19th Fighter Squadron

19th Fighter Squadron
F-22A 03-4045 arriving at Hickam Field 2 July 2010
Active	14 June 1917 – 14 April 1919 1 October 1921 – 21 June 1922 1 May 1923 – 12 January 1946 1 April 1982 – 31 December 1993 1 January 1994 - present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter
Part of	Pacific Air Forces 15th Wing
Garrison/HQ	Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
Nickname(s)	"Gamecocks"
Engagements	World War I World War II Pearl Harbor Battle of Saipan Battle of Tinian Battle of Guam Operation Southern Watch
Decorations	AFOUA
Commanders
Current commander	Lieutenant Colonel Philip "Butcher" Lancaster
Insignia
19th Fighter Squadron emblem

The 19th Fighter Squadron (19 FS) is part of the 15th Wing at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

The squadron is one of the oldest in the United States Air Force, its origins dating to 14 June 1917, being organized at Kelly Field, Texas. It served overseas in France as part of the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I. The squadron saw combat during World War II, and became part of the Tactical Air Command (TAC) during the Cold War.

Mission

The 19th FS operates the F-22 Raptor aircraft conducting strategic attack, interdiction, offensive counterair (air-to-surface), suppression of enemy air defenses, as well as offensive and defensive counterair (air-to-air) missions.

History

World War I

Originally established as an Army Flying School Squadron, the 19th was based in Texas, Ohio, and New York for short periods before ending up at Clermont-Ferrand, France, to observe the French company Michelin's airplane manufacture and assembly procedures.^[1]

Inter-war years

Renamed the 19th Pursuit Squadron, the squadron flew from various locations in the Hawaiian Islands beginning in 1923.^[2]

World War II

19th Fighter Squadron P-47N Thunderbolt, Ie Shima Airfield, 1945

The squadron suffered six casualties as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on 7 December 1941, but no fatalities.^[1]

The squadron was then stationed aboard the USS Natoma Bay, off Saipan. Upon arriving, the 19th flew night and day missions, strafing and using general purpose bombs and rockets in support of advancing U.S. ground troops. Using homemade napalm bombs made out of napalm, gasoline, and oil placed inside fuel tanks, the 19th helped U.S. forces successfully invade and capture Saipan, Tinian, and Guam islands in only three months. The squadron's mission then changed to long-range bomber escort missions with occasional strike missions to nearby Pagan Island and Iwo Jima. The squadron then relocated to Okinawa, where the first 19 FS pilots were awarded their 'ace' rating. Later, in August 1945, after numerous aerial victories and assorted bombing missions, it participated in the Japanese surrender.^[1]

Cold War

F-16C Block 42F Fighting Falcon 89-2098 about 2000 at Shaw AFB

From 1982-1993, it trained for close air support, air-to-air superiority, and maintained a state of readiness to deploy worldwide.^[2] In June 1987, the 19th set a new world record for the number of F-16 sorties flown in one day with 160, besting the previous record of 144.^[1] In September 1992 the 19th deployed to Southwest Asia to fly combat air patrol missions to enforce terms of United Nations cease fire agreement following Operation Desert Storm.^[2]

Modern era

On 1 January 1994, the 19th took over personnel, facilities and equipment of 43d Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. It won the Hughes Trophy in recognition as the top air superiority squadron in the USAF for 2001. Since 1994, it has mobilized, deployed, and employed fighter aircraft worldwide to accomplish air superiority in support of warfighting commanders.

In 2010 the 19th became part of the 15th Wing at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The 19th FS is an associate unit with the Hawaii Air National Guard's 199th FS.

Lineage

Organized as 14th Aero Squadron (I)* on 14 June 1917

Redesignated 19th Aero Squadron on 26 June 1917

Demobilized on 14 April 1919

Reconstituted, and consolidated (20 December 1923) with 19th Squadron, which was authorized on 30 August 1921

Organized on 1 October 1921

Inactivated on 29 June 1922

Redesignated 19th Pursuit Squadron on 25 January 1923

Activated on 1 May 1923

Redesignated: 19th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 6 December 1939

Redesignated: 19th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942

Redesignated: 19th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 20 August 1943

Inactivated on 12 January 1946

Redesignated 19th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 11 December 1981

Activated on 1 April 1982

Redesignated: 19th Fighter Squadron on 1 November 1991

Inactivated on 31 December 1993

Activated on 1 January 1994.^[2]

* A later 14th Aero Squadron was activated at Rockwell Field, California on 14 August 1917. It was re-designated as Squadron A, Rockwell Field, Calif, on 23 July 1918. Today the squadron's lineage and history is held by the USAF 14th Bombardment Squadron, which was wiped out in the 1941/42 Battle of the Philippines.

Assignments

Unknown, 14 June 1917-February 1918
Seventh Aviation Instruction Center, February–December 1918
Unknown, January–April 1919
Ninth Corps Area, 1 October 1921 – 29 June 1922
17th Composite Group, 1 May 1923
5th Composite Group, 15 January 1924

18th Pursuit (later, 18th Fighter) Group, January 1927
318th Fighter Group, 16 March 1943 – 12 January 1946
363d Tactical Fighter (later, 363d Fighter) Wing, 1 April 1982
363d Operations Group, 1 May 1992 – 31 December 1993
3d Operations Group, 1 January 1994 – 2010
15th Operations Group, 2010–Present^[2]

Stations

Camp Kelly, Texas, 14 June 1917
Wilbur Wright Field, Ohio, 1 August 1917
Garden City, New York, 31 October – 3 December 1917
St Maxient, France, 1 January 1918
Clermont-Ferrand, France, 6 February 1918
Cenac-Bordeaux, France, c. 29 December 1918-c. 18 March 1919
Mitchel Field, New York, c. 5–14 April 1919
March Field, California, 1 October 1921 – 29 June 1922
Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii Territory, 1 May 1923
Luke Field, Hawaii Territory, 15 January 1924
Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii Territory, 11 January 1927
Bellows Army Airfield, Hawaii Territory, 20 February 1942
Kualoa Airfield, Hawaii Territory, 22 May 1942

Bellows Army Airfield, Hawaii Territory, 20 October 1942
Barbers Point, Hawaii Territory, 9 February 1943
Kipapa Airfield, Hawaii Territory, 30 May 1943
Stanley Army Airfield, Hawaii Territory, 4 September 1943
Kualoa Airfield, Hawaii Territory, 26 December 1943
Bellows Army Airfield, Hawaii Territory, 18 April 1944
East Field, Saipan, Mariana Islands, 29 June 1944
Ie Shima Airfield, Ryukyu Islands, 30 April 1945
Naha Airfield, Okinawa, November–December 1945
Fort Lewis, Washington, 11–12 January 1946
Shaw AFB, South Carolina, 1 April 1982 – 31 December 1993
Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, 1 January 1994 – 2010
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, 2010–Present^[2]

Aircraft

JN-6 (1921–1922, 1923–1926)
SE-5 (1921–1922, 1923–1926)
MB-3 (1923–1926)
DH-4 (1923–1926)
PW-9 (1927–1930)
P-12 (1931–1937, 1938–1941)
P-26 Peashooter (1938–1941)
P-36 Hawk (1938–1941)
A-12 Shrike (1938–1941)

BT-9 Yale (1938–1941)
OA-3 (1938–1941)
P-40 Warhawk (1941–1943)
P-47 Thunderbolt (1943–1945)
P-38 Lightning (1944–1945)
F-16 Fighting Falcon (1982–1993)
F-15 Eagle (1994–2010)
F-22 Raptor (2010- )^[2]

References

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

1 2 3 4 19 FS Fact Sheet
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 AFHRA 19 FS Page

Bibliography

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.
19th Fighter Squadron Fact Sheet

External links

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