| 194th Fighter Squadron | |
|---|---|
 194th FS F-15C Eagle84-0014 in flight over the skies of Fresno, California. | |
| Active | 1943–1945; 1946–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Allegiance |  California |
| Branch |  Air National Guard |
| Type | Squadron |
| Role | Fighter/Air Defense |
| Part of | California Air National Guard |
| Garrison/HQ | Fresno Air National Guard Base, Fresno, California |
| Nickname | "Griffins"[1] |
| Tail code | "California" with "Fresno" stripe |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Lt. Col. Jon Vanbragt |
| Insignia | |
| 194th Fighter Squadron |  |
The194th Fighter Squadron (194 FS), nicknamedthe Griffins, is a unit of theCalifornia Air National Guard's144th Fighter Wing (144 FW) atFresno Air National Guard Base, California. The 194th is equipped with theMcDonnell Douglas F-15C/D Eagle and like its parent wing, the 144th, is operationally-gained within the active U.S. Air Force by theAir Combat Command (ACC). It is scheduled to convert to theBoeing F-15EX Eagle II in the future.
Activated in October 1943 as the409th Fighter Squadron atHamilton Field, California. During World War II, the squadron was an Operational Training Unit (OTU), equipped with second-lineBell P-39 Airacobras andCurtiss P-40 Warhawks. Its mission was to train newly graduated pilots from Training Command in combat tactics and maneuvers before being assigned to their permanent combat unit. Initially assigned toIV Fighter Command, then transferred toIII Fighter Command in 1944, being re-equipped withP-51D Mustangs. It took part in air-ground maneuvers and demonstrations, participating in the Louisiana Maneuvers in the summer of 1944 and in similar activities in the US until after V-J Day.
Inactivated in November 1945.
The wartime 409th Fighter Squadron was re-activated and re-designated as the194th Fighter Squadron, and was allotted to theCalifornia Air National Guard, on 24 May 1946. It was organized atNaval Air Station Alameda, California, and was extended federal recognition on 25 June 1948 by theNational Guard Bureau. The 194th Fighter Squadron was bestowed to the history, honors, and colors of the 409th Fighter Squadron. The squadron was equipped withNorth American P-51D/H Mustangs (later redesignated as F-51) and was assigned to the CA ANG144th Fighter Group.
With thesurprise invasion ofSouth Korea on 25 June 1950, and the regular military's complete lack of readiness, most of the Air National Guard was federalized placed on active duty. However, the 194th FS was not mobilized, with other California ANG squadrons –115th Bombardment Squadron (Light),195th Fighter Squadron and196th Fighter-Bomber Squadron – being mobilized instead.[2] On 1 October 1952, the 194th Fighter Squadron was redesignated as the194th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.[3]
In March 1953, the194th Fighter-Bomber Squadron participated, along with the138th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (New York ANG), in a secret experiment to see if the Air National Guard was capable of performing air intercept missions.[4] The experiment, brainchild of Major GeneralGeorge G. Finch, was to place two F-51D Mustang and five pilots on a five minute alert from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.[5] The experiment was deemed a great success, with the five minute alert becoming permanent in August 1954.[6]
During its years flying the F-51D/H, the unit earned prominence as one of the Air Force's most respected aerial gunnery competitors.[7] In June 1953, while still flying the Mustang, the unit qualified for the first all-jet, worldwide gunnery meet, having to borrowNorth American F-86A Sabres to participate – the 194th finished in fifth place.[7] The last Mustangs left Fresno by 31 October 1954.[7]
With the increased availability of jet aircraft after the Korean War, the squadron's aircraft were upgraded from the piston-engine, propeller driven Mustangs to its first jet aircraft, theNorth American F-86A Sabre on 1 November 1954.[8] At the same time, the 194th relocated toFresno Yosemite International Airport (known at the time as Fresno Air Terminal), followed by the wing in 1957. On 7 July 1955, the 194th was re-designated as the194th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, a designation kept by the squadron for the next 37 years.[7]
In May 1957, the 194th FIS, alongside other ANG squadrons, participated in atomic bomb tests in Nevada known asOperation Plumbbob. It saw the ANG squadrons fly throughmushroom clouds to collect radioactive samples, with the purpose of the training deemed as preparing the ANG to track radioactive clouds and report danger areas in the event of nuclear war.[9]
On 1 April 1958,the Griffins transitioned to the F-86L Sabre,[7] which was designed from the onset as an interceptor, had all-weather capability and was able to be used in all weather. In addition, the F-86L could be controlled and directed by the SAGE computer-controlled Ground Control Interceptor (Radar) sites which would vector the aircraft to the unidentified target for interception.
The 194th FIS disposed of its F-86Ls from late 1964 through to December 1964, with the Sabres being flown toDavis–Monthan Air Force Base forstorage.[10] One of the last jets scheduled to leave,53-0642, suffered a technical issue and could not depart, instead becoming a gate guard at Fresno.[10]
On 1 July 1964, the 194th FIS conversion to theConvair F-102A Delta Dagger was approved, with the first F-102 arriving on 6 July.[7] The 194th FIS continued flying to F-102 up until July 1974.[10]
On 25 July 1974, the 194th FIS converted to theConvair F-106A/B Delta Dart.[7] On 1 October 1978,Aerospace Defense Command was inactivated, its units being reassigned toAir Defense, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC). which was established compatible to a Numbered Air Force underTactical Air Command (TAC).
The Griffins participated in the1980 William Tell Weapons Meet where they finished as the overall winner of the competition, receiving the Gen.Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. Fighter Interceptor Team award being the top team.[11] In January 1981, the 194th FIS started a Det. 1 alert detatchment atGeorge Air Force Base, taking onQuick Reaction Alert responsibilities.[12] The 194th FIS also took part in the 1982 William Tell Weapons Meet, with Lt. Col. Robert Boehringer of the 194th FIS finishing as the 'Top Gun' out of all the F-106 teams.[13]
Between September and December 1983, the 194th FIS maintained a Det. 1 alert detatchment atCastle Air Force Base, California, taking over from the318th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron while they converted from the F-106 to theMcDonnell Douglas F-15A/B Eagle.[14][15] With the end of the detachment, the 194th FIS ended operations on the F-106 on 31 December 1983.[7]
In 1983, the 194th FIS began to convert to theMcDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II, with their first F-4D arriving at Fresno on 2 October 1983.[16][17]
Between March 1986 and April 1987, the 194th FIS deployed three F-4Ds (65-0583,65-0740 and65-0747) toRamstein Air Base, West Germany, alongside the178th FIS and179th FIS as part of Exercise Creek Klaxon.[18] The three ANG squadrons were deployed to provide air defense alert while the resident86th Tactical Fighter Wing converted from the F-4E Phantom II to theGeneral Dynamics F-16C/D Fighting Falcon.[19]
The Griffins flew their last F-4D Phantom II sortie on 30 June 1989, launching a four-ship of F-4Ds which undertook a training mission with F-15s andBoeing B-52 Stratofortresses before conducting a flypast over Fresno and recovering for the last time.[16] Due to the conversion to the single seat F-16, the back-seatWSOs either retrained to fly the Fighting Falcon, relocated to the192nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (Nevada ANG) or transferred to non-flying positions.[16] Meanwhile, the withdrawn Phantom IIs were either sent to other Air National Guard squadrons or were stored at AMARC.[16] Between July and October 1989, the 179th FIS (Minnesota ANG) maintained an alert detatchment during the 194th's conversion to the F-16.[16]
The 194th FIS received their firstGeneral Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon (Block 15) on 10 April 1989, with the jet arriving fromNellis Air Force Base, Nevada.[20][21] The 194th FIS conducted their first F-16 sorties in July 1989.[16] The squadron's transition was fully completed by October 1989,[7] with the original plan having been to convert to the F-16 between 1990 and 1991.[22][23] Replacing the F-4D in the air defense and attack roles, the Block 15 F-16A/B airframes weren't initially suited to the dedicated air defense mission the squadron was tasked to. This was fixed with the Air Defense Fighter (ADF) upgrade these aircraft received during 1990, which included the addition of a Clear Weather Intercept module on theAN/APG-66 radar and anAdvanced Identification Friend or Foe system.[1]
On 16 March 1992, the 144th Fighter-Interceptor Wing was redesignated as the 144th Fighter Wing (144th FW), with the 194th becoming the194th Fighter Squadron.[7] On 1 June 1992, the 144th FW was reassigned toAir Combat Command. On 15 June 1992, the 194th's Det. 1 alert detachment atGeorge AFB relocated toMarch Air Force Base due to the impending closure of George AFB.[10] In 1995, the squadron transitioned to the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon block 25 aircraft.[1]
As part ofOperation Southern Watch, the 194th FS deployed toPrince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, between December 2002 and May 2003.[1]
After having flown for 11 years with the Block 25 airframes, a number of those came to the end of their operational lifespan. It was therefore decided that the airframes of the 194th FS were to be replaced with F-16C Block 32 aircraft. The conversion to these block 32 models started in December 2006 and was gradually completed by the end of 2007.[1]
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The 194th Fighter Squadron started the conversion process to theMcDonnell Douglas F-15C/D Eagle with the arrival of F-15C84-0014,[24] the first of 21 F-15s, on 18 June 2013.[25] The 194th FS received their Eagles from the186th Fighter Squadron (Montana ANG) and the65th Aggressor Squadron,[26][27] with the last three F-15Cs arriving at Fresno fromGreat Falls ANGB on 24 October 2013.[28] The last F-16 departed the 194th Fighter Squadron on 7 November 2013, destined for162nd Fighter Wing of theArizona Air National Guard.[29]
In October 2018, the 194th FS deployed six F-15Cs toStarokostiantyniv Air Base, Ukraine, as part of Clear Sky 2018, becoming the first American unit to land Eagles in Ukraine.[30]The Griffins borrowed an F-15D from the493rd Fighter Squadron atRAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom, for the duration of the exercise due to not deploying their own two-seat D model.[31] On 16 October 2018, Lt. Col. Seth ‘Jethro’ Nehring of the 194th FS died in a crash inSukhoi Su-27UB1M (Blue 70) while on a familiarization flight with Col. Ivan Petrenko of theUkrainian Air Force.[32] In September 2019, six Ukrainian pilots and a translator deployed to Fresno ANGB to conduct familiarization flights with the Eagle.[33]
Due to the18th Wing atKadena Air Base, Japan, divesting its fleet of F-15C/Ds, the 194th FS deployed to Kadena AB in October 2023 to help maintain a continuous fighter presence at the base.[34][35]
It was announced in 2023 that the 194th Fighter Squadron would replace the F-15C/D Eagle with the updatedBoeing F-15EX Eagle II.[36] However, with the announcement in April 2025 that the107th Fighter Squadron,Michigan ANG, would now be receiving the F-15EX the timeline for deliveries to the 194th FS has been delayed.[37][38]
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{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Those times will be even faster when the wing converts to F-15s over the next year.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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