Description
Computer made/NOT mounted on velcro 4.0 inch-100mm
23rd FIGHTER SQUADRON (USAFE)
Lineage. Constituted as 23 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 22 Dec 1939. Activated on 1 Feb 1940. Redesignated: 23 Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942; 23 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 20 Aug 1943. Inactivated on 31 Mar 1946. Activated on 15 Oct 1946. Redesignated: 23 Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, on 27 Oct 1947; 23 Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 17 Jun 1948; 23 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 20 Jan 1950; 23 Fighter-Day Squadron on 9 Aug 1954; 23 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 Jul 1958; 23 Fighter Squadron on 1 Oct 1991. Inactivated on 13 Aug 2010.
Assignments. 36 Pursuit (later, 36 Fighter) Group, 1 Feb 1940-31 Mar 1946. 36 Fighter (later, 36 Fighter-Bomber; 36 Fighter-Day) Group, 15 Oct 1946; 36 Fighter-Day (later, 36 Tactical Fighter) Wing, 8 Dec 1957; 52 Tactical Fighter (later, 52 Fighter) Wing, 31 Dec 1971 (attached to 7440 Composite Wing, 17 Jan-15 Mar 1991); 52 Operations Group, 31 Mar 1992-13 Aug 2010.
Stations. Kelly Field, TX, 1 Feb 1940; Brooks Field, TX, 1 Feb 1940; Langley Field, VA, 17 Nov 1940; Losey Field, Puerto Rico, 6 Jan 1941; St Croix, Virgin Islands, 31 May 1941; Losey Field, Puerto Rico, 15 Nov 1941; Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, 13 Dec 1941 (detachments operated from St Thomas, c. Mar 1941-c. 6 May 1943; and Arecibo, Puerto Rico, 11 Mar-c. 16 May 1943); Morrison Field, FL, c. 21 May 1943; Mitchel Field, NY, 16 Jun 1943; Charleston, SC, 22 Jun 1943; Galveston AAFld, TX, 18 Sep 1943; Dalhart AAFld, TX, 27 Oct 1943; Bruning AAFld, NE, 24 Dec 1943-11 Mar 1944; Kingsnorth, England, 6 Apr 1944, Brucheville, France, 3 Aug 1944; Le Mans, France, 6 Sep 1944; Athis, France, 26 Sep 1944; Juvincourt, France, 3 Oct 1944; Le Culot, Belgium, 28 Oct 1944; Aachen, Germany, 28 Mar 1945; Niedermennig, Germany, 8 Apr 1945; Kassel/Rothwesten, Germany, 21 Apr 1945-15 Feb 1946; Bolling Field, DC, 15 Feb-31 Mar 1946. Howard Field, CZ, 15 Oct 1946-22 Jul 1948; Furstenfeldbruck AB, Germany, c. 17 Aug 1948; Bitburg AB, Germany, 17 Nov 1952; Spangdahlem AB, Germany, 31 Dec 1971-13 Aug 2010. (deployed at Incirlik AB, Turkey, 17 Jan-15 Mar 1991).
Aircraft. YP-37, 1940; P-36, 1940-1942; P-39, 1941-1943; P-40, 1941-1943; P-47, 1943-1946. P-47, 1946-1947; P-80, 1947-1950; F-84, 1950-1953; F-86, 1953-1956; F-100, 1956-1961; F-105, 1961-1966; F-4, 1966-1991; F-16, 1987-2010.
Operations. Antisubmarine patrols, 12 Dec 1941-c. Apr 1943. Combat in European Theater of Operations (ETO), 8 May 1944-8 May 1945. Occupational force, Germany, May 1945-Feb 1946. Provided tactical fighter support for ground forces training, 1948-1954. Trained to maintain combat capability, 1955-1958. Special weapons operations, 1958-1961. Conducted nuclear and conventional tactical air operations, 1962-1975. Combat in Southwest Asia, Jan-Feb 1991. Supported no fly zones over the Balkans and Iraq during the 1990s. Took part in combat operations over Serbia in 1999. After terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001, supported Operations Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Iraqi Freedom in Iraq.
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; Cease Fire Campaign. Kosovo: Air Campaign.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: France, 1 Sep 1944; Germany, 12 Apr 1945. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat “V” Device: 1 Sep 1990-26 Feb 1991. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: May 1956-May 1958; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1968; 1 Jul 1978-30 Jun 1980; 1 Jul 1991-30 Jun 1993; 1 Jul 1993-30 Jun 1995; 1 Aug 1995-31 Jul 1997; 1 Jul 1997-30 Jun 1999; 24 Mar-10 Jun 1999; 1 Jul 1999-30 Jun 2001; 1 Jul 2001-30 Jun 2003; 1 Jul 2003-30 Jun 2005. Cited in the Order of the Day, Belgian Army: 1 Oct-17 Dec 1944; 18 Dec 1944-15 Jan 1945. Belgian Fourragere.
Emblem. Newest rendition approved on 19 Mar 1997; originally approved on 23 Sep 1943.