Established as an Army Air Corps fighter squadron in January 1941; assigned to the Northeast Air District with P-40s and P-39s as part of the defense buildup prior to the United States entry into World War II. Was deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO), assigned to VIII Fighter Command in August 1942. It's P-39 Aircobras were deemed unsuitable for the environment for escort duty; was re-equipped with Supermarine Spitfires and was trained by the Royal Air Force. Flew some escort missions with VIII Bomber Command B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators during the fall of 1942.
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| - 5th Flying Training Squadron
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| - Established as an Army Air Corps fighter squadron in January 1941; assigned to the Northeast Air District with P-40s and P-39s as part of the defense buildup prior to the United States entry into World War II. Was deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO), assigned to VIII Fighter Command in August 1942. It's P-39 Aircobras were deemed unsuitable for the environment for escort duty; was re-equipped with Supermarine Spitfires and was trained by the Royal Air Force. Flew some escort missions with VIII Bomber Command B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators during the fall of 1942.
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| - --01-15
- --02-16
- --04-01
- --11-09
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| - Established as an Army Air Corps fighter squadron in January 1941; assigned to the Northeast Air District with P-40s and P-39s as part of the defense buildup prior to the United States entry into World War II. Was deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO), assigned to VIII Fighter Command in August 1942. It's P-39 Aircobras were deemed unsuitable for the environment for escort duty; was re-equipped with Supermarine Spitfires and was trained by the Royal Air Force. Flew some escort missions with VIII Bomber Command B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators during the fall of 1942. Was sent to North Africa in late 1942 as part of the Operation Torch invasion forces, taking up station in Algeria. Was reassigned to Twelfth Air Force and flew both fighter escort missions for the B-17 Flying Fortresses operating from Algeria as well as tactical interdiction strikes on enemy targets of opportunity in Algeria and Tunisia during the North African Campaign. Following the German defeat and withdrawal from North Africa the squadron participated in the Allied Invasion of Sicily and Invasion of Italy and subsequent drive of the United States Fifth Army up the Italian Peninsula. Engaged primarily in tactical operations after November 1943, supporting ground forces and attacking enemy targets of opportunity such as railroads, road convoys, bridges, strafing enemy airfields and other targets. Was deployed to Corsica in 1944 to attack enemy targets in support of Free French forces in the liberation of the island and to support Allied Forces in the invasion of Southern France. Continued offensive operations until the German Capitulation in May 1945. Returned to the United States and was demobilized during the summer and fall 1945 and inactivated.
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