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39th Flying Training Squadron

The 39th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 340th Flying Training Group and is the reserve associate to the 12th Flying Training Wing based at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.

39th Flying Training Squadron
Active1940–1957; 1969–1974; 1977–1984; 1990–1991; 1993–1999; 2001–2007; 2007–present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleInstructor Pilot Training
Part ofAir Education and Training Command
Garrison/HQRandolph Air Force Base
EngagementsSouthwest Pacific Theater
Korean War[1]
DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation[1]
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Lt. Col. Thomas J. Lynch
Brig Gen. Robert F. Titus
Insignia
39th Flying Training Squadron emblem (approved 13 April 2009)[1]
39th Pursuit Squadron emblem (approved 16 April 1941)[1]

The squadron was first activated as the 39th Pursuit Squadron in the buildup of the United States Army Air Corps in response to the War in Europe. It moved to the Pacific Coast in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor and briefly flew antisubmarine patrols before deploying to the Southwest Pacific Theater, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations (DUC)s and a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its actions during the war.

The squadron remained in the Far East and as the 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was part of the air defenses of Japan when North Korea invaded South Korea. The 39th earned two more DUCs and a Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation during combat in Korea. Following the 1953 truce, the squadron returned to Japan, serving as an air defense unit until inactivating in December 1957.

The squadron was activated as the 39th Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron in 1969 when Tactical Air Command replaced its Command controlled (4 digit) units with Air Force controlled units. It trained Douglas B-66 Destroyer aircrews until inactivating in 1974.

The squadron has been a flying training unit since 1990, except for a brief stint as a test squadron.

Mission

It operates the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II, Raytheon T-1A Jayhawk and Northrop T-38 Talon aircraft conducting Pilot Instructor Training.

History

World War II

Activated by Northeast Air District (later First Air Force) as the 39th Pursuit Squadron, a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk pursuit squadron,[clarification needed List of aircraft flown does not show ever operatied P-40s] at Selfridge Field, Michigan, where it was one of a number of units drawing its cadre from the 1st Pursuit Group, stationed there. The squadron moved to Baer Field, Indiana the day before the attack on Pearl Harbor, but was soon rushed to Bellingham Army Air Field, where it flew antisubmarine patrols off the coast of Washington until the middle of January 1942, when it was reassigned from the 31st Pursuit Group to the 35th Pursuit Group, which was preparing for deployment to Australia.[1]

 
Aces of the 39th FS at Schwimmer Airfield, May 1943, in front of squadron commander Thomas J. Lynch's P-38 number 10. Kneeling, left to right: Captain Charles P. O'Sullivan, Captain Thomas J. Lynch, 1st Lieutenant Kenneth C. Sparks. Standing, left to right: Captain Richard C. Suehr, 1st Lieutenant John H. Lane, 1st Lieutenant Stanley O. Andrews

Re-equipped with long-range Lockheed P-38 Lightnings and deployed to Fifth Air Force in Australia, June 1942. Engaged in combat operations against the Japanese in the Lightning, but became the second Pacific Theater fighter group[clarification needed unit is squadron, not group] to convert to the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt in late 1943. Conducted combat operations in the Thunderbolt from late 1943 through Spring 1945. Participated in offensives in the Netherlands East Indies, New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, Philippines and the Battle of Okinawa.

Far East Air Forces

 
Squadron F-86D at Yokota AB[note 1]

Re-equipped with North American P-51 Mustangs and moved to Japan as part of the army of occupation, September 1945, remaining as part of the Far East Air Forces air defense mission throughout the postwar era. Engaged in combat, June 1950, during the initial actions of the Korean War. Re-equipped with Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star jets, fighting air-to-air combat against communist aircraft and engaging in ground support missions supporting United Nations Forces, 1950–1953. Returned to Japan after the 1953 armistice and upgraded to the purpose-built Lockheed F-94 Starfire interceptor flying air defense missions.

The squadron moved to Johnson Air Base on 20 July 1954 and established temporary air defense detachments on the same day at Komaki Air Base,[note 2] Japan to 4 August 1954 and at Misawa Air Base, Japan to 27 August 1954.[1] The squadron was inactivated in December 1957.[1]

Tactical Air Command

 
39th TFTS F-4C at George AFB[note 3]

Reactivated by Tactical Air Command in 1969 at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, assuming the personnel and equipment of the 4417th Combat Crew Training Squadron. Equipped with reconnaissance and electronic warfare versions of the Douglas B-66 Destroyer and trained tactical reconnaissance and electronic warfare crews from, 1969–1974 when the B-66 was retired. Moved to George Air Force Base, California and equipped with McDonnell F-4E Phantom IIs. Trained Wild Weasel aircrews in surface to air missile suppression tactics from, 1977–1984. Inactivated when the F-4 was retired.

 
39th Test Squadron F-16[note 4]
 
39th FTS formation flying

Reactivated by Air Training Command as an undergraduate pilot training squadron with Northrop T-38 Talons, 1990–1991. Transferred to Air Force Materiel Command, 1993 as a flight test squadron on various weapons systems from 1993 to 1999, then went back to Air Education and Training Command providing flying training from 2001 onwards.[1]

 
39th FTS T-6 painted in colors of former commander Leroy V. Grosshuesch's P-51, October 2020

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 39th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 22 December 1939
Activated on 1 February 1940
Redesignated 39th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942
Redesignated 39th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 27 October 1942
Redesignated 39th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 19 February 1944
Redesignated 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 January 1950
Inactivated on 8 December 1957
  • Redesignated 39th Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron on 18 August 1969
Organized on 15 October 1969
Redesignated 39th Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron on 15 February 1970[note 5]
Inactivated on 15 March 1974
  • Redesignated 39th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 1 June 1977
Activated on 1 July 1977
Redesignated 39th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 9 October 1980
Inactivated on 11 May 1984
  • Redesignated 39th Flying Training Squadron on 9 February 1990
Activated on 2 April 1990
Inactivated on 15 December 1991
  • Redesignated 39th Test Squadron on 31 August 1993
Activated on 8 September 1993
Redesignated 39th Flight Test Squadron on 15 March 1994
Inactivated on 1 September 1999
  • Redesignated 39th Flying Training Squadron on 30 September 1999
Activated in the reserve on 2 April 2001[1]

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

Notable members

See also

References

Notes

Explanatory notes
  1. ^ Aircraft is North American F-86D Sabre serial 52-4038. Taken in 1955.
  2. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 183. Haulman misspells this as Komati.
  3. ^ Aircraft is McDonnell F-4C-23-MC, serial 64-781. Taken about 1980.
  4. ^ Aircraft is General Dynamics F-16B Block 1 Fighting Falcon serial 78-97, about 1995. The oldest active F-16 in the USAF inventory, originally delivered to the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hill AFB in 1979.
  5. ^ The 39th Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron is not related to the 39th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron, which was constituted on 18 March 1969 and activated 1 April 1969 at Spangdahlem Air Base, and inactivated 1 January 1973.
Footnotes
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Haulman, Daniel L. (19 April 2017). "Factsheet 39 Flying Training Squadron (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  2. ^ Station information in Haulman, except as noted.

Bibliography

  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

External links

  • 39th Fighter Squadron

39th, flying, training, squadron, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources 39th Flying Training Squadron news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message The 39th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 340th Flying Training Group and is the reserve associate to the 12th Flying Training Wing based at Randolph Air Force Base Texas 39th Flying Training SquadronT 1 Jayhawk from Randolph AFBActive1940 1957 1969 1974 1977 1984 1990 1991 1993 1999 2001 2007 2007 presentCountry United StatesBranch United States Air ForceRoleInstructor Pilot TrainingPart ofAir Education and Training CommandGarrison HQRandolph Air Force BaseEngagementsSouthwest Pacific TheaterKorean War 1 DecorationsDistinguished Unit CitationAir Force Outstanding Unit AwardPhilippine Presidential Unit CitationRepublic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation 1 CommandersNotablecommandersLt Col Thomas J LynchBrig Gen Robert F TitusInsignia39th Flying Training Squadron emblem approved 13 April 2009 1 39th Pursuit Squadron emblem approved 16 April 1941 1 The squadron was first activated as the 39th Pursuit Squadron in the buildup of the United States Army Air Corps in response to the War in Europe It moved to the Pacific Coast in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor and briefly flew antisubmarine patrols before deploying to the Southwest Pacific Theater earning two Distinguished Unit Citations DUC s and a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its actions during the war The squadron remained in the Far East and as the 39th Fighter Interceptor Squadron was part of the air defenses of Japan when North Korea invaded South Korea The 39th earned two more DUCs and a Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation during combat in Korea Following the 1953 truce the squadron returned to Japan serving as an air defense unit until inactivating in December 1957 The squadron was activated as the 39th Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron in 1969 when Tactical Air Command replaced its Command controlled 4 digit units with Air Force controlled units It trained Douglas B 66 Destroyer aircrews until inactivating in 1974 The squadron has been a flying training unit since 1990 except for a brief stint as a test squadron Contents 1 Mission 2 History 2 1 World War II 2 2 Far East Air Forces 2 3 Tactical Air Command 3 Lineage 3 1 Assignments 3 2 Stations 3 3 Aircraft 4 Notable members 5 See also 6 References 6 1 Notes 6 2 Bibliography 7 External linksMission EditIt operates the Beechcraft T 6 Texan II Raytheon T 1A Jayhawk and Northrop T 38 Talon aircraft conducting Pilot Instructor Training History EditWorld War II Edit Activated by Northeast Air District later First Air Force as the 39th Pursuit Squadron a Curtiss P 40 Warhawk pursuit squadron clarification needed List of aircraft flown does not show ever operatied P 40s at Selfridge Field Michigan where it was one of a number of units drawing its cadre from the 1st Pursuit Group stationed there The squadron moved to Baer Field Indiana the day before the attack on Pearl Harbor but was soon rushed to Bellingham Army Air Field where it flew antisubmarine patrols off the coast of Washington until the middle of January 1942 when it was reassigned from the 31st Pursuit Group to the 35th Pursuit Group which was preparing for deployment to Australia 1 Aces of the 39th FS at Schwimmer Airfield May 1943 in front of squadron commander Thomas J Lynch s P 38 number 10 Kneeling left to right Captain Charles P O Sullivan Captain Thomas J Lynch 1st Lieutenant Kenneth C Sparks Standing left to right Captain Richard C Suehr 1st Lieutenant John H Lane 1st Lieutenant Stanley O Andrews Re equipped with long range Lockheed P 38 Lightnings and deployed to Fifth Air Force in Australia June 1942 Engaged in combat operations against the Japanese in the Lightning but became the second Pacific Theater fighter group clarification needed unit is squadron not group to convert to the Republic P 47 Thunderbolt in late 1943 Conducted combat operations in the Thunderbolt from late 1943 through Spring 1945 Participated in offensives in the Netherlands East Indies New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago Philippines and the Battle of Okinawa Far East Air Forces Edit Squadron F 86D at Yokota AB note 1 Re equipped with North American P 51 Mustangs and moved to Japan as part of the army of occupation September 1945 remaining as part of the Far East Air Forces air defense mission throughout the postwar era Engaged in combat June 1950 during the initial actions of the Korean War Re equipped with Lockheed F 80 Shooting Star jets fighting air to air combat against communist aircraft and engaging in ground support missions supporting United Nations Forces 1950 1953 Returned to Japan after the 1953 armistice and upgraded to the purpose built Lockheed F 94 Starfire interceptor flying air defense missions The squadron moved to Johnson Air Base on 20 July 1954 and established temporary air defense detachments on the same day at Komaki Air Base note 2 Japan to 4 August 1954 and at Misawa Air Base Japan to 27 August 1954 1 The squadron was inactivated in December 1957 1 Tactical Air Command Edit 39th TFTS F 4C at George AFB note 3 Reactivated by Tactical Air Command in 1969 at Shaw Air Force Base South Carolina assuming the personnel and equipment of the 4417th Combat Crew Training Squadron Equipped with reconnaissance and electronic warfare versions of the Douglas B 66 Destroyer and trained tactical reconnaissance and electronic warfare crews from 1969 1974 when the B 66 was retired Moved to George Air Force Base California and equipped with McDonnell F 4E Phantom IIs Trained Wild Weasel aircrews in surface to air missile suppression tactics from 1977 1984 Inactivated when the F 4 was retired 39th Test Squadron F 16 note 4 39th FTS formation flying Reactivated by Air Training Command as an undergraduate pilot training squadron with Northrop T 38 Talons 1990 1991 Transferred to Air Force Materiel Command 1993 as a flight test squadron on various weapons systems from 1993 to 1999 then went back to Air Education and Training Command providing flying training from 2001 onwards 1 39th FTS T 6 painted in colors of former commander Leroy V Grosshuesch s P 51 October 2020Lineage EditConstituted as the 39th Pursuit Squadron Interceptor on 22 December 1939Activated on 1 February 1940 Redesignated 39th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942 Redesignated 39th Fighter Squadron Twin Engine on 27 October 1942 Redesignated 39th Fighter Squadron Single Engine on 19 February 1944 Redesignated 39th Fighter Interceptor Squadron on 20 January 1950 Inactivated on 8 December 1957Redesignated 39th Tactical Reconnaissance Training Squadron on 18 August 1969Organized on 15 October 1969 Redesignated 39th Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron on 15 February 1970 note 5 Inactivated on 15 March 1974Redesignated 39th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 1 June 1977Activated on 1 July 1977 Redesignated 39th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 9 October 1980 Inactivated on 11 May 1984Redesignated 39th Flying Training Squadron on 9 February 1990Activated on 2 April 1990 Inactivated on 15 December 1991Redesignated 39th Test Squadron on 31 August 1993Activated on 8 September 1993 Redesignated 39th Flight Test Squadron on 15 March 1994 Inactivated on 1 September 1999Redesignated 39th Flying Training Squadron on 30 September 1999Activated in the reserve on 2 April 2001 1 Assignments Edit 31st Pursuit Group 1 February 1940 35th Pursuit Group later 35th Fighter Group 35th Fighter Interceptor Group 15 January 1942 attached to 18th Fighter Bomber Wing 7 May 1951 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing 1 June 1952 14 July 1954 41st Air Division 1 October 8 December 1957 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing 15 October 1969 15 March 1974 attached to 36th Tactical Fighter Wing 1 April 1969 31 December 1971 35th Tactical Fighter Wing 1 July 1977 11 May 1984 47th Flying Training Wing 2 April 1990 15 December 1991 46th Operations Group 8 September 1993 1 September 1999 340th Flying Training Group 2 April 2001 present 1 Stations Edit Selfridge Field Michigan 1 February 1940 Baer Field Indiana 6 December 1941 Bellingham Army Air Field Washington 10 December 1941 23 January 1942 Brisbane Australia 25 February 1942 Ballarat Airport Australia 8 March 1942 Mount Gambier Airport Australia 16 March 1942 Williamtown Airport Australia 3 April 1942 Woodstock Airport Queensland Australia 20 April 1942 Port Moresby Airfield Complex New Guinea 2 June 1942 RAAF Base Townsville Australia 26 July 1942 Port Moresby Airfield Complex New Guinea 18 October 1942 Nadzab Airfield New Guinea 15 December 1943 Gusap Airfield New Guinea 27 January 1944 Nadzab Airfield New Guinea 9 June 1944 Kornasoren Airfield citation needed Noemfoor Schouten Islands 7 August 1944 Owi Airfield Schouten Islands Netherlands East Indies 12 September 1944 Wama Drome citation needed Morotai Moluccas Islands Netherlands East Indies 23 October 1944 Mangaldan Airfield Luzon Philippines 22 January 1945 Lingayen Airfield Luzon Philippines c 10 April 1945 Clark Field Luzon Philippines 21 April 1945 Yontan Airfield citation needed Okinawa 30 June 1945 Irumagawa Air Base Japan 10 October 1945 Yokota Air Base Japan c 1 April 1950 Ashiya Air Base Japan 8 July 1950 Pohang Air Base South Korea 7 August 1950 Tsuiki Air Base Japan 14 August 1950 Pohang Air Base South Korea 3 October 1950 Yonpo Airfield North Korea 19 November 1950 Pusan Air Base South Korea 7 December 1950 Chinhae Air Base South Korea 12 May 1951 Suwon Air Base South Korea 1 June 1952 Johnson Air Base Japan 20 July 1954 Yokota Air Base Japan 31 July 1954 Komaki Air Base Japan 25 August 1955 8 December 1957 Shaw Air Force Base South Carolina 15 October 1969 15 March 1974 George Air Force Base California 1 July 1977 11 May 1984 Laughlin Air Force Base Texas 2 April 1990 15 December 1991 Eglin Air Force Base Florida 8 September 1993 1 September 1999 Moody Air Force Base Georgia 2 April 2001 Randolph Air Force Base later Joint Base San Antonio Randolph Texas 13 September 2007 present 2 Aircraft Edit Seversky P 35 Guardsman 1940 1941 Curtiss P 36 Hawk 1940 1941 Bell P 39 Airacobra 1941 1942 Lockheed P 38 Lightning 1942 1943 Republic P 47 Thunderbolt 1943 1944 North American P 51 Mustang later F 51 1944 1945 1945 1952 Lockheed F 80 Shooting Star 1950 North American F 86D Sabre 1952 1957 Lockheed F 94 Starfire 1954 Douglas RB 66 Destroyer 1969 1970 Douglas WB 66 Destroyer 1969 1970 Douglas EB 66 Destroyer 1970 1974 McDonnell F 4 Phantom II 1977 1980 1982 1984 Republic F 105 Thunderchief 1977 Cessna T 37 Tweet 1990 1991 Northrop T 38 Talon 1990 1991 2001 present General Dynamics F 16 Fighting Falcon 1993 1999 Boeing B 52 Stratofortress 1995 1999 Fairchild Republic A 10 Thunderbolt II 1999 Beechcraft T 6 Texan II 2001 present Raytheon T 1A Jayhawk 2007 present 1 Notable members EditCharles Peter O Sullivan Squadron commander in World War IISee also Edit World War II portalReferences EditNotes Edit Explanatory notes Aircraft is North American F 86D Sabre serial 52 4038 Taken in 1955 Maurer Combat Squadrons p 183 Haulman misspells this as Komati Aircraft is McDonnell F 4C 23 MC serial 64 781 Taken about 1980 Aircraft is General Dynamics F 16B Block 1 Fighting Falcon serial 78 97 about 1995 The oldest active F 16 in the USAF inventory originally delivered to the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hill AFB in 1979 The 39th Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron is not related to the 39th Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron which was constituted on 18 March 1969 and activated 1 April 1969 at Spangdahlem Air Base and inactivated 1 January 1973 Footnotes a b c d e f g h i j k Haulman Daniel L 19 April 2017 Factsheet 39 Flying Training Squadron AFRC Air Force Historical Research Agency Retrieved 25 February 2018 Station information in Haulman except as noted Bibliography Edit This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency External links Edit39th Fighter Squadron Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 39th Flying Training Squadron amp oldid 1098404426, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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