457th Fighter Squadron

457th Fighter Squadron
Emblem of the 457th Fighter Squadron
Active	1944-June 1949; 1972–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force/AFRC
Role	Fighter
Part of	301st Fighter Wing 12th Air Force
Garrison/HQ	NAS Fort Worth JRB (formerly Carswell AFB)
Nickname(s)	Spads
Motto(s)	Spad to the Bone

457th FS F-16C Block 30A, AF Serial No. 85-1412, at NAS Fort Worth JRB

The 457th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) unit, assigned to the 301st Operations Group. Stationed at Carswell Field, Texas, the squadron flies the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

Overview

The 457th FS is part of the only Air Force Reserve unit in the state of Texas. Since 11 September 2001, 301st Fighter Wing units and individual personnel in various career fields have supported a number of missions related to Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Noble Eagle's homeland defense, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 457th FS ended a two month deployment to Balad AB in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in December 2005.

The aircraft of the 457th FS carry the base tail code TX on their F-16s. The tail code carried by 457th TFS aircraft when the NAS JRB Fort Worth was known as Carswell AFB was TH.

History

Trained in the continental United States, Oct 1944-Feb 1945. Moved to western Pacific Ocean in spring of 1945. Escorted B-29 bombers in raids against Japan, and attacked targets such as enemy airfields, May-Aug 1945. Between 1953 and 1959, and again since July 1972, trained for a variety of tactical air missions. Frequently deployed for training exercises, some of them overseas.

Took part in Operation Deny Flight, enforcing a no-fly zone over Bosnia, in mid-1990s. Participated in training exercises and deployments. Provided resources for Operations Northern Watch (1999-2000), Southern Watch (2001), Noble Eagle (2001-), and Iraqi Freedom (2003-).

Lineage

• Constituted as 457 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 5 Oct 1944

Activated on 21 Oct 1944

Inactivated on 16 Dec 1945

• Redesignated as 457 Strategic Fighter Squadron on 20 Nov 1952

Activated on 20 Jan 1953

Redesignated as: 457 Fighter-Day Squadron on 1 Jul 1957

Redesignated as: 457 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 1 Jan 1958

Redesignated as: 457 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul 1958

Inactivated on 1 Apr 1959

• Activated in the Reserve on 8 Jul 1972

Re-designated as: 457 Fighter Squadron on 1 Feb 1992

Assignments

• 506th Fighter Group, 21 Oct 1944 – 16 Dec 1945
• 506th Strategic Fighter (later, 506 Fighter-Day; 506 Fighter-Bomber; 506 Tactical Fighter) Wing, 20 Jan 1953 – 1 Apr 1959
• 506th Tactical Fighter Group, 8 Jul 1972
• 301st Tactical Fighter (later, 301 Fighter) Wing, 25 Mar 1973
• 301st Operations Group, 1 Aug 1992 – present

Stations

• Lakeland Army Airfield, Florida, 21 Oct 1944 – 16 Feb 1945
• North Field, Iwo Jima, 25 Apr – 3 Dec 1945

Air echelon operated from West Field, Tinian, 23 Mar – 11 May 1945

• Camp Anza, California, 15-16 Dec 1945
• Dow AFB, Maine, 20 Jan 1953
• Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, 20 Mar 1955 – 1 Apr 1959
• Carswell AFB (later, ARS, later Field), Texas, 8 Jul 1972 – present

Aircraft

• P-51 Mustang, 1944-1945
• F-84 Thunderjet, 1953-1957
• F-100 Super Sabre, 1957-1958
• F-105 Thunderchief, 1972-1982
• F-4 Phantom II, 1981-1991
• F-16 Fighting Falcon, 1990 – present

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0-89201-097-5
• USAFHRA 457 Fighter Squadron (AFRC) Factsheet