95th Fighter Squadron

95th Fighter Squadron

Active 1942-1945; 1947–1949; 1952–1973; 1974–2010; 2013 - present
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Role Fighter Training
Part of Air Combat Command
325th Fighter Wing
325th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ Tyndall Air Force Base
Nickname(s) Boneheads[1]
Motto Death with Finesse
Mascot Mr. Bones[2]
Engagements European Theater of Operations Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Decorations Distinguished Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Commanders
Current
commander		 Lt. Col. Daniel Lehoski[1]
Insignia
95th Fighter Squadron Emblem (approved 4 February 1954)[3][note 1]

The 95th Fighter Squadron is a United States F-22 Raptor squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base.[4]

The 95th flew combat in the European Theater of Operations and the Mediterranean Theater of Operations between 25 December 1942 and 3 May 1945.

It flew fighter escort and air defense from 1947 to 1949 and air defense from 1952-1973.

Prior to 2010 it conducted advanced fighter training for the F-15 Eagle.

History

World War II

P-38 Lightnings of the 82nd Fighter Group over Italy, 1944

The squadron was activated in early 1942 at Harding Field, Louisiana as the 95th Pursuit Squadron,[3] one of the original three squadrons of the 82d Pursuit Group.[5] It soon moved to California where it equipped with Lockheed P-38 Lightnings and began training with Fourth Air Force as the 95th Fighter Squadron. It left California in the fall and sailed for Northern Ireland, where it received additional combat training under Eighth Air Force. A month after the initial Operation Torch landings in North Africa the squadron deployed to Algeria, where it entered combat as an element of Twelfth Air Force.[6]

In North Africa, the squadron flew antisubmarine patrols, bomber escort missions and attacked enemy shipping and airfields, moving its base east through Algeria and Tunisia. As the North African campaign drew to a close, the unit began attacking targets in Italy, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation[3] for its actions on 25 April 1943 during an attack on enemy airfields in Foggia.[6] On this mission, the squadron's aircraft flew hundreds of miles at an altitude of 100 feet to destroy dozens of enemy aircraft at Foggia while suffering minimal losses,[1]

In May 1943, the 95th was tasked with bombing Pantellaria, supporting the Allied invasion of Sicily. In part due to the squadron's efforts the garrison surrender just prior to the Allies landing on the island. In September, the squadron participated in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, during which it was awarded a second Distinguished Unit Citation for a bomber escort mission against marshalling yards near Naples.[3][6] In this mission the squadron protected 72 North American B-25 Mitchells without loss while destroying numerous attacking enemy fighters.[1]

The squadron moved to Italy, where it became part of Fifteenth Air Force as part of the buildup to provide fighter cover for Fifteenth's heavy bombers.[6] On 10 June 1944 the squadron earned a third Distinguished Unit Citation for its actions during an attack on oil refineries in Ploiești, Romania.[3] During this attack each aircraft carried a 1,000-pound bomb and a 300-gallon gas tank.[1] The squadron also took part in some of the first shuttle missions to the Soviet Union.

At the end of World War II, the 95th destroyed more than 400 aircraft including 199 air-to-air kills[2][7] and had seven aces.[1] Following the surrender of Germany, the squadron remained in Italy until September 1945, when it was inactivated[3]

Strategic Air Command

In 1947 the squadron was again activated at Grenier Field, New Hampshire, where it was equipped with North American P-51 Mustangs as a Strategic Air Command fighter escort unit.[8] Between April and June 1948 the squadron deployed to Ladd Air Force Base, Alaska, where it practiced rendezvousing with and escorting bombers, intercepting simulated enemy bombers and aerial gunnery.[6] In August 1949 it was transferred to Continental Air Command and its primary role became air defense, but this mission change was brief, for the squadron was inactivated in October.[8]

Air Defense

95th FIS F-86D Sabre 53-600, Andrews AFB, 1955

In late 1952, the squadron, now designated the 95th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, was activated under Air Defense Command (ADC) and assigned to the 4710th Defense Wing. It was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, where it replaced the federalized 121st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which was returned to the control of the District of Columbia Air National Guard.[9] The 95th took over the personnel, mission, and Lockheed F-94 Starfire aircraft of the inactivating 121st.[3] The squadron was tasked with defending Washington, D.C., and the surrounding area against the threat of manned bomber attacks.[1]

95 FIS Convair F-102A Delta Dagger 56-1144, Summer 1958

In May 1953 the squadron replaced its cannon armed F-94Bs with HVAR rocket armed North American F-86D Sabres.[10] In 1956, as ADC prepared to upgrade its system to the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE), the 4710th wing was discontinued and the squadron was reassigned to the 85th Air Division.[3] In 1957, the squadron replaced its Sabres with the F-86L model,[1] which was equipped with data link to receive commands directly from the SAGE combat direction center without using voice radio.

95th FIS 4 ship formation about 1960[note 2]

The squadron's F-86L period lasted only a few months, however, for it converted to AIM-4 Falcon armed Convair F-102 Delta Daggers in February 1958.[10] A final interceptor upgrade occurred in September 1959 when the unit became operational with the Convair F-106 Delta Dart. On 22 October 1962, before President John F. Kennedy told Americans that missiles were in place in Cuba, the squadron dispersed one third of its force, equipped with nuclear tipped missiles to Atlantic City International Airport at the start of the Cuban Missile Crisis.[11][12] These planes returned to Andrews after the crisis.

F-106 57-2494 at Dover AFB about 1970[note 3]

In July 1963 the squadron moved to Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, where its F-106s replaced the McDonnell F-101 Voodoos of the 98th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. which moved from Dover to Suffolk County Air Force Base the preceding month.[10] The 95th maintained a 24-hour alert status at both Dover, while its Detachment 1 did so at Atlantic City International Airport, New Jersey. Its F-106 aircraft could be called to action and within minutes, be airborne fully loaded and armed with nuclear missiles.[1]

In 1968, following the Pueblo Incident, The Air Force tasked ADC to provide alert F-106s at Osan Air Base, Korea. Following the 1969 EC-121 shootdown incident, the deployed F-106s began flying escort missions for EC-121s. In November 1969, the squadron deployed to Korea to assume this duty. relieving the 94th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. In May 1970, this tasking ended and the unit returned to Dover.[13]

Fighter training

The squadron was activated at Tyndall Air Force Base on 15 August 1974, as the 95th Fighter Interceptor Training Squadron. Upon arrival at Tyndall, the 95th transitioned from the F-106 to the T-33 Shooting Star, where they flew in support of Tyndall's Weapons Controller (now known as Air Battle Manager) training program. They also provided training to pilots newly assigned to the T-33 as well as drone chase support for the Air Force's Weapons System Evaluation Program at Tyndall. The 95th FITS was the last active USAF unit to operate the T-33, affectionately known by its crews as the "T-Bird". In 1988, the 95th retired its last T-Birds and gained the mission of providing combat crew training for pilots flying the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. At this time, the 95th was redesignated the 95th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron.[1] In 1991, the 95th was redesignated the 95th Fighter Squadron, which remained the squadron's designation until the time of its inactivation in September 2010.

Though the 95th's mission was air dominance training, and was not an operational squadron,[2] during Operation Noble Eagle, the 95th Fighter Squadron generated combat-configured McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagles and flew combat air patrol missions over cities in the southeastern United States. However, the F-15 was aging and reduced budgets led to the Air Force to retire F-15A to D model aircraft and inactivate F-15 Training units. As a result, the squadron was inactivated in September 2010.[1]

Air Dominance

The squadron was activated once again in October 2013 at Tyndall as a combat-coded Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor unit. The unit received aircraft from the 7th Fighter Squadron at Holloman Air Force Base beginning in January, 2014. The 95th completed acceptance of its fleet and gained initial operational capability in April, 2014.[14]

Lineage

95th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron - Emblem
Activated on 9 February 1942
Redesignated 95th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor)(Twin Engine) on 22 April 1942
Redesignated 95th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942
Redesignated 95th Fighter Squadron, Two Engine on 28 February 1944
Inactivated on 9 September 1945
Redesignated 95th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 15 August 1947
Inactivated on 2 October 1949
Activated on 1 November 1952
Inactivated on 31 January 1973
Activated on 1 September 1974
Redesignated: 95th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 1 April 1988
Redesignated: 95th Fighter Squadron on 1 November 1991
Inactivated on 21 September 2010

Assignments

Stations

deployed to Ladd Air Force Base, Alaska, 4 April 1948 – 29 June 1948
Deployed to Osan Air Base, South Korea, 15 November 1969 - c. 1 May 1970

Detachment

Aircraft

  • Lockheed P-38 Lightning (1942–1945)
  • North American F-51 Mustang (1947–1949)
  • Lockheed F-94B Starfire (1952–1953)
  • North American F-86D Sabre (1953–1957)
  • North American F-86L Sabre (1957–1958)
  • Convair F-102 Delta Dagger (1958–1959)
  • Convair F-106 Delta Dart (1959–1972)
  • Lockheed T-33 T-Bird (1974–1988)
  • McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle (1988–2010)
  • Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor (2013-Present)

Awards and Campaigns

Award streamer Award Dates Notes
Distinguished Unit Citation25 April 194395th Fighter Squadron, Italy[3]
Distinguished Unit Citation2 September 194395th Fighter Squadron, Italy[3]
Distinguished Unit Citation10 June 194495th Fighter Squadron, Ploiești, Romania[3]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1976-30 Jun 197795th Fighter Interceptor Training Squadron[8]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1977-30 June 197995th Fighter Interceptor Training Squadron[8]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1981-31 March 198395th Fighter Interceptor Training Squadron[8]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 June 1983-31 May 198595th Fighter Interceptor Training Squadron[8]
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
Air Offensive, Europe3 October 1942 – 5 June 194495th Fighter Squadron[3]
Tunisia24 December 1942 – 13 May 194395th Fighter Squadron[3]
Sicily14 May 1943 – 17 August 194395th Fighter Squadron[3]
Naples-Foggia18 August 1943 – 21 January 194495th Fighter Squadron[3]
Rome-Arno22 January 1944 – 9 September 194495th Fighter Squadron[3]
Normandy6 June 1944 – 24 July 194495th Fighter Squadron[3]
Northern France25 July 1944 – 14 September 194495th Fighter Squadron[3]
Southern France15 August 1944 – 14 September 194495th Fighter Squadron[3]
North Apennines10 September 1944 – 4 April 194595th Fighter Squadron[3]
Rhineland15 September 1944 – 21 March 194595th Fighter Squadron[3]
Central Europe22 March 1944 – 21 May 194595th Fighter Squadron[3]
Po Valley3 April 1945 – 8 May 194595th Fighter Squadron[3]
Air Combat, EAME Theater3 October 1942 – 11 May 194595th Fighter Squadron[3]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ This emblem was based on a design used by the squadron during World War II. Watkins, p. 34
  2. ↑ Note the Andrews AFB tail marking of Mr Bones in a circle
  3. ↑ When the squadron moved to Dover AFB in 1963, it assumed a new tail insignia of a blue flash with Mr Bones in a Diamond.
  4. ↑ "ADVON" refers to the Advanced Echelon

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Tyndall AFB Factsheet 95th Fighter Squadron 11/12/2013 (retrieved December 4, 2013)
  2. 1 2 3 4 Wright, Ashley M., 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs 95th Returns, New F-22 squadron reflects local, military history 10/11/2013 (retrieved December 2, 2013)
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 321
  4. ↑ Tyndall stands up new F-22 squadron - 24 total aircraft
  5. ↑ Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 147–149
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 82d Training Wing History Office, A Brief History of the 82d Flying Training Wing and Sheppard AFB (January 2012) retrieved November 15, 2013
  7. ↑ Newton & Senning, pp. 581-583
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 AFHRA Factsheet, 95 Fighter Squadron 4/1/2008 (retrieved December 1, 2013)
  9. ↑ Cornett & Johnson, p. 122
  10. 1 2 3 Cornett & Johnson, p. 121
  11. ↑ McMullen, pp. 10-12
  12. ↑ NORAD/CONAD Participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis, p. 16
  13. ↑ F-106 Delta Dart.com 95th FIS (retrieved December 4, 2013)
  14. ↑ Wright, Ashley M. (April 21, 2014). "IOC declared for 95th Fighter Squadron". 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
  15. ↑ Station number in Anderson

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Further reading

External links

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