air Force on 18 Sep 1942. Discontinued, and inactivated on 1 Sep 1960. Activated on 20 Jan 1966. Organized on 1 Apr 1966. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1969. Redesignated Fourth Air Force (Reserve) on 24 Sep 1976. Activated in the Reserve on 8 Oct 1976. Redesignated Fourth Air Force on 1 Dec 1985.
Assignments. General Headquarters Air Force (later, Air Force Combat Command), 18 Dec 1940; Western Defense Command, 11 Dec 1941; Army Air Forces, 10 Sep 1943; Continental Air Forces, 16 Apr 1945; Air Defense Command, 21 Mar 1946; Continental Air Command, 1 Dec 1948-1 Sep 1960. Air (later, Aerospace) Defense Command, 20 Jan 1966-30 Sep 1969. Air Force Reserve (later, Air Force Reserve Command), 8 Oct 1976-.
Major Components. Commands. I Staging: 19 Nov 1945-3 Apr 1946. 4 Air Force Service (later, 4 Air Force Base; IV Air Force Base): 1 Oct 1941-31 Mar 1942. 4 Air Support (later, IV Air Support; IV Ground Air Support): 3 Sep 1941-17 Aug 1942. 4 Antiaircraft: 1 May 1944-6 Feb 1946. Bomber Command, 4 Air Force (later, 4 Bomber): 11 Apr-19 Sep 1941. 4 (later, IV) Bomber: 19 Sep 1941-31 Mar 1944. Interceptor Command, 4 Air Force (later, 4 Interceptor): 22 Apr-8 Jul 1941. 4 Interceptor (later, IV Interceptor; IV Fighter): 8 Jul 1941-31 Mar 1944. IV Emergency Rescue (Provisional): 30 Dec 1943-22 Jan 1944. Antiaircraft Artillery (Provisional): 27 Dec 1943-30 Apr 1944.
Regions: Los Angeles Air Defense: 1 Jul 1944-31 Aug 1945. San Francisco Air Defense: 1 Jul 1944-31 Aug 1945. Seattle Air Defense: 1 Jul 1944-31 Aug 1945. Sixth Air Force Reserve: 1 Jul-1 Sep 1960.
District: 4 Air Reserve: 1 Dec 1951-1 Apr 1954.
Divisions: 25 Air Defense (later, 25 Air): 25 Oct 1948-1 Apr 1949; 8 Jul 1949-1 Aug 1950 (detached 10 Nov 1949-1 Aug 1950); 1 Apr 1966-15 Sep 1969. 26 Air: 1 Apr 1966-30 Sep 1969. 27 Air: 1 Apr 1966-15 Sep 1969. 28 Air: 8 Dec 1949-1 Aug 1950 (detached 1 Jan-1 Aug 1950).
Sectors: Los Angeles Air Defense: 1 Apr-25 Jun 1966. Reno Air Defense: 1 Apr-25 Jun 1966.
Stations. March Fld, CA, 18 Dec 1940; Riverside, CA, 20 Jan 1941; Hamilton Fld, CA, 7 Dec 1941; San Francisco, CA, 5 Jan 1942; Hamilton Fld (later, AFB), CA, 19 Jun 1946-1 Sep 1960. Hamilton AFB, CA, 1 Apr 1966-30 Sep 1969. McClellan AFB, CA, 8 Oct 1976; March ARB, CA, 1 Apr 1998-.
Commanders. Maj Gen Jacob E. Fickel, 18 Dec 1940; Maj Gen George C. Kenney, 2 Apr 1942; Maj Gen Barney M. Giles, 22 Jul 1942; Maj Gen William E. Kepner, 18 Mar 1943; Maj Gen William E. Lynd, 8 Jul 1943; Maj Gen James E. Parker, 14 Jul 1944; Brig Gen Auby C. Strickland, 3 Jan 1945; Maj Gen James E. Parker, 25 Jan 1945; Brig Gen Edward M. Morris, 19 May 1945; Maj Gen Willis H. Hale, 6 Jul 1945; Brig Gen Ned Schramm, 1 Nov 1947; Maj Gen John E. Upston, 20 Jan 1948; Maj Gen Alvan C. Kincaid, c. 30 Sep 1950; Col Claude E. Duncan, 15 Dec 1950; Maj Gen William E. Hall, 29 Jan 1951; Maj Gen Alfred A. Kessler Jr, 8 Sep 1952; Col George G. Northrup, 1 Feb 1955 (interim); Maj Gen Robert B. Landry, 4 Feb 1955; Col George G. Northrup, 27 Jun 1957; Maj Gen Sory Smith, 30 Aug 1957-1 Sep 1960. Maj Gen Carroll W. McColpin, 1 Apr 1966; Brig Gen John A. Rouse, 23 Jul 1966 (temporary); Maj Gen Carroll W. McColpin, 25 Aug 1966; Maj Gen Robert W. Burns, 30 Aug 1968; Brig Gen Eugene L. Strickland, 1 Aug-30 Sep 1969. Maj Gen Sidney S. Novaresi, 8 Oct 1976; Maj Gen Sloan R. Gill, Apr 1981; Brig Gen Robert G. Mortensen, 1 Nov 1982; Maj Gen James H. Wahleithner, 1 May 1985; Maj Gen James E. Sherrard III, 4 Feb 1990; Maj Gen Wallace W. Whaley, 1 Jul 1993; Maj Gen James P. Czekanski, 7 Aug 2000; Maj Gen Robert E. Duignan, 7 Sep 2003; Maj Gen Eric W. Crabtree, 6 Feb 2009; Maj Gen Mark A. Kyle, 13 Mar 2011; Maj Gen John C. Flournoy Jr, 3 Nov 2013; Maj Gen Randall A. Ogden, 5 Mar 2017; Maj Gen Jeffrey T. Pennington, 18 Apr 2020; Maj Gen D. Scott Durham, 10 Sep 2022-.
Operations. One of the original four numbered air forces formed in the United States in 1940, trained units and personnel for combat operations. Also served as the primary air defense command for the West Coast from Dec 1941-Sep 1943. Following WWII, administered air defense systems, and later primarily conducted Reserve and National Guard training until Sep 1960. Responsible for air defense and early warning forces based primarily in the western U.S., 1966-1969. From 1976, exercised intermediate command over reserve component air mobility, special operations, and support units.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.
Campaign Streamers. None.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Oct 1985-30 Sep 1987; 1 Oct 1988-30 Sep 1990; 1 Oct 1991-30 Sep 1993; 1 Jun 1998-31 May 2000; 2 Sep 2003-1 Sep 2005.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 19 Mar 2007.
Commanders and Operations through 19 Mar 2007.
Supersedes statement prepared on 18 Feb 1977.
Emblem. Approved on 1 Sep 1943; revised on 22 Jun 1994.
Prepared by William M. Butler.
Reviewed by Daniel L. Haulman.
Updated by Stanley Thompson 26 Jul 2024