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|identification_symbol=[[File:437 Fighter-Interceptor Sq emblem.png|165px]]
|identification_symbol=[[File:437 Fighter-Interceptor Sq emblem.png|165px]]
|identification_symbol_label=437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron emblem<ref group=note>Approved 1 September 1953.</ref><ref name=Maurer437FS/>
|identification_symbol_label=437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron emblem<ref group=note>Approved 1 September 1953.</ref><ref name=Maurer437FS/>
|identification_symbol_2=
|identification_symbol_2=[[File:437 Fighter Sq emblem.png|165px]]
|identification_symbol_2_label=437th Fighter Squadron emblem<ref group=note>Approved 7 March 1945.</ref>Watkins, pp. 44-45</ref>
|identification_symbol_2_label=437th Fighter Squadron emblem<ref group=note>Approved 7 March 1945.</ref><ref>Watkins, pp. 44-45</ref>
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Revision as of 21:30, 20 September 2021

437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
F-106A Delta Dart of the 437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron refueling from a SAC KC-135[note 1]
Active1944–1946; 1952–1968; 1968
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleFighter-Interceptor
Nickname(s)Fighting 437th
EngagementsPacific Theater of Operations[1]
DecorationsAir Force Outstanding Unit Award[2]
Insignia
437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron emblem[note 2][1]
437th Fighter Squadron emblem[note 3][3]

The 437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 414th Fighter Group at Oxnard AFB, California, where it was inactivated on 30 September 1969.

The squadron was first activated during World War II as the 437th Fighter Squadron, a very long range fighter escort squadron. It deployed to the Pacific Ocean Theater a month before the Japanese surrender in August 1945, and flew several escort and fighter sweep missions over Japan before the end of the war. It moved to the Philippines after the war ended and was inactivated there in 1946.

History

World War II

File:P47N 437th Fighter Squadron Iwo Jima 1945.jpg
P47N 437th Fighter Squadron Iwo Jima 1945

The squadron was first established in late 1944 at Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina as the 437th Fighter Squadron,[1] one of the three original squadrons of the 414th Fighter Group.[4] The 414th was a very long range Republic P-47N Thunderbolt fighter group that trained under I Fighter Command at Selfridge Field, Michigan and Bluethenthal Field, North Carolina.[1]

The squadron deployed by ship to Iwo Jima in the Pacific Ocean Theater where it became part of Twentieth Air Force as a long-range escort squadron for Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers engaged in strategic bombing campaign against Japan. The extreme length of these escort missions stretched the fuel capacity of the squadron's Thunderbolts. Lt. Robert Dunnavant, piloting a squadron P-47N, spent the astonishing period of 8 hours and 45 minutes in the air. His aircraft's fuel tanks were so depleted when he eventually reached Iwo Jima, that he dared not try to reach his base at North Field, landing instead at a small US Navy airstrip he located on the coast.

After the Japanese surrender the squadron moved to Luzon where it was assigned to Thirteenth Air Force, with its P-47Ns replaced by North American P-51 Mustangs. It was inactivated in 1946.[1]

Cold War Air Defense

437th FIS F-89D 53-2629 at Oxnard AFB, about 1955

The squadron was reactivated in November 1952 as an Air Defense Command (ADC) interceptor squadron at Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts with Lockheed F-94C Starfires.[1] The F-94C was the first model of the Starfire to be entirely armed with FFAR rockets, eliminating the cannon armament of earlier models. It was the first operational F-94C unit.[citation needed] By June 1955, The squadron had replaced its Starfires with Northrop F-89D Scorpions.[5]

In August 1955 ADC implemented Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars.[6] As a result, the squadron was transferred on paper to Oxnard Air Force Base, California, where it assumed the personnel and F-94C aircraft of the 354th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and rejoined its World War II headquarters, the 414th Fighter Group.[4] By the start of April 1956 it again transitioned into F-89Ds, adding F-89Hs in July. The H model was armed with GAR-1 Falcons in addition to the unguided FFAR rockets. In spring 1958, it replaced its F-89Hs with F-89Js, which were equipped with the MB-1 Genie with a nuclear warhead.[5]

3 F-101Bs of the 437th FIS, Oxnard AFB, California 1964

In January 1960 the squadron was re-equipped with new McDonnell F-101B Voodoo supersonic interceptor, and the F-101F operational and conversion trainer. 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 April 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.

On 1 July 1968 the 456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron moved from Castle Air Force Base, California to Oxnard AFB with F-106As and was immediately inactivated. Its personnel and equipment were redesignated to the 437th, which was activated the same day, only to be inactivated on 30 September 1968 and have it personnel and airplanes transferred to the 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which was activated at Oxnard the same day. The 437th FIS operated the F-106 for only 2 months, making it the shortest-lived F-106 unit.

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 437th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 5 October 1944
Activated on 15 October 1944
Inactivated on 30 September 1946
  • Redesignated 437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 14 November 1952
Activated on 27 November 1952[7]
Inactivated 29 April 1968[5]
  • Activated on 1 July 1968[5]
Inactivated on 30 September 1968[5]

Assignments

Stations

  • Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina, 15 October 1944
  • Selfridge Field, Michigan, 21 November 1944
  • Bluethenthal Field, North Carolina, 19 March – 5 June 1945
  • North Field (Iwo Jima), 7 July 1945
  • Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, 23 December 1945
  • Floridablanca Airfield, Luzon, Philippines, unknown-30 September 1946
  • Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts, 27 November 1952
  • Oxnard Air Force Base, California, 18 August 1955 – 29 April 1968[7]
  • Oxnard Air Force Base, California, 1 June 1968 – 30 September 1968[5]

Aircraft

References

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. ^ Aircraft is Convair F-106A-90-CO Delta Dart, serial 57-2486, taken in September 1968. This aircraft was lost on 14 December 1972. There seems to be no documentation that shows the 437th had its own distinctive F-106 tail flash markings. Its tail colors were carried over from the 456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, and became the first markings of the 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.
  2. ^ Approved 1 September 1953.
  3. ^ Approved 7 March 1945.
Citations
  1. ^ a b c d e f Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 541-543
  2. ^ AF Pamphlet 900-2, p. 383
  3. ^ Watkins, pp. 44-45
  4. ^ a b Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 298–299
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Cornett & Johnson, p. 128
  6. ^ Buss, et al., p. 6
  7. ^ a b c d e Lineage information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 541-543

Bibliography

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

  • Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, (1956)
  • Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Watkins, Robert A. (2017). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force In World War II. Vol. Volume VI, China-Burma-India & The Western Pacific. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-5273-7. {{cite book}}: |volume= has extra text (help)
  • "AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits" (PDF). Washington, DC: Department of the Air Force. 15 June 1971. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
Further reading
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