354th Fighter Squadron

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354th Fighter Squadron
ACC Shield.svg
354th Fighter Squadron Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II 78-0670.jpg
An A-10 Thunderbolt from the 354th Fighter Squadron [lower-alpha 1]
Active1942–1946; 1952–1958; 1962–1982; 1991–2024
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
BranchFlag of the United States Air Force.svg  United States Air Force
Role Close Air Support Air Interdiction Forward Air Control Airborne, and Combat Search and rescue
Nickname(s)Bulldogs
Engagements European Theater of Operations
Vietnam War
Decorations Distinguished Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm
Insignia
354th Fighter Squadron emblem [lower-alpha 2] [1] 354th Fighter Squadron.jpg
Original 354th Fighter Squadron emblem [lower-alpha 3] [2] 354th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron - Emblem.png
World War II fuselage code [3] WR
Tail code post 1970DM

The 354th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force. It was last stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, where it was part of the 355th Fighter Wing, Arizona. It operated A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting close air support missions.

Contents

The squadron conducted close air support, air Interdiction, forward air control – airborne, and combat search and rescue for theater commanders worldwide. [4]

History

World War II

The 354th flew combat missions in the European Theater of Operations from 14 September 1943 to 25 April 1945.

Vietnam War

The squadron flew combat missions in Southeast Asia from 13 March to 12 June 1965, 28 November 1965 – 7 October 1970, and c. 14 January–3 July 1973. [1]

Training

It conducted combat crew training from, 1971–1982 and forward air control training since 1991. [1] In February 2015, the squadron was deployed to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. Twelve A-10s and approximately 300 airmen were deployed. The unit will train alongside NATO allies and deploy to locations in Eastern European NATO nations to further enhance interoperability. [5] The A-10s were the first of several theater security package deployments to Europe, U.S. Air Force officials said, adding that rotations generally will last six months, depending on mission and United States European Command requirements. [6]

In mid-October 2023, the A-10 aircraft of the 354th Fighter Squadron were deployed to the US Central Command to enhance air operations throughout the Middle East in response to the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. [7]

Lineage

Redesignated 354th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 21 August 1944
Inactivated on 20 November 1946
Activated on 1 November 1952
Inactivated on 8 January 1958
Organized on 25 April 1962
Redesignated 354th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 1 April 1979
Inactivated on 30 April 1982
Inactivated c. 20 September 2024 [8]

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

Awards and campaigns

Award streamerAwardDatesNotes
Streamer PUC Army.PNG Distinguished Unit Citation 5 April 1944354th Fighter Squadron, Germany [2]
Streamer PUC Army.PNG Presidential Unit Citation 5 May 1965-17 June 1965354th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Southeast Asia [1]
Streamer PUC Army.PNG Presidential Unit Citation1 January 1966-10 October 1966354th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Southeast Asia [1]
Streamer PUC Army.PNG Presidential Unit Citation11–12 August 1967 and 24–28 October 1967354th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Southeast Asia [1]
Streamer PUC Army.PNG Presidential Unit Citation12 April 1968-30 April 1969354th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Southeast Asia [1]
Streamer PUC Army.PNG Presidential Unit Citation10 October 1972-30 April 1973354th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Southeast Asia [1]
AFOUA with Valor.jpg Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device 12 October 1966-11 April 1967354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
AFOUA with Valor.jpg Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device12 April 1967-11 April 1968354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
AFOUA with Valor.jpg Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device1 July 1969-15 October 1970354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
AFOUA with Valor.jpg Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device1 June 1999-31 August 1999354th Fighter Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1956-30 June 1957354th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 Jul 1971-11 Jan 1973354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 October 1976-31 May 1978354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[1 November 1991]-30 April 1992354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 June 1995-31 May 1997354th Fighter Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 June 1998-31 May 2000354th Fighter Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 June 2002–31 May 2004354th Fighter Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 June 2004–31 May 2006354th Fighter Squadron [1]
AFOUA Streamer.JPG Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 June 2007–31 May 2009354th Fighter Squadron [1]
VGCP Streamer.jpg Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm 1 April 1966-28 January 1973354th Fighter Squadron [1]
Campaign StreamerCampaignDatesNotes
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png Air Offensive, Europe6 July 1943 – 5 June 1944354th Fighter Squadron< [2]
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png Normandy6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944354th Fighter Squadron [2]
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png Northern France25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944354th Fighter Squadron [2]
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png Rhineland15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945354th Fighter Squadron [2]
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png Ardennes-Alsace16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945354th Fighter Squadron [2]
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png Central Europe22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945354th Fighter Squadron [2]
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png Air Combat, EAME Theater6 July 1943 – 11 May 1945354th Fighter Squadron [2]
Streamer VS.PNG Vietnam Defensive6 March 1965 – 30 January 1966354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
Streamer VS.PNG Vietnam Air31 January 1966 – 28 June 1966354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
Streamer VS.PNG Vietnam Air Offensive29 June 1966 – 8 March 1967354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
Streamer VS.PNG Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II9 March 1967 – 31 March 1968354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
Streamer VS.PNG Vietnam Air/Ground22 January 1968 – 7 July 1968354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
Streamer VS.PNG Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III1 April 1968 – 31 October 1968354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
Streamer VS.PNG Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV1 November 1968 – 22 February 1969354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
Streamer VS.PNG Tet 1969/Counteroffensive23 February 1969 – 8 June 1969354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
Streamer VS.PNG Vietnam Summer-Fall 19699 June 1969 – 31 October 1969354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
Streamer VS.PNG Vietnam Winter-Spring 19703 November 1969 – 30 April 1970354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
Streamer VS.PNG Sanctuary Counteroffensive1 May 1970 – 15 April 1970354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
Streamer VS.PNG Southwest Monsoon [lower-alpha 4] 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
Streamer VS.PNG Vietnam Ceasefire Campaign14 January 1973 – 28 January 1973354th Tactical Fighter Squadron [1]
Streamer SAS.PNG Southwest Asia Cease-Fire12 April 1991 – 30 November 1995354th Fighter Squadron [1]
Streamer NOS E.JPG World War II Army of Occupation (Germany)9 May 1945 – 1 August 1946354th Fighter Squadron

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References

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. ↑ Taken during a strafing run at Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range near Wellton, AZ, 5 May 2014
  2. ↑ Approved 16 August 1994.
  3. ↑ Approved 19 November 1943. Description: On an arc segment of a circle, arc to base medium blue, border red, piped white, a caricatured English bull dog yellow, outlined black, wearing gray collar with white spokes about the neck, standing in front of a silhouette of the Statue of Liberty gray; bull dog casting black shadow toward base.)
  4. ↑ The squadron received credit for participating in this campaign, which began on 1 July 1970, although it had departed the theater on 15 April 1970.
Citations
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 Robertson, Patsy (2 December 2011). "Factsheet 354 Fighter Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, 439–440
  3. ↑ Freeman, images between p. 282 and p. 283
  4. ↑ "Factsheet 355th Operations Group". 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs. 22 May 2012. Archived from the original on 15 January 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Kitterman, A1C Luke (18 February 2015). "Theater security package begins rotation in Europe". 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 20 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ↑ "Aircraft Deploy to Europe to Boost Interoperability With Allies". DoD News. 11 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  7. ↑ "F-15E Strike Eagles bolster U.S. defense posture in the Middle East". www.afcent.af.mil. 14 October 2023.
  8. ↑ "Last operational Thunderbolt mission for Bulldogs". 7 July 2024.
  9. ↑ "Two historic A-10 squadrons inactivate at DM". 16 September 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.

Bibliography

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