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13th Fighter Squadron
United States Air Force combat squadron From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 13th Fighter Squadron is an active squadron of the United States Air Force. The squadron flies the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and is part of the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan.
The squadron's first predecessor is the 313th Bombardment Squadron, which was activated in 1942. The squadron served in the continental United States as a training unit until its 1943 disbanding, also participating in antisubmarine warfare in 1942.
The 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated in 1966, fighting in the Vietnam War. The squadron flew Wild Weasel anti-surface-to-air missile missions with the Republic F-105 Thunderchief and McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, operating out of Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base. It moved to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base in October 1967, flying F-4s in combat air patrols against North Vietnamese MiGs and ground strike missions. The squadron was inactivated with the end of the war in 1975. The squadron was reactivated in 1976 as the 13th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, a training squadron, at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, and inactivated again in 1982. The squadron was reactivated as the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron in 1985 at Misawa, flying the F-16. Shortly thereafter, it was consolidated with the 313th Squadron. It was redesignated the 13th Fighter Squadron in 1991.
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Mission
The 13th Fighter Squadron, "Panther Pack" operates the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon CM/DM Block 50 aircraft conducting air superiority missions. The Panthers provide offensive and defensive counter-air capabilities, and specialize in the role of Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses.[6]
History
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World War II
The squadron's first predecessor was constituted as the 313th Bombardment Squadron and activated on 1 February 1942 at Bowman Field, Kentucky, one of the original three squadrons of the 21st Bombardment Group. It moved a week later to Jackson Army Air Base, Mississippi, where it began to organize with North American B-25 Mitchells.[9][10] The squadron moved to Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina on 24 April. At Columbia, the unit became a medium bomber Operational Training Unit (OTU).[9] The OTU program involved the use of an oversized parent unit to provide cadres to "satellite groups"[11] The program was patterned after the unit training system of the Royal Air Force. It assumed responsibility for training the satellite groups and oversaw their expansion with graduates of Army Air Forces Training Command schools to become effective combat units.[12][13] Phase I training concentrated on individual training in crewmember specialties. Phase II training emphasized the coordination for the crew to act as a team. The final phase concentrated on operation as a unit.[14]
On 26 May the 313th Squadron moved to Key Field, Mississippi. The squadron interrupted its training mission on 8 June to fly an antisubmarine warfare mission from Hattiesburg Army Air Field, Mississippi, returning to Key Field a few days later. It moved to MacDill Field, Florida on 26 June 1942. At MacDill, the squadron converted to Martin B-26 Marauders. It again flew antisubmarine missions between 31 July and 8 August 1942. The 313th began replacement training operations from May to July 1943, but resumed its OTU mission at MacDill until it was disbanded on 10 October 1943,[9] as MacDill prepared to transition to Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress training.[15]
Vietnam War
On 2 May 1966, the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base. Although nominally assigned to the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, the squadron was operationally controlled by the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Korat. The squadron was initially equipped with Republic F-105 Thunderchiefs modified to the Wild Weasel III configuration for the Suppresion of Enemy Air Defenses mission.[citation needed] On 3 June 1967 Major Ralph L. Kuster, Jr. of the squadron shot down a MiG-17 with his F-105D's 20-millimeter cannon. This was the first aerial victory of the squadron.[16]
In October 1967, the squadron moved to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, where it become part of the 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing and began flying the McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II. The 13th remained at Udorn for the remainder of the war. In 1971, the squadron adopted a panther named "Eldridge" as a mascot[h][3] In 1972, Capt Jeffrey Feinstein, a squadron weapon systems officer, flying cannon-armed F-4Es became the last USAF ace of the war, recording five victories over enemy MiG-21 fighters.[17] The victory that made him an ace came on 13 October 1972 and was the squadron's last aerial victory of the war.[18] In May 1975, the squadron flew its last combat missions in Southeast Asia during the Mayaguez incident.[19]
During the war, the squadron compiled 21 aerial victories, inlcuding 11 MiG kills, and flew more than 30,000 combat sorties. The squadron was inactivated in June 1975 as the United States withdrew its operational forces from Thailand.[6]
Replacement training unit
The squadron was activated on 15 January 1976 at MacDill Air Force Base as the 13th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron and assigned to the 56th Tactical Fighter Wing. The squadron conducted F-4E aircraft pilot and weapon systems officer replacement training at MacDill. The squadron was inactivated on 1 July 1982.[4]
Misawa Air Base
The squadron was again designated the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron and activated at Misawa Air Base, Japan in June 1985, where it was once more assigned to the 432d Fighter Wing flying the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon. The 13th became the first permanent fighter squadron stationed on the home islands of Japan since 1972. On 19 September, the 313th Bombardment Squadron was consolidated with the squadron. On 31 May 1991, the 13th was redesignated the 13th Fighter Squadron and assigned to the 432nd Operations Group as part of the Air Force's Objective Wing reorganization. The squadron deployed aircraft and personnel to southwest and central Asia, where the participated in operations over Iraq and Afghanistan.[4] It was transferred to the 35th Operations Group on 1 October 1994, part of an organizational realignment to ensure wings with rich heritages remained active.[6]
The squadron achieved initial operational capability in F-16CJs in 1996. On 8 July of that year, the squadron became the first Pacific Air Forces F-16 unit to deploy in support of Operation Southern Watch,[6] enforcing the no-fly zone over southern Iraq, as a result of a policy change allowing all units the opportunity to deploy.[citation needed] In August 1996, Iraqi forces struck Kurds in Irbil. The United States responded with Operation Desert Strike. Deployed squadron elements destroyed an Iraqi SA-8 site and Roland missile system with AGM-88 HARM missiles.[19] Again, in July 1998, squadron members were protecting coalition aircraft when British pilots operating near Basra found that Iraqi radar had locked onto them and were preparing to fire. Squadron aircraft launched an AGM-88 at the Iraqi radar, forcing the Iraqi missile battery to turn off its radar.[16]
From 1996 to 2020, the 13th deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and Jordan, including in 2014 to Jordan where the Panthers opened the US air campaign against the Islamic State in what would become known as Operation Inherent Resolve.[citation needed] It has participated in Commando Sling exercises with the Royal Malaysian Air Force and Commando West exercises with the Singapore Air Force.[20]
In 2025, the 35th Wing began to retire its F-16s, while the Air Force would begin temporarily deploying Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIs to Misawa. Rotations will continue until Misawa upgrades its fighter fleet to the F-35 in 2026.[21]
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Lineage
- 313th Bombardment Squadron
- Constituted as the 313th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 13 January 1942
- Activated on 1 February 1942
- Disbanded on 10 October 1943
- Reconstituted and consolidated with the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 19 September 1985[4]
- 13th Fighter Squadron
- Constituted as the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron and activated on 2 May 1966 (not organized)
- Organized on 15 May 1966
- Inactivated on 30 June 1975
- Redesignated 13th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 18 December 1975
- Activated on 15 January 1976
- Inactivated on 1 July 1982
- Redesignated 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 5 June 1984
- Activated on 1 June 1985
- Consolidated with the 313th Bombardment Squadron on 19 September 1985
- Redesignated as 13th Fighter Squadron on 31 May 1991[4]
Assignments
- 21st Bombardment Group, 1 February 1942 – 10 October 1943
- Pacific Air Forces, 2 May 1966 (not organized)
- 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 May 1966 (attached to 388th Tactical Fighter Wing until 17 October 1967)
- 432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (later 432d Tactical Fighter Wing), 15 November 1967 – 30 June 1975
- 56th Tactical Fighter Wing (later 56th Tactical Training Wing), 15 January 1976 – 1 July 1982
- 432d Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 June 1985
- 432d Operations Group, 31 May 1991
- 35th Operations Group, 1 October 1994 – present[4]
Stations
- Bowman Field, Kentucky, 1 February 1942
- Jackson Army Air Base, Mississippi, 8 February 1942
- Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina, 21 April 1942
- Key Field, Mississippi, 24 May 1942
- Hattiesburg Army Air Field, Mississippi, 7 June 1942
- Key Field, Mississippi, 12 June 1942
- MacDill Field, Florida, 26 June 1942 – 10 October 1943
- Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, 15 May 1966
- Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, 20 October 1967 – 30 June 1975
- MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, 15 January 1976 – 1 July 1982 (operated From: Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, 26 November–22 December 1979)
- Misawa Air Base, Japan, 1 June 1985 – present[4]
Aircraft
- Douglas B-18 Bolo (1942)
- Douglas A-20 Havoc (1942)
- North American B-25 Mitchell (1942)
- Martin B-26 Marauder (1942–1943)
- Republic F-105 Thunderchief (1966–1967)
- McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II (1967–1982)
- General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon (1985–2025)[4][21]
Awards and campaigns
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References
External links
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