The 31st Combat Training Squadron is an active

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

unit. It is currently assigned to the

Nevada Test and Training Range The Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) is one of two military training areas at the Nellis Air Force Base Complex in Nevada and used by the United States Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base. The NTTR land area includes a "simu ...

Nellis Air Force Base Nellis Air Force Base ("Nellis" colloq.) is a United States Air Force installation in southern Nevada. Nellis hosts air combat exercises such as Exercise Red Flag and close air support exercises such as Green Flag-West flown in " Military ...

, Nevada. The squadron was first activated as the 31st Pursuit Squadron for the air defense of the

Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit ...

shortly before the United States entered

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. It served in this role until 1944 when the reduced threat to the canal and the Caribbean permitted its transfer to the United States, where it was inactivated. The squadron was reactivated a few months later as an element of the

412th Fighter Group 41 may refer to: * 41 (number) * one of the years 41 BC, AD 41, 1941, 2041 Art and entertainment * ''41'' (film), a 2007 documentary about Nicholas O'Neill, the youngest victim of the Station nightclub fire * ''41'', a 2012 film by Glenn Triggs * ...

, the first

Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

unit equipped with jet

fighters Fighter(s) or The Fighter(s) may refer to: Combat and warfare * Combatant, an individual legally entitled to engage in hostilities during an international armed conflict * Fighter aircraft, a warplane designed to destroy or damage enemy warplan ...

. It was inactivated in 1946 when the 412th group and its squadrons were replaced by elements of the

1st Fighter Group 001, O01, or OO1 may refer to: *1 (number), a number, a numeral *001, fictional British agent, see 00 Agent *001, former emergency telephone number for the Norwegian fire brigade (until 1986) *AM-RB 001, the code-name for the Aston Martin Valkyrie ...

. In 1953, the squadron was activated as the 31st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, an

air defense Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...

unit in the Pacific northwest. It was inactivated two years later in a major realignment of

Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was est ...

fighter unit designations. It was again active in the air defense role from 1956 to 1958 in Michigan and Alaska. It became a training unit in 1969, first training

tactical reconnaissance Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance for a military or strategic purpose that is conducted using reconnaissance aircraft. The role of reconnaissance can fulfil a variety of requirements including artillery spotting, the collection of ima ...

aircrews on the

McDonnell RF-4C Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American Tandem#Aviation, tandem two-seat, twinjet, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic aircraft, supersonic jet interceptor aircraft, interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed ...

from 1969 to 1971 as the 31st Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron'', then acting as the "schoolhouse" for F-4 aircrews from 1982 to 1988. A ceremony activating the 31st Combat Training Squadron (Virtual Test and Training Center) was held on 9 April 2021, at Nellis Air Force Base.

Mission

The

squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, de ...

operates the Virtual Test and Training Center, a multi-domain, advanced training, tactics, and testing campus, supporting the

USAF Weapons School The USAF Weapons School is a unit of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force, assigned to the 57th Wing and Space Delta 1. It is located at Nellis AFB, Nevada. Mission The mission of the USAF Weapons School is to teach gradua ...

. It supports operational test, combatant command

exercises Exercise is a body activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovascular system, hone athletic s ...

, and colored flag exercises. The mission of the 31st is to enhance, sustain, and operate a synthetic environment to optimize warfighting capabilities and ready

aircrew Aircrew, also called flight crew, are personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of a flight's crew depends on the type of aircraft, plus the flight's duration and purpose. Commercial aviation Flight deck positions ...

History

World War II

Defense of the Panama Canal

31st Pursuit Squadron Curtiss P-40C 41-13468

The squadron was constituted in 1939 as the 31st Pursuit Squadron and activated on 1 February 1940 at

Albrook Field Albrook Air Force Station is a former United States Air Force facility in Panama. It was closed on 30 September 1997 as a result of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties which specified that United States military facilities in the former Panama Canal Zon ...

Panama Canal Zone The Panama Canal Zone ( es, Zona del Canal de Panamá), also simply known as the Canal Zone, was an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the Isthmus of Panama, that existed from 1903 to 1979. It was located within the terr ...

as one of the original squadrons of the 37th Pursuit Group.Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 137–138 The unit was part of the build-up of the Canal Zone's defenses as war approached. It was initially equipped with a mixture of second-line pursuit aircraft, including

Boeing P-26A Peashooter The Boeing P-26 "Peashooter" was the first American production all-metal fighter aircraft and the first pursuit monoplane to enter squadron service with the United States Army Air Corps. Designed and built by Boeing, the prototype first flew in ...

s, Northrup A-17 Nomads, and some North American BC-1s. The mission of the squadron was air defense of the

. In July 1941, the Squadron started re-equipping with new

Curtiss P-40 Warhawk The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time an ...

s. The Squadron was briefly moved to

Rio Hato Field Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...

on 5 October 1940 and, following a month there, returned to Albrook on 13 November, where it remained until 24 November 1941. After the Japanese

Attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...

, the Squadron was moved to

La Chorrera Army Airfield La Chorrera Army Airfield is a former United States Army Air Forces World War II air base on Panama. It was a sub-base of Albrook Field and later Howard Field which used for dispersal and overflow units as part of the defense of the Panama Canal. ...

where it shared the field with the

30th Pursuit Squadron 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...

. The unit operated as an element of the Panama Interceptor Command. On 15 May 1942, the squadron's designation was changed to 31st Fighter Squadron. In September 1942, the unit moved from Albrook to

Howard Field Howard is an English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defender; chief guardian". It is also probabl ...

and started to convert to

Bell P-39 Airacobra The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by the ...

s. In December, "E" Flight was moved to San Jose Airport, Costa Rica where it was almost immediately reassigned to the

53d Fighter Squadron The 53rd Fighter Squadron (53 FS) is an active unit of the United States Air Force, stationed at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Assigned to the 495th Fighter Group, the squadron was last activated on 10 December 2021, as an associate unit to th ...

. The unit served out the remainder of its Panama tour at several airfields until April 1944, and was moved to the United States as

Sixth Air Force Sixth is the ordinal form of the number six. * The Sixth Amendment, to the U.S. Constitution * A keg of beer, equal to 5 U.S. gallons or barrel * The fraction Music * Sixth interval (music)s: ** major sixth, a musical interval ** minor sixth ...

eliminated or transferred combat units in view of the reduced threat to the Panama Canal and Caribbean. The squadron was to become a single-engine fighter Replacement Training Unit for

Second Air Force The Second Air Force (2 AF; ''2d Air Force'' in 1942) is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and non-flying officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defended ...

Lincoln Army Air Field Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincoln ...

, Nebraska, but it was inactivated seven weeks after it arrived at Lincoln.

First Jet Fighters

The squadron was activated once again as part of the

, which was located at

Muroc Army Air Field Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in California. Most of the base sits in Kern County, but its eastern end is in San Bernardino County and a southern arm is in Los Angeles County. The hub of the base is Ed ...

, California in August 1944. It became a testing unit for the

Bell P-59 Airacomet The Bell P-59 Airacomet was a single-seat, twin jet-engine fighter aircraft that was designed and built by Bell Aircraft during World War II, the first produced in the United States. As the British were further along in jet engine developme ...

and

Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first Jet aircraft, jet fighter aircraft, fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed in 1943 and del ...

jet aircraft under

Fourth Air Force The Fourth Air Force (4 AF) is a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California. 4 AF directs the activities and supervises the training of more than 30,000 Air Force Reser ...

. The squadron served in a training role for transitioning pilots from piston-engine to jet engine fighters. The squadron provided

pilots and ground crews with valuable data about the difficulties and pitfalls involved in converting to jet aircraft. This information proved quite useful when more advanced jet fighters finally became available in quantity. The squadron was inactivated in July 1946 and its mission, personnel, and equipment were transferred to the

71st Fighter Squadron 020 is the national dialling code for London in the United Kingdom. All subscriber numbers within the area code consist of eight digits and it has capacity for approaching 100 million telephone numbers. The code is used at 170 telephone exch ...

as the AAF replaced the 412th with the

Air Defense

31st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron North American F-86D-45-NA Sabre 52-3922 1955

The squadron was reactivated as the 31st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, an element

Larson Air Force Base Larson Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located five miles (8 km) northwest of the central business district (CBD) of Moses Lake, in Grant County, Washington. After its closure in 1966, the airport facility became G ...

, Washington in early 1953 and assigned to the

4702d Defense Wing The 4702nd Defense Wing (Def Wg) is a discontinued wing of the United States Air Force, last assigned to the 25th Air Division at Geiger Field, Washington. It was established in 1952 at Hamilton AFB, California in a general reorganization of Air De ...

. At Larson the squadron was equipped with Mighty Mouse rocket armed and airborne intercept

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...

equipped

North American F-86D Sabre The North American F-86D/K/L Sabre (initially known as the YF-95 and widely known informally as the "Sabre Dog",) was an American transonic jet fighter aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force in the late 1940s, it was an interceptor ...

interceptors.Cornett & Johnson, p. 118 The squadron was engaged in the

of the

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...

. In the summer of 1955 ADC implemented Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars and associate them with their traditional headquarters.Buss, ''et al''., p.6 As a result, the mission, personnel and equipment of the 31st were transferred to the 322d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron IAW ADC "Project Arrow". 31st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron - Convair F-102A-80-CO Delta Dagger - 56-1440

31st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron - Convair F-102A-80-CO Delta Dagger - 56-1440

The squadron was again reactivated in 1956 at

Wurtsmith Air Force Base Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in Iosco County, Michigan. It operated from 1923 until decommissioned in 1993. On January 18, 1994 it was listed as a Superfund due to extensive groundwater contaminatio ...

, Michigan and equipped with supersonic

Convair F-102 Delta Dagger The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was an American interceptor aircraft designed and manufactured by Convair. Built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s, it entered service in 1956. Its main purpos ...

s armed with the

AIM-4 Falcon The Hughes AIM-4 Falcon was the first operational guided air-to-air missile of the United States Air Force. Development began in 1946; the weapon was first tested in 1949. The missile entered service with the USAF in 1956. Produced in both heat ...

missile. The following year it moved to

Elmendorf Air Force Base Elmendorf Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) facility in Anchorage, Alaska. Originally known as Elmendorf Field, it became Elmendorf Air Force Base after World War II. It is the home of the Headquarters, Alaskan Air Command (AL ...

, Alaska Territory where it performed intercepts of intruding aircraft as part of

Alaskan Air Command Alaskan Air Command (AAC) is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command originally established in 1942 under the United States Army Air Forces. Its mission was to organize and administer the air defense system of Alaska, exercise direct ...

, arriving in Alaska. The squadron was inactivated in October 1958 and its aircraft were reassigned to the

317th Fighter Interceptor Squadron The 317th Fighter Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit, last assigned to Aerospace Defense Command, at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, where it was inactivated on 31 December 1969. The squadron was first activated a ...

Training

The 31st was redesignated as the 31st Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron and reactivated under

Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...

(TAC) at

Shaw Air Force Base Shaw Air Force Base (Shaw AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located approximately west-northwest of downtown Sumter, South Carolina. It is one of the largest military bases operated by the United States, and is under the jurisdict ...

, South Carolina in 1969, where it assumed the mission, personnel and equipment of 4414th Combat Crew Training Squadron, which was discontinued.Mueller, p. 533 This was part of TAC's program to replace its Major Command controlled (MAJCON)units with USAF controlled (AFCON) units that were able to carry a permanent lineage and history.MAJCON units could not carry a permanent history or lineage. Ravenstein, p. 12. The squadron conducted

RF-4C Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bow ...

training for

aircrews. The squadron was inactivated in 1971 due to reduced training requirements, and its aircraft assigned to the

33d Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron The 33rd Special Operations Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 27th Special Operations Group at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. The squadron operates the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper. The unit is one of the oldest squ ...

. In 1982, the squadron became the 31st Tactical Training Squadron and was activated at

Homestead Air Force Base Homestead Air Reserve Base (Homestead ARB), previously known as Homestead Air Force Base (Homestead AFB) is located in Miami–Dade County, Florida to the northeast of the city of Homestead. It is home to the 482nd Fighter Wing (482 FW) of th ...

, Florida. In 1988, the

31st Tactical Fighter Wing The 31st Fighter Wing (31 FW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe major command and the Third Air Force. It is stationed at Aviano Air Base, Italy, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) base ...

's mission switched from training to readiness as a fighter unit and the squadron was inactivated. In April 2021, the squadron became the 31st Combat Training Squadron and was activated at

, Nevada.

Lineage

* Constituted as the 31st Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 22 December 1939 : Activated on 1 February 1940 : Redesignated 31st Fighter Squadron (Single Engine) on 15 May 1942 : Inactivated on 25 May 1944 * Activated on 19 August 1944 : Inactivated on 3 July 1946 * Redesignated 31st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 11 February 1953 : Activated on 20 April 1953 : Inactivated on 18 August 1955 * Activated on 8 June 1956 : Inactivated on 8 October 1958Lineage, including assignments, stations, and aircraft through March 1963 in Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 33 * Redesignated 31st Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron on 18 August 1969AFOMO letter 176p, Subject: Activation of Certain Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadrons, 18 August 1969 : Organized on 15 October 1969 : Inactivated on 18 February 1971DAF MPM Letter 425q, Subject: Organization Actions Affecting Certain Tactical Air Command Units, 18 February 1971 * Redesignated 31st Tactical Training Squadron on 20 April 1982 : Activated on 1 May 1982 : Inactivated on 9 May 1988Tactical Air Command Special Order GB-32, 24 June 1988 * Redesignated 31st Combat Training Squadron : Activated on 9 April 2021

Assignments

37th Pursuit Group 37th may refer to: *37th (Howitzer) Brigade Royal Field Artillery, a brigade of the Royal Field Artillery which served in the First World War *37th (North Hampshire) Regiment of Foot, raised in Ireland in February 1702 *37th (Northern Ontario) Batt ...

, 1 February 1940 (later 37th Fighter Group) *

XXVI Fighter Command The XXVI Fighter Command was a formation of the United States Army Air Forces. It was assigned to Sixth Air Force throughout its existence. It was based at Albrook Field, Panama Canal Zone, where it was inactivated on 25 August 1946. It engage ...

, 1 November 1943 * Second Air Force, 8 April – 25 May 1944 *

, 19 August 1944 – 3 July 1946 *

, 20 April 1953 * 9th Air Division, 8 October 1954 – 18 August 1955 * 412th Fighter Group, 8 June 1956 *

10th Air Division "The 10th Air Division assumed responsibility for the air defense of Alaska south of the Alaskan Range on 1 November 1950. Subordinate units flew numerous interception and training missions. Between June 1957 and March 1960, the division operated ...

, 20 August 1957 – 8 October 1958 *

363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing The 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing (363 ISRW) is a United States Air Force unit. The group is assigned to the United States Air Force Sixteenth Air Force, stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. The mission ...

, 16 October 1969 – 18 February 1971 * 31st Tactical Training Wing (later 31st Tactical Fighter Wing), 1 May 1982 – 9 May 1988 *

, 9 April 2021 – present

Stations

* Albrook Field, Panama Canal Zone, 1 February 1940 * Rio Hato Field, Panama, 5 October 1940 * Albrook Field, Panama Canal Zone, 13 November 1940 *

, Panama, 9 December 1941 * Albrook Field, Panama Canal Zone, 23 December 1941 * La Chorrera Army Airfield, Panama, 3 February 1942 * Albrook Field, Panama Canal Zone, 19 May 1942 *

, Panama Canal Zone, 30 September 1942 – 25 March 1944 * Lincoln Army Air Field, Nebraska, 8 April – 25 May 1944 * Palmdale Army Air Field, California, 19 August 1944 *

Santa Maria Army Air Field Santa Maria Public Airport (Capt. G. Allan Hancock Field) is three miles (5 km) south of Santa Maria, in northern Santa Barbara County, California, United States. History The airport was built by the United States Army during World War ...

, California, 10 July 1945 *

March Field March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of Ma ...

, California, 6 December 1945 – 3 July 1946 * Larson Air Force Base, Washington, 20 April 1953 – 18 August 1955 * Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, 8 June 1956 * Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, 20 August 1957 – 8 October 1958 * Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, 16 October 1969 – 18 February 1971 *

, Florida, 1 May 1982 – 9 May 1988 * Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, c. 9 April 2021 – present

Aircraft

* Boeing P-26 Peashooter, 1940–1942 * Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, 1941–1944 *

, 1942–1944 * Curtiss A-25 Helldiver, 1944 *

Lockheed P-38 Lightning The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinctive twi ...

, 1944 *

Douglas A-24 Banshee The Douglas SBD Dauntless is a World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber that was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft from 1940 through 1944. The SBD ("Scout Bomber Douglas") was the United States Navy's main carrier-based scout/dive ...

, 1944–1945 *

Bell P-63 Kingcobra The Bell P-63 Kingcobra is an American fighter aircraft that was developed by Bell Aircraft during World War II. Based on the preceding Bell P-39 Airacobra, the P-63's design incorporated suggestions from P-39 pilots and was superior to its pr ...

, 1944–1945 * YP/P-59A Airacomet, 1944–1945 * XP-80 Shooting Star, 1944–1945 *

North American P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter aircraft, fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team ...

, 1945–1946 * Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, 1945–1946 * North American F-86D Sabre, 1953–1955 * Convair F-102 Delta Dagger, 1956–1958 * McDonnell RF-4C Phantom II, 1969-1971

References

Notes

; Explanatory notes ; Citations

Bibliography

* Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, 1956 * * * * *

External links

{{USAAF 6th Air Force World War II 031 Military units and formations established in 1982