417 Test and Evaluations Squadron (ACC)

Lineage.  Constituted as 417 Night Fighter Squadron on 17 Feb 1943.  Activated on 20 Feb 1943.  Inactivated on 9 Nov 1946.  Redesignated as 417 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 15 Nov 1952.  Activated on 1 Jan 1953.  Redesignated as 417 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 Jul 1958.  Inactivated on 30 Apr 1977.  Activated on 1 Oct 1978.  Inactivated on 15 Sep 1987.  Redesignated as 417 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 15 Sep 1989.  Activated on 5 Oct 1989.  Redesignated as 417 Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991.  Inactivated on 1 Dec 1993.  Redesignated as 417 Weapons Squadron on 11 Aug 2003.  Activated on 13 Aug 2003.  Inactivated on 30 Sep 2006. Redesignated as 417 Test and Evaluation Squadron on 23 Feb 2018.  Activated on 24 Apr 2018.

Assignments.  Air Defense Department, AAF School of Applied Tactics, 20 Feb 1943; VIII Fighter Command (attached to the RAF), 11 May 1943; Twelfth Air Force, 8 Aug 1943 (attached to 2689 Air Defense Region [Prov.], Northwest African Coastal Air Force, 9 Aug 1943; 337 Wing, RAF, 3 Jan 1944); 63 Fighter Wing, 27 Apr 1944; XII Fighter Command, 27 Sep 1944; Twelfth Air Force, 1 Oct 1944 (attached to Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Force, 3 Oct 1944-24 Mar 1945; air echelon attached to 422 Night Fighter Squadron, 6-22 Jan 1945); 64 Fighter Wing (attached to First Tactical Air Force [Prov.]), 24 Mar 1945; XII Tactical Air Command, 17 May 1945; 64 Fighter Wing, 26 Jun 1945-9 Nov 1946 (attached to All Weather Group [Prov.], 64 Fighter Wing, 15 Aug-9 Nov 1946).  50 Fighter-Bomber Group, 1 Jan 1953; 50 Fighter-Bomber (later, 50 Tactical Fighter) Wing, 8 Dec 1957; Tactical Air Command, 1 Mar 1968; 67 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Jul 1968 (attached to 50 Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 Jan-3 Apr 1969 and 11 Sep-9 Oct 1970); 49 Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 Nov 1970-30 Apr 1977.  26 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Oct 1978; 86 Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 Nov 1981-15 Sep 1987.  37 Tactical Fighter Wing, 5 Oct 1989; 37 Operations Group, 1 Nov 1991; 49 Operations Group, 8 Jul 1992-1 Dec 1993.  USAF Weapons School, 13 Aug 2003-30 Sep 2006.  53 Test and Evaluation Group, 24 Apr 2018-.

Stations.  Orlando AB, FL, 20 Feb 1943; Kissimmee AAFld, FL, 5 Mar-26 Apr 1943; Ayr, Scotland, 12 May 1943; Cranfield, England, 14 May 1943 (detachments at Ayr, Scotland, 14 May-10 Jun 1943; Uxbridge, England, 14 May-10 Jun 1943;Coltishall, England, 14 May-10 Jun 1943; Bristol, England, 14 May-10 Jun 1943; and Scorton, England, 23 May-10 Jun 1943); Scorton, England, 10 Jun 1943; Tafaraoui, Algeria, 8 Aug 1943 (ground echelon at Ghisonaccia, Corsica, 7 Jan-Feb 1944); La Senia, Algeria, 10 Jan 1944 (ground echelon at Borgo, Corsica, Feb-Apr 1944); Borgo, Corsica, c. 25 Apr-7 Sep 1944; La Vallon, France, 12 Sep 1944 (air echelon at Florennes, Belgium, 6-22 Jan 1945); St Dizier, France, 5 Apr 1945; Giebelstadt, Germany, 24 Apr 1945; Biblis, Germany, 21 May 1945; Braunschardt, Germany, 26 Jun 1945; Kassel/Rothwesten, Germany, 9 Aug 1945; Fritzlar, Germany, 10 Apr 1946; Schweinfurt, Germany, 20 Aug-9 Nov 1946.  Clovis AFB, NM, 1 Jan 1953; Hahn AB, Germany, 9 Aug 1953; Toul/Rosieres AB, France, 15 Apr 1956; Ramstein AB, Germany, 1 Dec 1959-15 Jul 1968; Mountain Home AFB, ID, 15 Jul 1968 (deployed at Hahn AB, Germany, 15 Jan-3 Apr 1969 and 11 Sep-9 Oct 1970); Holloman AFB, NM, 9 Oct 1970-30 Apr 1977 (deployed at Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, 10 May-30 Sep 1972; Hahn AB, Germany, 3 Feb-14 Mar 1973, 6 Mar-5 Apr 1974, 3 Oct-5 Nov 1975, and 24 Aug-26 Sep 1976; Nellis AFB, NV, 29 Nov-19 Dec 1975).  Zweibrucken AB, Germany, 1 Oct 1978; Ramstein AB, Germany, 1 Nov 1978-15 Sep 1987.  Tonopah Test Range, NV, 5 Oct 1989; Holloman AFB, NM, Jul 1992-1 Dec 1993.  Holloman AFB, NM, 13 Aug 2003-30 Sep 2006. Edwards AFB, CA, 24 Apr 2018-.

Commanders.  None (not manned), 20 Feb-5 Mar 1943; Capt Joseph T. Ehlinger, 6 Mar 1943; Capt William A. Larsen, 25 Jun 1944; Maj C. Richard McCray, 19 Apr 1945; Capt Theodore A. Deakyne, 30 Sep 1945; Maj John H. Konosky, c. 15 May1946-unkn.  Maj Herbert R. Mann, 1 Jan 1953; Lt Col Joseph T. Ehlinger, 19 Dec 1953; Lt Col Chester L. Van Etten, 15 Jul 1954; Lt Col Charles E. Yeager, 2 May 1955; Maj Harry H. Herrmann, c. Jul 1957; Lt Col Thomas E. Stewart, 1958; Lt Col Forrest L. Rauscher, 10 Jan 1962; Lt Col Frank C. Buzze, c. Jun 1964; Lt Col Raplee Y. McBurney, 15 Jun 1965; Lt Col Tony M. Greget, 14 Jun 1966; Lt Col Robert D. Carter, 24 Jun 1967; Lt Col Richard F. Gibbs, by Jun 1969; Lt Col Richard J. Meechan, 16 Nov 1970; Lt Col Durward K. Priester, 7 Jun 1972; Lt Col Paul E. Raudenbush, 8 May 1974; Lt Col Robin M. Kozelka, 5 Jan 1976; Lt Col Ross L. Meyer, 6 Jul 1976-30 Apr 1977.  Lt Col Richard C. Fairlamb, 1 Oct 1978; none (not manned), c. Nov 1978-15 Sep 1987.  Lt Col Keat Griggers, 5 Oct 1989; Lt Col Robert J. Maher, 23 Mar 1990; Lt Col Barry E. Horne, 10 May 1991; Lt Col John S. Farnham, 11 Jun 1992; Lt Col James R. Phillips Jr., 24 Jun 1993; Unkn, 2 Dec 1993-Aug 2003; Lt Col Thomas P. Schoaf, 13 Aug 2003; Lt Col Marc E. Reese, 4 Aug 2005; unkn, 9-30 Sep 2006.  Lt Col Brian C. Owen, 24 Apr 2018-.

Aircraft.  P-70, 1943; Beaufighter, 1943-1945; P-61, 1945-1946.  F-51, 1953; F-86, 1953-1958; F-100, 1958-1966; F-4, 1967-1977.  F-4, 1978.  F-117, 1989-1993; T-38, 1989-c. 1992. F-117, 2003-2006.

Operations.  Combat in Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), c. 8 Aug 1943-28 Mar 1945, and in European Theater of Operations (ETO), 25 Apr-9 May 1945.  Combat in Southeast Asia, May-Sep 1972.  Not manned, c. Nov 1978-15 Sep 1987.  Deployed aircraft and instructor pilots to Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War, Jan-Feb 1991.  Provided training to newly assigned F-117 pilots, Oct 1989-Nov 1993 and 2003-2006.  Since Apr 2018, developed, tested and evaluated systems assigned. 

Service Streamers.  Global War on Terrorism-Service (GWOT-S).

Campaign Streamers.  World War II: Rome-Arno; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.  Vietnam: Vietnam Ceasefire.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers.  None.

Decorations.  Distinguished Unit Citation: Southern France, 28 Dec 1944.  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with the Combat “V” Device: 5 May-6 Oct 1972.  Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan 1971-15 Apr 1972; 16 Mar 1990-15 Mar 1992; 1 Aug 2002-31 May 2004; 1 Jun 2004-31 May 2006.  Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 7 May-24 Aug 1972.

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, Commanders, Aircraft, Operations, and Honors through 5 Aug 2019

Supersedes statement prepared on 25 Aug 2003

Emblem.  Approved on 16 Nov 1953. 

Prepared by James Musser

Reviewed by Daniel Haulman