79th Fighter Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 79th Fighter Squadron


caption= 79th Fighter Squadron Patch
dates= 22 February 1918 - 15 November 1918
1 April 1933 - 18 October 1945
29 July 1946 - 30 June 1993
1 January 1994 - Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Fighter
role=
size=
command_structure= Air Combat Command
9th Air Force
20th Fighter Wing
20th Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison= Shaw Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles= Battle of Normandy
notable_commanders= James Ferguson
James E. Hill
John G. Lorber
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=

The 79th Fighter Squadron (79 FS) is part of the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting air superiority missions.

Mission

History

The 79th Fighter Squadron traces its history back to February 1918, when it was first organized as the 79th Aero Squadron. The unit inactivated from November 1918 until April 1933, when it became the 79th Pursuit Squadron, flying the Boeing P-12 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana From 1940 to 1942, the squadron trained combat pilots and flew the P-40 Warhawk from bases on the east coast. [http://www.shaw.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3470 79 FS Fact Sheet] ]

In 1943, the 79th converted to the P-38 Lightning, flying out of Northamptonshire, England, performing duty as bomber escorts and conducting fighter sweeps over Germany. The 79th remained at English bases throughout the war, supporting both the Normandy invasion and the allied drive into Germany. The squadron returned to the states and was inactivated on 19 October 1945.

The 79th was again brought to active service on 29 July 1946, at Biggs Field, Texas. The unit moved to Shaw Field, South Carolina, in October 1946. The squadron moved again to Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, in November 1951, and in June 1952, trained to support NATO ground forces in conventional and nuclear roles. The next change came in 1970, when the squadron transitioned to the F-111 Aardvark and moved to RAF Upper Heyford, England. The 79th received the Commander in Chief’s Trophy in 1981, as the best tactical fighter squadron in U.S. Air Forces in Europe. From 1990 to 1991, the 79th deployed to Southwest Asia to support Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. On 30 June 1993 the squadron inactivated. On 1 January 1994, it was reactivated at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, transitioning to the F-16 Fighting Falcon and assuming the mission of suppression of enemy air defenses. Since that time, the 79th has continuously supported Operations Northern and Southern Watch in Southwest Asia.

In December 1998, the 79th took an active part in Operation Desert Fox in conjunction with Operation Southern Watch demands. The squadron flew more than 1,000 successful combat sorties with these dual operational requirements. In January 1999, the 79th Fighter Squadron was awarded the South Carolina Air Force Association’s Outstanding Air Force Unit of the Year award. Also in 1999, the squadron was honored with Air Combat Command’s Maintenance Effectiveness Award. In June 1999, the 79th deployed F-16CJs in support of Operation Allied Force to a bare base in Southwest Asia.

=Operations [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0079fs.html AFHRA 79 FS Page] ] =

*World War II
*Operation Desert Shield
*Operation Desert Storm
*Operation Northern Watch
*Operation Southern Watch
*Operation Desert Fox
*Operation Allied Force

=Lineage=

*79th Aero Squadron (1918)
*79th Squadron B, Taliaferro Field (1918 - 1927)
*79th Observation Squadron (1927 - 1929)
*79th Pursuit Squadron (1929 - 1939)
*79th Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) (1939 - 1941)
*79th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (1941 - 1942)
*79th Fighter Squadron (1942)
*79th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) (1942 - 1943)
*79th Fighter Squadron, Twin Engine (1943 - 1944)
*79th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine (1944 - 1948)
*79th Fighter Squadron, Jet (1948 - 1950)
*79th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (1950 - 1958)
*79th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1958 - 1991)
*79th Fighter Squadron (1991 - Present)

=Assignments=

*20th Fighter Group (1933 - 1945)
*20th Fighter Wing (1946 - 1993, 1994 - Present)
**Attached: 39th Tactical Group (23 October 1990 - 28 February 1991)

=Bases stationed=

*Waco, Texas (1918)
*Taliaferro Field, Texas (1918)
*Barksdale Field, Louisiana (1933 - 1939)
*Moffett Field, California (1939 - 1940)
*Hamilton Field, California (1940 - 1942)
**Operated From: Oakland, California (8 December 1941 - 8 February 1942)
*Wilmington, North Carolina (1942)
*Morris Field, North Carolina (1942)
*Paine Field, Washington (1942 - 1943)
*March Field, California (1943)
*RAF Kings Cliffe, England (1943 - 1945)
*Camp Kilmer, New Jersey (1945)
*Biggs Field, Texas (1946)
*Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina (1946 - 1951)
*Langley Air Force Base, Virginia (1951 - 1952)
*RAF Woodbridge, England (1952 - 1970)
*RAF Upper Heyford, England (1970 - 1993)
**Deployed: Incirlik Air Base, Turkey (23 October 1990 - 28 February 1991)
*Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina (1994 - Present)

=Aircraft Operated=

*JN-4 Jenny (1918)
*JN-6 (1918)
*S-4 (1918)
*P-12 (1933 - 1935)
*P-26 Peashooter (1935 - 1938)
*P-36 Hawk (1938 - 1940)
*P-40 Warhawk (1940 - 1942)
*P-39 Airacobra (1942 - 1943)
*P-38 Lightning (1943 - 1944)
*P-51 Mustang (1944 - 1945, 1946 - 1948)
*F-84 Thunderjet (1948 - 1957)
*F-100 Super Sabre (1957 - 1970)
*F-111 Aardvark (1970 - 1993)
*F-16 Fighting Falcon (1994 - Present)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0079fs.html USAF 79th Fighter Squadron History]
* [http://www.shaw.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3470 79th Fighter Squadron Fact Sheet]

ee also