- 60th Fighter Squadron
Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 60th Fighter Squadron
caption= 60th Fighter Squadron Patch
dates=15 January 1941 -8 December 1945
20 August 1946 -30 April 1971
1 September 1971 - Present
country=United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Fighter
role=
size=
command_structure=Air Combat Command
9th Air Force
33d Fighter Wing
33d Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison=Eglin Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname= Fighting Crows
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=Daniel James, Jr.
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=The 60th Fighter Squadron (60 FS) is part of the
33d Fighter Wing atEglin Air Force Base ,Florida . It operates theF-15 Eagle aircraft conducting air superiority missions.Mission
History
Activated in
1940 atMitchell Field ,New York as the 60th Pursuit Squadron, the unit was attached to the33d Pursuit Group on15 January 1941 . Re-designated as the 60th Fighter Squadron "Fighting Crows" on15 May 1942 , the unit was responsible for the continual mission of air defense of the United States until October 1942. In late 1942, the 60th joined the United States' effort inWorld War II by participating in combat operations in theMediterranean Theater and the China-Burma-India Theater. As a result of superior performance in centralTunisia , the 60th earned theDistinguished Unit Citation for combat operations on15 January 1944 . [http://www.33fw.acc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4386 60 FS Fact Sheet] ]Following its service in World War II, the 60th was assigned to the 33d Fighter Group at
Neubiberg Air Base ,Germany in August1946 and flew theP-51 Mustang . In1947 , the 60th transferred to Roswell,New Mexico and soon afterward, in June1948 , converted to theF-84 Thunderjet . In November 1948, the 60th transferred toOtis Air Force Base ,Massachusetts and by June of the following year had completed a conversion to the newF-86 Sabre . On9 August 1950 , the 60th moved toWestover Air Force Base , Massachusetts and on1 January 1951 became part of theAir Defense Command . From1952 -1959 , the 60th, flying the F-86 Sabre and theF-94 Starfire was assigned to various organizations including, the 4707th Defense Wing, 4735th Air Defense Group and the Boston Air Defense Sector all located at Otis Air Force Base. On5 January 1959, the 60th was the first Air Defense squadron to receive the newF-101 Voodoo aircraft. The unit was additionally tasked as part of the joint test force (teamed with members atEglin Air Force Base ,Florida ) to test the F-101's operational capabilities prior to its entrance into active service.During the 1960s the 60th participated in various tests, exercises, and operations in the Air Defense Command. In October and November of
1962 , the unit was placed on alert during theCuban Missile Crisis , but was never deployed. The 60th deactivated on30 April 1971 and in September of the same year was reactivated at Eglin Air Force Base as the 60th Tactical Fighter Squadron. In1979 the unit participated in the "Kadena Ready Eagle" program in which the members of the 60th trained new F-15 pilots stationed atKadena Air Base ,Japan .The 60th made its first combat deployment since World War II when it sent ten F-15s to
Grenada in support ofOperation Urgent Fury , the rescue of American medical students held in Grenada in the mid-1980s. The unit continued to train and until it was called upon to fly support missions forOperation Just Cause (the removal of Panamanian dictatorManuel Noriega fromPanama in the early 1990s).Currently, the 60th Fighter Squadron operates the F-15 Eagle and continues to support the various
combatant commander s by providing air superiority on call.
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