Lineage

Constituted 61st Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated: 61st Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (Twin Engine) on 31 Jan 1942; 61st Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942; 61st Fighter Squadron on 1 Jun 1942; 61st Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 28 Feb 1944. Inactivated on 18 Oct 1945. Activated on 1 May 1946. Redesignated: 61st Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, on 24 Apr 1947; 61st Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 14 Jun 1948; 61st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 Jan 1950. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Jul 1960. Redesignated 61st Tactical Fighter Squadron on 12 May 1975. Activated on 30 Jun 1975. Redesignated: 61st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 1 Jan 1980; 61st Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991. Inactivated on 12 Aug 1993. Activated on 1 Apr 1994.

Assignments

56th Pursuit (later, 56th Fighter) Group, 15 Jan 1941?18 Oct 1945. 56th Fighter (later, 56th Fighter-Interceptor) Group, 1 May 1946; 4708th Defense Wing, 6 Feb 1952; 575th Air Defense Group, 16 Feb 1953; 64th Air Division, 6 Aug 1953; 4731st Air Defense Group, 1 Apr 1957; 327th Fighter Group, 15 Oct 1957?25 Jul 1960. 56th Tactical Fighter (later, 56th Tactical Training; 56th Fighter) Wing, 30 Jun 1975; 56th Operations Group, 1 Nov 1991?12 Aug 1993. 56th Operations Group, 1 Apr 1994?.

Stations

Savannah AB, GA, 15 Jan 1941; Charlotte AAB, NC, 26 May 1941 (deployed at Myrtle Beach, SC, Oct?Nov 1941); Charleston Muni Aprt, SC, 10 Dec 1941; Bridgeport Muni Aprt, CT, 15 Jan?27 Dec 1942; Kings Cliffe, England, 12 Jan 1943; Horsham St Faith, England, 5 Apr 1943; Halesworth, England, 9 Jul 1943; Boxted, England, 19 Apr 1944; Little Walden, England, c. 15 Sep?11 Oct 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 16?18 Oct 1945. Selfridge Field (later, AFB), MI, 1 May 1946?25 Jul 1953; Ernest Harmon AFB, Newfoundland, 6 Aug 1953; Truax Field, WI, 17 Oct 1957?25 Jul 1960. MacDill AFB, FL, 30 Jun 1975?12 Aug 1993. Luke AFB, AZ, 1 Apr 1994?.

Aircraft

P?35, 1941; P?36, 1941; P?39, 1941?1942; P?40, 1941?1942; P?47, 1942, 1943?1945. P?47, 1946?1947; P?51, 1946?1947; P (later, F)?80, 1947?1950; F?86, 1950?1951; F?94, 1951?1954; F?89, 1954?1957; F?102, 1957?1960. F?4, 1975?1979; F?16, 1980?1993.

Operations

Air defense and operational training unit, 1942 and 1950?1960. Combat in ETO, 13 Apr 1943?21 Apr 1945. Replacement training unit with a combat-ready commitment, 1975?1993.

Honors

Service Streamers. 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.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: ETO, 20 Feb?9 Mar 1944; Holland, 18 Sep

1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1977?1 Jan 1979; 1 Jul 1980?30 Jun 1982; 1 Jun 1984?31 May 1986; 1 May 1987?30 Apr 1989; 1 May 1989?30 Apr 1990; 1 May 1990?30 Apr 1991.

Emblem

On a Yellow disc, the caricatured face and head of an English bulldog, left eye closed, face Tan, trimmed Black, expression depicting determination, wearing a Brown aviator?s helmet, ear phones Black, and goggles proper, holding a Golden Orange lightning bolt in mouth. Approved on 15 Sep 1943 (K 6722).