428th Fighter Squadron

428th Fighter Squadron
428th Fighter Squadron Patch
Active	1 August 1943 - 5 December 1945 10 July 1952 - 30 June 1989 2 April 1990 - 12 October 1995 15 September 1998 - 6 July 2005 18 May 2009 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter
Decorations	DUC AFOUA w/V Device Belgium Fourragère ROK PUC RVGC w/ Palm

A 428th Fighter Squadron crew chief member marshals an F-15SG fighter at Mountain Home AFB.

1974 photo of F-111A Serial 67-0102 from the 428th TFS refueling from a KC-135 tanker. Also shown is an F-4E (67-368) of the 58th TFS/8th TFW at Ubon RTAFB (ED) (TDY from Kunsan AB, South Korea) and two F-4Es from the 336th TFS also from Ubon (SJ) (TDY from Seymour-Johnson AFB, North Carolina)

The 428th Fighter Squadron (428 FS) is part of the 366th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Currently, it operates F-15SG Strike Eagle aircraft conducting formal training missions to qualify Republic of Singapore Air Force crew in the F-15SG under the auspices of Peace Carvin V.

Overview

The 428th Fighter Squadron's mission is to provide advanced weapons and tactics continuation training for Republic of Singapore Air Force F-15 pilots, weapon systems officers and maintenance personnel. RSAF aircrew and maintenance personnel are assigned to the 428th for two years, during which they receive advanced tactics training, shoot live missiles at Combat Archer, and deploy to locations throughout the United States to participate in composite operations and dissimilar air combat exercises.

History

World War II

Activated in August 1943 as a P-38 Lightning fighter squadron under IV Fighter Command in Southern California. Trained with the fighter over the Mojave Desert, moving to the European Theater of Operations (ETO), being assigned to Ninth Air Force in England during March 1944.

Engaged in combat operations beginning in April, making low level sweeps over Occupied France, attacking enemy transportation targets and military convoys, bridges, armor formations and airfields. During D-Day, the squadron flew patrols over the invasion fleet. Remained in England after D-Day until August, moving to France and primarily provided ground-air support to the United States First Army in Northern France. Moved to Occupied Germany at the end of the war, becoming part of the United States Air Forces in Europe army of occupation during the summer of 1945.

Personnel demobilized in Europe during 1945, returned to the United States in November as an administrative unit and was inactivated without personnel or equipment.

Cold War

Reactivated in Japan under Far East Air Forces, July 1952 as a result of the Korean War. Replaced Federalized Georgia Air National Guard personnel, receiving their F-84G Thunderjets. Moved to South Korea in August, engaging in combat operations from Kunsan Air Base (K-8). From Kunsan the squadron bombed and strafed bridges, bunkers, troop concentrations, artillery positions, and a host of other enemy targets

Moved to Taegu Air Base (K-2) in April 1953 being attached to the 58th Fighter Bomber Wing. Flew interdiction and close air support missions in as well as attacking special strategic targets such as military schools, dams, and port facilities in North Korea until the June 1953 Armistice, Remained in South Korea for over a year afterward to insure Communist compliance with the cease-fire.

Returned to Clovis AFB, New Mexico in November 1954. Squadron was re-equipped with F-86H Sabre fighter-bomber aircraft, being assigned to Twelfth Air Force, Tactical Air Command. Maintained proficiency in tactical fighter operations, deploying components, aircraft, and crews on a global basis in support of NATO, PACAF, AAC, and other organizations. Deployed to southeastern United States during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

Reassigned to Nellis AFB, Nevada in 1966, becoming one of the first General Dynamics F-111A squadrons. Deployed aircraft to South Vietnam in early 1968, while still in training status at Nellis. Aircraft returned and development of the F-111 continued, finally reaching operational status in 1971.

Returned to Takhli RTAFB, Thailand in early 1972 as a result of the North Vietnamese Easter Offensive. Fully engaged in combat over North and South Vietnam for the balance of 1972, flying operations in good and bad weather when other squadrons were grounded. Flew approximately 4000 combat missions with excellent success rates in hitting targets even when visibility was near zero. Returned to the United States in March 1973, leaving it's assigned aircraft at Takhli.

Almost immediately upon the squadron's return to Nellis AFB, was reassigned to the 347th Fighter Wing and deployed back to Takhli RTAFB, this time being placed on permanent party status in Thailand, taking over the aircraft it had left upon its return to the United States. For a brief two-week period the 347th flew combat operations into Cambodia until 15 August, when the last wartime mission of the Vietnam Era was flown into Cambodia for final mission of Constant Guard. After the cease-fire, the wing was maintained in a combat-ready status for possible contingency

After the end of combat missions in Indochina, the squadron moved to Korat RTAFB, Thailand in 1974 after the closure of Taklhi and remained in Southeast Asia through May 1975 to undertake strike missions in the event of further contingency operations. Participated in numerous exercises and firepower demonstrations, and, during Jan–May 1975, flew sea surveillance missions. Participated in the recovery of the American merchantman SS Mayaguez from Cambodian Communist forces in May 1975.

Upon return to the United States, reassigned back to the 474th TFW, sending F-111s to 366th TFW at Mountain Home AFB, and changing equipment to the F-4D Phantom II during "Operation Ready Switch". Received new Block 1/5 F-16A/B Fighting Falcon aircraft in November 1980 after protractive development period in the 1970s. Conducted routine Tactical Air Command training and deployments from Nellis with the F-16s, upgrading to Block 10/15 models in the early 1980s. Inactivated September 1989 when aircraft were considered no longer front-line combat capable.

Modern era

It was reactivated in 2009 as a F-15SG Strike Eagle fighter training squadron, part of the Peace Carvin V program for the RSAF.

Lineage

• Constituted 428th Fighter Squadron on 26 May 1943

Activated on 1 Aug 1943

Inactivated on 7 Dec 1945.

• Re-designated 428th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 25 Jun 1952

Activated on 10 Jul 1952

Re-designated 428th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul 1958

Inactivated 15 November 1966

Re-activated 15 September 1968

Inactivated on 30 Jun 1989

• Re-designated 428th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 20 Mar 1990

Activated on 2 Apr 1990

Re-designated 428th Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991

Inactivated on 12 Oct 1995

• Activated on 15 Sep 1998

Inactivated on 5 Jul 2005

• Activated on 18 May 2009.

Assignments

• 474th Fighter Group, 1 Aug 1943-7 Dec 1945
• 474th Fighter-Bomber Group, 10 Jul 1952-22 November 1954

Attached to 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 Apr 1953-22 Nov 1954

• 474th Fighter-Bomber Group, 13 Dec 1954 – 1 Jul 1958

Attached to 474th Fighter-Bomber Wing 8 Oct 1957-1 Jul 1958

• 474th Fighter-Bomber (later Tactical Fighter) Wing, 1 Jul 1958–15 Nov 1966; 15 Sep 1968—30 July 1973
• 347th Tactical Fighter Wing, 30 Jul 1973-21 Jun 1975
• 474th Tactical Fighter Wing, 21 Jun 1975-30 Jun 1989
• 27th Tactical Fighter (later, 27th Fighter) Wing, 2 Apr 1990
• 27th Operations Group, 1 Nov 1991-12 Oct 1995; 15 Sep 1998-5 Jul 2005
• 366th Operations Group, 18 May 2009-Present

Operational Components

• Detachments: 1 (Nellis AFB, NV): 20 Jan 1968-1 Jan 1969

Detached and deployed at Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, 17 Mar-c. 21 Nov 1968

Stations

• Glendale Airport, California, 1 August 1943
• Van Nuys Airport, California, 11 October 1943
• Oxnard Flight Strip, California, 5 January – 6 February 1944
• RAF Warmwell (AAF-454), England, 12 March 1944
• Saint-Lambert Airfield (A-11), France, 6 August 1944
• Saint Marceau Airfield (A-43), France, 29 August 1944
• Peronne Airfield (A-72), France, 6 September 1944
• Florennes/Juzaine Airfield (A-78), Belgium, 1 October 1944
• Strassfeld Airfield (Y-59), Germany, 22 March 1945
• Langansalza Airfield (R-2), Germany, 22 April 1945
• AAF Station Schweinfurt, Germany, 16 June 1945
• AAF Station Stuttgart/Echterdingen, Germany, 25 October – 21 November 1945
• Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 6–8 December 1945

• Misawa AB, Japan, 10 July 1952
• Kunsan Air Base (K-8), South Korea, 10 July 1952
• Taegu Air Base (K-2), South Korea, 1 April 1953 – 22 November 1954
• Clovis AFB, New Mexico, 13 December 1954 – 15 November 1966
• Nellis AFB, Nevada, 15 Sep 1968-30 Jul 1973
• Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, 30 Jul 1973-12 Jul 1974
• Korat RTAFB, Thailand, 12 Jul 1974-21 Jun 1975
• Nellis AFB, Nevada, 21 Jun 1975-30 Sep 1989

Deployed at Ramstein AB, West Germany, 27 Aug-26 Sep 1987

• Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, 11 Sep 1992-22 Jun 1993
• Cannon AFB, New Mexico, 2 Apr 1990-12 Oct 1995, 5 Sep 1998-5 Jul 2005
• Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, 18 May 2009-Present

Aircraft

• P-38 Lightning, 1943-1945
• F-84 Thunderjet, 1952-1954
• F-86 Sabre, 1955-1957
• F-100 Super Sabre, 1957-1965
• General Dynamics F-111, 1969-1977

• F-4 Phantom, 1977-1982
• F-16 Fighting Falcon, 1982-1989, 1998-2005
• General Dynamics F-111, 1990-1995
• F-15SG Strike Eagle, 2009-Present

See also

• 425th Fighter Squadron Peace Carvin II

References

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

• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
• USAF 428th Fighter Squadron History