308th Fighter Squadron | |
|---|---|
 SquadronF-16A Fighting Falcon[note 1] | |
| Active | 1942–1945; 1946–2015; 2018– |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Fighter Training |
| Part of | Air Education and Training Command |
| Nickname | Emerald Knights |
| Engagements | Operation Torch Operation Husky Operation Dragoon |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Presidential Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award withCombat "V" Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm[1] |
| Insignia | |
| 308th Fighter Squadron emblem |  |
| 308th Tactical Fighter Squadron emblem(approved 10 January 1962)[1] |  |
| Patch with 308th Fighter-Bomber Squadron emblem(approved 14 May 1957)[2] |  |
| 308th Strategic Fighter Squadron emblem(approved 7 March 1952)[2] |  |
| 308th Fighter Squadron emblem(World War II)[3][note 2] |  |
The308th Fighter Squadron is an activeUnited States Air Force unit. It is part of the56th Operations Group atLuke Air Force Base, Arizona, where it trainspilots on theLockheed Martin F-35A.
Initially established underThird Air Force in early 1942 as a fighter squadron atBaer Field, Indiana, flying some antisubmarine patrols in theGulf of Mexico.
Deployed to theEuropean Theater of Operations in June 1942 without aircraft as its P-40s and P-39s were deemed unsuitable for use against German aircraft in long-range bomber escort duties. Was re-equipped with RAFSupermarine Spitfire Vs and its pilots and technicians spent a two-month period undergoing intensive training in flying and fighting with RAF pilots in the British aircraft from airfields in southeast England. The squadron flew its first combat mission on 18 August 1942, when it attacked enemy positions inoccupied France.
Assigned to the newTwelfth Air Force and deployed toGibraltar in November 1942 as part of theOperation Torch invasion forces, initially operating from formerVichy French airfields in Algeria. Advanced east across Algeria andTunisia during theNorth African Campaign, supporting theFifth United States Army which haltedField MarshalRommel's advance onallied positions.
Spitfires from the squadron provided support forAllied Forces as the Invasion of Italy began with the capture ofSicily, and later the landings by Allied forces inFascist Italy, moving north supporting the Fifth Army during the Italian Campaign. As Allied bomber forces operating fromItaly began thestrategic bombing ofAxis petroleum and communications facilities incentral Europe and theBalkans, the squadron was re-equipped with theNorth American P-51 Mustang to replace the shorter-ranged Spitfire. In August 1944, the P-51's were involved in theinvasion of Southern France. In December 1944, the first destruction of a German jet fighter by a 308th P-51 occurred, eventually operating from the Po Valley in Northern Italy at the end of the European War in May 1945.
By war's end, the squadron had earned twoDistinguished Unit Citations and was involved in eight campaigns The squadron was largely demobilized during the summer of 1945 in Europe, a skeleton force returned to Drew Field, Florida in August, inactivating largely as an administrative unit in November.[4]
Reactivated from elements of several inactivating organizations in Germany in August 1946, Performed occupation duty and operating early-modelP-80A Shooting Star jets from formerLuftwaffe jet-capable airfields at Giebelstadt and Kitzingen. Returned to the United States in June 1947 without personnel or equipment which remained in Germany.
Assigned toStrategic Air Command atLangley Field, Virginia as a fighter-escort squadron, equipped with straight-wingedRepublic F-84E Thunderjets. Assigned toTurner Air Force Base, Georgia with mission of long-range escort ofBoeing B-29 Superfortress bombers, laterBoeing B-50 Superfortresses andConvair B-36 Peacemakers as newer aircraft came into operation by SAC.
Relieved from assignment to SAC and made non-operational in 1957 with phaseout of B-36 and end of SAC escort fighter concept. On 1 April 1957 the parent 31 SFW was transferred back to Tactical Air Command and moved toGeorge Air Force Base, California. Trained in tactical air support of ground forces, deploying to NATO bases for operational exercises. Reassigned toHomestead Air Force Base, Florida after theCuban Missile Crisis, late 1962 to provide air defense of South Florida. On 8 February 1964 the 308th Fighter Squadron flew a non-stop mission from Homestead toCigli Air Base, Turkey. The 6,600-mile trip required eight in-flight refuelings and set a new record for the longest mass flight of jet aircraft to cross the Atlantic. The flight also led to the wing receiving theTactical Air Command Outstanding Fighter Wing Award for 1964, the second consecutive year it won that prestigious award.
Was deployed toSoutheast Asia, 1965 as part of advisory forces operating againstNorth Vietnamese andNational Liberation Front forces inSouth Vietnam. For its efforts in Southeast Asia from 2 December 1965 to 15 October 1970, the 308th was awarded theRepublic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. The 308th Fighter Squadron also won theAir Force Outstanding Unit Award withCombat "V" Device.[4]
Reassigned back to TAC at Homestead in 1970, as part of re-establishment of 31st TFW upon its return from duty in Southeast Asia. Equipped withMcDonnell F-4E Phantom IIs. Was deployed to Thailand, July 1972, engaging North Vietnamese forces in northern South Vietnam in response to the communist spring offensive. Returned to the United States in the late fall, 1972. For the next 20 years, performed routine training and tactical deployments from Homestead AFB. At the end of 1986 the squadron and wing changed tail codes from ZF to HS which better matched the squadrons location in Homestead. Upgraded to theGeneral Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon in 1988, upgrading to receive Shaw AFB block 25s in August 1990. With the Gulf War build up and the 363rd TFW at Shaw AFB deploying to Saudi Arabia meant no more block 25s were available. With some F-16A/B block 15s still in service for the 308th TFS, it continued to operate both types.
When Desert Storm ended it was decided to convert the 31st TFW to block 40 F-16s instead. Up to this point about ten block 25s had reached the 308th FS and had been painted in 'Emerald Knight' markings. They were all sent to other units. Neither of the 31st TFWs other sister squadrons flew the block 25. In March 1991 the 308th began conversion to the block 40 version of the F-16. On 1 October 1991 the word 'Tactical' was dropped and unit became the 308th Fighter Squadron. By early 1992 the conversion to block 40 F-16s with the general purpose role was complete.
Moved toMoody AFB, Georgia in late August 1992 whenHurricane Andrew threatenedSouth Florida. It was to be a temporary move to Moody, but Homestead was so heavily damaged it was never re-opened for any of the 31st FW squadrons After destruction of Homestead AFB, was reassigned permanently to the347th Operations Group at Moody. At this point the 'HS' tail code began to be replaced with a 'MY' tail code. In fact some block 40 F-16s were delivered right from the factory to the 308th Fighter Squadron's new home base. It deployed to Saudi Arabia from, March–June 1995 in support ofOperation Southern Watch.
On 1 April 1994 the unit reassigned toLuke Air Force Base, Arizona where it became a training unit. Training by the 308th FS is not a typical syllabus as the 308th FS is the main training hub for turning out instructor pilots. The 'Emerald Knights' mission is to ' Train . . . F-16 pilots and deploy combat ready airmen...'[citation needed] The role of training instructor pilots is not exclusive and the 308th FS still has classes of crew which are new to the Viper.
The 308th ranks tenth as the most highly decorated unit in Air Force history among the 152 fighter squadrons that were ever active.[4] With a long and distinguish service record dating from 1942, it has service around the world from Southeast Asia to Europe.
The 308th ("Emerald Knights", Tailband: Green & White (checkerboard)), flew Block 42 F-16C/Ds conducting F-16 Fighting Falcon training for active duty USAF pilots.
On 25 June 2015 the unit inactivated.[5]
On 5 December 2018, the USAF reactivated the 308th Fighter Squadron as anF-35A Lightning II training unit, primarily training F-35 crew for theRoyal Danish Air Force andRoyal Netherlands Air Force atLuke Air Force Base.[6]
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This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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