96th Flying Training Squadron

96th Flying Training Squadron
Active 1942-1945; 1947-1949; 1952-1958; 1973-1992; 1998 - Present
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Role Pilot Training
Part of Air Force Reserve Command
10th Air Force
340th Flying Training Group
Garrison/HQ Laughlin Air Force Base
Engagements European Theater of Operations Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Decorations Distinguished Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
96th Flying Training Squadron Emblem (approved 18 August 1942)[1]

The 96th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 340th Flying Training Group and is the reserve associate to the 47th Flying Training Wing based at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. It operates T-1 Jayhawk, T-6 Texan II, and T-38 Talon aircraft conducting flight training.

The 96th flew combat in the European Theater of Operations and the Mediterranean Theater of Operations between 25 December 1942 and 3 May 1945.

It flew fighter escort and air defense from 1947 to 1949 and air defense from 1951 to 1957.

The squadron was redesignated as the 96th Flying Training Squadron and trained USAF pilots to fly supersonic jet aircraft from 1973 to 1993. Since 1998 it has trained Air Force Reserve instructor pilots.


History

World War II

P-38 Lightnings of the 82nd Fighter Group over Italy, 1944

The squadron was first activated in early 1942 at Harding Field, Louisiana as the 96th Pursuit Squadron,[1] one of the original three squadrons of the 82d Pursuit Group.[2] It soon moved to California where it equipped with Lockheed P-38 Lightnings and began training with Fourth Air Force as the 96th Fighter Squadron. It left California in the fall and sailed for Northern Ireland, where it received additional combat training under Eighth Air Force. A month after the initial Operation Torch landings in North Africa the squadron deployed to Algeria, where it entered combat as an element of Twelfth Air Force.[3]

In North Africa, the squadron flew antisubmarine patrols, bomber escort missions and attacked enemy shipping and airfields, moving its base east through Algeria and Tunisia. As the North African campaign drew to a close, the unit began attacking targets in Italy, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation[1] for its actions on 25 April 1943 during an attack on enemy airfields in Foggia.[3]

In September, the squadron participated in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, during which it was awarded a second Distinguished Unit Citation for a bomber escort mission against marshalling yards near Naples.[1][3] The squadron moved to Italy, where it became part of Fifteenth Air Force as part of the buildup to provide fighter cover for Fifteenth's heavy bombers.[3] On 10 June 1944 the squadron earned a third Distinguished Unit Citation for its actions during an attack on oil refineries in Ploiești, Romania.[1]

Following the surrender of Germany, the squadron remained in Italy until September 1945, when it was inactivated[1] In the course of the war the squadron destroyed 194 enemy aircraft.[4]

Cold War

In 1947 the squadron was again activated at Grenier Field, New Hampshire, where it was equipped with North American P-51 Mustangs as a Strategic Air Command fighter escort unit.[5] Between April and June 1948 the squadron deployed to Ladd Air Force Base, Alaska, where it practiced rendezvousing with and escorting bombers, intercepting simulated enemy bombers and aerial gunnery.[3] In August 1949 it was transferred to Continental Air Command and its primary role became air defense, but this mission change was brief, for the squadron was inactivated in October.[5]

96th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Patch

In late 1952, the squadron, now designated the 96th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, was activated under Air Defense Command (ADC). and assigned to the 4710th Defense Wing. It was stationed at New Castle Air Force Base, Delaware, where it replaced the federalized 142d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which was returned to the control of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard.[6] The 96th took over the personnel, mission, and Lockheed F-94 Starfire aircraft of the inactivating 142d.[1]

In February 1953, another major reorganization of ADC activated Air Defense Groups at ADC bases with dispersed fighter squadrons. Air Defense Groups were assigned to defense wings and assumed direct control of the fighter squadrons at those bases, as well as support squadrons to carry out their role as the USAF host organizations at the bases. As a result of this reorganization, the 525th Air Defense Group activated at New Castle and the 96th was assigned to it.[7] In July 1953 the squadron upgraded to a newer model of the F-94, which was armed with HVAR rockets rather than cannon.[8]

In August 1955, ADC implemented Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars.[9] As part of this project, the 525th Air Defense Group was replaced by the squadron's World War II headquarters, the 82d Fighter Group.[2][7] The 96th was inactivated along with its parent group in early 1958 when ADC ended its operations at New Castle.[1]

Pilot Training

In 1972 Air Training Command replaced its Major Command (MAJCON) controlled flying training units with USAF controlled units (AFCON) units. As part of this program the squadron was redesignated the 96th Flying Training Squadron and activated at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona when its parent 82d Flying Training Wing replaced the 3525th Pilot Training Wing. At Williams the unit trained USAF pilots to fly Cessna T-37 Tweet jet aircraft[5] in the basic phase of the Undergraduate Pilot Training program. The squadron was inactivated in 1993 when Williams closed in the second round of the Base Realignment and Closure program.[3]

In 1998, the 96th Flying Training Squadron was activated in the Air Force Reserve at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas[5] as an associate of the 47th Flying Training Wing. As the reserve associate unit for the wing the squadron trains Air Force Reserve pilots.[5]

Lineage

Activated on 9 February 1942
Inactivated on 9 September 1945
Activated on 12 April 1947
Inactivated on 2 October 1949
Activated on 1 November 1952
Inactivated on 8 January 1958
Activated 1 February 1973
Inactivated 26 June 1992
Activated on 1 April 1998[5]

Assignments

Stations

(operated from Maddalina, Sicily, Italy 6–18 September 1943)
(deployed to Ladd Air Force Base, Alaska 4 April-29 June 1948)
  • New Castle Air Force Base, Delaware, 1 November 1952 – 8 January 1958
  • Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, 1 February 1973– 1 April 1993
  • Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, 1 April 1998 – Present[5]

Aircraft

Awards and Campaigns

Award streamer Award Dates Notes
Distinguished Unit Citation25 April 194396th Fighter Squadron, Italy[1]
Distinguished Unit Citation2 September 194396th Fighter Squadron, Italy[1]
Distinguished Unit Citation10 June 194496th Fighter Squadron, Ploiești, Romania[1]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 January 1978-30 April 197996th Flying Training Squadron[5]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 May 1983-30 April 198596th Flying Training Squadron[5]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 June 1989-31 May 199196th Flying Training Squadron[5]
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
Air Offensive, Europe3 October 1942 – 5 June 194496th Fighter Squadron[1]
Tunisia24 December 1942 – 13 May 194396th Fighter Squadron[1]
Sicily14 May 1943 – 17 August 194396th Fighter Squadron[1]
Naples-Foggia18 August 1943 – 21 January 194496th Fighter Squadron[1]
Rome-Arno22 January 1944 – 9 September 194496th Fighter Squadron[1]
Normandy6 June 1944 – 24 July 194496th Fighter Squadron[1]
Northern France25 July 1944 – 14 September 194496th Fighter Squadron[1]
Southern France15 August 1944 – 14 September 194496th Fighter Squadron[1]
North Apennines10 September 1944 – 4 April 194596th Fighter Squadron[1]
Rhineland15 September 1944 – 21 March 194596th Fighter Squadron[1]
Central Europe22 March 1944 – 21 May 194596th Fighter Squadron[1]
Po Valley3 April 1945 – 8 May 194596th Fighter Squadron[1]
Air Combat, EAME Theater3 October 1942 – 11 May 194596th Fighter Squadron[1]

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 321. ISBN 0-405-12194-6.
  2. 1 2 Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 147–149. ISBN 0-912799-02-1.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 82d Training Wing History Office, A Brief History of the 82d Flying Training Wing and Sheppard AFB (January 2012) retrieved November 15, 2013
  4. ↑ Newton, Wesley P., Jr. and Senning, Calvin F., (1963) USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II, USAF Historical Study No. 85, pp. 583-584
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 AFHRA 96 FTS Page
  6. ↑ Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. p. 123.
  7. 1 2 Cornett & Johnson, p. 83
  8. ↑ Cornett & Johnsont, p. 127
  9. ↑ Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, 1956., p.6

Bibliography

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

Further reading

External links

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