Description
Computer made/mounted on velcro 4.0 inch-100mm
71st Fighter Squadron
Lineage. Constituted as 71 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 14 Dec 1940. Activated on 1 Jan 1941. Redesignated 71 Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) on 12 Mar 1941; 71 Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942; 71 Fighter Squadron, Two Engine, on 28 Feb 1944. Inactivated on 16 Oct 1945. Redesignated: 71 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 5 Apr 1946; 71 Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, on 20 Jun 1946. Activated on 3 Jul 1946. Redesignated: 71 Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 15 Jun 1948; 71 Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 16 Apr 1950; 71 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul 1971; 71 Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991. Inactivated on 30 Sep 2010.
Assignments. 1 Pursuit (later, 1 Fighter) Group, 1 Jan 1941-16 Oct 1945. 1 Fighter (later, 1 Fighter-Interceptor) Group, 3 Jul 1946 (attached to Eastern Air Defense Force, 15 Aug-24 Oct 1950; 30 Air Division, 25 Oct 1950-3 Jun 1951; 103 Fighter-Interceptor Group, 4 Jun 1951-6 Feb 1952); 4708 Defense (later, 4708 Air Defense) Wing, 6 Feb 1952; 500 Air Defense Group, 16 Feb 1953; 1 Fighter Group, 18 Aug 1955; 1 Fighter Wing, 1 Feb 1961; 328 Fighter Wing, 16 Jan 1967; 28 Air Division, 18 Jul 1968 (attached to 314 Air Division, c. 22 Dec 1968-c. 9 Jun 1969); 24 Air Division, 19 Nov 1969; 1 Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Jul 1971 (attached to 1 Tactical Fighter Wing [Provisional], 7 Aug 1990-8 Mar 1991); 1 Operations Group, 1 Oct 1991-30 Sep 2010.
Stations. Selfridge Field, MI, 1 Jan 1940; San Diego NAS, CA, 9 Dec 1941; Los Angeles, CA, 12 Feb-20 May 1942; Goxhill, England, 10 Jun 1942; Ibsley, England, 24 Aug-23 Oct 1942; St Leu, Algeria, 8 Nov 1942; Tafaraoui, Algeria, 14 Nov 1942; Nouvion, Algeria, 21 Nov 1942; Maison Blanche, Algeria, 17 Dec 1942; Biskra, Algeria, 22 Dec 1942; Chateaudun-du-Rhumel, Algeria, 16 Feb 1943; Mateur, Tunisia, 28 Jun 1943 (detachments operated from Gerbini, Sicily, 5-18 Sep 1943, and Gambut, Libya, 5-15 Oct 1943); Djedeida, Tunisia, 31 Oct 1943; Monserrato, Sardinia, 29 Nov 1943; Gioia del Colle, Italy, 8 Dec 1943; Salsola, Italy, 9 Jan 1944 (detachments operated from Aghione, Corsica, 11-21 Aug 1944, and Vincenzo, Italy, 10 Jan-18 Feb 1945); Lesina, Italy, 14 Mar 1945; Marcianise, Italy, 26 Sep-16 Oct 1945. March Field, CA, 3 Jul 1946; George AFB, CA, 18 Jul 1950; Griffiss AFB, NY, 15 Aug 1950; Greater Pittsburgh Aprt, PA, 21 Oct 1950; Selfridge AFB, MI, 18 Aug 1955; Richards-Gebaur AFB, MO, 16 Jan 1967; Malmstrom AFB, MT, 18 Jul 1968 (deployed at Osan AB, South Korea, c. 22 Dec 1968-c. 9 Jun 1969); MacDill AFB, FL, 1 Jul 1971; Langley AFB, VA, 30 Jun 1975-30 Sep 2010.
(operated from King Abdul Aziz AB, Saudi Arabia, 7 Aug 1990-8 Mar 1991).
Aircraft. P-35, 1941; YP-43, 1941; P-38, 1941-1945. P-80, 1946-1949; F-86, 1949-1958; F-102, 1958-1960; F-106, 1960-1971; F-4, 1971-1975; F-15, 1976-2010.
Operations. Antisubmarine patrols, 15-30 Dec 1941; combat in ETO and MTO, 1 Sep 1942-3 May 1945. Air defense, Jul 1950-Jun 1971. F-4 replacement training, 1 Jul 1971-29 Jun 1975. Combat in Southwest Asia, Jan-Feb 1991. During 1993-2005, shared rotation duties with 27 and 94 FS in support of UN peacekeeping efforts in SWA; 1994-2000, rotated to Iceland to monitor the Iceland Military Identification Zone. After 11 Sep 2001, performed homeland security operations in support of war against terrorism.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Egypt-Libya; Air Offensive, Europe; Algeria-French Morocco; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley; 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 Citations: Italy, 25 Aug 1943; Italy, 30 Aug 1943; Ploesti, Rumania, 18 May 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jun 1967-1 Apr 1968; 15 Jun 1982-15 Jun 1984; 16 June 1984-15 Jun 1986; 1 May 1989-30 Apr 1991; 1 May 1992-30 Apr 1994; 1 Jun 1995-31 May 1997; 1 Jun 1998-31 May 2000; 1 Jun 2000-31 May 2001.
Emblem. Approved on 10 Oct 1947.