444th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

The 444th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Washington Air Defense Sector stationed at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina, where it was inactivated on 30 September 1968.

444th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
444th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron F-101B Voodoo[note 1]
Active1943–1944; 1954–1968
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleFighter-Interceptor
Part ofAir Defense Command
Insignia
Patch with 444th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron emblem (approved 13 July 1954[1]

History

World War II

The squadron was first activated at Tonopah Army Air Field, Nevada in February 1943, when the 328th Fighter Group expanded from three to four squadrons.[1][2] The squadron was initially a Bell P-39 Airacobra replacement training unit. It moved to Concord Army Airfield, California and received Bell P-63 Kingcobra aircraft for training replacement pilots. Moved again to Santa Rosa Army Air Field, continuing mission until it was disbanded on 1 May 1944[1] and its personnel and equipment were absorbed by the 434th AAF Base Unit (Fighter Replacement Training Unit – Single Engine).

Air defense

444th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron F-86L[note 2]

The squadron was reconstituted and activated in 1954 as part of Air Defense Command as an air defense squadron, was equipped with the North American F-86D Sabre and stationed at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina[1] with a mission for the air defense of Charleston and the military facilities in the region. Was upgraded to the North American F-86L Sabre in 1957, an improved version of the F-86D which incorporated the Semi Automatic Ground Environment, or SAGE computer-controlled direction system for intercepts.

The 444th was re-equipped with new McDonnell F-101B Voodoo supersonic interceptor,[1] and the F-101F operational and conversion trainer in 1960. The two-seat trainer version was equipped with dual controls, but carried the same armament as the F-101B and were fully combat-capable. Operated the Voodoos until September 1968, the aircraft being passed along to the Air National Guard and the squadron inactivated as part of the general drawdown of the ADC active-duty interceptor force.

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 444th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 19 February 1943
Activated on 1 March 1943
Disbanded on 31 March 1944
  • Reconstituted, and redesignated 444th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, on 23 March 1953
Activated on 16 February 1954[3]
Inactivated 30 September 1968[4]

Assignments

Stations

  • Hamilton Field, California, 1 March 1943
  • Tonopah Army Air Field, Nevada, 6 June 1943
  • Concord Army Air Field, California, 18 September 1943
  • Santa Rosa Army Air Field, California, 15 December 1943 – 31 March 1944
  • Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina, 16 February 1954 – 30 September 1968[3][5]

Aircraft

  • Bell P-39 Airacobra, 1943–1944
  • Bell P-63 Kingcobra, 1944
  • North American F-86D Sabre, 1954–1957
  • North American F-86L Sabre, 1957–1960
  • McDonnell F-101B Voodoo, 1960–1968[3]

References

Notes
  1. Aircraft is McDonnell F-101B-90-MC Voodoo serial 57-354 at Charleston AFB, South Carolina in September 1962
  2. Aircraft is North American F-86L-60-NA Sabre serial 53-4047 at Charleston AFB, South Carolina in July 1957
Citations
  1. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p.550
  2. Maurer, combat Units, pp. 209–210
  3. Lineage, including assignments through 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p.550
  4. See Mueller, p. 89 (showing dates at Charleston AFB)
  5. Mueller, p. 89

Bibliography

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

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.