493d Fighter Squadron emblem (approved 20 August 2003)[2]
493d Tactical Fighter Squadron emblem
56th Bombardment Squadron emblem (approved 24 December 1941)[3]
The 493d Fighter Squadron, nicknamed "The Grim Reapers", is part of the United States Air Force's 48th Fighter Wing located at RAF Lakenheath, England. The 493d is currently the only USAF squadron flying the McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle within United States Air Forces Europe and has been flying the F-15C since 1994. These 493d F-15C fighter aircraft have weaponry systems specifically designed to locate and target enemy aircraft and include the AIM-9 and AIM-120air-to-air missiles. The 493d provides air-to-air offensive and defensive support for United States and NATO operations. The squadron has earned multiple commendations and awards, including the Air Force Association's Hughes Trophy in 1997 and 1999[4] and the 2014 Raytheon Trophy, being recognized as the top fighter squadron in the United States Air Force.
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial and space warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the five branches of the United States Armed Forces, and one of the seven American uniformed services. Initially formed as a part of the United States Army on 1 August 1907, the USAF was established as a separate branch of the U.S. Armed Forces on 18 September 1947 with the passing of the National Security Act of 1947. It is the youngest branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, and the fourth in order of precedence. The USAF is the largest and most technologically advanced air force in the world. The Air Force articulates its core missions as air and space superiority, global integrated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, rapid global mobility, global strike, and command and control.
The 48th Fighter Wing is part of the United States Air Force's Third Air Force, assigned to Headquarters Air Command Europe and United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE). It is based at RAF Lakenheath, England. The 48 FW is the only F-15 wing based in Europe and consists of both F-15C/D Eagle and F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft as well as a rescue squadron of HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters. The 48 FW was given the name "Statue of Liberty Wing" on 4 July 1954 and remains the only U.S. Air Force unit with both a name and a numerical designation.
Royal Air Force Lakenheath or RAF Lakenheath is a Royal Air Force station near the town of Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, UK, 4.7 miles (7.6 km) north-east of Mildenhall and 8.3 miles (13.4 km) west of Thetford.
The 493d is a combat-ready F-15 Eagle squadron capable of executing air superiority and air defense missions in support of United States Air Forces in Europe, United States European Command, and NATO operations. It employs air-to-air weapons and electronic identification systems. The squadron has the ability to rapidly generate, deploy, and sustain operations to execute wartime and peacetime taskings in any theater of operations in the world.[5] Furthermore, the 493d is routinely tasked to deploy in support of Air Force One referred to as "POTUS taskings." Recent instances include the most recent G-8 summits and the 2008 NATO Summit.
The United States European Command (EUCOM) is one of ten Unified Combatant Commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers 21,000,000 square miles (54,000,000 km2) and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russia, Greenland, and Israel. The Commander of the United States EUCOM simultaneously serves as the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR) within NATO—an intergovernmental military alliance. During the Gulf War and Operation Northern Watch, EUCOM controlled the forces flying from Incirlik Air Base.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 29 North American and European countries. The organization implements the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on 4 April 1949. NATO constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its independent member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party. NATO’s Headquarters are located in Haren, Brussels, Belgium, while the headquarters of Allied Command Operations is near Mons, Belgium.
In warfare, a theater or theatre is an area in which important military events occur or are progressing. A theater can include the entirety of the airspace, land and sea area that is or that may potentially become involved in war operations.
History
World War II
Activated as a Southeastern Air District Army Air Corps training squadron, equipped with a variety of second-line aircraft, both single and twin engine, preparing its pilots and maintenance crews for eventual combat. After the Pearl Harbor Attack, the squadron flew antisubmarine patrols from March to April 1942. Resumed aircrew training, many of the group's members went on to serve in squadrons stationed in Europe and the Pacific theaters.
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service of the United States of America between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical rift developed between more traditional ground-based army personnel and those who felt that aircraft were being underutilized and that air operations were being stifled for political reasons unrelated to their effectiveness. The USAAC was renamed from the earlier United States Army Air Service on 2 July 1926, and was part of the larger United States Army. The Air Corps became the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) on 20 June 1941, giving it greater autonomy from the Army's middle-level command structure. During World War II, although not an administrative echelon, the Air Corps (AC) remained as one of the combat arms of the Army until 1947, when it was legally abolished by legislation establishing the Department of the Air Force.
493d Fighter Squadron P-47D Thunderbolt
Eventually coming under the AAF III Fighter Command in 1944, trained replacement pilots with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, Converted in January 1944 to an operational fighter squadron. Deployed to the European Theater of Operations, being assigned to the IX Fighter Command in England, March 1944.
The III Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was a World War II era fighter aircraft produced by the United States from 1941 through 1945. Its primary armament was eight .50-caliber machine guns and in the fighter-bomber ground-attack role it could carry five-inch rockets or a bomb load of 2,500 pounds (1,103 kg). When fully loaded the P-47 weighed up to eight tons (tonnes) making it one of the heaviest fighters of the war. The P-47 was designed around the powerful Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine which was also used by two U.S. Navy fighters, the Grumman F6F Hellcat and the Vought F4U Corsair. The Thunderbolt was effective as a short-to-medium range escort fighter in high-altitude air-to-air combat and ground attack in both the World War II European and Pacific theaters.
The IX Fighter Command was a United States Army Air Forces formation. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Erlangen, Germany. It was inactivated on 16 November 1945.
Almost immediately after their arrival, the squadron began a rigorous training program, flying dive-bombing, glide bombing, night flying, low-level navigation, smoke laying, reconnaissance, and patrol convoy sorties. Over the next two months, the number of sorties steadily increased and the squadron flew its first combat mission on 20 April 1944, an uneventful fighter sweep of the occupied French coast.
Assisted the Normandy invasion by dropping bombs on bridges and gun positions, attacking rail lines and trains, and providing visual reconnaissance reports. Moved to France in mid-June 1944, supporting ground operations of Allied forces moving east across northern France throughout the war: primarily providing support for the United States First Army. Eventually was stationed in Occupied Germany on V-E Day.
On 5 July 1945, the squadron arrived in Laon, France. After a few weeks back in France the squadron received orders to return to the US. With many of the members separating at port, those remaining set up the headquarters at Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina and was programmed for deployment to Okinawa to take part in planned Invasion of Japan. Training discontinued after Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the sudden end of the Pacific War.
Operation Downfall was the proposed Allied plan for the invasion of Japan near the end of World War II. The planned operation was cancelled when Japan surrendered following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Soviet declaration of war, and the Soviet invasion of Manchuria. The operation had two parts: Operation Olympic and Operation Coronet. Set to begin in November 1945, Operation Olympic was intended to capture the southern third of the southernmost main Japanese island, Kyūshū, with the recently captured island of Okinawa to be used as a staging area. Later, in the spring of 1946, Operation Coronet was the planned invasion of the Kantō Plain, near Tokyo, on the Japanese island of Honshu. Airbases on Kyūshū captured in Operation Olympic would allow land-based air support for Operation Coronet. If Downfall had taken place, it would have been the largest amphibious operation in history.
During the final stage of World War II, the United States detonated two nuclear weapons over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945, respectively. The United States dropped the bombs after obtaining the consent of the United Kingdom, as required by the Quebec Agreement. The two bombings killed 129,000–226,000 people, most of whom were civilians. They remain the only use of nuclear weapons in the history of armed conflict.
{{Infobox military conflict |conflict = Pacific War |partof = World War II |image =
Two months later on 7 November 1945, the squadron inactivated as part of the massive postwar draw down.
The squadron was reactivated in 1952 as a NATO Fighter-Bomber squadron stationed in France. Equipped initially with Republic F-84G Thunderjets, upgraded in 1954 to North American F-86F Sabre aircraft. conducted operational readiness exercises and tactical evaluations. Honing bombing and gunnery skills, the squadron frequently deployed to Wheelus Air Base, Libya for training.
493d F-86F Sabre
Then in late 1956 the squadron upgraded to the North American F-100D Super Sabre. However, the nuclear-weapon-capable F-100 caused disagreements with France concerning atomic storage and custody issues within NATO, resulting in a decision to remove Air Force atomic-capable units from French soil. On 15 January 1960, the squadron and its parent 48th Tactical Fighter Wing moved to RAF Lakenheath, UK.
Between 1960 and 1972, the squadron's F-100 fleet maintained its readiness by participating in a number of USAFE and NATO exercises training to react to possible aggression from the Soviet Union. They underwent a series of NATO tactical evaluations. The squadron conducted several deployments to Turkey, Italy, Spain, and across the United Kingdom.
493d F-4D Phantom II
Beginning in late 1971, the squadron started its conversion to the McDonnell F-4D Phantom II, with the aircraft being transferred from the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing at RAF Bentwaters. The conversion to the F-4D took several years, with the last F-100 departing in August 1974. With the arrival of the Phantoms, the F-4s adopted a common tail code of "LK". This tail code lasted only a few months as in July and August 1972 the 48th Wing further recoded to "LN".
493d F-111F
The F-4's service with squadron was short as Operation Ready Switch transferred the F-4Ds to the 474th Tactical Fighter Wing at Nellis Air Force Base Nevada. The 474th sent their General Dynamics F-111As to the 347th Tactical Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, and the 347th sent their F-111Fs to Lakenheath in early 1977. Unlike the previous F-4 transition, the F-111 change took place quickly and without any significant problems.[clarification needed What significant problems occurred with the transition to the F-4?] Almost immediately after changing aircraft, the squadron began a series of monthly exercises and deployments that took the Liberty Wing to Italy, Iran, Greece, and Pakistan.
In the midst of the organizational changes, the squadron switched aircraft again, exchanging the F-111s for the F-15C/D Eagle in early February 1994. This marked the first time that the squadron had flown a specifically air-to-air weapon system, after flying for more than 50 years with an air-to-ground mission. The squadron received the last production block of new F-15 Eagles.
In 2015, the squadron was named the best fighter squadron in the Air Force, earning the Raytheon Trophy for 2014. During tensions in the Ukraine that threatened stability in Eastern Europe, the 493d deployed to Lithuania in less than 20 hours, to supplement the Baltic air policing mission. The squadron intercepted 31 Russian air force aircraft when they threatened or violated Baltic airspace. This deployment came while the squadron was simultaneously supporting a deployment to Iceland. "The squadron 'adopted' an orphanage in Lithuania, with airmen visiting and caring for kids for four months. The Raytheon award was the fourth for the squadron.[6]
Lineage
Constituted as the 56th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 20 November 1940
Activated on 15 January 1941
Redesignated 56th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 28 August 1942
Redesignated 493d Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 10 August 1943
Redesignated 493d Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 30 May 1944
Inactivated on 7 November 1945
Redesignated 493d Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 25 June 1952
Activated on 10 July 1952
Redesignated 493d Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 July 1958
Redesignated 493d Fighter Squadron on 1 October 1991
The 85th Group is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with United States Air Forces in Europe at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, assigned as a unit of the 48th Fighter Wing whose home station is at RAF Lakenheath, UK. It was inactivated on 28 June 2006.
The 8th Fighter Squadron is an active United States Air Force squadron, assigned to the 54th Fighter Group, stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.
The 53d Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 52d Operations Group and stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. It was inactivated on 31 March 1999.
The 55th Fighter Squadron is part of the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It operates the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting air superiority missions.
The 163d Fighter Squadron is a unit of the Indiana Air National Guard 122d Fighter Wing located at Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, Indiana. The 163d is equipped with the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
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.
The 81st Fighter Squadron is a flying squadron of the United States Air Force. It is Geographically Separated Unit of the 14th Flying Training Wing at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, and operates the A-29 Super Tucano aircraft conducting close air support training to the Afghan Air Force as part of ISAF. It is stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.
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.
The 309th Fighter Squadron is part of the 56th Operations Group at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting advanced fighter training.
The 170th Fighter Squadron is an inactive unit of the Air National Guard. It was last assigned to the 183rd Fighter Wing located of the Illinois Air National Guard at Capital Airport Air National Guard Station, Springfield, Illinois. The 170th last flew the Block 30 General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon. It was inactivated on 30 September 2008.
The 492d Fighter Squadron is part of the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England.
The 494th Fighter Squadron is part of the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England.
The 510th Fighter Squadron is part of the 31st Operations Group at Aviano Air Base, Italy. It is a combat-ready F-16CM fighter squadron prepared to deploy and fly combat sorties as tasked by NATO and US combatant commanders. The squadron employs a full range of the latest state-of-the-art precision ordnance.
The 531st Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit, last assigned to the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam. The squadron was inactivated on 31 July 1970.
The 48th Operations Group is the flying component of the 48th Fighter Wing, assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa. The group is stationed at RAF Lakenheath, England.
The 429th Electronic Combat Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 27th Operations Group and stationed at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico.
The 4th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Ninth Air Force. It is stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, where it is also the host unit.
Quartier Général d'Aboville, formerly Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base, is a French Army artillery base in France. It is located two miles (3.2 km) southwest of the city of Chaumont, Haute-Marne, just to the west of the Route Nationale 67 (N67) highway about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) north of Semoutiers-Montsaon in the Haute-Marne département of northeast France. During the early years of the Cold War, Chaumont-Semoutiers air base was used by United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE).
↑ Aircraft is McDonnell Douglas F-15C-42-MC Eagle, serial 86-167 taking off in 2009.
↑ Aircraft is Republic P-47D-30-RA Thunderbolt, serial 44-33204.
↑ Both aircraft are Republic F-84G-1-RE Thunderjets. Serial 51-890 is from the 494th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and 51-830 is from the 493d. Note the Pierced Steel Planking used for the parking apron as concrete pads have not yet been poured. Both aircraft were eventually sold to the Belgian Air Force as Serials FZ-175 and FZ-199. FZ-175 was destroyed on 25 May 1955 at Sylt, West Germany.
↑ Aircraft is North American F-86F-25-NH Sabre, serial 52-5403.
↑ Aircraft is McDonnell F-4D-30-MC Phantom II, serial 66-7563.
↑ Aircraft is General Dynamics F-111F Aardvark, serial 72-449.
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