97th Flying Training Squadron

The 97th Flying Training Squadron (97 FTS) is part of the 340th Flying Training Group and is the Reserve associate to the 80th Flying Training Wing based at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. It operates T-6A Texan II and T-38 Talon aircraft conducting flight training.

History
The 97th flew combat in the European Theater of Operations and the Mediterranean Theater of Operations between 25 December 1942 and 3 May 1945. It flew fighter escort and air defense from, 1947–1949 and air defense from, 1951-1957. The 97th has trained USAF pilots to fly supersonic jet aircraft from, 1973–1993 and since 1998.

Operations

 * World War II

Lineage

 * 97th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (1942)
 * 97th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (Twin Engine) (1942)
 * 97th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) (1942–1944)
 * 97th Fighter Squadron, Two Engine (1942–1947)
 * 97th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine (1947–1950)
 * 97th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (1950–1972)
 * 97th Flying Training Squadron (1972–Present)

Assignments

 * 82d Fighter Group (1942–1945, 1947–1949)
 * Eastern Air Defense Force (1950–1952)
 * Attached: 56th Fighter-Interceptor Wing (1 December 1950-20 May 1951)
 * Attached: 142d Fighter-Interceptor Wing (20 May 1951-6 February 1952)
 * 4706th Air Defense Wing (1952–1955)
 * 82d Fighter Wing (1955–1958)
 * 82d Flying Training Wing (1973–1993)
 * 340th Flying Training Group (1998–Present)

Bases stationed

 * Harding Army Air Field, Louisiana (1942)
 * Muroc Army Air Field, California (1942)
 * Long Beach, California (1942)
 * RAF Eglinton, Northern Ireland (1942)
 * Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria (1942–1943)
 * Telergma Airfield, Algeria (1943)
 * Berteaux Airfield, Algeria (1943)
 * Souk-el-Arba Airfield, Tunisia (1943)
 * Grombalia Airfield, Tunisia (1943)
 * Operated From: Gerbini Airfield, Sicily (6–18 September 1943)


 * San Pancrazio, Italy (1943)
 * Lecce, Italy (1943–1944)
 * Vincenzo Airfield, Italy (1944–1945)
 * Lesina Airfield, Italy (1945)
 * Grenier Air Force Base, New Hampshire (1947–1949)
 * Deployed: Ladd Air Force Base, Alaska (4 April-29 June 1948)
 * Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio (1950–1955)
 * New Castle Air Force Base, Delaware (1955–1958)
 * Williams Air Force Base, Arizona (1973–1993)
 * Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas (1998–Present)

Aircraft Operated

 * P-38 Lightning (1942–1945)
 * F-51 Mustang (1947–1949)
 * F-86D Sabre Interceptor (1951–1955)
 * F-94 Starfire (1955–1957)
 * T-38 Talon (1998–Present, 1998–Present)
 * T-37 Tweet (1998 - )
 * AT-38 Talon (1998–2006)
 * T-6 Texan II (2006–Present)