357th Fighter Squadron
Lineage
Constituted 357th Fighter Squadron, and activated, on 12 Nov 1942. Redesignated 357th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 20 Aug 1943. Inactivated on 20 Nov 1946. Redesignated 357th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 11 Sep 1952. Activated on 1 Nov 1952. Discontinued on 8 Mar 1960. Redesignated 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 13 Apr 1962. Organized on 8 Jul 1962. Inactivated on 10 Dec 1970. Activated on 15 Mar 1971. Redesignated: 357th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 1 Jul 1976; 357th Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991.
Assignments
355th Fighter Group, 12 Nov 1942–20 Nov 1946. 4704th Defense Wing, 1 Nov 1952; 503d Air Defense Group, 16 Feb 1953; Seventeenth Air Force, 1 Jun 1953 (attached to Air Defense Division, Provisional, 8 Jun–17 Sep 1953); 316th Air Division, 18 Sep 1953–8 Mar 1960. Tactical Air Command, 13 Apr 1962; 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, 8 Jul 1962 (probably attached to 41st Air Division, 9 Aug–c. 9 Dec 1964; probably attached to 6234th Tactical Fighter Wing, 12 Jun–8 Nov 1965); 835th Air Division, 8 Nov 1965 (attached to 23d Tactical Fighter Wing, c. 8 Nov 1965–28 Jan 1966); 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, 29 Jan 1966–10 Dec 1970. 23d Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 Mar 1971; 4453d Combat Crew Training Wing, 22 Mar 1971; 355th Tactical Fighter (later, 355th Tactical Training; 355th Fighter) Wing, 1 Jul 1971; 355th Operations Group, 1 May 1992–.
Stations
Orlando, FL, 12 Nov 1942; Norfolk Muni Aprt, VA, 18 Feb 1943; Langley Field, VA, 4 Mar 1943; Millville AAfld, NJ, 27 Apr 1943; Philadelphia Muni Aprt, PA, 17 May–16 Jun 1943; Steeple Morden, England, 8 Jul 1943; Gablingen, Germany, 17 Jul 1945; Schweinfurt, Germany, 15 Apr–1 Aug 1946; Mitchel Field, NY, 1 Aug–20 Nov 1946. Portland Intl Aprt, OR, 1 Nov 1952–14 Mar 1953; Nouasseur AB, French Morocco (later, Morocco), 28 May 1953–8 Mar 1960. George AFB, CA, 8 Jul 1962; McConnell AFB, KS, 21 Jul 1964 (deployed at Yokota AB, Japan, c. 9 Aug–c. 9 Dec 1964; Korat RTAFB, Thailand, c. 12 Jun–c. 8 Nov 1965); Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, 29 Jan 1966–10 Dec 1970. McConnell AFB, KS, 15 Mar 1971; Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 22 Mar 1971–.
Aircraft
P–47, 1943–1944; P–51, 1944–1946. F–86, 1952–1960. F–105, 1962–1970. F–4, 1971; A–7, 1971–1979; A–10, 1979–.
Operations
Combat in ETO, 14 Sep 1943–25 Apr 1945. Combat in Southeast Asia, c. 13 Jun–c. 7 Nov 1965 and 8 Feb 1966–6 Oct 1970. Trained A–7 aircrews, Jul 1976–Oct 1979 and A–10 aircrews, Oct 1979–c. Oct 1991.
Honors
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Vietnam: Vietnam Defensive; Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; 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.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany, 5 Apr 1944. Presidential Unit Citations (Southeast Asia): 11 Jun–21 Nov 1965; 29 Jan–10 Oct 1966; 11–12 Aug and 24–28 Oct 1967; 12 Apr 1968–30 Apr 1969. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat "V" Device: 12 Oct 1966–11 Apr 1967; 12 Apr 1967–11 Apr 1968; 1 Jul 1969–24 Nov 1970. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1971–1 Jun 1973; 1 Oct 1976–31 May 1978; 1 Jan 1991–31 Dec 1992. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 1966–10 Dec 1970.
Emblem
On a deep Yellow disc, piped Black, a Black striking dragon’s head, trimmed White, eye and tongue Red. Approved on 29 Jun 1943 (45450 A.C.).
Source: Organizational History Branch , maxwell.af.mil/au/afhra