93d Fighter Squadron


 * Note: For the World War II and Cold War Fighter/Fighter-Interceptor squadron, see 93d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

The 93d Fighter Squadron (93 FS) is part of the 482d Fighter Wing at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting air superiority missions.

History
Activated in June 1943 under I Troop Carrier Command and equipped with C-47 Skytrains. Trained in various parts of the eastern United States until the end of 1943. Deployed to England and assigned to IX Troop Carrier Command, Ninth Air Force.

Prepared for the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. Began operations by dropping paratroops of the 101st Airborne Division in Normandy on D-Day (6 June 1944) and releasing gliders with reinforcements on the following day. The unit received a Distinguished Unit Citation and a French citation for these missions. After the Normandy invasion the squadron ferried supplies in the United Kingdom.

After moving to France in September, the unit dropped paratroops of the 82nd Airborne Division near Nijmegen and towed gliders carrying reinforcements during the airborne attack on Holland. In December, it participated in the Battle of the Bulge by releasing gliders with supplies for the 101st Airborne Division near Bastogne.

When the Allies made the air assault across the Rhine River in March 1945, each aircraft towed two gliders with troops of the 17th Airborne Division and released them near Wesel. The squadron also hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals. It converted from C-47s to C-46s and the new aircraft to transport displaced persons from Germany to France and Belgium after V-E Day.

Returned to the U.S. during the period July–September 1945, and trained with C-46 aircraft until inactivated.

The squadron trained in troop carrier operations from, 1949–1951 and fighter-bomber operations from, 1952-1957. Since 1978, it has trained to maintain combat readiness in tactical fighter operations. The 93d periodically deployed to Turkey to enforce the no-fly zone over northern Iraq from, 1997-2003.

Operations and Decorations

 * Combat Operations:Airborne assaults on Normandy, Holland, and Germany; relief of Bastogne; transportation of personnel and cargo in ETO during World War II. Trained in troop carrier operations, 1949-1951 and fighter-bomber operations, 1952-1957. Since 1978, trained to maintain combat readiness in tactical fighter operations. Periodically deployed to Turkey to enforce the no-fly zone over northern Iraq
 * Campaigns: World War II: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.
 * Decorations: Distinguished Unit Citation: France, [6-7] Jun 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1981 – 5 Oct 1982; 1 Jan 1989-31 Jul 1990; 2 Oct 1991 – 1 Oct 1993; 1 Nov 1993-30 Aug 1995. French Croix de Guerre with Palm: [6-7] Jun 1944.

Lineage

 * Constituted 93d Troop Carrier Squadron on 14 May 1943
 * Activated on 1 Jun 1943
 * Inactivated on 10 Jun 1946


 * Re-designated 93d Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 19 May 1949
 * Activated in the Reserve on 27 Jun 1949
 * Ordered to Active Service on 1 Apr 1951
 * Inactivated on 3 Apr 1951


 * Re-designated 93d Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 26 May 1952
 * Activated in the Reserve on 15 Jun 1952
 * Inactivated on 16 Nov 1957


 * Re-designated 93d Tactical Fighter Squadron on 23 Feb 1978
 * Activated in the Reserve on 1 Oct 1978
 * Re-designated 93d Fighter Squadron on 1 Feb 1992.

Assignments

 * 439th Troop Carrier Group, 1 Jun 1943 – 10 Jun 1946
 * 439th Troop Carrier Group, 27 Jun 1949 – 3 Apr 1951
 * 439th Fighter-Bomber Group, 15 Jun 1952 – 16 Nov 1957
 * 915th Tactical Fighter Group, 1 Oct 1978
 * 482d Tactical Fighter (later, 482d Fighter) Wing, 1 Apr 1981
 * 482d Operations Group, 1 Aug 1992 – present

Stations

 * Alliance Army Air Field, Nebraska, 1 Jun 1943
 * Sedalia Army Air Field, Missouri, 15 Jun 1943
 * Alliance Army Air Field, Nebraska, 2 Aug 1943
 * Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air Base, North Carolina, 19 Dec 1943
 * Baer Field, Indiana, 1-12 Feb 1944
 * RAF Balderton (AAF-482), England, 6 Mar 1944
 * RAF Upottery (AAF-462), England, 26 Apr 1944
 * Operated from RAF Ramsbury (AAF 469), England, 7-16 Aug 1944
 * Operated from RAF Membury (AAF-466), England, 16-22 Aug 1944


 * Juvincourt Airfield (A-68), France, 8 Sep 1944


 * Lonray Airfield (A-45), France, 30 Sep 1944
 * Chateaudun Airfield (A-39), France, 4 Nov 1944-Jul 1945
 * Baer Field, Indiana, 17 Sep 1945
 * Sedalia Army Air Field, Missouri, 7 Oct 1945 – 10 Jun 1946
 * Selfridge AFB, Michigan, 27 Jun 1949 – 3 Apr 1951; 15 Jun 1952-16 Nov 1957
 * Homestead AFB (later, ARS), Florida, 1 Oct 1978 – present
 * Operated from Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, Sep-Dec 1992
 * Operated from MacDill AFB, Florida, Feb 1993-Mar 1994

Aircraft

 * C-47 Skytrain (1943–1945)
 * C-46 Commando (1945–1946, 1949–1951)
 * F-51 Mustang (1952–1953)
 * F-80 Shooting Star (1953–1956)


 * F-84 Thunderjet (1956–1957)
 * F-4 Phantom II (1978–1989)
 * F-16 Fighting Falcon (1989 – present)