15th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

The 15th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command Phoenix Air Defense Sector stationed at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. It was inactivated on 24 December 1964.

History
Activated in early 1941 as part of the Southeast Air District, was equipped with a series of pursuit aircraft with a mission of air defense of Florida. After the Pearl Harbor Attack, was assigned to the Caribbean Air Force in Panama where it operated in defense of the Panama Canal. Returned to the United States in early 1943 where it became a P-47 Thunderbolt, later P-51 Mustang replacement training unit (RTU) for III Fighter Command. Inactivated on 1 May 1944 as part of a reorganization of training units. Reactivated in 1953 as part of Air Defense Command as an air defense squadron, initially equipped with F-86A Sabre day fighters, initially being assigned to Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona with a mission for the air defense of the Southwest United States. Re-equipped in 1954 with F-86D Sabre Interceptors. In 1957 began re-equipping with the North American F-86L Sabre, an improved version of the F-86D which incorporated the Semi Automatic Ground Environment, or SAGE computer-controlled direction system for intercepts. The service of the F-86L destined to be quite brief, since by the time the last F-86L conversion was delivered, the type was already being phased out in favor of supersonic interceptors.

In 1960 received the new McDonnell F-101B Voodoo supersonic interceptor, 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. Inactivated in December 1964 as part of a realignment Davis-Monthan to Tactical Air Command and ADC interceptor bases the aircraft being passed along to other ADC squadrons.

Lineage

 * Constituted 15th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940.
 * Activated on 15 January 1941.
 * Re-designated 15th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942.
 * Disbanded on 1 May 1944.


 * Reconstituted on 10 March 1947.
 * Activated in the reserve on 12 March 1947
 * Inactivated on 27 June 1949.


 * Re-designated 15th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 11 February 1953.
 * Activated on 20 April 1953.
 * Inactivated on 24 December 1964.

Assignments

 * Third Air Force
 * 53d Pursuit (later Fighter) Group, 15 January 1941 – 1 May 1944
 * Detached to Sixth Air Force, 2 January – 10 November 1942


 * Eleventh Air Force, 12 March 1947
 * 419th Troop Carrier Group, 30 September 1947 – 27 June 1949


 * Air Defense Command
 * 34th Air Division, 20 April 1953
 * Los Angeles Air Defense Sector, 1 January 1960
 * Phoenix Air Defense Sector, 1 May 1961 – 4 December 1964

Stations

 * MacDill Field, Florida, 15 January 1941
 * Dale Mabry Field, Florida, 8 May – 18 December 1941
 * La Chorrera Army Airfield, Panama, 2 January – 10 November 1942
 * Dale Mabry Field, Florida, 26 November 1942
 * Drew Field, Florida, 6 January 1943
 * Page Field Army Airfield, Florida, 5 February 1943 – 1 May 1944.
 * Andrews Field, Maryland, 12 March 1947 – 27 June 1949.
 * Davis Monthan AFB, Arizona, 20 April 1953 – 4 December 1964

Aircraft

 * Seversky P-35, 1941
 * Curtiss P-40 1941
 * P-39 Airacobra, 1941–1943
 * P-51 Mustang, 1943
 * P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943–1944


 * F-86A Sabre, 1953
 * F-86D Sabre Interceptor, 1954–1957
 * F-86L Sabre Interceptor (SAGE) 1957-1959
 * F-89J Scorpion, 1959–1960
 * F-101B Voodoo, 1960–1964