302nd Fighter Squadron (United States)

The 302d was one of four African-American fighter squadrons to enter combat during World War II. It saw combat in the European Theater of Operations and Mediterranean Theater of Operations from 17 February 1944 – 20 February 1945.

From 1956 to 1974, the squadron was assigned to the Air Force Reserve where it trained for and performed search and rescue in addition to aeromedical evacuation missions, mainly in the southwestern United States.

944th Fighter Wing F-16 Fighting Falcon taxis onto the runway at Luke AFB[note 1]

In 1974, its mission changed to training for a combat search and rescue role, while continuing to perform traditional humanitarian/non-combat search and rescue. The squadron's mission changed again in 1987 to a fighter role, training for counterair, interdiction, and close air support missions.

The unit that had been the 302d was reflagged as the 71st Special Operations Squadron and physically relocated to Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ. Concurrently, a new AFRES fighter squadron was established at Luke AFB, AZ and took over the 302d lineage as the 302d Tactical Fighter Squadron. With the transition of AFRES to Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC), the squadron deployed several times since late 1992 to Turkey to help enforce the no-fly zone over Iraq and to Italy to support UN air operations in the Balkans.[1]

In 2007, the squadron relocated from Luke AFB to Elmendorf AFB, AK and transitioned from the F-16 Fighting Falcon to the F-22 Raptor, which it operates as an Associate AFRC unit the active duty Air Force's 3rd Wing.

• 332d Fighter Group, 13 October 1942 – 6 March 1945
• 2348th Air Reserve Flying Center, 8 October 1956
• Fourth Air Force, 24 June 1960
• Sixth Air Force Reserve Region, 1 September 1960
• Western Air Force Reserve Region, 31 December 1969
• Tenth Air Force, 8 October 1976
• Fourth Air Force, 1 March 1983
• 944th Tactical Fighter Group (later 944 Fighter Group), 1 July 1987
• 944th Operations Group, 1 August 1992
• 477th Fighter Group, 1 October 2007 – present[1]

• Bell P-39 Airacobra (1943–1944)
• Curtiss P-40 Warhawk (1943)
• Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (1944)
• North American P-51 Mustang (1944–1945)
• Grumman HU-16 Albatross (1956–1971)
• HH-34 Choctaw (1971–1974)
• CH-3 Sea King (1974–1987)
• HH-3 Jolly Green Giant (1985–1987)
• General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon (1987–2007)
• Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor (2007 – present)[1]

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

• Cantwell, Gerald T. (1997). Citizen Airmen: a History of the Air Force Reserve, 1946-1994. Washington, D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program. ISBN 0-16049-269-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.