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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2012}}
{{Infobox military unit
{{infobox military unit
⚫
|unit_name= 121st Fighter Squadron
|image= [[File:121st Fighter Squadron emblem.jpg|250px]]
|unit_name=121st Fighter Squadron
⚫
|image=[[File:F-16D DC ANG Andrews AFB 2008.JPG|300px]]
|caption= 121st Fighter Squadron Emblem
|caption= General Dynamics F-16D Block 30 Fighting Falcon (s/n 85-1509) from the 121st Fighter Squadron
|dates= since 1940
|dates= 1940-Present
|country= United States
|country={{flag|United States|23px}}
|allegiance=
|allegiance=
|branch= [[United States Air Force]]
|branch= [[File:US-AirNationalGuard-2007Emblem.svg|25px]]  [[Air National Guard]]
|type= Squadron
|type= Squadron
|role= Fighter Support
|role= Fighter
⚫
|command_structure= [[District of Columbia Air National Guard]]
|size=
|garrison= [[Joint Base Andrews]], Camp Springs, Maryland
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|command_structure= [[Air National Guard]]/[[Air Combat Command]]
|garrison_label=
|current_commander=
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|nickname= Capital Guardians
|garrison= [[Andrews Air Force Base]]
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
⚫
|nickname= Guardians
|patron=
|patron=
|motto=
|motto=
|colors=
|colors=
|colors_label=
|march=
|march=
|mascot=
|mascot=
|equipment= "DC" Red tailstripe w/stars
⚫
|battles=
|equipment_label= Tail Code
⚫
|battles=
|anniversaries=
|anniversaries=
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
|battle_honours_label=
|disbanded=
|flying_hours=
|website=
<!-- Commanders -->
|commander1=
|commander1_label=
|notable_commanders=
<!-- Insignia -->
|identification_symbol=[[File:121st Fighter Squadron emblem.jpg|150px]]
⚫
|identification_symbol_label=121st Fighter Squadron emblem
<!-- Aircraft -->
|aircraft_attack=
|aircraft_bomber=
|aircraft_electronic=
|aircraft_fighter=
|aircraft_helicopter=
|aircraft_helicopter_attack=
|aircraft_helicopter_cargo=
|aircraft_helicopter_multirole=
|aircraft_helicopter_observation=
|aircraft_helicopter_transport=
|aircraft_helicopter_trainer=
|aircraft_helicopter_utility=
|aircraft_interceptor=
|aircraft_patrol=
|aircraft_recon=
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|aircraft_tanker=
}}
}}
The '''121st Fighter Squadron''' flies the [[F-16C/D Fighting Falcon]]. It is a unit of the [[District of Columbia Air National Guard]]. Its parent unit is the [[113th Wing]].
The '''121st Fighter Squadron''' flies the [[F-16C/D Fighting Falcon]]. It is a unit of the [[District of Columbia Air National Guard]]. Its parent unit is the [[113th Wing]].
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===Lineage===
===Lineage===
⚫
[[File:F-16D DC ANG Andrews AFB 2008.JPG|thumb|A 121st TFS F-16D, 2008]]
[[File:F-4D 121st TFS DC Air National Guard 1987.JPEG|thumb|A DC Air National Guard F-4D in 1987]]
[[File:F-4D 121st TFS DC Air National Guard 1987.JPEG|thumb|A DC Air National Guard F-4D in 1987]]
[[File:KC-97G Illinois ANG refueling F-100C DC ANG 1964.jpg|thumb|121st TFS F-100Cs deploy to Europe in August 1964]]
[[File:KC-97G Illinois ANG refueling F-100C DC ANG 1964.jpg|thumb|121st TFS F-100Cs deploy to Europe in August 1964]]

Revision as of 19:26, 15 November 2012

121st Fighter Squadron
General Dynamics F-16D Block 30 Fighting Falcon (s/n 85-1509) from the 121st Fighter Squadron
Active1940-Present
Country United States
Branch  Air National Guard
TypeSquadron
RoleFighter
Part ofDistrict of Columbia Air National Guard
Garrison/HQJoint Base Andrews, Camp Springs, Maryland
Nickname(s)Capital Guardians
Tail Code"DC" Red tailstripe w/stars
Insignia
121st Fighter Squadron emblem

The 121st Fighter Squadron flies the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon. It is a unit of the District of Columbia Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 113th Wing.

The squadron is an interceptor unit whose primary mission is the air defense of the District of Columbia.

History

The DC Air Guard's 121st Tactical Fighter Squadron is the oldest aviation unit in the DC National Guard. The unit, which dates from the 1930s, was established as the 121st Liaison Squadron. The 121st was called into active military service in May 1941, as part of the Army Air Forces. It flew antisubmarine patrols, c. December 1941—October 1942. It then deployed to Europe and engaged in combat in the MTO (Mediterannean Theater of Operations) and the ETO (European Theater of Operations), September 1944-3 May 1945. It went through several reorganizations and changes in aircraft and missions, and ended the war as the 121st Fighter Squadron.

The unit eventually received a fuselage insignia, an iron fist and jet fighter superimposed on a national shield, developed and approved in the early 1960s. It was thought that the unit had no previous insignia, but the designers were incorrect . . . a Maryland Terrapin originally flew with the DC Air Guard and, many years later, was reinstated in the unit's insignia.

The original design, approved in 1943, and authenticated as correct by the Air Museum, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, is described as follows:

"A caricatured tan and brown turtle proper , riding a "pogo" stick, leaving a trail of hops and impact marks black, all outlined light turquoise blue. Significance: The turtle depicts slow but sure travel, as characterized by the story of the "Tortoise and the Hare" in "Aesop's Fables." The short hops and limited range of liaison airplanes are depicted by the short hops the turtle is making on the pogo stick."

On August 30, 1950 the squadron lost a single Republic F-84 Thunderjet during a routine weather training mission of two aircraft. After passing southbound near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the F-84C exploded in mid-air at tree height, left a large crater in a field, and scattered wreckage over 3 acres (1.2 hectares) of the Hilbert cornfield near the Maryland intersection of the Harney and Bollinger School roads. Along with small parts of the aircraft, a few remains of the pilot were recovered; and the element leader in the lead F-84, 1st Lt. William L. Hall, reported "Alkire had not radioed of any difficulty before the explosion."[1]

Lineage

A DC Air National Guard F-4D in 1987
121st TFS F-100Cs deploy to Europe in August 1964
121st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron 4-ship F-86H formation, 1960. North American F-86H-10-NH Sabre 53-1348 in foreground, 52-5743 also identified
Designated the 121st Observation Squadron and allotted to the District of Columbia National Guard on 30 July 1940
Activated on 10 April 1941
Ordered to active service on 1 September 1941
Redesignated the 121st Observation Squadron (Light) on 13 January 1942
Redesignated the 121st Observation Squadron on 4 July 1942
Inactivated on 18 October 1942
Redesignated the 121st Liaison Squadron on 2 April 1943
Activated on 30 April 1943
Inactivated on 7 November 1945
Redesignated the 121st Fighter Squadron and allotted to the District of Columbia Air National Guard on 24 May 1946
Received federal recognition and activated in 1946
Federalized and placed on active duty on 10 February 1951
Re-designated the 121st Fighter Squadron (Jet) on 10 February 1951
Released from active duty and returned to District of Columbia control on 1 November 1952
Re-designated the 121st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1 November 1952
Re-designated the 121st Tactical Fighter Squadron, 1966
Re-designated the 121st Fighter Squadron, 1992 – present

[2]

Assignments

District of Columbia National Guard, 10 April 1941
65th Observation Group, 1 September 1941 – 18 October 1942
76th Reconnaissance Group, 30 April 1943
I Air Support Command (later I Tactical Air Division), 11 August 1943
United States Army Air Force, MTO, March 1944
Attached to the Fifth United States Army after 30 September 1944
Two flights assigned to United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe, 1 November 1944
Attached to the Ninth Air Force, 29 November 1944
Attached to the First Tactical Air Force [Prov] between 22 December 1944 and 1 March 1945
Further attachment to the Sixth Army Group between September 1944 and 1 March 1945
Twelfth Air Force, 25 February 1945
Attached to the Fifth United States Army to c. July 1945
Third Air Force between 25 August and 7 November 1945
District of Columbia Air National Guard, since 1946
First Air Force (ADC), 1946
First Air Force (ConAC), 1 December 1948
Continental Air Command, 1 February 1950
113th Fighter-Bomber Wing (TAC), 1 January 1951
Federalized and placed on active duty under Air Defense Command on 10 February 1951
113th Fighter-Interceptor Group on 10 February 1951
4710th Defense Wing, 6 February 1952
Released from active duty and returned to District of Columbia control on 1 November 1952
113th Fighter-Interceptor Group (ADC) on 1 November 1952
113th Tactical Fighter Wing (TAC) on 1966
113th Fighter Wing, (ACC) 1992
113th Wing, (ACC/AMC) 1995 – present

Stations

See also

References

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

  1. ^ "Jet Pilot is Blown To Bits When Plane Explodes Near Emmitsburg Last Night". Gettysburg Times. 31 August 1950.
  2. ^ Rogers, B. (2006). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. ISBN 1-85780-197-0

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=121st_Fighter_Squadron&oldid=523199709"