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78th Attack Squadron

(Redirected from78th Fighter Squadron)

The78th Attack Squadron(78 ATKS) is anAir Force Reserve Command(AFRC) unit under the926th Wing,Nellis Air Force Base,NevadaandTenth Air Force(10 AF) atNaval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth,Texas.The 78 ATKS conducts operations fromCreech Air Force Base,Nevadain conjunction with theiractive-dutyassociates in the432d Wing.

78th Attack Squadron
78th Attack Squadron Emblem
Active28 February 1918 – 15 November 1918
1 April 1931 – 1 September 1937
1 February 1940 – 15 October 1946
1 November 1952 – 1 May 1992
1 January 1994 – 30 June 2003
19 May 2006 – present
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Air Force
TypeReconnaissanceandSurveillance
Part ofAir Force Reserve Command
10th Air Force
Garrison/HQNellis Air Force Base
Nickname(s)Bushmasters
EngagementsWorld War I
World War II
Global War on Terror
DecorationsDUC
AFOUA
78 FS F-16C Block 50D, AF Ser. No. 91-0365, taken in 2002 over Arizona
78 FS F-16C Block 50D, AF Ser. No. 91-0394, leaves on a mission in support of Operation Northern Watch from Incirlik AB, Turkey on 20 September 2002
78 TFS A-10As at RAF Woodbridge
McDonnell F-4D-28-MC Phantom II, AF Ser. No. 65-0738 of the 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron, September 1972. This aircraft was retired to AMARC on 13 June 1990.
McDonnell F-101C-50-MC Voodoo, AF Ser. No. 56-0025, of the 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron. After its service in the UK ended in 1965, this aircraft was withdrawn from active USAF service. It was converted to an RF-101H unarmed reconnaissance aircraft and was assigned to theNevada Air National Guard,then in 1971 to theKentucky Air National Guard.It was withdrawn from service in 1979 and sent to AMARC for disposal.
78th FIS Republic F-84F Thunderstreak – AF Ser. No. 52-6718
78th FBS North American F-86F Sabre, AF Ser. No. 51-13234

Mission

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The mission of the 78th Attack Squadron is to maintain combat-ready Air Force Reservists to train and equip the Combat Air Forces to conduct Integrated and Expeditionary Combat Operations, as well as training operations, in the MQ-9 Reaper Remotely-Piloted Aircraft.

The squadron consists of RPA pilots, sensor operators and intelligence personnel integrated into Regular Air Force units within the432d Air Expeditionary WingatCreech Air Force Base,Nevada.

History

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The 78th was organized in 1917 atRich Field,Waco, Texasas a training unit. In February 1918 moved to Hicks Field,Fort Worth, Texasbefore being demobilized. In 1931, the 78th Pursuit Squadron was again activated and assigned to the20th Pursuit GroupatMather Field,Californiaflying single-seatBoeing P-12biplane fighters.

DuringWorld War IIthe unit was recognized and stationed in thePacific theaterwhere the unit flewP-39s,P-40s,andP-51s.With a combat record from the war of 200 enemy aircraft destroyed or damaged, versus the loss of only six aircraft assigned to the unit. The 78th received theDistinguished Unit Citationfor actions at the Musashino Plant,Tokyo,Japan,on 7 April 1945.

On 1 November 1952 the 78th Fighter Interceptor Squadron was reactivated, flyingF-86 Sabreaircraft as part of the81st Fighter-Interceptor Wing.In 1954 the 81st became a Fighter Bomber Wing and the assigned squadrons began flying theF-84 Thunderjet.Then in 1958, the 78th received its firstF-101 Voodooaircraft.

While flying theA-10 Thunderbolt IIatRAF Woodbridgethe squadron deployed toIncirlik Air BaseTurkeyin 1991, where it took part inOperation Provide Comfort.Later after inactivation and reactivation atShaw Air Force Baseand flying theF-16 Fighting Falcon,the 78th began a regular rotation of deployments to patrol the Northern and SouthernNo-Fly ZonesofIraq,the last of which took place in mid to late 2002, when they deployed toIncirlik Air Base,Turkey.The squadron also performed combat operations inKosovofrom March to June 1999.[1]

The 78th was prepared to again deploy to Turkey in preparation forOperation Iraqi Freedom,however, the Turkish government denied the use of its nation as a staging area against Iraq. Consequently, the 78th stood down and was inactivated in June 2003. The personnel andF-16CJ equipment of the 78th transferred to the55th Fighter Squadron.

In April 2006, the 78th was reactivated in theAir Force Reserve Commandand redesignated as the 78th Reconnaissance Squadron, with the unit flying the MQ-1 Predator. In July 2010, with the gaining of the MQ-9 Reaper mission, the unit was redesignated the 78th Attack Squadron.[2]

Lineage

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  • Organized as78th Aero Squadronon 28 February 1918
Redesignated,Squadron A, Hicks Field, TX,on 23 July 1918
Demobilized on 15 November 1918
  • Reconstituted, and consolidated (25 April 1933) with78th Observation Squadron,which was constituted on 18 October 1927
Redesignated78th Pursuit Squadronon 8 May 1929
Activated on 1 April 1931
Inactivated on 1 September 1937
  • Redesignated78th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor)on 22 December 1939
Activated on 1 February 1940
Redesignated:78th Fighter Squadronon 15 May 1942
Redesignated:78th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine,on 20 August 1943
Inactivated on 15 October 1946
  • Redesignated78th Fighter-Interceptor Squadronon 11 September 1952
Activated on 1 November 1952
Redesignated:78th Fighter-Bomber Squadronon 1 April 1954
Redesignated:78th Tactical Fighter Squadronon 8 July 1958
Inactivated on 1 May 1992
  • Redesignated78th Fighter Squadronon 22 December 1993
Activated on 1 January 1994
Inactivated on 30 June 2003
  • Redesignated78th Reconnaissance Squadronon 19 April 2006
Activated on 19 May 2006.
  • Redesignated78th Attack Squadronon 1 July 2010

[1]

Assignments

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Attached to81st Fighter-Interceptor Wing,c. 22 April 1954 – 7 February 1955

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Bases stationed

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[1]

Aircraft operated

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[1]

Operations

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[1]


See also

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References

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  1. ^abcdefAFHRA 78 RS Page[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^"Factsheets: 78th Attack Squadron".Archived fromthe originalon 16 February 2013.Retrieved8 November2013.
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