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.).
Source: Organizational History Branch , maxwell.af.mil/au/afhra