fbpx
Wikipedia

64th Aggressor Squadron

February 01, 2023

The 64th Aggressor Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 57th Adversary Tactics Group at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

64th Aggressor Squadron
F-16s of the 64th Aggressor Squadron in 2006
Active1941–1945; 1946–1969; 1972–1990; 2003–present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleFighter Aggressor
Part ofAir Combat Command
Garrison/HQNellis Air Force Base, Nevada
Nickname(s)Gomers[1]
Engagements
World War II – EAME Theater
Decorations
Distinguished Unit Citation (3x)

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (5x)

French Croix de Guerre with Palm[2]
Insignia
64th Aggressor Squadron emblem (approved 13 September 2007)[2]
Patch with 64th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron emblem (approved 7 July 1956)[3]

The 64th AGRS is assigned 24 F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft, painted in camouflage schemes identical to those observed on Russian-manufactured aircraft providing Air Combat Maneuvering training to USAF and other aviation forces in conjunction with Red Flag exercises. The unit operates in conjunction with the 65th Aggressor Squadron, using F-15C Eagles which had been disbanded on 26 September 2014 due to budget constraints but reactivated on 9 May 2019. The purpose of the squadron is to teach adversarial tactics and provide dissimilar air combat training to US Air Force flying units.

History

See also: 4477th Tactical Evaluation Flight

World War II

The squadron was first formed as a P-40 Warhawk pursuit squadron in January 1941 as part of the Army Air Corps Northeast Defense Sector (later I Fighter Command) at Mitchel Field, New York. It trained in New England and provided air defense of the northeast after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

It was reassigned to the U.S. Army Middle East Force in Egypt, July 1942, becoming part of IX Fighter Command. It took part in the British Western Desert Campaign, engaged in combat during the Battle of El Alamein[citation needed] and, as part of Ninth Air Force, supported the Commonwealth Eighth Army's drive across Egypt and Libya, escorting bombers and flying strafing and dive-bombing missions against airfields, communications, and troop concentrations until Axis defeat in Tunisia in May 1943. The unit participated in the reduction of Pantelleria (May–June 1943) and the conquest of Sicily (July–August 1943).

 
Pilots of the 64th FS, 57th FG, in North Africa, April 1943.

The squadron supported the British Eighth Army's landing at Termoli and subsequent operations in Italy, being reassigned to Twelfth Air Force in August 1943. It flew dive-bombing, strafing, patrol, and escort missions.

In 1944, the squadron converted to P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft and flew interdiction operations in Italy. It moved to Corsica on 30 March 1944 to operate as a separate task force, and flew interdiction missions against railroads, communication targets, and motor vehicles behind enemy lines, providing a minimum of 48 fighter-bomber sorties per day.

The squadron participated in the French campaign against Elba in June 1944 and in the invasion of Southern France in August. It engaged in interdiction and support operations in northern Italy from September 1944 to May 1945.

The 64th flew its last combat mission on 2 May 1945. It remained in northern Italy after the end of the European War, demobilizing throughout the summer of 1945. It was reassigned to the United States in August 1945 without personnel or equipment and was inactivated at the end of August.

Cold War

Reactivated in August 1946 as part of Eleventh Air Force (Later Alaskan Air Command) as part of the air defense forces in the northwest Pacific. It provided air defense initially in the Aleutian Islands, then moved to Nome in early 1947 and to Elmendorf Air Force Base in the fall of 1947. Initially flew P-51 Mustangs, then became equipped with F-80 Shooting Star jet aircraft in 1948. Reassigned to Alaskan Air Command 10th Air Division and became a permanent part of the Alaskan Defense Forces throughout the 1950s, upgrading to the F-94 and F-89 dedicated interceptors.

Was reassigned to McChord AFB, Washington in 1957, upgraded to F-102A Delta Dagger as part of the 25th Air Division, 325th Fighter Group. Provided air defense of the Seattle area and the Pacific Northwest until 1966.

Vietnam war

 
64th FIS Convair F-102A-60-CO Delta Dagger 56–1064, Clark AB PI 1967

Was deployed by Air Defense Command to Clark Air Base, Philippines in 1966 as part of Pacific Air Forces to provide air defense of Luzon and northern Philippines. Flew F-102s from Clark, and rotated flights to bases in South Vietnam (including Da Nang Air Base) and Thailand to provide air defense against the unlikely event that North Vietnamese aircraft would attack, July 1966 – December 1969. Deployed temporarily to South Korea during the Pueblo crisis in January–June 1968. Inactivated in 1969 as part of the retirement of the F-102.

Aggressor training

Activated within the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing on 15 October 1972. Initially equipped with T-38A Talons, upgraded in April 1976 with Northrop F-5E Tiger II export fighters having been originally destined for delivery to South Vietnam and became available when the South collapsed. Since the F-5E had approximately the size and performance characteristics of a Soviet MiG-21, it was used throughout US and overseas to teach adversarial tactics and provide dissimilar air combat training to US Air Force flying units, eventually becoming the 64th Aggressor Squadron. F-5s carried no tail codes, although they did carry Nellis black/yellow check tail stripe and TAC emblem on tail. Aircraft were painted in Soviet Air Forces motif, with subdued USAF markings. The last two digits of the F-5's tail number were painted in red on front fuselage, highlighted in white.

 
First generation aggressor F-5E 74-1572 from the 64th Aggressor Squadron, 1980

From October 1972 to June 1990, deployed throughout US and overseas to teach adversarial tactics and provide dissimilar air combat training to US Air Force flying units. Re-designated 64th Tactical Fighter Aggressor Squadron on 30 December 1981; re-designated again as 65th Aggressor Squadron on 4 January 1983. Added subdued "WA" tail code in early 1987.

Transitioned to the F-16A Fighting Falcon on 1 April 1988 when the F-5Es began having structural problems with the airframes. F-16As initially borrowed from the 474th TFW at Nellis, tail coded "NA" before receiving production F-16C/Ds from General Dynamics in July 1989. F-16s were tail coded "WA", painted in a similar motif as the F-5Es with a black/yellow check tail stripe.

The squadron was replaced by the 4440th Tactical Fighter Training Group, (Advisory Tactics Division) and assigned to the USAF Weapons School. The squadron was subsequently inactivated on 5 October 1990.

Modern era

 
F-16A Fighting Falcon's from the 64th Aggressor Squadron

The squadron was reactivated on 3 October 2003, again flying the F-16 as an Aggressor Squadron. Participates in USAF Red Flag and Canadian Forces Maple Flag exercises, provides USAF Weapons School syllabus support, priority test mission support and road shows that visit various units throughout the CONUS to ACC units for training.

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 64th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 November 1940
Activated on 15 January 1941
Redesignated 64th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (Twin Engine) on 31 January 1942
Redesignated 64th Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942
Redesignated 64th Fighter Squadron on 1 June 1942
Redesignated 64th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 21 August 1944
Inactivated on 7 November 1945
  • Activated on 15 August 1946
Redesignated 64th Fighter Squadron, Jet on 20 July 1948
Redesignated 64th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 January 1950
Inactivated on 15 December 1969
  • Redesignated 64th Fighter Weapons Squadron on 7 September 1972
Activated on 15 October 1972
Redesignated 64th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron on 30 December 1981
Redesignated 64th Aggressor Squadron on 1 April 1983
Inactivated on 5 October 1990
  • Activated on 3 October 2003[2]

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

References

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 64th Aggressor Squadron (United States Air Force).
Notes
  1. ^ Wolff, Scott (18 March 2016). "Burner Friday: Gomer On The Move!". Fighter Sweep. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Robertson, Patsy (16 July 2009). "64 Aggressor Squadron (ACC)". Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  3. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 244

Bibliography

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

  • 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. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
  • "ADCOM's Fighter Interceptor Squadrons". The Interceptor. Aerospace Defense Command. 21 (1): 5–11, 26–31, 40–45, 54–59. January 1979.

External links

February 01, 2023
64th, aggressor, squadron, united, states, force, unit, assigned, 57th, adversary, tactics, group, nellis, force, base, nevada, 2006active1941, 1945, 1946, 1969, 1972, 1990, 2003, presentcountry, united, statesbranch, united, states, forcerolefighter, aggresso. The 64th Aggressor Squadron is a United States Air Force unit It is assigned to the 57th Adversary Tactics Group at Nellis Air Force Base Nevada 64th Aggressor SquadronF 16s of the 64th Aggressor Squadron in 2006Active1941 1945 1946 1969 1972 1990 2003 presentCountry United StatesBranch United States Air ForceRoleFighter AggressorPart ofAir Combat Command United States Air Force Warfare Center 57th Wing 57th Operations GroupGarrison HQNellis Air Force Base NevadaNickname s Gomers 1 EngagementsWorld War II EAME TheaterDecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation 3x Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 5x French Croix de Guerre with Palm 2 Insignia64th Aggressor Squadron emblem approved 13 September 2007 2 Patch with 64th Fighter Interceptor Squadron emblem approved 7 July 1956 3 The 64th AGRS is assigned 24 F 16C Fighting Falcon aircraft painted in camouflage schemes identical to those observed on Russian manufactured aircraft providing Air Combat Maneuvering training to USAF and other aviation forces in conjunction with Red Flag exercises The unit operates in conjunction with the 65th Aggressor Squadron using F 15C Eagles which had been disbanded on 26 September 2014 due to budget constraints but reactivated on 9 May 2019 The purpose of the squadron is to teach adversarial tactics and provide dissimilar air combat training to US Air Force flying units Contents 1 History 1 1 World War II 1 2 Cold War 1 3 Vietnam war 1 4 Aggressor training 1 5 Modern era 2 Lineage 2 1 Assignments 2 2 Stations 2 3 Aircraft 3 References 3 1 Bibliography 4 External linksHistory EditSee also 4477th Tactical Evaluation Flight World War II Edit The squadron was first formed as a P 40 Warhawk pursuit squadron in January 1941 as part of the Army Air Corps Northeast Defense Sector later I Fighter Command at Mitchel Field New York It trained in New England and provided air defense of the northeast after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor It was reassigned to the U S Army Middle East Force in Egypt July 1942 becoming part of IX Fighter Command It took part in the British Western Desert Campaign engaged in combat during the Battle of El Alamein citation needed and as part of Ninth Air Force supported the Commonwealth Eighth Army s drive across Egypt and Libya escorting bombers and flying strafing and dive bombing missions against airfields communications and troop concentrations until Axis defeat in Tunisia in May 1943 The unit participated in the reduction of Pantelleria May June 1943 and the conquest of Sicily July August 1943 Pilots of the 64th FS 57th FG in North Africa April 1943 The squadron supported the British Eighth Army s landing at Termoli and subsequent operations in Italy being reassigned to Twelfth Air Force in August 1943 It flew dive bombing strafing patrol and escort missions In 1944 the squadron converted to P 47 Thunderbolt aircraft and flew interdiction operations in Italy It moved to Corsica on 30 March 1944 to operate as a separate task force and flew interdiction missions against railroads communication targets and motor vehicles behind enemy lines providing a minimum of 48 fighter bomber sorties per day The squadron participated in the French campaign against Elba in June 1944 and in the invasion of Southern France in August It engaged in interdiction and support operations in northern Italy from September 1944 to May 1945 The 64th flew its last combat mission on 2 May 1945 It remained in northern Italy after the end of the European War demobilizing throughout the summer of 1945 It was reassigned to the United States in August 1945 without personnel or equipment and was inactivated at the end of August Cold War Edit Reactivated in August 1946 as part of Eleventh Air Force Later Alaskan Air Command as part of the air defense forces in the northwest Pacific It provided air defense initially in the Aleutian Islands then moved to Nome in early 1947 and to Elmendorf Air Force Base in the fall of 1947 Initially flew P 51 Mustangs then became equipped with F 80 Shooting Star jet aircraft in 1948 Reassigned to Alaskan Air Command 10th Air Division and became a permanent part of the Alaskan Defense Forces throughout the 1950s upgrading to the F 94 and F 89 dedicated interceptors Was reassigned to McChord AFB Washington in 1957 upgraded to F 102A Delta Dagger as part of the 25th Air Division 325th Fighter Group Provided air defense of the Seattle area and the Pacific Northwest until 1966 Vietnam war Edit 64th FIS Convair F 102A 60 CO Delta Dagger 56 1064 Clark AB PI 1967 Was deployed by Air Defense Command to Clark Air Base Philippines in 1966 as part of Pacific Air Forces to provide air defense of Luzon and northern Philippines Flew F 102s from Clark and rotated flights to bases in South Vietnam including Da Nang Air Base and Thailand to provide air defense against the unlikely event that North Vietnamese aircraft would attack July 1966 December 1969 Deployed temporarily to South Korea during the Pueblo crisis in January June 1968 Inactivated in 1969 as part of the retirement of the F 102 Aggressor training Edit Activated within the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing on 15 October 1972 Initially equipped with T 38A Talons upgraded in April 1976 with Northrop F 5E Tiger II export fighters having been originally destined for delivery to South Vietnam and became available when the South collapsed Since the F 5E had approximately the size and performance characteristics of a Soviet MiG 21 it was used throughout US and overseas to teach adversarial tactics and provide dissimilar air combat training to US Air Force flying units eventually becoming the 64th Aggressor Squadron F 5s carried no tail codes although they did carry Nellis black yellow check tail stripe and TAC emblem on tail Aircraft were painted in Soviet Air Forces motif with subdued USAF markings The last two digits of the F 5 s tail number were painted in red on front fuselage highlighted in white First generation aggressor F 5E 74 1572 from the 64th Aggressor Squadron 1980 From October 1972 to June 1990 deployed throughout US and overseas to teach adversarial tactics and provide dissimilar air combat training to US Air Force flying units Re designated 64th Tactical Fighter Aggressor Squadron on 30 December 1981 re designated again as 65th Aggressor Squadron on 4 January 1983 Added subdued WA tail code in early 1987 Transitioned to the F 16A Fighting Falcon on 1 April 1988 when the F 5Es began having structural problems with the airframes F 16As initially borrowed from the 474th TFW at Nellis tail coded NA before receiving production F 16C Ds from General Dynamics in July 1989 F 16s were tail coded WA painted in a similar motif as the F 5Es with a black yellow check tail stripe The squadron was replaced by the 4440th Tactical Fighter Training Group Advisory Tactics Division and assigned to the USAF Weapons School The squadron was subsequently inactivated on 5 October 1990 Modern era Edit F 16A Fighting Falcon s from the 64th Aggressor Squadron The squadron was reactivated on 3 October 2003 again flying the F 16 as an Aggressor Squadron Participates in USAF Red Flag and Canadian Forces Maple Flag exercises provides USAF Weapons School syllabus support priority test mission support and road shows that visit various units throughout the CONUS to ACC units for training Lineage EditConstituted as the 64th Pursuit Squadron Interceptor on 20 November 1940Activated on 15 January 1941 Redesignated 64th Pursuit Squadron Interceptor Twin Engine on 31 January 1942 Redesignated 64th Fighter Squadron Twin Engine on 15 May 1942 Redesignated 64th Fighter Squadron on 1 June 1942 Redesignated 64th Fighter Squadron Single Engine on 21 August 1944 Inactivated on 7 November 1945Activated on 15 August 1946Redesignated 64th Fighter Squadron Jet on 20 July 1948 Redesignated 64th Fighter Interceptor Squadron on 20 January 1950 Inactivated on 15 December 1969Redesignated 64th Fighter Weapons Squadron on 7 September 1972Activated on 15 October 1972 Redesignated 64th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron on 30 December 1981 Redesignated 64th Aggressor Squadron on 1 April 1983 Inactivated on 5 October 1990Activated on 3 October 2003 2 Assignments Edit 57th Pursuit Group later 57th Fighter Group 15 January 1941 7 November 1945 57th Fighter Group later 57th Fighter Interceptor Group 15 August 1946 10th Air Division 13 April 1953 325th Fighter Group 15 August 1957 326th Fighter Group 15 March 1960 57th Fighter Group 1 April 1961 405th Fighter Wing 10 June 1966 15 December 1969 57th Fighter Weapons Wing later 57th Tactical Training Wing 57th Fighter Weapons Wing 15 October 1972 5 October 1990 57th Operations Group 3 October 2003 57th Adversary Tactics Group 1 July 2005 31 March 2020 57th Operations Group 31 March 2020 present 2 Stations Edit Mitchel Field New York 15 January 1941 Bradley Field Connecticut 19 August 1941 Revere Airport 42 25 40 N 071 00 47 W 42 42778 N 71 01306 W 42 42778 71 01306 Revere Airport Massachusetts 12 December 1941 Boston Airport Massachusetts 9 February 5 July 1942 Muqeible Airfield Palestine 19 August 1942 RAF El Amiriya Egypt 16 September 1942 Landing Ground 37 Egypt 5 November 1942 RAF Gambut Libya 13 November 1942 Martuba Airfield Libya 20 November 1942 Belandah Airfield Libya 11 December 1942 Hamraiet Airfield Libya 12 January 1943 Zuara Airfield Libya 24 February 1943 Ben Gardane Airfield Tunisia 10 March 1943 Soltane Airfield Tunisia 20 March 1943 Hazbub Airfield Tunisia 4 April 1943 Skhirra Airfield Tunisia 11 April 1943 El Djem Airfield Tunisia 14 April 1943 Hani Airfield Tunisia 21 April 1943 Bou Grara Airfield Tunisia 19 May 1943 Takali Airfield Malta 27 June 1943 Pachino Airfield Sicily Italy 19 July 1943 Scordia Airfield Sicily Italy 29 July 1943 Milazzo Airfield Sicily Italy 12 September 1943 Rocca Bernardo Airfield Italy 17 September 1943 Rocca Bernardo Airfield Italy 25 September 1943 Foggia Airfield Italy 2 October 1943 Amendola Airfield Italy 25 October 1943 Cercola Airfield Italy 3 March 1944 Alto Airfield Corsica France 30 March 1944 Ombrene Airfield Italy 12 September 1944 Grosseto Airfield Italy 24 September 1944 Villafranca di Verona Airfield Italy 29 April 1945 Grosseto Airfield Italy 8 May 1945 Bagnoli Airfield Italy 15 July 6 August 1945 Drew Field Florida 23 August 7 November 1945 Shemya Army Air Field Alaska 15 August 1946 Marks Field Alaska 8 May 1947 Elmendorf Air Force Base Alaska 8 September 1947 McChord Air Force Base Washington 15 August 1957 Paine Field Washington 15 March 1960 2 June 1966 Clark Air Base Philippines 10 June 1966 15 December 1969 Nellis Air Force Base Nevada 15 October 1972 5 October 1990 Nellis Air Force Base Nevada 3 October 2003 present 2 Aircraft Edit Curtiss P 40 Warhawk 1941 1944 Republic P 47 Thunderbolt 1944 1945 Lockheed P 38 Lightning 1946 North American P 51 Mustang 1946 1947 1948 Lockheed F 80 Shooting Star 1948 1951 Lockheed F 94 Starfire 1951 1954 Northrop F 89 Scorpion 1954 1957 Convair F 102 Delta Dagger 1957 1969 Convair TF 102 Delta Dagger 1957 1969 Northrop T 38 Talon 1972 1976 Northrop F 5E Tiger II 1976 1988 General Dynamics F 16 Fighting Falcon 1988 1990 2003 Present 2 References Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to 64th Aggressor Squadron United States Air Force World War II portalNotes Wolff Scott 18 March 2016 Burner Friday Gomer On The Move Fighter Sweep Retrieved 25 July 2022 a b c d e f Robertson Patsy 16 July 2009 64 Aggressor Squadron ACC Retrieved 29 July 2022 Maurer Combat Squadrons p 244 Bibliography Edit This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency 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 Retrieved 23 March 2012 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 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 Ravenstein Charles A 1984 Air Force Combat Wings Lineage amp Honors Histories 1947 1977 Washington DC Office of Air Force History ISBN 0 912799 12 9 ADCOM s Fighter Interceptor Squadrons The Interceptor Aerospace Defense Command 21 1 5 11 26 31 40 45 54 59 January 1979 External links Edit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 64th Aggressor Squadron amp oldid 1101147810, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.