| USAF 421st Fighter Squadron | |
|---|---|
 USAF 421st Fighter Squadron Patch | |
| Active |
1 May 1943 – 20 February 1947 13 April 1962–present |
| Country | United States of America |
| Allegiance | USA |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Fighter |
| Role | Fighters |
| Size | 20-40 people |
| Part of |
Air Combat Command 12th Air Force 388th Fighter Wing 388th Operations Group |
| Garrison/HQ | Hill Air Force Base, Utah |
| Nickname(s) | Black Widows |
| Patron | United States Air Force |
| Motto(s) | Kiss of Death |
| Colors | Red, Black, White, Grey |
| Mascot(s) | Black Widow |
| Engagements |
 
|
| Decorations |
 PUC  AFOUA w/V Device  RVGC w/ Palm  PPUC |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Lt. Col. David "Baja" Shoemaker |
| Ceremonial chief | Lt. Col. David "Baja" Shoemaker |
| Notable commanders | David "Baja" Shoemaker |
Photo of the 421st Night Fighter Squadron emblem painted on a P-61
The 421st Fighter Squadron (421 FS) is part of the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. It operates the F-35 Lightning II 5th Generation Multirole Fighters.
Mission[]
The 421 FS prepares to deploy worldwide to conduct Day/Night air superiority and precision strike sorties employing laser-guided and inertially aided munitions during contingencies and combat.[1]
History[]
World War II[]
P-61B-20-NO Black Widow 43-8317 landing at Tacloban Airfield, Tacloban, Leyte, 8 February 1945.
The squadron was activated on 1 May 1943, as the 421st Night Fighter Squadron, in Orlando, Florida. Following 6 months of flight training, the squadron arrived at Milne Bay, New Guinea, and assumed duty with the 5th Fighter Command, 5th Air Force, in the Southwest Pacific.[1]
For the next 14 months, the squadron and its detachments moved several times throughout New Guinea providing cover for U.S. Army assault landings and shipping reconnaissance.[1]
Flying patrols, the 421st engaged in bombing and strafing while protecting the various new air bases. By the end of November 1944, squadron pilots scored victories flying the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, P-70 Havoc, and Northrop P-61 Black Widow. The squadron received P-61s, the first fighter designated for night fighting, in June 1944.[1]
In October 1944, squadron personnel moved to the Philippines, and after bitter fighting, established a camp at San Marcelino in February 1945. During the next 6 months, the squadron's activity was intense aerial combat and bombing missions became an everyday occurrence.[1]
Following the Japanese surrender, the squadron became part of the occupation forces at Itazuke Air Base, Japan. On 20 February 1947, the squadron was inactivated, with 16 victories to its credit.[1]
Vietnam War[]
Fifteen years later, on 8 July 1962, the 421st Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated and named a tactical fighter squadron with the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, George Air Force Base, California. For two years the squadron flew the Republic F-105 Thunderchief.[1]
While deployed to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, from April to August 1965, flight crews rotated to a sister squadron in Southeast Asia enabling squadron members to gain combat experience.[1]
From April 1966 to April 1967 the 421 TFS was stationed at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, with the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing. For the next two years, the squadron was stationed with three different stateside wings, though in name only.[1]
F-4E of the 421st Tactical Fighter Squadron - 1972
On 23 April 1969, the 421 TFS transferred to Kunsan Air Base, Korea, furnishing McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II's for defense alert. On 21 June 1969, the squadron was transferred to Da Nang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, and remained there through October 1972, flying 15,420 combat missions. On 31 October 1972, the unit moved to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, with the 432d Reconnaissance Wing.[1]
Combat missions continued in Vietnam until the cease-fire on 28 January 1973, in Laos until February 1973, and in Cambodia until 15 August 1973. The squadron then changed to a training environment and participated in countless tactical air exercises. During April 1975, squadron pilots participated in the evacuation of Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Saigon, Republic of Vietnam. In May 1975, the squadron flew in tactical missions associated with the recovery of the SS Mayagüez and its crew.[1]
For its tremendous efforts in Southeast Asia, the 421 TFS earned three Presidential Unit Citations, six Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with "V" devices, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, and flies 12 campaign streamers for Southeast Asian duty.[1]
Cold War[]
In December 1975, the 366 TFW transferred from Thailand to Hill Air Force Base, and by 30 June 1977, the 421 TFS unit was combat ready. On 29 December 1978, the squadron was reduced to zero aircraft, yet remained with the 366th until June 1980 when they received their first F-16 Fighting Falcon. The 421st was the second squadron to achieve combat ready status in the F-16.[1]
After attaining combat readiness in the F-16, the 421 TFS was tasked to provide formal training for pilots transitioning to the F-16. In November 1981, the squadron deployed to Egypt where it trained Egyptian pilots in exercise Bright Star. From 1 July 1982, until 1 January 1983, the 421 TFS had trained pilots from Britain, Egypt, and Pakistan, as well as U.S. pilots. Squadron deployment locations in the 1980s included Egypt, Oman, Norway, Italy, Ecuador, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.[1]
Modern era[]
F-16C block 40 #89-2119 from the 421st FS releases a GBU-31 during a Combat Hammer mission on 11 May 2011
The 421 FS completed conversion to the new F-16CG Block 40 aircraft in February 1990, the second squadron to do so. On 30 August 1990, the squadron deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. On 20 March 1991, the 421st redeployed to its home at Hill Air Force Base after distinguishing itself by flying 1,300 combat sorties (1,200 at night) without any losses or battle damage. Since then, the 421st FS has deployed around the world in support of various operations, including Operations Southern Watch, Northern Watch, and Noble Eagle.[1]
In August 2002, the 421st transferred all its maintenance personnel to the 388th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron as part of the wing reorganization. The 421st FS deployed with the 421st Aircraft Maintenance Unit (AMU) to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, to support Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom from May to September 2003.[1]
The 421 FS and AMU became the first-ever active duty F-16 squadron to deploy to Balad Air Base, Iraq, however the 107th Fighter Squadron of the Michigan Air National Guard from Selfridge ANG Base Michigan was the first F-16 squadron to fly out Iraq In 2003. The 412st was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom from August 2004 to January 2005. The squadron flew over 1,300 sorties during its first deployment to Iraq. The squadron then returned to Balad Air Base from May to September 2006 flying 1,400 sorties and 6,400 hours.[1]
On 22 June 2009 a single-seat F-16 from the squadron on a training mission, a nighttime high-angle strafing run, crashed in the Utah Test and Training Range. The pilot, Captain George Bryan Houghton, 28, was killed.[2] A USAF mishap investigation concluded that the cause of the crash was pilot error, finding that Houghton's inexperience and apparent disorientation during the strafing run caused him to fly the aircraft into the ground.[3]
2013 Sequestration[]
Air Combat Command officials announced a stand down and reallocation of flying hours for the rest of the fiscal year 2013 due to mandatory budget cuts. The across-the board spending cuts, called sequestration, took effect 1 March when Congress failed to agree on a deficit-reduction plan.[4]
Squadrons either stood down on a rotating basis or kept combat ready or at a reduced readiness level called “basic mission capable” for part or all of the remaining months in fiscal 2013.[4] This affected the 421st Fighter Squadron with a reduction of its flying hours, placing it into a basic mission capable status from 5 April-30 September 2013.[4]
Operations[5][]
- World War II
- Vietnam War
- Operation Desert Shield
- Operation Desert Storm
- Operation Southern Watch
- Operation Northern Watch
- Operation Noble Eagle
- Operation Enduring Freedom
- Operation Iraqi Freedom
Lineage[5][]
- Constituted 421st Night Fighter Squadron on 30 April 1943.
- Activated on 1 May 1943.
- Inactivated on 20 February 1947.
- Redesignated 421st Tactical Fighter Squadron, and activated, on 13 April 1962
- Organized on 8 July 1962
- Redesignated 421st Fighter Squadron on 1 November 1991.
Assignments[5][]
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Stations[5][]
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Aircraft Operated[5][]
- P-70 Havoc (1943–1944)
- P-38 Lightning (1944–1946)
- P-61 Black Widow (1944–1947)
- F-105 Thunderchief (1963–1967)
- F-4 Phantom II (1969–1975, 1976–1980)
- F-16 Fighting Falcon (1980–2016)
- F-35 Lightning II (2017-Present)
References[]
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 421 FS Fact Sheet
- ↑ Gehrke, Steve, and Melinda Rogers, "Hill F-16 Pilot Killed In Training Accident", Salt Lake Tribune, 24 June 2009.
- ↑ Rolfsen, Bruce, "Pilot error caused fatal F-16 crash", Military Times, 28 September 2009.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Reduced flying hours forces grounding of 17 USAF combat air squadrons
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 AFHRA 421 FS Page
Bibliography[]
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
- Kolln, Jeff. The 421st Night Fighter Squadron in World War II. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-7643-1306-1.
- Pape, Garry R. and Ronald C. Harrison. Queen of the Midnight Skies: The Story of American Airforce Night Fighters. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, ISBN 0-88740-415-4.
- Thompson, Warren. P-61 Black Widow Units of World War 2. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1998. ISBN 1-85532-725-2.
- Zbiegniewski, Andre R. 421 NFS 1943–1947 (bi-lingual Polish/English text). Lublin, Poland: Oficyna Wydawnicza Kagero, 203. ISBN 83-89088-47-9.
- Northrop P-61 Black Widow—The Complete History and Combat Record, Garry R. Pape, John M. Campbell and Donna Campbell, Motorbooks International, 1991.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/combat_sq_of_the_af_wwii.pdf.
External links[]
See also[]
The original article can be found at 421st Fighter Squadron and the edit history here.