55th Fighter Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 55th Fighter Squadron


caption= 55th Fighter Squadron Patch
dates= 9 August 1917 - 16 March 1919
15 November 1930 - 18 October 1945
29 July 1946 - 30 December 1993
1 January 1994 - Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Fighter
role=
size=
command_structure= Air Combat Command
9th Air Force
20th Fighter Wing
20th Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison= Shaw Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname= Fighting Fifty-Fifth
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles= Battle of Normandy
Battle of the Bulge
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=

The 55th Fighter Squadron (55 FS) is part of the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting air superiority missions.

Mission

History

The 55th Fighter Squadron’s roots trace back to 9 August 1917. Originally organized as the 55th Aero Squadron at Kelly Field, Texas, by November the squadron was deployed to Issoudun, France. The squadron was demobilized on 16 March 1919, following the war. The squadron was reactivated in November 1930, at Mather Field, California, flying Boeing P-12 aircraft, later joined by DH-4 aircraft in 1931. The squadron moved several times in the next decade, flying the P-26, P-36, and finally the P-40 at Hamilton Field. [http://www.shaw.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3468 55 FS Fact Sheet] ]

At the beginning of World War II, the 55th sent its personnel to units fighting overseas and continued to train aviators for squadrons in Europe and the Pacific. In May 1942, it was redesignated a fighter squadron and transitioned to the P-39 Airacobra, operating from several locations in the United States before acquiring P-38 Lightnings.

The 55th was in the skies over Europe by August 1943, operating from RAF Wittering, England. The squadron flew 175 combat missions with the Lightning before acquiring the P-51 (F-6) Mustang in 1944. With the rest of the 20th Fighter Group, the 55th flew daily strafing, long-range-patrol and bomber-escort missions. In June, they provided air cover during the massive allied invasion of Normandy.As the war progressed, the 55th performed escort and fighter-bomber missions supporting the Allied advance through Central Europe and the Rhineland. In December 1945, they took part in the Battle of the Bulge, escorting bombers to the battle area. The squadron’s 175th and last combat mission in the P-51 was flown in April 1945, the day after American and Soviet forces met at the Elbe River. The 55th was demobilized on 18 October 1945, after the war’s end, but was reactivated on 29 July 1946, at Biggs Field, Texas, flying air power demonstrations and training operations in the P-51.

The 55th entered the jet age in February 1948, with the F-84G Thunderjet. In January 1950, it was redesignated the 55th Fighter-Bomber Squadron. The squadron returned to England at RAF Wethersfield in June 1952. The squadron transitioned to the F-100 Super Sabre in 1957 and in 1958 was redesignated the 55th Tactical Fighter Squadron.

The 55th moved with the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing to RAF Upper Heyford in June 1970. The next April, the 55th received its first F-111E Aardvark, becoming fully operational in November. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the 55th participated in countless North Atlantic Treaty Organization and U.S. exercises and operations, which directly contributed to containment of Soviet threats to Europe.

In January 1991, elements of the 55th deployed to Turkey during Operation Desert Storm. They flew more than 144 sorties, amassing 415 combat hours without a loss. These missions neutralized key facilities throughout northern Iraq and helped to liberate Kuwait and stabilize the region.

The squadron was inactivated in December 1993. It was transferred and reactivated on 1 January 1994, to its present home, Shaw Air Force Base, flying the A-10 Thunderbolt II. In July 1996, the squadron transferred its aircraft to Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, and stood down.

In July 1997, the 55th made history when it stood up as a combat-ready F-16CJ squadron in only 60 days. It has since made numerous deployments to Southwest Asia, continuing to contain the Iraqi threat. In the meantime, the squadron has earned awards and recognition, including the David C. Schilling Award in 1999 and 2000, as well as the Air Force Association Citation of Honor.

In the summer of 2000, the 55th deployed to Southwest Asia for Operation Northern Watch. It followed that deployment with Operation Southern Watch in the fall of 2001, and in the winter of 2002, deployed again in support of Operation Northern Watch.

=Operations [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0055fs.html AFHRA 55 FS Page] ] =

*World War I
*World War II
*Operation Desert Storm
*Operation Northern Watch
*Operation Southern Watch

=Lineage=

*55th Aero Squadron (1917 - 1918)
*467th Aero Squadron (1918 - 1923)
*55th Pursuit Squadron(1923 - 1939)
*55th Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) (1939 - 1941)
*55th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (1941 - 1942)
*55th Fighter Squadron (1942)
*55th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) (1942 - 1943)
*55th Fighter Squadron, Twin Engine (1943 - 1944)
*55th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine (1944 - 1948)
*55th Fighter Squadron, Jet (1948 - 1950)
*55th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (1950 - 1958)
*55th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1958 - 1991)
*55th Fighter Squadron (1991 - Present)

=Assignments=

*Third Aviation Instruction Center (1917 - 1918)
*Aerial Gunnery School (1918)
*2d Air Depot (1918 - 1919)
*2d Bombardment Wing (1930 - 1931)
*8th Pursuit Group (1931 - 1932)
*20th Fighter Group (1932 - 1945)
*20th Fighter Wing (1946 - 1993, 1994 - Present)
**Attached: 39th Tactical Fighter Group (31 August - 23 October 1990)

=Bases stationed=

*Kelly Field, Texas (1917)
*Hazelhurst Field, New York (1917)
*Issoudun, France (1917 - 1918)
*Saint-Jean-de-Monts, France (1918)
*Latrecey-Ormoy-sur-Aube, France (1918 - 1919)
*Garden City, New York (1919)
*Mather Field, California (1930 - 1932)
*Barksdale Field, Louisiana (1932 - 1939)
*Moffett Field, California (1939 - 1940)
*Hamilton Field, California (1940 - 1942)
*Wilmington, North Carolina (1942)
*Morris Field, North Carolina (1942)
*Drew Field, Florida (1942)
*Paine Field, Washington (1942 - 1943)
*March Field, California (1943)
*RAF Wittering, England (1943 - 1944)
*RAF Kings Cliffe, England (1944 - 1945)
*Camp Kilmer, New Jersey (1945)
*Biggs Field, Texas (1946)
*Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina (1946 - 1951)
*Langley Air Force Base, Virginia (1951 - 1952)
*RAF Wethersfield, England (1952 - 1955)
*RAF Sculthorpe, England (1955 - 1956)
*RAF Wethersfield, England (1956 - 1970)
*RAF Upper Heyford, England (1970 - 1993)
**Deployed: Incirlik Air Base, Turkey (31 August - 23 October 1990)
*Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina (1994 - Present)

=Aircraft Operated=

*P-12 (1930 - 1935)
*DH-4 (1931)
*P-26 Peashooter (1934 - 1938)
*P-36 Hawk (1938 - 1940)
*P-40 Warhawk (1940 - 1942)
*P-39 Airacobra (1942 - 1943)
*P-38 Lightning (1943 - 1944)
*P-51 Mustang (1944 - 1945, 1946 - 1948)
*F-84 Thunderjet (1948 - 1957)
*F-100 Super Sabre (1957 - 1971)
*F-111 Aardvark (1971 - 1993)
*A-10 Thunderbolt II (1994 - 1997)
*F-16 Fighting Falcon (1997 - Present)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0055fs.html USAF 55th Fighter Squadron History]
* [http://www.shaw.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=3468 55th Fighter Squadron Fact Sheet]

ee also