494th Fighter Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 494th Fighter Squadron


caption= 494th Fighter Squadron Patch
dates= 15 January 1941 - 7 November 1945
10 July 1952 - Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Fighter
role=
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command_structure= United States Air Forces in Europe
3d Air Force
48th Fighter Wing
48th Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison= RAF Lakenheath
ceremonial_chief=
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nickname=
patron=
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The 494th Fighter Squadron (494 FS) is part of the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England. It is a combat-ready F-15E Strike Eagle squadron capable of executing strategic attack, interdiction, and counter air missions in support of United States Air Forces in Europe, United States European Command, and NATO operations. It employs the full array of air superiority and surface attack munitions to include the most advanced precision-guided weapons in the USAF inventory. The squadron is capable of deploying to any theater of operations in the world. [http://www.lakenheath.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4212 48 OG Fact Sheet] ]

Mission

History

The 494th flew antisubmarine patrols from, March–April 1942 and conducted replacement training through 1943. It flew combat missions in the European Theater of Operations from, 20 April 1944–4 May 1945. The 494th also participated in the air raid on Tripoli, Libya on 14 and 15 April 1986. It flew combat missions in Southwest Asia from, January–February 1991. [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0494fs.html AFHRA 494 FS Page] ]

=Operations=

*World War II
*Operation El Dorado Canyon
*Operation Desert Storm

=Lineage=

*57th Bombardment Squadron (Light) (1940 - 1942)
*57th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) (1942 - 1943)
*494th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (1943 - 1944)
*494th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine (1944 - 1952)
*494th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (1952 - 1958)
*494th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1958 - 1991)
*494th Fighter Squadron (1991 - Present)

=Assignments=

*48th Fighter Group (1941 - 1945)
*48th Fighter Wing (1952 - Present)
**Attached: 7440th Composite Wing (September - December 1991)

=Bases stationed=

*Savannah, Georgia (1941, 1942)
*Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma (1941 - 1942)
*Key Field, Mississippi (1942 - 1943)
*William Northern Field, Tennessee (1943 - 1944)
*Walterboro Army Air Field] , South Carolina (1944)
*RAF Ibsley, England (1944)
*Deux-Jumeaux, France (1944)
*Vélizy-Villacoublay, France (1944)
*Cambrai, France (1944)
*Sint-Truiden, Belgium (1944 - 1945)
*Kelz, Germany (1945)
*Kassel, Germany (1945)
*Illesheim, Germany (1945)
*Laon, France (1945)
*Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina (1945)
*Chaumont Air Base, France (1952 - 1960)
*RAF Lakenheath, England (1960 - Present)
**Deployed: Ta’if, Saudi Arabia (2 September 1990 - 15 March 1991)
**Deployed: Incirlik Air Base, Turkey (September - December 1991)

=Aircraft Operated=

*A-18 Shrike (1941)
*A-20 Havoc (1941 - 1942)
*A-35 Vengeance (1942 - 1943)
*P-40 Warhawk (1943)
*P-39 Airacobra (1943 - 1944)
*P-47 Thunderbolt (1944 - 1945)
*F-84 Thunderjet (1952 - 1954)
*F-86 Sabre (1953 - 1956)
*F-100 Super Sabre (1956 - 1972)
*F-4 Phantom II (1974 - 1977)
*F-111 Aardvark (1977 - 1992)
*F-15E Strike Eagle (1992 - Present)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0494fs.html 494th Fighter Squadron History]
* [http://www.lakenheath.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4212 48th Operations Group Fact Sheet]

Also See