104th Fighter Squadron: Difference between revisions
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===Maryland Air National Guard=== |
===Maryland Air National Guard=== |
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The wartime 489th Fighter Squadron was reconstituted on 21 June 1945 and re-designated as the 104th Fighter Squadron, and was allotted to the Maryland Air National Guard as the 104th Fighter Squadron, on 24 May 1946. It was organized at [[Harbor Field]], Baltimore, Maryland, and was extended federal recognition on 17 August 1946 by the National Guard Bureau. The 104th Fighter Squadron was bestowed the lineage, history, honors, and colors of the 489th Fighter Squadron and all predecessor units. The squadron was equipped with F-47D Thunderbolts and was operationally gained by Continental Air Command. |
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===Lineage=== |
===Lineage=== |
Revision as of 17:58, 18 November 2012
104th Fighter Squadron | |
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Active | 1921-Present |
Country | United States |
Branch | Air National Guard |
Type | Squadron |
Role | Ground Support |
Part of | Maryland Air National Guard |
Garrison/HQ | Warfield Air National Guard Base, Middle River, Maryland |
Tail Code | "MD" |
Insignia | |
104th Fighter Squadron emblem |
The 104th Fighter Squadron (104 FS) is a unit of the Maryland Air National Guard 175th Wing stationed at Warfield Air National Guard Base, Middle River, Maryland. The 104th is equipped with the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
The squadron is a descendant organization of the 104th Squadron (Observation), which was formed on 29 June 1921. It is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II and is the oldest unit of the Maryland Air National Guard.
Heraldry
Unit Emblem: A caricature of a Baltimore Oriole (black and orange) in a boxing stance, with wings represented as arms wearing boxing gloves, in front of a yellow lightning flash descending diagonally downward on and over a blue irregular curved background (Approved 21 September 1953)
History
Maryland National Guard
In personnel, if not in official lineage, the 104th Fighter Squadron can trace its origins to 1920 when the Flying Club of Baltimore was organized for former World War I Army Air Service reserve officers of that city. This club became part of the Maryland National Guard in 1921 when Maryland formed one the nation's first post-war flying units with the creation of the 1st Observation Squadron in Baltimore which received federal recognition on 29 June 1921
Maryland became the fifth state to have a post-World War I National Guard aviation unit. The 1st Observation Squadron (a state designation) was re-designated the 104th Squadron (Observation) under the federal numbering system. At the time, the number 104 was widely used to designate combat support units in the Maryland National Guard, including the 104th Medical Regiment and the 104th Military Police Battalion.
The 104th became the first post-World War I United States National Guard unit to be equipped with its own aircraft, 13 Curtiss JN-4 Jennies, which it flew until 1923. Initially assigned as division aviation for the 29th Infantry Division, the unit operated out of Baltimore's Logan Field. In addition to Jennies, the 104th flew a variety of other aircraft during the interwar period, almost all of them two-seat biplanes.
Conducted annual summer training at various locations to include Langley Field, VA; Shepard Field, Martinsburg, WV; Middletown Air Depot, PA; and at Detrick Field, Frederick, MD.
World War II
At the outset of World War II the 104th became part of the Anti-submarine Patrol used along the East Coast. Initially operating out of the Fort Dix Army Airfield, squadron was moved to the Atlantic City Municipal Airport. On 18 October 1942, the 104th was inactivated and its personnel and aircraft transferred to the 517th Bombardment Squadron. The 517th was soon moved to Langley Field, Va., where it was re-designated as the 12th Antisubmarine Squadron and equipped with B-18, and later B-24 and B-25 bombers. Many of these Maryland National Guardsmen eventually flew B-24 Liberators as part of Eighth Air Force 492d Bombardment Group in 1943, to which the 517th Bomb Squadron was eventually assigned to as the 859th Bombardment Squadron. There is no official lineage however, between the 104th Observation Squadron and the 859th Bombardment Squadron.
Meanwhile, the designation of the 104th Observation Squadron was re-activated and became the 104th Reconnaissance Squadron. This time they were flying P-39 Aircobra and P-40 Warhawk fighters. Manned by Army Regulars, it was transferred to Thomasville Army Airfield, Georgia, as a Replacement Training Unit as part of the 59th Fighter Group, III Fighter Command. It's mission was to train newly-graduated pilots from AAF flight training schools to fly single-engine fighter planes. It was re-designated again as the 489th Reconnaissance Squadron and then later re-designated as the 489th Fighter Squadron before it was inactivated and disbanded in 1 May 1944 as part of an Air Force reorganization of its training program, becoming "Squadron B", Thomasville Replacement Training Unit.
Maryland Air National Guard
The wartime 489th Fighter Squadron was reconstituted on 21 June 1945 and re-designated as the 104th Fighter Squadron, and was allotted to the Maryland Air National Guard as the 104th Fighter Squadron, on 24 May 1946. It was organized at Harbor Field, Baltimore, Maryland, and was extended federal recognition on 17 August 1946 by the National Guard Bureau. The 104th Fighter Squadron was bestowed the lineage, history, honors, and colors of the 489th Fighter Squadron and all predecessor units. The squadron was equipped with F-47D Thunderbolts and was operationally gained by Continental Air Command.
Lineage
- Constituted in the National Guard in 1921 as the 104th Squadron (Observation) and allotted to the state of Maryland
- Organized and Federally recognized on 29 June 1921
- Re-designated 104th Observation Squadron on 25 Jan 1923
- Ordered into active service on 3 Feb 1941
- Re-designated: 104th Observation Squadron (Light) on 13 Jan 1942
- Re-designated: 104th Observation Squadron on 4 Jul 1942
- Inactivated on 18 Oct 1942
- Activated on 1 Mar 1943
- Re-designated: 104th Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter) on 2 Apr 1943
- Re-designated: 489th Fighter Squadron on 11 Aug 1943
- Disbanded on: 1 May 1944.
- Reconstituted on 21 Jun 1945
- Re-designated: 104th Fighter Squadron and allotted to Maryland ANG on 24 May 1946
- Extended federal recognition on 17 Aug 1946
- Re-designated: 104th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in Aug 1951
- Re-designated: 104th Fighter Bomber-Squadron on 1 Dec 1952
- Re-designated: 104th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in Jun 1956
- Re-designated: 104th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 10 Nov 1958
- Federalized and ordered to active service on: 13 May 1968
- Released from active duty and returned to Maryland control, 20 December 1968
- Re-designated: 104th Fighter Squadron on 15 Mar 1992
- Components designated as: 104th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron when deployed as part of an Air and Space Expeditionary unit after June 1996.
Assignments
- Maryland National Guard (divisional aviation, 29th Division), 29 Jun 1921
- Relieved on 15 February 1929 from assignment to the 29th Division. Concurrently assigned to the 315th Observation Group (III Corps) and further attached to the 29th Division for command and control purposes
- 43d Observation Group (III Corps), 1 October 1933-November 1940
- II Army Corps, 3 Feb 1941
- 59th Observation Group, 1 Sep 1942-18 Oct 1942
- 59th Observation Group (later Reconnaissance, Fighter) Group, 1 Mar 1943-1 May 1944
- Maryland Air National Guard, 17 Aug 1946
- 175th Tactical Fighter Group, 1 Oct 1962
- 175th Fighter Group, 15 Mar 1992
- 175th Wing, 1996-present.
Stations
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Aircraft
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See also
- List of United States Army National Guard Observation Squadrons
- William Tipton World War I ace who was one of the founding members of the 104th Observation Squadron, the original unit of the Maryland Air National Guard (MDANG).
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force: World War II. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1982.
- Clay, Steven E. (2011), US Army Order of Battle 1919-1941. 2 The Services: Air Service, Engineers, and Special Troops 1919-1941. Fort Leavenworth, KS: Combat Studies Institute Press. ISBN 9780984190140.
- 104th Fighter Squadron lineage and history
- 2011 Marks Three Anniversaries for MDANG