96th Flying Training Squadron

96th Flying Training Squadron
96th Flying Training Squadron Patch
Active	9 February 1942 - 9 September 1945 12 April 1947 - 2 October 1949 1 November 1952 - 8 January 1958 1 February 1973 - 26 June 1992 1 April 1998 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Pilot Training
Part of	Air Force Reserve Command 10th Air Force 340th Flying Training Group
Garrison/HQ	Laughlin Air Force Base
Engagements	World War II
Decorations	DUC AFOUA

96th FIS (Air Defense Command)

The 96th Flying Training Squadron (96 FTS) is part of the 340th Flying Training Group and is the Reserve associate to the 47th Flying Training Wing based at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. It operates T-1 Jayhawk, T-6 Texan II, and T-38 Talon aircraft conducting flight training.

History

The 96th flew combat missions in the European Theater of Operations and the Mediterranean Theater of Operations from, 25 December 1942 – 6 May 1945. The squadron also conducted fighter escort and air defense from, 1947–1949 and air defense from, 1952-1957. It has conducted jet pilot training from, 1973–1992 and Since April 1998.

Operations

• World War II

Lineage

• 96th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (1942)
• 96th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (Twin Engine) (1942)
• 96th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) (1942–1944)
• 96th Fighter Squadron, Two Engine (1942–1947)
• 96th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine (1947–1952)
• 96th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (1952–1972)
• 96th Flying Training Squadron (1972–Present)

Assignments

• 82d Fighter Group (1942–1945, 1947–1949)
• 4710th Air Defense Wing (1952–1953)
• 525th Air Defense Group (1953–1955)
• 82d Fighter Wing (1955–1958)
• 82d Flying Training Wing (1973–1992)
• 340th Flying Training Group (1998–Present)

Bases stationed

• Harding Army Air Field, Louisiana (1942)
• Muroc Army Air Field, California (1942)
• Glendale, 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: Maddalina, Sicily (6–18 September 1943)

• San Pancrazio, Italy (1943)
• Lecce Airfield, Italy (1943–1944)
• Vincenzo Airfield, Italy (1944)
• Lesina Airfield, Italy (1944–1945)
• Grenier Air Force Base, New Hampshire (1947–1949)
  • Deployed: Ladd Air Force Base, Alaska (4 April-29 June 1948)
• New Castle Air Force Base, Delaware (1952–1958)
• Williams Air Force Base, Arizona (1973–1992)
• Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas (1998–Present)

Aircraft Operated

• P-38 Lightning (1942–1945)
• F-51 Mustang (1947–1949)
• F-94B Starfire (1952–1957)
• T-37 Tweet (1973–1992, 1998–2004)
• T-38 Talon (1998–Present)
• T-1 Jayhawk (1998–Present)
• T-6 Texan II (2002–Present)

References

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

• A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
• Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force: World War II. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1982.
• USAF Aerospace Defense Command publication, The Interceptor, January 1979 (Volume 21, Number 1).

External links

• USAF 96th Flying Training Squadron History