614th Tactical Fighter Squadron
| 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron | |
|---|---|
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | |
| Insignia | |
| 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron emblem[b][1] |  |
The 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive
Torrejon Air Base
, Spain, where it was inactivated on 1 January 1992.
The
V-E Day, the squadron was inactivated in England. It was briefly active in the reserves
from 1947 to 1949, but does not appear to have been fully manned or equipped.
The squadron was redesignated the 614th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and activated in 1954 at
Operation Desert Storm
.
History
World War II
Organization and training for combat
The 614th Bombardment Squadron was activated March 1943 at
Brooksville Army Air Field.[3]
The ground echelon moved to
Glasgow Army Air Field.[5]
After completing training the ground echelon left for overseas on 19 October 1943. After staging at Camp Shanks, New York, they embarked on the RMS Queen Mary and sailed on 27 October disembarking at Greenock on the Firth of Clyde on 3 November 1943. The air echelon staged for deployment at Scott Field, Illinois, then flew to England under the control of Air Transport Command via Newfoundland, Iceland and Scotland.[5]
Combat in the European Theater
On arrival in England, half of the 401st Group's
1st Bombardment Division. Its tail code was Triangle-S.[citation needed
]
On 26 November the 614th flew its first combat mission against
A little over a month later, on 20 February, the squadron earned its second DUC for an attack on the Erla Maschinenwerke aircraft manufacturing facilities in Leipzig, Germany. Despite fighter attacks and battle damage to the 614th's planes, 100% of the unit's bombs fell within 1,000 feet of the aiming point.[2][9] Beginning in October 1944, the unit concentrated its attacks on Axis oil reserves.[2]
In addition to strategic missions, squadron operations included attacks on transportation, airfields, and fortifications to support
D-Day the 614th attacked Normandy beachhead areas dropping bombs five minutes before troops landed.[10] The following month it provided close air support for Operation Cobra, the breakthrough at Saint-Lô, it also supported the siege of Brest in August and Operation Market Garden in September. During the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and January 1945, the unit attacked transportation and communications in the battle area. It supported airborne forces involved in Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945.[2]
The squadron flew its last combat mission on 20 April 1945 against
Frankfurt am Main to see the damage that had been done as a result of their efforts.[13]
The unit was alerted for redeployment to the Pacific Theater and the last plane departed Deenethorpe in early June. The ground echelon sailed on the
Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, but plans had changed and personnel were either transferred to Boeing B-29 Superfortress units or processed for discharge and the squadron was inactivated.[15]
Reserve operations
The squadron was activated at Brooks Field (later
Air Defense Command (ADC).[16] It is not clear whether or not the squadron was fully staffed or equipped.[17] In 1948, Continental Air Command assumed responsibility for managing reserve and Air National Guard units from ADC.[18] President Truman's reduced 1949 defense budget required reductions in the number of units in the Air Force,[19] and the 613th was inactivated in June.[1]
Fighter operations
Tactical Air Command
The squadron was redesignated the 614th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and activated at
Homestead Air Force Base, Florida. By 1965, however, deployments had begun to the Pacific and Southeast Asia.[20]
Combat in Vietnam
In the spring of 1966, the squadron's parent
35th Tactical Fighter Wing became the squadron's new headquarters. The squadron continued combat operations in Vietnam until the 35th Wing stood down from combat on 26 June 1971.[21]
Operations in Europe and the Middle East
Operation Desert Storm.[g]
The squadron moved on paper to rejoin the 401st Wing at Torrejon in July 1971, replacing the
alert status. it deployed its forces to Doha International Airport, Qatar in 1990, where they formed the 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Provisional). It flew 1,303 sorties into Iraq and Kuwait, delivering 3.7 million pounds of ordnance. It was the first USAF unit to ever deploy to Qatar. It was inactivated in 1992 as the United States removed its combat units permanently stationed in Spain.[citation needed
]
Lineage
- Constituted as the 614th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 March 1943
- Activated on 1 April 1943
- Redesignated 614th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy c. 1 November 1943
- Inactivated on 28 August 1945
- Redesignated 614th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 27 December 1946
- Activated in the reserve on 10 January 1947
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949
- Redesignated 614th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 24 November 1953
- Activated on 8 February 1954
- Redesignated 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 July 1958
- Inactivated on 1 January 1992
Assignments
- 401st Bombardment Group, 1 April 1943 – 28 August 1945
- Tenth Air Force, 10 January 1947
- 401st Bombardment Group, 30 September 1947 – 27 June 1949
- 401st Fighter-Bomber Group, 8 February 1954
- 401st Fighter-Bomber Wing (later 401st Tactical Fighter Wing), 25 September 1957
- 834th Air Division, 27 April 1966[23]
- 366th Tactical Fighter Wing, 18 September 1966
- 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, 10 October 1966
- 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 July 1971 – 1 January 1992
Stations
- Ephrata Army Air Base, Washington, 1 April 1943
- Geiger Field, Washington, 4 June 1943
- Great Falls Army Air Base, Montana, 8 July 1943 – 19 October 1943 (deployed to Glasgow AAF after August)
- RAF Deenethorpe (AAF-128),[24] England, 4 November 1943 – 20 June 1945
- Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, c. 1–28 August 1945
- Brooks Field (later Brooks Air Force Base), Texas, 10 January 1947 – 27 June 1949
- Alexandria Air Force Base (later England Air Force Base), Louisiana, 8 February 1954
- Phan Rang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, 18 September 1966
- Torrejon Air Base, Spain, 15 July 1971 – 1 January 1992[25]
Aircraft
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1943–1945
- North American F-86 Sabre, 1954–1955
- Republic F-84F Thunderstreak, 1954–1957
- North American F-100 Super Sabre, 1957–1971
- McDonnell F-4 Phantom II, 1971–1983
- General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, 1983–1991
Awards and campaigns
| Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Distinguished Unit Citation |
11 January 1944 | Germany 614th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Distinguished Unit Citation |
20 February 1944 | Germany 614th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Presidential Unit Citation | 10 October 1966–10 April 1967 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[26] |
 |
Combat "V" Device |
3 September 1967–2 May 1968 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[26] |
|
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device | 1 October 1968–13 April 1969 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[26] |
|
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device | 14 April 1969–13 April 1970 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[26] |
|
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device | 1 December 1970–25 June 1971 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[26] |
 |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 January 1963–31 December 1963 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[26] |
|
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 5 August 1964–7 November 1964 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[26] |
|
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 8 August 1964–15 November 1964 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[26] |
|
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1984–30 June 1985 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[26] |
|
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 April 1989–31 March 1991 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[26] |
 |
Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm |
18 September 1966–25 June 1971 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[26] |
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Air Offensive, Europe | 4 November 1943 – 5 June 1944 | 614th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Normandy | 6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944 | 614th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Northern France | 25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944 | 614th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Ardennes-Alsace | 16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 | 614th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Rhineland | 15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 | 614th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
|
Central Europe | 22 March 1945 – 21 May 1945 | 614th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
 |
Vietnam Air Offensive | 18 September 1966 – 8 March 1967 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[27] |
|
Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II | 9 March 1967 – 31 March 1968 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[27] |
|
Vietnam Air/Ground | 22 January 1968 – 7 July 1968 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[27] |
|
Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III | 1 April 1968 – 31 October 1968 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[27] |
|
Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV | 1 November 1968 – 22 February 1969 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[28] |
|
Tet 1969/Counteroffensive | 23 February 1969 – 8 June 1969 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[28] |
|
Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969 | 9 June 1969 – 31 October 1969 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[28] |
|
Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 | 3 November 1969 – 30 April 1970 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[28] |
|
Sanctuary Counteroffensive | 1 May 1970 – 30 June 1970 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[28] |
|
Southwest Monsoon | 1 July 1970 – 30 November 1970 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[28] |
|
Commando Hunt V | 1 December 1970 – 14 May 1971 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[28] |
|
Commando Hunt VI | 15 May 1971 – 15 July 1971 | 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron[28] |
See also
- List of United States Air Force fighter squadrons
- General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon operators
- List of F-4 Phantom II operators
- List of F-100 units of the United States Air Force
- List of F-86 Sabre units
- B-17 Flying Fortress units of the United States Army Air Forces
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- ^ Aircraft is General Dynamics F-16C Block 30F Fighting Falcon, serial 87–221. This aircraft was later transferred to the Alabama Air National Guard. Baugher, Joe (2 May 2023). "1987 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- ^ Approved 15 November 1943. Description: Over and through a medium blue disc, wide border light turquoise blue, piped white, a winged horseshoe gold with light green aerial bomb crossing beneath the sinister heel and in front of dexter heel, all surmounted by the face and head of a red devil with highlight and shadow. According to Closway the design was originated by Mrs J. J. Casagrande, wife of a squadron navigator. Closway, p. 36
- ^ Aircraft is Lockheed Vega built Boeing B-17G-1-VE Flying Fortress, serial 42-39847 Battlin' Betty. This aircraft was shot down by flak and fighters on the 11 April 1944 mission to bomb the synthetic oil refinery at Politz/Sorau. The entire crew became prisoners of war. Baugher, Joe (28 December 2022). "1942 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 8 May 2023. Missing Air Crew Report 4016. The photo was taken at RAF Deenethorpe.
- McDonnell F-4C Phantom IIs. Baugher, Joe (6 May 2023). "1951 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- ^ Aircraft is North American F-100D-85-NH Super Sabre, serial 56-3408. Taken about 1960.
- Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center on 3 April 1990 and sold for scrap on 12 August 1998. Baugher, Joe (29 April 2023). "1966 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- Pima Air and Space Museum
- Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 685–686
- ^ a b c d e f Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 285–286
- ^ Closway, p. 44
- ^ Closway, pp. 44–45
- ^ a b c Closway, p. 45
- ^ Closway, p. 46
- ^ Closway, p. 47
- ^ Closway, pp. 40, 47, 62 (reproducing War Department General Order 50, 17 June 1944)
- ^ Closway, pp. 40, 63 (reproducing War Department General Order 83, 2 October 1945)
- ^ Closway. p. 43
- ^ Closway, p. 55
- ^ Closway, p. 62
- ^ Closway, pp. 56–57
- ^ Closway, p. 58
- ^ Closway, p. 59
- ^ See Mueller, p. 54
- ^ See Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 685–686 (no aircraft listed as assigned to the squadron from 1947 to 1949)
- ^ "Abstract, Mission Project Closeup, Continental Air Command". Air Force History Index. 27 December 1961. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
- ^ Knaack, p. 25
- ^ Ravenstein, pp. 214–215
- ^ Ravenstein, pp. 60–63
- ^ See Fletcher, p. 190 (simultaneous activation and inactivation of squadrons)
- ^ "Factsheet 834 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 11 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ Station number in Anderson
- ^ Fletcher, p.190 (through 1982)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Air Force Personnel Services: Unit Awards". Air Force Personnel Center. Retrieved 10 July 2019. (search)
- ^ a b c d AF Pamphlet 900-2, Vol. 1, p. 439
- ^ a b c d e f g h AF Pamphlet 900-2, Vol. 2, p. 83
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 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
- Closway, Gordon R., ed. (1946). Pictorial Record of the 401st Bomb Group. San Angelo, TX: Newsfoto Publishing Co. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
- Fletcher, Harry R (1993). Air Force Bases , Vol. II, Air Bases Outside the United States of America (PDF). Washington, DC: Center for Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Knaack, Marcelle Size (1978). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems (PDF). Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945–1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-59-5. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- 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.
- 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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- "AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits" (PDF). Washington, DC: Department of the Air Force. 15 June 1971. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
- "AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits, Vol II" (PDF). Washington, DC: Department of the Air Force. 30 September 1976. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
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