Lineage

Constituted as 71st Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 14 Dec 1940. Activated on 1 Jan 1941. Redesignated 71st Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) on 12 Mar 1941; 71st Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942; 71st Fighter Squadron, Two Engine, on 28 Feb 1944. Inactivated on 16 Oct 1945. Redesignated: 71st Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 5 Apr 1946; 71st Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, on 20 Jun 1946. Activated on 3 Jul 1946. Redesignated: 71st Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 15 Jun 1948; 71st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 16 Apr 1950; 71st Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul 1971; 71st Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991.

Assignments

1st Pursuit (later, 1st Fighter) Group, 1 Jan 1941?16 Oct 1945. 1st Fighter (later, 1st Fighter-Interceptor) Group, 3 Jul 1946 (attached to Eastern Air Defense Force, 15 Aug?24 Oct 1950; 30th Air Division, 25 Oct 1950?3 Jun 1951; 103d Fighter-Interceptor Group, 4 Jun 1951?6 Feb 1952); 4708th Defense (later, 4708th Air Defense) Wing, 6 Feb 1952; 500th Air Defense Group, 16 Feb 1953; 1st Fighter Group, 18 Aug 1955; 1st Fighter Wing, 1 Feb 1961; 328th Fighter Wing, 16 Jan 1967; 28th Air Division, 18 Jul 1968 (attached to 314th Air Division, c. 22 Dec 1968?c. 9 Jun 1969); 24th Air Division, 19 Nov 1969; 1st Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Jul 1971 (attached to 1st Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional), 7 Aug 1990?8 Mar 1991); 1st Operations Group, 1 Oct 1991?.

Stations

Selfridge Field, MI, 1 Jan 1940; San Diego NAS, CA, 9 Dec 1941; Los Angeles, CA, 12 Feb?20 May 1942; Goxhill, England, 10 Jun 1942; Ibsley, England, 24 Aug?23 Oct 1942; St Leu, Algeria, 8 Nov 1942; Tafaraoui, Algeria, 14 Nov 1942; Nouvion, Algeria, 21 Nov 1942; Maison Blanche, Algeria, 17 Dec 1942; Biskra, Algeria, 22 Dec 1942; Chateaudun-du-Rhumel, Algeria, 16 Feb 1943; Mateur, Tunisia, 28 Jun 1943 (detachments operated from Gerbini, Sicily, 5?18 Sep 1943, and Gambut, Libya, 5?15 Oct 1943); Djedeida, Tunisia, 31 Oct 1943; Monserrato, Sardinia, 29 Nov 1943; Gioia del Colle, Italy, 8 Dec 1943; Salsola, Italy, 9 Jan 1944 (detachments operated from Aghione, Corsica, 11?21 Aug 1944, and Vincenzo, Italy, 10 Jan?18 Feb 1945); Lesina, Italy, 14 Mar 1945; Marcianise, Italy, 26 Sep?16 Oct 1945. March Field, CA, 3 Jul 1946; George AFB, CA, 18 Jul 1950; Griffiss AFB, NY, 15 Aug 1950; Greater Pittsburgh Aprt, PA, 21 Oct 1950; Selfridge AFB, MI, 18 Aug 1955; Richards-Gebaur AFB, MO, 16 Jan 1967; Malmstrom AFB, MT, 18 Jul 1968 (deployed at Osan AB, South Korea, c. 22 Dec 1968?c. 9 Jun 1969); MacDill AFB, FL, 1 Jul 1971; Langley AFB, VA, 30 Jun 1975?(operated from King Abdul Aziz AB, Saudi Arabia, 7 Aug 1990?8 Mar 1991).

Aircraft

P?35, 1941; YP?43, 1941; P?38, 1941?1945. P?80, 1946?1949; F?86, 1949?1958; F?102, 1958?1960; F?106, 1960?1971; F?4, 1971?1975; F?15, 1976?.

Operations

Antisubmarine patrols, 15?30 Dec 1941; combat in ETO and MTO, 1 Sep 1942?3 May 1945. Air defense, Jul 1950?Jun 1971. F?4 replacement training, 1 Jul 1971?29 Jun 1975. Combat in Southwest Asia, Jan?Feb 1991.

Honors

Service Streamers None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Egypt-Libya; Air Offensive, Europe; Algeria-French Morocco; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Italy, 25 Aug 1943; Italy, 30 Aug 1943; Ploesti, Rumania, 18 May 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jun 1967?1 Apr 1968; 15 Jun 1982?15 Jun 1984; 16 June 1984?15 Jun 1986; 1 May 1989?30 Apr 1991; 1 May 1992?30 Apr 1994.

Emblem

On a Medium Blue disc with Yellow border, a winged, mailed gauntlet in flight toward dexter base, with jet exhaust trail, all proper. Approved on 10 Oct 1947 (DFSC 87?10411).