307th Fighter Squadron

Last updated

307th Fighter Squadron
AFR Shield.svg
161st ARW conducts air-refueling mission with regional partners Image 4 of 15.jpg
One of the squadron's F-15E Strike Eagles over Arizona in 2022
Active1942–1945; 1946–1989; 1991–1995; 2003–present
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
BranchFlag of the United States Air Force.svg  United States Air Force
Role Fighter
Part of Air Force Reserve Command
Garrison/HQ Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
Nickname(s)Stingers[ citation needed ]
Engagements European Theater of Operations
Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Vietnam War [1]
Decorations Distinguished Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm [1]
Commanders
Current
commander
Lt Col Sriram Krishnan
Insignia
307th Fighter Sq emblem (approved 16 October 1944 [1] 307 Fighter Sq emblem.png

The 307th Fighter Squadron is a McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle unit and is part of Air Force Reserve Command's 414th Fighter Group stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina.

Contents

The mission of the 307 FS is to assist the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson to produce qualified F-15E aircrew. The squadron became operational in September 2011.

History

World War II

Initially established under Third Air Force in early 1942 as a fighter squadron at Baer Field, Indiana, flying some antisubmarine patrols in the Gulf of Mexico.

Deployed to the European Theater of Operations in June 1942 without aircraft as its Curtiss P-40 Warhawks and Bell P-39 Airacobras were deemed unsuitable for use against German aircraft in long-range bomber escort duties. Was re-equipped with RAF Supermarine Spitfire Vs and its pilots and technicians spent a two-month period undergoing intensive training in flying and fighting with RAF pilots in the British aircraft from airfields in southeast England. The squadron flew its first combat mission on 18 August 1942, when it attacked enemy positions in occupied France.

A Spitfire from the 307th Fighter Squadron, flown by Major Virgil C Fields, that crash-landed on the beach at Salerno, Italy after being damaged by a German Dornier Do 217, September 1943 26-G-1992 Salerno Landing, Sept. 1943.jpg
A Spitfire from the 307th Fighter Squadron, flown by Major Virgil C Fields, that crash-landed on the beach at Salerno, Italy after being damaged by a German Dornier Do 217, September 1943

Assigned to the new Twelfth Air Force and deployed to Gibraltar in November 1942 as part of the Operation Torch invasion forces, initially operating from former Vichy French airfields in Algeria. Advanced east across Algeria and Tunisia during the North African Campaign, supporting the Fifth United States Army which halted Field Marshal Rommel's advance on allied positions. Spitfires from the squadron provided support for Allied Forces as the Invasion of Italy began with the capture of Sicily, and later the landings by Allied forces in Fascist Italy, moving north supporting the Fifth Army during the Italian Campaign. As Allied bomber forces operating from Italy began the strategic bombing of Axis petroleum and communications facilities in central Europe and the Balkans, the squadron was re-equipped with the North American P-51 Mustang to replace the shorter-ranged Spitfire. In August 1944, the P-51's were involved in the invasion of Southern France.

A P-51D-5-NA Mustang (MX-A, serial number 44-13464), flown by Major Sam Brown of the 307th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group P-51 Mustang (MX-A, serial number 44-13464), flown by Major Sam Brown.jpg
A P-51D-5-NA Mustang (MX-A, serial number 44-13464), flown by Major Sam Brown of the 307th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group

By war's end, the squadron had earned two Distinguished Unit Citations and was involved in eight campaigns The squadron was largely demobilized during the summer of 1945 in Europe, a skeleton force returned to Drew Field, Florida in August, inactivating largely as an administrative unit in November. [3]

Reactivated from elements of several inactivating organizations in Germany in August 1946, Performed occupation duty and operating early-model Lockheed P-80A Shooting Star jets from former Luftwaffe jet-capable airfields at AAF Station Giebelstadt and AAF Station Kitzingen. Returned to the United States in June 1947 without personnel or equipment which remained in Germany.

Cold War

Assigned to Strategic Air Command at Langley Field, Virginia as a fighter-escort squadron, equipped with straight-winged Republic F-84E Thunderjets. Assigned to Turner AFB, Georgia with mission of long-range escort of B-29 Superfortress bombers, later B-50 and B-36 Peacemakers as newer aircraft came into operation by SAC. Inactivated 1958 with phaseout of B-36 and end of SAC escort fighter concept.

Reactivated in 1959 as Tactical Air Command North American F-100 Super Sabre fighter-bomber squadron at George Air Force Base, California. Trained in tactical air support of ground forces, deploying to NATO bases for operational exercises. Reassigned to Homestead Air Force Base, Florida after the Cuban Missile Crisis, late 1962 to provide air defense of South Florida. Was deployed for 3 months to Southeast Asia, in 1964 as part of advisory forces operating against North Vietnamese and National Liberation Front forces in South Vietnam.

F-4D Phantom II of the 307th F-4d-66-0768-307tfs-401tfw-torrejon.jpg
F-4D Phantom II of the 307th

Reassigned to NATO, becoming permanently based at Torrejon AB, Spain in 1966 when SAC turned Spanish bases over to USAFE. Initially equipped with F-100s, in 1970 received McDonnell F-4E Phantom IIs. Reassigned back to TAC at Homestead AFB in 1971, as part of re-establishment of 31st TFW upon its return from duty in Southeast Asia. Was deployed to Thailand, July 1972, engaging North Vietnamese forces in northern South Vietnam in response to the communist spring offensive. Returned to the United States in the late fall, 1972.

For the next 20 years, performed routine training and tactical deployments from Homestead, upgraded to the General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon in 1988. At the end of 1986 the squadron and wing changed tail codes from ZF to HS which better matched the squadrons location in Homestead. Upgraded to receive Shaw AFB block 25s in August 1990. With the Gulf War build up and the 363rd TFW at Shaw AFB deploying to Saudi Arabia meant no more block 25s were available. With some F-16A/B block 15s still in service for the 307th TFS, it continued to operate both types.

When Desert Storm ended it was decided to convert the 31st TFW to block 40 F-16s instead. Up to this point about ten block 25s had reached the 307th FS and had been painted in 'Emerald Knight' markings. They were all sent to other units. Neither of the 31st TFWs other sister squadrons flew the block 25. In March 1991 the 307th began conversion to the block 40 version of the F-16. On 1 October 1991 the word 'Tactical' was dropped and unit became the 307th Fighter Squadron. By early 1992 the conversion to block 40 F-16s with the general purpose role was complete.

Squadron aircraft at Homestead after Hurricane Andrew 307th Fighter Squadron F-16s Homestead Hurricane Andrew.jpg
Squadron aircraft at Homestead after Hurricane Andrew

Moved to Moody Air Force Base, Georgia in late August 1992 when Hurricane Andrew threatened South Florida. It was to be a temporary move to Moody, but Homestead AFB was so heavily damaged it was never re-opened for any of the 31st FW squadrons and was eventually turned over to the Air Force Reserve Command's 482nd Fighter Wing and renamed Homestead Air Reserve Base. After the destruction of Homestead AFB, the 307th FS was reassigned permanently to the 347th Operations Group at Moody. At this point the 'HS' tail code began to be replaced with a 'MY' tail code, with some block 40 F-16s were delivered right from the factory to the 307th Fighter Squadron's new home base. It deployed to Saudi Arabia from, March–June 1995 in support of Operation Southern Watch. [1] Inactivated in 1995 when Air Combat Command temporarily closed down ACC operations at the base, temporarily turning Moody over to Air Education and Training Command as a training base.

Modern era

It was reactivated in 2003 as an Air Force Reserve Command McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle training squadron, where its mission was to train Air Force Reserve pilots in the F-15C at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia as an adjunct for the 1st Fighter Wing. The unit was moved from Langley to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in 2010 in realignment with the phaseout of the F-15C at Langley pending the arrival of the F-22 Raptor and the need for an Associate Air Force Reserve F-15E Strike Eagle unit at Seymour Johnson.

Lineage

Activated on 30 January 1942
Redesignated 307th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942
Redesignated 307th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 20 August 1943
Inactivated on 7 November 1945
Redesignated 307th Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled on 19 February 1947
Redesignated 307th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 3 November 1947
Redesignated 307th Fighter Squadron, Jet on 15 June 1948
Redesignated 307th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 20 January 1950
Redesignated 307th Fighter-Escort Squadron on 16 July 1950
Redesignated 307th Strategic Fighter Squadron on 20 January 1953
Redesignated 307th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 1 April 1957
Redesignated 307th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 July 1958
Redesignated 307th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 1 July 1983
Redesignated 307th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 April 1988
Inactivated on 1 July 1989
Re-designated 307th Fighter Squadron on 1 November 1991
Inactivated on 31 August 1995

Assignments

Attached to Alaskan Air Command, 7 November–7 December 1956
Attached to 48th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 27 February–9 August 1958
Attached to Unknown, 15 March–19 July 1959, 8 November 1960 – 9 March 1961, and 18–28 February 1962
Attached to 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, 17 December 1962 – 16 March 1963
Attached to Unknown, 27 December 1963 – 5 March 1964
Attached to 7231st Combat Support Group, 23 November 1964 – 14 March 1965
Attached to 34th Tactical Group, 24 June–7 July 1965
Attached to 6251st Tactical Fighter Wing, 8 July – 20 November 1965
Attached to 3d Tactical Fighter Wing, 21 November – 6 December 1965
Attached to 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 29 July–31 October 1972

Stations

Deployed to RAF Manston, England 26 December 1950 – 25 July 1951
Deployed to Misawa Air Base, Japan 20 July – 16 October 1952, 7 November 1953 – 9 February 1954
Deployed to Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska 7 November – 7 December 1956
Deployed to Hahn Air Base, Germany 25 February – 17 August 1958)\
  • George Air Force Base, California, 15 March 1959
Deployed to Moron Air Base, Spain 15 March – 19 July 1959
Deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy 8 November 1960 – 9 March 1961
Deployed to Ramey Air Force Base, Puerto Rico 18–28 February 1962
  • Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, 1 June 1962
Deployed to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa (17 December 1962 – 16 March 1963)
Deployed to Itazuke Air Base, Japan (27 December 1963 – 5 March 1964)
Deployed to Çiğli Air Base, Turkey (23 November 1964 – 14 March 1965)
Deployed to Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam (24 June – 7 December 1965)
  • Torrejon Air Base, Spain, 27 April 1966 – 14 July 1971
  • Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, 15 July 1971 – 1 July 1989
Deployed to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand 29 July – 31 October 1972
  • Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, 30 September 1991(operated from Moody Air Force Base, Georgia after c. 11 September 1992
  • Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, 1 October 1992 – 31 August 1995
  • Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, 1 August 2003
  • Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, 15 July 2010 – present [1]

Aircraft

  • Curtiss P-40 Warhawk (1942)
  • Bell P-39 Airacobra (1942)
  • Supermarine Spitfire (1942–1943)
  • North American P-51 Mustang (1943–1945, 1947–1948)
  • Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star (1946–1947)
  • Republic F-84 Thunderjet (1948–1957)
  • North American F-100 Super Sabre (1957–1970)
  • McDonnell F-4 Phantom II (1970–1988)
  • General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon (1988–1989, 1991–1995)
  • McDonnell Douglas F-15C/D Eagle (2003–2010)
  • McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle (2010–present) [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">523d Fighter Squadron</span> Military unit

The 523d Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 27th Operations Group stationed at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">353rd Combat Training Squadron</span> Military unit

The 353rd Combat Training Squadron is a United States Air Force training squadron responsible for Exercise RED FLAG – ALASKA held annually in Alaska.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Air Force Base</span> Former US Air Force base in California

George Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, 8 miles northwest, of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">31st Fighter Wing</span> Active US Air Force unit

The 31st Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe major command and the Third Air Force. It is stationed at Aviano Air Base, Italy, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) base run by the Italian Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">68th Fighter Squadron</span> Military unit

The 68th Fighter Squadron was one of the longest-serving fighter squadrons in U.S. Air Force history, remaining active almost continually for 60 years. Known as the "Lightning Lancers", on the morning of 27 June 1950 pilots of the 68th Fighter-All Weather Squadron flying the North American F-82 Twin Mustang made history by achieving the first aerial kill of the Korean War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">69th Fighter Squadron</span> Military unit

The 69th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force Reserve fighter squadron. It is assigned to the 944th Operations Group, stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">308th Fighter Squadron</span> US Air Force unit

The 308th Fighter Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. It is part of the 56th Operations Group at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, where it trains pilots on the Lockheed Martin F-35A.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">309th Fighter Squadron</span> US Air Force unit

The 309th Fighter Squadron is part of the 56th Operations Group at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting advanced fighter training.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">357th Fighter Squadron</span> US Air Force unit

The 357th Fighter Squadron is part of the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft training pilots for close air support missions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">128th Airborne Command and Control Squadron</span> Military unit

The 128th Airborne Command and Control Squadron is a unit of the Georgia Air National Guard 116th Air Control Wing located at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. The 128th is equipped with the E-8C Joint STARS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">525th Fighter Squadron</span> Military unit

The 525th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 3d Operations Group at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, Alaska. The squadron was first activated as the 309th Bombardment Squadron in February 1942. After training in the United States, it was deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, where it became the 525th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and engaged in combat until the spring of 1945, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations. After VE Day, the squadron became part of the occupation forces in Germany. Briefly inactivated in 1946, it returned to Germany a few months later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">18th Attack Squadron</span> Military unit

The 18th Attack Squadron is a squadron of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 432d Operations Group, and has been stationed at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada since 2009. The squadron conducts strike, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, operating the General Atomics MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">39th Flying Training Squadron</span> Military unit

The 39th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 340th Flying Training Group and is the reserve associate to the 12th Flying Training Wing based at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">416th Fighter Squadron</span> Military unit

The 416th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The squadron was inactivated on 1 July 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">563rd Electronic Warfare Squadron</span> Military unit

The 563rd Electronic Warfare Squadron, formerly the 563rd Flying Training Squadron, is an active United States Air Force unit specializing in Electronic Warfare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">86th Operations Group</span> Military unit

The 86th Operations Group is the flying operational component of the 86th Airlift Wing, United States Air Force. The group is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">31st Operations Group</span> US Air Force unit

The 31st Operations Group is the flying component of the 31st Fighter Wing, assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. It is stationed at Aviano Air Base, Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">401st Air Expeditionary Group</span> Military unit

The 401st Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe to be activated or inactivated at any time as needed. It is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">306th Fighter Squadron</span> Military unit

The 306th Fighter Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. It was most recently activated as an active associate unit of the 119th Fighter Squadron of the New Jersey Air National Guard, stationed at Atlantic City Municipal Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">478th Tactical Fighter Squadron</span> Military unit

The 478th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing and stationed at Homestead AFB, Florida.

References


Notes
  1. Aircraft is McDonnell F-4D-32-MC Phantom II serial 66-8768. This aircraft is now on permanent display in front of VFW post in Bastrop, Texas. (Photo taken at Ramstein Air Base, Germany).
  2. Closest aircraft is 307th Fighter Squadron F-16C serial 89-2146 and the F-16C in the background is serial 88-465 which was repaired and returned to flying status. 89-2146 was repaired afterwards but not to flying status, becoming a GF-16C ground trainer at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
Citations
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Robertson, Patsy (28 October 2011). "Factsheet 307 Fighter Squadron (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  2. "JK707 | American Air Museum". www.americanairmuseum.com. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  3. "Fact Sheets 56th Operations Group". 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs. 27 August 2015. Archived from the original on 1 January 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  4. Robertson, Patsy (9 August 2017). "Factsheet 414 Fighter Group (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 Station number in Anderson.

Bibliography

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency