124th Attack Squadron

124th Fighter Squadron
124th Fighter Squadron Squadron Emblem
Active	???-Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Squadron
Role	Fighter
Part of	Air National Guard/Air Combat Command
Garrison/HQ	Des Moines International Airport
Nickname(s)	Hawkeyes

TSgt. Mike Johanns, dedicated crew chief from the 132nd FW ANG, Des Moines, Iowa, waits to marshal F-16C block 42 #89-2045 of the 124th FS during Red Flag 06-02 at Nellis AFB on 15 August 2006

The 124th Fighter Squadron (124 FS) is a unit of the Iowa Air National Guard 132d Fighter Wing. It is assigned to Des Moines Air National Guard Base, Iowa and is equipped with the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft.

The squadron is a descendant organization of the 124th Observation Squadron, established on 30 July 1940. It is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II.

History

Lineage

• Designated 124th Observation Squadron and allotted to Iowa NG on 30 Jul 1940

Activated on 25 Feb 1941

Ordered to active service on 15 Sep 1941

Re-designated: 124th Observation Squadron (Light) on 13 Jan 1942

Re-designated: 124th Observation Squadron on 4 Jul 1942

Re-designated: 124th Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter) on 2 Apr 1943

Re-designated: 124th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 Aug 1942

Disbanded on 1 May 1944

• Reconstituted 124th Fighter Squadron and allotted to the Iowa ANG on 24 May 1946

Extended Federal recognition on 23 Aug 1946

Re-designated: 124th Fighter-Bomber Squadron in Jun 1952

Re-designated: 124th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 1 Jul 1955

Re-designated: 124th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 2 Aug 1969

Re-designated: 124th Fighter Squadron on 15 Mar 1992

Assignments

• Iowa National Guard, 25 Feb 1941
• II Air Support Command, 15 Sep 1941
• 72d Observation Group, 26 Sep 1941
• 75th Observation (later Reconnaissance; Tactical Reconaissance) Group, 12 Mar 1942-1 May 1944

Attached to: I Bomber Command, 3 Jul-15 Oct 1942

Attached to: AAF Antisubmarine Command, 15 Oct-20 Nov 1942

Attached to: 26th Antisubmarine Wing, 20 Nov 1942-4 Jan 1943

• 132d Fighter Group, 23 Aug 1946
• 132d Fighter Wing, 1995-present.

Stations

• Des Moines, IA, 25 Feb 1941
• Sherman Field, KS, 26 Sep 1941
• Ellington Field, TX, 17 Apr 1942
• Galveston AAB, TX, 24 Jul 1942
• New Orleans AAB, LA, 10 Sep 1942

• William Northern Field, TN, 11 Mar 1943
• Key Field, MS, 17 Aug 1943-1 May 1944
• Des Moines MAP, IA, 23 Aug 1946-present

Operated from: Dow AFB, Maine, Spring, 1 April 1951-5 November 1952

Operated from: Alexandria AFB, Louisiana, 5 November 1952-1 January 1953

References

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