163rd Fighter Squadron

163d Fighter Squadron
163d Fighter Squadron - Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II 82-0661
Active	1942-Present
Country	United States
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Squadron
Size	Close air support
Part of	Indiana Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, Indiana
Nickname(s)	Blacksnakes
Tail Code	IN
Engagements	World War II
Insignia
163rd Fighter Squadron emblem

The 163d Fighter Squadron (163d FS) is a unit of the Indiana Air National Guard 122d Fighter Wing located at Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, Indiana. The 163d is equipped with the A-10 Thunderbolt II.

History

Lineage

• Constituted 365th Fighter Squadron on 20 Dec 1942

Activated on 1 Jan 1943

Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945.

• Re-designated: 163d Fighter Squadron, and allotted to Indiana ANG, on 24 May 1946

Extended federal recognition on 9 December 1946

Federalized and ordered to active service on: 10 February 1951

Re-designated: 163d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 10 February 1951

Released from active duty and returned to Indiana state control, 1 November 1952

Re-designated: 113th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Special Delivery), 1 July 1959

Federalized and ordered to active service on: 1 October 1961

Released from active duty and returned to Indiana state control, 31 August 1962

Assignments

• 358th Fighter Group, 1 January 1943 – 7 November 1945
• 122d Fighter Group, 9 December 1946
• 122d Fighter-Interceptor Group, 10 February 1951
• 31st Air Division, Air Defense Command, 6 February 1952
• 122d Fighter-Interceptor Group, 1 November 1952
• 122d Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 July 1954
• 122d Tactical Fighter Wing (Special Delivery), 1 July 1959

Attached to: 7122d Tactical Wing (Special Delivery), 1 October 1961-31 August 1962

Stations

• Richmond Army Air Base, Va, 1 Jan 1943
• Baltimore Army Airfield, Md, 28 Apr 1943
• Millville Army Airfield, NJ, 29 May 1943
• Camp Springs Army Airfield, Md, 3 Jul 1943
• Richmond Army Air Base, Va, 16 Aug – 26 Sep 1943
• RAF Goxhill (AAF-345), England, 20 Oct 1943
• RAF Leiston (AAF-373), England, 3 Dec 1943
• RAF Raydon (AAF-157), England, 2 Feb 1944
• RAF High Halden (AAF-411), England, 13 Apr 1944
• Cretteville Airfield (A-14), France, 3 Jul 1944
• Pontorson Airfield (A-28), France, 14 Aug 1944
• Vitry-En-Artois Airfield (A-67), France, c. 15 Sep 1944

Operated from St-Dizier Airfield (A-64), France, 12-17 Oct 1944

• Mourmelon-le-Grand Airfield (A-80), France, c. 17 Oct 1944
• Toul-Croix De Metz Airfield (A-90), France, c. 20 Nov 1944
• Mannheim-Sandhofen Airfield (Y-79), Germany, 7 Apr 1945
• Reims, France, c. 23 Jun – 10 Jul 1945
• La Junta Army Air Field, Colo, c. 4 Aug – 7 Nov 1945
• Stout Field, Indianapolis, Indiana, 9 December 1946

Operated from: Sioux City Municipal Airport, Iowa, 1 May 1951-1 November 1952

• Baer Field, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 1 July 1954

Designated: Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, 1991-Present

Aircraft

• P-40 Warhawk, 1943
• P-47D/N Thunderbolt, 1943-1945
• F-51D Mustang, 1946-1951
• F-51H Mustang, 1951-1954
• F-80C Shooting Star, 1954-1956
• F-86A Sabre, 1956-1958
• F-84F Thunderstreak, 1958-1962; 1964-1971

• RF-84F Thunderstreak, 1962-1964
• F-100D/F Super Sabre, 1971-1979
• F-4C Phantom II, 1979-1986
• F-4E Phantom II, 1986-1991
• Block 25 F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, 1991-2006
• Block 30 F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, 2006-2010
• A-10 Thunderbolt II, 2010-Present

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.