547th Intelligence Squadron

The 547th Intelligence Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. It is currently responsible for intelligence support for all Red Flag-Nellis exercises.

History

Activated in March 1944 at Hammer Field, California. The 547th was one of the last purpose-activated night fighter squadrons of World War II. Trained in Southern California, under IV Fighter Command initially equipped with specifically modified twin-seat black painted P-38M Lightnings equipped with AN/APS-6 radar in an external radome underneath the nose, relocated radio equipment and anti-flash gun muzzles. The pilot sat in the front seat, radar operator in the rear.

Deployed to the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA) in September 1944, being assigned to Fifth Air Force and engaged in defensive night operations, also conducting night interdiction raids on enemy targets. Received P-61 Black Widows in Oct 1944 at Owi Airfield, Netherlands East Indies. Operated in NEI, Philippines, Okinawa

Moved to Japan in October 1945 as part of Fifth Air Force occupation Forces, Inactivated in Japan February 1946.

Trained US and allied forward air controllers, 1969-1975 and psychological warfare pilots, 1969-1972.

Serves as USAFs center of excellence for adversary tactics analysis; develops intelligence threat training programs; defines potential threats to the US, provides intelligence support to Air Combat Command's test and evaluation programs and live-fly exercises, 1991-Present

Lineage

• Constituted as: 547th Night Fighter Squadron on February 18, 1944

Activated on March 1, 1944

Inactivated on February 20, 1946

• Redesignated 547th Special Operations Training Squadron on 22 Aug 1969.

Activated on 15 Oct 1969

• Redesignated 547th Tactical Air Support Training Squadron on 15 Aug 1972

Inactivated on 30 Apr 1975

• Redesignated and activated 547th Adversary Threat Squadron on 1 Nov 1991
• Redesignated 547th Intelligence Squadron on 1 Jul 1994.

Assignments

• 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 1 March 1944
• IV Fighter Command, 31 March 1944
• Fifth Air Force, 4 September 1944
• V Fighter Command, 30 September 1944
• 86th Fighter Wing, 10 October 1944

Attached to: V Fighter Command, 10 October-November 1944

Attached to: 310th Bombardment Wing, 5-16 January 1945

Attached to: 308th Bombardment Wing, 16 January-February 1945

• V Fighter Command, 15 May 1945–20 February 1946

Attached to: 310th Bombardment Wing, 22 October-10 November 1945

Attached to: V Bomber Command, 10 November 1945–20 February 1946

• 1st Special Operations (later, 834th Tactical Composite) Wing, 15 Oct 1969-30 Apr 1975
• 57th Operations Group, 1 Nov 1991
• 57th Adversary Tactics Group, 15 Sep 2005-

Stations

• Hammer AAF, California, March 1, 1944
• Visalia AAF, California, May 31 – August 5, 1944,
• Oro Bay (Cape Sudest) Airfield, New Guinea, New Guinea, September 5 – October 6, 1944
• Owi Airfield, Schouten Islands, Netherlands East Indies, October 6 – December 31, 1944

Detachment: Tacloban Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, November 9, 1944 – January 11, 1945

Detachment: McGuire Field, Mindoro, Philippines, December 1944 – January 16, 1945

• Lingayen Airfield, Luzon, Philippines, January 18 – August 13, 1945
• Ie Shima Airfield, Okinawa, August 13 – October 7, 1945
• Atsugi Airfield, Japan, October 7, 1945 – February 20, 1946
• Holley Field [AF auxiliary field at Hurlburt Fld], FL, 15 Oct 1969
• Eglin AF Auxiliary Field #9 [Hurlburt Fld], FL, 8 Sep 1973-30 Apr 1975
• Nellis AFB, NV, 1 Nov 1991-Present

Aircraft

• P-38 Lightning, 1944
• P-61 Black Widow, 1944–1945
• P-70 Havoc, 1944
• U-10, 1969-1970
• O-1, 1969-1971
• O-2, 1969-1975.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency. 547th Intelligence Squadron Lineage at AFHRA

• Northrop P-61 Black Widow — The Complete History and Combat Record, Garry R. Pape, John M. Campbell and Donna Campbell, Motorbooks International, 1991.
• Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0-89201-097-5

Unofficial 547th Night Fighter Squadron emblem design: round background with thin inner rings near border red and black, inside a cartoon Black Widow spider wearing a yellow cap, having his legs spread in a circular pattern around his body, holding in each foot/hand a weapon of various types , consisting of , knife, pistol, brass knuckles,sapper,tomahawk,mace club,swordand a round bomb with fuse lit.

External links