Fourteenth Air Force

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Fourteenth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic)
Shield of the Fourteenth Air Force
Active	4 April 2008 – 20 December 2019 (as Fourteenth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic)) 24 May 2007 – 4 April 2008 (as Fourteenth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic – Space)) 1 July 1993 – 24 May 2007 1 December 1985 – 1 July 1993 (as Fourteenth Air Force) 8 October 1976 – 1 December 1985 (as Fourteenth Air Force (Reserve)) 1 July 1968 – 1 October 1976 (as Fourteenth Aerospace Force) 20 January 1966 – 1 July 1968 24 May 1946 – 1 September 1960 5 March 1943 – 6 January 1946 (as Fourteenth Air Force) (81 years, 3 months)[1]
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Air Force (18 September 1947 – 20 December 2019) United States Army ( Army Air Forces, 5 March 1943 – 18 September 1947)
Type	Numbered Air Force
Role	Provides space forces and serves as the space component for U.S. Strategic Command[2]
Part of	Air Force Space Command U.S. Strategic Command
Headquarters	Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, U.S.
Engagements	World War II - Asiatic-Pacific Theater China Defensive China Offensive [1]
Decorations	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Air Force Organizational Excellence Award[1]
Commanders
Notable commanders	LTG Claire Chennault

The Fourteenth Air Force (14 AF; Air Forces Strategic) was a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). It was headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

The command was responsible for the organization, training, equipping, command and control, and employment of Air Force space forces to support operational plans and missions for U.S. combatant commanders and their subordinate components and was the Air Force Component to U.S. Strategic Command for space operations.

Established on 5 March 1943 at Kunming, China, 14 AF was a United States Army Air Forces combat air force activated in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of World War II. It primarily fought in China. After World War II Fourteenth Air Force subsequently served Air Defense Command, Continental Air Command, and the Air Force Reserve (AFR).^[3]

14 AF was commanded by Major General Stephen N. Whiting.^[when?] Its Command Chief Master Sergeant was Chief Master Sergeant Patrick F. McMahon.^{[citation needed] &0[relevant?]}

On 20 December 2019, the USAF's Fourteenth Air Force was redesignated as the United States Space Force's Space Operations Command (SPOC).^[4] On 21 Oct 2020, Space Operations Command, HQ was redesignated back to Fourteenth Air Force and inactivated.