43d Flying Training Squadron

43d Flying Training Squadron [1]

43d Flying Training Squadron Patch
Active 1 February 1940 - 20 May 1946
1 July 1972 - 30 September 1977
25 June 1990 - 1 October 1992
1 April 1997 - Present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Type Pilot Training
Part of Air Force Reserve Command
10th Air Force
340th Flying Training Group
Garrison/HQ Columbus Air Force Base
Engagements World War II
Decorations DUC
AFOUA
Commanders
Current
commander		 Lt. Col. Richard Briner
Emblem of the 43d Bombardment Squadron

The 43d Flying Training Squadron (43 FTS) is part of the 340th Flying Training Group and is the reserve associate to the 14th Flying Training Wing based at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. It operates T-1 Jayhawk, T-6 Texan II and T-38 Talon aircraft conducting flight training.

Mission

The 43 FTS administers and executes the Air Education and Training Command/Air Force Reserve Command Associate Instructor Pilot (IP) Program and provides Active Guard Reserve (AGR) and Traditional Reserve (TR) IPs to augment the cadre of active duty pilots conducting pilot training. During wartime, or in the event of hostilities, the unit is mobilized to offset anticipated losses of experienced active duty pilot contributions to the instructor pilot training programs.[2]

History

Activated in early 1940 as part of the pre-World War II buildup of the United States Army Air Corps after the breakout of war in Europe. Assigned to the GHQ Northeast Air District, equipped with B-18 Bolos; later early model B-17C/D heavy bombers. After the Pearl Harbor Attack. flew antisubmarine patrol missions in the Caribbean from, January–June 1942.

Returned to the United States in June 1942 and was assigned to II Bomber Command. Was an Operational Training (OTU) and later Replacement Training Unit (RTU) for B-17 heavy bomber units and replacement personnel until March 1944 with the end of Heavy Bomber training.

B-29 Superfortress operations against Japan

Re-designated on 1 April 1944 as a B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy bombardment squadron. When training was completed moved to North Field Guam in the Mariana Islands of the Central Pacific Area in January 1945 and assigned to XXI Bomber Command, Twentieth Air Force. Its mission was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and the destruction of its war-making capability.

Flew "shakedown" missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island, Truk, and other points in the Carolines and Marianas. The squadron began combat missions over Japan on 25 February 1945 with a firebombing mission over Northeast Tokyo. The squadron continued to participate in wide area firebombing attack, but the first ten-day blitz resulting in the Army Air Forces running out of incendiary bombs. Until then the squadron flew conventional strategic bombing missions using high explosive bombs.

The squadron continued attacking urban areas with incendiary raids until the end of the war in August 1945, attacking major Japanese cities, causing massive destruction of urbanized areas. Also conducted raids against strategic objectives, bombing aircraft factories, chemical plants, oil refineries, and other targets in Japan. The squadron flew its last combat missions on 14 August when hostilities ended. Afterwards, its B 29s carried relief supplies to Allied prisoner of war camps in Japan and Manchuria.

Squadron remained in Western Pacific, although largely demobilized in the fall of 1945. Some aircraft scrapped on Tinian; others flown to storage depots in the United States. Remained as a paper unit assigned to Twentieth Air Force until inactivated in 1946.

United States Air Force

It conducted undergraduate pilot training from, 1972–1977, 1990–1992, and since 1997.[1]

Operations and decorations

Lineage

Activated on 1 Feb 1940
Redesignated as 43 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 13 Mar 1940
Inactivated on 1 Apr 1944
Inactivated on 20 May 1946
Redesignated as 43 Flying Training Squadron on 22 Mar 1972
Inactivated on 30 Sep 1977
Inactivated on 1 Oct 1992
Redesignated as 43 Flying Training Squadron on 1 Apr 1998.

[1]

Assignments

[1]

Stations

[1]

Aircraft

[1]

See also

References

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

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 AFHRA 43 FTS Page
  2. ↑ 43 FTS Page
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