44th Fighter Squadron History

44th Fighter Squadron

Lineage
Constituted 44th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 22 Nov 1940. Activated on 1 Jan 1941. Redesignated: 44th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942; 44th Fighter Squadron, Two Engine, on 26 Jan 1944; 44th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 6 May 1946; 44th Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 23 Dec 1949; 44th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 20 Jan 1950; 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul 1958; 44th Fighter Squadron on 1 Oct 1991.
Assignments
18th Pursuit (later, 18th Fighter) Group, 1 Jan 1941; 318th Fighter Group, 20 Oct 1942; South Pacific Area, 1 Dec 1942; Thirteenth Air Force, 4 Jan 1943; 18th Fighter (later, 18th Fighter-Bomber) Group, 30 Mar 1943 (attached to 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 25 Jul-30 Nov 1950; 6200th Air Base Wing, 1 Dec 1950-30 Jan 1953; Thirteenth Air Force, 31 Jan 1953- 10 Nov 1954 and 11 Dec 1954-4 Jan 1955; 6200th Air Base Wing, 5-27 Jan 1955; Air Task Group Fifth, Provisional, 27 Jan-16 Feb 1955; 6200th Air Base Wing, 17 Feb-14 Jul 1955; Air Task Force 13, Provisional, 3-30 Sep 1955; 314th Air Division, 15-18 Apr 1956; 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 Feb-30 Sep 1957); 18th Fighter-Bomber (later, 18th Tactical Fighter) Wing, 1 Oct 1957 (attached to 2d Air Division, 18 Dec 1964-25 Feb 1965, 21 Apr-23 Jun 1965, and 19-29 Oct 1965); 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, 25 Apr 1967 (attached to 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, 10-14 Oct 1969); 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 Oct 1969; Thirteenth Air Force, 10 Dec 1970; 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 Mar 1971 (attached to 3d Tactical Fighter Wing, 2 Apr-2 Jun 1972 and 28 Jul-8 Sep 1972; 327th Air Division, 6 Nov 1972-5 Aug 1973, 26 Aug-16 Sep 1973, 7-28 Oct 1973, 18 Nov- 9 Dec 1973, 30 Dec 1973-20 Jan 1974, 10 Feb-2 Mar 1974, 23 Mar-13 Apr 1974, 4-25 May 1974, 15 Jun-6 Jul 1974, 27 Jul-16 Aug 1974, 5 Sep- 17 Oct 1974,30 Nov 1974-9 Jan 1975, and 20 Feb-10 Apr 1975); 18th Tactical Fighter Group, 1 May 1978; 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, 11 Feb 1981; 18th Operations Group, 1 Oct 1991-.
Stations
Wheeler Field, TH, 1 Jan 1941; Bellows Field, TH, 7 Nov 1941; Wheeler Field, TH, 12 Dec 1941; Kaneohe, TH, 27 Dec 1941; Wheeler Field, TH, 25 Jan 1942; Bellows Field, TH, 23 Jun-23 Oct 1942; Efate, New Hebrides, 7 Nov 1942 (air echelon operated from Guadalcanal, 20 Dec 1942-20 Mar 1944); Espiritu Santo, 25 Oct 1943 (air echelon operated from Treasury Island, Solomon Islands, 20 Mar-25 Apr 1944, and from Guadalcanal, 11 May-16 Jul 1944); Guadalcanal, 17 Jul 1944; Cape Opmarai, New Guinea, 23 Aug 1944 (air echelon operated from Morotai, 7 Nov 1944- 16 Jan 1945); Lingayen, Luzon, 13 Jan 1945; San Jose, Mindoro, 26 Feb 1945 (air echelon operated from Palawan, 26 Apr-13 May 1945); Zamboanga, Mindanao, 4 May-Nov 1945; Puerto Princesa, Palawan, 10 Nov 1945; Florida Blanca, Luzon, 17 Jul 1946; Clark Field (later, AFB), Luzon, 3 Oct 1947 (deployed at Yonton Auxiliary AB, Okinawa, 11 Nov-11 Dec 1954; Tao Yuan AB, Formosa, 27 Jan-17 Feb 1955); Kadena AB, Okinawa, 15 Jul 1955 (deployed at Tao Yuan AB, Formosa, 3-30 Sep 1955; Pyongtaek AB, South Korea, 15-18 Apr 1956; and Korat RTAFB, Thailand, 18 Dec 1964-25 Feb 1965, 21 Apr-22 Jun 1965, and 10-29 Oct 1965); Korat RTAFB, Thailand 25 Apr 1967 (deployed at Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, 1-27 Feb 1969); Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, 10 Oct 1969-15 Mar 1971; Kadena AB, Okinawa (later, Japan), 15 Mar 1971- (deployed at Kunsan AB, South Korea, 2 Apr- 2 Jun 1972 and 28 Jul-8 Sep 1972; Ching Chaun Kang AB, Taiwan, 6 Nov 1972-5 Aug 1973, 26 Aug-16 Sep 1973, 7-28 Oct 1973, 18 Nov-9 Dec 1973, 30 Dec 1973-20 Jan 1974, 10 Feb-2 Mar 1974, 23 Mar-13 Apr 1974, 4-25 May 1974, 15 Jun-6 Jul 1974, 27 Jul-16 Aug 1974, 5 Sep-17 Oct 1974, 30 Nov 1974-9 Jan 1975, and 20 Feb-10 Apr 1975).
Aircraft
P-40, 1941-1942, 1943; P-38, 1943-1946; P (later, F)-51, 1946-1947, 1948-1950; P-47, 1946-1947, 1947-1948; P-80,1946-1947, 1949-1954; F-86, 1954-1957; F-100, 1957-1964; F-105, 1963-1966, 1967-1970; F-4, 1971-1980; F-15, 1979-.
Operations
Flew patrols over the Pacific from Hawaii, 7 Dec 1941-Oct 1942. Combat in the South and Southwest Pacific, 21 Dec 1942-15 Aug 1945. Combat in Southeast Asia, 18 Dec 1964-25 Feb 1965, 21 Apr-22 Jun 1965, 19-29 Oct 1965, and 25 Apr 1967-6 Oct 1970. Unmanned, 31 Dec 1966-24 Apr 1967 and Nov 1970-15 May 1971. Air defense of Okinawa and Japan, 1971-.
Honors
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Guadalcanal; Northern Solomons; Bismarck Archipelago; New Guinea; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; Central Pacific; Western Pacific; China Defensive. Vietnam: Vietnam Advisory; Vietnam Defensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/ Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall, 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Award: Philippine Islands, 10-11 Nov 1944. Presidential Unit Citations: Southeast Asia, 22 Apr-23 Jun 1965 and 22-28 Oct 1965; Southeast Asia, 25 Apr-1 May 1967. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat "V" Device: 1 Aug 1964-5 Jun 1965; 25 Apr-30 Jun 1967; 1 Jul 1967-30 Jun 1968; 1 Jul 1968-15 Sep 1969; 15 Oct 1969-24 Nov 1970. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Dec 1959-30 Nov 1960; 1 Sep 1962-31 Aug 1963; 6 Jun 1965-31 Dec 1966; 1 Sep 1978-30 Sep 1979; 1 Oct 1979-31 May 1980; 1 Jul 1981-31 May 1983; 1 Jun 1983-31 May 1984; 1 Jul 1984-31 May 1986; 1 Jun 1987-31 May 1989; 1 Jun 1989- 31 May 1991. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII). Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 7 Mar 1967-15 Mar 1971.
Emblem
A bat's head affronte, with leering expression, Black, with Yellow and Red detail, between two wings, expanded and inverted, Red, with ribs Black. Approved on 18 Feb 1942 (49004 A.C.).

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