| 512th Fighter Squadron | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1943–1946; 1952–1959; 1976–1994 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Fighter |
| Nickname(s) | Dragons |
| Motto(s) | Vigilare pro Pace (Latin for 'On Guard for Peace') (after 1955)[1] |
| Engagements | European Theater of Operations |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Insignia | |
| Patch with 512th Fighter Squadron emblem[b][1] |  |
| Patch with 512th Squadron emblem(1952–1955) |  |
| 512th Fighter Squadron emblem(World War II)[2] | .png) |
| World War II fuselage code[2] | L3 |
The512th Fighter Squadron is an inactiveUnited States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the86th Fighter Wing atRamstein Air Base, Germany, where it was inactivated September 1994.
The squadron was first activated as the628th Bombardment Squadron in 1943. While retaining its mission as aground attack unit, it became the512th Fighter-Bomber Squadron a few months after activating. After training in the United States, it moved to theEuropean Theater of Operations in the spring of 1944. It entered combat soon thereafter, and followingD-Day, moved to the continent of Europe, where it gaveclose air support to American ground forces advancing across Europe. It earned twoDistinguished Unit Citations for its actions during the war. FollowingV-E Day, the squadron served in theArmy of Occupation until 1946, when it was inactivated and its personnel and equipment transferred to another unit.
The squadron was reactivated in 1952, when it replaced anAir National Guard unit that had beenmobilized for theKorean War. The following year it assumed anair defense mission and continued with that mission until inactivated in 1959.
The squadron was reactivated as the512th Tactical Fighter Squadron in 1976 and served in that role until 1994, when it transferred itsfighters toAviano Air Base, as its parentwing became anairlift unit.
Thesquadron was first activated as the628th Bombardment Squadron atKey Field, Mississippi on 1 March 1943. It was one of the four original squadrons of the406th Bombardment Group and was initially equipped with a variety of attack, pursuit, and trainer aircraft. Although its mission did not substantially change, the squadron became the512th Fighter-Bomber Squadron in August. It moved toCongaree Army Air Field, South Carolina and equipping withRepublic P-47 Thunderbolts before the end of the year. The 512th trained with its "Jugs" until March 1944, when it departed the United States for theEuropean Theater of Operations.[1][3]
The squadron arrived atRAF Ashford in England in early April and flew its first combat mission the following month, preparing forOperation Overlord, theAllied invasion of Normandy. It attackedmilitary airfields, bridges andmarshalling yards in France. OnD-Day, the squadron flew patrols in the vicinity of the invasion beaches andarmed reconnaissance anddive bombing missions.[3]
The squadron supportedOperation Cobra, the Allied breakthrough atSaint-Lo on 25 July, then moved toTour-en-Bessin Airfield in France a few days later.[3] The 512th participated in the reduction ofSaint-Malo andBrest, France and supported the drive across France. On 7 September, flying fromSaint-Léonard Airfield, the squadron operated with the other units of the 406th Fighter Group in destroying a column of tanks, armored vehicles and motor transport that were trying to escape to southeastern France through theBelfort Gap. This attack earned the squadron theDistinguished Unit Citation (DUC). The squadron cooperated with ground forces and flewair interdiction sorties in the area of theMosel andSaar Rivers.[3]
When the Germans launched the counterattack that resulted in theBattle of the Bulge in December 1944, the squadron shifted operations to theArdennes to relive the embattled garrison atBastogne. For four days in late December, the squadron flew attacks on German vehicles,gun emplacements and defensive positions close to Bastogne, for which it was awarded a second DUC. The squadron flew escort, interdiction, andair support missions in theRuhr Valley early in 1945 and to assist Allied ground forces in the drive to and across theRhine.[3]
Following,V-E Day, the squadron moved toAAF Station Nordholz, Germany, where it became part of theArmy of Occupation. The squadron was inactivated on 20 August 1946, and its personnel and equipment were transferred to the525th Fighter Squadron. which was activated the same day.[1][3][4]
The squadron returned to its Fighter-Bomber designation and was activated in July 1952 atRAF Manston, England, where it replaced the156th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, aNorth Carolina Air National Guard unit that had beenmobilized for theKorean War. The 512th assumed the mission, personnel andRepublic F-84 Thunderjets of the 156th, which was returned to state control. In late 1953, the squadron converted toNorth American F-86 Sabres. For a brief time in 1954, the squadron was designated the512th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron before becoming the512th Fighter-Day Squadron in August. In November, the squadron moved toSoesterberg Air Base, Netherlands, where it carried out both fighter-bomber andair defense missions.[1][3][5]
On 8 September 1955,United States Air Forces in Europe moved the squadron back to England without personnel or equipment. The32d Fighter-Day Squadron was activated at Soesterberg, absorbing the 512th's personnel and equipment,[6] while the 512th assumed the resources of the inactivating87th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron atRAF Bentwaters[7][8] and resumed its designation as afighter interceptor unit and mission of augmenting the air defenses of the United Kingdom.[1]
When the406th Fighter-Interceptor Wing reorganized in May 1956, the 406th Fighter-Interceptor Group was inactivated and the squadron assigned directly to wing headquarters.[f] The squadron was awarded theHughes Trophy as the best interceptor unit in the Air Force for the calendar year 1957.[9] In February 1958, the 406th Wing began phasing down its operations as it prepared for inactivation.[10] In connection with this drawdown, the squadron moved toSembach Air Base, Germany on 24 March 1958 and was reassigned to the86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing. However, while Sembach's runways could accommodate the squadron's Sabres, they were too short to safely operate more modern interceptors[citation needed] and the squadron was inactivated on 1 July 1959.[1]
The squadron was reactivated atRamstein Air Base as the512th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 15 November 1976.[11] The squadron was equipped withMcDonnell F-4E Phantom IIs that became available when the36th Tactical Fighter Wing atBitburg Air Base, Germany receivedMcDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagles. The squadron upgraded toGeneral Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons in 1985. It supported numerous military units located in the area and participated in numerous exercises that provided the wing with air combat tactics training essential to their mission.[citation needed]
In 1994 the decision was made to change the 86th Wing to theairlift mission previously held by the435th Airlift Wing atRhein-Main Air Base, Germany, which was slated for transfer to the German government to be merged intoFrankfurt Airport. The 512th was inactivated on 1 October 1994, and most of its aircraft and personnel moved toAviano Air Base, Italy, where they were used to form the510th Fighter Squadron.[citation needed]
| Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Distinguished Unit Citation | 7 September 1944 | France, 512th Fighter Squadron[1] |
| Distinguished Unit Citation | 23 December 1944-27 December 1944 | Belgium, 512th Fighter Squadron[1] |
 | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 31 October 1954-31 October 1958 | 512th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron[1] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | July 1956 – February 1958 | 512th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron[1] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1981-30 June 1982 | 512th Tactical Fighter Squadron[18] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 14 June 1985-13 June 1987 | 512th Tactical Fighter Squadron[18] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 May 1989-30 April 1991 | 512th Tactical Fighter Squadron[18] |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1992–30 June 1994 | 512th Fighter Squadron[18] |
1957 Hughes Trophy[9]
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
.png) | American Theater without inscription | 1 March 1943 – 13 March 1944 | 628th Bombardment Squadron (later 512th Fighter-bomber Squadron)[1] |
 | Air Offensive, Europe | 6 April 1944 – 5 June 1944 | 512th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (later 512th Fighter Squadron)[1] |
| Air Combat, EAME Theater | 6 April 1944 – 11 May 1945 | 512th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (later 512th Fighter Squadron)[1] |
| Normandy | 6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944 | 512th Fighter Squadron[1] |
| Northern France | 25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944 | 512th Fighter Squadron[1] |
| Rhineland | 15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 | 512th Fighter Squadron[1] |
| Ardennes-Alsace | 16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 | 512th Fighter Squadron[1] |
| Central Europe | 22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945 | 512th Fighter Squadron[1] |
 | World War II Army of Occupation (Germany) | 9 May 1945 – 20 August 1946 | 512th Fighter Squadron[1] |
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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