Lineage. Constituted 74 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 17 Dec 1941. Redesignated 74 Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942. Activated on 4 Jul 1942. Redesignated 74 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 28 Feb 1944. Inactivated on 5 Jan 1946. Activated on 10 Oct 1946. Inactivated on 24 Sep 1949. Redesignated 74 Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 19 Dec 1950. Activated on 12 Jan 1951. Inactivated on 25 Jun 1958. Redesignated 74 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 18 May 1972. Activated on 1 Jul 1972. Redesignated 74 Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991. Inactivated on 15 Feb 1992. Activated on 15 Jun 1993.
Assignments. 23 Fighter Group, 4 Jul 1942-5 Jan 1946. 23 Fighter Group, 10 Oct 1946-24 Sep 1949. 23 Fighter-Interceptor Group, 12 Jan 1951; 4711 Defense Wing, 6 Feb 1952; 528 Air Defense Group, 16 Feb 1953; 64 Air Division, 21 Aug 1954; 4734 Air Defense Group, 1 Apr 1957; 64 Air Division, 1 May-25 Jun 1958. 23 Tactical Fighter (later, 23 Fighter) Wing, 1 Jul 1972-15 Feb 1992 (attached to 354 Tactical Fighter Wing, 2 Jul-28 Dec 1973 and to Tactical Fighter Wing, 23, Provisional, 20 Dec 1990-20 Apr 1991). 23 Operations (later, 23 Fighter) Group, 15 Jun 1993-.
Stations. Kunming, China, 4 Jul 1942; Yunnani, China, 12 Mar 1943; Kweilin, China, 19 May 1943 (detachment operated from Liuchow, China, 16 Feb-30 Apr 1944); Luliang, China, 12 Sep 1944 (detachment operated from Tushan, China, Mar-Aug 1945); Liuchow, China, c. Aug 1945; Hangchow, China, c. 15 Oct-4 Dec 1945; Ft Lewis, WA, 3-5 Jan 1946. Northwest Field (later, Northwest Guam AFB), Guam, 10 Oct 1946-3 Apr 1949; Howard AFB, CZ, 25 Apr-24 Sep 1949. Presque Isle AFB, ME, 12 Jan 1951-19 Aug 1954; Thule AB, Greenland, 20 Aug 1954-25 Jun 1958. England AFB, LA, 1 Jul
1972-15 Feb 1992 (deployed at Korat RTAFB, Thailand, 2 Jul-28 Dec 1973 and to King Fahd Aprt, Saudi Arabia, 29 Aug 1990-20 Apr 1991). Pope AFB, NC, 15 Jun 1993-.
Commanders. Maj Frank Schiel Jr., 4 Jul 1942; Maj Albert J. Baulmer, Dec 1942; Maj John D. Lombard, c. Mar 1943; Lt Col Norval C. Bonawitz, 7 Jul 1943; Maj Arthur W. Cruickshank, 15 May 1944; Maj John C. Herbst, 1944; Maj Philip G. Chapman, Feb 1945; Maj Floyd Finberg, Mar 1945; Maj Bruce Downs, Jun 1945; Maj Julius C. Lowell, Sep 1945-unkn. Maj John C. Haygood, 10 Oct 1946; Maj Joseph H. Griffin, 8 Nov 1947; Lt Col Charles E. Parsons, 1 Jan 1948; Capt Gardner E. Cole, 7 Dec 1948; Capt Adolph J. Bregar, c. Apr-24 Sep 1949. Capt John P. Wilson, 12 Jan 1951; Lt Col William B. Hawkins Jr., 13 Jan 1951; Maj Dudley M. Watson, c. May 1952; Capt Charles B. Morfit, 23 Jun 1952; Lt Col Richard L. Crutcher Jr., 23 Jul 1952; Lt Col Fred J. Wolfe, 19 Aug 1955; Lt Col Walter A. Smith Jr., 19 May 1956; Maj James A. Kyle, 1957-25 Jun 1958. Lt Col Clarence P. Bell, 1 Jul 1972; Lt Col Larry K. Barton, 23 Jul 1974; Lt Col Roy H. Boone, 16 Jun 1976; Lt Col Robert I. Bond, 17 May 1978; Lt Col Fred C. Boli, 26 Sep 1979; Lt Col John M. Roberson, 24 Nov 1979; Lt Col Robert A. Heston, 30 Nov 1981; Lt Col Richard C. Lemon, 18 Nov 1983; Lt Col Bobby D. Buffkin, 15 Nov 1985; Lt Col Robert O. Williams, 5 Oct 1987; Lt Col Phillip S. Williams, 17 Oct 1989-unkn. Lt Col Dana T. Atkins, 15 Jun 1993; Lt Col Michael V. Ely, 1 Jul 1994; Lt Col Timothy B. Vigil, 10 Jul 1996; Lt Col John F. Bingaman, 3 Jul 1997; Lt Col Charles L. Schneider, 7 Apr 1999; Lt Col Arden B. Dahl, 26 Mar 2001; Lt Col Charles C. Floyd, 12 Jul 2002; Lt Col Jeffrey L. Cowan, 26 Apr 2004; Lt Col Russell Myers, 1 Oct 2006-.
Aircraft. P-40, 1942-1944; P-51, 1944-1945. P-47, 1946-1949; RF-80, 1949. F-86, 1951-1952; F-89, 1952; F-94, 1952-1953; F-89, 1953-1958. A-7, 1972-1981; A-10, 1980-1992. F-16, 1993-1996; A/OA-10, 1996-.
Operations. Combat in China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater, 16 Jul 1942-10 Aug 1945. Air defense, 1946-1949 and 1951-1958. Combat in Southeast Asia, 8 Jul-15 Aug 1973. Combat in Southwest Asia, Jan-Feb 1991. Rotated personnel and equipment to Southwest Asia in support of various operations, 1994-2003. Trained and maintained combat-ready aircraft and personnel, 2006-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: India-Burma; China Defensive; Western Pacific; China Offensive. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Hunan Province, China, 17-25 Jun 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1980-30 Jun 1981; 1 Jul 1981-30 Jun 1983; 1 Apr 1989-31 Mar 1991; 31 May 1995-31 Mar 1997; 1 Jun 1997-31 May 1999; 24 Mar-10 Jun 1999; 1 Jun 2000-31 May 2002; 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2003. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, 2 Jul-21 Dec 1972.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 10 Dec 2007.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 30 Nov 2007.
Supersedes published information contained in: Judy G. Endicott (ed.), USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995 (Washington: USGPO, 1999).
Emblem. Approved on 4 May 1979.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.