159th Fighter Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 159th Fighter Squadron (159 FS) is an Air National Guard
organization that is the principal operational flying unit of the 125th Fighter Wing
(125 FW) of the Florida Air National Guard
. The squadron primarily flies the single seat F-15C Eagle, along with a smaller number of twin-seat F-15D Eagle aircraft, in the air superiority/air dominance mission. As part of the Florida Air National Guard
, the 159 FS and 125 FW report to 1st Air Force (1 AF) and are operationally-gained by the U.S. Air Force's Air Combat Command
(ACC). The squadron is based at Jacksonville Air National Guard Base at Jacksonville International Airport
, Florida and also maintains a permanent rotational alert detachment at Homestead Air Reserve Base
, Florida.
(NORAD) and United States Northern Command
(USNORTHCOM), from Charleston, South Carolina to the southern tip of Florida and across the Florida panhandle. In addition, to provide the Continental NORAD Region (CONR) commander rapid response to invasions of the sovereign airspace of the United States and respond with appropriate defense measures against all hostile actions directed at the people and property of the United States, and to be available to other combatant commanders for forward deployment in order to perform air superiority/air dominance missions in other theaters outside of the United States.
fighter squadron, trained under I Fighter Command
in the mid-Atlantic states, the 159th also flew air-defense missions as part of the Philadelphia Fighter Wing
. Deployed to the European Theater of Operations
(ETO), being assigned to VIII Fighter Command
in England
, June 1943.
The unit served primarily as an escort organization, covering the penetration, attack, and withdrawal of B-17 and B-24 bomber formations that the USAAF sent against targets on the European continent. The squadron also engaged in counter-air patrols, fighter sweeps, and strafing and dive-bombing missions. Attacked such targets as airdromes, marshalling yards, missile sites, industrial areas, ordnance depots, oil refineries, trains, and highways. During its operations, the unit participated in the assault against the Luftwaffe
and aircraft industry during the Big Week
, February 20–25, 1944, and the attack on transportation facilities prior to the Normandy invasion
and support of the invasion forces thereafter, including the Saint-Lô
breakthrough in July.
The squadron supported the airborne attack on Holland in September 1944 and upgraded to P-51 Mustangs in October. Deployed to Chievres Airdrome, (ALG A-84), Belgium between February and April 1945 flying tactical ground support missions during the airborne assault across the Rhine. The unit returned to England and flew its last combat mission on April 20, 1945. Demobilized during the summer of 1945 in England, inactivated in the United States as a paper unit in October 1945.
, work began to organize an Air National Guard
unit for Florida
. A National Guard Bureau document dated March 16, 1946, gave states permission to request an Air Force unit allotment. Months later, Florida accepted the 159th Fighter Squadron with an authorized strength of 50 officers and 303 enlisted men. Governor
Millard F. Caldwell
formally accepted the unit on Aug. 30, 1946, and full federal recognition was granted 9 February 1947.
A facility for housing the units became available in temporary World War II buildings on the west side of the Thomas Cole Imeson Airport in Jacksonville, Florida. Upon the arrival of the unit’s first aircraft, the P-51D Mustang
(later redesignated F-51D) at Imeson Airport, the 159th became the first operational Air National Guard unit in Florida. During the second year of operation, the FLANG became one of the first six Air National Guard squadrons in the United States equipped with jet aircraft. The conversion from the F-51D Mustang
to the new F-80C Shooting Star jet became official 1 August 1948, when the unit was re-designated the 159th Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled (159 FSJ).
In the fall of 1950, the United States’ involvement in the Korean War
required extensive air power commitments from the United States Air Force
. To alleviate the strain on active duty forces, President Truman activated the FLANG on 10 October 1950, and the pilots were ordered to report to George Air Force Base
, California. On arrival at George AFB, the 159th Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, joined the 116th Fighter Group — a group consisting of Air National Guard fighter squadrons from Florida, Georgia (158th) and California (196th). The group and squadrons reorganized under the Wing-Base Plan on 1 November 1950, and were redesignated the 116th Fighter Bomber Group, commanded by Lt Col Howard L. Galbreath. The group received orders to the Far East
, which overrode their original orders to Europe
to replace an active duty U.S. Air Force squadron slated to go to Korea
.
By 10 August 1951, upon arrival overseas, the 159th Fighter Squadron operated under the command of Maj Dan Sharpe, USAF. The 116th Fighter Group was then assigned to the 5th Air Force commanded by Lt Gen Thomas C. Waskow at its new home, Misawa Air Base
, Japan
. A primary mission of the Florida Air National Guard during the Korean War was one of Air Defense coupled with combat missions over Korea. There, the 159 FSJ concentrated on flying dangerous ground attack missions against enemy supply lines and troops in the field. Pilots flew 92 combat sorties in four days with very credible results. For its part in the war, the unit earned the Korean Service Citation with Bronze Service Stars.
Upon release from active duty, the unit returned 9 July 1952, with their new commander to Imeson Municipal Airport. The unit’s F-84Es and all its ground equipment were turned over to the U.S. Air Force and left in Japan. On 10 July 1952, the 159th Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, was re-designated the 159th Fighter Bomber Squadron, dissolving the 159th Utility Flight and integrating it into the unit. Six months later, the 159th Fighter Bomber Squadron was re-equipped with F-51H Mustangs
and re-designated the 159th Fighter Bomber Squadron Augmented (159 FBSA). From October to December 1954, the 159 FBSA was equipped with nine different types of aircraft including the T-6 Texan
, B-26 Invader, C-45 Expeditor, C-47 Skytrain
, C-54 Skymaster
, F-51H Mustang
, T-33 Shooting Star
, F-80 Shooting Star, and F-86A Sabre
. By the end of December 1954, things settled down and the 159 FBSA had an entire squadron of F-80Cs for the second time. There were now 43 officers and warrant officers, and 472 enlisted men in the unit.
In July 1955, while still equipped with F-80Cs, the unit was re-designated s the 159th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (159 FIS) with a mission change to Air Defense. By 1 July 1956, the parent unit reorganized into 125th Fighter Interceptor Group (125 FIG) and both organizations were operationally-gained by Air Defense Command (ADC). The activation of the 125th coincided with the conversion to the F-86D Sabre
, an all-weather interceptor. The F-86 made the 125th a self-sustaining unit capable of performing the Air Defense mission in all types of weather, day or night. In 1959 and 1960, the 125th underwent two aircraft conversions which greatly increased the unit’s inventory and operational costs. In June 1959, the unit converted from the F-86D to the F-86L Sabre
. Another major conversion began 1 July 1960, when the unit converted from the F-86L to the F-102A Delta Dagger
supersonic fighter.
In the 1960s, the 159 FIS and 125 FIG would also see their operating location change. Due to its limited ability to handle newer commercial jet aircraft, the local government officials in Jacksonville and Duval County in the early 1960s determined that Imeson Airport would need to be replaced by a newer, larger airport with a greater capability for accommodating jet airliner traffic and long term growth. With the scaling back and ultimate closure of Imeson Airport, and its replacement by the new Jacksonville International Airport during 1967 and 1968, the 125 FIG and 159 FIS subsequently relocated to a newly constructed Air National Guard installation at the new Jacksonville International Airport and was fully in place and operational by 1968. That same year, the active USAF gaining command's name was changed to Aerospace Defense Command
(ADC).
In 1974, the 125th Fighter Interceptor Group converted from the F-102 Delta Dagger to the F-106 Delta Dart
. By the end of the year, with the conversion complete and the F-106 formally integrated into the 125 FIG weapons inventory, alert status resumed at Jacksonville International Airport. Pilots and ground crewmembers received extensive training in the operations and maintenance of the new aircraft and they soon gained the expertise needed to handle the sophisticated all-weather supersonic fighter-interceptor. Concurrent operation of the T-33 Shooting Star also continued, the latter functioning as a simulated target aircraft for intercept training and for other pilot proficiency training.
In October 1979, in anticipation of the inactivation of Aerospace Defense Command, USAF gaining command responsibilities shifted to Tactical Air Command
(TAC) and a sub-organization equivalent to a numbered air force designated as Air Defense, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC). In 1985, ADTAC was redesignated as 1st Air Force (1 AF) and remained the numbered air force for all Air National Guard fighter units.
The 159th Fighter Interceptor Squadron flew the F-106 Delta Dart for 12 years, but by the end of 1986, the U.S. Air Force began to phase out the F-106, converting Regular Air Force units flying the Delta Dart to the F-15 Eagle
and most Air National Guard F-106 units to the F-4 Phantom II
. However, it was determined that the multipurpose F-4 was not the ideal fighter for the continental air defense mission and the Air Force and the National Guard Bureau decided to transition the 159 FIS and 125 FIG to the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
In January 1987, the unit converted to the F-16A, followed by a small number of additional twin-seat F-16Bs. On 1 April 1987, the 159 FIS became the first F-16 unit to sit alert in an Air Defense role as a fighter interceptor on a 24/7/365 basis. This conversion also marked the 11th fighter aircraft conversion for the unit. Following later avionics upgrades tailored for the Air Defense mission, these aircraft would become known as the F-16ADF
.
In June 1992, following the inactivation of Tactical Air Command, the 159 FIS was once again redesignated as the 159th Fighter Squadron (159 FS). The 125 FIG was concurrently redesignated as the 125th Fighter Group (125 FG) and both organizations operationally-gained by the newly-established Air Combat Command
(ACC).
In 1995, the 159th Fighter Squadron converted from the F-16ADF to the A and B versions of the F-15 Eagle
as its primary fighter aircraft. The same year, the parent unit for the 159 FS, the 125 FG, was redesignated as the 125th Fighter Wing (125 FW), placing the unit on par organizationally with Regular Air Force fighter units. Five years after the conversion to the F-15, Fighter Data Link (FDL) technology was incorporated into the F-15 allowing the pilots to link flight data with multiple users, providing realtime information on air and ground threats. The 159th continued to incorporate newer technology in its 1970s era F-15As and F-15Bs under the F-15 Multistage Improvement Program (F-15 MSIP), such as the upgrade to 220E model engines.
During the late 1990s, the 159 FS was also fully integrated into the USAF Air and Space Expeditionary Force (AEF) construct and routinely deployed aircraft and personnel to the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing at Prince Sultan Air Base
, Al Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, enforcing the No Fly Zone over southern Iraq. Since 11 Sep 2001, the squadron has been extensively involved in Operation NOBLE EAGLE, performing its historic continental air defense mission in the southeastern United States, as well as continuing to deploy aircraft and personnel to U.S. Central Command Air Forces (USCENTAF), now known as U.S. Air Forces Central (USAFCENT), in Southwest Asia in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM.
In 2006, the 159 FS replaced its previous F-15A/B Eagle (MSIP) aircraft with its current F-15C and F-15D variants.
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
organization that is the principal operational flying unit of the 125th Fighter Wing
125th Fighter Wing
The United States Air Force's 125th Fighter Wing is a unit of the Florida Air National Guard, operationally-gained by the Air Combat Command . Its primary installation is Jacksonville Air National Guard Base at Jacksonville International Airport, Florida...
(125 FW) of the Florida Air National Guard
Florida Air National Guard
The Florida Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Florida. It is, along with the Florida Army National Guard, an element of the Florida National Guard...
. The squadron primarily flies the single seat F-15C Eagle, along with a smaller number of twin-seat F-15D Eagle aircraft, in the air superiority/air dominance mission. As part of the Florida Air National Guard
Florida Air National Guard
The Florida Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Florida. It is, along with the Florida Army National Guard, an element of the Florida National Guard...
, the 159 FS and 125 FW report to 1st Air Force (1 AF) and are operationally-gained by the U.S. Air Force's Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
(ACC). The squadron is based at Jacksonville Air National Guard Base at Jacksonville International Airport
Jacksonville International Airport
Jacksonville International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located 13 miles north of downtown Jacksonville, a city in Duval County, Florida...
, Florida and also maintains a permanent rotational alert detachment at Homestead Air Reserve Base
Homestead Air Reserve Base
Homestead Air Reserve Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-northeast of Homestead, Florida.The host unit at Homestead is the 482d Fighter Wing assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command Tenth Air Force...
, Florida.
Mission
To provide air defense for the southeastern United States, as directed by the North American Aerospace Defense CommandNorth American Aerospace Defense Command
North American Aerospace Defense Command is a joint organization of Canada and the United States that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and defense for the two countries. Headquarters NORAD is located at Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado...
(NORAD) and United States Northern Command
United States Northern Command
United States Northern Command is a Unified Combatant Command of the United States military. Created on 1 October 2002 in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks, its mission is to protect the United States homeland and support local, state, and federal authorities...
(USNORTHCOM), from Charleston, South Carolina to the southern tip of Florida and across the Florida panhandle. In addition, to provide the Continental NORAD Region (CONR) commander rapid response to invasions of the sovereign airspace of the United States and respond with appropriate defense measures against all hostile actions directed at the people and property of the United States, and to be available to other combatant commanders for forward deployment in order to perform air superiority/air dominance missions in other theaters outside of the United States.
World War II
Established in late 1942 as a P-47 ThunderboltP-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
fighter squadron, trained under I Fighter Command
I Fighter Command
The I Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the First Air Force, based at Mitchel Army Airfield, New York...
in the mid-Atlantic states, the 159th also flew air-defense missions as part of the Philadelphia Fighter Wing
Philadelphia Fighter Wing
The Philadelphia Fighter Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the I Fighter Command, stationed at Philadelphia Airport, Pennsylvania It was inactivated on 3 April 1946....
. Deployed to the European Theater of Operations
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
(ETO), being assigned to VIII Fighter Command
VIII Fighter Command
The VIII Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, being stationed at RAF Honington, England. It was inactivated on 20 March 1946....
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, June 1943.
The unit served primarily as an escort organization, covering the penetration, attack, and withdrawal of B-17 and B-24 bomber formations that the USAAF sent against targets on the European continent. The squadron also engaged in counter-air patrols, fighter sweeps, and strafing and dive-bombing missions. Attacked such targets as airdromes, marshalling yards, missile sites, industrial areas, ordnance depots, oil refineries, trains, and highways. During its operations, the unit participated in the assault against the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
and aircraft industry during the Big Week
Big Week
Between February 20–25, 1944, as part of the European strategic bombing campaign, the United States Strategic Air Forces launched Operation Argument, a series of missions against the Third Reich that became known as Big Week. The planners intended to lure the Luftwaffe into a decisive battle by...
, February 20–25, 1944, and the attack on transportation facilities prior to the Normandy invasion
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
and support of the invasion forces thereafter, including the Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement...
breakthrough in July.
The squadron supported the airborne attack on Holland in September 1944 and upgraded to P-51 Mustangs in October. Deployed to Chievres Airdrome, (ALG A-84), Belgium between February and April 1945 flying tactical ground support missions during the airborne assault across the Rhine. The unit returned to England and flew its last combat mission on April 20, 1945. Demobilized during the summer of 1945 in England, inactivated in the United States as a paper unit in October 1945.
Florida Air National Guard
At the conclusion of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, work began to organize an Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
unit for Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. A National Guard Bureau document dated March 16, 1946, gave states permission to request an Air Force unit allotment. Months later, Florida accepted the 159th Fighter Squadron with an authorized strength of 50 officers and 303 enlisted men. Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Millard F. Caldwell
Millard F. Caldwell
Millard Fillmore Caldwell was an American politician. He was the 29th Governor of Florida and served in all three branches of government at various times in his life, including as a U.S. Representative and Florida Supreme Court justice.Caldwell was born in the rural area of Beverly, Tennessee,...
formally accepted the unit on Aug. 30, 1946, and full federal recognition was granted 9 February 1947.
A facility for housing the units became available in temporary World War II buildings on the west side of the Thomas Cole Imeson Airport in Jacksonville, Florida. Upon the arrival of the unit’s first aircraft, the P-51D Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
(later redesignated F-51D) at Imeson Airport, the 159th became the first operational Air National Guard unit in Florida. During the second year of operation, the FLANG became one of the first six Air National Guard squadrons in the United States equipped with jet aircraft. The conversion from the F-51D Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
to the new F-80C Shooting Star jet became official 1 August 1948, when the unit was re-designated the 159th Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled (159 FSJ).
In the fall of 1950, the United States’ involvement in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
required extensive air power commitments from the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. To alleviate the strain on active duty forces, President Truman activated the FLANG on 10 October 1950, and the pilots were ordered to report to George Air Force Base
George Air Force Base
George Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located within city limits, 8 miles northwest of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California. The facility was closed by the Base Realignment and Closure 1992 commission at the end of the Cold...
, California. On arrival at George AFB, the 159th Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, joined the 116th Fighter Group — a group consisting of Air National Guard fighter squadrons from Florida, Georgia (158th) and California (196th). The group and squadrons reorganized under the Wing-Base Plan on 1 November 1950, and were redesignated the 116th Fighter Bomber Group, commanded by Lt Col Howard L. Galbreath. The group received orders to the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, which overrode their original orders to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to replace an active duty U.S. Air Force squadron slated to go to Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
.
By 10 August 1951, upon arrival overseas, the 159th Fighter Squadron operated under the command of Maj Dan Sharpe, USAF. The 116th Fighter Group was then assigned to the 5th Air Force commanded by Lt Gen Thomas C. Waskow at its new home, Misawa Air Base
Misawa Air Base
right|thumb|A US Navy C-2 at Misawa is a United States military facility located northeast of the railway station in Misawa, west of the Pacific Ocean, northeast of Towada, northwest of Hachinohe, and north of Tokyo, in Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region in the northern part of the...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. A primary mission of the Florida Air National Guard during the Korean War was one of Air Defense coupled with combat missions over Korea. There, the 159 FSJ concentrated on flying dangerous ground attack missions against enemy supply lines and troops in the field. Pilots flew 92 combat sorties in four days with very credible results. For its part in the war, the unit earned the Korean Service Citation with Bronze Service Stars.
Upon release from active duty, the unit returned 9 July 1952, with their new commander to Imeson Municipal Airport. The unit’s F-84Es and all its ground equipment were turned over to the U.S. Air Force and left in Japan. On 10 July 1952, the 159th Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, was re-designated the 159th Fighter Bomber Squadron, dissolving the 159th Utility Flight and integrating it into the unit. Six months later, the 159th Fighter Bomber Squadron was re-equipped with F-51H Mustangs
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
and re-designated the 159th Fighter Bomber Squadron Augmented (159 FBSA). From October to December 1954, the 159 FBSA was equipped with nine different types of aircraft including the T-6 Texan
T-6 Texan
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...
, B-26 Invader, C-45 Expeditor, C-47 Skytrain
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
, C-54 Skymaster
C-54 Skymaster
The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff...
, F-51H Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
, T-33 Shooting Star
T-33 Shooting Star
The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is an American-built jet trainer aircraft. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948, piloted by Tony LeVier. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then designated T-33A. It was used by the...
, F-80 Shooting Star, and F-86A Sabre
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
. By the end of December 1954, things settled down and the 159 FBSA had an entire squadron of F-80Cs for the second time. There were now 43 officers and warrant officers, and 472 enlisted men in the unit.
In July 1955, while still equipped with F-80Cs, the unit was re-designated s the 159th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (159 FIS) with a mission change to Air Defense. By 1 July 1956, the parent unit reorganized into 125th Fighter Interceptor Group (125 FIG) and both organizations were operationally-gained by Air Defense Command (ADC). The activation of the 125th coincided with the conversion to the F-86D Sabre
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
, an all-weather interceptor. The F-86 made the 125th a self-sustaining unit capable of performing the Air Defense mission in all types of weather, day or night. In 1959 and 1960, the 125th underwent two aircraft conversions which greatly increased the unit’s inventory and operational costs. In June 1959, the unit converted from the F-86D to the F-86L Sabre
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
. Another major conversion began 1 July 1960, when the unit converted from the F-86L to the F-102A Delta Dagger
F-102 Delta Dagger
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...
supersonic fighter.
In the 1960s, the 159 FIS and 125 FIG would also see their operating location change. Due to its limited ability to handle newer commercial jet aircraft, the local government officials in Jacksonville and Duval County in the early 1960s determined that Imeson Airport would need to be replaced by a newer, larger airport with a greater capability for accommodating jet airliner traffic and long term growth. With the scaling back and ultimate closure of Imeson Airport, and its replacement by the new Jacksonville International Airport during 1967 and 1968, the 125 FIG and 159 FIS subsequently relocated to a newly constructed Air National Guard installation at the new Jacksonville International Airport and was fully in place and operational by 1968. That same year, the active USAF gaining command's name was changed to Aerospace Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1946 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the integrated air defense system of the Continental United States , exercise direct control of all active...
(ADC).
In 1974, the 125th Fighter Interceptor Group converted from the F-102 Delta Dagger to the F-106 Delta Dart
F-106 Delta Dart
The Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft for the United States Air Force from the 1960s through the 1980s. Designed as the so-called "Ultimate Interceptor", it has proven to be the last dedicated interceptor in USAF service to date...
. By the end of the year, with the conversion complete and the F-106 formally integrated into the 125 FIG weapons inventory, alert status resumed at Jacksonville International Airport. Pilots and ground crewmembers received extensive training in the operations and maintenance of the new aircraft and they soon gained the expertise needed to handle the sophisticated all-weather supersonic fighter-interceptor. Concurrent operation of the T-33 Shooting Star also continued, the latter functioning as a simulated target aircraft for intercept training and for other pilot proficiency training.
In October 1979, in anticipation of the inactivation of Aerospace Defense Command, USAF gaining command responsibilities shifted to Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
(TAC) and a sub-organization equivalent to a numbered air force designated as Air Defense, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC). In 1985, ADTAC was redesignated as 1st Air Force (1 AF) and remained the numbered air force for all Air National Guard fighter units.
The 159th Fighter Interceptor Squadron flew the F-106 Delta Dart for 12 years, but by the end of 1986, the U.S. Air Force began to phase out the F-106, converting Regular Air Force units flying the Delta Dart to the F-15 Eagle
F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
and most Air National Guard F-106 units to the F-4 Phantom II
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
. However, it was determined that the multipurpose F-4 was not the ideal fighter for the continental air defense mission and the Air Force and the National Guard Bureau decided to transition the 159 FIS and 125 FIG to the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
In January 1987, the unit converted to the F-16A, followed by a small number of additional twin-seat F-16Bs. On 1 April 1987, the 159 FIS became the first F-16 unit to sit alert in an Air Defense role as a fighter interceptor on a 24/7/365 basis. This conversion also marked the 11th fighter aircraft conversion for the unit. Following later avionics upgrades tailored for the Air Defense mission, these aircraft would become known as the F-16ADF
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
.
In June 1992, following the inactivation of Tactical Air Command, the 159 FIS was once again redesignated as the 159th Fighter Squadron (159 FS). The 125 FIG was concurrently redesignated as the 125th Fighter Group (125 FG) and both organizations operationally-gained by the newly-established Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
(ACC).
In 1995, the 159th Fighter Squadron converted from the F-16ADF to the A and B versions of the F-15 Eagle
F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
as its primary fighter aircraft. The same year, the parent unit for the 159 FS, the 125 FG, was redesignated as the 125th Fighter Wing (125 FW), placing the unit on par organizationally with Regular Air Force fighter units. Five years after the conversion to the F-15, Fighter Data Link (FDL) technology was incorporated into the F-15 allowing the pilots to link flight data with multiple users, providing realtime information on air and ground threats. The 159th continued to incorporate newer technology in its 1970s era F-15As and F-15Bs under the F-15 Multistage Improvement Program (F-15 MSIP), such as the upgrade to 220E model engines.
During the late 1990s, the 159 FS was also fully integrated into the USAF Air and Space Expeditionary Force (AEF) construct and routinely deployed aircraft and personnel to the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing at Prince Sultan Air Base
Prince Sultan Air Base
Prince Sultan Air Base is an air base located at Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.There was formerly a large United States presence there during Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The U.S. presence was predominantly that of multiple U.S. Air Force flying units, augmented by a...
, Al Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, enforcing the No Fly Zone over southern Iraq. Since 11 Sep 2001, the squadron has been extensively involved in Operation NOBLE EAGLE, performing its historic continental air defense mission in the southeastern United States, as well as continuing to deploy aircraft and personnel to U.S. Central Command Air Forces (USCENTAF), now known as U.S. Air Forces Central (USAFCENT), in Southwest Asia in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM.
In 2006, the 159 FS replaced its previous F-15A/B Eagle (MSIP) aircraft with its current F-15C and F-15D variants.
Lineage
- Constituted 352d Fighter Squadron on 29 Sep 1942
- Activated on 1 Oct 1942
- Inactivated on 18 Oct 1945.
- Redesignated 159th Fighter Squadron and allocated to Florida Air National GuardFlorida Air National GuardThe Florida Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Florida. It is, along with the Florida Army National Guard, an element of the Florida National Guard...
on 24 May 1946
- Redesignated 159th Fighter Squadron and allocated to Florida Air National Guard
- Federally recognized, 159th Fighter Squadron, 9 Feb 1947
- Redesignated: 159th Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, 1 Aug 1948
- Elevated to Federal Service, 10 October 1950-9 Jun 1942
- Redesignated: 159th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 10 Jul 1952
- Redesignated: 159th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 1 Jul 1955
- Redesignated: 159th Fighter Squadron, 1 Aug 1995
Assignments
- 353d Fighter Group353d Fighter GroupThe 353d Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Army Service Forces, being stationed at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. It was inactivated on 18 October 1945....
, 1 Oct 1942-18 Oct 1945
- 125th Fighter Group, 9 Feb 1947
- Redesignated: 125th Fighter-Bomber Group, 10 Jul 1952
- Redesignated: 125th Fighter-Interceptor Group, 1 Jul 1956
- Redesignated 125th Fighter Group, 1 Jun 1992
- Redesignated: 125th Fighter Wing125th Fighter WingThe United States Air Force's 125th Fighter Wing is a unit of the Florida Air National Guard, operationally-gained by the Air Combat Command . Its primary installation is Jacksonville Air National Guard Base at Jacksonville International Airport, Florida...
, 1 Aug 1995-Present
Stations
- Mitchel Field, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, 1 October 1942 - Richmond Army Air Base, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, c. 7 October 1942 - Baltimore Municipal AirportBaltimore Municipal AirportBaltimore Municipal Airport is a former airport and United States Air Force military airfield located about 6 miles southeast of Baltimore, Maryland on an artificial peninsula. Construction began in 1929 and was completed in 1941. It was closed on 30 December 1960...
, C. 26 October 1942—c. 27 May 1943 - RAF GoxhillRAF GoxhillRAF Goxhill is a former Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force station in England. It is located just to the east of the village of Goxhill, on the south bank of the Humber estuary, opposite the city of Kingston upon Hull, in north Lincolnshire....
(AAF-345), England, June 1943 - RAF Metfield (AAF-366), England, 3 August 1943
- RAF RaydonRAF RaydonRAF Raydon is a former United States Army Air Force station in England. It is located just to the northeast of the village of Raydon, about 6 miles from Ipswich on the B1070 in Suffolk.-Origins:...
(AAF-157), England, April 1944– October 1945 - Camp KilmerCamp KilmerCamp Kilmer, New Jersey is a former United States Army camp that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service Forces Transportation Corps. Troops were quartered at Camp Kilmer in...
, New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, c. 16–18 October 1945 - Jacksonville Imeson Airport, 1947–1971
- Jacksonville International AirportJacksonville International AirportJacksonville International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located 13 miles north of downtown Jacksonville, a city in Duval County, Florida...
, 1971–Present
Aircraft
- P-40 Warhawk, 1942–1943
- P-47D Thunderbolt, July 1943 - 10 November 1944
- P-51D Mustang, 2 October 1944
- P-51K Mustang, December 1944-October 1945
- P-51D Mustang, 1947–1948
- F-80B Shooting Star (1948–1950)
- F-84E Thunderjet (1950–1952)
- F-51H Mustang (1952–1954)
- F-86A Sabre (1954–1956)
- F-80 Shooting Star (1954–1956)
- F-86D Sabre (1956–1960)
- F-102A Delta Dagger (1960–1974)
- F-106A/B Delta Dart (1974–1987)
- F-16A/B/ADF Fighting Falcon (1987–1995)
- F-15A/B Eagle (1995–2006)
- F-15C/D Eagle (2006–Present)