301st Fighter Squadron
301st Fighter Squadron | |
---|---|
Commanders | |
Current commander | Lt Col Andrew Lyons[1] |
Insignia | |
301st Fighter Squadron emblem[a][2] | |
901st Air Refueling Squadron emblem |
The 301st Fighter Squadron is a
The squadron was first activated as the 301st Fighter Squadron during
In 1958 USAF activated the 901st Air Refueling Squadron, flying Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. It performed air refueling and deployed to the Pacific to support operations in Southeast Asia until it was inactivated eleven years later. In 1985 the 301st was consolidated with this unit.
In 1999, the consolidated unit was again designated the 301st Fighter Squadron and activated as a fighter pilot training squadron with
History
World War II
The 301st was one of four African-American fighter squadrons to enter combat during World War II.
One of the famous all-black squadrons of the
The squadron sailed in early January 1944 aboard the
In August 1944, the unit attacked enemy positions on the French coast in preparation for the invasion of southern France. They escorted bombers of the Fifteenth Air Force in attacks on the assault beaches on 15 August 1944. After this they returned to escorting
Cold War
301st Fighter Squadron
The 301st trained with Republic P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft between 1947 and 1949 at
In 1948 President
On 19 September 1985, the Air Force consolidated the 301st Fighter Squadron with the 901st Air Refueling Squadron, but it remained inactive.[3]
901st Air Refueling Squadron
The 901st Air Refueling Squadron was activated at
The squadron was equipped with
The 901st provided air refueling to Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses on a worldwide basis, and to other aircraft as required. On 1 February 1963, the 454th Bombardment Wing assumed the aircraft, personnel and equipment of the discontinued 4228th wing. The 4228th was a Strategic Air Command (SAC) Major Command controlled (MAJCON) unit and could not carry a permanent history or lineage.[12] With this change the 901st was reassigned to the newly activated 454th wing.[3]
Between 1965 and the end of 1968, the squadron frequently deployed to the Pacific to support combat operations with refueling over the Gulf of Tonkin and South China Sea. In July 1969, the 454th wing was inactivated as older model B-52s were removed from the inventory and Columbus was transferred to Air Training Command.[13] The squadron was inactivated along with the wing. In September 1985 the 301st Fighter Squadron was consolidated with the 901st, but the unit remained inactive.[3]
Southeast Asia
.
On 1 June 1972 SAC expanded its forces at
The provisional squadron flew combat operations as part of Operation Young Tiger
Modern era
The squadron resumed its name as the 301st Fighter Squadron and was reactivated as an element of
As a tenant unit at Luke the 301st's F-16s carried the LR (Luke Reserve) tail code as opposed to the LF of the host 56th Fighter Wing.
During 2007 the Air Force decided that the Tuskegee Airmen heritage should be preserved with a unit flying the new
The 301st Fighter Squadron moved to
In 2014, the squadron moved again, along with the rest of Holloman's F-22 fleet, to
Lineage
301st Fighter Squadron
- Constituted as the 301st Fighter Squadron on 4 July 1942
- Activated on 13 October 1942
- Redesignated 301st Fighter Squadron, Single Engine c. 21 August 1944
- Inactivated on 19 October 1945
- Activated on 1 July 1947
- Inactivated on 1 July 1949
- Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 901st Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy as the 901st Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy' (remained inactive)
901st Air Refueling Squadron
- Constituted as the 901st Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy on 7 April 1958
- Activated on 1 August 1958
- Inactivated on 2 July 1969
- Consolidated on 19 September 1985 with the 301st Fighter Squadron[3]
- Redesignated 301st Fighter Squadron on 1 December 1999
- Activated in the Reserve on 1 January 2000[20]
Assignments
- 332d Fighter Group, 13 October 1942 – 19 October 1945
- 332d Fighter Group, 1 July 1947 – 1 July 1949
- 4228th Strategic Wing, 1 August 1958
- 454th Bombardment Wing, 1 February 1963 – 2 July 1969 (attached to 4252d Strategic Wing, December 1965 – March 1966 and July 1967 – December 1967)
- 944th Operations Group, 1 January 2000[20]
- 44th Fighter Group, 9 April 2010 – present[1]
Stations
|
|
Aircraft
|
|
Awards and campaigns
Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Distinguished Unit Citation |
24 March 1945 Germany | 301st Fighter Squadron[2] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
6 October 1959 – 15 July 1960 | 901st Air Refueling Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1965 – 31 July 1965 1 December 1965 – 1 March 1966 |
901st Air Refueling Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 2 March 1966 – 1 April 1966 1 July 1967 – 31 December 1967 |
901st Air Refueling Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1968 – 1 December 1968 | 901st Air Refueling Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | [1 January 2000] – 5 September 2000 | 301st Fighter Squadron[21] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 2005 – 30 September 2006 | 301st Fighter Squadron[21] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 2006 – 30 September 2007 | 301st Fighter Squadron[21] |
Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Rome-Arno | 22 January 1944 – 9 September 1944 | 301st Fighter Squadron[2] | |
Southern France | 15 August 1944 – 14 September 1944 | 301st Fighter Squadron[2] | |
North Apennines | 10 September 1944 – 4 April 1945 | 301st Fighter Squadron[2] | |
Po Valley | 3 April 1945 – 8 May 1945 | 301st Fighter Squadron[2] | |
Normandy | 6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944 | 301st Fighter Squadron[2] | |
Northern France | 25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944 | 301st Fighter Squadron[2] | |
Rhineland | 15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 | 301st Fighter Squadron[2] | |
Central Europe | 22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945 | 301st Fighter Squadron[2] | |
Air Combat, EAME Theater | 7 December 1941 – 11 May 1945 | 301st Fighter Squadron[2] |
See also
References
- Explanatory notes
- ^ Approved 29 June 1945. Description: On a light turquoise blue disc, edged black, a caricatured cat wearing a red cape, brown aviator's helmet and white goggles, piloting a gray .50 caliber aerial machine gun with red and white tail, winged yellow orange, with an auxiliary gray wing tank under each wing, all in flight toward dexter, in front of a large white cloud formation.
- Citations
- ^ a b c d e f Whipple, SRA Martha (4 November 2012). "301st FS salutes new commander". 301st Fighter Wing Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 365
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Haulman, Daniel L. (29 January 2015). "Factsheet 301 Fighter Squadron (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ^ a b Ravenstein, Combat Wings, pp. 178–179
- ^ a b "332d Fighter Squadron [sic]". Everworld.com. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
- ^ Gropman, Maj. Alan (1 April 1973). "Abstract, Oral History Interview with E[ugene] M. Zuckert, former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- ^ See Mueller, pp. 90–95
- ^ "Abstract (Unclassified), Vol 1, History of Strategic Air Command, Jan–Jun 1957 (Secret)". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- ^ "Abstract, History 4228 Strategic Wing Nov 1958". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 592–593
- ^ "Abstract (Unclassified), History of the Strategic Bomber since 1945 (Top Secret, downgraded to Secret)". Air Force History Index. 1 April 1975. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
- ^ Ravenstein, Guide to Air Force Lineage, p. 12
- ^ Ravenstein, Combat Wings, pp. 249–250
- ^ a b "Abstract, End of Tour Report if Col G. A. Dugard". Air Force History Index. 12 January 1976. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- ^ Ravenstein, Combat Wings, pp. 153–155
- ^ a b Stout, TSG Susan (11 March 2010). "Squadron reactivates as Reserve unit at Luke". Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ^ "Air Force Aircraft Tail Markings" (PDF). Air University (extracted from Airman magazine). April 2003. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- ^ Kelly, Charles (26 August 2006). "Reserve cuts to affect Luke units, staff". Arizona Republic. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- ^ a b Salgado, A1C Veronica (18 December 2008). "First 301 FS, Det. 1 Reservists sign up". Alamogordo Daily News. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d Lineage, including assignments, stations, and aircraft through 2007 in AFHRA Factsheet
- ^ a b c "Air Force Recognition Programs". Air Force Personnel Center. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. OCLC 72556.
- Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6.
- 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.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). A Guide to Air Force Lineage and Honors (2d, Revised ed.). Maxwell AFB, AL: USAF Historical Research Center.
Further reading
- Smith, Richard K. (1998). Seventy-Five Years of Inflight Refueling: Highlights, 1923–1998 (PDF). Air Force History and Museums Program. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
External links
- Sheppard, James A. (27 November 2006). "Black Airmen in World War II – 1941–1945". LWF Communications. Archived from the original on 6 June 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
- "The Black American Becomes a Fighting Airman". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- Haulman, Daniel L. (21 October 2011). "Nine Myths about the Tuskegee Airman" (PDF). Tuskegee Institute. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 January 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2014.