Twelfth Air Force

Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern)
Shield of the Twelfth Air Force Shield of Air Forces Southern
Active	29 February 2008 – present (as Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern)) 21 January 1951 – 29 February 2008 17 May 1946 – 1 July 1950 20 August 1942 – 31 August 1945 (as Twelfth Air Force) (81 years, 9 months)[1]
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Air Force (18 September 1947 – present) United States Army ( Army Air Forces, 20 August 1941 – 18 September 1947)
Type	Numbered Air Force
Role	Air component to U.S. Southern Command[2]
Part of	Air Combat Command U.S. Southern Command
Headquarters	Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, U.S.
Patron	Our Lady of Guadalupe
Engagements	See list World War II – European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Air Combat Algeria-French Morocco with Arrowhead Tunisia Sicily Naples-Foggia Anzio Rome-Arno Southern France North Apennines Po Valley Grenada Panama [1]
Decorations	Meritorious Unit Commendation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Commanders
Current commander	Maj Gen Evan L. Pettus
Notable commanders	James Doolittle John K. Cannon Tony McPeak

The Twelfth Air Force (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.

The command is the air component to United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) conducting security cooperation and providing air, space, and cyberspace capabilities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Established on 20 August 1942 at Bolling Field, District of Columbia, 12th Air Force was a United States Army Air Forces combat air force deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of World War II. It engaged in operations in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and Western Europe. During the Cold War, 12 AF was one of the Numbered Air Forces of the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and later Tactical Air Command (TAC), Its units engaged in combat operations during the Vietnam War, as well as Operation Desert Storm. As a result of the War on Terror, most Twelfth Air Force units have operated in the United States Central Command AOR.

Since 1987, Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) trains, equips, and prepares assigned units from Air Combat Command and also serves as the air and space component to United States Southern Command.