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55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group at Shaw AFB, SC. He remained with the 55th until September 1947, when he began AF Educational Program study of Russian Language and Political Science at Columbia University.

He returned to active flying duty in August 1949 as Commander of the 56th Fighter Group, Selfridge Field, MI, until June, 1951 when he was assigned to Korea War combat with the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, later followed by Command of the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing - during which time he became history's eighth "Jet Ace" on April 1, 1952. Upon his return to the U.S. in June, 1952, he was assigned to Norton AFB, CA as Chief of Combat Operations, Office of the USAF Inspector General. From there, in 1954 he was selected to attend the USAF Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL, graduating in 1955.

After a year as 9th Air Force DCS/Operations at Shaw AFB, SC, Gabreski was made Commander of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, Myrtle Beach AFB, SC, where he remained for four years - until he was transferred to Kadena AFB, Okinawa, to command the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing.

Although their F-100 aircraft were the same as he had flown at Myrtle Beach, Gabreski observed that the Okinawa duty was considerably different. "We were on more of a wartime footing there, compared with the 'States. We actually stood Alert at Kadena, with tactical nuclear weapons loaded."

"We had practiced similar strafing and over-the-shoulder nuclear drops at Myrtle Beach, but there was a much greater sense of urgency at Kadena, where our proximity to Korea made the Communist threat seem much more real."

After two "pleasant years" with the 18th Tac Fighter Wing at Kadena, Gabby, Kay and family moved to an even more delightful assignment .. as Executive Officer at Hickam AFB, Hawaii, serving with General Emmet "Rosy" O'Donnell, who had chosen him for the assignment. In mid-1963 he became Inspector General for Pacific Air Forces - another 'non-flying' assignment (except when he would schedule himself for surprise inspections of flying units).

Finally, after so many years of Tactical flying assignments, Gabreski opted to command the 52nd Fighter Wing at Suffolk County AFB, Westhampton Beach, NY, in August 1967, where he was exposed to the speedy and effective F-101 air-defense interceptor, and the techniques associated with aerial interception under control from radar operators on the ground. He commented that "after so many years as my 'own boss' in the air, the flow of detailed information from the ground, took a bit of getting used to... but it was effective."