357th Fighter Squadron

357th Fighter Squadron
357th Fighter Squadron Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II 76-0532 at Davis-Monthan AFB, 1991
Active	1942–1946; 1952–1960; 1962–1970; 1971–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter Training
Part of	Air Combat Command 12th Air Force 355th Fighter Wing 355th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
Nickname(s)	Dragons[1]
Engagements	European Theater of Operations Vietnam War
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Presidential Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/ V Device Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ Palm
Insignia
357th Fighter Squadron Emblem (approved 24 June 1943)[2]

The 357th Fighter Squadron (357 FS) is part of the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft training pilots for close air support missions.

The squadron was first activated during World War II as a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter squadron. After training in the United States the unit deployed to the European Theater of Operations. The unit entered combat operations in the summer of 1943, continuing in combat until April 1945. It earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for carrying out a difficult attack in April 1944. The squadron moved to Germany, where it was briefly part of the occupation forces before returning to the United States where it was inactivated in November 1945.

Mission

The 357th conducts all formal course directed aircraft transition, day and night weapons and tactics employment, day and night air refueling, and dissimilar air combat maneuvers. The squadron trains pilots to plan, coordinate, execute, and control day and night close air support, air interdiction and battlefield surveillance and reconnaissance.^[1]

History

World War II

357th Fighter Squadron P-47D Thunderbolt 42-22784

The 355th Fighter Squadron was first activated in late 1942 at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida^[2] as one of the original three squadrons of the 355th Fighter Group,^[3] flying Republic P-47 Thunderbolts. The squadron trained under III Fighter Command in Florida and in the Middle Atlantic States, then was reassigned as part of I Fighter Command for final training at Philadelphia Municipal Airport, Pennsylvania. The unit also performed air defense in the Philadelphia area in mid-1943.

The 357th deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO), where it became part of the 65th Fighter Wing of VIII Fighter Command, Eighth Air Force. The squadron engaged in low-level sweeps over the low countries and Occupied France, attacking enemy airfields and targets of opportunity such as locomotives, bridges, radio stations, and armored cars. Later the squadron served primarily as an escort for Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers of VIII Bomber Command during missions into Germany.

357th Fighter Squadron P-51D Mustang 44-73294 "Ole VIII" with occupation markings, summer 1945

On 5 April 1944, shortly after converting from P-47's to North American P-51 Mustangs, the squadron successfully bombed and strafed German airfields during a snow squall, for which it earned a Distinguished Unit Citation.^[2] It provided fighter cover for Allied forces landing in Normandy on 6 June 1944, and afterwards hit transportation facilities to cut enemy supply lines. The unit hit fuel dumps, locomotives, and other targets in support of ground forces during the breakthrough at Saint-Lô in July.

The squadron remained in combat until 25 April 1945. It moved to Occupied Germany as part of the United States Air Forces in Europe for occupation duty at AAF Station Gablingen, Germany, later moving to AAF Station Schweinfurt. The squadron transferred, without personnel and equipment, to Mitchel Field New York on 1 August 1946. It was inactivated on 20 November at Mitchel.

Cold War Air Defense

357th FIS F-86D Sabres 51-8378 in foreground.

The squadron was reactivated as the 357th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron under Air Defense Command ADC at Portland International Airport, Oregon in November 1952. The squadron took over the personnel, mission and F-86F Sabres of the federalized 123d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron of the Oregon Air National Guard which was returned to state control.^[2][4] A little more than three months later, ADC formed Air Defense Groups at its dispersed fighter bases and the squadron became the operational element of the new 503d Air Defense Group.^[2] However, the 503d soon converted to Lockheed F-94 Starfires with the activation of the 497th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron^[5] and the 357th deployed to Nouasseur Air Base, French Morocco and assigned to the 316th Air Division of United States Air Forces Europe in May, where it provided air defense mission for Strategic Air Command forward bases used by Boeing B-47 Stratojet aircraft on Reflex deployment to Morocco. Th unit received new Mighty Mouse rocket armed and airborne intercept radar equipped F-86D Sabre interceptors in early 1955. The unit remained in North Africa until 1960 when it was inactivated^[2] as SAC withdrew from its Morocco bases.

Viet Nam War

357th Tactical Fighter Squadron F-105D 61-0176, 1969

The 357th was reactivated in July 1962 at George Air Force Base, California as the 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron under the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing and equipped with Republic F-105 Thunderchiefs. After a period of organization at George, the unit moved to McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas in mid-1964.^[6]

The squadron deployed for operations under the control of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), initially operating temporarily from Yokota Air Base, Japan in the fall of 1964, then from Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand in early 1965, flying combat missions over South Vietnam in support of the US Advisory forces and friendly South Vietnamese units, returning to McConnell in late 1965. The unit almost immediately re-deployed to Thailand, this time to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in early 1966 as part of the deployment of its parent wing, which became permanently assigned to PACAF's Thirteenth Air Force.^[6]

The squadron remained in Thailand engaged in combat operations over Indochina until 1970, flying frequent missions over enemy-held territory in South and North Vietnam. Its combat actions earned it a Presidential Unit Citation and three Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat V.^[6] It was inactivated at Takhli on 10 December 1970 as part of the drawdown of US Forces in Southeast Asia in the early 1970s.^[6]

357th TFS A-7D 72-0233 in 1973

The squadron activated briefly at McConnell AFB in March 1971, but moved to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona later that month and was reassigned to the reformed 355th Tactical Fighter Wing and equipped with the new A-7D Corsair II ground support aircraft.^[6] It achieved operationally-ready status in 1972. In late 1972, the unit deployed its Corsairs to Korat RTAFB and was attached to the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing (Forward Echelon), which had deployed to Korat from Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina. From Korat, the squadron's aircraft conducted combat operations in South Vietnam, returning to Davis-Monthan in July 1973.

Post war era

The squadron was redesignated the 357th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron and taken off operational status in 1976, becoming an A-7D Pilot training squadron. It received Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt IIs in 1979, the replacement for the A-7Ds, and became an A-10 Thunderbolt II Operational Training Unit, the mission the squadron currently performs. In 2000, the squadron added the mission of training instructor pilots in the A-10.^[6]

Lineage

357th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron - Emblem

• Constituted as the 357th Fighter Squadron and activated on 12 November 1942

Redesignated 357th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 20 August 1943

Inactivated on 20 November 1946

• Redesignated 357th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 11 September 1952

Activated on 1 November 1952

Discontinued on 8 March 1960

• Redesignated 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 13 April 1962

Organized on 8 July 1962

Inactivated on 10 December 1970

• Activated on 15 March 1971

Redesignated: 357th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 1 July 1976

Redesignated: 357th Fighter Squadron on 1 November 1991.

^[6]

Assignments

• 355th Fighter Group, 12 November 1942 – 20 November 1946
• 4704th Defense Wing, 1 November 1952
• 503d Air Defense Group, 16 February 1953
• Seventeenth Air Force, 1 June 1953 (attached to Air Defense Division, Provisional, 8 June 1953 – 17 September 1953
• 316th Air Division, 18 September 1953 – 8 March 1960
• Tactical Air Command, 13 April 1962 (not organized)
• 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, 8 July 1962 (probably attached to 41st Air Division, 9 August 1964 - c. 9 Dec 1964 and to 6234th Tactical Fighter Wing, 12 June 1965 – 8 November 1965)
• 835th Air Division, 8 November 1965 (attached to 23d Tactical Fighter Wing)
• 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, 29 January 1966 – 10 December 1970
• 23d Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 March 1971
• 4453d Combat Crew Training Wing, 22 March 1971
• 355th Tactical Fighter Wing (later, 355th Tactical Training wing; 355th Fighter) Wing), 1 July 1971
• 355th Operations Group, 1 May 1992 – Present

^[6]

Stations

^[6]

Aircraft

• P-47 Thunderbolt (1943–1944)
• P-51 Mustang (1944–1946)
• F-86D Sabre Interceptor(1952–1960)
• F-105 Thunderchief (1962–1970)
• F-4 Phantom II (1971)
• A-7 Corsair II (1971–1979)
• A-10 Thunderbolt II (1979 – present)

^[6]

Awards and Campaigns

Award streamer	Award	Dates	Notes
	Distinguished Unit Citation	5 April 1944	357th Fighter Squadron[6]
	Presidential Unit Citation	11 June 1965-21 November 1965	357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Presidential Unit Citation	29 January 1966-10 October 1955	357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Presidential Unit Citation	11 August 1967-12 August 1967 24 October 1967 – 28 October 1967	357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Presidential Unit Citation	12 April 1968-30 April 1969	357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/Combat "V" Device	12 October 1966-11 April 1967	357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/Combat "V" Device	12 April 1967-11 April 1968	357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/Combat "V" Device	1 July 1969-24 November 1970	357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1971-1 June 1973	357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 October 1976-30 May 1978	357th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron[6]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 January 1991-31 December 1992	357th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (later 357th Fighter Squadron)[6]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 June 1995-31 May 1997	357th Fighter Squadron[6]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 June 1998-31 May 2000	357th Fighter Squadron[6]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 June 2002-31 May 2004	357th Fighter Squadron[6]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 June 2004-31 May 2006	357th Fighter Squadron[6]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 June 2007-31 May 2009	357th Fighter Squadron[6]
	Republic of Viet Nam Gallantry Cross w/Palm	1 April 1966-10 December 1970	357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]

Campaign Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	Air Offensive, Europe		357th Fighter Squadron[6]
	Normandy		357th Fighter Squadron[6]
	Northern France		357th Fighter Squadron[6]
	Rhineland		357th Fighter Squadron[6]
	Ardennes-Alsace		357th Fighter Squadron[6]
	Central Europe		357th Fighter Squadron[6]
	Air Combat, EAME Theater		357th Fighter Squadron[6]
	Vietnam Defensive		357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Vietnam Air		357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Vietnam Air Offensive		357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II		357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III		357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Vietnam Air/Ground		357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV		357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Tet 1969 Counteroffensive		357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969		357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970		357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Sanctuary Counteroffensive		357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]
	Southwest Monsoon		357th Tactical Fighter Squadron[6]

See also

Aerospace Defense Command (ADC)
Bases	CONUS Amarillo Beale Charleston Davis-Monthan Dobbins Dover Dow Duluth Eglin Edwards Ellington Ellsworth England Ent Ethan Allen Fairfax Fallon Fort Heath Fort Lee Geiger George Glasgow Grand Forks Grenier Griffiss Gunter Hamilton Hancock Homestead Hurlburt Hunter Imeson Key West Kincheloe Kingsley Kirtland Lackland Laredo Larson Luke MacDill March Malmstrom McCoy McChord McClellan McGhee Tyson McGuire Minneapolis-St. Paul Minot Mitchel New Castle Niagara Falls Norton O'Hare Otis Oxnard Paine Perrin Peterson Pittsburgh Portland Presque Isle R.I. Bong Richards-Gebaur Robins K.I. Sawyer Selfridge Seymour Johnson Sioux City Stead Stewart Suffolk County Tinker Travis Truax Tyndall Vandenburg Vincent Walker Webb Westover Wright-Patterson Wurtsmith Youngstown Overseas Ernest Harmon Frobisher Bay Goose Bay Keflavik McAndrew Pepperrell Thule
Stations	CONUS Adair Aiken Almaden Alpena Antigo Arlington Heights Baker Bedford Bellefontaine Belleville Benton Blaine Brookfield Brunswick Bucks Harbor Burns Calumet Cambria Cape Charles Cape Cod Carmi Caswell Chandler Charleston Cheyenne Mountain Claysburg Clear Colville Condon Continental Divide Cottonwood Cross City Crystal Springs Curlew Custer Cut Bank Dallas Center Dauphin Island Dickinson Duncanville Eldorado Empire Finland Finley Flintstone Fordland Fort Fisher Fort Lee Fortuna Gettysburg Grand Marais Grand Rapids Guthrie Hanna City Havre Highlands Houma Hutchinson Joelton Keno Killeen Kingman Kirksville Klamath Lake Charles Lake City Las Cruces Las Vegas Lewistown Lockport Lufkin Lyndonville Madera Makah Mica Peak Miles City Mill Valley Minot Montauk Moriarty Mount Hebo Mount Laguna Mount Lemmon Naselle North Bend North Charleston North Truro Oklahoma City Olathe Omaha Opheim Osceola Othello Owingsville Ozona Palermo Point Arena Port Austin Port Isabel Pyote Red Bluff Rochester Rockport Rockville (Indiana) Roslyn Rye Saint Albans San Clemente Island Santa Rosa Island Saratoga Springs Sault Ste Marie Shemya Snelling Snow Mountain Sweetwater Texarkana Tierra Amarilla Thomasville Tonopah Topsham Two Creeks Wadena Walnut Ridge Watertown Waverly West Mesa Willow Run Winnemucca Winslow Winston-Salem Woomera Yaak Zapata Overseas Armstrong Baldy Hughes Beausejour Cape Makkovik Cartwright Cut Throat Island Elliston Ridge Fox Harbour Hofn Hopedale Kamloops La Scie Langanes Latrar Melville Puntzi Mountain Ramore Red Cliff Rockville Saglek St. Anthony Saskatoon Mountain Sioux Lookout Spotted Island Stephenville
Air Defense units	Forces Central Air Defense Eastern Air Defense Iceland Western Air Defense First Fourth Tenth Fourteenth Air Divisions 8th 9th 20th 21st 23d 24th 25th 26th 27th 28th 29th 30th 31st 32d 33d 34th 35th 36th 37th 58th 64th 73d 85th Sectors Albuquerque Bangor Boston Chicago Detroit Duluth Goose Grand Forks Great Falls Kansas City Los Angeles Minot Montgomery New York Oklahoma City Phoenix Portland Reno Sault Sainte Marie San Francisco Seattle Sioux City Spokane Stewart Syracuse Washington Wings Fighter 1st 4th 23d 32d 33d 50th 52d 56th 78th 81st 325th 328th 507th Detection and Control 71st 73d 551st 552d Air Defense 46th 4620th 4621st 4622d 4624th 4625th 4627th 4628th 4683d 4700th 4702d 4703d 4704th 4705th 4706th 4707th 4708th 4709th 4710th 4711th 4750th 4751st 4752d 4756th 4780th Groups Fighter 1st 4th 14th 15th 23d 32d 33d 50th 52d 53d 54th 56th 57th 78th 79th 81st 82d 84th 325th 326th 327th 328th 329th 337th 343d 355th 408th 412th 414th 473d 475th 476th 478th 507th Air Defense 10th 500th 501st 502d 503d 514th 515th 516th 517th 518th 519th 520th 521st 525th 527th 528th 529th 530th 533d 534th 564th 566th 567th 568th 575th 637th 665th 678th 692d 701st 751st 762d 765th 778th 780th 827th 858th 4606th 4620th 4676th 4700th 4721st 4722d 4727th 4728th 4729th 4730th 4731st 4732d 4733d 4734th 4735th 4750th 4756th Aircraft Control & Warning 503d 505th 540th 541st 542d 543d 544th 545th 546th 563d 564th 565th 566th Squadrons Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons
Major weapon systems	Electronic TB-29 EB-57 EC-121 Fighters Propellor: F-47 F-51 P-61 F-82 Subsonic Jet: P-80 F-84 F-86 F-89 F-94 Supersonic Jet: F-101 F-102 F-104 F-106 Missiles AIM-4 AIM-26 AIR-2 CIM-10 Ships Guardian Interceptor Interdictor Interpreter Investigator Locator Lookout Outpost Pickett Protector Scanner Searcher Skywatcher Tracer Watchman Vigil Texas Towers Texas Tower 2 Texas Tower 3 Texas Tower 4
Miscellaneous	Air Defense Command Emblem Gallery (on Wikimedia Commons) General Surveillance Radar Stations

Air Combat Command (ACC)
Air Forces	First Ninth Twelfth Twenty-Fifth
Center	United States Air Force Warfare Center
Bases	Beale Creech Davis-Monthan Holloman Langley–Eustis (Langley Field) Moody Mountain Home Nellis Offutt Seymour Johnson Shaw Tonopah
Wings	Composite 23d 49th 53d 55th 57th 432d Fighter 1st 4th 20th 325th 355th 366th 388th Other 9th Reconnaissance 93d Air-Ground Operations 99th Air Base 461st Air Control 505th Command and Control 552d Air Control 633d Air Base

United States Air Force
Leadership	Secretary of the Air Force Under Secretary of the Air Force Chief of Staff Vice Chief of Staff Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force 4-star generals House Armed Services Committee House Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces Senate Committee on Armed Services Senate Subcommittee on Airland Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
Structure	Commands Reserve Air National Guard Field Operating Agencies Installations Direct Reporting Units District of Washington Operational Test and Evaluation Center USAF Academy Major Commands Air Combat Air Education and Training Air Mobility Global Strike Materiel Reserve Space Special Operations Europe & Africa Pacific Numbered Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Fourteenth Seventeenth Eighteenth Nineteenth Twentieth Twenty-Second Twenty-Fourth Twenty-Fifth Air Forces Central Wings ANG Groups ANG Squadrons ANG Security forces Civilian auxiliary: Civil Air Patrol
Personnel and training	Airmen Rank Officers Enlisted Specialty Code Aeronautical ratings Judge Advocate General's Corps RED HORSE Medical Service Chief of Chaplains Chief Scientist Training: USAF Academy Officer Training School Reserve Officer Training Corps Basic Training Airman Leadership School SERE Fitness Assessment
Uniforms and equipment	Awards and decorations Badges Equipment Uniforms
History and traditions	History Army Air Service / Corps / Forces "The U.S. Air Force" Air Force Band The Airmen of Note Tops In Blue Airman's Creed Core Values Flag Symbol Memorial National Museum Air Force One Honor Guard Thunderbirds Service numbers
Category Portal

References

Notes

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2012. /
• 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. 
• Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. 
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. 
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. 
• USAF Aerospace Defense Command publication, The Interceptor, January 1979 (Volume 21, Number 1)