176th Fighter Squadron
176th Fighter Squadron | |
---|---|
Active | 1942–1944; 1948–1952; 1952–present |
Country | United States |
Allegiance | Wisconsin |
Branch | Air National Guard |
Type | Squadron |
Role | Fighter |
Part of | Wisconsin Air National Guard |
Garrison/HQ | Truax Field Air National Guard Base, Madison, Wisconsin |
Nickname(s) | "Badger Air Militia" |
Equipment | F-35A Lightning II |
Engagements | World War II |
Insignia | |
176th Fighter Squadron emblem |
The 176th Fighter Squadron (176 FS) is a unit of the Wisconsin Air National Guard 115th Fighter Wing located at Truax Field Air National Guard Base, Madison, Wisconsin. As of 2023, the 176th is currently converting to the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II, with its first jets having arrived on 25 April 2023. The squadron previously operated the General Dynamics F-16C/D Fighting Falcon between 1993 and 2022.
History
World War II
- See 338th Bombardment Group for expanded World War II history
Activated in July 1942, the 306th Fighter Squadron was an advanced pilot training squadron, assigned to
Wisconsin Air National Guard
The wartime 306th Fighter Squadron was reconstituted and re-designated as the 176th Fighter Squadron, and was allotted to the
Air Defense
The 176th was gained by Air Defense Command (ADC) with an air defense mission of the Great Lakes, Chicago and Wisconsin. Upgraded to F-80A Shooting Star jet aircraft in 1949. Was re-designated as the 176th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in November 1950 and 10 of the unit's 25 Mustangs were shipped to
In October 1953, The 176th FIS converted from F-51's to the
On 15 April 1956, the 176th FIS was authorized to expand to a group level, and the 115th Fighter-Interceptor Group was established by the National Guard Bureau at Truax Field. The 176th FIS becoming the group's flying squadron. The Group continued its air defense mission with summer training moved to
In May 1966 the 176th FIS replaced their F-89's with the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger. In the spring of 1967 after a period of re-training in the new supersonic interceptors, the 176th FIS resumed its air defense "runway alert" mission. One year later in June 1969, the unit airlifted to Gulfport, Mississippi for summer training, ending six years of "year around" training at home base.
In September 1972, the 176th FIS won the prestigious "
Forward Air Control
In November 1974, the squadrons parent
The squadron was re-designated as the 176th Tactical Air Support Squadron (TASS), and in December 1974 the unit's F-102's were replaced by the
In November 1979, the O-2s were replaced by the
With most of the pilots and maintenance crews having prior jet aircraft experience with the F-102's, the unit was able to transition the OA-37 to C-1 status, (full combat ready), in less than six months. Awards during the OA-37 era included an overall rating of "Excellent" in the unit's Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI), the Distinguished Flying Award and their first
Close Air Support
On 1 October 1981, the 176th TASS was redesignated the 176th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS). Along with the mission change came a new aircraft, the
During the A-10 era the unit received two "Outstanding Unit" Awards, three Air Force Flight Safety Awards, and in 1991 an "Outstanding" in its Unit Effectiveness Inspection (UEI). Deployments with the A-10 included Operation Coronet Cove to Panama, and "Checkered Flag" missions to NATO bases in West Germany and England.
F-16C/D (1993–2022)
With the end of the Cold War, the early 1990s marked several changes. On 16 March 1992 the 176th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) was redesignated the 176th Fighter Squadron (FS) as its parent 128th Tactical Fighter Wing became the 128th Fighter Wing. The 128th FW implemented the Air Force Objective Organization, which established the 128th Operations Group to which the 176th FS was assigned. Also occurring at this time was a command change from the Air Force's Tactical Air Command (TAC) to the newly created Air Combat Command (ACC).
In 1993 the 176th FS began transitioning from the A-10A to the
On 11 October 1995, the squadron was reassigned to the new 115th Operations Group when its parent 128th Fighter Wing was re-designated back to the 115th by the Wisconsin National Guard Bureau. The 128th designation was causing confusion with the
Operations participated in during this era include: Operation Coronet Chariot,
In December 2017, the Air Force announced that the 176th was one of two Air National Guard squadrons selected for equipping with the
On 5 October 2022, the 176th's last two F-16s (87-0278 and 88-0150) departed Truax Field ANGB in preparation to convert to the F-35A.[2]
F-35A (2023–present)
On 25 April 2023, the first three of an eventual 20 F-35As arrived at Truax Field ANGB.[3][4]
Lineage
- Constituted 306th Fighter Squadron on 16 July 1942
- Activated on 22 July 1942
- Disbanded on 1 May 1944
- Reconstituted, redesignated 176th Fighter Squadron, and allotted to Wisconsin ANG, on 24 May 1946
- Extended federal recognition and activated 6 October 1948
- Redesignated 176th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 1 November 1950
- Federalized and placed on active duty, 1 February 1951
- Released from active duty and returned to Wisconsin state control, 1 November 1952
- Redesignated 176th Tactical Air Support Squadron on 9 November 1974
- Redesignated 176th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 15 November 1981
- Redesignated 176th Fighter Squadron on 15 March 1992
Assignments
- 338th Fighter Group, 22 Jul 1942 – 1 May 1944
- 128th Fighter Group, 29 June 1948
- 128th Fighter-Interceptor Group, 1 November 1950
- 115th Fighter-Interceptor Group, 15 April 1956
- 115th Tactical Air Support Group, 9 November 1974
- 128th Tactical Air Support Wing, 9 November 1974
- 128th Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 November 1981
- 128th Operations Group, 15 March 1992
- 115th Operations Group, 11 October 1995
Stations
- Dale Mabry Army Airfield, Florida, 22 Jul 1942 – 1 May 1944.
- Truax Field, Wisconsin, 6 October 1948
- Designated: Truax Field Air National Guard Base, Wisconsin, 1991 – present
Aircraft
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References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- ^ Staff writer, no byline (21 December 2017). "AF selects locations for next two Air National Guard F-35 bases". Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
- ^ Gorman, Paul; Lewis, Cameron (6 October 2022). "WISCONSIN AIR GUARD UNIT CELEBRATES FINAL F-16 FLIGHT FROM TRUAX FIELD". Wisconsin National Guard. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ Arnold, Amber (25 April 2023). "Photos: F-35 fighter jet at the Wisconsin Air National Guard's 115th Fighter Wing". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
- ^ "First Badger Air Militia F-35As delivered". scramble.nl. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
- A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946–1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
- Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force: World War II. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1982.
- 115th Fighter Wing official site (Archived 2009-07-27)
- Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. ISBN 1-85780-197-0
- 115th Fighter Wing website history
- 115th Fighter [email protected]