493d Fighter Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 493d Fighter Squadron


caption= 493d Fighter Squadron Patch
dates= 15 January 1941 - 7 November 1945
10 July 1952 - 18 December 1992
1 January 1994 - Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Fighter
role=
size=
command_structure= United States Air Forces in Europe
3d Air Force
48th Fighter Wing
48th Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison= RAF Lakenheath
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
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battles=
notable_commanders=
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The 493d Fighter Squadron (493 FS) is part of the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England. It is a combat-ready F-15 Eagle squadron capable of executing air superiority and air defense missions in support of United States Air Forces in Europe, United States European Command, and NATO operations. It employs air-to-air weapons and electronic identification systems. The squadron has the ability to rapidly generate, deploy, and sustain operations to execute wartime and peacetime taskings in any theater of operations in the world. [http://www.lakenheath.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4212 48 OG Fact Sheet] ] Furthermore, the 493d is routinely tasked to deploy in support of Air Force One (referred to as "POTUS taskings." Recent instances include the most recent G-8 summits and the 2008 NATO Summit.

Mission

History

The 493d flew antisubmarine patrols from, March–April 1942 and conducted replacement training through 1943. It flew combat missions in the European Theater of Operations from, 20 April 1944–4 May 1945. The 493d also participated in the air raid on Tripoli, Libya on 14 and 15 April 1986. It flew combat missions in Southwest Asia from, January–February 1991. [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0493fs.html AFHRA 493 FS Page] ]

=Operations=

*World War II
*Operation El Dorado Canyon
*Operation Desert Storm

=Lineage=

*56th Bombardment Squadron (Light) (1940 - 1942)
*56th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) (1942 - 1943)
*493d Fighter-Bomber Squadron (1943 - 1944)
*493d Fighter Squadron, Single Engine (1944 - 1952)
*493d Fighter-Bomber Squadron (1952 - 1958)
*493d Tactical Fighter Squadron (1958 - 1991)
*493d Fighter Squadron (1991 - Present)

=Assignments=

*48th Fighter Group (1941 - 1945)
*48th Fighter Wing (1952 - 1992, 1994 - Present)
**Attached: 7440th Composite Wing (September - December 1991)

=Bases stationed=

*Savannah, Georgia (1941, 1942)
*Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma (1941 - 1942)
*Key Field, Mississippi (1942 - 1943)
*William Northern Field, Tennessee (1943 - 1944)
*Walterboro Army Air Field] , South Carolina (1944)
*RAF Ibsley, England (1944)
*Deux-Jumeaux, France (1944)
*Vélizy-Villacoublay, France (1944)
*Cambrai, France (1944)
*Sint-Truiden, Belgium (1944 - 1945)
*Kelz, Germany (1945)
*Kassel, Germany (1945)
*Illesheim, Germany (1945)
*Laon, France (1945)
*Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina (1945)
*Chaumont Air Base, France (1952 - 1960)
*RAF Lakenheath, England (1960 - 1992, 1994 - Present)
**Deployed: Ta’if, Saudi Arabia (2 September 1990 - 15 March 1991)
**Deployed: Incirlik Air Base, Turkey (September - December 1991)

=Aircraft Operated=

*A-18 Shrike (1941)
*A-20 Havoc (1941 - 1942)
*A-35 Vengeance (1942 - 1943)
*P-40 Warhawk (1943)
*P-39 Airacobra (1943 - 1944)
*P-47 Thunderbolt (1944 - 1945)
*F-84 Thunderjet (1952 - 1954)
*F-86 Sabre (1953 - 1956)
*F-100 Super Sabre (1956 - 1972)
*F-4 Phantom II (1972 - 1977)
*F-111 Aardvark (1977 - 1992)
*F-15 Eagle (1994 - Present)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0493fs.html 493d Fighter Squadron History]
* [http://www.lakenheath.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4212 48th Operations Group Fact Sheet]

Also See