70th Fighter Squadron
The 70th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force squadron. The Squadron was constituted on 14 Dec 1940 as the 70th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor). This squadron was activated on 1 Jan 1941 and patrolled the airspace around Fiji. After the war, the squadron was declared inactivated on 26 Dec 1945. The 70th Tactical Fighter Squadron was reinstated on 8 Sep 1975 and serve the 70th Fighter Squadron was retired on 1 Nov 1991. It was most recently part of the 347th Wing at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. It operated Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting ground attack missions.
70th Fighter Squadron
 | |
|---|---|
 The Ninth Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II East Demonstration Team, 1998 | |
| Active | 1941–1945; 1975–2000 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Fighter |
| Nickname(s) | White Knights |
| Engagements | Southwest Pacific Theater[1] |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Philippine Presidential Unit Citation[1] |
| Insignia | |
| 70th Fighter Squadron emblem (approved 17 May 1954[2] |  |
History
World War II
The 70th provided air defense for Fiji from, February–December 1942. It then went on to fly combat missions in South and Southwest Pacific from, 21 December 1942 – 21 July 1944 and 9 September 1944 – 9 August 1945.
Tactical fighter operations
It deployed aircraft and personnel to Southwest Asia from, 10 January – 16 September 1992.[1]
Lineage
- Constituted as the 70th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 14 December 1940
- Activated on 1 January 1941
- Redesignated: 70th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942
- Redesignated: 70th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 20 August 1943
- Redesignated: 70th Fighter Squadron, Two Engine on 24 May 1944
- Inactivated on 26 December 1945
- Redesignated 70th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 September 1975
- Activated on 30 September 1975
- Redesignated 70th Fighter Squadron on 1 November 1991[3]
- Inactivated on 30 June 2000
Assignments
- 35th Pursuit Group, 1 January 1941 – 15 January 1942
- US Army Forces in Fiji, 28 January 1942
- 347th Fighter Group, 3 October 1942
- 18th Fighter Group, 30 March 1943
- 347th Fighter Group, 1 November – 26 December 1945
- 347th Tactical Fighter Wing, 30 September 1975 (attached to 86th Tactical Fighter Wing 29 August – 28 September 1989)
- 347th Operations Group, 1 May 1991 – 30 June 2000[3]
Stations
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Aircraft
- Curtiss P-36 Hawk (1941)
- Bell P-39 Airacobra (1942–1944)
- Curtiss P-40 Warhawk (1943)
- Lockheed P-38 Lightning (1943–1945)
- Douglas RA-24 Banshee (1944)
- McDonnell F-4 Phantom II (1975–1987)
- General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon (1987–1995)[1]
- Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II (1995–2000)
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- Aircraft is McDonnell F-4E-39-MC Phantom II serial 68-447.
- Citations
- "Factsheet 70 Fighter Squadron". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 7 August 2008. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- Maurer, pp. 259-260
- Lineage, including stations, assignments and aircraft, through 1991 in AFHRA Factsheet, 70 Fighter Squadron
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
- 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.