61st Fighter Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 61st Fighter Squadron


caption= 61st Fighter Squadron Patch
dates= 15 January 1941 - 18 October 1945
1 May 1946 - 25 July 1960
30 June 1975 - 12 August 1993
1 April 1994 - Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Fighter Training
role=
size=
command_structure= Air Education and Training Command
19th Air Force
56th Fighter Wing
56th Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison= Luke Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname= Top Dogs
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders= Gabby Gabreski
Michael Ryan
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=

The 61st Fighter Squadron (61 FS) is part of the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting advanced fighter training.

Mission

History

The 61st Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) was constituted on 20 November 1940 and activated on 15 January 1941, in Savannah, Georgia, training in P-39 Aircobra and P-40 Warhawk aircraft. The 61st later moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, in May 1941 and again to Charleston, South Carolina, in December 1941, to help defend the East Coast. In November 1942, P-47 Thunderbolt dive test pilots achieved 725 mph, faster than the speed of sound. In 1944, it was recognized as the first fighter squadron in the European theater to score over 100 victories. From 1943 to 1945, the 61st produced 19 Aces, the highest of any squadron in Europe, destroying 248 aircraft in the air and 67.5 aircraft on the ground. [http://www.luke.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=5003 56 OG Fact Sheet] ] The squadron was deactivated October 1945 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey and reactivated at Selfridge Field, Michigan training in P-47's while transitioning to P-51 Mustangs. In April 1950, the 61st transitioned to the F-80 Shooting Star and later was the first squadron to fly the F-86 Sabre. The 61st was deactivated on 25 July 1960, at Truax Field, Wisconsin flying the F-102 Delta Dagger. In June 1975, the 61st was reactivated at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, flying the F-4 Phantom II. In April 1980, the flying mission changed to the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The 61st transitioned in June 1988 to flying the F-16 C/D and the squadron was deactivated in January 1994. The squadron was reactivated on 1 April 1994 at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, replacing the former 314th Fighter Squadron flying the F-16 C/D Fighting Falcon.

=Operations [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0061fs.html AFHRA 61 FS Page] ] =

*World War II

=Lineage=

*61st Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (1940 - 1942)
*61st Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (Twin Engine) (1942)
*61st Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) (1942)
*61st Fighter Squadron (1942 - 1944)
*61st Fighter Squadron, Single Engine (1944 - 1947)
*61st Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled (1947 - 1948)
*61st Fighter Squadron, Jet (1948 - 1950)
*61st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (1950 - 1975)
*61st Tactical Fighter Squadron (1975 - 1980)
*61st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (1980 - 1991)
*61st Fighter Squadron (1991 - Present)

=Assignments=

*56th Fighter Group (1941 - 1945)
*56th Fighter-Interceptor Group (1946 - 1952)
*4708th Defense Wing (1952 - 1953)
*575th Air Defense Group (1953)
*64th Air Division (1953 - 1957)
*4731st Air Defense Group (1957)
*327th Fighter Group (1957 - 1960)
*56th Fighter Wing (1975 - Present)

=Bases stationed=

*Savannah, Georgia (1941)
*Charlotte Army Air Base, North Carolina (1941)
**Deployed: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (October - November 1941)
*Charleston, South Carolina (1941 - 1942)
*Bridgeport, Connecticut (1942 - 1943)
*RAF Kings Cliffe, England (1943)
*RAF Horsham St Faith, England (1943)
*RAF Halesworth, England (1943 - 1944)
*RAF Boxted, England (1944 - 1945)
*RAF Little Walden, England (1945)
*Camp Kilmer, New Jersey (1945)
*Selfridge Field, Michigan (1946 - 1953)
*Ernest Harmon Air Force Base, Newfoundland (1953 - 1957)
*Truax Field, Wisconsin (1957 - 1960)
*MacDill Air Force Base, Florida (1975 - 1993)
*Luke Air Force Base, Arizona (1994 - Present)

=Aircraft Operated=

*P-35 (1941)
*P-36 Hawk (1941)
*P-39 Airacobra (1941 - 1942)
*P-40 Warhawk (1941 - 1942)
*P-47 Thunderbolt (1942 - 1945, 1946 - 1947)
*P-51 Mustang (1946 - 1947)
*F-80 Shooting Star (1947 - 1950)
*F-86 Sabre (1950 - 1951)
*F-94 Starfire (1951 - 1954)
*F-89 Scorpion (1954 - 1957)
*F-102 Delta Dagger (1957 - 1960)
*F-4 Phantom II (1975 - 1979)
*F-16 Fighting Falcon (1980 - 1993, 1994 - Present)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0061fs.html USAF 61st Fighter Squadron History]
* [http://www.luke.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=5003 56th Operations Group Fact Sheet]

ee also