148th Fighter Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 148th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force
unit assigned to the 162d Fighter Wing
, Arizona Air National Guard
. It is stationed at Tucson Air National Guard Base
, Arizona.
and performs training for Air National Guard and NATO pilots.
. Initially assigned to VIII Fighter Command
, reassigned to Twelfth Air Force and engaged in combat in the North African Campaign
and later based in Italy
as part of the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
(MTO). Engaged in combat during Sicilian and Italian Campaigns, also flew combat missions from Sardinia and in the Rhone Valley of France, 1944.
Inactivated November 1945 and allocated to Pennsylvania Air National Guard
, 1946, being re-designated 148th Fighter Squadron, and assigned to Reading Army Airfield as a geographically separated unit of the 112th Fighter Group at Pittsburgh Airport.
The squadron was activated at Reading AAF on 22 April 1947 with P (later F-47) Thunderbolts
. On 10 February 1951 the squadron was federalized due to the Korean War
and brought to active duty at Dover AFB, Delaware.
It was released from active duty on 1 November 1952 and was equipped with the F-86D Sabre interceptor. In 1956, the end of era came for the 148th as the squadron was re-designated as the 140th Air Transport Squadron with the main airframe being the C-46 "Commando" transports
Reactivated 15 October 1985 under 162d Fighter Wing
, Arizona Air National Guard
as 148th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron. Equipped with F-16A/B block 20 MLU and began training mission. Re-designated 148th Fighter Squadron 16 March 1992. Engaged in Foreign Military Sales (FMS) training.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit assigned to the 162d Fighter Wing
162d Fighter Wing
The 162d Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit located at Tucson International Airport, near Tucson, Arizona.-Mission:The Air National Guard in Tucson is home to F-16 training for the U.S...
, Arizona Air National Guard
Arizona Air National Guard
The Arizona Air National Guard is the branch of the United States Air National Guard operating within the state of Arizona. It was founded by Barry Goldwater, and was integrated two years before President Truman's military integration order.-Units:...
. It is stationed at Tucson Air National Guard Base
Tucson Air National Guard Base
Tucson Air National Guard Base is a United States Air Force base, located at Tucson International Airport, Arizona. It is located south of Tucson, Arizona.-Units:...
, Arizona.
Overview
The squadron flies the F-16 Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
and performs training for Air National Guard and NATO pilots.
History
Activated on 1 October 1942 at RAF Duxford, England as the 347th Fighter Squadron347th Fighter Squadron
The 347th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 350th Fighter Group stationed at Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945.-History:...
. Initially assigned to VIII Fighter Command
VIII Fighter Command
The VIII Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe, being stationed at RAF Honington, England. It was inactivated on 20 March 1946....
, reassigned to Twelfth Air Force and engaged in combat in the North African Campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
and later based in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
as part of the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Mediterranean Theater of Operations
The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army was originally called North African Theater of Operations and is an American term for the conflict that took place between the Allies and Axis Powers in North Africa and Italy during World War II...
(MTO). Engaged in combat during Sicilian and Italian Campaigns, also flew combat missions from Sardinia and in the Rhone Valley of France, 1944.
Inactivated November 1945 and allocated to Pennsylvania Air National Guard
Pennsylvania Air National Guard
The Pennsylvania Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is, along with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, an element of the Pennsylvania National Guard. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force, as well as of the state.-Overview:The...
, 1946, being re-designated 148th Fighter Squadron, and assigned to Reading Army Airfield as a geographically separated unit of the 112th Fighter Group at Pittsburgh Airport.
The squadron was activated at Reading AAF on 22 April 1947 with P (later F-47) Thunderbolts
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
. On 10 February 1951 the squadron was federalized due to the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and brought to active duty at Dover AFB, Delaware.
It was released from active duty on 1 November 1952 and was equipped with the F-86D Sabre interceptor. In 1956, the end of era came for the 148th as the squadron was re-designated as the 140th Air Transport Squadron with the main airframe being the C-46 "Commando" transports
Reactivated 15 October 1985 under 162d Fighter Wing
162d Fighter Wing
The 162d Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit located at Tucson International Airport, near Tucson, Arizona.-Mission:The Air National Guard in Tucson is home to F-16 training for the U.S...
, Arizona Air National Guard
Arizona Air National Guard
The Arizona Air National Guard is the branch of the United States Air National Guard operating within the state of Arizona. It was founded by Barry Goldwater, and was integrated two years before President Truman's military integration order.-Units:...
as 148th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron. Equipped with F-16A/B block 20 MLU and began training mission. Re-designated 148th Fighter Squadron 16 March 1992. Engaged in Foreign Military Sales (FMS) training.
Lineage
- Activated on 1 Oct 1942 by special authority prior to constitution as 347th Fighter Squadron on 2 Oct 1942.
- Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945
- Re-designated 148th Fighter Squadron, and allotted to Pennsylvania ANG, on 24 May 1946.
- Organized and federally recognized 27 February 1947
- Federalized and placed on active duty, 10 February 1951
- Re-designated: 148th Fighter Squadron (Single Engine), 10 February 1951
- Released from active duty and returned to Pennsylvania commonwealth control, 1 November 1952
- Inactivated 30 June 1956
- Re-designated: 140th Aeromedical Transport Squadron and activated 1 July 1956
- Designation only transferred to Arizona Air National Guard, 1 October 1985
- Reactivated as 148th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, 15 October 1985
- Re-designated 148th Fighter Squadron 16 March 1992
Assignments
- 350th Fighter Group350th Fighter GroupThe 350th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the III Fighter Command, being stationed at Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945....
, 1 October 1942-7 November 1945 - Pennsylvania Air National GuardPennsylvania Air National GuardThe Pennsylvania Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is, along with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, an element of the Pennsylvania National Guard. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force, as well as of the state.-Overview:The...
, 24 May 1946
- 112th Fighter Group (ADC), 27 February 1947
- 112th Fighter Group (ConAC), 1 December 1948
- 112th Fighter Group (ADC), 1 January 1951
- Federalized and placed on active duty under Air Defense Command, 10 February 1951
- 113th Fighter Group, 10 February 1951
- 4710th Defense Wing, 6 February 1952
- 112th Fighter Group (ADC), 1 November 1952
- Allocated to: Military Air Transport ServiceMilitary Air Transport ServiceThe Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...
, 1956- Designation only transferred to Arizona Air National GuardArizona Air National GuardThe Arizona Air National Guard is the branch of the United States Air National Guard operating within the state of Arizona. It was founded by Barry Goldwater, and was integrated two years before President Truman's military integration order.-Units:...
, 1 October 1985
- Designation only transferred to Arizona Air National Guard
- 162d Fighter Wing162d Fighter WingThe 162d Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit located at Tucson International Airport, near Tucson, Arizona.-Mission:The Air National Guard in Tucson is home to F-16 training for the U.S...
, 1 October 1985–Present
Stations
- Bushey Hall (AAF-341), England, 1 Oct 1942
- RAF SnailwellRAF SnailwellRAF Snailwell, Cambridgeshire, located 3 miles north of Newmarket, Suffolk. Also known as Station 361 of the USAAF. The site has now returned to agriculture and paddocks.-Units:* Royal Air Force 268 Squadron* Army Cooperation Command...
(AAF-361), England, 4 Oct 1942
- Ground echelon, which was formed in US, was at Harding Army Air Field, La, until c. 2 Nov 1942
- RAF Kings CliffeRAF Kings CliffeRAF Kings Cliffe is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located near Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire, 12 miles west of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. Originally the airfield was grass-surfaced but hard-surfaced runways and a perimeter track were laid down early in 1943.-USAAF...
(AAF-367), England, 8 Dec 1942-4 Jan 1943 - Casablanca-Anfa AirportCasablanca-Anfa AirportCasablanca-Anfa Airport is an airport in Morocco , located about southwest of Casablanca. Anfa Airport is one of two airports serving the Casablanca area, the other being the newer and larger Mohammed V International Airport. Anfa Airport, restricted by the urban growth around it, primarily serves...
, French Morocco, 20 Nov 1942 - Oujda Airfield, French Morocco, 6 Jan 1943
- La Senia Airfield, Algeria, 12 Feb 1943
- Orleansville AirfieldOrleansville AirfieldOrleansville Airfield was a World War II military airfield in Algeria, near Chlef, approximately 170 km southwest of Algiers. It was a temporary airfield constructed by Army Engineers using compacted earth for its runway, parking and dispersal areas, not designed for heavy aircraft or for...
, Algeria, 9 Mar 1943 - Le Sers AirfieldLe Sers AirfieldLe Sers Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Tunisia, about 3 km of As Sars; 130 km southwest of Tunis. It was a temporary airfield constructed by Army Engineers using compacted earth for its runway, parking and dispersal areas, not designed for heavy aircraft or...
, Tunisia, 21 Apr 1943 - Djidjelli Airfield, Algeria, 14 May 1943
- Rerhaia AirfieldRerhaia AirfieldRerhaia Airfield was a World War II military airfield in Algeria, located approximately 3 km northwest of Boudouaou, about 32 km east-southeast of Algiers...
, Algeria, 18 Nov 1943
- RAF Kings Cliffe
- Corsica, c. 6 Dec 1943
- Detachment operated from Capodichino Airport, Naples, Italy, 10 Feb-Mar 1944
- Sardinia, 19 Ju1 1944
- Tarquinia AirfieldTarquinia AirfieldTarquinia Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in the Lazio region of central Italy, about 6 km South-Southwest of Tarquinia....
, Italy, 15 Sep 1944 - Pisa Airfield, Italy, 2 Dec 1944-14 Jul 1945
- Seymour Johnson Field, NC, 25 Aug-7 Nov 1945.
- Reading Army Airfield (later AFB), Pennsylvania, 1946–1951, 1952–1956
- Operated from Dover Air Force BaseDover Air Force BaseDover Air Force Base or Dover AFB is a United States Air Force base located two miles southeast of the city of Dover, Delaware.-Units:...
, Delaware, 1 May 1951-1 November 1952 (Federalized Service)- Tucson Air National Guard BaseTucson Air National Guard BaseTucson Air National Guard Base is a United States Air Force base, located at Tucson International Airport, Arizona. It is located south of Tucson, Arizona.-Units:...
, Arizona, 1985–Present
- Tucson Air National Guard Base
Aircraft
- P-39 Aircobra, 1942-1944
- P-400 Aircobra, 1942-1943
- P-38 LightningP-38 LightningThe Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
, 1943 - P-47 ThunderboltP-47 ThunderboltRepublic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
, 1944-1945 - A-26 InvaderA-26 InvaderThe Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
, 1947–1949
- F-51 Mustang, 1949–1951
- F-84C Thunderjet, 1951
- F-94C Starfire, 1951–1952
- F-86D Sabre, 1952–1956
- F-16 Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
, 1985–Present