77th Fighter Squadron
Encyclopedia
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...
, and is one of the oldest fighter squadrons in the United States military.
Early history
- see also: 489th Bombardment Squadron489th Bombardment SquadronThe 489th Reconnaissance Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. The 489th Bombardment Squadron was previously assigned to the 340th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri...
In August 1917 it had been only fourteen years since the Wright Brothers took flight and ten years since the Aeronautical Division of the U.S. Army Signal Corps (forerunner to the Air Force) had been formed. Air power was in its infancy and growing. The possibilities were endless. New innovations were occurring every where you looked, but the Great War raged in Europe and the US was gearing up for its part in that war. The Air Service was still developing, and there were many fits and starts as the service grew. The first 77th Aero Squadron was formed at Kelly Field, San Antonio Texas in August 1917, and commanded by Capt. H. L. Mumma. In September under the command of 1st Lt Kenneth M. Spence, the squadron’s designation was changed to Aero Construction Squadron. In November 1917 the 77th moved to Air Depot, Garden City, New York for deployment to the AEF. On December 4, 1917 the squadron moved to port of Embarkation Philadelphia and boarded the transport Northland. On the Northland were 9 Aero Squadrons with 70 officers and 1,339 enlisted men. These 9 Squadrons were the 10th, 12th, 13th, 16th, 19th, 75th, 76th, 77th and 101st. The Northland sailed with other transports, which were likely to be the transports USS George Washington and the USS Huron.
In January 1918 a new numbering scheme for aero squadrons was set up. Numbers 1-399 would be for Aero Service Squadrons (AS). 400-599 Aero Construction Squadrons (ACS), 600-799 Aero Supply Squadrons and 800-1099 Aero Repair Squadrons. The 77th became 489th Aero Construction Squadron. The squadron went on to serve the AEF building facilities in France. The 489th AS Returned to the States in February 1919 and went to Camp Stuart, Virginia. In March 1919 they were demobilized at Camp Lee, Virginia.
NOTE: The preceding two paragraphs relate to a different 77th Aero Squadron. The first 77th has no lineage connection to the second 77th Aero Squadron. When the first 77th had its designation changed to the 489th the 77th designation was put back into a pool of available designations for use by another squadron. It is the second squadron that is the predecessor to the modern day 77th Fighter Squadron. This also holds true for the 79th Aero Squadron’s relation to the 79th Fighter Squadron.
To add to the complexity of its history, the 77th Aero Service Squadron was reborn at Rich Field
Rich Field
Rich Field is a defunct military airfield near Waco, Texas, used for flying training during World War I. It was named in honor of 2nd Lt. C. Perry Rich of the Philippine Scouts. He had been instructed to fly by Lt. Frank P. Lahm in May 1913, then crashed his Wright Model C into Manila Bay on...
, Waco Field, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
on February 20, 1918 with 2Lt. George P. Southworth as the squadron’s first commander. On February 28 the squadron along with the 78th and 79th (which had also been reborn at Rich Field) moved by train on the Missouri Kansas & Texas Railway (commonly known as the Katy Railway) to Taliaferro Fld #1 (later named Hicks Field), Fort Worth, Texas. The 77th would then move to Taliaferro Field # 2 (later named Barron Field
Barron Field
Barron Field in Everman, Texas, United States, was one of three airfields used during World War I by the U.S. Army Signal Corps flight training center at Camp Taliaferro near Fort Worth....
), Everman, Texas
Everman, Texas
Everman is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,108 at the 2010 census.Former Texas Supreme Court Justice Steven Wayne Smith, who served from 2002–2005, was reared in Everman.-History:...
on March 18, 1918. In May 1918 2Lt. John Mason Tilney became Squadron Commander. On July 21, 1918 the 77th was redesignated Permanent School Squadron "A," Barron Field, Texas. A letter dated July 24, 1918 states “The use of numerical designations of squadrons will be restricted to those overseas and the eighty reserve squadrons authorized to be established at all times in this country”. The vacated numbers were to be assigned to new squadrons as they were organized to replace squadrons shipped overseas. Some time after the squadrons designation was changed 2Lt. Edward S. Winfree took command and finally 2Lt. Hugh C. Downey became the squadron's last commander.
The 77th and later Squadron "A" provided personnel for base administrative activities and for various positions needed to maintain operations on Barron Field. The squadron was officially demobilized on November 18, 1918, but recently found documents seem to show the unit was not demobilized until March 1919.
There is also evidence that a third 77th Aero Service Squadron may have existed. A letter from the Office Director Military Aeronautics Operations Section to Commander Barron Field dated September 23, 1918 requests that the records for the 77th Aero Service Squadron (renamed Squadron "A" by this time) be sent to Aviation General Supply Depot and Concentration Camp, Garden City, Long Island, New York for reorganization of the 77th.
The 77th was reactivated and consolidated with the 77th Observation Squadron in October 1927. In 1929, the squadron was redesignated the 77th Pursuit Squadron and reorganized as one of the first tactical units of the 20th Pursuit Group
20th Fighter Wing
The 20th Fighter Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Shaw Air Force Base South Carolina. The wing is assigned to Air Combat Command's Ninth Air Force.-Mission:...
at Mather Field
Mather Air Force Base
Mather Air Force Base is a closed United States Air Force Base located east of Sacramento at Rancho Cordova, California on the south side of U.S. Route 50....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, with an officer strength of four.
World War II
From 1930 until 1943, the squadron moved back and forth across the country with the 20th, flying several different aircraft, including the P-26, P-36, P-38, P-39 and the P-40. In January 1943, the 77th settled at March Field, California, in time to be reassigned to England and the European Theater of Operations during World War II. The 77th, now designated a fighter squadron, arrived at RAF Kings CliffeRAF Kings Cliffe
RAF Kings Cliffe is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located near Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire, 12 miles west of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. Originally the airfield was grass-surfaced but hard-surfaced runways and a perimeter track were laid down early in 1943.-USAAF...
, Northhamptonshire, England, in August 1943, flying the P-38. The 77th entered combat operations in November 1943, flying combat missions until April 25, 1945, when, armed with P-51 Mustangs, they began escorting “heavies” to Pilzen, Czechoslovakia, in one of the last raids of the war.
The 77th was instrumental in the 20th achieving its record kill of 432 enemy aircraft, 400 locomotives, 1,555 freight cars, 94 ammunition cars and 536 motor vehicles destroyed. The 77th left King’s Cliffe, England, in the summer of 1945 and was deactivated in October 1945.
Cold War
The 77th and the 20th were reactivated in July 1946 at Biggs Field, Texas. Between 1946 and 1952 the squadron moved to Shaw Field, S.C., and then to Langley Air Force Base, Va., becoming the 77th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and transitioning to the F-84.In May 1952, the 77th and the 20th were reassigned to RAF Wethersfield
RAF Wethersfield
MDPGA Wethersfield is a Ministry of Defence facility in Essex, England; it is located north of the village of Wethersfield—about north-west of the town of Braintree...
, England. In 1957, the squadron transitioned to the F-100 and a year later was designated a tactical fighter squadron flying the “Hun” for 11 more years in support of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization commitment. In 1969, the 77th and the 20th began moving to RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located north-west of Bicester near the village of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England. The base was brought into use for flying in July 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps. During World War II it was used by many units of the RAF, mainly as a training...
and converted to the fighter-bomber version of the F-111.
Recent years
The squadron, flying the F-16, reorganized and incorporated 250 maintainers on Feb. 1, 1992. The 77th Fighter Squadron was inactivated in October 1993, then transferred and reactivated at Shaw Air Force BaseShaw Air Force Base
Shaw Air Force Base is a United States Military facility located approximately west-northwest of Sumter, South Carolina. It is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, on Jan. 3, 1994. In 1996, the 77 FS deployed to Southwest Asia.
In 1999 and 2001, the 77 FS deployed to Southwest Asia flying missions over Iraq in support of Operation NORTHERN WATCH
Operation Northern Watch
Operation Northern Watch, the successor to Operation Provide Comfort, was a US European Command Combined Task Force charged with enforcing its own no-fly zone above the 36th parallel in Iraq...
. The squadron also deployed in support of Operation ALLIED FORCE
Operation Allied Force
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
and Operation DESERT FOX
Operation Desert Fox
The December 1998 bombing of Iraq was a major four-day bombing campaign on Iraqi targets from December 16–19, 1998 by the United States and United Kingdom...
in 1999. In 1997 and 2000, the 77th deployed to Southwest Asia flying missions over Iraq in support of 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...
. In between deployments from 2001 to 2006, the 77th Fighter Squadron provided escort security to the President of the United States and Air Force One as part of Operation Noble Eagle and flew security missions daily over the Eastern Seaboard.
The 77 FS was awarded the 20th Fighter Wing
20th Fighter Wing
The 20th Fighter Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Shaw Air Force Base South Carolina. The wing is assigned to Air Combat Command's Ninth Air Force.-Mission:...
Fighter Squadron of the Year in 1998 and 2000. In 2001, the squadron participated in many other deployments. From July to Sept. 2002, the 77th deployed to Operation NORTHERN WATCH. From February 2003 to May 2003, the squadron deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base (PSAB) Saudi Arabia Asia in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.
Two F-16s from the squadron collided during a training flight on October 15, 2009. One F-16, piloted by Captain Lee Bryant, was able to land safely at Charleston AFB, South Carolina. The other jet, piloted by Captain Nicholas Giglio, 32, apparently crashed into the ocean. Authorities believe that Giglio was killed instantly in the collision and did not eject.