560th Flying Training Squadron

560th Flying Training Squadron [1]
Active	24 December 1942 – 28 August 1945 6 March 1947 – 27 June 1949 1 May 1962 – 31 October 1970 1 May 1972 – present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Pilot Training
Part of	Air Education and Training Command 19th Air Force 12th Flying Training Wing 12th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Randolph Air Force Base
Nickname(s)	Chargin' Cheetahs
Decorations	DUC AFOUA

Emblem of the World War II 560th Bombardment Group

The 560th Flying Training Squadron (560 FTS) is part of the 12th Flying Training Wing of the United States Air Force based at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. It operates the T-38 Talon conducting flying training.

History

The 560th participated in combat in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. At one point the squadron carried out shuttle bombing missions from England to Germany to Poltava, USSR, to Foggia, Italy, and back to England.^[2]

Beginning in October 1962, the squadron, having been redesignated as a tactical fighter unit, conducted tactical operations and training in preparation for global deployment. It deployed to South Korea in response to North Korea's capture of the USS Pueblo in June 1969. After maintaining alert status in Korea and later Japan, the Squadron was redeployed to Homestead Air Force Base, Florida where it was inactivated in October 1970.

On 1 May 1972, the 560th was reactivated at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, and took over the mission of training T-38 Talon instructor pilots for Air Training Command's Undergraduate Pilot Training bases.^[2]

560 FTS T-38A Talons at their Randolph AFB home in 1975

In October 1993, the 560th took on the mission of Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals and Upgrade Instructor Pilot Training in the "Smurf Jet" AT-38. In May 1998, the Smurf operation had become squadron-sized and was split off to reactivate the 435th Fighter Training Squadron. The 560th still prepares rated pilots from varied backgrounds for fighter lead-in training.^[2]

Additionally, the 560th maintains ties with Vietnam era POW pilots. Since 1973, all repatriated pilots, physically able to return to active flying duty came to the 560th for requalification training. As the final chapter in Operation Homecoming, the squadron returned more than 150 active duty pilots to flight status. Over the next two years the 560th flew more than 6000 hours and established a lasting bond with these former-POWs.^[2]

Operations

• World War II^[1]

Lineage

• 560th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) (1942–1943)
• 560th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy (1943–1947)
• 560th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy (1947–1962)
• 560th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1962–1972)
• 560th Flying Training Squadron (1972–present)^[1]

Assignments

^[1]

Stations

^[1]

Aircraft Operated

• B-17 Flying Fortress (1943–1945)
• F-100 Super Sabre (1962–1964)
• F-105 Thunderchief (1963–1968)
• F-4 Phantom II (1969–1970)
• T-38 Talon (1972–present)^[1]

References

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

• 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. 
• 560th Flying Training Squadron History
• 560th Flying Training Squadron Fact Sheet

See also

Air Education and Training Command (AETC)
Air Forces	Second Nineteenth Air University
Bases	Altus Columbus Goodfellow Gunter Annex Keesler Lackland Laughlin Luke Maxwell Randolph Sheppard Tyndall Vance
Wings	12th Flying Training 14th Flying Training 17th Training 33d Fighter 37th Training 42d Air Base 47th Flying Training 56th Fighter 58th Special Operations 59th Medical 71st Flying Training 80th Flying Training 81st Training 82d Training 97th Air Mobility 314th Airlift 502d Air Base
Groups	336th Training Group 381st Training Group

United States Air Force
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