302d Fighter Squadron



The 302d Fighter Squadron (302 FS) is part of the 477th Fighter Group at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. It operates the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor conducting an air superiority mission.

Mission
The 302d Fighter Squadron trains in the fighter missions of offensive counter-air (OCA), defensive counter-air (DCA) and suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD)], as well as strategic attack and interdiction.

History
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.

The squadron trained in the Reserve for and performed search and rescue (SAR), in addition to some medical air evacuation missions, mainly in the southwestern United States, from 1956-1974.

In 1974, its mission changed to training for a combat SAR role, while continuing to perform some search and rescue. The squadron's mission changed again, in 1987, to a fighter role and trained 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 raised at Luke AFB and took over the 302d lineage.) It 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.

Operations

 * World War II
 * Operation Northern Watch

Lineage

 * 302d Fighter Squadron (1942–1944)
 * 302d Fighter Squadron, Single Engine (1944–1956)
 * 302d Air Rescue Squadron (1956–1966)
 * 302d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (1966–1974)
 * 302d Special Operations Squadron (1974–1987)
 * 302d Tactical Fighter Squadron (1987–1992)
 * 302d Fighter Squadron (1992 – present)

Assignments

 * 332d Fighter Group (1942–1945)
 * 2348th Air Reserve Flying Center (1956–1960)
 * Fourth Air Force (1960)
 * 6th Air Force Reserve Region (1960–1969)
 * Western Air Force Reserve Region (1969–1976)
 * Tenth Air Force (1976–1983)
 * Fourth Air Force (1983–1987)
 * 944th Fighter Wing (1987–2007)
 * 477th Fighter Group (2007 – present)

Bases stationed

 * Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama (1942–1943)
 * Selfridge Field, Michigan (1943)
 * Oscoda Army Air Field, Michigan (1943–1944)
 * Taranto, Italy (1944)
 * Montecorvino, Italy (1944)


 * Capodichino, Italy (1944)
 * Ramitelli, Italy (1944–1945)
 * Williams Air Force Base, Arizona (1956–1960)
 * Luke Air Force Base, Arizona (1960–2007)
 * Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska (2007 – present)

Aircraft operated

 * 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)