477th Tactical Fighter Squadron

477th Tactical Fighter Squadron (later 477th Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron)
F-100D Super Sabre as flown by the squadron [lower-alpha 1]
Active	1942–1944; 1957–1959
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Fighter
Insignia
477th Bombardment Squadron emblem [lower-alpha 2] [1]

The 477th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was assigned to the 312th Tactical Fighter Wing at Cannon Air Force Base. New Mexico, where it was inactivated on 18 February 1959, when it transferred its personnel and equipment to another squadron. It flew North American F-100 Super Sabres and deployed to support NATO forces in Germany.

It was consolidated in September 1985 with the 477th Bombardment Squadron, which served as a medium bomber training unit from 1942 to 1944, when it was disbanded in a reorganization of Army Air Forces training units, as the 477th Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron, but the consolidated squadron has not been active.

History

World War II training operations

Main article: 335th Bombardment Group

B-26 Marauder as flown by the squadron during World War II

The 477th Bombardment Squadron was activated on 17 July 1942 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana as one of the original components of the 335th Bombardment Group, and was equipped with Martin B-26 Marauders. ^{[1] [2] [3]} The 476th acted as a Replacement Training Unit (RTU) for the B-26. ^[3]

However, the Army Air Forces (AAF) found that standard military units, whose manning was based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were not well adapted to the training mission. Accordingly, in the spring of 1944, the 335th Group, its components and supporting units at Barksdale, were disbanded on 1 May and replaced by the 331st AAF Base Unit (Medium, Bombardment). The squadron was replaced by Section U of the new base unit. ^{[2] [4] [5]}

Fighter operations

The 477th Fighter-Bomber Squadron was activated at Clovis Air Force Base, New Mexico in October 1957 ^[6] as the fourth North American F-100 Super Sabre of the 312th Tactical Fighter Wing. ^[7] The squadron deployed to Turkey for NATO rotational commitments.^{[ citation needed ]} The squadron was inactivated in 1959 and transferred its personnel and equipment to the 481st Tactical Fighter Squadron when the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing moved on paper from Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas to Cannon to replace the 312th Wing. ^[8]

Consolidation

The squadrons were consolidated as the 477th Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron on 19 September 1985. ^[9]

Lineage

477th Bombardment Squadron

• Constituted as the 477th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 9 July 1942

Activated on 17 July 1942

Disbanded on 1 May 1944 ^[1]

Reconstituted on 19 September 1985 and consolidated with the 477th Tactical Fighter Squadron as the 477th Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron ^[9]

477th Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron

• Constituted as the 477th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 26 September 1957

Activated on 8 October 1957 ^[10]

Redesignated: 477th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 July 1958

Inactivated on 18 February 1959 ^[11]

Consolidated with the 477th Bombardment Squadron as the 477th Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron on 19 September 1985 ^[9]

Assignments

• 335th Bombardment Group, 17 July 1942 – 1 May 1944 ^[1]
• 312th Fighter-Bomber Wing (later 312th Tactical Fighter Wing), 8 October 1957 – 18 February 1959 (detached 8 September – 11 December 1958) ^[7]

Stations

• Barksdale Field, Louisiana, 17 July 1942 – 1 May 1944 ^[1]
• Clovis Air Force Base (Later Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, 8 October 1957 – 18 February 1959 ^[12]

Aircraft

• Martin B-26 Marauder, 1942-1944 ^[1]
• North American F-100 Super Sabre, 1957–1959 ^[7]

Campaigns

Service Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	American Theater without inscription	17 July 1942 – 1 May 1944	477th Bombardment Squadron [1]

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

1. Aircraft is North American F-100D-75-NA Super Sabre, serial 56-3151.
2. Approved 28 February 1944. Description: On a light turquoise blue triangle, point to base, two black spandules in flight, with white beards, green heads, red noses, and yellow horns, wearing yellow gloves, one holding onto and aiming a gray green bomb dart, point to base, the other steadying bomb dart with right hand and pointing toward target with left forefinger extended downward.

Citations

1. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 577-578
2. Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 214-215.
3. Craven & Cate, Introduction, p. xxxvi
4. "Abstract, History 335 Bombardment Group [and 331 AAF Base Unit], July 1942 – October 1944". Air Force History Index. 2 December 1961. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
5. See Mueller, p. 19 (showing simultaneous activation and inactivation of units at Barksdale).
6. See Mueller, p. 61 (start of time at Cannon AFB.
7. Ravenstein, pp. 159-160
8. Ravenstein, pp. 50-52; Mueller, pp. 61-62
9. Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 September 1985, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons
10. See Mueller, p. 61 (start of stationing at Clovis AFB); Ravenstein, pp. 159-160 (start of assignment to 312th Wing).
11. See Mueller, p. 61 (end of stationing at Clovis AFB); Ravenstein, pp. 159-160 (end of assignment to 312th Wing).
12. Mueller, p. 61

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L, eds. (1955). The Army Air Forces in World War II (PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN   48003657. OCLC   704158 . Retrieved 17 December 2016.

  Goss, William A. (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L. (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II (PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. LCCN   48003657. OCLC   704158 . 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. ISBN   0-912799-02-1. LCCN   61060979 . Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN   0-405-12194-6. LCCN   70605402. OCLC   72556 . Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• 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.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN   0-912799-12-9 . Retrieved 17 December 2016.