313th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 313th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. It was last assigned to the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing and stationed at Hahn Air Base
, Germany.
) as a pursuit squadron, initially equipped with second-line aircraft. Transferred to Southeast Air District (later Third Air Force
) in late 1941, re-equipped with P-40 Warhawks. Trained in the southeast, being reassigned to Air University
in 1943 becoming a training squadron at the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics in Florida.
Re-equipped with P-51 Mustang
s and trained as an operational squadron, being deployed to the European Theater of Operations
(ETO), being assigned to IX Fighter Command
in England
in May 1944. Re-equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts, the squadron supported Allied ground forces in France
after D-Day
, attacking enemy strong points, troop concentrations, armor formations, bridges and other targets. Moved to Normandy
and operated from several forward bases in Northeast France during the summer of 1944 as Allied ground forces moved eastwards towards Germany. Supported the Fifth Army movement from Southern France though the Lyon Valley, then into Occupied Germany as part of the Western Allied invasion in the spring of 1945. Remained in Germany as part of the United States Air Forces in Europe
occupation forces, demobilizing over the summer. Inactivated in Colorado, November 1945.
Reactivated on 15 November 1976 at Hahn AB, Germany. From this perspective the 313th made a huge jump from P-47 Thunderbolts to the F-4E Phantom II. In 1981 the 313th became the first unit to operate the F-16 Fighting Falcon
in USAFE. Inactivated at the end of the Cold War
on 30 December 1991.
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...
unit. It was last assigned to the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing and stationed at Hahn Air Base
Hahn Air Base
Hahn Air Base was a frontline NATO facility in Germany for over 40 years during the Cold War...
, Germany.
History
Established under the Northeast Air District (later First Air ForceFirst Air Force
The First Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida....
) as a pursuit squadron, initially equipped with second-line aircraft. Transferred to Southeast Air District (later Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
) in late 1941, re-equipped with P-40 Warhawks. Trained in the southeast, being reassigned to Air University
Air University
The United States Air Force Air University is a component of the United States Air Force's Air Education and Training Command, headquartered at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Air University is the U.S. Air Force's primary center for professional military education.-Organization:Air Force...
in 1943 becoming a training squadron at the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics in Florida.
Re-equipped with P-51 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...
s and trained as an operational squadron, being 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 IX Fighter Command
IX Fighter Command
The IX Fighter Command is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Ninth Air Force, based at Erlangen, Germany. It was inactivated on 16 November 1945....
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...
in May 1944. Re-equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts, the squadron supported Allied ground forces in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
after D-Day
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...
, attacking enemy strong points, troop concentrations, armor formations, bridges and other targets. Moved to Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
and operated from several forward bases in Northeast France during the summer of 1944 as Allied ground forces moved eastwards towards Germany. Supported the Fifth Army movement from Southern France though the Lyon Valley, then into Occupied Germany as part of the Western Allied invasion in the spring of 1945. Remained in Germany as part of the United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
occupation forces, demobilizing over the summer. Inactivated in Colorado, November 1945.
Reactivated on 15 November 1976 at Hahn AB, Germany. From this perspective the 313th made a huge jump from P-47 Thunderbolts to the F-4E Phantom II. In 1981 the 313th became the first unit to operate the F-16 Fighting Falcon
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 USAFE. Inactivated at the end of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
on 30 December 1991.
Lineage
- Constituted 313th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 21 Jan 1942.
- Activated on 9 Feb 1942
- Re-designated 313th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942
- Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945.
- Re-designated 313th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 November 1976
- Re-activated on 15 November 1976
- Inactivated on 30 December 1991
Assignments
- 50th Pursuit (later Fighter) Group50th Operations GroupThe 50th Operations Group is a component of the 50th Space Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Space Command. The group is stationed at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado....
, 9 Feb 1942-7 Nov 1945 - 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 Nov 1976-30 Dec 1991
Stations
- Selfridge FieldSelfridge FieldSelfridge Air National Guard Base or Selfridge ANGB is an Air National Guard installation located in Harrison Township, Michigan, near Mount Clemens.-Units and organizations:...
, MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, 9 February 1942 - Key FieldKey fieldA key field is a field or set of fields of a database table which together form a unique identifier for a database record . The aggregate of these fields is usually referred to simply as "the key". Key fields also define searches...
, MississippiMississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, 3 October 1941 - Orlando Army Air Base, Florida, 22 March 1943
- Alachua Army Airfield, Florida, 20 November 1943
- Orlando Army Air Base, Florida, 1 February – 13 March 1944
- RAF LymingtonRAF LymingtonRAF Station Lymington is a former World War II airfield in Hampshire, England. The airfield is located approximately east of Lymington; about southwest of London...
(AAF-551), England, 5 April 1944 - Carentan AirfieldCarentan AirfieldCarentan Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Carentan in the Basse-Normandie region of northern France....
(A-10), France, 25 June 1944 - Meautis AirfieldMeautis AirfieldMeautis Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Méautis in the Basse-Normandie region of northern France....
(A-17), France, 16 August 1944 - Orly Airfield (A-47), France, 4 September 1944
- Lyon-Bron AirportLyon-Bron AirportLyon-Bron Airport is an airport located in Bron, east of Lyon, both communes of the Rhône department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France.-History:...
(Y-6), France, 28 September 1944 - Toul/Ochey Airfield (A-96), France, 3 November 1944
- Giebelstadt Airfield (Y-90), Germany, 20 April 1945
- AAF Station Mannheim/Sandhofen, Germany, 21 May–June 1945
- La Junta Army Air Field, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 4 August – 7 November 1945 - Hahn Air BaseHahn Air BaseHahn Air Base was a frontline NATO facility in Germany for over 40 years during the Cold War...
, West Germany, 15 November 1976-30 December 1991
Aircraft
- BT-13 ValiantBT-13 ValiantThe Vultee BT-13 Valiant was an American World War II-era basic trainer aircraft built by Vultee Aircraft for the United States Army Air Corps, and later US Army Air Forces...
, 1941-1942 - P-35 Guardsman, 1941-1942
- P-40 Warhawk, 1942-1943
- P-51 MustangP-51 MustangThe 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...
, 1943-1944 - P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic 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...
, 1943-1945 - F-4E Phantom II, 1976-1981
- F-16 Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting FalconThe 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...
, 1981-1991