13th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

13th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

13th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron McDonnell F-101B Voodoo 57-0338 at Glasgow AFB in 1962
Active 1940-1944; 1953–1968
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Role Fighter-Interceptor
Insignia
Emblem of the 13th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron emblem (approved 24 April 1956)[1]
See 13th Fighter Squadron for the present-day Pacific Air Forces squadron

The 13th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Minot Air Defense Sector, stationed at Glasgow Air Force Base, Montana. It was inactivated on 30 June 1968.

History

World War II

Activated in early 1941 as the 13th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) and assigned to the Southeast Air District, was equipped with a series of pursuit aircraft with a mission of air defense of Florida. After the Pearl Harbor Attack, The squadron was one of several hastily deployed to the Panama Canal Zone for the defense of the canal with the United States entry into World War II.

Deployed on 2 January 1942, stationed initially at Howard Field operating Bell P-39D Aircobras. By 16 February, the Squadron had 12 P-39D's (of which nine were airworthy) and not fewer than 26 pilots, but of these, only four had more than 12 months experience. Official records of its relatively brief tour in Panama are apparently all but nonexistent, although it is known that the unit was redesignated as the 13th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942 in keeping with the USAAF scheme at the time.

Following the perceived end of the emergency need for the unit, it returned to the United States in early 1943 where it became a P-47 Thunderbolt, later P-51 Mustang replacement training unit (RTU) for III Fighter Command. Inactivated on 1 May 1944 as part of a reorganization of training units.

Air Defense Command

North American F-86D Sabre 51-8437 at Selfridge AFB in December 1953

Reactivated in 1953 as part of Air Defense Command as an air defense squadron, equipped with F-86D Sabre Interceptors and initially being assigned to Selfridge AFB, Michigan with a mission for the air defense of Detroit and Great Lakes region. Moved to Iowa in 1955 for air defense of the Great Plains, and in 1957 began re-equipping with the North American F-86L Sabre, an improved version of the F-86D which incorporated the Semi Automatic Ground Environment, or SAGE computer-controlled direction system for intercepts. The service of the F-86L destined to be quite brief, since by the time the last F-86L conversion was delivered, the type was already being phased out in favor of supersonic interceptors.

Was reassigned to Glasgow AFB, Montana in July 1959 and was upgraded to the new McDonnell F-101B Voodoo and assigned alongside the F-101B interceptor was the F-101F operational and conversion trainer. The two-seat trainer version was equipped with dual controls, but carried the same armament as the F-101B and were fully combat-capable interceptors. On 22 October 1962, before President Kennedy told the nation that missiles were in place in Cuba, the squadron dispersed one third of its force, equipped with nuclear tipped missiles to Billings Logan Field at the start of the Cuban Missile Crisis.[2][3] These planes returned to Glasgow after the crisis.

Inactivated in June 1968 as part of the drawdown of ADC interceptor bases, the aircraft being passed along to the Air National Guard.

Lineage

Activated on 15 January 1941
Redesignated 13th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942
Disbanded on 1 May 1944
Activated on 27 April 1953
Inactivated on 30 June 1968

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

See also


References

Notes

  1. ↑ Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 73. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
  2. ↑ McMullen, Richard F. (1964) "The Fighter Interceptor Force 1962-1964" ADC Historical Study No. 27, Air Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, CO (Confidential, declassified 22 Mar 2000), pp. 10-12
  3. ↑ NORAD/CONAD Participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis, Historical Reference Paper No. 8, Directorate of Command History Continental Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO , 1 Feb 63 (Top Secret NOFORN declassified 9 March 1996). P. 16

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

External links