The initial flying squadrons, activated in 1962, were the 557th, 558th and 559th Tactical Fighter Squadrons. The 45th TFS (15th TFW) was attached for a short time, for training purposes, in that year.
The 555th TFS was activated in January 1964 as part of a wing transition from three squadrons of 25 aircraft each to four squadrons of 18 aircraft each.
12th TFW Combat squadrons initially scheduled for deployment to Vietnam were the 555th, 557th and 558th TFS. Ultimatly, the 559th TFS took the place of the 555th when the "Triple Nickel" was diverted to a second TDY with the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing at Naha AB in the Ryuku Islands followed by a re-assignment to the 8th TFW at Ubon AB in Thailand. Still later the 555th was assigned to the 432d TFRW at Udorn AB in Thailand.
The new airfield at Cam Ranh Bay was ready, as scheduled, November 1, 1965. The 43d TFS (15th TFW), which had just begun a quarterly rotation at Clark AB, was attached to the 12th and diverted to Cam Ranh Bay. The 558th TFS, followed by the 557th also arrived in November. On January 1, 1966 the personnel of the 559th TFS arrived and accepted the aircraft left behind by the departing 43d.
Construction problems delayed the opening of the new airfield at Phan Rang. Because the 366th TFW was unable to deploy to that base in January 1966 as scheduled, its 391st TFS was attached, and later assigned, to the 12th TFW at Cam Ranh Bay.
Following the capture of the USS Pueblo, the 558th TFW was sent to augment the 475th TFW in Korea. When that later became a permanant assignment, the 558th and 391st traded designations. Thus, initial wing integrity was maintained until the 12th ceased fighter operations at Cam Ranh Bay in 1970.
The 389th and 480th TFS, both of which were previously components of the 366th TFW, were already assigned to the 37th TFW at Phu Cat AB when that wing was re-designated the 12th TFW. These two squadrons continued combat operations until the wing was inactivated in 1971.
12th Combat Support Group:
12th USAF Hospital
Detachment 1, 903d Aero Medical Evacuation Squadron
Detachment 2, 57th Aero Medical Evacuation Squadron
Detachment 4, 600th Photo Squadron
Detachment 4, 6004th Support Squadron
Detachment 8, 38th Aerospace Recovery Squadron
Detachment 18, 30th Weather Squadron
Detachment, 5006th Office of Special Investigations
OL 1506th Vietnam Dist Post Office USAF PAC PCR
14th Aerial Port Squadron
483d Tactical Airlift Wing
485th GEEIA Squadron
555th Civil Engineering Squadron
608th Military Airlift Support Squadron
834th Air Division (ALCE)
1881st Communication Squadron
Detachment 2, 6091st Reconnaissance Squadron
Naval Air Facility
1st Radio Research Company, Aviation
Detachment 7, 518th Signal Company
USA STRATCOMM L.L. Detachment
Joint ATCO, TMA-MACV, 2d Traffic Region
12th Field Maintenance Squadron
12th Avionics Maintenamce Squadron
412th Munitions Maintenance Squadron
12th Combat Support Group
6259th Air Base Squadron
AFAT 6, Detachment 2
MACV Advisory Team
USAF PAC Postal and Courier Region RVN District Office
1st Weather Group, Detachment 23
3d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group
4th Special Operations Squadron, C Flight (AC-47)
12th Special Operations Squadron (UC-123)
14th Aerial Port Squadron, Detachment 2
15th Aerial Port Squadron, Detachment 2
17th Special Operations Squadron, A Flight (AC-119)
18th Special Operations Squadron, B Flight (AC-119)
38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Detachment 13
41st Artillery Group
45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (RF-4C & RF-101C)
310th Tactical Airlift Squadron, A Flight (UC-123)
361st Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron (EC-47)
450th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron ((RF-101C)
459th Tactical Airlift Squadron (C-7)
483d Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (C-7)
518th Signal Company, Detachment 18
537th Tactical Airlift Squadron (C-7)
600th Photo Squadron, Detachment 16
608th Military Airlift Support Squadron, Detachment 1
616th Military Airlift Support Squadron, Detachment 2
620th Tactical Control Squadron, Detachment 3
819th Civil Engineering Squadron
834th Air Division, 834th Airlift Control Element
903d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Detachment 1
903d Aeromedical Evacuation Flight
1005th Special Investigations Group, Detachment 5009
1041st Security Police Squadron
1881st Communications Squadron, Detachment 3
1883d Communications Squadron
6004th Support Squadron
6005th Support Squadron (BX)
6994th Security Squadron, Detachment 1