355th Fighter Squadron
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (December 2012) |
355th Fighter Squadron | |
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355th Fighter Squadron emblem[note 1][1] | |
355th Fighter Squadron emblem[note 2][2] |
The 355th Fighter Squadron, nicknamed the Fightin' Falcons, is a United States Air Force unit stationed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. It is an active-duty unit assigned to the 354th Fighter Wing and operates the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II. The squadron is tasked with the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses.[3] Between 2015 and 2019, the unit's assignment was that of a subordinate unit of the 495th Fighter Group based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth in Texas, flying the General Dynamics F-16C/D Fighting Falcon.
History
World War II
Activated on 15 November 1942 at
In late 1943, the strategic bombardment campaign over
Was relieved from escort duty and reassigned to
Moved to
Remained in Occupied Germany as part of the
The last remaining soldier of this squadron, Robert E. Kuhnert, passed away October 4, 2022, at the age of 102.
Cold War
Reactivated by Tactical Air Command, United States Air Force on 19 November 1956, being assigned to the reactivated
Vietnam War
On 3 February 1968, the 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron was deployed to support the
At the end of the TDY on 5 July, the 355 TFS was permanently assigned to the 37th, with activated New Jersey and
On 15 May 1969, with the reassignment of the
At Tuy Hoa, the tail code of the 355th F-100s was changed to "SP", and deployed Air National Guard personnel from New York and New Mexico and regular Air Force personnel manned the 355th until its inactivation on 30 September 1970.
During its time in Vietnam, the 355th flew more than 17,000 combat sorties flying close air support, interdiction, search and rescue, and helicopter support missions. The squadron was awarded the
On 1 November 1970, the 355 TFS was reactivated at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina as part of the
A-10 Thunderbolt II (1978–2007)
Post-Vietnam era
In February 1978, the 355th TFS transitioned to the new Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, a close air support aircraft, becoming the second operational squadron in the nation's first A-10 wing.
Duty called again in August 1990 when the unit deployed to King Fahd International Airport, Saudi Arabia in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. There, the squadron's pilots inflicted heavy damage to Iraqi armor and artillery emplacements, helped cut off enemy supply lines, and conducted search and rescue missions. The squadron contributed greatly to the 4,200 artillery, tank and other vehicle kills credited to A-10s during the war.
Modern era
Inactivated at Myrtle Beach on 31 March 1992, the 355 FS was reactivated on 20 August 1993, replacing the inactivating 11th Tactical Air Support Squadron at Eleison AFB, Alaska. The unit's primary missions included air strike control, close air support, interdiction, joint air attack team, escort, and combat search and rescue.
With a dual role A/OA-10 Warthog squadron commitment and night vision goggles, the squadron had the ability to deploy forward air controllers with attack aircraft for a complete day and night employment capability.
355th FS deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy from January 1996 to March 1997, supporting Operation Joint Guard. No ordnance was employed, but pilots flew sorties and sat alert with combat loaded aircraft.
In October 1998, the 355 FS deployed to support
The 355FS was the first air combat unit to deploy to the Middle East after the Towers Fell on 11SEP2001. The unit deployed to Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base, Kuwait, in support of Operation Southern Watch, Operation Northern Watch, and even Operation Enduring Freedom from November 2001 – March 2002 with Air Expeditionary Force 10 (AEF). The aircraft flew from Eielson AFB, Alaska all the way to Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait making brief (crew rest only stops) at Westover, Massachusetts (not Barnes), then Lajes in the Aczores, then Trapani Sicily, then Kuwait, arriving 05DEC2001. The A-10s utilized Air to Air Refueling (AAR or Aerial Refueling) in between ground stops, thus proving once again that the USAF Tanker force is one of the reasons that the US military truly has global reach (YCKAWTG). In Kuwait, the 355th FS joined the 338th AEG (Air Expeditionary Group) The Panthers/Red Tag/Tail Bastards.
The 355th FS also provided Battalion Air Liaison Officers (BALOs) to 6 dedicated Army Combat Units as a regular part of their combat mission. BALOs are considered Forward Air Controllers or FACs (specifically GFAC or Ground FAC) whether or not they also hold an Airborne FAC qualification. Typically these BALOs also hold JTAC-qualified certifications. These BALOs continuously support Army and other combat units (air, ground, sea, and space) during exercises while currently serving as combat-ready and combat-qualified A-10 pilots. They provided advice on the use of all aerial assets (fixed-wing, rotary, drone, etc.) as well as all munitions that fly through their battlespace (this includes Rockets, Artillery, mortars, etc.). Although not often called to actual battle, the 355th did provide Battalion Air Liaison Officers (BALOs) to multiple Army Units, to include one Airborne Unit the 1-501st Airborne. In particular, the Chief BALO/A-10 FAC, Captain A. Rodell Severson (while serving as an operational A-10 pilot with the 355th), actually deployed to combat with the 1-501, becoming a Tactical Air Control Party Commander (TACP), commanding two consecutive special operations teams from 25 October 2003 through 4 May 2004 for Joint Task Force 1-501 earning a Bronze Star through approximately 155 ground combat missions: 17 sustained rocket attacks, 7 troops in contact, and 5 direct fire fights: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501st_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States).
The 355 FS also exercised at Hurlburt Field, Florida, to train with Special Forces units, October 2003.
In Spring 2004 the unit deployed to
Base realignment and closure
On 13 May 2005, The
Lt. Col. Quentin "Q-Tip" Rideout, 355th Fighter Squadron Commander, flew the last operational A-10 sortie at Eielson AFB on 31 July 2007.[4] The last three A-10A aircraft departed Eielson AFB on 15 August 2007.[5] Lt. Col. Kevin "Crotch" Blanchard flew 81-0944, Capt. Sean "Shark" Hall flew 79-0172, and Capt. Dale "Porkchop" Stark flew 80-0259.[5]
Fort Worth (2015–2019)
In 2010, Detachment 457, a geographically separated unit of the 20th Operations Group at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, stood up at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. The unit oversaw the integration of over 130 active-duty General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots and maintenance personnel into the Air Force Reserve Command's 301st Fighter Wing under the Total Force Initiative.[6] On 8 March 2013, the 495th Fighter Group was stood up at Shaw as a dedicated unit overseeing ten active associate fighter units, including Detachment 457. On 5 October 2015, Detachment 457 discontinued and was replaced by the 355th Fighter Squadron, which reactivated the same day. It was under the administrative command of the 495th Fighter Group and flying and maintaining General Dynamics F-16C/D Fighting Falcons assigned to the 301st's 457th Fighter Squadron at Fort Worth.[7]
Current Operations (2020–present)
On 18 December 2020, the 355 Fighter Squadron was activated and assigned to the 354 Operations Group. The 355th FS became the second Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II equipped unit in Alaska after the 356th Fighter Squadron.[8]
Lineage
- Constituted as the 355th Fighter Squadron on 12 November 1942
- Activated on 15 November 1942
- Redesignated 355th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 21 August 1944
- Inactivated on 31 March 1946
- Redesignated 355th Fighter-Day Squadron on 28 September 1956
- Activated on 19 November 1956
- Redesignated 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 July 1958
- Inactivated on 30 September 1970
- Activated on 1 November 1970
- Redesignated 355th Fighter Squadron on 1 November 1991
- Inactivated on 31 March 1992
- Activated on 20 August 1993
- Inactivated on 15 August 2007
- Activated on 5 October 2015
Assignments
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Stations
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Major aircraft assigned
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Campaign streamers
- World War II: 7 - Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.
- Vietnam War: 10 - Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall, 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Vietnam Ceasefire.
- Southwest Asia: 2 - Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.
Decorations
- Distinguished Unit Citations: ETO, [Dec] 1943 – 15 May 1944; France, 25 August 1944
- Presidential Unit Citations: Southeast Asia, 1 July – 31 December 1968; Southeast Asia, 10 October 1972 – 30 April 1973.
- Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 October 1962 – 31 December 1963; 3 February – 30 June 1968; 1 November 1970 – 31 May 1972; 1 May 1974 – 30 April 1976; 1 January 1978 – 31 March 1979; 1 July 1985 – 30 June 1987; 1 May 1990 – 15 March 1992; 1 June 2017 - 31 May 2019.
- Croix De Guerrewith Palm: 1 December 1943 – 31 December 1944.
- Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosswith Palm: 22 January 1968 – 31 August 1970.
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g Ream, Margaret (8 June 2021). "Factsheet 355 Fighter Squadron (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
- ^ Endicott, p. 763
- ^ "Fighting Falcons emerge at Eielson". Scramble.nl. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ Farrow, William (2 August 2007). "Arctic Hawgs take final flight". Eielson Air Force Base. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Arctic A-10s depart Eielson". Eielson Air Force Base. 16 August 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ a b Boling, B.J. (10 May 2013). "301st Fighter Wing – Total Force Integration". Code One Magazine. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ Allen, Candice (29 January 2016). "Active associate unit activates as WWII fighter squadron". 301st Fighter Wing. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ "USAF reactivates the 355th FS as Alaska's second F-35A unit". key.aero. 28 December 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ a b c d Tamondong, Jose Miguel T. (18 December 2020). "355th Fighter Squadron reactivates, Alaska's second F-35A squadron". Eielson Air Force Base. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Station numbers in Johnson
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
- Endicott, Judy G. (1998). Active Air Force Wings as of 1 October 1995 and USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995 (PDF). Air Force History and Museums Program. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ASIN B000113MB2. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
- Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. LCCN 61060979.
- 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.
- 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.
- A Look at the history of the 355th Fighter Squadron, 354th TFW History Office
External links
- 355th Fighter Squadron (official site)