Lineage

Constituted 57th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated: 57th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 28 Aug 1942; 494th Fighter Bomber Squadron on 10 Aug 1943; 494th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 30 May 1944. Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945. Redesignated 494th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 25 Jun 1952. Activated on 10 Jul 1952. Redesignated: 494th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 Jul 1958; 494th Fighter Squadron on 30 Nov 1991.

Assignments

48th Bombardment (later, 48th Fighter-Bomber; 48th Fighter) Group, 15 Jan 1941?7 Nov 1945. 48th Fighter-Bomber Group, 10 Jul 1952; 48th Fighter-Bomber (later, 48th Tactical Fighter; 48th Fighter) Wing, 8 Dec 1957 (attached to 48th Fighter Wing [Provisional], 2 Sep 1990?15 Mar 1991; 7440th Composite Wing, Sep?Dec 1991); 48th Operations Group, 31 Mar 1992?.

Stations

Savannah, GA, 15 Jan 1941; Will Rogers Field, OK, 23 May 1941; Savannah, GA, 7 Feb 1942; Key Field, MS, 28 Jun 1942; William Northern Field, TN, 15 Aug 1943; Walterboro AAfld, SC, 27 Jan?13 Mar 1944; Ibsley, England, 29 Mar 1944; Deux Jumeaux, France, 4 Jul 1944; Villacoublay, France, 29 Aug 1944; Cambrai/Niergnies, France, 15 Sep 1944; St Trond, Belgium, 30 Sep 1944; Kelz, Germany, 26 Mar 1945; Kassel, Germany, c. 17 Apr 1945; Illesheim, Germany, 29 Apr 1945; Laon, France, 5 Jul?Aug 1945; Seymour Johnson Field, NC, 9 Sep?7 Nov 1945. Chaumont AB, France, 10 Jul 1952; RAF Lakenheath, England, 15 Jan 1960? (deployed to Taif, Saudi Arabia, 2 Sep 1990?15 Mar 1991; Incirlik AB, Turkey, Sep?Dec 1991).

Aircraft

A?18, 1941; A?20, 1941?1942; A?35, 1942?1943; P?40, 1943; P?39, 1943?1944; P?47, 1944?1945. F?84, 1952?1954; F?86, 1953?1956; F?100, 1956?1972; F?4, 1974?1977; F?111, 1977?1992; F?15, 1992?.

Operations

Antisubmarine patrols, Mar?Apr 1942. Replacement training unit, 1942?1943. Combat in ETO, 20 Apr 1944?4 May 1945. Not operational, Feb 1972?Jun 1974. Participated in air raid on Tripoli, Libya, 14/15 Apr 1986. Combat in Southwest Asia, Jan?Feb 1991.

Honors

Service Streamers. None.



Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany, 6 Dec 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1961?29 Feb 1964; 1 Jul 1966?30 Jun 1968; 14 Oct 1976?31 Dec 1977; 1 Apr 1978?31 Mar 1980; 1 Jul 1984?30 Jun 1986; 1 Jul 1986?30 Jun 1988; 1 Jul 1988?30 Jun 1990; 20 Aug 1990?11 May 1991. Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation: Libya, 10?16 Apr 1986. Cited in the Orders of the Day, Belgian Army: 6 Jun?30 Sep 1944; 1 Oct?17 Dec 1944; 18 Dec 1944?15 Jan 1945. Belgian Fourragere.

Emblem

On a White disc bordered Red a predominate Red striped Air Force Yellow and Air Force Blue "Mach" chevron in flight diagonally to upper dexter, a Gray-edged White vapor trail curving from upper sinister of chevron to Gray aircraft/missile over to dexter in parallel flight line with chevron. Horizontally at bottom Gray-edged White cloud formations. A Black panther shaded White and Gray, face front, Red eyes and tongue, Yellow extended claws, springing forward from center over vapor trail. Approved on 6 Dec 1963 (K 15049); replaced emblem approved on 22 Aug 1942 (46522 A.C.).