- 25th Fighter Squadron
Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 25th Fighter Squadron
caption= 25th Fighter Squadron Patch
dates=15 January 1941 -12 December 1945
15 October 1946 -8 June 1960
20 June 1965 -31 July 1990
1 October 1993 - Present
country=United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Fighter
role=
size=
command_structure=Pacific Air Forces
7th Air Force
51st Fighter Wing
51st Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison=Osan Air Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=The 25th Fighter Squadron (25 FS) is part of the
51st Fighter Wing atOsan Air Base ,South Korea . It operates theA-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conductingclose air support missions.Mission
History
The 25th Fighter Squadron began was originally created as the 25th Pursuit Squadron and activated at Hamilton Field,
California , on15 January 1941 . By March it was assigned to the51st Pursuit Group atMarch Field , California. In July the squadron receivedP-40 Warhawk aircraft. [http://www.osan.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=6908 25 FS Fact Sheet] ]The 25th sailed to combat operations in the Pacific Theater aboard the
SS President Coolidge on11 January 1942 . The squadron was part of the first deployment of U.S. forces leaving the mainland after the declaration of war. The journey toMelbourne ,Australia , took 20 days. By late March the 25th Pursuit Squadron had arrived inKarachi ,India , and set up wartime operations.The 25th flew its first aerial combat mission over "
The Hump " on25 September 1942, flying a combat escort mission. After the squadron moved to Dinjan inAssam , India, combat activity increased. It was there that the 25th picked up the name "Assam Draggins."Operations from Dinjan were concentrated against the
Japan ese in northernBurma along the upper Chindwin andIrrawaddy River s. In February1943 the 25th Fighter Squadron was tasked to defendFort Hertz nearMyitkyina . Fort Hertz was a vital cog in air operations near "The Hump." The 25th bombed and strafed enemy troops, concentrations, supply dumps, bridges, and enemy communication lines for twelve consecutive days, but failed to slow the Japanese advance on Fort Hertz. B-25 heavy bombers were needed to halt the Japan's drive, but none were available. Lieutenant Colonel John E. Barr, the executive officer for the 51st Fighter Group, modified a P-40 to carry 1,000 poundbomb s, and by May 1943, the Japanese offensive had been halted .The 25th Fighter Squadron encountered more combat activity than any other unit within the 51st Fighter Group during the war. The squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated on
12 December 1945 . On15 October 1945, the 25th was re-activated atNaha Air Base ,Okinawa , where the squadron was assignedP-47 Thunderbolt andP-80 Shooting Star aircraft. As part of the occupation force, the 25th provided defense for theRyukyu Islands .The 25th was placed on alert when hostilities erupted in
Korea in June1950 . The unit was reassigned toItazuke Air Base ,Japan , in September, and toKimpo Air Base , Korea, by October. The Chinese counter offensive in December forced a safe retreat ofU.N. forces. The 25th flew more than 21 sorties each day that month to save the 2nd Infantry Division, which had been cut off by the enemy near Kunupre, from being overrun. Air cover was officially credited with preventing disastrous losses to the division.On
20 November 1951 , squadron pilots received their newF-86 Sabre aircraft and went to face the Chinese,North Korea n, and Soviet pilots in theirMiG-15 aircraft. Major William T. Whisner Jr. got his fifth MiG kill on23 February 1952 , becoming an Ace.When the 51st Group adopted a checkered design for its F-86 tail markings, it also received the designation "Checkertails". The red squadron colors appeared in the design. Thus, the Assam Draggins of World War II became known as the "Checkertails" of the
Korean War .After the war, the 25th was assigned to the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing at Naha Air Base, Okinawa. While there, the pilots were deployed for one week at a time to
Kadena Air Base , Okinawa. From1960 -1965 , the 25th Fighter Squadron remained in a state of suspended animation with virtually no mission and only 20 percent manning. On17 June , 1965, the unit was re-designated the 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron and assigned to the33d Tactical Fighter Wing atEglin Air Force Base ,Florida .On
31 May ,1968 , the 25th was assigned to the8th Tactical Fighter Wing and stationed at Ubon andUdorn Royal Thai Air Force Base s,Thailand , once again seeing combat in the skies ofVietnam . FlyingF-4 Phantom II aircraft, the 25th received the Presidential Unit Citation (1971 ), theRepublic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm (1967 -1973 ), and fiveAir Force Outstanding Unit Award s (1967-1973).When the Air Force began its withdrawal from Thailand, the 25th was reassigned the
18th Tactical Fighter Wing at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, where it remained until1 February 1981 . On that date, the 25th was relocated without personnel or equipment toSuwon Air Base, Republic of Korea, and assigned to the 51st Composite Wing (Tactical).On
28 January 1982 , the 25th received its firstA-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. The squadron's presence helped maintain a peaceful armistice between North and South Korea until2 October 1989 . It was during that time that the 25th began transferring aircraft to the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron and other stateside units and inactivated on1 July 1990 . On1 October 1993 , the 25th Fighter Squadron was activated under the 51st Wing at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Syd McPherson. It has since added six A-10 aircraft to its fleet, making it a dual qualified A/OA-10 squadron.
=Operations [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0025fs.html AFHRA 25 FS Page] ] =*
World War II
*Korean War
*Vietnam War
=Lineage=*25th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (1940 - 1941)
*25th Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) (1941 - 1942)
*25th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) (1942)
*25th Fighter Squadron (1942 - 1944)
*25th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine (1944 - 1947)
*25th Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled (1947 - 1948)
*25th Fighter Squadron, Jet (1948 - 1950)
*25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (1950 - 1965)
*25th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1965 - 1993)
*25th Fighter Squadron (1993 - Present)
=Assignments=*51st Fighter Group (1941 - 1945)
*51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing (1946 - 1960)
*Tactical Air Command (1965)
*33d Tactical Fighter Wing (1965 - 1968)
*8th Tactical Fighter Wing (1968 - 1974)
*432d Tactical Fighter Wing (1974 - 1975)
*3d Tactical Fighter Wing (1975)
*18th Tactical Fighter Wing (1975 - 1981)
*51st Fighter Wing (1981 - 1990, 1993 - Present)
=Bases stationed=*Hamilton Field,
California (1941)
*March Field , California (1941 - 1942)
*Karachi ,India (1942)
*Dinjan, India (1942 - 1943)
*Yunnani,China (1943 - 1945)
*Loping, China (1945)
*Fort Lewis ,Washington (1945)
*Yontan Air Base ,Okinawa (1946 - 1947)
*Naha Air Base , Okinawa (1947 - 1950)
*Itazuke Air Base ,Japan (1950)
*Kimpo Air Base ,South Korea (1950 - 1951)
*Itazuke Air Base, Japan (1951)
*Tsuiki Air Base, Japan (1951)
*Suwon Air Base, South Korea (1951 - 1954)
*Naha Air Base, Okinawa (1954 - 1960)
*Eglin Air Force Base ,Florida (1965 - 1968)
*Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base ,Thailand (1968 - 1974)
*Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base , Thailand (1974 - 1975)
*Clark Air Base ,Philippines (1975)
*Kadena Air Base , Japan (1975 - 1981)
*Suwon Air Base, South Korea (1981 - 1989)
*Osan Air Base , South Korea (1989 - 1990, 1993 - Present)
=Aircraft Operated=*P-40 Warhawk (1941 - 1945)
*P-38 Lightning (1944)
*P-51 Mustang (1944 - 1945)
*P-47 Thunderbolt (1946 - 1947)
*F-80 Shooting Star (1947 - 1951)
*F-86 Sabre (1951 - 1960)
*F-4 Phantom II (1965 - 1980)
*A-10 Thunderbolt II (1982 - 1989, 1993 - Present)References
Notes
Bibliography
* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0025fs.html 25th Fighter Squadron History]
* [http://www.osan.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=6908 25th Fighter Squadron Fact Sheet]ee also
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