The 79th Fighter Squadron traces its history back to February 1918, when it was first organized as the 79th Aero Squadron. The unit inactivated from November 1918 until April 1933, when it became the 79th Pursuit Squadron, flying the Boeing P-12 at Barksdale Field, La. From 1940 to 1942, the squadron trained combat pilots and flew the P-40 Warhawk from bases on the east coast.
In 1943, the 79th converted to the P-38 Lightning, flying out of Northamptonshire, England, performing duty as bomber escorts and conducting fighter sweeps over Germany. Sept. 11, 1944, the squadron received P-51 Mustangs. The 79th remained at English bases throughout the war, supporting both the Normandy invasion and the allied drive into Germany. The squadron returned to the states and was inactivated Oct. 19, 1945. The 79th was again brought to active service on July 29, 1946, at Biggs Field, Texas.
The unit moved to Shaw Field, S.C., in October 1946. In 1948, the 79th transitioned to the F-84 Thunderstreak. The squadron moved to Langley Air Force Base, Va., in November 1951, and in June 1952, trained to support North American Treaty Organization ground forces in conventional and nuclear roles. In 1957, the squadron converted to the F-100 Super Sabre. The next change came in 1970, when the squadron transitioned to the F-111 Aardvark and moved to Royal Air Force Upper Heyford, England.
The 79th received the Commander in Chief's Trophy in 1981, as the best tactical fighter squadron in U.S. Air Forces in Europe. From 1990 to 1991, the 79th deployed to Southwest Asia to support Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. June 30, 1993, the squadron inactivated. Jan. 1, 1994, it was reactivated at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., transitioning to the F-16CJ Fighting Falcon and assuming the mission of suppression of enemy air defenses.
Since that time, the "Tigers" continuously supported Operations Northern and Southern Watch in Southwest Asia. In December 1998, the 79th took an active part in Operation Desert Fox in conjunction with Operation Southern Watch demands. The Tigers flew more than 1,000 successful combat sorties with these dual operational requirements. In January 1999, the 79th Fighter Squadron was awarded the South Carolina Air Force Association's Outstanding Air Force Unit of the Year award. Also in 1999, the squadron was honored with Air Combat Command's Maintenance Effectiveness Award. In June 1999, the 79th deployed F-16CJs in support of Operation Allied Force to a bare base in Southwest Asia.
Lineage. Organized as 79 Aero Squadron on 22 Feb 1918. Redesignated Squadron B, Taliaferro Field, TX, on 23 Jul 1918. Demobilized on 15 Nov 1918. Reconstituted, and consolidated (25 May 1933) with 79 Observation Squadron, which was constituted on 18 Oct 1927. Redesignated 79 Pursuit Squadron on 8 May 1929. Activated on 1 Apr 1933. Redesignated: 79 Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) on 6 Dec 1939; 79 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 12 Mar 1941; 79 Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942; 79 Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 30 Dec 1942; 79 Fighter Squadron, Twin Engine, on 20 Aug 1943; 79 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 5 Sep 1944. Inactivated on 18 Oct 1945. Activated on 29 Jul 1946. Redesignated: 79 Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 15 Jun 1948; 79 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 20 Jan 1950; 79 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 Jul 1958; 79 Fighter Squadron on 1 Oct 1991. Inactivated on 30 Jun 1993. Activated on 1 Jan 1994.
Assignments. Unkn, 1918. 20 Pursuit (later, 20 Fighter) Group, 1 Apr 1933-18 Oct 1945. 20 Fighter (later, 20 Fighter-Bomber) Group, 29 Jul 1946 (attached to 20 Fighter-Bomber Wing, 15 Nov 1952-7 Feb 1955); 20 Fighter-Bomber (later, 20 Tactical Fighter) Wing, 8 Feb 1955 (attached to 39 Tactical Group, 23 Oct 1990-28 Feb 1991); 20 Operations Group, 31 Mar 1992-30 Jun 1993. 20 Operations Group, 1 Jan 1994-.
Stations. Waco, TX, 22 Feb 1918; Taliaferro Field, TX, 28 Feb-15 Nov 1918. Barksdale Field, LA, 1 Apr 1933; Moffett Field, CA, 19 Nov 1939; Hamilton Field, CA, 9 Sep 1940 (operated from Oakland, CA, 8 Dec 1941-8 Feb 1942); Wilmington, NC, c. 21 Feb 1942; Morris Field, NC, 23 Apr 1942; Paine Field, WA, 30 Sep 1942; March Field, CA, c. 1 Jan-11 Aug 1943; Kings Cliffe, England, c. 27 Aug 1943-11 Oct 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 16-18 Oct 1945. Biggs Field, TX, 29 Jul 1946; Shaw Field, SC, c. 25 Oct 1946; Langley AFB, VA, 19 Nov 1951-22 May 1952; Woodbridge RAF, England, 1 Jun 1952; RAF Upper Heyford, England, c. 15 Jan 1970-30 Jun 1993 (deployed at Incirlik AB, Turkey, 23 Oct 1990-28 Feb 1991). Shaw AFB, SC, 1 Jan 1994-.
Commanders. Unkn, 22 Feb-15 Nov 1918. Capt Roy W. Camblin, c. 1 Apr 1933; Capt Charles G. Pearcy, 15 Mar 1936; Maj Frank O'D Hunter, 17 Nov 1936; Maj Armin F. Herold, Sep 1937; Maj Thayer S. Olds, Jul 1938; Capt Jesse Auton, Feb 1941; 1 Lt James Ferguson, May 1941-unkn; Maj Nathaniel H. Blanton, by Aug 1943; Maj Richard L. Ott, 14 Nov 1943; Capt Jesse O. Yaryan, 30 Jan 1944; Capt Carl E. Jackson, 31 Jan 1944; Capt Robert J. Meyer, 20 Feb 1944; Maj R. C. Franklin Jr., 22 Feb 1944; Maj Delynn E. Anderson, 10 May 1944; Capt Jack M. Ilfrey, 27 Sep 1944; Maj Robert J. Meyer, 9 Dec 1944; Maj Walter R. Yarbrough, 4 Apr 1945-unkn. Lt Col Harry E. McAfee, c. Aug 1946; Maj Walter J. Overend, Sep 1946; Lt Col William P. McBride, c. Jan 1947; Maj Walter J. Overend, Jul 1948; Maj Walter G. Benz, Oct 1948-unkn; Lt Col William P. McBride, unkn-c. 1 May 1950; Capt Richard F. Jones, 1 May 1950-unkn; Maj Delynn E. Anderson, unkn; Maj George N. Lunsford, by Jun 1951; Maj Harry H. Moreland, 1 Nov 1951; Lt Col Cleo M. Bishop, 18 Feb 1952; Lt Col James E. Hill, 1 Mar 1955; Maj Allan S. Harte, 30 Apr 1956; Lt Col William H. Holt, c. Jul 1958; Lt Col Edwin J. Rackham, by 30 Jun 1960; Lt Col William F. Georgi, 6 Jul 1961; Lt Col John C. Bartholf, 5 Jul 1963; Lt Col John E. Madison, 5 Jun 1965; Lt Col John C. Galgan Jr., by 30 Jun 1966; Lt Col Robert L. Jones, 9 May 1967; Lt Col Robert E. Darlington, 29 Jul 1968; Lt Col Fred W. Gray, 24 Jan 1970; Lt Col David B. Hubbard, 10 Dec 1971; Lt Col John S. Rumph, Sep 1972 (acting); Lt Col David B. Hubbard, c. 28 Nov 1972; Lt Col John S. Rumph, Mar 1973; Lt Col Harry Pawlik, 1 Jun 1974; Lt Col George F. Houck Jr., 16 Jun 1975; Lt Col John D. Phillips, 22 Jun 1976; Lt Col Howard W. Nixon, 26 Sep 1977; Lt Col Grady H. Reed III, c. 28 Aug 1979; Lt Col Frank B. Pyne, 28 Jan 1980; Lt Col John G. Lorber, 9 May 1980; Lt Col Joseph N. Narsavage Jr., c. 17 Jun 1982; Lt Col Peter A. Granger, 1 Jun 1984; Lt Col Steven R. Emory, 29 May 1987; Lt Col Larry G. Carter, 19 Feb 1988; Lt Col Steven A. Mires, 12 Jan 1990; Lt Col Mark A. Hyatt, 14 Sep 1991-30 Jun 1993. Lt Col Thomas A. Gilkey III, 1 Jan 1994; Lt Col Jeffrey W. Eberhart, 8 Jul 1994; Lt Col Timothy J. Collins, 1 Apr 1996; Lt Col James W. Hyatt, 16 May 1997; Lt Col James Dodson, 14 Jun 1999-.
Aircraft. Evidently included JN-4, JN-6, and perhaps S-4 during 1918. P-12, 1933-1935; P-26, 1935-1938; P-36, 1938-1940; P-40, 1940-1942; P-39, 1942-1943; P-38, 1943-1944; P-51, 1944-1945. P-51, 1946-1948; F-84, 1948-1957; F-100, 1957-1970; F-111, 1970-1993. F-16, 1994-.
Operations. Apparently a flying training unit, 1918. Provided personnel for and helped train units, 1940-1942. Antisubmarine patrols, c. 8 Dec 1941-c. 8 Feb 1942. Combat in European Theater of Operations (ETO), 28 Dec 1943-25 Apr 1945. Combat in Southwest Asia, Jan-Feb 1991. Tasked with mission of suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses; rotated aircraft and personnel in support of operations in Southwest Asia, 1994-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait; Southwest Asia Ceasefire.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Central Germany, 8 Apr 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1956-30 Sep 1957; 1 May 1963-31 Dec 1964; 1 Jan 1965-31 Mar 1966; 1 Jul 1968-31 Mar 1970; 1 Sep 1970-30 Jun 1972; 31 Mar 1973-30 Jun 1974; 1 Jul 1977-30 Jun 1979; 1 Jul 1981-30 Jun 1983; 1 Jul 1987-30 Jun 1989; 1 Jul 1990-30 Jun 1992; 1 Oct 1992-23 Apr 1993; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1994; 24 Mar-10 Jun 1999; 1 Jun 1997-31 May 1999; 1 Jun 1999-31 May 2001.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 5 Nov 2007.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 31 Dec 2000.
Supersedes published information in Judy G. Endicott (ed.), USAF Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995 (Washington: USPGO, 1999).
Emblem. Approved on 31 Jan 1955; updated on 29 Mar 1996.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman