76th Fighter Squadron

76th Fighter Squadron
Emblem of the 76th Fighter Squadron
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter

The 76th Fighter Squadron (76 FS) is a United States Air Force Reserve unit. It is assigned to the 476th Fighter Group and stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.

During World War II, the 76th Fighter Squadron was one of the three original squadrons (74th, 75th, 76th) of the 23d Fighter Group. The 23d was the United States Army Air Force China Air Task Force organization which the 1st American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Chinese Air Force were incorporated into.

On 17 December 1941, the AVG 3rd Fighter Squadron was redesignated as the 23d Pursuit Group 76th Pursuit Squadron and subsequently the 76th Fighter Squadron

History

Lineage

• Constituted as: 76 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 17 Dec 1941

Redesignated as: 76 Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942

Activated on 4 Jul 1942

Inactivated on 5 Jan 1946

• Activated on 10 Oct 1946

Inactivated on 24 Sep 1949

• Redesignated 76 Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 Jun 1955

Activated on 18 Aug 1955

Discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 Jul 1963

• Redesignated 76 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 18 May 1972

Activated on 1 Oct 1972

Redesignated 76 Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991

Inactivated on 29 May 1992

• Redesignated 76 Space Operations Squadron on 21 Nov 1995

Activated on 1 Dec 1995

Inactivated on 21 Jan 2001

• Redesignated 76 Space Control Squadron, and activated, on 22 Jan 2001

Inactivated on 22 Jan 2008

• Redesignated 76 Fighter Squadron on 6 Jan 2009

Activated on 1 Feb 2009.

Assignments

• 23 Fighter Group, 4 Jul 1942-5 Jan 1946
• 23 Fighter Group, 10 Oct 1946-24 Sep 1949
• 23 Fighter Group, 18 Aug 1955
• 35 Air Division, 9 Nov 1957
• 32 Air Division, 15 Nov 1958
• Boston Air Defense Sector, 1 Feb 1961-1 Jul 1963
• 23 Tactical Fighter (later, 23 Fighter) Wing, 1 Oct 1972-29 May 1992
• Fourteenth Air Force, 1 Dec 1995
• 614 Space Operations Group, 28 Aug 1998
• 21 Operations Group, 31 Mar 2000-21 Jan 2001
• 21 Operations Group, 22 Jan 2001-22 Jan 2008
• 476 Fighter Group, 1 Feb 2009-Present

Stations

• Kunming, China, 4 Jul 1941
• Kweilin, China, 25 Jul 1942
• Kunming, China, 18 Aug 1942
• Lingling, China, 13 May 1943
• Hengyang, China, 11 Aug 1943

Detachment operated from Suichwan, China, 3 Oct-7 Dec 1943

• Kweilin, China, 21 Nov 1943
• Suichwan, China, 26 Dec 1943
• Lingling, China, 1 Jun 1944
• Liuchow, China, Jul 1944
• Luliang, China, c. 12 Sep 1944
• Liuchow, China, 24 Aug 1945
• Hangchow, China, 15 Oct-4 Dec 1945

• Fort Lewis, WA, 3-5 Jan 1946
• Northwest Field, Guam, 10 Oct 1946-3 Apr 1949
• Howard AFB, CZ, 25 Apr-24 Sep 1949
• Presque Isle AFB, ME, 18 Aug 1955
• Pinecastle (later, McCoy) AFB, FL, 8 Nov 1957
• Westover AFB, MA, 1 Feb 1961-1 Jul 1963
• England AFB, LA, 1 Oct 1972-29 May 1992

Deployed aircraft and personnel to Saudi Arabia, Aug 1990-Apr 1991

• Falcon (later, Schriever) AFB, CO, 1 Dec 1995
• Peterson AFB, CO, 1 Dec 1999-21 Jan 2001
• Peterson AFB, CO, 22 Jan 2001-22 Jan 2008
• Moody AFB, GA, 1 Feb 2009-Present

Aircraft

• P-40, 1942-1944
• P-51, 1944-1945
• P-47, 1946-1949
• RF-80, 1949
• F-89, 1955-1960
• F-102, 1960-1963
• A-7, 1972-1981
• A-10, 1981-1992

Operations

The history of the 76th dates to the earliest days of World War II. During the summer of 1941, Army Captain Claire Lee Chennault formed a small group of American pilots into the 3rd Pursuit Squadron, American Volunteer Group. The unit immediately garnered international attention for their combat successes while defending China, and they became known as the "Flying Tigers."

After the unit's incorporation into the United States Air Force, the squadron remained in dombat in the China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater, 18 Jul 1942-11 Aug 1945, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation for missions in China in June 1944.

After World War II, the squadron performed air defense intercept operations in Guam, 1946-1949, in Panama, 1949, and at various bases in the eastern United States, 1955-1963. Trained in and conducted close air support operations, 1972-1992. Portion of squadron deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1990 and took part in operations against Iraq in early 1991.

Beginning in Dec 1995, assisted other units to integrate space product applications into current operations procedures. Deployed personnel to air units worldwide to enhance their links to space assets. Provided counterspace capabilities to warfighters worldwide, 2001-2008.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0892010975
• USAFHRA information sheet, 76th Fighter Squadron