25th Fighter Squadron

The 25th Fighter Squadron (25 FS) is part of the 51st Fighter Wing at Osan Air Base, South Korea. It operates the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting close air support missions.

History
The 25th Fighter Squadron began was originally created as the 25th Pursuit Squadron and activated at Hamilton Field, California, on 15 January 1941. By March it was assigned to the 51st Pursuit Group at March Field, California. In July the squadron received P-40 Warhawk aircraft.

World War II
The 25th sailed to combat operations in the Pacific Theater aboard the SS President Coolidge on 11 January 1942. The squadron was part of the first deployment of U.S. forces leaving the mainland after the declaration of war. The journey to Melbourne, Australia, took 20 days. By late March the 25th Pursuit Squadron had arrived in Karachi, India, and set up wartime operations.

The 25th flew its first aerial combat mission over "The Hump" on 25 September 1942, flying a combat escort mission. After the squadron moved to Dinjan in Assam, India, combat activity increased. Due to the terrain, the pilots would usually "drag in" on their passes. It was there that the 25th picked up the name "Assam Draggins."

Operations from Dinjan were concentrated against the Japanese in northern Burma along the upper Chindwin and Irrawaddy Rivers. In February 1943 the 25th Fighter Squadron was tasked to defend Fort Hertz near Myitkyina. Fort Hertz was a vital cog in air operations near "The Hump." The 25th bombed and strafed enemy troops, concentrations, supply dumps, bridges, and enemy communication lines for twelve consecutive days, but failed to slow the Japanese advance on Fort Hertz. B-25 heavy bombers were needed to halt the Japan's drive, but none were available. Lieutenant Colonel John E. Barr, the executive officer for the 51st Fighter Group, modified a P-40 to carry 1,000 pound bombs, and by May 1943, the Japanese offensive had been halted.

The 25th Fighter Squadron encountered more combat activity than any other unit within the 51st Fighter Group during the war. The squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated on 12 December 1945.

Postwar
On 15 October 1945, the 25th was re-activated at Naha Air Base, Okinawa, where the squadron was assigned P-47 Thunderbolt and P-80 Shooting Star aircraft. As part of the occupation force, the 25th provided defense for the Ryukyu Islands.

Korean War
The 25th was placed on alert when hostilities erupted in Korea in June 1950. The unit was reassigned to Itazuke Air Base, Japan, in September, and to Kimpo Air Base, Korea, by October. The Chinese People's Volunteer Army intervention in December 1950 forced a retreat of U.N. forces from North Korea iinto the South. The 25th flew more than 21 sorties each day that month to save the 2nd Infantry Division, which had been cut off by the enemy near Kunuri, from being overrun. Air cover was officially credited with preventing disastrous losses to the division.

On 20 November 1951, squadron pilots received their new F-86 Sabre aircraft and went to face the Chinese, North Korean, and Soviet pilots in their MiG-15 aircraft. Major William T. Whisner Jr. got his fifth MiG kill on 23 February 1952, becoming an Ace.

When the 51st Group adopted a checkered design for its F-86 tail markings, it also received the designation "Checkertails". The red squadron colors appeared in the design. Thus, the Assam Draggins of World War II became known as the "Checkertails" of the Korean War.

Post Korean War
After the war, the 25th was assigned to the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing at Naha Air Base, Okinawa. While there, the pilots were deployed for one week at a time to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. From 1960–1965, the 25th Fighter Squadron remained in a state of suspended animation with virtually no mission and only 20 percent manning. On 17 June 1965, the unit was re-designated the 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron and assigned to the 33d Tactical Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

Vietnam War
On 31 May 1968, the 25th was assigned to the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing and stationed at Ubon and Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Bases, Thailand, once again seeing combat in the skies of Vietnam. Flying F-4 Phantom II aircraft, the 25th received the Presidential Unit Citation (1971), the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm (1967–1973), and five Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards (1967–1973).

Post Vietnam War - Present
When the Air Force began its withdrawal from Thailand, the 25th was reassigned the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, where it remained until 1 February 1981. On that date, the 25th was relocated without personnel or equipment to Suwon Air Base, Republic of Korea, and assigned to the 51st Composite Wing (Tactical).

On 28 January 1982, the 25th received its first A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. The squadron's presence helped maintain a peaceful armistice between North and South Korea until 2 October 1989. It was during that time that the 25th began transferring aircraft to the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron and other stateside units and inactivated on 1 July 1990. On 1 October 1993, the 25th Fighter Squadron was activated under the 51st Wing at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Syd McPherson. It has since added six A-10 aircraft to its fleet, making it a dual qualified A/OA-10 squadron.

Motto
The official motto of the 25th FS is "PILSUNG!" meaning certain victory in Korean. It is customary/mandatory that any time the number 25 or any variation of 25 (2.5, .25, etc.) is said, every ATTACK pilot will shout a hearty "PILSUNG!" under any circumstance, regardless of who said it or who was briefing.

Mascot
The Squadron is unofficially known as the "Flying Elvis's" and have unlimited knowledge on everything regarding the King. Many stories are out there in regards to how this name came about, but the best and 10% true story is as follows: About 25 years ago, a group of 25th ATTACK pilots took a helicopter up north near the DMZ and parachuted out for fun. Since this was around the time that "Honeymoon in Vegas" had just came out, the Commander at the time is to have said..."Tell those flying Elvises they are grounded!" The name stuck.

Operations

 * World War II
 * Korean War
 * Vietnam War

Lineage

 * Constituted 25th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) 20 November 1940
 * Activated on 15 January 1941
 * Redesignated: 25th Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) on 12 March 1941
 * Redesignated: 25th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942
 * Inactivated On 12 December 1945


 * Activated on 15 October 1946
 * Redesignated: 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 1 February 1950
 * Discontinued on 8 June 1960


 * Redesignated: 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 18 June 1965
 * Organized: 20 June 1965
 * Inactivated: 31 July 1990


 * Redesignated/Activated: 25th Fighter Squadron on 1 October 1993

Assignments

 * 51st Fighter Group (1941–1945)
 * 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing (1946–1960)
 * Tactical Air Command (1965)
 * 33d Tactical Fighter Wing (1965–1968)
 * 8th Tactical Fighter Wing (1968–1974)
 * 432d Tactical Fighter Wing (1974–1975)
 * 3d Tactical Fighter Wing (1975)
 * 18th Tactical Fighter Wing (1975–1981)
 * 51st Fighter Wing (1981–1990, 1993–present)

Stations

 * Hamilton Field, California (1941)
 * March Field, California (1941–1942)
 * Karachi, India (1942)
 * Dinjan, India (1942–1943)
 * Detachment operated from: Sadiya, India, 6 November 1942 – 2 April 1943
 * Detachment operated from: Jorhat, India, 2 April – 14 September 1943


 * Yunnani, China (1943–1945)
 * Detachment operated from: Poashan, China, 30 November 1944 – January 1945
 * Detachment operated from: Leangshan, China, 10 January – February 1945
 * Detachment operated from: Poseh, China, 4 February – 28 May 1945


 * Loping, China (1945)
 * Fort Lewis, Washington (1945)


 * Yontan Airfield, Okinawa, (1946–1947)
 * Naha Air Base, Okinawa (1947–1950)
 * Itazuke Air Base, Japan (1950)
 * Kimpo Air Base, South Korea (1950–1951)
 * Itazuke Air Base, Japan (1951)
 * Tsuiki Air Base, Japan (1951)
 * Suwon Air Base, South Korea (1951–1954)
 * Naha AB, Okinawa, (1954–1960)
 * Eglin Air Force Base, Florida (1965–1968)
 * Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand (1968–1974)
 * Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand (1974–1975)
 * Clark Air Base, Philippines (1975)
 * Kadena Air Base, Japan (1975–1981)
 * Suwon Air Base, South Korea (1981–1989)
 * Osan Air Base, South Korea (1989–1990, 1993–present)

Aircraft Operated

 * P-40 Warhawk (1941–1945)
 * P-38 Lightning (1944)
 * P-51 Mustang (1944–1945)
 * P-47 Thunderbolt (1946–1947)
 * F-80 Shooting Star (1947–1951)
 * F-86D Sabre Interceptor (1951–1960)
 * F-4 Phantom II (1965–1980)
 * A-10 Thunderbolt II (1982–1989, 1993–present)