Lineage

Organized as 55th Aero Squadron on 9 Aug 1917. Redesignated 467th Aero Squadron on 1 Feb 1918. Demobilized on 16 Mar 1919. Reconstituted, and redesignated 55th Pursuit Squadron, on 24 Mar 1923. Activated on 15 Nov 1930. Redesignated: 55th Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) on 6 Dec 1939; 55th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 12 Mar 1941; 55th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942; 55th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 30 Dec 1942; 55th Fighter Squadron, Twin Engine, on 20 Aug 1943; 55th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 5 Sep 1944. Inactivated on 18 Oct 1945. Activated on 29 Jul 1946. Redesignated: 55th Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 15 Jun 1948; 55th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 20 Jan 1950; 55th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 Jul 1958; 55th Fighter Squadron on 1 Oct 1991. Inactivated on 30 Dec 1993. Activated on 1 Jan 1994.

Assignments

Unkn, 9 Aug?Nov 1917; Third Aviation Instruction Center, Nov 1917; Aerial Gunnery School, May 1918; 2d Air Depot, Nov 1918?Feb 1919; unkn, Feb?16 Mar 1919. 2d Bombardment Wing (attached to 20th Pursuit Group), 15 Nov 1930; 8th Pursuit Group (attached to 20th Pursuit Group), 1 Apr 1931; 20th Pursuit (later, 20th Fighter) Group, 15 Jun 1932?18 Oct 1945. 20th Fighter (later, 20th Fighter-Bomber) Group, 29 Jul 1946 (attached to 20th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 15 Nov 1952?7 Feb 1955); 20th Fighter-Bomber (later, 20th Tactical Fighter) Wing, 8 Feb 1955 (attached to 39th Tactical Fighter Group, 31 Aug?23 Oct 1990); 20th Operations Group, 31 Mar 1992?30 Dec 1993. 20th Operations Group, 1 Jan 1994?.

Stations

Kelly Field, TX, 9 Aug 1917; Hazelhurst Field, NY, 21 Sep?13 Oct 1917; Issoudun, France, 4 Nov 1917; St Jean-de-Monts, France, 16 May 1918; Latrecey, France, 6 Nov 1918?c. 8 Feb 1919; Garden City, NY, c. 4?16 Mar 1919. Mather Field, CA, 15 Nov 1930; Barksdale Field, LA, 31 Oct 1932; Moffett Field, CA, 19 Nov 1939; Hamilton Field, CA, 9 Sep 1940; Wilmington, NC, c. 22 Feb 1942; Morris Field, NC, 23 Apr 1942; Drew Field, FL, 7 Aug 1942; Paine Field, WA, 30 Sep 1942; March Field, CA, c. 1 Jan?11 Aug 1943; Wittering, England, c. 27 Aug 1943; Kings Cliffe, England, Apr 1944?11 Oct 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 16?18 Oct 1945. Biggs Field, TX, 29 Jul 1946; Shaw Field (later, AFB), SC, c. 25 Oct 1946; Langley AFB, VA, 19 Nov 1951?22 May 1952; Wethersfield, England, 1 Jun 1952; Sculthorpe, England, 9 Aug 1955; Wethersfield, England, 27 Apr 1956; RAF Upper Heyford, England, c. 1 Jun 1970?30 Dec 1993 (deployed at Incirlik AB, Turkey, 31 Aug?23 Oct 1990). Shaw AFB, SC, 1 Jan 1994?.

Aircraft

In addition to P?12, 1930?1935; included DH?4 during 1931; P?26, 1934?1938; P?36, 1938?1940; P?40, 1940?1942; P?39, 1942?1943; P?38, 1943?1944; P?51, 1944?1945. P?51, 1946?1948; F?84, 1948?1957; F?100, 1957?1971; F?111, 1971?.

Operations

Constructed and maintained facilities (after 6 Nov 1918 in Zone of Advance), Nov 1917?c. Dec 1918. Provided personnel for and helped train new units, 1940?1942. Combat in ETO, 28 Dec 1943?25 Apr 1945. Provided some aircrews for combat in Southwest Asia, Feb 1991.

Honors

Service Streamers. World War I Theater of Operations. World War II American Theater.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.

Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Central Germany, 8 Apr 1944. Air Force

Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1956?30 Sep 1957; 1 May 1963?31 Dec 1964; 1 Jan 1965?31 Mar 1966; 1 Jul 1968?31 Mar 1970; 1 Sep 1970?30 Jun 1972; 31 Mar 1973?30 Jun 1974; 1 Jul 1977?30 Jun 1979; 1 Jul 1981?30 Jun 1983; 1 Jul 1987?30 Jun 1989; 1 Jul 1990?30 Jun 1992.

Emblem

Azure a pair of die each showing five in perspective in fess within the numeral 55 the top bars as stylized wings Argent the dots on die Sable all within a diminished bordure Or. MOTTO: FIGHTING FIFTY FIFTH. Adopted c. 1952 and approved in Jul 1991; replaced emblem approved on 4 May 1932 (49004 A.C.).