| 352d Tactical Fighter Squadron | |
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352dh TFS Insignia |
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| Active | November 15, 1942 – July 31, 1971 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Role | Tactical Fighter |
The 352d Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force fighter squadron. Its last assignment was with the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, being stationed at Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam. It was inactivated on July 31, 1971.
The squadron was formed in 1942 and served in the European Theater of World War II. During the Cold War, the squadron was attached to NATO, and stood on alert during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Deployed to South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, the squadron fought with distinction. The Squadron was deactivated in 1971.
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The 352d Tactical Fighter Squadron was formed in Mitchel Field, New York, on September 28, 1942, flying the P-47 Thunderbolt.
The squadron operated against the enemy in combat over Europe from August 1943 to April 1945, using P-47's until conversion to P-51 Mustangs in October 1944. The unit regularly escorted bombers that attacked industrial establishments, marshalling yards, submarine installations, V-weapon sites, and other targets. They frequently strafed and dive-bombed buildings, troops, flak batteries, barges and tug boats, locomotives and rail lines, vehicles, bridges, and airfields while also flying numerous counter-air missions.
From August 1943 to February 1944, the squadron provided escort for bombers that attacked targets in western Europe, made counter-air sweeps over France and the low countries, and dive-bombed targets in France. The wing participated in the intensive campaign against the German Air Force and aircraft industry during Big Week, February 20–25, 1944. Between March and May 1944, it increased its fighter-bomber activities. In June 1944, it provided cover over the beachhead and close support for the Normandy invasion.
In July 1944, it supported the breakthrough at St. Lo. The squadron continued its fighter-bomber, escort, and counter-air activities, participating in the Battle of the Bulge (December 1944 – January 1945) and the airborne attack across the Rhine (March 1945).
The 352d remained in the theater until October 1945. It was inactivated in the US on October 18, 1945 at Camp Kilmer, NJ.
On September 25, 1957,the squadron was reactivated as the 352d Fighter-Day Squadron, attached to the 354th Fighter-Day Wing, Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina. The squadron was equipped with the F-100D/F "Super Sabre".
The 354 FDW/TFW was committed to NATO, and the squadron deployed often to Europe. After the July 1958 Lebanon Crisis, Tactical Air Command began a rotation of combat squadrons to Incirlik AB, Turkey and Aviano AB, Italy in support of NATO alert commitments and Air Force weapons training deployments to the nearby Maniago Range.
During the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, the 352 TFS deployed on October 21 to McCoy AFB, Florida. After the crisis ended, the 352d remained at McCoy until January 20, 1963.
The 352d Tactical Fighter Squadron was deployed and permanently reassigned to the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing at Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam on August 15, 1966. On October 10 it was decided to transfer the F-4 equipped squadrons at Phan Rang to Da Nang Air Base, and move the F-100 equipped squadrons at Da Nang to Phan Rang.
The 366th TFW was reassigned w/o personnel or equipment to Da Nang and the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing was reassigned from Da Nang to Phan Rang.
The deployed F-100 squadrons at Phan Rang were:
The 120 TFS deployed from the Colorado Air National Guard in April 1967, remaining until April 1969. With its personnel returning to CONUS, the squadron was redesignated the 612 TFS. The 614 and 615 TFS were deployed squadrons from the 401 TFW at England Air Force Base Louisiana and were reassigned to Phan Rang from Da Nang in October 1966.
Missions carried out by the squadrons included air support of ground forces, interdiction, visual and armed reconnaissance, escort, close and direct air support, and rapid reaction alert.
During the Cambodian incursion of April 1970, the 352d struck enemy bases and supply caches in the Parrot’s Beak area just inside the Cambodian border during April and May. The 352d also provided close air support and interdiction in support of South Vietnamese operations in Laos and Cambodia during January through June 1971.
In April 1971, the 352 TFS began phasing down for inactivation and flew its last combat mission on June 26, 1971. The 612, 614 and 615 TFSs were deactivated in place on July 31, 1971 and were reassigned back to the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, now assigned to Torrejon Air Force Base Spain. However, the 352 TFS was deactivated permanently, along with the 35th TFW on July 31, 1971 as part of the American drawdown in Vietnam.
On 15 May 1972, the provisional 4554th Tactical Fighter Replacement Squadron, 354th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach AFB was activated with A-7D Corsair II aircraft as a LIFT training squadron. Although not part of the lineage and history of the 352d TFS, the 4554th TFRS used the markings of the inactivated 352d TFS on its A-7Ds until its inactivation in October 1975, it's aircraft being reassigned to the Air National Guard when the 354th was being re-equipped with A-10 Thunderbolt IIs.
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This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.