Lineage

Constituted 81st Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated: 81st Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 30 Dec 1941; 81st Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 9 Oct 1944. Inactivated on 22 Jan 1946. Redesignated 81st Bombardment Squadron, Light, on 29 Apr 1947. Activated on 19 May 1947. Inactivated on 10 Sep 1948. Redesignated 559th Fighter-Escort Squadron on 27 Oct 1950. Activated on 1 Nov 1950. Redesignated: 559th Strategic Fighter Squadron on 20 Jan 1953; 559th Fighter-Day Squadron on 1 Jul 1957. Inactivated on 8 Jan 1958. Redesignated 559th Tactical Fighter Squadron, and activated, on 17 Apr 1962. Organized on 25 Apr 1962. Inactivated on 31 Mar 1970. Redesignated 559th Flying Training Squadron on 22 Mar 1972. Activated on 1 May 1972.

Assignments

12th Bombardment Group, 15 Jan 1941?22 Jan 1946. 12th Bombardment Group, 19 May 1947?10 Sep 1948. 12th Fighter-Escort Group, 1 Nov 1950 (attached to 12th Fighter-Escort Wing, 10 Feb 1951?16 Jun 1952); 12th Fighter-Escort (later, 12th Strategic Fighter; 12th Fighter-Day) Wing, 16 Jun 1952?8 Jan 1958. Tactical Air Command, 17 Apr 1962; 12th Tactical Fighter Wing, 25 Apr 1962 (attached to 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 12 Jun?c. 7 Sep 1965); 836th Air Division, 8 Nov 1965; 12th Tactical Fighter Wing, 27 Dec 1965?31 Mar 1970. 12th Flying Training Wing, 1 May 1972; 12th Operations Group, 15 Dec 1991?.

Stations

McChord Field, WA, 15 Jan 1941; Esler Field, LA, 27 Feb?3 Jul 1942 (operated from Stockton Field, CA, 24 May?24 Jun 1942); Deversoir, Egypt, 30 Jul 1942; LG 88, Egypt, 18 Oct 1942; Gambut, Libya, 6 Dec 1942; Magrun LG, Libya, 14 Dec 1942; Gambut, Libya, 17 Dec 1942; Tmed El Chel, Libya, 11 Jan 1943; Berteaux, Algeria, 3 Feb 1943; Canrobert, Algeria, 15 Mar 1943; Thibar, Tunisia, 1 May 1943; Hergla, Tunisia, 2 Jun 1943; Ponte Olivo, Sicily, c. 2 Aug 1943; Gerbini, Sicily, 22 Aug 1943; Foggia, Italy, 5 Nov 1943; Gaudo Airfield, Italy, 18 Jan?6 Feb 1944; Tezgaon, India, c. 20 Mar 1944; Madhaiganj Airfield, India, 13 Jun 1944; Fenny, India, 17 Jul 1944 (operated from Meiktila, Burma, 21?29 Apr 1945); Madhaiganj Airfield, India, 7 Jun 1945; Karachi, India, 15 Nov?24 Dec 1945; Ft. Lawton, WA, 21?22 Jan 1946. Langley Field, VA, 19 May 1947?10 Sep 1948. Turner AFB, GA, 1 Nov 1950; Bergstorm AFB, TX, 5 Dec 1950?8 Jan 1958 (deployed at Manston RAF Station, England, 18 Jul?30 Nov 1951; Chitose AB, Japan, 15 May?10 Aug 1953; and Misawa AB, Japan, 12 May?11 Aug 1954). MacDill AFB, FL, 25 Apr 1962?27 Dec 1965 (deployed at Naha AB, Okinawa,

12 Jun?7 Sep 1965); Cam Ranh Bay AB, South Vietnam, 27 Dec 1965?31 Mar 1970. Randolph AFB, TX, 1 May 1972?.

Aircraft

B?18, 1941?1942; B?25, 1942?1945; A?26, 1945. None, 1947?1948. F?84, 1950?1957. F?4, 1964?1970. T?37, 1972?.

Operations

Patrols over the Pacific from the West Coast, Dec 1941?Feb 1942 and May?Jun 1942; combat in MTO, 16 Aug 1942?30 Jan 1944, and CBI, 16 Apr 1944?23 May 1945. Not manned, 1947?1948. Fighter escort and air defense, 1950?1957. Augmented air defenses of Okinawa, Jun?Sep 1965. Combat in Southeast Asia, 2 Jan 1966?23 Mar 1970. Trained US and friendly nation instructor aircrews, May 1972?.

Honors

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Egypt?Libya; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno; Air Combat, EAME Theater; India-Burma; China Defensive; Central Burma. Vietnam: Vietnam Defensive; Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; Tet 69/Counter-offensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: North Africa and Sicily, Oct 1942?17 Aug 1943. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat "V" Device: 27 Dec 1965?30 May 1966; 1 Jun 1966?31 May 1967; 1 Jun 1967?31 May 1968; 1 Jun 1968?31 May 1969; 1 Jun 1969?31 Mar 1970. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 May 1972?28 Feb 1973; 1 Jan 1976?30 Apr 1977; 1 Apr 1985?31 Mar 1986; 1 Jan 1987?31 Dec 1988; 1 Jan 1990?31 Dec 1991. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: [27 Dec] 1965?31 Mar 1970.

Emblem

On a White disc, a butting goat (Light Brown with Black markings) within aBlack border. Approved on 6 Jan 1942 (153872 A.C.).