14th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

14th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
Emblem of the 14th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
Active	1942–1960
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter-Interceptor

The 14th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 53d Fighter Group, stationed at Sioux City Municipal Airport, Iowa. It was inactivated on 1 April 1960.

History

Activated in early 1941 as part of the Southeast Air District, was equipped with a series of pursuit aircraft with a mission of air defense of Florida. After the Pearl Harbor Attack, was assigned to the Caribbean Air Force in Panama where it operated in defense of the Panama Canal. Returned to the United States in early 1943 where it became a P-47 Thunderbolt, later P-51 Mustang replacement training unit (RTU) for III Fighter Command. Inactivated on 1 May 1944 as part of a reorganization of training units.

Reactivated by Continental Air Command (ConAC) in 1947 as a reserve Troop Carrier Squadron at Pittsburgh Airport Pennsylvania. Undetermined if manned or equipped, inactivated due to budget reductions in 1949.

Reactivated in 1953 as part of Air Defense Command as an air defense squadron, equipped with F-86D Sabre Interceptors and initially being assigned to Sioux City Municipal Airport, Iowa with a mission for the air defense the Great Plains. In 1957 began re-equipping with the North American F-86L Sabre, an improved version of the F-86D which incorporated the Semi Automatic Ground Environment, or SAGE computer-controlled direction system for intercepts. The service of the F-86L destined to be quite brief, since by the time the last F-86L conversion was delivered, the type was already being phased out in favor of supersonic interceptors.

Inactivated in 1960 as part of the phaseout of the F-86D from active ADC service.

Lineage

• Constituted 14th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940

Activated on 15 January 1941

Redesignated 14th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942

Disbanded on 1 May 1944

• Reconstituted on 3 June 1947

Activated in the reserve on 13 July 1947

Inactivated on 27 June 1949

• Redesignated 14th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 23 March 1953

Activated on 18 November 1953

Discontinued on 1 April 1960.

Assignments

• 53d Pursuit (later Fighter) Group, 15 January 1941-1 May 1944
• Eleventh Air Force, 13 July 1947
• 375th Troop Carrier Group, 30 September 1947-27 June 1949
• 521st Air Defense Group, 18 November 1953
• 53d Fighter Group, 18 August 1955-1 April 1960

Stations

• MacDill Field, Florida, 15 January 1941
• Dale Mabry Field, Florida, 8 May-18 December 1941
• Chame Airfield, Panama, 2 January-l0 November 1942
• Dale Mabry Field, Florida, 26 November 1942
• Drew Field, Florida, 6 January 1943
• Page Field, Florida, 5 February 1943
• Venice Army Airfield, Florida, 10 July 1943-1 May 1944
• Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Pennsylvania, 13 July 1947-27 June 1949
• Sioux City Municipal Airport, Iowa, 18 November 1953-1 April 1960

Aircraft

• Seversky P-35, 1941
• P-40 Warhawk, 1941
• P-39 Aircobra, 1941–1943
• P-51 Mustang, 1943
• P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943–1944
• 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.