436th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 436th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last was assigned to the 479th Fighter Group, stationed at Holloman AFB, New Mexico. It was inactivated on 2 August 1991.
, California. Equipped with the Lockheed P-38F Lightning, trained for combat and served as an air defense organization for the west coast as part of IV Fighter Command
.
Even though the defense of the US west coast initially took priority, it was decided to deploy Lightning squadrons to Britain for heavy bomber escort duty. The squadron was reassigned to RAF Wattisham
, England, April–May 1944, and assigned to VIII Fighter Command
, Eighth Air Force
.
From England, the squadron scorted heavy bombers during operations against targets on the Continent, strafed targets of opportunity, and flew fighter-bomber, counter-air, and area-patrol missions. Engaged primarily in B-17/B-24 escort activities and fighter sweeps until the Normandy invasion
in June 1944.
Patrolled the beachhead during the invasion. Strafed and dive-bombed troops, bridges, locomotives, railway cars, barges, vehicles, airfields, gun emplacements, flak towers, ammunition dumps, power stations, and radar sites while on escort or fighter-bomber missions as the Allies drove across France
during the summer and fall of 1944. The unit flew area patrols to support the breakthrough at Saint-Lô
in July and the airborne attack on Holland in September. The unit continued escort and fighter-bomber activities from October to mid-December 1944. It converted to P-51s between 10 September and 1 October, using both types on missions until conversion was completed.
Participated in the Battle of the Bulge
(December 1944 – January 1945) by escorting bombers to and from targets in the battle area and by strafing transportation targets while on escort duty. From February to April 1945 it continued to fly escort missions, but also provided area patrols to support the airborne attack across the Rhine
in March.
Returned to Camp Kilmer
New Jersey
in November 1945, and was inactivated on December 1945.
On December 1, 1952 the unit was reactivated at George AFB, California. Inherited the F-51D Mustangs of the from federalized Air National Guard units. In February 1953 upgrading to the North American F-86H Sabre jet aircraft. Was one of the first USAF wing to be equipped with the North American F-100A Super Sabre, receiving its first aircraft in November 1953. Became operationally ready with the F-100A on September 29, 1954.
Since the F-100A was not considered as a truly effective air superiority fighter, the service life of the type with the USAF was rather brief, most aircraft being phased out of the active USAF inventory beginning in 1958. Beginning in October 1958, was reequipped with the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
. The Starfighter was primarily intended for a nuclear strike, but Tactical Air Command
wanted to use it to carry out ground attack missions with conventional weapons.
However the F-104 was not really well-suited to USAF needs, being deficient in range, endurance, and offensive capability. In addition, it lacked true all-weather capability. The excellent flying weather in Southern California gave the squadron a new mission to train F-104 pilots from West Germany
, Canada
, the Netherlands and Italy
during January 1962 – August 1963 as a result of the large foreign sales.
Deployed to Kung Kuan Air Base
, Taiwan
. From its base in Taiwan, the squadron began a regular rotation to Da Nang Air Base
, South Vietnam
where its mission was to fly MiG combat air patrol (MiGCAP) missions to protect USAF F-100 fighter bombers against attack by North Vietnam
ese fighters. The effect of F-104 deployment upon NVN and PRC MiG operations was immediate and dramatic. NVN MiGs soon learned to avoid contact with USAF strikes being covered by the F-104s. During the entire deployment of the 436th only two fleeting encounters between F-104Cs and enemy fighters occurred.
As the MiG threat abated, the 436th TFS was tasked with some weather reconnaissance and ground attack missions. A few of these were against targets in North Vietnam, but most of them were close air-support missions against targets in the South under forward air controller direction. The F-104s were fairly successful in this role, gaining a reputation for accuracy in their cannon fire and their bombing and capable of quite rapid reaction times in response to requests for air support. During this period, the 436th F-104s maintained an in-commission rate of 94.7%, a testimony both to the quality of 436th maintenance personnel and to the simplicity and maintainability of F-104 systems. However, an F-104 went down during a sortie 100 nm SSW of DaNang on June 29. The pilot was rescued with minor injuries.
The 436th TFS had a bad day on September 20, 1965. F-104C pilot Major Philip E. Smith managed to get lost while flying an EC-121 escort mission over the Gulf of Tonkin
. After several equipment failures and incorrect steering commands, he managed to wander over Hainan Island and was shot down by a pair of Chinese MiG-19s (J-6s). He ejected and was taken prisoner. While the rest of the squadron was out looking for Major Smith, two other F-104s had a midair collision while returning to their base. Both pilots ejected and were recovered unharmed.
A week later, another F-104C was shot down by enemy AAA, and its pilot was killed. After these four losses, the remnants of the 436th were rotated back to George in November 1965.
In December 1965, the wing began transitioning to the F-4 Phantom II with a mission of F-4 replacement pilot training. Was reassigned to the provisional 4531st Tactical Fighter WinG at Homestead AFB, Florida in 1968. Squadron flew air defense missions over south Florida until October 1970 with assets of 560th TFW assigned to squadron until 31 October 1970 and inactivated.
Was reactivated at Holloman AFB, 1 January 1977 to provide Lead-In Fighter Training (LIFT) training for pilots assigned to fly the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The 436th Flew AT-38B Talons. inactivated on 15 November 1991, with the training mission and aircraft being consolidated under the 586th Flight Training Squadron.
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. Its last was assigned to the 479th Fighter Group, stationed at Holloman AFB, New Mexico. It was inactivated on 2 August 1991.
World War II
Activated on 15 October 1943 at Grand Central Air Terminal, near Long BeachLong Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, California. Equipped with the Lockheed P-38F Lightning, trained for combat and served as an air defense organization for the west coast as part of IV Fighter Command
IV Fighter Command
The IV Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Fourth Air Force, based at Oakland Airport, California...
.
Even though the defense of the US west coast initially took priority, it was decided to deploy Lightning squadrons to Britain for heavy bomber escort duty. The squadron was reassigned to RAF Wattisham
RAF Wattisham
RAF Wattisham was a Royal Air Force station located in East Anglia just outside the village of Wattisham, south of Stowmarket in Suffolk, England. During the Cold War it was a major front-line air force base...
, England, April–May 1944, and 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....
, Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
.
From England, the squadron scorted heavy bombers during operations against targets on the Continent, strafed targets of opportunity, and flew fighter-bomber, counter-air, and area-patrol missions. Engaged primarily in B-17/B-24 escort activities and fighter sweeps until 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...
in June 1944.
Patrolled the beachhead during the invasion. Strafed and dive-bombed troops, bridges, locomotives, railway cars, barges, vehicles, airfields, gun emplacements, flak towers, ammunition dumps, power stations, and radar sites while on escort or fighter-bomber missions as the Allies drove across France
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
during the summer and fall of 1944. The unit flew area patrols to support the breakthrough at 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...
in July and the airborne attack on Holland in September. The unit continued escort and fighter-bomber activities from October to mid-December 1944. It converted to P-51s between 10 September and 1 October, using both types on missions until conversion was completed.
Participated in the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
(December 1944 – January 1945) by escorting bombers to and from targets in the battle area and by strafing transportation targets while on escort duty. From February to April 1945 it continued to fly escort missions, but also provided area patrols to support the airborne attack across the Rhine
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
in March.
Returned to Camp Kilmer
Camp Kilmer
Camp 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 Jersey
New Jersey
New 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...
in November 1945, and was inactivated on December 1945.
Cold War
Since the F-100A was not considered as a truly effective air superiority fighter, the service life of the type with the USAF was rather brief, most aircraft being phased out of the active USAF inventory beginning in 1958. Beginning in October 1958, was reequipped with the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
F-104 Starfighter
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft originally developed for the United States Air Force by Lockheed. One of the Century Series of aircraft, it served with the USAF from 1958 until 1969, and continued with Air National Guard units...
. The Starfighter was primarily intended for a nuclear strike, but 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...
wanted to use it to carry out ground attack missions with conventional weapons.
However the F-104 was not really well-suited to USAF needs, being deficient in range, endurance, and offensive capability. In addition, it lacked true all-weather capability. The excellent flying weather in Southern California gave the squadron a new mission to train F-104 pilots from West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the Netherlands and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
during January 1962 – August 1963 as a result of the large foreign sales.
Deployed to Kung Kuan Air Base
Ching Chuan Kang Air Base
Ching Chuan Kang Air Base is a Republic Of China Air Force base located on Taiwan. It is the home to the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, with three squadrons of Ching-kou air-defense /attack fighters...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. From its base in Taiwan, the squadron began a regular rotation to Da Nang Air Base
Da Nang Air Base
Da Nang Air Base was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force facility. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War , stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there...
, South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
where its mission was to fly MiG combat air patrol (MiGCAP) missions to protect USAF F-100 fighter bombers against attack by North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
ese fighters. The effect of F-104 deployment upon NVN and PRC MiG operations was immediate and dramatic. NVN MiGs soon learned to avoid contact with USAF strikes being covered by the F-104s. During the entire deployment of the 436th only two fleeting encounters between F-104Cs and enemy fighters occurred.
As the MiG threat abated, the 436th TFS was tasked with some weather reconnaissance and ground attack missions. A few of these were against targets in North Vietnam, but most of them were close air-support missions against targets in the South under forward air controller direction. The F-104s were fairly successful in this role, gaining a reputation for accuracy in their cannon fire and their bombing and capable of quite rapid reaction times in response to requests for air support. During this period, the 436th F-104s maintained an in-commission rate of 94.7%, a testimony both to the quality of 436th maintenance personnel and to the simplicity and maintainability of F-104 systems. However, an F-104 went down during a sortie 100 nm SSW of DaNang on June 29. The pilot was rescued with minor injuries.
The 436th TFS had a bad day on September 20, 1965. F-104C pilot Major Philip E. Smith managed to get lost while flying an EC-121 escort mission over the Gulf of Tonkin
Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin is an arm of the South China Sea, lying off the coast of northeastern Vietnam.-Etymology:The name Tonkin, written "東京" in Hán tự and Đông Kinh in romanised Vietnamese, means "Eastern Capital", and is the former toponym for Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam...
. After several equipment failures and incorrect steering commands, he managed to wander over Hainan Island and was shot down by a pair of Chinese MiG-19s (J-6s). He ejected and was taken prisoner. While the rest of the squadron was out looking for Major Smith, two other F-104s had a midair collision while returning to their base. Both pilots ejected and were recovered unharmed.
A week later, another F-104C was shot down by enemy AAA, and its pilot was killed. After these four losses, the remnants of the 436th were rotated back to George in November 1965.
In December 1965, the wing began transitioning to the F-4 Phantom II with a mission of F-4 replacement pilot training. Was reassigned to the provisional 4531st Tactical Fighter WinG at Homestead AFB, Florida in 1968. Squadron flew air defense missions over south Florida until October 1970 with assets of 560th TFW assigned to squadron until 31 October 1970 and inactivated.
Was reactivated at Holloman AFB, 1 January 1977 to provide Lead-In Fighter Training (LIFT) training for pilots assigned to fly the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The 436th Flew AT-38B Talons. inactivated on 15 November 1991, with the training mission and aircraft being consolidated under the 586th Flight Training Squadron.
Lineage
- Constituted 436th Fighter Squadron on 12 Oct 1943
- Activated on 15 Oct 1943
- Inactivated on 21 Dec 1945
- Re-designated 436th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 15 Oct 1952
- Activated on 1 Dec 1952
- Re-designated: 436th Fighter-Day Squadron on 15 Feb 1954
- Re-designated: 436th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul 1958
- Inactivated: 8 March 1971
- Re-designated: 436th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, 1 January 1977
- Inactivated 2 August 1991.
Assignments
- 479th Fighter Group, 15 Oct 1943
- VIII Fighter CommandVIII Fighter CommandThe 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....
, 1-21 Dec 1945 - 479th Fighter-Bomber (later Fighter-Day) Group, 1 Dec 1952
- 479th Fighter-Day (later Tactical Fighter) Wing, 8 Oct 1957
- Attached: Iceland Air Defense Force 1 December 1952-27 March 1953
- Attached: 16th Air Force 11 August-11 December 1960
- Attached: 86th Air Division86th Air DivisionThe 86th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, being stationed at Ramstein Air Base, West Germany...
18 January-12 April 1962 - Attached: 65th Air Division 3 August-17 October 1962
- Attached: 65th Air Division 11 December 1962-3 April 1963
- Attached: 65th Air Division 15–30 November 1963
- Attached: 2d Air Division 12 July-12 October 1965
- 4531st Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 July 1968
- 31st Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 October 1970 (not manned or equipped)
- 479th Tactical Fighter Wing, 30 October 1970-8 March 1971
- 479th Tactical Training Wing479th Tactical Training WingThe 479th Tactical Training Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Tactical Training, Holloman, stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico...
, 1 January 1977 - 479th Fighter Group, 26 July–2 August 1991
Stations
- Grand Central Air Terminal, California, 15 Oct 1943
- Palmdale Army Airfield, California, 6 Feb 1944
- Santa Maria Army Airfield, California, 8-16 Apr 1944
- RAF WattishamRAF WattishamRAF Wattisham was a Royal Air Force station located in East Anglia just outside the village of Wattisham, south of Stowmarket in Suffolk, England. During the Cold War it was a major front-line air force base...
(AAF-377) (9B), England, 15 May 1944-12 Dec 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 Jersey, 20-21 Dec 1945 - George AFB, California, 1 Dec 1952-15 July 1968
- Operated from Keflavik Airport, Iceland, 1 December 1952-27 March 1953
- Operated from Ramstein AB, West Germany, 16 January-12 April 1962
- Operated from Torrejon AB, Spain, 3 August-17 October 1962
- Operated from Torrejon AB, Spain, 11 December 1962-3 April 1963
- Operated from Torrejon AB, Spain, 15–30 November 1963
- Operated from Da Nang AB, South Vietnam, 12 July-12 October 1965
- Homestead AFB, Florida, 15 July 1968–30 October 1970
- George AFB, California, 30 October 1970-8 March 1971
- Holloman AFB, New Mexico, 1 January 1977-2 August 1991
Aircraft
- P-40 Warhawk, 1943–1944
- P-38 LightningP-38 LightningThe Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
, 1944 - P-51D Mustang, 1944–1945
- F-51D Mustang, 1952–1953
- F-86 SabreF-86 SabreThe 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...
, 1953–1955 - F-100 Super SabreF-100 Super SabreThe North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
, 1954–1959 - F-104 StarfighterF-104 StarfighterThe Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft originally developed for the United States Air Force by Lockheed. One of the Century Series of aircraft, it served with the USAF from 1958 until 1969, and continued with Air National Guard units...
, 1959–1970 - T-38 TalonT-38 TalonThe Northrop T-38 Talon is a twin-engine supersonic jet trainer. It was the world's first supersonic trainer and is also the most produced. The T-38 remains in service as of 2011 in air forces throughout the world....
, 1977–1991