123d Fighter Squadron
123d Fighter Squadron | |
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China-Burma-India Theater[1] | |
Insignia | |
123d Fighter Squadron emblem[note 2][2] | |
Patch with 123d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron emblem | |
Patch with 123d Fighter Squadron emblem[note 3][1] | |
Tail stripe label | Oregon |
The 123d Fighter Squadron is a unit of the
The squadron is a descendant organization of the 123d Observation Squadron formed on 30 July 1940. It was activated on 18 April 1941. The squadron is one of the
History
Oregon National Guard
Allocated to the
World War II
Ordered to active service in September 1941 as part of the pre-World War II buildup of the United States Army Air Corps and assigned to the
Reassigned to
As part of the large drawdown of forces after the war, the 35th PRS inactivated on 7 November 1945, at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey.
Oregon Air National Guard
The wartime squadron, designated the 35th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron redesignated as the 123d Fighter Squadron, Single Engine and was allotted to the Oregon Air National Guard, on 24 May 1946. It was organized at Portland Municipal Airport, Oregon, and was extended federal recognition on 26 June 1946 by the National Guard Bureau.
The 123d FS was assigned to the 142d Fighter Group at Portland Municipal Airport. Thus the 142d FG began fighter operations for the first time in the North American
Korean War activation
The squadron was called to active duty on 10 February 1951 as a result of the
The squadron conducted air interception training missions with its F-51s until June 1952 when it was re-equipped with the
Cold War
Reformed as part of the 142d Fighter-Interceptor Group, retaining F-86F Sabres. It resumed its peacetime mission of the air defense of Oregon. Was upgraded by ADC in 1955 to the dedicated
In 1972 it received the Mach 2
After the inactivation of
In 1985, as part of the retirement of the F-4C from the inventory, the Oregon Air National Guard began to receive F-15A Eagles from active-duty units receiving the upgraded F-15C. Since the end of the Cold War, the 142d has served as the principal air defense unit of the Pacific Northwest. In 1992, as part of a large USAF reorganization, both the group and squadron were re-designated yet again as the 142d Fighter Group and the 123d Fighter Squadron, respectively. In 1995 the group was elevated to wing status, beginning its current designation as the 142d Fighter Wing.
The wing participated in a wide variety of expeditionary and humanitarian assistance missions in the turbulent post-Cold War environment while providing air defense of the Pacific Northwest. These included major deployments to Turkey in 1998 for Operation Northern Watch and to Saudi Arabia in 2000 for Operation Southern Watch, patrolling the no-fly zones then in place over Iraq. The wing deployed aircraft to Panama in 1998 in support of counter=drug missions, helping stem the flow of the drug trade by air. Wing personnel deployed on various other missions, sending medical troops to Belize, civil engineers to Macedonia, and to such places around the globe as Curaçao, Denmark, Germany, Guam, Kuwait, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Global War on Terrorism
On 11 September 2001, the wing was one of the first units to respond to terrorist attacks on the east coast with increased air defense to enhance security on the west coast, and subsequently participated in Operation Noble Eagle, the national military response to homeland defense.
In the 50th Year of William Tell Anniversary Competition held in 2004, the 142d Fighter Wing was rated first in maintenance, element attack and gun categories. These William Tell successes demonstrate Oregon's long history of excellent performance and readiness to accomplish the real world mission.
In 2004, unit personnel provided humanitarian aid in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the 2007 floods in Vernonia, Oregon. The wing also supported ongoing contingency operations in Southwest Asia, including
In 2005, the early 1970s F-15A model were retired and the squadron received its current aircraft, the F-15C Eagle. With more than 1,000 officers and airmen, the 142d Fighter Wing guards the Pacific Northwest skies from northern California to the Canada–US border, on 24-hour Air Sovereignty Alert as part of Air Combat Command and the
In August 2010, two F-15 Eagles from this wing were dispatched in response to an airspace violation while the President visited Seattle, Washington. The jets produced two sonic booms over the Seattle skyline, the civilian Cessna 182 left restricted airspace before the jets arrived.
In August 2018, a Horizon Airlines
Lineage
- Designated as the 123d Observation Squadron, and allotted to the National Guard on 30 July 1940
- Activated on 18 April 1941
- Ordered to active service on 15 September 1941
- Redesignated 123d Observation Squadron (Light) on 13 January 1942
- Redesignated 123d Observation Squadron on 4 July 1942
- Redesignated 123d Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment) on 2 April 1943
- Redesignated 35th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 August 1943
- Inactivated on 7 November 1945
- Redesignated 123d Fighter Squadron, Single Engine and allotted to the National Guard 24 May 1946[8]
- Extended federal recognition on 26 June 1946
- Federalized and placed on active duty, 10 February 1951[6]
- Redesignated 123d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron[6] on 1 March 1952
- Inactivated and returned to Oregon state control on 1 November 1952[6]
- Activated c. 1 December 1952
- Redesignated 123d Fighter Squadron 31 March 1992
Assignments
- Oregon National Guard, 18 April 1941
- 70th Observation Group (later 70th Reconnaissance Group), 15 September 1941
- 77th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 11 August 1943 (attached to 70th Tactical Reconnaissance Group until 31 October 1943)
- III Reconnaissance Command (later III Tactical Air Command), 30 November 1943
- Army Air Forces, India-Burma Sector, 5 May 1944
- Fourteenth Air Force, c. September 1944
- Tenth Air Force, 1 August 1945
- Fourteenth Air Force, 25 August – 7 November 1945
- Oregon National Guard, 26 June 1946[8]
- 142d Fighter Group, 30 August 1946
- Fourth Air Force, 10 February 1951 (attached to 325th Fighter-Interceptor Wing)[3]
- 4704th Air Defense Wing, 6 February 1952 – 1 November 1952[6]
- 142d Fighter-Interceptor Group (later 142d Fighter Group, 142d Fighter-Interceptor Group, 142d Fighter Wing), 1 December 1952
- 142d Operations Group, 1 March 1994
Stations
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Aircraft
- North American O-47, 1941–1943
- Stinson O-49 Vigilant, 1941–1943
- Douglas O-46, 1941–1942
- North American B-25 Mitchell, 1943–1944, 1945
- Douglas A-20 Havoc, 1943
- Douglas DB-7 Boston, 1943
- Bell P-39 Airacobra, 1943–1944
- Lockheed P-38 Lightning, 1944
- Lockheed F-5 Lightning, 1944–1945[8]
- North American F-51D Mustang, 1946–1952[6]
- North American F-86F Sabre, 1952–1955[6]
- Lockheed F-94A Starfire, 1955–1957
- Northrop F-89J Scorpion, 1957–1966
- Convair F-102A Delta Dagger, 1966–1971
- McDonnell F-101B Voodoo, 1972–1981
- McDonnell F-4C Phantom II, 1981–1989
- McDonnell F-15A/B Eagle, 1989–2009
- McDonnell F-15C/D Eagle, 2007 – present (planned retirement date 2025)
- Boeing F-15EX Eagle II, 2025 – present
See also
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- ^ Exercise Iron Falcon was held at the United Arab Emirates Air Warfare Center on 2 October 2010 and lasted 30 days.
- ^ Approved for the 35th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron 23 October 1944. Reinstated for 123d Fighter Squadron.
- ^ Approved 24 January 1950
- ^ Aircraft is McDonnell F-101B-105-MC Voodoo, serial 58-270, taken in 1974.
- ^ Aircraft is McDonnell F-4C-23-MC Phantom II, serial 64-776. Aircrews flying this aircraft during the Vietnam War were credited with the destruction of three MiGs.
- Citations
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- Grant, C. L. "The Development of Continental Air Defense to 1 September 1954, USAF Historical Study No. 126" (PDF). Research Studies Institute, USAF Historical Division, Air University. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 445. ISBN 0-405-12194-6.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
- Watkins, Robert A. (2017). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force In World War II: China-Burma-India & The Western Pacific. Vol. VI. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-5273-7.
- Further reading
- World Airpower Journal (1992) US Air Force Air Power Directory, Aerospace Publishing, London, UK. ISBN 1-880588-01-3
- Rogers, Brian. (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.