59th Test and Evaluation Squadron



The 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron is an United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the Air Combat Command 53d Wing, 53d Test Management Group at Nellis AFB, Nevada.

Overview
The 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron is responsible for the management of A-10, F-15C/E, F-16, F-22, HH-60, and Guardian Angel weapon system testing including force development evaluations, tactics development and evaluations, and software evaluations. Squadron personnel direct operational test planning and execution, as well as data gathering, analyzing, and reporting for the above systems operated by the CAF. Additionally, the squadron manages OT&E of weapons and support systems in order to improve current and future U.S. Air Force combat capabilities.

World War II
Trained with P-39s in 1941, but soon changed to P-40s and served as part of the United States defense force for the east coast after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

The squadron moved to North Africa as part of the invasion force on 8 November 1942 and operated with Twelfth Air Force in the Mediterranean theater until February 1944, providing close air support for ground forces, and bombing and strafing personnel concentrations, port installations, fuel dumps, bridges, highways, and rail lines. Took part in the reduction of Pantelleria and flew patrol missions while Allied troops landed after surrender of the enemy's garrison. It also participated in the invasion and conquest of Sicily by supporting landings at Salerno, southern Italy, and the beachhead at Anzio.

After moving to India in February 1944, the unit trained with P-38s and P-47s. It then moved to China where it continued training and flew patrol and intercept missions. Upon returning to India in September 1944, it flew dive bombing and strafing missions in Burma until the Allied campaigns in that area had been completed.

From August 1946, the 33d served as part of the US occupation force in Germany, being assigned to USAFE airfields at Neubiberg and Bad Kissingen, operating P-47 Thunderbolts.

Strategic Fighter Escort Squadron
Returned to United States in August 1947, being assigned to Strategic Air Command. Assigned administratively to Andrews Field, Maryland, then being formed operationally at Roswell Army Airfield, New Mexico on 16 August 1947 as part of Eighth Air Force. Equipped with P-51D Mustangs. In June 1948, transitioned to the first-generation F-84C Thunderjet.

Air Defense Command
Reassigned to the Air Defense Command First Air Force on 1 December 1948. With the new ADC assignment, was reassigned to Otis AFB, Massachusetts on 16 November 1948 as part of the ADC 26th Air Division. In February 1949, transitioned to F-86A Sabre day interceptor with the F-84s being sent to Republic Aircraft for refurbishment and reassignment to Air National Guard units.

Was moved to Goose AFB, Labrador under Northeast Air Command on 28 October 1952, assigned to NEAC's 64th Air Division, headquartered at Pepperrell AFB. The 59th FIS operated F-89 Scorpion jet interceptors from the airfield, assisting in the air defense of the region. While SAC received jurisdiction of the United States facilities at Goose AFB in 1957 with the inactivation of NEAC, Air Defense Command (ADC) took over the USAF atmospheric defense forces (including the NEAC 64th Air Division). The 59th FIS was upgraded to the F-102A Delta Dagger supersonic interceptor in 1960. It continued defensive patrols over the region.

Moved to Bergstrom AFB, Texas in 1967 and was upgraded to the McDonnell F-101B Voodoo 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. Moved to Kingsley Field, Oregon in 1968 then inactivated on 31 December 1969 as part of the drawdown of ADC interceptor bases, the aircraft being passed along to the Air National Guard.

Tactical Air Command
Reactivated at Eglin AFB, Florida in 1970 and equipped with F-4 Phantom IIs. Supported the Tactical Air Warfare Center in weapon systems evaluation program tests from January–December 1973, and periodically thereafter until July 1978. Aircrews ferried F-4Es to Israel in October 1973. The 59th augmented intercept defense forces of the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) beginning 1 January 1976 – 15 January 1979 and 4 January 1982 – 5 April 1982. In 1979, "The Golden Pride" traded in their last F-4s for the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. Later, they provided personnel and equipment to fly combat air patrols and air intercept missions for contingency operations in Grenada from October–November 1983, and Panama December 1989 – January 1990.

Modern era
The 59th TFS did not deploy during Operations Desert Shield or Desert Storm. However, some of their personnel deployed with the 58th TFS from 26 August 1990 – 12 April 1991, to help support manning, and to provide some experience. One of the 59th's members who deployed to the Gulf was the late Captain Rhory "Hoser" Draeger, who, on 26 January 1991, shot down a MiG-23, while flying an F-15C. Personnel and aircraft continued rotations to Saudi Arabia to protect coalition assets and to ensure that Iraq complied with treaty terms. Continued deployments to Saudi Arabia, Canada, the Caribbean, South America, Jamaica, Iceland, Italy, and Puerto Rico and participated in various operations until inactivated in 1999.

Reactivated at Nellis AFB in 2004 assuming current mission.

Lineage

 * Constituted 59th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940
 * Activated on 15 January 1941
 * Redesignated: 59th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942
 * Redesignated: 59th Fighter Squadron, Two Engine, on 8 February 1945
 * Inactivated on 8 December 1945


 * Redesignated: 59th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 17 July 1946
 * Activated on 20 August 1946
 * Redesignated: 59th Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 14 June 1948
 * Redesignated: 59th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 January 1950
 * Discontinued, and inactivated, on 2 January 1967


 * Activated on 30 September 1968
 * Inactivated on 17 December 1969


 * Redesignated: 59th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 16 March 1970
 * Activated on 1 September 1970
 * Redesignated 59th Fighter Squadron on 1 November 1991
 * Inactivated on 15 April 1999


 * Redesignated 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron on 28 October 2004
 * Activated on 3 December 2004.

Assignments

 * 33d Pursuit (later, 33d Fighter) Group, 15 January 1941 – 8 December 1945
 * First Air Force
 * 7th Pursuit Wing, 16 January – 31 August 1941
 * Philadelphia Air Defense Wing, 11 August 1942
 * Twelfth Air Force
 * XII Air Support Command, November 1942
 * 7th Fighter Wing, 27 September – 6 December 1942
 * XII Fighter Command, 6 December 1942
 * XII Air Support Command, 13 January 1943
 * XII Air Force Service Command, 18 February 1943
 * XII Bomber Command, 1 March 1943
 * 47th Fighter Wing, 27 September – 6 December 1942
 * XII Air Support Command, 14 March 1943
 * 3 Air Defense (later, 64th Fighter) Wing, 24 July 1943
 * XII Air Support Command, 21 December 1943
 * (under operational control of 64th Fighter Wing, 21 December 1943 – February 1944)
 * AAF India-Burma Sector, c. 20 February 1944
 * Attached to CBI Air Forces Training Command, 5 March – 14 April 1944
 * Fourteenth Air Force, 15 April 1944
 * 312th Fighter Wing, 11 May – 24 August 1944
 * Tenth Air Force, 24 August 1944 – November 1945
 * United States Air Forces in Europe
 * 70th Fighter Wing, 20 August 1946
 * 33d Fighter (later, 33d Fighter-Interceptor) Group, 20 August 1946 – 25 August 1947
 * Strategic Air Command, 25 August 1947
 * Eighth Air Force, 16 September 1947
 * 33d Fighter (later, 33d Fighter-Interceptor) Wing, 5 November 1947 – 6 February 1952
 * Attached to 509th Bombardment Wing, 17 November 1947 – 15 November 1948


 * Air Defense Command
 * 4707th Defense (later, 4707th Air Defense) Wing, 6 February 1952
 * Attached to: Northeast Air Command, 28–31 October 1952
 * Attached to: 64th Air Division, 1 November 1952 – 31 January 1953
 * 64th Air Division, 1 February 1953
 * 4732d Air Defense Group, 1 April 1957
 * Goose Air Defense Sector, 1 April 1960
 * 37th Air Division, 1 April 1966 – 2 January 1967
 * 408th Fighter Group, 30 September 1968 – 17 December 1969


 * Tactical Air Command (Air Combat Command after 1 June 1992)
 * 33d Tactical Fighter (later, 33d Fighter) Wing, 1 September 1970
 * 33d Operations Group, 1 December 1991 – 15 April 1999


 * 53d Wing
 * 53d Test Management Group, 3 December 2004 – present

Stations

 * Mitchel Field, New York, 15 January 1941
 * Operated from Groton Army Airfield, Connecticut, 7–14 December 1941


 * G. L. Martin Airport, Maryland, 15 December 1941
 * Philadelphia Airport, Pennsylvania, 10 May – 12 October 1942
 * Operated from Paine Field, Washington, May–June 1942


 * Port Lyautey Airfield, French Morocco, 10 November 1942
 * Casablanca Airfield, French Morocco, 17 November 1942
 * Thelepte Airfield, Tunisia, c. 8 January 1943
 * Youks-les-Bains Airfield, Algeria, 10 February 1943
 * Telergma Airfield, Algeria, 13 February 1943
 * Berteaux Airfield, Algeria, 2 March 1943
 * Operated from Thelepte Airfield, Tunisia, 20 March – 12 April 1943


 * Ebba Ksour Airfield, Tunisia, 12 April 1943
 * Menzel Temime Airfield, Tunisia, 20 May 1943
 * Sousse Airfield, Tunisia, 9 June 1943
 * Pantelleria Airfield, Sicily, 18 June 1943
 * Licata Airfield, Sicily, 16 July 1943
 * Paestum Airfield, Italy, 13 September 1943


 * Santa Maria Airfield, Italy, 18 November 1943
 * Operated from Paestum Airfield, Italy, 1–31 December 1943


 * Cercola Airfield, Italy, c. 1 January – c. 5 February 1944
 * Karachi Airport, British India, 12 February 1944
 * Fungwansham Airfield, China, 19 March 1944
 * Moran Airfield, British India, 5 September 1944
 * Nagaghuli Airfield, British India, 21 November 1944
 * Piardoba Airfield, British India, 2 May 1945
 * Dudhkundi Airfield, British India, 15 May – 15 November 1945
 * Camp Shanks, New York, 7–8 December 1945
 * AAF Station Neubiberg, Germany, 20 August 1946
 * AAF Station Bad Kissingen, Germany, July–25 August 1947
 * Andrews Field, Maryland, 25 August 1947
 * Roswell AAFld (later Walker AFB), New Mexico, 16 September 1947
 * Otis AFB, Massachusetts, 16 November 1948
 * Goose Air Force Base, Labrador, 28 October 1952
 * Bergstrom AFB, Texas, 1–2 January 1967
 * Kingsley Field, Oregon, 30 September 1968 – 17 December 1969
 * Eglin AFB, Florida, 1 September 1970 – 15 April 1999
 * Nellis AFB, Nevada, 3 December 2004 – present

Aircraft

 * P-39 Airacobra, 1941
 * Curtiss P-40, 1941–1944
 * P-47 Thunderbolt, 1944–1945
 * P-38 Lightning, 1944–1945
 * P(later F)-51 Mustang, 1946–1949
 * F-84 Thunderstreak, 1948–1950
 * F-86 Sabre, 1950–1952


 * F-94B Starfire, 1952–1956
 * F-89D Scorpion, 1955–1960
 * F-102 Delta Dagger, 1960–1966
 * F-101 Voodoo, 1968–1969
 * F-4 Phantom II, 1973–1979
 * F-15 Eagle, 1979–1996, 1996–1999
 * A-10 Thunderbolt 2004–present