8th Flying Training Squadron

"8th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron" redirects here. For the 8th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron of 1945, see 308th Air Refueling Squadron.

8th Flying Training Squadron
T-6 Texan IIs from Vance AFB
Active	1942–1951; 1972–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Pilot Training
Part of	Air Education and Training Command
Garrison/HQ	Vance Air Force Base
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Insignia
8th Flying Training Squadron emblem (approved 28 July 1990)^[1]^{[note 1]}
8th Flying Training Squadron emblem (approved 2 January 1973)^[2]

The 8th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 71st Flying Training Wing based at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the T-6A Texan II aircraft conducting flight training.

Mission

Performs Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training with T-6A Texan II trainers.

History

Activated in early 194 under Fourth Air Force; after a brief organizational period in Southern California where it was equipped with reconnaissance P-38 Lightnings (F-4) it deployed to the Southwest Pacific Area (SPA), being assigned to Fifth Air Force in Australia.

Engaged in long-range tactical reconnaissance missions over New Guinea; later the Dutch East Indies and in late 1944, over the Philippines in support of Mac Arthur's Island-Hopping campaign (1942–1945). After the Japanese capitulation in August 1945, became part of the Army of Occupation in Japan. It was not operational between April 1946 and July 1947.

From 1947–1949 flew photographic mapping missions over Japan, Korea, Philippines and other areas of western Pacific.^[3]^[4] During the Korean War, the squadron flew tactical reconnaissance sorties over North and South Korea from, 29 June 1950 – 24 February 1951.

The 8th has conducted undergraduate pilot training for active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and selected foreign allies since 1 November 1972.^[1] Since the mid-1990s, the squadron has also conducted joint primary flight training for selected US Navy and US Marine Corps student naval aviators, with command of the squadron alternating between Air Force officers in the rank of lieutenant colonel and Navy officers in the ranks of commander.^[1]

Lineage

Constituted as the 8th Photographic Squadron on 19 Jan 1942

Activated 1 Feb 1942

Redesignated 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 9 Jun 1942

Redesignated 8th Photographic Squadron (Light) on 6 Feb 1943

Redesignated 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 13 Nov 1943

Redesignated 8th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Night Photographic on 10 Aug 1948

Redesignated 8th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Photo-Jet on 1 Aug 1949

Inactivated on 25 Feb 1951

Redesignated 8th Flying Training Squadron on 14 Apr 1972

Activated on 1 Nov 1972^[1]

Assignments

IV Air Support Command, 1 Feb 1942
Fifth Air Force, 29 Mar 1942 (attached to Allied Air Forces, Apr – Sep 1942)
V Bomber Command, 5 Sep 1942
6th Photographic (later, 6th Reconnaissance) Group, 13 Nov 1943 (attached to V Bomber Command after c. 10 Dec 1945)
V Bomber Command, 27 Apr 1946
314th Composite Wing, 31 May 1946
71st Reconnaissance Group (later, 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group), 28 Feb 1947 (attached to 314th Composite Wing until Nov 1947)
Fifth Air Force, 1 Apr 1949
543d Tactical Support Group, 26 Sep 1950 – 25 Feb 1951
71st Flying Training Wing, 1 Nov 1972
71st Operations Group, 15 Dec 1991 – present^[1]

Stations

March Field, California, 1 Feb – 14 Mar 1942

Two flights remained at March Field, CA, to 16 Jun 1942

Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Australia, 7 Apr 1942
Archerfield Airport (Brisbane), Australia, 24 Apr 1942
Charters Towers Airfield, Australia, 2 May 1942
Kila Airfield (3 Mile Drome), Port Moresby, New Guinea, 9 Sep 1942
Nadzab Airfield, New Guinea, 16 Mar 1944

Operated from Biak after c. 11 Aug 1944

Mokmer Airfield, Biak, 10 Sep – 20 Oct 1944
Dulag Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, 4 Nov 1944

Air Echelon assigned to Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, 19 May – 12 Aug 1945

Motobu Airfield, Okinawa, 21 Jul 1945
Chōfu Airfield, Japan, 28 Sep 1945
Irumagawa Air Base, Japan, 25 Jan 1946
Yokota Air Base, Japan, 25 Mar 1949

Detachment operated from Itazuke Air Base, Japan, from 29 Jun 1950

Itazuke Air Base, Japan, 9 Jul 1950
Taegu Air Base (K-2), South Korea, 2 Oct 1950
Komaki Air Base, Japan

Operated from Taegu Air Base (K-2), South Korea, 26 Jan – 25 Feb 1951

Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 1 Nov 1972 – present^[1]

Aircraft

F-4 Lightning (1942–1944)
F-5 Lightning (1943–1946)
B-17 Flying Fortress (1942–1943)
B-26 Marauder (1943–1944)
F-6 Mustang (1946)

P-51 Mustang (1946)
P-61 Black Widow (1946)
F-15A/RF-61C Reporter (1947–1949)
RF-80 Shooting Star (1949–1951)
T-37 Tweet (1972–2006)
T-6 Texan II (2006 – present)^[1]

Notable Members

Jeffrey B. Cashman, future Brigadier General.
Fred Hargesheimer, pilot turned philanthropist to those who saved his life after he was shot down.
James P. Ulm, future Brigadier General.

References

Notes

↑ This emblem was based on a World War II emblem that apparently never received official approval. Maurer, pp. 48-49, cf. Endicott, p. 394.

Citations

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Kane, Robert B. (March 16, 2010). "Factsheet 8 Flying Training Squadron (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
↑ Endicott, p. 394
↑ Pape & Donna Campbell
↑ Maurer, pp. 48-49

Bibliography

Endicott, Judy G. (1998). Active Air Force Wings as of 1 October 1995 and USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995 (PDF). Air Force History and Museums Program. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ASIN B000113MB2. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
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.
Pape, Garry R.; Campbell, John M.; Campbell, Donna (1991). Northrop P-61 Black Widow: The Complete History and Combat Record. Minneapolis, MN: Motorbooks International. ISBN 978-0-879385-09-5.

Further reading

Stanaway, John and Bob Rocker. The Eight Ballers: Eyes of the Fifth Air Force. The 8th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron in World War II. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0-7643-0910-2.

Air Education and Training Command (AETC)

Air Forces	Second Nineteenth Air University

Bases	Altus Columbus Goodfellow Gunter Annex Keesler Lackland Laughlin Luke Maxwell Randolph Sheppard Tyndall Vance

Wings	12th Flying Training 14th Flying Training 17th Training 33d Fighter 37th Training 42d Air Base 47th Flying Training 56th Fighter 58th Special Operations 59th Medical 71st Flying Training 80th Flying Training 81st Training 82d Training 97th Air Mobility 314th Airlift 502d Air Base

Groups	336th Training Group 381st Training Group

United States Air Force

Leadership

Structure

Commands	Reserve Air National Guard Field Operating Agencies Installations

Direct Reporting Units	District of Washington Operational Test and Evaluation Center USAF Academy

Major Commands	Air Combat Air Education and Training Air Mobility Global Strike Materiel Reserve Space Special Operations Europe & Africa Pacific

Numbered Air Forces	First Second Third Fourth Fifth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Fourteenth Seventeenth Eighteenth Nineteenth Twentieth Twenty-Second Twenty-Third Twenty-Fourth Twenty-Fifth

Wings ANG Groups ANG Squadrons ANG Security forces Civilian auxiliary: Civil Air Patrol

Personnel and
training

Uniforms and
equipment

History and
traditions

Category
Portal

USAAF Fifth Air Force in World War II

Previously: Philippine Department Air Force (1941); Far East Air Force (1941-1942)

Airfields

Pacific	USAAF in Australia USAAF in the Southwest Pacific USAAF in Okinawa

Units

Commands

Wings

Groups

Air Commando	3d Air Commando

Bombardment	3d Bombardment 7th Bombardment 19th Bombardment 22d Bombardment 27th Bombardment 38th Bombardment 43d Bombardment 90th Bombardment 312th Bombardment 345th Bombardment 380th Bombardment 417th Bombardment

Combat Cargo	2d Combat Cargo

Fighter	8th Fighter 24th Pursuit 35th Fighter 49th Fighter 58th Fighter 348th Fighter 475th Fighter

Reconnaissance	6th Reconnaissance 71st Reconnaissance

Troop Carrier	317th Troop Carrier 374th Troop Carrier 375th Troop Carrier 433d Troop Carrier

Squadrons

Bombardment	31st Bombardment

Night Fighter	418th Night Fighter 421st Night Fighter 547th Intelligence

Reconnaissance	2d Observation 8th Photographic Reconnaissance 36th Photographic Reconnaissance

Troop Carrier	21st Troop Carrier 22d Troop Carrier 65th Troop Carrier 66th Troop Carrier

United States Army Air Forces

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