Description
PVC made/mounted on velcro 4.0 inch-100mm
492nd FIGHTER SQUADRON (USAFE)
Lineage. Constituted as 55 Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated as: 55 Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 28 Aug 1942; 492 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 10 Aug 1943; 492 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 30 May 1944. Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945. Redesignated as 492 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 25 Jun 1952. Activated on 10 Jul 1952. Redesignated as: 492 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 Jul 1958; 492 Fighter Squadron on 1 Oct 1991.
Assignments. 48 Bombardment (later, 48 Fighter-Bomber; 48 Fighter) Group, 15 Jan 1941-7 Nov 1945. 48 Fighter-Bomber Group, 10 Jul 1952; 48 Fighter-Bomber (later, 48 Tactical Fighter; 48 Fighter) Wing, 8 Dec 1957 (attached to 48 Fighter Wing [Provisional], 2 Sep 1990-15 Mar 1991; 7440 Composite Wing, Sep-Dec 1991); 48 Operations Group, 31 Mar 1992-.
Stations. Savannah, GA, 15 Jan 1941; Will Rogers Field, OK, 23 May 1941; Savannah, GA, 7 Feb 1942; Key Field, MS, 28 Jun 1942; William Northern Field, TN, 20 Aug 1943; Walterboro, AAFld, SC, 27 Jan-13 Mar 1944; Ibsley, England, 29 Mar 1944; Deux Jumeaux, France, 18 Jun 1944; Villacoublay, France, 29 Aug 1944; Cambrai/Niergnies, France, 15 Sep 1944; St Trond, Belgium, 30 Sep 1944; Kelz, Germany, 26 Mar 1945; Kassel, Germany, 18 Apr 1945; Illesheim, Germany, 25 Apr 1945; Laon, France, 5 Jul-Aug 1945; Seymour Johnson Field, NC, 9 Sep-7 Nov 1945. Chaumont AB, France, 10 Jul 1952; RAF Lakenheath, England, 11 Jan 1960- (deployed to Taif, Saudi Arabia, 2 Sep 1990-15 Mar 1991; Incirlik AB, Turkey, Sep-Dec 1991).
Aircraft. A-18, 1941; A-20, 1941-1942; A-35, 1942-1943; P-40, 1943; P-39, 1943-1944; P-47, 1944-1945. F-84, 1952-1954; F-86, 1953-1956; F-100, 1956-1972; F-4, 1972-1977; F-111, 1977-1992; F-15, 1992-.
Operations. Antisubmarine patrols, Mar-Apr 1942. Replacement training, 1942-1943. Combat in European Theater of Operations (ETO), 20 Apr 1944-4 May 1945. Flew numerous missions during D-Day invasion of Normandy, France, 6 Jun 1944. Received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for destroying a large concentration of enemy armored vehicles northeast of Aachen, Germany on 15 Oct 1944. Received a second DUC for close air support of Allied ground forces advancing against an enemy stronghold north of Julich, Germany on 6 Dec 1944. Between 1952-1990: conducted gunnery training and special weapons operations; trained for conventional and nuclear bombing missions in support of NATO. Participated in the air raid on Tripoli, Libya, 14/15 Apr 1986. Combat in Southwest Asia, Jan-Feb 1991. Prepared aircrews, maintenance and support personnel to accomplish USAFE, USEUCOM and NATO war plans and contingency operations, 2000-.
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: European Theater of Operations (ETO), 15 Oct 1944; Germany, 6 Dec 1944. Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (Libya), 10-16 Apr 1986. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1961-29 Feb 1964; 1 Jul 1966-30 Jun 1968; 14 Oct 1976-31 Dec 1977; 1 Apr 1978-31 Mar 1980; 1 Jul 1984-30 Jun 1986; 1 Jul 1986-30 Jun 1988; 1 Jul 1988-30 Jun 1990; 20 Aug 1990-11 May 1991; 1 Jul 1992-30 Jun 1994; 1 Oct 2000-24 Sep 2002; 1 Oct 2002-30 Sep 2004; 1 Oct 2004-31 Oct 2005; 1 Nov 2005-31 Dec 2006; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2007; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2008; 1 Jan 2009-31 Dec 2010. Cited in the Orders of the Day, Belgian Army: 6 Jun-30 Sep 1944; 1 Oct-17 Dec 1944; 18 Dec 1944-15 Jan 1945. Belgian Fourragere.
Emblem. Approved on 25 Feb 1943; newest rendition approved on 11 Feb 2005.