The 321st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 316th Air Division, stationed at Paine Air Force Base, Washington. It was inactivated on 8 March 1960.
321st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
321st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron F-89J Scorpions. 1956, Paine Air Force Base, Washington
The 321st Fighter Squadron was activated at Mitchel Field, New York in August 1942 as one of the original squadrons of the 326th Fighter Group and moved the next month to Bradley Field, Connecticut and equipped with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts.[1][2] The 321st performed the air defense mission for First Air Force in the northeast during 1942 and 1943 while also conducting operational training.[2] Operational training units were oversized parent units which provided cadres to "satellite groups."[3]
However, the Army Air Forces was finding that standard military units, based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were proving not well adapted to the training mission. Accordingly, it adopted a more functional system in which each of its bases was organized into a separate numbered unit.[6] As a result, in 1944 the squadron was disbanded as the AAF converted to the AAF Base Unit system.[1] The 123d AAF Base Unit (Replacement Training Unit, Fighter) replaced the group headquarters and squadrons at Seymour Johnson.[7]
Cold War air defenseedit
The squadron was reconstituted, redesignated as the 321st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and activated in 1955 as an Air Defense Command (ADC) operational air defense unit at Paine Air Force Base, Washington.[1] It absorbed the personnel and equipment of the 83d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron[8] as part of ADC's Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars.[9] The 321st was equipped with Northrop F-89D Scorpions, armed with Mighty Mouse rockets.[10]
The group received later model Scorpions and by 1956 was entirely equipped with the F-89H, which could carry AIM-4 Falcons in addition to the unguided Mighty Mouse rockets. It finally equipped with nuclear-capable F-89Js, armed with the AIR-2 Genie and equipped with data link for interception control through the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment system in the spring of 1958.[10] The 321st Squadron was discontinued on 1 March 1960[1] in preparation for the move of the 64th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and its Convair F-102 Delta Daggers to Paine from Alaska.[1][11]
Lineageedit
Constituted as the 321st Fighter Squadron (Single Engine) on 24 June 1942
Activated on 25 August 1942
Disbanded on 10 April 1944
Reconstituted and redesignated 321st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 June 1955
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, (1956)
Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
Craven, Wesley F.; Cate, James L., eds. (1955). The Army Air Forces in World War II(PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48003657. OCLC 704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Goss, William A. (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F.; Cate, James L. (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II(PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. LCCN 48003657. OCLC 704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II(PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982(PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Further readingedit
"ADCOM's Fighter Interceptor Squadrons". The Interceptor. 21 (1). Aerospace Defense Command: 5–11, 26–31, 40–45, 54–59. January 1979.
External linksedit
April 11, 2024
321st, fighter, interceptor, squadron, inactive, united, states, force, unit, last, assignment, with, 316th, division, stationed, paine, force, base, washington, inactivated, march, 1960, scorpions, 1956, paine, force, base, washingtonactive1942, 1944, 1955, 1. The 321st Fighter Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit Its last assignment was with the 316th Air Division stationed at Paine Air Force Base Washington It was inactivated on 8 March 1960 321st Fighter Interceptor Squadron321st Fighter Interceptor Squadron F 89J Scorpions 1956 Paine Air Force Base WashingtonActive1942 1944 1955 1960Country United StatesBranch United States Air ForceRoleFighter InterceptorInsigniaPatch with 321st Fighter Interceptor Squadron emblem approved 9 January 1943 1 Contents 1 History 1 1 World War II 1 2 Cold War air defense 2 Lineage 2 1 Assignments 2 2 Stations 2 3 Aircraft 3 References 3 1 Bibliography 4 Further reading 5 External linksHistory editWorld War II edit nbsp Republic P 47 ThunderboltThe 321st Fighter Squadron was activated at Mitchel Field New York in August 1942 as one of the original squadrons of the 326th Fighter Group and moved the next month to Bradley Field Connecticut and equipped with Republic P 47 Thunderbolts 1 2 The 321st performed the air defense mission for First Air Force in the northeast during 1942 and 1943 while also conducting operational training 2 Operational training units were oversized parent units which provided cadres to satellite groups 3 It later became a replacement training unit remaining an oversized unit 3 but preparing individual pilots for combat duty in the Thunderbolt 1 2 In October 1943 the 326th Group provided the cadre to form the 402d Fighter Group 4 The 321st then moved to Seymour Johnson Field North Carolina along with the group headquarters and the other group squadron the 322d stationed at Westover Field Massachusetts 2 1 5 note 1 However the Army Air Forces was finding that standard military units based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were proving not well adapted to the training mission Accordingly it adopted a more functional system in which each of its bases was organized into a separate numbered unit 6 As a result in 1944 the squadron was disbanded as the AAF converted to the AAF Base Unit system 1 The 123d AAF Base Unit Replacement Training Unit Fighter replaced the group headquarters and squadrons at Seymour Johnson 7 Cold War air defense edit The squadron was reconstituted redesignated as the 321st Fighter Interceptor Squadron and activated in 1955 as an Air Defense Command ADC operational air defense unit at Paine Air Force Base Washington 1 It absorbed the personnel and equipment of the 83d Fighter Interceptor Squadron 8 as part of ADC s Project Arrow which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars 9 The 321st was equipped with Northrop F 89D Scorpions armed with Mighty Mouse rockets 10 The group received later model Scorpions and by 1956 was entirely equipped with the F 89H which could carry AIM 4 Falcons in addition to the unguided Mighty Mouse rockets It finally equipped with nuclear capable F 89Js armed with the AIR 2 Genie and equipped with data link for interception control through the Semi Automatic Ground Environment system in the spring of 1958 10 The 321st Squadron was discontinued on 1 March 1960 1 in preparation for the move of the 64th Fighter Interceptor Squadron and its Convair F 102 Delta Daggers to Paine from Alaska 1 11 Lineage editConstituted as the 321st Fighter Squadron Single Engine on 24 June 1942Activated on 25 August 1942 Disbanded on 10 April 1944Reconstituted and redesignated 321st Fighter Interceptor Squadron on 20 June 1955Activated on 18 August 1955 Discontinued on 1 March 1960 1 Assignments edit 326th Fighter Group 25 August 1942 10 April 1944 326th Fighter Group 18 August 1955 1 March 1960 1 Stations edit Mitchel Field New York 19 August 1942 Bradley Field Connecticut 2 September 194 Westover Field Massachusetts 1 November 1942 Seymour Johnson Field North Carolina 17 October 1943 10 April 1944 Paine Air Force Base Washington 18 August 1955 1 March 1960 1 Aircraft edit Republic P 47 Thunderbolt 1942 1944 1 Northrop F 89D Scorpion 1955 1956 10 Northrop F 89H Scorpion 1956 1958 10 Northrop F 89J Scorpion 1958 1960 10 References editNotes The two squadrons located at Bedford Army Air Field Massachusetts were transferred to the 402d Group Maurer Combat Squadrons pp 393 547 548 Citations a b c d e f g h i j k l Maurer Combat Squadrons pp 394 395 a b c d Maurer Combat Units p 208 a b Craven amp Cate Introduction p xxxvi Abstract History 402 Fighter Group Oct 1943 Apr 1944 Air Force History Index Retrieved 6 July 2015 Maurer Combat Squadrons pp 395 396 Goss The Organization and its Responsibilities p 75 See Mueller p 523 units at Seymour Johnson See Maurer Combat Squadrons pp 290 291 83d move to Hamilton Air Force Base Buss et al p 6 a b c d e Cornett amp Johnson p 125 Maurer Combat Squadrons p 244 Bibliography edit nbsp This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Buss Lydus H ed Sturm Thomas A Volan Denys and McMullen Richard F History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955 Directorate of Historical Services Air Defense Command Ent AFB CO 1956 Cornett Lloyd H Johnson Mildred W 1980 A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 1980 PDF Peterson AFB CO Office of History Aerospace Defense Center Archived from the original PDF on 13 February 2016 Retrieved 23 March 2012 Craven Wesley F Cate James L eds 1955 The Army Air Forces in World War II PDF Vol VI Men amp Planes Chicago Illinois University of Chicago Press LCCN 48003657 OCLC 704158 Retrieved 17 December 2016 Goss William A 1955 The Organization and its Responsibilities Chapter 2 The AAF In Craven Wesley F Cate James L eds The Army Air Forces in World War II PDF Vol VI Men amp Planes Chicago Illinois University of Chicago Press LCCN 48003657 OCLC 704158 Retrieved 17 December 2016 dd Maurer Maurer ed 1983 1961 Air Force Combat Units of World War II PDF reprint ed Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 912799 02 1 LCCN 61060979 Retrieved 17 December 2016 Maurer Maurer ed 1982 1969 Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II PDF reprint ed Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 405 12194 6 LCCN 70605402 OCLC 72556 Retrieved 17 December 2016 Mueller Robert 1989 Air Force Bases Vol I Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 PDF Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 912799 53 6 Retrieved 17 December 2016 Further reading edit ADCOM s Fighter Interceptor Squadrons The Interceptor 21 1 Aerospace Defense Command 5 11 26 31 40 45 54 59 January 1979 External links edit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 321st Fighter Interceptor Squadron amp oldid 1205411195, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
