| 465th Tactical Training Squadron | |
|---|---|
 T-38 Talon used for fighter training tHolloman AFB | |
| Active | 1942–1944; 1972–1991 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Motto | Respice Tuo Sex (Latin for 'Check Six') |
| Decorations | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[1] |
| Insignia | |
| 465th Tactical Training Squadron emblem |  |
| 465th Bombardment Squadron emblem[a][2] |  |
The465th Tactical Training Squadron is an inactiveUnited States Air Force unit. DuringWorld War II as the465th Bombardment Squadron, it was an operational and replacement unit from 1942 to 1944, when it was disbanded in a general reorganization ofArmy Air Forces training and support units in the United States.
The squadron was reconstituted as the465th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron in 1973 and briefly operated theGeneral Dynamics F-111 Aardvark atCannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. It moved toHolloman Air Force Base, New Mexico and operated as a fighter and academic training unit until inactivating in 1991.
The27th Bombardment Group had engaged in combat in theSouthwest Pacific Theater, both in the air withDouglas A-24 Banshees and on ground as infantry in the Philippines. In May 1942, thegroup and its threesquadrons were withdrawn from the theater and moved on paper toKey Field, Mississippi, where it began reforming as aDouglas A-20 Havoc unit.[3] To bring the group to its full strength, the squadron was activated in July 1942 as the465th Bombardment Squadron. In addition to A-20s, the squadron also was assigned a few DB-7 export versions of the Havoc[2]
In the fall of 1942, the 27th Group prepared for movement to North Africa, but would be converted to afighter-bomber unit flyingNorth American A-36 Apaches.[3] BecauseArmy Air Forces (AAF) fighter-bomber groups were assigned only three squadrons, when the group moved overseas in late November 1942, the 465th was reassigned toIII Air Support Command, and became anOperational Training Unit (OTU).[2] The OTU program involved the use of an oversized parent unit to providecadres to “satellite groups ".[4] The OTU program was patterned after the unit training system of theRoyal Air Force. The parent group assumed responsibility for the satellite's training and oversaw their expansion with graduates ofArmy Air Forces Training Command schools to become effective combat units.[5][6] Phase I training concentrated on individual training increwmember specialties. Phase II training emphasized the coordination for the crew to act as a team. The final phase concentrated on operation as a unit.[7]
In January 1943, the squadron moved toAlachua Army Air Field, Florida, where it became part of theArmy Air Forces School of Applied Tactics. In addition to training cadres for newly-formed groups it also demonstrated tactics for light bomber units as part of the415th Bombardment Group.[8] In March 1944 the group moved toDalhart Army Air Field, Texas, where it became aReplacement Training Unit.[2] Replacement Training Units were similar to OTUs in that they were oversized units, but their mission was to train individualpilots oraircrews.[4] However, even as the squadron arrived at Dalhart, the AAF was finding that standard military units, based on relatively inflexibletables of organization were not proving well adapted to the training mission. Accordingly, a more functional system was adopted in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit.[9] The 415th Group, including the squadron, and support units at Dalhart were disbanded,[2][8] and their personnel and equipment were transferred to the 232d AAF Base Unit.[10][b]
In the fall of 1972, the squadron was reconstituted as the465th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron and reactivated on 1 December atCannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, where it trained crews on theGeneral Dynamics F-111 Aardvark as part of the27th Tactical Fighter Wing.[11][12] This mission lasted only eight months, and in August 1973, the squadron moved toHolloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, where it conducted lead in fighter training with theNorthrop AT-38 Talon under the49th Tactical Fighter Wing.[13][14] In January 1977, flying training activities at Holloman were put under the newly activated479th Tactical Training Wing. The squadron was transferred to the 479th Wing, where it performed the academic training portion of the wing's mission. It continued this mission until it was inactivated in 1991, when its mission, personnel and equipment was transferred to the 435th Tactical Training Squadron.[citation needed]
| Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 January 1976-31 December 1976 | 465th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron[1] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 May 1981-30 April 1983 | 465th Tactical Training Squadron[1] |
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
.png) | American Theater without inscription | 13 July 1942 – 5 April 1944 | 465 Bombardment Squadron[2] |
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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