Lineage. Constituted as 63 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated as: 63 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) (Twin Engine) on 31 Jan 1942; 63 Fighter Squadron (Twin Engine) on 15 May 1942; 63 Fighter Squadron on 1 Jun 1942; 63 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 28 Feb 1944. Inactivated on 18 Oct 1945. Activated on 1 May 1946. Redesignated as: 63 Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, on 24 Apr 1947; 63 Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 14 Jun 1948; 63 Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 Jan 1950. Inactivated on 8 Jan 1958. Redesignated as 63 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 12 May 1975. Activated on 30 Jun 1975. Redesignated as: 63 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 1 Oct 1981; 63 Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991. Inactivated on 30 Sep 2009. Activated on 1 Aug 2016.
Assignments. 56 Pursuit (later, 56 Fighter) Group, 15 Jan 1941–18 Oct 1945. 56 Fighter (later, 56 Fighter-Interceptor) Group, 1 May 1946; 4708 Defense Wing, 6 Feb 1952; 4706 Defense Wing, 1 Jul 1952; 527 Air Defense Group, 16 Feb 1953; 56 Fighter Group, 18 Aug 1955–8 Jan 1958. 56 Tactical Fighter (later, 56 Tactical Training; 56 Fighter) Wing, 30 Jun 1975; 56 Operations Group, 1 Nov 1991; 58 Operations Group, 25 Feb 1993; 56 Operations Group, 1 Apr 1994–30 Sep 2009. 56 Operations Group, 1 Aug 2016-.
Stations. Savannah AB, GA, 15 Jan 1941; Charlotte AAB, NC, 26 May 1941 (deployed at Myrtle Beach, SC, Oct–Nov 1941); Myrtle Beach, SC, c. 10 Dec 1941; Farmingdale, NY, 15 Jan 1942; Bridgeport Muni Aprt, CT, 2 Sep–27 Dec 1942; Wittering, England, 12 Jan 1943; Horsham St Faith, England, 5 Apr 1943; Halesworth, England, 9 Jul 1943; Boxted, England, 19 Apr 1944; Little Walden, England, c. 15 Sep–11 Oct 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 16–18 Oct 1945. Selfridge Field (later, AFB), MI, 1 May 1946; Oscoda (later, Wurtsmith) AFB, MI, c. 5 Jan 1951; O’Hare Intl Aprt, IL, 18 Aug 1955–8 Jan 1958. MacDill AFB, FL, 30 Jun 1975; Luke AFB, AZ, 25 Feb 1993–30 Sep 2009. Luke AFB, AZ, 1 Aug 2016-.
Commanders. Unkn, 15 Jan 1941-unkn; Maj Philip E. Tukey Jr., by Jun 1942; Maj Sylvester V. Burke, 30 Sep 1943; Maj Gerald W. Johnson, 22 Feb 1944; Maj Robert A. Lamb, 28 Mar 1944; Maj Don M. Goodfleisch, 29 May 1944; Capt Joseph L. Egan Jr., 17 Jul 1944; unkn, 20-21 Jul 1944; Maj Harold E. Comstock, 22 Jul 1944; Maj Paul A. Conger, 20 Jan 1945; Maj George E. Bostwick, 19 Mar 1945-unkn. Unkn, 1-16 May 1946; Maj George W. Orr, 17 May 1946; Lt Col John S. Loisel, May 1947-unkn; Maj Wiliam L. Jacobsen, by Dec 1948; Maj Charles J. Bowers, c. 15 Sep 1949; Maj William B. Hawkins Jr., by Dec 1949; Lt Col Charles W. King, by Jun 1950; Maj William F. Shaeffer, c. 1951; Capt Morris B. Pitts, by Apr 1952; Lt Col William F. Shaeffer, c. Apr 1952-unk; Lt Col J. T. Jarman, by Apr 1957-unkn; none (not manned), 1 Nov 1957-8 Jan 1958. Lt Col Lawrence R. Brehm, 30 Jun 1975; Lt Col Jerome D. Siderius, 10 Apr 1976; Lt Col Lester P. Brown, 25 Jun 1977; Lt Col Robert W. Lambert, 4 May 1979; Lt Col Gary G. Nelson, 1 May 1981; Lt Col Robert W. Highley, 6 May 1983; Lt Col Edward A. Hopler, Jun 1984; Lt Col Bruce R. Lamping, May 1986; Lt Col Billy J. Hall Jr., Jun 1988; Lt Col William T. Edwards, 5 Jul 1990; Lt Col Ronald E. Fly, 17 Jul 1992; Lt William H. Christian Jr., 12 Mar 1993; Lt Col Gary D. Brunner, 1 Jul 1994; Lt Col Thomas J. Schrader, 17 May 1996; Lt Col Philip M. Rhulman, 12 Jun 1997; Lt Col Robert R. Topp, 15 Jun 1999; Lt Col Michael J. Stuart, 26 Jan 2001; Lt Col Todd P. Harmer, 4 Jun 2002; Lt Col Scott L. Pleus, 25 Jun 2004; Lt Col Jeffrey C. Lovelace, 25 May 2006; Lt Col Jack W. Maixner, May 2008-30 Sep 2009. Lt Col Matthew J. Vedder, 1 Aug 2016-.
Aircraft. P–35, 1941; P–36, 1941; P–39, 1941–1952; P–40, 1941–1942; P–47, 1942, 1943–1945. P–47, 1946–1947; P–51, 1946–1947; P (later, F)–80, 1947–1950; F–86, 1950–1954, 1955–1957; F–89, 1955–1958. F–4, 1975–1981; F–16, 1981–2009. F-35, Feb 2017-.
Operations. Air defense and operational training unit, 1942. Combat in the European Theater of Operations (ETO), 13 Apr 1943–21 Apr 1945. Replacement training for F-4 aircrews with a combat-ready commitment, 1975–1981. Conducted qualification training for USAF student pilots and transition training for pilots in F-16 aircraft, 1981-2009. F-35 student pilot training, 2017.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: ETO, 20 Feb–9 Mar 1944; Holland, 18 Sep
1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan 1977–1 Jan 1979; 1 Jul 1980–30 Jun 1982; 1 Jun 1984–31 May 1986; 1 May 1987–30 Apr 1989; 1 May 1989–30 Apr 1990; 1 May 1990–30 Apr 1991; 25 Feb 1993-31 Mar 1994; 1 Jul 1994-30 Jun 1996; 1 Jul 1996-30 Jun 1998; 1 Jul 1998-30 Jun 2000; 1 Jul 2001-30 Jun 2003; 1 Jun 2003-30 Jun 2005; 1 Jul 2005-30 Jun 2006; 1 Jul 2006-30 Jun 2007; 1 Jul 2007-30 Jun 2008.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, Commanders, and Honors through 24 Jan 2017.
Aircraft, and Operations through Feb 2009.
Supersedes statement prepared on 1 Aug 2016.
Emblem. Originally approved on 26 Jan 1956; newest rendition approved on 2 Mar 1995.
Prepared by Carl E. Bailey.