90th Tactical Fighter Squadron
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The 90th Fighter Squadron is a squadron of the
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 Si ...
. It is assigned to the
3d Operations Group The 3rd Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 3rd Wing. It is stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, Alaska, and is assigned to Pacific Air Forces' Eleventh Air Force. The group is a com ...
, 3d Wing, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska,
Pacific Air Forces Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (f ...
. The squadron is equipped with the
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fighter. The 90 FS is one of the oldest units in the United States Air Force, first being organized as the 90th Aero Squadron on 20 August 1917 at
Kelly Field Kelly Field (formerly Kelly Air Force Base) is a Joint-Use facility located in San Antonio, Texas. It was originally named after George E. M. Kelly, the first member of the U.S. military killed in the crash of an airplane he was piloting. In ...
, Texas. The squadron deployed to France and fought on the
Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers * Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a maj ...
during World War I as a Corps observation squadron.Gorrell During World War II, the unit earned the
Distinguished Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enem ...
and the Presidential Unit Citation for its services in the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) as part of
Fifth Air Force The Fifth Air Force (5 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is the U.S. Air Force's oldest continuously serving Numbered Air Force. The organizat ...
. During the
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because t ...
the squadron fought in the
Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...
and
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
.Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons''


Mission

The 90th Fighter Squadron trains in the fighter missions of offensive counter-air (OCA), defensive counter-air (DCA) and suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), as well as strategic attack and interdiction.


History


World War I

: ''see
90th Aero Squadron The 90th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the III Co ...
for an expanded history of World War I operations'' The 90th Fighter Squadron origins begin with Special Order 104, Headquarters
Kelly Field Kelly Field (formerly Kelly Air Force Base) is a Joint-Use facility located in San Antonio, Texas. It was originally named after George E. M. Kelly, the first member of the U.S. military killed in the crash of an airplane he was piloting. In ...
, San Antonio, Texas, on 25 September 1917. The men in it were largely from two detachments; one from
Vancouver Barracks Established in 1849, the Vancouver Barracks was the first U.S. Army base located in the Pacific Northwest. Built on a rise 20 feet (6 m) above the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) trading station Fort Vancouver. Its buildings were formed in a line adjac ...
, Washington, which arrived at Kelly Field on 18 August; another from
Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., and the oldest perma ...
, Kansas, which arrived on 25 August. Both of these detachments had been held from the date of their arrival until 25 September under Recruit Camp Headquarters as a Provisional Squadron. The first few months of its existence were consumed by the necessary training to prepare the men for operations in France during
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
. On 30 September, the squadron left Kelly Field for the Aviation Concentration Center,
Camp Mills Camp Albert L. Mills (Camp Mills) was a military installation on Long Island, New York. It was located about ten miles from the eastern boundary of New York City on the Hempstead Plains within what is now the village of Garden City. In September ...
, Garden City, New York, Long Island, where it arrived five days later. On the night of 5 October the squadron detrained, and early next morning hiked out to Field No. 2 of the Aviation Concentration Center (
Hazelhurst Field Roosevelt Field is a former airport, located east-southeast of Mineola, Long Island, New York. Originally called the Hempstead Plains Aerodrome, or sometimes Hempstead Plains field or the Garden City Aerodrome, it was a training field (Hazel ...
), where they were quartered with the Headquarters of the First Provisional Wing in Barracks No. 5. Here they stayed for several weeks performing guard duty and fatigue work, and carrying on the work of organization, equipment and preparation for overseas duty.Carver, ''et al''. On 26 October, orders were received to pack up equipment and to prepare for immediate overseas departure. The following day the squadron was moved to Pier 54, New York Harbor, and boarded the . The crossing of the Atlantic was uneventful, and on 10 November the Orduna moved into the dock at
Liverpool Liverpool is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the List of English districts by population, 10th largest English district by population and its E ...
, England. On 12 November 1917, the men of the 90th arrived at
Le Havre Le Havre (, ; nrf, Lé Hâvre ) is a port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the river Seine on the Channel southwest of the Pays de Caux, very ...
, France. Boarding the famous "Hommes 40, Chevaux 8" railroad box cars (maximum capacity of 40 men or eight horses,) they were shipped to
Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome : ''see also: Organization of the Air Service of the American Expeditionary Force'' When the United States entered World War I on 6 April 1917, the Air Service of the United States Army existed only as a branch of the Signal Corps, and was kno ...
for what they thought would be immediate deployment to the front. But, to their great disappointment, they were given the assignment of road and barracks construction work, building the large 1st Air Depot and staging area which would eventually process and equip a large number of Americans that would arrive in France during 1918. After seven months at Colombey, the 90th Aero Squadron was designed as a Corps Observation squadron, being assigned to the
III Corps Observation Group The III Corps Observation Group was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I as part of the Air Service, First United States Army. It was demobilized on 12 May 1919. There is no modern United St ...
on 11 June 1918. Two days later it reached what was called the "Zone of Advance" (combat area) at
Ourches Aerodrome Ourches Aerodrome, was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was West-Northwest of the commune of Ourches-sur-Meuse, in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. Overview The airfield was built by the French Army a ...
. The squadron's first aircraft were the
Sopwith 1½ Strutter The Sopwith Strutter was a British single- or two-seat multi-role biplane aircraft of the First World War.Lake 2002, p. 40. It was the first British two-seat tractor fighter and the first British aircraft to enter service with a synchronise ...
ground attack aircraft.Bruce, p. 590. At Ourches, the 90th and other squadrons were engaged in combat operations, both in aerial combat and aerial reconnaissance photography. It took part in operations in the Toul Sector, the
Battle of Saint-Mihiel The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12–15 September 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States agai ...
and the first and second Meuse-Argonne Offensives. Later, the squadron upgraded to Salmson 2-A2s SPAD Xis, and Breguet BR-14
observation Observation is the active acquisition of information from a primary source. In living beings, observation employs the senses. In science, observation can also involve the perception and recording of data via the use of scientific instruments. The ...
aircraft. Due to ever-present low clouds and rain, the flyers were forced to drop dangerously close to the ground to carry out their missions, usually in the worst conditions. The 90th Aero Squadron carried out many reconnaissances, engaged in 23 combats and relieved official confirmation for 7 aerial victories. The group's lucky "Seven Up" emblem of red dice with white dots reading "7" no matter which way it was tallied, proved prophetic, for they suffered 3 casualties, consisting of 2 killed and 1 wounded. In September 1918, it participated in the final allied offensives. The 90th earned a positive reputation for its ground attack missions during its continuous participation in the air offensive over
Saint-Mihiel Saint-Mihiel () is a commune in the Meuse department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. Geography Saint-Mihiel lies on the banks of the river Meuse. History A Benedictine abbey was established here in 708 or 709 by Count Wulfoalde and his wif ...
. Its first commander,
First Lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a ...
William G. Schauffler, designed the 90th's Pair o' Dice emblem displaying natural sevens during this campaign. Following the Armistice with Germany on 11 November 1918, little flying was done, most of the pilots and observers being absent on leave or returning to the States. On 15 January 1919 the squadron's planes were turned in to the 1st Air Depot, Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome, and there, practically all of the pilots and observers were detached from the squadron. At Colombey, very comfortable quarters were assigned and the squadron settled down to await orders to the coast. The squadron left Colombey les Belles 25 January 1919, en route for the port of embarkation. It stopped at the pretty little village of St. Denis de Piles, near
Libourne Libourne (; oc, label= Gascon, Liborna ) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the wine-making capital of northern Gironde and lies near Saint-Ém ...
, Gironde, and the officers and enlisted personnel occupied excellent billets. On 3 February after five days spent at St. Denis, the squadron was ordered to Libourne, the next step on the way home. There the men occupied the old stone French barracks, while the officers were billeted at private houses throughout the town. The squadron remained at Libourne until 10 April, when the long-awaited order to proceed to the Embarkation Camp. After two or three disappointments, the men were ordered on board the . Officers were detached, and sailed the same day, 20 April, Easter Sunday, on board the . The voyage was very uneventful; land was finally sighted at 5 a.m. 3 May, and the squadron docked in
Hoboken, New Jersey Hoboken ( ; Unami: ') is a city in Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 60,417. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 58,690 ...
, at 10 a.m., after a voyage of thirteen days. On 4 May at 8 a.m., the squadron marched over to Field No. 2, Garden City (
Mitchell Field Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is a civil–military airport south of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States., effective May 21, 2020. It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Air ...
), and the work of demobilizing the squadron was begun. After the war, 90th alumni commissioned
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of
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to design a silver pin with the squadron logo.


Inter-war period

: ''see also:
United States Army Border Air Patrol With the end of World War I in 1918, the Air Service, United States Army was largely demobilized. During the demobilization period of 1919, the Regular Army and its air arm answered a call to defend the southern border against raids from Mexico, ...
'' After returning from France, most of the squadron demobilized at
Mitchell Field Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is a civil–military airport south of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States., effective May 21, 2020. It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Air ...
and returned to civilian life. A small cadre of the unit remained in the Air Service, and were sent back to Kelly Field, Texas. At Kelly, the 90th, along with the 8th, 12th and
13th Aero Squadron The 13th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Day Pursuit (Fighter) Squadron as part of the 2d Pursuit Group, First United States Army. Its ...
s were formed into the
Army Surveillance Group An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
on 1 July 1919. The group was redesignated the 3d Attack Group on 2 July 1921. The mission of the Army Surveillance Group was to carry out observation overflights along the Mexican Border. During this period, Mexico was enduring a period of revolution and unrest, which led to border violations and the deaths of American citizens. From Kelly Field, the squadron was divided into two flights, Flight A operated from Eagle Pass Field, while Flight B operated from Kelly Field. Both flights were equipped with American-built
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aircraft, which were designed as bombers during the war. During the late summer of 1919, the 464th Aero Construction Squadron had been sent to establish an Army airfield at
Sanderson, Texas Sanderson is a census-designated place (CDP) in and the county seat of Terrell County, Texas, United States. The population was 837 at the 2010 census. Sanderson was created in 1882 as a part of neighboring Pecos County. It became the seat of Te ...
. By November, enough construction had been completed at
Sanderson Field Sanderson Field is a public lighted-land airport located in Shelton, a city in Mason County, Washington, United States. It is located just outside the City of Shelton corporate limits, and is owned and operated by the Port of Shelton. It is bor ...
that the squadron moved from Kelly to operate from the new airfield, while the detachment at Eagle Pass Field continued operations. The detachment moved from Eagle Pass to Del Rio Field, Texas, on 12 Jun 1920. As the unrest in Mexico died down by the middle of 1921, the 90th reunited and moved back to Kelly Field in July. At Kelly Field,
Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointe ...
William 'Billy' Mitchell, a senior staff officer in the
Army Air Service The United States Army Air Service (USAAS)Craven and Cate Vol. 1, p. 9 (also known as the ''"Air Service"'', ''"U.S. Air Service"'' and before its legislative establishment in 1920, the ''"Air Service, United States Army"'') was the aerial warf ...
, decided to use this low-level flying experience and the World War I experience of the 3d Group's pilots to create a group devoted to low-level mission of supporting ground troops and attacking ground targets. Flew border reconnaissance missions from Fort Huachuca, Arizona, during the Escobar-Topete Revolution 7 April–2 May 1929. The 90th Squadron contributed to the pioneering of new tactics for attack aircraft, delivered
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in 1934, participated in aerial mapping missions during the 1930s, and attracted significant talent among early military airmen. One example of these early airmen was
General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...
James H. Doolittle James Harold Doolittle (December 14, 1896 – September 27, 1993) was an American military general and aviation pioneer who received the Medal of Honor for his daring raid on Japan during World War II. He also made early coast-to-coast flights ...
. On 2 September 1922, General Doolittle, then a first lieutenant, became the first pilot to travel coast-to-coast in under 24 hours. Although he could not remember if he was assigned to the 90th during the flight, the
Air Force Historical Research Agency The Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) is the repository for United States Air Force historical documents. The Agency's collection begun during World War II in Washington, D.C. and moved in 1949 to Maxwell Air Force Base, the site ...
confirmed he was a member of the 90th at the time, and his DH-4 aircraft displayed the 90th's pair-o-dice emblem. Early commanders of the 90th also included Lieutenants Hoyt Vandenberg and Nathan Twining, both of whom later became
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. Transferred on 27 February 1935 to Barksdale Field, Louisiana, then transferred on 10 October 1940 to Savannah AAF, Georgia.


World War II

During
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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, the 90th, now a bombardment squadron, operated in the South Pacific, flying
Douglas A-20 Havoc The Douglas A-20 Havoc (company designation DB-7) is an American medium bomber, attack aircraft, night intruder, night fighter, and reconnaissance aircraft of World War II. Designed to meet an Army Air Corps requirement for a bomber, it was o ...
and
North American B-25 Mitchell The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in ...
aircraft. Their main mission involved highly-dangerous
skip bombing Skip bombing was a low-level bombing technique independently developed by several of the combatant nations in World War II, notably Italy, Australia, Britain, Soviet Union and the United States. It allows an aircraft to attack shipping by skippi ...
s. In an effort to improve the effectiveness and protection of the 3d Bombardment Group's pilots,
Major Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...
Paul 'Pappy' Gunn, 3d Bombardment Group engineering officer, devised a modification of the B-25C. The modification replaced the forward bombardier with four forwards firing .50 caliber machine guns, supplemented with two twin .50 caliber gun packages side mounted on the fuselage. The lower turret was discarded. The A-20s received similar modifications. The modified aircraft were first employed by the 90th and proved exceptionally effective, receiving the nickname 'commerce destroyers.' During the
Battle of the Bismarck Sea The Battle of the Bismarck Sea (2–4 March 1943) took place in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) during World War II when aircraft of the U.S. Fifth Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) attacked a Japanese convoy carrying troop ...
, every aircraft in the 90th scored a hit on the
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
ese convoy of 18 ships. It was the first sea-level attack by B-25 strafers in World War II and demonstrated that this
tactic Tactic(s) or Tactical may refer to: * Tactic (method), a conceptual action implemented as one or more specific tasks ** Military tactics, the disposition and maneuver of units on a particular sea or battlefield ** Chess tactics ** Political tacti ...
was extremely effective. The squadron also participated in the raids on
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, New Guinea, which were preemptive strikes that virtually ended the threat of enemy offensive air capabilities.


Cold War

In 1945, after World War II, the 90th Squadron was moved to Japan. The 90th began flying the
Douglas A-26 Invader The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is an American twin-engined light bomber and ground attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II, the Invader also saw service during several major Col ...
as the 3d Bombardment Group became an all A-26 outfit. In September 1946, the 90th moved with the 3d Bombardment Group to
Yokota Air Base , is a Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) and United States Air Force (USAF) base in the Tama Area, or Western Tokyo. It occupies portions of Akishima, Fussa, Hamura, Mizuho, Musashimurayama, and Tachikawa. The base houses 14,000 perso ...
, Japan, and began training to become combat-ready with the A-26, which was redesignated the B-26 Invader. With the creation of the U.S. Air Force in late 1947, the force began an internal reorganization. This led to the activation of the 3d Bombardment Wing in August 1948, to which the 3d Bombardment Group was assigned. The 90th Squadron was inactivated from 1 October 1949 until 25 June 1951. At that point, the squadron was redesignated the 90th Bombardment Squadron Light, Night Intruder. In July, as part of the 3d Bombardment Group, the 90th participated in the
Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...
. The B-26 Invaders, which the 90th flew, had as many as 12 forward-firing .50 caliber machine guns. The 90th's specialty during the Korean War was destroying locomotives and marshalling yards. After the war, the 90th moved with the 3d Bombardment Group to
Johnson Air Base is a Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) base located in the city of Sayama, Saitama Prefecture, north of western Tokyo, Japan. It was the airfield for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force Academy until 1945, when it became Johnson Air Fo ...
, Japan, on 1 October 1954. In January 1956, the unit transitioned to the B-57C Night Intruder. In October 1957, the 3d Bombardment Group inactivated and its heritage transferred to the 3d Bombardment Wing, as did the 90th Bombardment Squadron. In 1960, the wing and squadron transferred to Yokota Air Base, where it trained in bombardment,
reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops ( skirmishe ...
, and
air refueling Aerial refueling, also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) while both aircraft ...
. It also served
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alert during this period as well. In the mid-1960s, however, the squadron underwent significant changes. In 1964, the 3d Bombardment Wing converted to a tactical fighter wing, as did the 90th, which became the 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 June 1964. The wing and the 90th moved to England Air Force Base, Louisiana, as part of an overall reorganization to reduce the number of wings located in Japan. While at England, the 90th gained the
North American F-100 Super Sabre The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard (ANG) until 1979. The first of the Century Series of ...
. At the beginning of the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, the 3d Bombardment Wing began deploying units to Vietnam on a rotational basis, while the remainder continued training in their ground support role. In November 1965, the wing moved to
Bien Hoa Air Base Bien Hoa Air Base ( Vietnamese: ''Sân bay Biên Hòa'') is a Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) military airfield located in South-Central southern Vietnam about from Ho Chi Minh City, across the Dong Nai river in the northern ward of Tân Pho ...
, South Vietnam, during the buildup of forces. The 90th flew
close air support In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movemen ...
missions from Bien Hoa through tens of thousands of sorties. In 1969, the 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron reverted to its pre-World War II designation of 90th Attack Squadron. On 31 October 1970, the 3d Tactical Fighter Wing ended its duties in Vietnam and remained active in 'paper' status until it moved to
Kunsan Air Base Kunsan K-8 Air Base is a United States Air Force base located at Gunsan Airport, on the west coast of the South Korean peninsula bordered by the Yellow Sea. It is located in the town of Gunsan (also romanized as Kunsan), about south of Seoul. ...
, South Korea, in March 1971. The 90th Attack Squadron was reassigned to the
14th Special Operations Wing 014 may refer to: * Argus As 014 * 014 Construction Unit * Divi Divi Air Flight 014 * Pirna 014 * Tyrrell 014 The Tyrrell 014 was a Formula One car, designed for Tyrrell Racing by Maurice Philippe for use in the season. The cars were powered by ...
on 31 October 1970 and was redesignated the 90th Special Operations Squadron and remained in Vietnam at
Nha Trang Air Base Nha Trang Air Base (also known as Camp McDermott Airfield and Long Van Airfield) was a French Air Force, Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF), United States Air Force (USAF) and Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) ''(Khong Quan Nhan Dan Viet N ...
. From late 1970 until 1974, the 90th underwent several command reassignments. It remained with the 14th Special Operations Wing until 1 September 1971, when it moved to the 483d Tactical Fighter Wing and remained at Nha Trang Air Base. On 15 April 1972, the 90th moved again, this time to the
18th Tactical Fighter Wing The United States Air Force's 18th Wing is the host wing for Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan and is the Air Force's largest combat wing. It is the largest and principal organization in the Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force. The Wing's 18th Oper ...
at Kadena Air Base,
Okinawa is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 Square kilometre, km2 (880 sq mi). ...
, Japan. This assignment lasted only a few months, as the unit was assigned to the
405th Fighter Wing The 405th Air Expeditionary Wing (405 AEW) is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Combat Command. It may be activated or inactivated at any time. Currently, it is believed that the 405 AEW is inactive. History : ''Fo ...
in December 1972 and moved to
Clark Air Base Clark Air Base is a Philippine Air Force base on Luzon Island in the Philippines, located west of Angeles City, about northwest of Metro Manila. Clark Air Base was previously a United States military facility, operated by the U.S. Air F ...
, Philippines. The squadron was redesignated the 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 July 1973, and began to fly
McDonnell F-4 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 ...
s. In September of the following year, the 90th returned once again to the 3d Tactical Fighter Wing, when it relocated to Clark Air Base after the 405th Fighter Wing was inactivated. From 31 August 1973 to 31 July 1974, the 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron maintained an F-4 detachment at the
Ching Chuan Kang Air Base Ching Chuan Kang Air Base ( zh, t=清泉崗空軍基地, CCK) is a Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) base located in Taichung, Taiwan. It is the home to the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, with three squadrons of AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo fi ...
,
Tainan Air Base Tainan Airport (; formally "") is a commercial airport located in South District, Tainan, Taiwan. It is shared with Republic of China Air Force Tainan AFB. In January 2011, the Civil Aeronautics Administration approved the airport to han ...
,
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the no ...
, and primary mission was to support Taiwan’s air defense. In 1975, the 90th converted to the F-4E and participated in combat training and providing air defense for the Philippines. In July 1977, the 90th once again upgraded its aircraft, this time to the F-4G, which performed a ground radar suppression and destruction mission. The squadron had both F-4G and F-4E aircraft assigned, operating in "hunter-killer" roles. Each F-4G was paired with an F-4E during each mission, and the G models would point out threat radar sites to the E models for attack, as well as attacking using their own armaments. This multiplied the force being applied without having to purchase more of the expensive G models. During the late 1970s and 1980s, the squadron provided training and support to other units throughout the Pacific, as well as ensuring the readiness of its own pilots and aircraft. The unit participated in numerous Cope Thunder exercises hosted at Clark AB, as well as Pitch Black in Darwin, Australia, and other exercises in South Korea. By 1990, however, the Philippines had expressed a desire for the withdrawal of American military forces in the islands. In May 1991, the 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron was reassigned to the
21st Tactical Fighter Wing The 21st Space Wing (21 SW) was the United States Space Force's ground–based missile warning and space control wing. The 21st Space Wing was assigned to Space Operations Command and headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. The 21 ...
located at
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. In September 1991, the 90th was redesignated the 90th Fighter Squadron and became part of the
21st Operations Group Space Delta 2 (DEL 2) is the United States Space Force's space domain awareness delta and is headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. Space Delta 2 tracks and monitors all manmade objects from low Earth orbit to geosynchronous o ...
. This association did not last long, however.


Post-Cold War

In June 1991,
Mount Pinatubo Mount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano in the Zambales Mountains, located on the tripoint boundary of the Philippine provinces of Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga, all in Central Luzon on the northern island of Luzon. Its eruptive histor ...
erupted in the Philippines and the Air Force quickly decided to evacuate its personnel and equipment from Clark AB. The 3d Tactical Fighter Wing remained in the Philippines during
Desert Shield The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
and
Desert Storm The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases ...
due to instability in the Philippines. However, it was not going to remain in the islands for very long. It became a 'paper' unit briefly while the Chief of Staff, General
Merrill McPeak Merrill Anthony "Tony" McPeak (born January 9, 1936) is a retired 4-star general in the United States Air Force whose final assignment before retirement was as the 14th Chief of Staff of the Air Force from 1990 to 1994. In 1993, McPeak served a ...
, decided where to send the wing. He selected Elmendorf. The 21st Tactical Fighter Wing was inactivated and the 3d Wing replaced it as the lead wing at Elmendorf on 19 December 1991. With the establishment of the 3d Wing on Elmendorf, the 90th Fighter Squadron was once again reunited with its old wing. While these changes occurred with the 3d Wing, the 90th Fighter Squadron deployed six F-4G crews to join other Wild Weasel squadrons and coalition forces in Sheikh Isa, Bahrain for the
Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
.Schreiner & Eisel, The six crews were attached to the 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron and were known as the Philippine Expeditionary Force (PEF). During combat operations, PEF crews destroyed multiple Iraqi SAM sites. This was the last combat deployment for the 90th while operating F-4Gs. Upon relocating to Elmendorf, the unit gained a new aircraft, the
McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high-speed interdiction without rel ...
. This two-seat dual role updated version of the
F-15C Eagle The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas's ...
had more survivability enhancements than any other fighter aircraft at the time. It carried a wide array of armament as it performed both air-to-air and air-to-surface attack missions. Since arriving in Alaska, the 90th Fighter Squadron participated in numerous training
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 ...
in the lower 48 states and other areas of the world. These training exercises included Polar Thrust, Cope Thunder, Tandem Thrust, Cope Thaw, and Red Flag in locations such as
Mountain Home Air Force Base Mountain Home Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation in the western United States. Located in southwestern Idaho in Elmore County, the base is southwest of Mountain Home, which is southeast of Boise via Interstat ...
, Idaho,
Osan Air Base Hanja:) , partof = , location = , nearest_town = Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province , country = South Korea , image = Osan Air Base 51 FW F-16 A-10 Flyby.jpg , alt = US Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon and A ...
, Korea,
Andersen Air Force Base Andersen Air Force Base (Andersen AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base This is a list of installations operated by the United States Air Force located within the United States and abroad. Locations where the Air Force have a notable ...
,
Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...
,
Naval Air Station Fallon Naval Air Station Fallon or NAS Fallon is the United States Navy's premier air-to-air and air-to-ground training facility. It is located southeast of the city of Fallon, east of Reno in western Nevada. Since 1996, it has been home to the U.S. Na ...
, Nevada, and
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 also developed a reputation for safety in its training. On 20 February 1996, the squadron received the
Alaska Governor The governor of Alaska ( Iñupiaq: ''Alaaskam kavanaa'') is the head of government of Alaska. The governor is the chief executive of the state and is the holder of the highest office in the executive branch of the government as well as being the ...
's Safety Award conferred through the Alaska Department of Labor. This was the first time a military organization won the state award since its inception in 1980. In addition to exercises, the 90th Fighter Squadron also undertook real-world deployments during the 1990s and early 2000s (decade). From October 1995 until January 1996, the squadron deployed 8 F-15Es and 193 personnel to
Aviano Air Base Aviano Air Base ( it, Base aerea di Aviano) is a base in northeastern Italy, in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. It is located in the Aviano municipality, at the foot of the Carnic Pre-Alps or Southern Carnic Alps, about from Pordenone. T ...
, Italy in support of
Operation Deny Flight Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) operation that began on 12 April 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations (UN) no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The United Nations and NATO later expanded the mis ...
and
Operation Joint Endeavor The Implementation Force (IFOR) was a NATO-led multinational peace enforcement force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename ''Operation Joint Endeavour''. Background NAT ...
. In February 1998, the squadron deployed 18 F-15Es and over 200 personnel to Kwangju Air Base and
Taegu Air Base Daegu International Airport ( Hangul: ; Hanja: ; Revised Romanization: ''Daegu Gukje Gonghang''; McCune-Reischauer: ''Taegu Kukche Konghang'') is the international airport serving the city of Daegu and the surrounding area in the southeast ...
, both in Korea. While there, the unit flew 1200 joint combat training sorties. Personnel and aircraft redeployed in June 1998. In 2001 the 90th began a series of deployments which took members of the squadron to the Middle East and
Southwest Asia Western Asia, West Asia, or Southwest Asia, is the westernmost subregion of the larger geographical region of Asia, as defined by some academics, UN bodies and other institutions. It is almost entirely a part of the Middle East, and includes Ana ...
. In March of that year, the 90th participated in a 90-day deployment in support of
Operation Northern Watch Operation Northern Watch (ONW), the successor to Operation Provide Comfort, was a Combined Task Force (CTF) charged with enforcing its own no-fly zone above the 36th parallel in Iraq. Its mission began on 1 January 1997. The coalition partners ...
, patrolling the northern
No-fly zone A no-fly zone, also known as a no-flight zone (NFZ), or air exclusion zone (AEZ), is a territory or area established by a military power over which certain aircraft are not permitted to fly. Such zones are usually set up in an enemy power's te ...
in
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
. The squadron sent 154 personnel and 10 F-15Es to
Incirlik Air Base Incirlik Air Base ( tr, İncirlik Hava Üssü) is a Turkish air base of slightly more than 3320 ac (1335 ha), located in the İncirlik quarter of the city of Adana, Turkey. The base is within an urban area of 1.7 million people, east of ...
, Turkey and returned to Elmendorf on 9 June 2001. Later that year, in October, 18 F-15Es were deployed to Kwangju Air Base, Korea, in support of Afghanistan operations. While deployed pilots flew practice strike missions and provided long-range interdiction strike capability in the region during the absence of the , they also flew missions over South Korea and repaired base infrastructure while there. The squadron redeployed from 20 to 23 December. The 90th Fighter Squadron participated in an historic event on 4 September 2002. Two
Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
exchange officer An exchange officer is a commissioned officer in a country's armed forces who is temporarily seconded either to a unit of the armed forces of another country or to another branch of the armed forces of their own country. The exchange officer will ...
s,
Flight Lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior Officer (armed forces)#Commissioned officers, commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) RAF officer ranks, system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries. I ...
Paul Simmons and Flight Lieutenant Tony Southwood, paired up to fly one of the 90th's F-15Es. This was the first time Australian pilots flew an American aircraft in the Pacific Theatre. In 2003 the squadron undertook another deployment in the Pacific in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 a ...
. The 90th sent 18 F-15Es to bases in the Pacific, including Osan Air Base,
Kunsan Air Base Kunsan K-8 Air Base is a United States Air Force base located at Gunsan Airport, on the west coast of the South Korean peninsula bordered by the Yellow Sea. It is located in the town of Gunsan (also romanized as Kunsan), about south of Seoul. ...
, (both in Korea), Kadena Air Base, Japan and Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The deployment included 592 personnel from mid-February until mid-May. Kwangju AB, Korea, once again became home to members of the 90th Fighter Squadron in 2004. In August the squadron deployed 12 F-15Es in a rotation. The unit was temporarily designated the 90th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and assigned to the 3d Air Expeditionary Group. While deployed the unit flew more than 1100 sorties over the Korean Peninsula and provided two important flights to distinguished visitors,
Republic of Korea Air Force The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF; ko, 대한민국 공군; RR: ''Daehanminguk Gong-gun''), also known as the ROK Air Force or South Korean Air Force, is the aerial warfare service branch of South Korea, operating under the Ministry of N ...
Brigadier General Ko and Republic of Korea General Kim, Commander Korean Ground Forces. In 2005, the squadron focused on training and preparation for their next real-world deployment. Amidst the training and exercises, however, the squadron was able to showcase their talent with participation in the Aero India Airshow and with a flyby at the
United States Air Force Academy The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and U ...
before the Air Force-Army football game. Additionally, the F-15Es completed an upgrade of their weapons systems. This upgrade allowed the aircraft to carry and use more advanced weaponry, including the
Joint Direct Attack Munition The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or "dumb bombs", into all-weather precision-guided munitions. JDAM-equipped bombs are guided by an integrated inertial guidance system coupled to a Global Po ...
and eventually the
Small Diameter Bomb The GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) is a precision-guided glide bomb that is intended to provide aircraft with the ability to carry a higher number of more accurate bombs. Most US Air Force aircraft will be able to carry (using the BRU-61/A ...
. As 2006 progressed, the 90th Fighter Squadron began to prepare for significant changes in its mission and weapons system. The F-15Es were scheduled to relocate to Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, through the BRAC decisions in 2005. Replacing those F-15Es, the 90th began receiving the advanced
F-22 Raptor The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is an American single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). As the result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, th ...
in August 2007, which greatly enhanced the 90th Fighter Squadron's ability to perform its duties. In August 2022, twelve of the squadron's F-22 Raptors deployed to
Łask Air Base 32nd Air Base ( pl, 32. Baza Lotnicza) is a Polish Air Force base, located in Łask, about 30 km south-west of Łódź. It is one of the two bases where Poland's F-16 fighters are stationed, the other being 31st Air Base. 9 of them wer ...
, Poland as part of
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two N ...
's air shielding mission.


Lineage

* Organized as the 90th Aero Squadron on 20 August 1917 : Redesignated 90th Aero Squadron (Corps Observation) on 19 April 1918 : Redesignated 90th Aero Squadron in May 1919 : Redesignated 90th Squadron (Surveillance) on 13 August 1919 : Redesignated 90th Squadron (Attack) on 15 September 1921 : Redesignated 90th Attack Squadron on 25 January 1923 : Redesignated 90th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 15 September 1939 : Redesignated 90th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 28 September 1942 : Redesignated 90th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 25 May 1943 : Redesignated 90th Bombardment Squadron, Light on 29 April 1944 : Inactivated on 1 Oct 1949 * Redesignated as: 90th Bombardment Squadron, Light, Night Intruder on 7 June 1951 : Activated on 25 Jun 1951 : Redesignated 90th Bombardment Squadron, Tactical on 1 October 1955 : Redesignated 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 June 1964 : Redesignated 90th Attack Squadron on 12 December 1969 : Redesignated 90th Special Operations Squadron on 31 October 1970 : Redesignated 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 July 1973 : Redesignated 90th Fighter Squadron on 26 September 1991


Assignments

* Post Headquarters, Kelly Field, 20 August 1917 * Aviation Concentration Center, 5–26 October 1917 *
American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (A. E. F.) was a formation of the United States Army on the Western Front of World War I. The A. E. F. was established on July 5, 1917, in France under the command of General John J. Pershing. It fought along ...
, 12 November 1917 * 1st Air Depot, American Expeditionary Forces, c. 20 November 1917 *
I Corps Observation Group The I Corps Observation Group was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I as part of the Air Service, First United States Army. It was demobilized in France after the 1918 Armistice with German ...
, 19 April 1918 *
IV Corps Observation Group The IV Corps Observation Group was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. It was demobilized on 12 May 1919. There is no modern United States Air Force unit that shares its lineage and hi ...
, 13 June 1918 * III Corps Observation Group, 21 September 1918 *
I Corps Observation Group The I Corps Observation Group was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I as part of the Air Service, First United States Army. It was demobilized in France after the 1918 Armistice with German ...
, 30 November 1918 * American Expeditionary Forces, December 1918 – 19 April 1919 * Post Headquarters, Hazelhurst Field, 5 May 1919 * Post Headquarters, Kelly Field, May 1919 * Army Surveillance Group (later 1st Surveillance Group, 3d Group (Attack), 3d Attack Group, 3d Bombardment Group), 1 July 1919 – 1 October 1949 * 3d Bombardment Group, 25 June 1951 )attached to
3d Bombardment Wing 3-D, 3D, or 3d may refer to: Science, technology, and mathematics Relating to three-dimensionality * Three-dimensional space ** 3D computer graphics, computer graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data ** 3D film, a ...
after 13 August 1956) : 3d Bombardment Wing, 25 October 1957 (attached to
41st Air Division The 41st Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Fifth Air Force at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It was inactivated on 15 January 1968. History "The 41st Air Division was organized, administered, equipp ...
after 1 September 1963) * 41st Air Division, 8 January 1964 *
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 Ju ...
, 8 June 1964 * 3d Tactical Fighter Wing, 9 June 1964 (attached to 405th Fighter Wing, 7 February–10 May 1965,
39th Air Division The 39th Air Division (39th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Fifth Air Force at Misawa Air Base, Japan. It was inactivated on 15 January 1968. History "Throughout the 1950s and 1960s the 3 ...
after 8 August 1965) *
834th Air Division The 834th Airlift Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Military Airlift Command, assigned to Twenty-Second Air Force at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, where it was inactivated on 1 April 199 ...
, 19 November 1965 (remained attached to 39th Air Division Until 5 December 1965, then to
401st Tactical Fighter Wing The 401st Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe to be activated or inactivated at any time as needed. It is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The group was fir ...
) * 3d Tactical Fighter Wing, c. 8 February 1966 * 14th Special Operations Wing, 31 October 1970 * 483d Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 September 1971 * 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 April 1972 * 405th Fighter Wing, 15 December 1972 * 3d Tactical Fighter Wing, 16 September 1974 * 21st Tactical Fighter Wing, 29 May 1991 * 21st Operations Group, 26 September 1991 * 3d Operations Group, 19 December 1991 – present


Stations

;; World War I * Kelly Field, Texas, 20 August 1917 * Camp Mills, Garden City, New York, 5–27 October 1917 * Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome, France, 20 November 1917 *
Amanty Airdrome Amanty Airdrome was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located northwest of Amanty, in the Meuse department in the Lorraine region in northeastern France (48.527383,5.598371). History The airfield was set up early 1917, wit ...
, France, 19 April 1918 * Ourches Aerodrome, France, 13 June 1918 *
Souilly Aerodrome Souilly Aerodrome was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located Northeast of Souilly, in the Meuse department in north-eastern France. Overview With the Battle of Verdun raging on in the early part of 1917, a cluster of new ...
, France, 20 September 1918 * Bethelainville Aerodrome, France, 29 October 1918 *
Belrain Aerodrome Belrain Aerodrome was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located South of Belrain, in the Meuse department in the Lorraine region in northeastern France. Overview Construction of Belrain Aerodrome was originally started by t ...
, France, 15 January 1919 * Colombey-les-Belles Airdrome, France, 18 January 1919 * Libourne, France, 25 January 1919 * St. Denis-de-Piles, France, 29 January 1919 * Libourne, France, 2 February 1919 *
Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectu ...
, France, 10–19 April 1919 ;; Inter-War period *
Hazelhurst Field Roosevelt Field is a former airport, located east-southeast of Mineola, Long Island, New York. Originally called the Hempstead Plains Aerodrome, or sometimes Hempstead Plains field or the Garden City Aerodrome, it was a training field (Hazel ...
, New York, 5 May 1919 * Kelly Field, Texas, c. May 1919 : Flight A operated from: Eagle Pass Field, Texas, 27 August 1919 – 12 June 1920 : Flight B operated from: Kelly Field No. 2, Texas, 30 September–29 November 1919 * Sanderson Field, Texas, 29 November 1919 : Flight A operated from: Del Rio Field, Texas, 12 June 1920 – 30 June 1921 * Kelly Field, Texas, 2 July 1921 *
Fort Crockett Fort Crockett is a government reservation on Galveston Island overlooking the Gulf of Mexico originally built as a defense installation to protect the city and harbor of Galveston and to secure the entrance to Galveston Bay, thus protecting the c ...
, Texas, 1 July 1926 : Detachment operated from
Fort Huachuca Fort Huachuca is a United States Army installation, established on 3 March 1877 as Camp Huachuca. The garrison is now under the command of the United States Army Installation Management Command. It is in Cochise County in southeast Arizona, ap ...
, Arizona, 7 April–12 May 1929 *
Barksdale Field Barksdale may refer to: Places * Barksdale, Mississippi, an unincorporated community * Barksdale, Texas, an unincorporated community * Barksdale, Wisconsin, a town ** Barksdale (community), Wisconsin, an unincorporated community *Barksdale Air Forc ...
, Louisiana, 27 February 1935 (deployed to Bakersfield, California, 3–23 May 1937) *
Army Air Base Savannah Hunter Army Airfield , located in Savannah, Georgia, United States, is a military airfield and subordinate installation to Fort Stewart located in Hinesville, Georgia. Hunter features a runway that is 11,375 feet (3,468 m) long and an aircr ...
, Georgia, 9 Oct 1940 – 19 January 1942 *
Archerfield Airport Archerfield can refer to: *Archerfield, Queensland Archerfield is a mixed-use southern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Archerfield had a population of 544 people. Geography Archerfield is bounded by Oxley Cree ...
, Brisbane, Australia, 25 February 1942 * Breddan Airfield, Charters Towers, Australia, 8 March 1942 *
Port Moresby Airfield Complex The Port Moresby Airfield Complex was a World War II military airfield complex, built near Port Moresby in the Territory of Papua and New Guinea. It was used during the Battle of New Guinea as a base of Allied air operations primarily in 1942 a ...
, New Guinea, 28 January 1943 *
Dobodura Airfield Complex Girua Airport is an airport serving Popondetta, a city in the Oro (or Northern) province in Papua New Guinea. History Girua Airport is located near Dobodura, to the north-east of the Embi Lakes, north-east of Inonda. To the south is Mt. Lamin ...
, New Guinea, 21 May 1943 *
Nadzab Airfield Complex Lae Nadzab Airport is a regional airport located at Nadzab outside Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea along the Highlands Highway. It is served by both private and regional aircraft with domestic flights. The airport replaced the Lae Ai ...
, New Guinea, 5 February 1944 *
Hollandia Airfield Complex Dortheys Hiyo Eluay International Airport, also known as Sentani International Airport ( id, Bandar Udara Internasional Sentani) is an airport serving Jayapura,
, New Guinea, c. 7 May 1944 *
Dulag Airfield Dulag Airfield is a World War II airfield located near Dulag in the province of Leyte, Philippines. It was closed after the war. History The airfield was built by the Japanese during the Occupation of the Philippines in 1943. Seized by the Ameri ...
, Leyte, 16 November 1944 * McGuire Field, San Jose, Mindoro, 30 December 1944 * Sobe Airfield, Okinawa, 6 August 1945 * Atsugi Airfield, Japan, c. 8 September 1945 * Yokota Air Base, Japan, 10 October 1946 – 1 October 1949 ;; United States Air Force *
Iwakuni Air Base is a United States Marine Corps air station located in the Nishiki river delta, southeast of Iwakuni Station in the city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. History The Japanese government bought a large portion of what is today MCA ...
, Japan, 25 June 1951 * Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, c. 20 August 1951 : Deployed at Pusan Air Base (K-9), South Korea, 25 April–17 May 1952 * Johnson Air Base, Japan, 5 October 1954 : Deployed at Itazuke Air Base, Japan, 18 January-2 February 1957 * Yokota Air Base, Japan, 18 November 1960 – 9 June 1964 * England Air Force Base, Louisiana, 9 June 1964 – 8 February 1966 : Deployed at Clark Air Base, Philippines, 7 February–10 May 1965 *
Misawa Air Base is an air base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), List of United States Air Force installations, the United States Air Force, and the United States Navy located in Misawa, Aomori, Misawa, Aomori Prefecture, Aomori, in the northern p ...
, Japan, 3 August–5 December 1965 * Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam, 12 February 1966 : Deployed at
Phan Rang Air Base Phan Rang Air Base (also called Thành Sơn Air Base) is a Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) ''(Khong Quan Nhan Dan Viet Nam)'' military airfield in Vietnam. It is located north-northwest of Phan Rang – Tháp Chàm in Ninh Thuận Provi ...
, South Vietnam, 9–14 April 1967 * Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam, 31 October 1970 * Kadena Air Base, Okinawa (later, Japan), 15 April 1972 * Clark Air Base, Philippines, 15 December 1972 : Deployed a Detachment at
Tainan Air Base Tainan Airport (; formally "") is a commercial airport located in South District, Tainan, Taiwan. It is shared with Republic of China Air Force Tainan AFB. In January 2011, the Civil Aeronautics Administration approved the airport to han ...
, Taiwan, 31 August 1973 – 31 July 1974 * Elmendorf Air Force Base (later Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson), Alaska, 29 May 1991 – present


Aircraft

*
Sopwith 1½ Strutter The Sopwith Strutter was a British single- or two-seat multi-role biplane aircraft of the First World War.Lake 2002, p. 40. It was the first British two-seat tractor fighter and the first British aircraft to enter service with a synchronise ...
, 1918 *
Salmson 2A2 The Salmson 2 A.2, (often shortened to Salmson 2) was a French biplane reconnaissance aircraft developed and produced by Salmson to a 1916 requirement. Along with the Breguet 14, it was the main reconnaissance aircraft of the French army in 1918 ...
, 1918–1919 *
SPAD S.XI The SPAD S.XI or SPAD 11 was a French two-seat biplane reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War. The SPAD 11 was the work of Louis Béchereau, chief designer of the Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés (SPAD), who also designed the hig ...
, 1918–1919 * Breguet 14 A.2, 1918–1919 * de Havilland DH-4 (1919–c. 1925, 1926–1932) * GA-1 (1921–1922) *
O-2 O2, O-2, o2, O2, O2, O2− or O2+ may refer to: Science and technology * or dioxygen, the common allotrope of the chemical element oxygen * , the ion oxide * , the ion superoxide * , the ion dioxygenyl * , doubly ionized oxygen * O2, an EEG ...
(1921–1928) * A-3 Falcon (1928–1934) *
O-1 O1 or O-1 may refer to: Aircraft *O-1 Bird Dog, an observation aircraft manufactured by Cessna *O-1 Curtiss Falcon, an observation aircraft manufactured by the Curtiss Aircraft Company * O-1 Airship, an Italian manufactured semi-rigid airship op ...
(1920s – early 1930s) *
XO-6 XO-6b is a transiting exoplanet, a hot Jupiter, orbiting the star XO-6 around 760 Light Years (230 Parsecs) away from Earth. It was discovered in 2016 by the XO planet search team. Physical properties XO-6b is one of the puffiest planets ever ...
(1920s – early 1930s) * A-8 Shrike (1920s – early 1930s) * Y-8 (1920s - early 1930s) * A-12 Shrike (1933–1936) * A-17 Nomad (1936–1939) *
A-18 Shrike The Curtiss A-18 ''Model 76A Shrike II'' was a 1930s United States twin-engine ground-attack aircraft. It was the production test version of that company's Curtiss XA-14, A-14 Shrike. Design and development In the years leading up to World War ...
(1939–1941) *
B-18 Bolo The Douglas B-18 Bolo is an American heavy bomber which served with the United States Army Air Corps and the Royal Canadian Air Force (as the Digby) during the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company f ...
(1939–1941) * B-12 (1939–1940) *
A-20 Havoc The Douglas A-20 Havoc (company designation DB-7) is an American medium bomber, attack aircraft, night intruder, night fighter, and reconnaissance aircraft of World War II. Designed to meet an Army Air Corps requirement for a bomber, it was o ...
(1941, 1943–1945) *
A-24 Banshee A- or a- may refer to: ;A-hyphen * A- (plane), a U.S. military aircraft prefix * Privative a, a prefix expressing negation * Copulative a, a prefix expressing unification ;A-minus * A−, a blood type in the ABO blood group system The ABO ...
(1941, 1942) *
B-25 Mitchell The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in ...
(1942–1944, 1945) *
A-26 Invader The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is an American twin-engined light bomber and ground attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II, the Invader also saw service during several major ...
(1945–1949, 1951–1956) *
B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models ...
(1944–1946) *
B-57 Canberra The Martin B-57 Canberra is an American-built, twin-engined tactical bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1953. The B-57 is a license-built version of the British English Electric ...
(1956–1964) *
F-100 Super Sabre The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard (ANG) until 1979. The first of the Century Series of U ...
(1964–1969) *
A-37 Dragonfly The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly, or Super Tweet, is an American light attack aircraft developed from the T-37 Tweet basic trainer in the 1960s and 1970s by Cessna of Wichita, Kansas. The A-37 was introduced during the Vietnam War and remained in pe ...
(1969–1970) *
C-123 Provider The Fairchild C-123 Provider is an American military transport aircraft designed by Chase Aircraft and then built by Fairchild Aircraft for the U.S. Air Force. In addition to its USAF service, which included later service with the Air Force Re ...
(1970–1972) *
C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally desi ...
(1970–1972) *
F-4 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 ...
(1973–1991) *
F-15E Strike Eagle The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high-speed interdiction without rely ...
(1994–2007) *
F-22 Raptor The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is an American single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). As the result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, th ...
(2007 – present)


Operations

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World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
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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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
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Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...
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Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
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Operation Deny Flight Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) operation that began on 12 April 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations (UN) no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The United Nations and NATO later expanded the mis ...
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Operation Joint Endeavor The Implementation Force (IFOR) was a NATO-led multinational peace enforcement force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename ''Operation Joint Endeavour''. Background NAT ...
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Operation Northern Watch Operation Northern Watch (ONW), the successor to Operation Provide Comfort, was a Combined Task Force (CTF) charged with enforcing its own no-fly zone above the 36th parallel in Iraq. Its mission began on 1 January 1997. The coalition partners ...
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Operation Inherent Resolve Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) is the U.S. military's operational name for the International military intervention against IS, including both a campaign in Iraq and a campaign in Syria, with a closely-related campaign in Libya. Throu ...


See also

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List of American Aero Squadrons This is a partial list of original Air Service, United States Army "Aero Squadrons" before and during World War I. Units formed after 1 January 1919, are not listed. Aero Squadrons were the designation of the first United States Army aviatio ...


References


Bibliography

* Bruce, J.M.
The Sopwith 1½ Strutter: Historic Military Aircraft No. 14 Part II
. ''Flight'', 5 October 1956. * * * * * * {{cite book, last1=Lt Col Schreiner, first1=Jim (Boomer), last2=Eisel, first2=Brick, title=MAGNUM! The Wild Weasels in Desert Storm: The Elimination of Iraq's Air Defence, year=2009, publisher=Pen and Sword Aviation, location=Barnsley, UK, isbn=978-1473899001 090 Military units and formations in Alaska