4th Air Force Patch

WWII Army Air Forces numbered Air Force patch measures approximately 3 inches. Fully embroidered sew on patch.

The Fourth Air Force (4th AF) was a numbered air force of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, activated in 1940 and headquartered on the West Coast of the United States. Initially tasked with defending the western United States, it assumed heightened importance after the attack on Pearl Harbor, coordinating fighter patrols and coastal defense operations to guard against potential Japanese air or naval threats. As the war progressed and the immediate threat to the mainland diminished, Fourth Air Force increasingly focused on training fighter units and replacement pilots for deployment to combat theaters, particularly in the Pacific. Operating from bases across California, Oregon, and Washington, it played a vital role in both homeland defense and the preparation of combat-ready airmen who would serve overseas.