68th Fighter Squadron

68th Fighter Squadron
68th Fighter Squadron Patch
Active	15 January 1941 – 30 June 1971 30 September 1973 – 1 April 2001
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter
Nickname(s)	Lightning Lancers
Decorations	DUC PUC AFOUA PPUC
Commanders
Notable commanders	Joseph Ralston

68th FS F-16C Block 40F 89-2068 at Moody in July 1995 getting set up for a group photo with other aircraft of the Composite Wing

Lockheed F-94B-5-LO 53-5355, 1954

Northrop F-61B-20-NO Black Widow Serial 43-8237 of the 68th Fighter (All Weather) Squadron flying over Japan, 1949. This was one of the last USAF active duty Black Widows.

F-82G Twin Mustang 46-376 68th Fighter Squadron (All Weather) based at Itazuke Air Base,Japan, 1950

The 68th Fighter Squadron (68 FS) was one of the longest-serving Fighter Squadrons in U.S. Air Force history, remaining activated almost continually for 60 years. Known as the "Lightning Lancers", the squadron pioneered radar interception while flying the P-61 Black Widow during World War II. On the morning of 27 June 1950 pilots of the 68th Fighter (All Weather) Squadron flying the F-82 Twin Mustang made history by achieving the first aerial kill of the Korean War. The 68th FS was most recently part of the 347th Wing at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. It operated F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting air superiority missions. The squadron was inactivated in 2001.

History

World War II

Established in early 1941 as part of the United States' defense buildup after the breakout of World War II in Europe. Trained under Third Air Force, then deployed to the Southwest Pacific after the Attack on Pearl Harbor for combat duty with Fifth Air Force. Reassigned to Thirteenth Air Force and provided provided air defense of Tongatabu from, June–October 1942 with a mixture of P-40s and P-39s. Engaged in Combat in Solomon Islands, 1943-1944 using long-range P-38 Lightnings; moved to Southwest Pacific and flew missions over New Guinea and Dutch East Indies during MacArthur's island hopping campaign; arrived in the Philippines in February 1945 and spent the remainder of the war clearing the Japanese from those islands.

Far East Air Forces

Reassigned to Japan as part of the Occupation Forces, December 1945 although most personnel had been demobilized and returned to the United States. From 2 November 1945 to 1 October 1946, the 68th was non-operational and became, in name only, part of the large occupational force stationed in Japan. Then, in October 1946, the squadron began search and patrol missions and participated in exercises and maneuvers out of various bases in Japan flying the P-51D Mustang. In February 1947 assumed the air defense mission of Northern Japan with P-61 Black Widow night fighters assumed from an inactivated night fighter unit along with its personnel and equipment. Replaced war-weary F-61s in 1949 with new F-82G Twin Mustangs.

Hurriedly engaged in combat operations over Korea, June 1950 as the first USAF squadron operational over war zone. Engaged North Korean Air Force aircraft and scored first aerial victories of the conflict. Replaced by F-84 Thunderjets for combat air patrols in July 1950, engaging largely in long-range reconnaissance and weather flights over North Korea, 1950-1951 as F-51D Mustangs used for ground support and jets for air superiority missions, also maintained air defense of Southern Japan. Also engaged in night-interceptor missions over North Korea. Twin Mustangs replaced by jet F-94C Starfire interceptors in 1951; later F-86D Sabres in 1954 and F-102A Delta Daggers in 1959. Began rotational deployments to Osan AB, South Korea in 1960, providing air defense over South Korean airspace until withdraw from Japan in 1964.

Vietnam War

Reassigned to Tactical Air Command, re-equipped with new F-4C Phantom IIs in 1964. Deployed to bases in Thailand in 1964-1965 flying air superiority missions over North and South Vietnam during early stages of the United States' involvement in that conflict. Returned to George AFB and became a replacement training unit for F-4 aircrews from February 1966 to October 1968. The unit became nonoperational for a short time.

Assigned to Florida in 1968 with TAC's control of Homestead AFB, but deployed to South Korea in 1968 in the wake of the Pueblo Crisis. Returned to the United States in late 1969; leaving F-4 Phantoms in South Korea and being re-equipped with F-100 Super Sabres in Louisiana before being reassigned to the Philippines in 1973 as an F-4E squadron at Clark AB.

Tactical Fighter Squadron

Returned again to the United States with TAC's activation at Moody AFB, GA in 1975. Flew F-4Es and deployed overseas in February 1985 to Panama to take part in exercise Kindle Liberty. It regularly deploys to Nellis AFB, NV, for intensive Red Flag and Green Flag mock combat exercises, then in 1987 being re-equipped with F-16C/D Falcons. It deployed aircraft and personnel to Saudi Arabia from, 26 June – 22 December 1991.

In 1999 the 68th conducted two deployments to Al Jaber Air Base Kuwait in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH. During the two deployments the Lancers flew 460 combat sorties dropping their first bombs in combat since the Vietnam War. The 68th was credited with the destruction of numerous 57 and 100 MM AAA guns, radar/cable relay stations, ammunition storage facilities, and surface to air missile sites. Of particular note; during the first deployment the 68th delivered 14 GBU-12 and 6 GBU-10 laser-guided bombs (LGBs) on Iraqi targets with a perfect 100 percent hit rate for the entire rotation, a US Air Force record.

Inactivated in 2001 as part of realignment at Moody.

Lineage

• Constituted 68th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940

Activated on 15 January 1941

Redesignated: 68th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942

Redesignated: 68th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 20 August 1943

Redesignated: 68th Fighter Squadron, Two Engine, on 24 May 1944

Redesignated: 68th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 8 January 1946

Redesignated: 68th Fighter Squadron (All Weather) on 20 February 1947

Assumed personnel, equipment and aircraft from inactivated 421st Night Fighter Squadron

Redesignated: 68th Fighter Squadron, All Weather, on 10 August 1948

Redesignated: 68th Fighter-All Weather Squadron on 20 January 1950

Redesignated: 68th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 25 April 1951

Redesignated: 68th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 25 July 1964

Inactivated on 30 June 1971

• Activated on 30 September 1973

Redesignated: 68th Fighter Squadron on 1 November 1991

Inactivated: 1 April 2001

Assignments

• 58th Pursuit (later, 58th Fighter) Group, 15 January 1941
• 347th Fighter Group, 3 October 1942
• 18th Fighter Group, 1 November 1945
• 8th Fighter Group, 15 December 1945
• 347th Fighter Group, 20 February 1947

Attached to: 315th Composite Wing, 10 April – 24 November 1947

Attached to: 8th Fighter-Bomber Group, 1 March 1950-

• Fifth Air Force, 24 June 1950

Further attached to: 347th Provisional Fighter Group (All-Weather), 27 June – 5 July 1950

Remained attached to: 8th Fighter-Bomber Group to 11 August 1950

Attached to: 49th Fighter-Bomber Group, 11 August – 30 September 1950

Attached to: 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 October – 1 December 1950

• 314th Air Division, 1 December 1950

Attached to: 6160th Air Base Wing, 1 December 1950-

• Japan Air Defense Force, 1 March 1952

Remained attached to: 6160th Air Base Wing

• Fifth Air Force, 1 September 1954

Remained attached to: 6160th Air Base Wing to 20 October 1954

Attached to: 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 20 October 1954 – 1 March 1955

• 43d Air Division, 1 March 1955

• 41st Air Division, 1 October 1957

Attached to: 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 December 1961-

• Fifth Air Force, 1 June 1962

Remained attached to 8th Tactical Fighter Wing to 15 June 1964

• 32d Tactical Fighter Wing, 16 June 1964
• 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, 25 July 1964

Attached to 6234th Tactical Fighter Wing, c. 27 August – 6 December 1965

• 831st Air Division, 6 December 1965

Attached to: 479th Tactical Fighter Wing, 6 December 1965 – 15 May 1968

• 479th Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 May 1968
• 4531st Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 October 1968

Attached to: 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, 20 June – 9 December 1969

• 31st Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 October 1970
• 4403d Tactical Fighter Wing, 30 October 1970 – 30 June 1971
• 405th Fighter Wing, 30 September 1973
• 3d Tactical Fighter Wing, 16 September 1974
• 347th Tactical Fighter Wing, 30 September 1975

Attached to: 86th Tactical Fighter Wing, 30 May – 5 July 1990

• 347th Operations Group, 1 May 1991 – 30 April 2001.

Bases stationed

• Selfridge Field, Michigan, 15 January 1941
• Harding Army Air Field, Louisiana, 6 October 1941
• Oakland MAP, California, 22 January – 17 February 1942
• Camp Ascot, Brisbane, Australia, 8 March 1942
• RAAF Base Amberley, Australia, 16 March 1942
• Tongatabu Airfield, Tonga Islands, 16 May – 28 October 1942
• Nouméa Airfield, New Caledonia, 2 November 1942
• Kukum Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, c. 12 November 1942
• Nadi Airfield, Viti Levu, Fiji Islands, 12 April 1943

Operated from Kukum Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, 12 April–December 1943

• Buka Airfield, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 4 February 1944

Operated from Ondonga Airfield, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, 27 January – 10 February 1944

• Middleburg Airfield, West Irian Jaya Province, Netherlands East Indies, 17 August 1944
• McGuire Field, Mindoro, Philippines, 23 February 1945

Operated from Wama Airfield, Morotai, Netherlands East Indies, 12 February – 25 March 1945

• Puerto Princesa Airfield, Palawan, Philippines, 6 March 1945
• Fukuoka AB, Japan, 15 December 1945
• Ashiya AB, Japan, 20 May 1946
• Itazuke AB, Japan, September 1946

Deployed at: Miyazaki AB, Japan, 10–24 August 1947

Deployed at: Tsuiki AB, Japan, 29 May – 9 June 1948

• Bofu AFB, Japan, 19 October 1948
• Ashiya AFB, (later, AB), Japan, 3 May 1949
• Itazuke AB, Japan, 1 April 1950 – 15 June 1964

Detachment operated at: Kimpo AB (K-14), South Korea, 30 November 1950-c. March 1951 and 27 June – 24 August 1951

Detachment operated at: Suwon AB (K-13), South Korea, c. March-19 April 1951, 23–27 June 1951 and 24 August 1951 – 23 March 1952

Detachment operated at: Taegu AB (K-2), South Korea, 19 April – 23 June 1951

Detachment operated at: Misawa AB, Japan, 9 April 1951 – 12 February 1952

Deployed at: Osan AB, South Korea, 18 July-c. August 1960, 6–16 March 1961, 12–22 June 1961, 10–21 September 1961, and c. 8–18 December 1961

• George AFB, California, 16 June 1964

Deployed at: Korat RTAFB, Thailand, 27 August – 24 November 1965

Deployed at: Ubon RTAFB, Thailand, c. 24 November – 6 December 1965

• Homestead AFB, Florida, 1 October 1968

Deployed at: Kunsan AB, South Korea, 20 June – 9 December 1969

• England AFB, Louisiana, 30 October 1970 – 30 June 1971
• Clark AB, Philippines, 30 September 1973 – 30 September 1975
• Moody AFB, Georgia, 30 September 1975 – 30 April 2001

Deployed at: Ramstein AB, West Germany, 30 May – 5 July 1990

Aircraft Operated

• P-35 (1941)
• P-36 Hawk (1941)
• P-43 Lancer (1941)
• P-40 Warhawk (1941–1943
• P-39 Airacobra (1942–1944)
• O-47 (1942)
• P-400 (1942–1943)
• P-38 Lightning (1942–1945)
• P-51 Mustang (1947 - 1947)

• P-61 Black Widow (1947–1950)
• F-82 Twin Mustang (1949–1952)
• F-94 Starfire (1951–1954)
• F-80 Shooting Star (1953–1954)
• F-86D Sabre Interceptor (1954–1960)
• F-102 Delta Dagger (1959–1964)
• F-4 Phantom II (1964–1969, 1975–1987)
• F-100 Super Sabre (1970–1971)
• F-16 Fighting Falcon (1987–2001)

Operations

• World War II
• Korean War
• Vietnam War

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0-89201-097-5

External links

• USAF 68th Fighter Squadron History