95th Fighter Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 95th Fighter Squadron


caption= 95th Fighter Squadron Patch
dates= 9 February 1942 - 9 September 1945
12 April 1947 - 2 October 1949
1 November 1952 - 31 January 1973
1 September 1974 - 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
325th Fighter Wing
325th Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison= Tyndall Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname= Boneheads
patron=
motto= Death with Finesse
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles= Operation Tidal Wave
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=

The 95th Fighter Squadron (95 FS) is part of the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. It conducts advanced fighter training for the F-15 Eagle aircraft.

Mission

History

The squadron first saw service flying the original twin-tailed fighter, the P-38 Lightning, serving in both North Africa and Italy. The 95th participated in the attacks on the Ploesti oil refineries. Each aircraft carried a 1,000-pound bomb and a 300-gallon gas tank. In May 1943, the 95th was tasked with bombing Pantellaria, supporting the Allied invasion of Sicily. In part due to the squadron's efforts the garrison surrender just prior to the Allies landing on the island. The squadron also took part in some of the first shuttle missions to Russia. At the end of World War II, the 95th tallied more than 400 total victories including 199 air-to-air kills and seven aces. [http://www.tyndall.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4862 95 FS Fact Sheet] ]

During the post-war period, the squadron was assigned to the Alaskan Air Command, flying the P-51 Mustang. In the fall of 1959, the 95th was tasked with defending Washington, D.C., and the surrounding area. With the initiation of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the threat of manned bomber attacks, the 95th was assigned to 24-hour alert status. Armed with F-106 Delta Dart aircraft, the squadron could be called to action and within minutes, be airborne fully loaded and armed with nuclear missiles.

The present squadron was activated at Tyndall Air Force Base on 15 August 1974, as the 95th Interceptor Training Squadron. During the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington D.C., the 95th Fighter Squadron generated combat-configured F-15 Eagles and flew combat air patrol missions over cities in the southeastern United States.

The 95th currently provides air dominance training at Tyndall AFB.

=Operations [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0095fs.html AFHRA 95 FS Page] ] =

*World War II
*Operation Noble Eagle

=Lineage=

*95th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (1942)
*95th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (Twin Engine) (1942)
*95th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) (1942 - 1944)
*95th Fighter Squadron, Two Engine (1944 - 1947)
*95th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine (1947 - 1952)
*95th Fighter-Interceptor Training Squadron (1974 - 1988)
*95th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (1988 - 1991)
*95th Fighter Squadron (1991 - Present)

=Assignments=

*82d Fighter Group (1942 - 1945, 1947 - 1949)
*4710th Air Defense Wing (1952 - 1956)
*85th Air Division (1956 - 1958)
*Washington Air Defense Sector (1958 - 1963)
*New York Air Defense Sector (1963 - 1966)
*21st Air Division (1966 - 1969)
**Attached: 5th Air Force ADVON (15 November 1969 - c. 1 May 1970)
*20th Air Division (1969 - 1973)
*Air Defense Weapons Center (1974 - 1981)
*325th Fighter Wing (1981 - Present)

=Bases stationed=

*Harding Field, Louisiana (1942)
*Muroc Lake, California (1942)
*Mines Field, California (1942)
*RAF Eglington, Northern Ireland (1942)
*Tafaroui, Algeria (1942 - 1943)
*Telergma, Algeria (1943)
*Berteaux, Algeria (1943)
*Souk-el-Arba, Algeria (1943)
*Grombalia, Tunisia (1943)
*San Pancrazio, Italy (1943)
*Lecce, Italy (1943 - 1944)
*Vincenzo, Italy (1944 - 1945)
*Lesina, Italy (1945)
*Grenier Air Force Base, New Hampshire (1947 - 1949)
**Deployed: Ladd Air Force Base, Alaska (4 April - 29 June 1948)
*Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland (1952 - 1963)
*Dover Air Force Base, Delaware (1963 - 1973)
**Deployed: Osan Air Base, South Korea (15 November 1969 - c. 1 May 1970)
*Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida (1974 - Present)

=Aircraft Operated=

*P-38 Lightning (1942 - 1945)
*F-51 Mustang (1947 - 1949)
*F-94 Starfire (1952 - 1953)
*F-86 Sabre (1953 - 1958)
*F-102 Delta Dagger (1958 - 1959)
*F-106 Delta Dart (1959 - 1972)
*T-33 Shooting Star (1974 - 1988)
*F-15 Eagle (1988 - Present)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0095fs.html USAF 95th Fighter Squadron History]
* [http://www.tyndall.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4862 95th Fighter Squadron Fact Sheet]

Also See