21st Fighter Squadron

21st Fighter Squadron
21st Fighter Squadron Patch
Active	15 October 1944 - 15 October 1946 11 November 1954 - 15 March 1959 1 December 1972 - 28 June 1991 1 November 1991 - 31 December 1993 8 August 1996 - Present
Country	United States/Taiwan
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter Training
Part of	Air Education and Training Command 19th Air Force 56th Fighter Wing 56th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Luke Air Force Base
Colors	Red & Black
Decorations	AFOUA
Commanders
Current commander	LT/COL Bill "Saw" Bowman

The 21st Fighter Squadron (21 FS) is part of the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting advanced fighter training for the pilots of Taiwan.

Mission

The 21st Fighter Squadron, 'The Gamblers', operate the Block 20 F-16A/B for the Taiwanese Air Force, under a three year pilot training programme called 'Peace Fenghuang'. This is the only squadron at Luke to operate the original F-16 variant, which are unusual in being 93 fiscal year serial new build Block 20 aircraft.

Prior to reforming at Luke in 1997, the 21st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron operated F-4E Phantom IIs at George AFB, California until 1993.

Goals

1: Hone combat skills for Taiwanese and USAF pilots to peak readiness. 2: Build lasting friendships for Taiwan and US National Security interests. 3: Preserve Taiwan and USAF resources for combat taskings. 4: Enhance quality of life and promote personal and professional growth.

History

The 21st flew combat missions in western Pacific from, 20 May-14 August 1945. It trained for wild weasel radar detection and suppression missions from, 1972-1981. During 1983-1991 the squadron provided training at George AFB for F-4E crews who were newly assigned to the aircraft or who were returning to the aircraft from staff positions. The squadron went on to train for forward air control missions from November 1991-1993. Since August 1996, it has trained F-16 crews.

Operations

• World War II

Lineage

• 21st Fighter Squadron, Single Engine (1944–1954)
• 21st Fighter-Day Squadron (1954–1958)
• 21st Tactical Fighter Squadron (1958–1972)
• 21st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (1972–1980)
• 21st Tactical Fighter Squadron (1980–1983)
• 21st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (1983–1991)
• 21st Fighter Squadron (1991–Present)

Assignments

• 413th Fighter Group (1945–1946)
• 413th Tactical Fighter Wing (1954–1959)
• 35th Tactical Fighter Wing (1972–1991)
• 507th Air Control Wing (1991–1992)
• 363d Fighter Wing (1992–1993)
• 56th Fighter Wing (1996–Present)

Stations

• Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina (1944)
• Bluethenthal Field, North Carolina (1944–1945)
• Ie Shima Airfield, Okinawa, (1945)
• Kadena Air Base, Okinawa (1945–1946)
• Yontan Airfield, Okinawa, (1946)

• George Air Force Base, California (1954–1959)
• Moron Air Base, Spain (1959)
• George Air Force Base, California (1972–1991)
• Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina (1991–1993)
• Luke Air Force Base, Arizona (1996–Present)

Aircraft Operated

• P-47 Thunderbolt (1944–1946)
• F-86 Sabre (1954–1956)
• F-100 Super Sabre (1956–1959)
• F-4 Phantom II (1972–1981)
• F-16 Fighting Falcon (1981–1991, 1996–Present)
• OA-10 Thunderbolt II (1991–1993)

References

Bibliography

• Code One Magazine Profile of the 21st Fighter Squadron
• 56th Operations Group Fact Sheet