357th Fighter Squadron

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 357th Fighter Squadron


caption= 357th Fighter Squadron Patch
dates= 12 November 1942 - 20 November 1946
1 November 1952 - 8 March 1960
8 July 1962 - 10 December 1970
15 March 1971 - Present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch=United States Air Force
type= Fighter Training
role=
size=
command_structure= Air Combat Command
12th Air Force
355th Fighter Wing
355th Operations Group
current_commander=
garrison= Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
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battles=
notable_commanders=
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The 357th Fighter Squadron (357 FS) is part of the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducting close air support missions.

Mission

The 357th conducts all formal course directed aircraft transition, day and night weapons and tactics employment, day and night air refueling, and dissimilar air combat maneuvers. The squadron trains pilots to plan, coordinate, execute, and control day and night close air support, air interdiction and battlefield surveillance and reconnaissance. [http://www.dm.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4332 355 OG Fact Sheet] ]

History

The 357th flew combat missions in the European Theater of Operations from, 14 September 1943–25 April 1945 and in Southeast Asia from, c. 13 June–c. 7 November 1965 and 8 February 1966–6 October 1970. [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0357fs.html AFHRA 357 FS Page] ]

It trained A-7 Corsair II aircrews from, July 1976–October 1979 and A-10 Thunderbolt II aircrews from, October 1979-c. October 1991.

=Operations=

*World War II
*Vietnam War

=Lineage=

*357th Fighter Squadron (1942 - 1943)
*357th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine (1943 - 1952)
*357th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (1957 - 1962)
*357th Tactical Fighter Squadron (1962 - 1976)
*357th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (1976 - 1991)
*357th Fighter Squadron (1991 - Present)

=Assignments=

*355th Fighter Group (1942 - 1946)
*4704th Defense Wing (1952 - 1953)
*503d Air Defense Group (1953)
*7th Air Force (1953)
**Attached: Air Defense Division, Provisional (8 June - 17 September 1953)
*316th Air Division (1953 - 1960)
*Tactical Air Command (1962)
*355th Tactical Fighter Wing (1962 - 1965)
*835th Air Division (1965 - 1966)
**Attached: 23d Tactical Fighter Wing (c. 8 November 1965 - 28 January 1966)
*355th Tactical Fighter Wing (1966 - 1970)
*23d Tactical Fighter Wing (1971)
*4453d Combat Crew Training Wing (1971)
*355th Fighter Wing (1971 - Present)

=Bases stationed=

*Orlando, Florida (1942 - 1943)
*Norfolk Municipal Airport, Virginia (1943)
*Langley Field, Virginia (1943)
*Millville, New Jersey (1943)
*Philadelphia Municipal Airport, Pennsylvania (1943)
*RAF Steeple Morden, England (1943 - 1945)
*Gablingen, Germany (1945)
*Schweinfurt, Germany (1945 - 1946)
*Mitchel Field, New York (1946)
*Portland International Airport, Oregon (1952 - 1953)
*Nouasseur Air Base, Morocco (1953 - 1960)
*George Air Force Base, California (1962 - 1964)
*McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas (1964 - 1966)
**Deployed: Yokota Air Base, Japan (c. 9 August - c. 9 December 1964)
**Deployed: Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand (c. 12 June - c. 8 November 1965)
*Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand (1966 - 1970)
*McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas (1971)
*Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona (1971 - Present)

=Aircraft Operated=

*P-47 Thunderbolt (1943 - 1944)
*P-51 Mustang (1944 - 1946)
*F-86 Sabre (1952 - 1960)
*F-105 Thunderchief (1962 - 1970)
*F-4 Phantom II (1971)
*A-7 Corsair II (1971 - 1979)
*A-10 Thunderbolt II (1979 - Present)

References

Notes

Bibliography

* [http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0357fs.html USAF 357th Fighter Squadron History]
* [http://www.dm.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4332 355th Operations Group Fact Sheet]

Also See