561st Fighter Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 561st Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
squadron, being last assigned to the 57th Operations Group
at Nellis Air Force Base
, Nevada. It was inactivated on 1 October 1996.
The 561st FS was the last United States Air Force unit to fly the F-4 Phantom II
on operational missions. The last F-105 shot down in the Vietnam War was from the 561st.
in Idaho, Utah and in Iowa.
Deployed to Eighth Air Force in England, June 1943 at RAF Knettishall
(AAF-136), England. Entered combat in June 1943 by attacking an aircraft factory in Amsterdam
. The squadron functioned primarily as a strategic bombardment Organization in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) until the war ended. Targets included industries, naval installations, oil storage plants, refineries, and communications centers in Germany, France, Poland, Belgium, Norway, Romania
, and Holland.
The squadron attacked many significant enemy targets, including aircraft factories in Kassel
, Reims
, and Brunswick
; airfields in Bordeaux
, Paris, and Berlin; naval works at La Pallice, Emden
, and Kiel
; chemical industries in Ludwigshafen; ball-bearing plants in Schweinfurt
; and marshalling yards in Brussels
, Osnabrück
, and Bielefeld
. Operations also included support and interdictory missions. Helped prepare for the invasion of Normandy
by attacking military installations in France, and on D-Day struck coastal guns, field batteries, and transportation. Continued to support ground forces during the campaign that followed, hitting such objectives as supply depots and troop concentrations. Bombed in support of ground forces at Saint-Lô
in July 1944 and at Caen
in August. Covered the airborne assault on Holland in September 1944 by attacking military installations and airfields at Arnheim
. Aided the final drive through Germany during the early months of 1945 by striking targets such as marshalling yards, rail bridges, and road junctions.
Demoblized in England after V-E Day, aircraft flying back to the United States throughout the summer of 1945, station personnel sailing on the Queen Elizabeth from Greenock on 5 August 1945, and arrived in New York on 11 August 1945. A skeleton unit of the squadron ws established at Sioux Falls AAFd, South Dakota, and inactivated there on 28 August 1945.
in Park Ridge, Illinois
, and later at Gen. Mitchell Field
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
.
In November 1953, the 561st Fighter-Bomber Squadron started flying F-86 Sabre
s at Clovis Air Force Base in New Mexico. The entire wing shipped to Europe during November, 1954. Never out of action, the crisis in the Suez Canal
area and the takeover of Hungary
in 1956 provided flying time for the crews of the 561st out of Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base
in Germany
.
After the squadron completed transition training and became combat ready in F-100 Super Sabre
s, it was deactivated on December 10, 1957.
in Thailand from McConnell AFB in Kansas immediately following a mobility alert. With only 69,000 American troops left on the ground in Vietnam, the US turned heavily towards air power. In his novel "Lawrence of Vietnam" Michael M. Peters, who served with the 561st, wrote "That's what war is like, you're heading towards hell, death and damnation and you're in a hurry to get there". Throughout Linebacker I and Linebacker II, the 561st flew over 1,900 combat sorties accumulating nearly 6,000 combat hours, and was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" for valor, a very rare award. Of the 200,000 invading North Vietnamese troops, 40,000 were killed. The Christmas bombing (humorously called the "Twelve Days of Christmas") forced the North Vietnamese to the negotiating table where they were made to sign The Paris Peace Accords. A plane from the 561st was the last F-105 shot down in the Vietnam War (F-105G, 63-8359); it was hit by a SAM on Nov. 16, 1972; the crew was rescued. Of the 12 F-105G's assigned to the 561st during this time, four were shot down and one was lost to operational accident. Wild Weasels became so effective in the Vietnam War that 90% of North Vietnamese radar sites would turn off if Wild Weasels were in the vicinity.
On July 1, 1973, the 561st moved to George Air Force Base
and joined the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing. The 561st transitioned from the F-105/G when the base received its first shipment of the F-4G Advanced Wild Weasel in 1978.
and during Operation Desert Storm flew over 2,400 sorties logging more than 8,000 combat hours. Deactivated at George AFB after the war, and reactivated at Nellis Air Force Base
on February 1, 1993, the 561st soon deployed to Incirlik Air Base
in support of Operation Provide Comfort
and returned to Southwest Asia
at Dhahran Air Force Base
in Saudi Arabia
, supporting Operation Southern Watch
and Operation Vigilant Warrior
.
In 1994, the 561st became the largest fighter squadron in the United States Air Force
. The 561st's presence over Iraq
was continuous from just after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait
. However, despite their mission over Iraq, the 561st was also employed as an "Aggressor" squadron during RED FLAG exercise
s.
With the retirement of the F-4G Phantom II
from the USAF on March 26, 1996, the 561st deactivated and the SEAD mission was assumed by F-16s in different squadrons.
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...
squadron, being last assigned to the 57th Operations Group
57th Operations Group
The 57th Operations Group is a non-flying component of the 57th Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.-Overview:...
at Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Combat Command .-Overview:...
, Nevada. It was inactivated on 1 October 1996.
The 561st FS was the last United States Air Force unit to fly 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,...
on operational missions. The last F-105 shot down in the Vietnam War was from the 561st.
World War II
Activated in 1942 as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber squadron. Trained under II Bomber CommandII Bomber Command
The II Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Fort George Wright, Washington. It was inactivated on 6 October 1943....
in Idaho, Utah and in Iowa.
Deployed to Eighth Air Force in England, June 1943 at RAF Knettishall
RAF Knettishall
RAF Knettishall is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 6 miles SE of Thetford in Suffolk between the villages of Knettishall and Coney Weston, which lies to the south...
(AAF-136), England. Entered combat in June 1943 by attacking an aircraft factory in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. The squadron functioned primarily as a strategic bombardment Organization in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) until the war ended. Targets included industries, naval installations, oil storage plants, refineries, and communications centers in Germany, France, Poland, Belgium, Norway, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, and Holland.
The squadron attacked many significant enemy targets, including aircraft factories in Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
, Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, and Brunswick
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
; airfields in Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
, Paris, and Berlin; naval works at La Pallice, Emden
Emden
Emden is a city and seaport in the northwest of Germany, on the river Ems. It is the main city of the region of East Frisia; in 2006, the city had a total population of 51,692.-History:...
, and Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
; chemical industries in Ludwigshafen; ball-bearing plants in Schweinfurt
Schweinfurt
Schweinfurt is a city in the Lower Franconia region of Bavaria in Germany on the right bank of the canalized Main, which is here spanned by several bridges, 27 km northeast of Würzburg.- History :...
; and marshalling yards in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Osnabrück
Osnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
, and Bielefeld
Bielefeld
Bielefeld is an independent city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population of 323,000, it is also the most populous city in the Regierungsbezirk Detmold...
. Operations also included support and interdictory missions. Helped prepare for the invasion of Normandy
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...
by attacking military installations in France, and on D-Day struck coastal guns, field batteries, and transportation. Continued to support ground forces during the campaign that followed, hitting such objectives as supply depots and troop concentrations. Bombed in support of ground forces 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 1944 and at Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
in August. Covered the airborne assault on Holland in September 1944 by attacking military installations and airfields at Arnheim
Arnheim
Arnheim may refer to:* Edith Arnheim , Swedish tennis player* Fritz Arnheim , German historian* Gus Arnheim , American band leader* Rudolf Arnheim , German American author...
. Aided the final drive through Germany during the early months of 1945 by striking targets such as marshalling yards, rail bridges, and road junctions.
Demoblized in England after V-E Day, aircraft flying back to the United States throughout the summer of 1945, station personnel sailing on the Queen Elizabeth from Greenock on 5 August 1945, and arrived in New York on 11 August 1945. A skeleton unit of the squadron ws established at Sioux Falls AAFd, South Dakota, and inactivated there on 28 August 1945.
Cold War
The unit was active in the organized reserve from June, 1947 to June, 1949, being stationed first at Orchard Place AirportO'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
in Park Ridge, Illinois
Park Ridge, Illinois
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 37,775 people, 14,219 households, and 10,465 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,374.6 people per square mile . There were 14,646 housing units at an average density of 2,083.8 per square mile...
, and later at Gen. Mitchell Field
General Mitchell International Airport
General Mitchell International Airport is a county-owned public airport located five miles south of the central business district of Milwaukee, a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States....
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
.
In November 1953, the 561st Fighter-Bomber Squadron started flying F-86 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...
s at Clovis Air Force Base in New Mexico. The entire wing shipped to Europe during November, 1954. Never out of action, the crisis in the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
area and the takeover of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
in 1956 provided flying time for the crews of the 561st out of Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base
Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base
Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base is a German Air Force airfield located near the town of Fürstenfeldbruck in Bavaria, near Munich, Germany....
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
After the squadron completed transition training and became combat ready in F-100 Super Sabre
F-100 Super Sabre
The 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...
s, it was deactivated on December 10, 1957.
Vietnam War
The life of the 561st was resumed when the 23d Tactical Fighter Wing (the famous Flying Tigers) renumbered its squadrons to the 560th, 561st, 562d, and 563d Tactical Fighter Squadrons. The 561st, 562nd and 563rd deployed to SEA in 1965, the 561st being assigned to Takhli in Thailand and Da Nang in South Vietnam. "Wild Weasel" operations became the squadron’s primary mission in mid-1970, when the squadron exchanged its F-105B/D models for F-105/Gs. On April 4, 1972 General Giap launched a three-pronged attack into South Vietnam with 200,000 troops and in April 1972, the 561st was deployed to Korat Royal Thai Air Force BaseKorat Royal Thai Air Force Base
Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base is a base of the Royal Thai Air Force. It is located in northeast Thailand, located approximately 157 miles northeast of Bangkok and about 5 miles south of Nakhon Ratchasima , the second largest city in Thailand.During the Vietnam War, Korat RTAFB was the...
in Thailand from McConnell AFB in Kansas immediately following a mobility alert. With only 69,000 American troops left on the ground in Vietnam, the US turned heavily towards air power. In his novel "Lawrence of Vietnam" Michael M. Peters, who served with the 561st, wrote "That's what war is like, you're heading towards hell, death and damnation and you're in a hurry to get there". Throughout Linebacker I and Linebacker II, the 561st flew over 1,900 combat sorties accumulating nearly 6,000 combat hours, and was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" for valor, a very rare award. Of the 200,000 invading North Vietnamese troops, 40,000 were killed. The Christmas bombing (humorously called the "Twelve Days of Christmas") forced the North Vietnamese to the negotiating table where they were made to sign The Paris Peace Accords. A plane from the 561st was the last F-105 shot down in the Vietnam War (F-105G, 63-8359); it was hit by a SAM on Nov. 16, 1972; the crew was rescued. Of the 12 F-105G's assigned to the 561st during this time, four were shot down and one was lost to operational accident. Wild Weasels became so effective in the Vietnam War that 90% of North Vietnamese radar sites would turn off if Wild Weasels were in the vicinity.
On July 1, 1973, the 561st moved 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...
and joined the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing. The 561st transitioned from the F-105/G when the base received its first shipment of the F-4G Advanced Wild Weasel in 1978.
Modern era
In August, 1990, the Wild Weasels deployed to Sheikh Isa Air Base in BahrainBahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
and during Operation Desert Storm flew over 2,400 sorties logging more than 8,000 combat hours. Deactivated at George AFB after the war, and reactivated at Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is under the jurisdiction of Air Combat Command .-Overview:...
on February 1, 1993, the 561st soon deployed to Incirlik Air Base
Incirlik Air Base
The Incirlik Air Base is located in İncirlik, five miles east of Adana, Turkey's fifth largest city, and from the Mediterranean Sea.The U.S...
in support of Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations by the United States and some of its Gulf War allies, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurds fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War and deliver humanitarian aid to them.-Operation...
and returned to Southwest Asia
Southwest Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
at Dhahran Air Force Base
Dhahran
Dhahran is a city located in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, and is a major administrative center for the Saudi oil industry. Large oil reserves were first identified in the Dhahran area in 1931, and in 1935 Standard Oil of California drilled the first commercially viable oil well...
in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, supporting Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
and Operation Vigilant Warrior
Operation Vigilant Warrior
Operation Vigilant Warrior was a military operation from 8 October 1994 to 15 December 1994 by the United States in response to two divisions of Iraqi Republican Guard troops moving toward the Kuwaiti border...
.
In 1994, the 561st became the largest fighter squadron in 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...
. The 561st's presence over Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
was continuous from just after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. However, despite their mission over Iraq, the 561st was also employed as an "Aggressor" squadron during RED FLAG exercise
RED FLAG exercise
Red Flag is an advanced aerial combat training exercise hosted at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada and Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, the latter location being known as Red Flag – Alaska and being a successor to the previous COPE THUNDER exercise series. Since 1975, air crews from the United States...
s.
With the retirement of the F-4G 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,...
from the USAF on March 26, 1996, the 561st deactivated and the SEAD mission was assumed by F-16s in different squadrons.
Lineage
- Constituted 561st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 19 Dec 1942
- Activated on 24 Dec 1942
- Re-designated 561st Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 20 Aug 1943
- Inactivated on 28 Aug 1945
- Re-designated 561st Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 5 May 1947
- Activated in the Reserve on 12 Jun 1947
- Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949
- Re-designated 561st Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 5 Nov 1953
- Activated on 23 Nov 1953
- Inactivated on 10 Dec 1957
- Re-designated 561st Tactical Fighter Squadron, and activated on 1 May 1962
- Organized on 1 Oct 1962
- Re-designated 561st Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991
- Inactivated on 30 Jun 1992
- Activated on 1 Feb 1993
- Inactivated on 1 Oct 1996
Assignments
- 388th Bombardment Group, 24 Dec 1942-28 Aug 1945
- 338th Bombardment Group338th Bombardment GroupThe 338th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last active with Continental Air Command, being based at O'Hare International Airport, Illinois. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949.-History:...
, 12 Jun 1947-27 Jun 1949 - 388th Fighter-Bomber Group, 23 Nov 1953-10 Dec 1957
- Attached to 388th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 Jul-10 Dec 1957
- Tactical Air CommandTactical Air CommandTactical 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...
, 1 May 1962 - 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Oct 1962
- 23d Tactical Fighter Wing, 8 Feb 1964
- Tactical Air Command
- Attached to 41st Air Division, 6 Mar-8 Jul 1965
- 832d Air Division832d Air DivisionThe 832d Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, assigned to Twelfth Air Force, being stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona...
, 1 Jul 1972
- 832d Air Division
- Attached to 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1-14 Jul 1973
- 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 Jul 1973
- 37th Tactical Fighter Wing, 30 Mar 1981
- 35th Tactical Fighter (later, 35th Fighter) Wing35th Fighter WingThe 35th Fighter Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The 35 FW is part of Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force.-Mission:...
, 5 Oct 1989-30 Jun 1992
- Attached to 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, Provisional35th Fighter WingThe 35th Fighter Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The 35 FW is part of Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force.-Mission:...
, 16 Aug 1990-Mar 1991- 57th Operations Group57th Operations GroupThe 57th Operations Group is a non-flying component of the 57th Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command. The group is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.-Overview:...
, 1 Feb 1993-1 Oct 1996
- 57th Operations Group
Stations
- Gowen Field, ID, 24 Dec 1942
- Wendover Field, UT, c. 1 Feb 1943
- Sioux City Army Air Base, IA, 1 May-7 Jun 1943
- RAF KnettishallRAF KnettishallRAF Knettishall is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 6 miles SE of Thetford in Suffolk between the villages of Knettishall and Coney Weston, which lies to the south...
(AAF-136), England, Jun 1943-c. 6 Aug 1945 - Sioux City Army Air Base, SD, c. 13-28 Aug 1945
- Orchard Place Airport, IL, 12 Jun 1947
- General Mitchell Field, WI, 2 Sep 1948-27 Jun 1949
- Clovis AFB, NM, 23 Nov 1953-28 Nov 1954
- Hahn AB, Germany, 12 Dec 1954
- Étain-Rouvres Air BaseEtain-Rouvres Air BaseÉtain - Rouvres Air Base is a former USAF base in France. It is located on the Lorraine Plateau in northeastern France, 1 mile to the west of Étain; on the west side of the Départemental 906 road, adjacent to the village of Rouvres-en-Woevre in the Meuse département about 12 miles east of...
, France, 1 Dec 1955-10 Dec 1957
- McConnell AFB, KS, 1 Oct 1962
- Deployed at: Yokota AB, Japan, 6 Mar-8 Jul 1965
- Deployed at: George AFB, CA, 16-26 May 1966, 23 Sep-17 Oct 1966, 17 Feb-9 Mar 1967, 4-18 Aug 1967, 23 Jan-8 Feb 1968, 18 Jun-3 Jul 1968, 15-27 Nov 1968, 6-21 May 1969, and 12 Nov-c. 2 Dec 1969
- George AFB, CA, 1 Jul 1973-30 Jun 1992
- Deployed at: Sheik Isa Air BaseSheik Isa Air BaseIsa Air Base, formerly Shaikh Isa Air Base , is located on the 665 km² island nation of Bahrain which is situated off Saudi Arabia’s eastern coast...
, Bahrain, 16 Aug 1990-Mar 1991- Nellis AFB, NV, 1 Feb 1993-1 Oct 1996
Aircraft
- B-17 Flying Fortress, 1943-1945
- 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...
, 1954-1956 - 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...
, 1957 - F-105 ThunderchiefF-105 ThunderchiefThe Republic F-105 Thunderchief, was a supersonic fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force. The Mach 2 capable F-105 conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it has the dubious distinction of being the only US aircraft to have been...
, 1964-1980 - F-4 Phantom IIF-4 Phantom IIThe 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,...
, 1981-1992, 1993-1996
See also
- Wild WeaselWild WeaselA Wild Weasel is an aircraft specially equipped with radar seeking missiles, and tasked with destroying the radars and SAM installations of enemy air defence systems....
- List of United States Air Force squadrons
- List of Wings of the United States Air Force