93rd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

93d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
Emblem of the 93d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
Active	1942–1960
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter-Interceptor

93d FIS North American F-86D-35-NA Sabre - 51-6221, about 1955. Aircraft markings were red lighting bolts on the fuselage.

93d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron - North American F-86Fs at Kirtland AFB as part of the 81st Fighter Interceptor Group.

Note: For the current USAF unit, see 93d Fighter Squadron

The 93d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Albuquerque Air Defense Sector, stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. It was de-activated on 8 July 1960.

History

World War II

The squadron was activated in early 1942 under III Fighter Command in North Carolina. Initially trained with P-39 Aircobras, re-equipped with P-38 Lightnings.

Moved overseas, October 1942 – February 1943, the ground echelon arriving in French Morocco with the force that invaded North Africa on 8 November, and the air echelon, which had trained for a time in England, arriving in North Africa between late December 1942 and early February 1943.

Began combat with Twelfth Air Force in January 1943. Supported ground operations during the Allied drive against Axis forces in Tunisia. Patrolled the coast of North Africa and protected Allied shipping in the Mediterranean Sea, April–July 1943. Provided cover for the convoys that landed troops on Pantelleria on 11 June and on Sicily on 10 July 1943. Supported the landings at Anzio on 22 January 1944 and flew patrols in that area for a short time.

Re-assigned to the China-Burma-India Theater (CBI) and moved to India, February–March 1944. Initially performed training with P-40 and P-47 aircraft. Moved to China in May and became part of Fourteenth Air Force. Continued training and on occasion flew patrol and escort missions before returning to full-time combat duty in January 1945. Attacked enemy airfields and installations, flew escort missions, and aided the operations of Chinese ground forces by attacking troop concentrations, ammunition dumps, lines of communications, and other targets to hinder Japanese efforts to move men and materiel to the front.

Inactivated in China on 27 December 1945.

Cold War

Reactivated at Wheeler Field, Hawaii Territory in late 1946. Equipped with P-51 Mustangs and performed air defense of the Hawaiian Islands until 1949. Was reassigned to the Tactical Air Command Ninth Air Force, being stationed in New Mexico. Re-equipped with F-80 Shooting Star jet aircraft, trained as a tactical fighter squadron. Upgraded to F-86 Sabres in 1950.

Reassigned to Air Defense Command, becoming part of the Western Air Defense Force, performing an air defense mission over the Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico at Kirtland AFB. Inactivated in 1960 during an ADC reorganization.

Lineage

• Constituted 93d Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 13 January 1942

Activated on 9 February 1942

Redesignated 93d Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942

Inactivated on 8 December 1945

• Activated on 15 October 1946

Redesignated 93d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 January 1950

Discontinued on 8 July 1960.

Assignments

• 81st Pursuit (later Fighter) Group, 9 February 1942 – 8 December 1945
• 81st Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor) Group, 15 October 1946

Attached to Albuquerque Air Defense Sector, May 1950

• Western Air Defense Force

Attached to 34th Air Division, 10 August 1951

• 34th Air Division, 6 February 1952
• Albuquerque Air Defense Sector, 1 January – 8 July 1960

Stations

• Morris Field, North Carolina, 9 February 1942
• Dale Mabry Field, Florida, 1 May 1942
• Muroc AAF, California, 26 June – 4 October 1942
• Port Lyautey Airfield, French Morocco, 10 November 1942
• Berteaux Airfield, Algeria, 19 February 1943
• Youks-les-Bains Airfield, Algeria, 10 March 1943

Operated from Thelepte Airfield, Tunisia, 6 March – c. 5 April 1943

• Bone Airfield, Algeria, 3 April 1943
• Monastir Airfield, Tunisia, 22 May 1943
• Sidi Ahmed Airfield, Tunisia, 23 August 1943

• Castelvetrano, Sicily, 21 October 1943
• Montecorvino Airfield, Italy, c. February 1944
• Karachi, India, c. 1 March 1944
• Kwanghan, China, c. 11 July 1944
• Gushkara, India, C. October 1944 – 16 October 1945
• Shanghai, China, c. 9–17 November 1945
• Camp Stoneman, California, 5–8 December 1945
• Wheeler Field, Hawaii (Territory), 15 October 1946 – 21 May 1949
• Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, 17 June 1949 – 8 July 1960.

Aircraft

• P-39 Aircobra, 1942–1944
• P-38 Lightning, 1943–1944
• P-40 Warhawk, 1944
• P-47 Thunderbolt, 1944–1945
• P-51 Mustang (later, F-51 Mustang), 1946–1949

• F-80 Shooting Star, 1949
• F-86A Sabre, 1951-1953
• F-86F Sabre, 1953
• F-86D Sabre Interceptor, 1953-1957
• F-86L Sabre Interceptor (SAGE) 1957-1960

References

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

• A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
• Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force: World War II. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1982.
• USAF Aerospace Defense Command publication, The Interceptor, January 1979 (Volume 21, Number 1).