54th Fighter-Interceptor Group
Encyclopedia
The 54th Fighter-Interceptor Group is an inactive United States Air Force
unit, last assigned to the Air Defense Command, being stationed at Greater Pittsburgh Airport
, Pennsylvania
. The squadron was inactivated on 30 June 1958
The 42d FIS was activated in February 1953 at O'Hare Airport with F-86Ds. In August 1955 the unit designation was transferred to Greater Pittsburgh Airport. The squadron transitioned into F-86Ls in the spring of 1957 which were flown until deactivation on 1 July 1958.
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, last assigned to the Air Defense Command, being stationed at Greater Pittsburgh Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and commonly referred to as Pittsburgh International, is a joint civil–military international airport located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Findlay Township, approximately west of...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The squadron was inactivated on 30 June 1958
Lineage
- Constituted as 54th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940
- Activated on 15 January 1941
- Redesignated 54th Fighter Group in May 1942
- Disbanded on 1 May 1944.
- Reconstituted and redesignated 54th Fighter Group (Air Defense), on 20 June 1955
- Activated on 18 August 1955 by redesignation of 500th Air Defense Group500th Air Defense GroupThe 500th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 4708th Air Defense Wing, being stationed at Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania...
- Inactivated on 30 June 1958
Assignments
- Second Air ForceSecond Air ForceThe Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
, 15 January 1941 - II Interceptor (later Fighter Command)V Fighter CommandThe V Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Fifth Air Force, based at Fukuoka AB, Japan. It was inactivated on 31 May 1946....
, 4 June 1941 - Third Air ForceThird Air ForceThe Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, 31 January 1942 – 1 May 1944
- Air echelon deployed to Eleventh Air ForceEleventh Air ForceThe Eleventh Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska....
, 1 June – 30 November 1942- Air Defense Command, 18 August 1955 – 30 June 1958
Stations
- Hamilton Field, California, 15 January 1941
- EverettPaine FieldPaine Field, also known as Snohomish County Airport is a public airport located in unincorporated Snohomish County, between Mukilteo and Everett, Washington...
, Washington, 26 June 1941 - Harding Army Air Field, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 31 January 1942 - Bartow Army Airfield, Florida, 11 May 1943 – 1 May 1944
- Greater Pittsburgh AirportPittsburgh International AirportPittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and commonly referred to as Pittsburgh International, is a joint civil–military international airport located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Findlay Township, approximately west of...
, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, 18 August 1955 – 30 June 1958
Components
- 42d Fighter Squadron42d Flying Training SquadronThe 42d Flying Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit, last assigned to the Air Training Command, being stationed at Columbus AFB, Mississippi. The squadron was inactivated on December 15, 1991.-History:...
: 15 January 1941 – 1 May 1944 ; 18 August 1955-8 January 1958 - 56th Fighter Squadron: 15 January 1941 – 1 May 1944
- 57th Fighter Squadron: 15 January 1941 – 1 May 1944
Aircraft operated
- P-36 HawkP-36 HawkThe Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of both the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation of combat aircraft—a sleek monoplane design...
, 1940–1941 - P-40 Warhawk, 1941–1942
- P-39 Airacobra, 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 - 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...
, 1953–1958
Operational history
Trained with P-40's. Served as a part of the, defense force for the northwest Pacific coast during the first few months of the war. Redesignated 54th Fighter Group in May 1942. The air echelon, equipped with P-39's, served in Alaska against the Japanese forces that invaded the Aleutian Islands during the summer of 1942, and for these operations the group received a DUC. The air echelon returned to the US in December 1942 and rejoined the group, which had been assigned to Third AF, and which became a replacement training unit for P-51 pilots.The 42d FIS was activated in February 1953 at O'Hare Airport with F-86Ds. In August 1955 the unit designation was transferred to Greater Pittsburgh Airport. The squadron transitioned into F-86Ls in the spring of 1957 which were flown until deactivation on 1 July 1958.