Lineage. Constituted as 549 Night Fighter Squadron on 19 Apr 1944. Activated on 1 May 1944. Inactivated on 5 Feb 1946. Activated on 25 Jun 1946. Inactivated on 19 Feb 1947. Redesignated as 549 Tactical Air Support Training Squadron on 18 Aug 1969. Activated on 15 Oct 1969. Inactivated on 1 Jul 1988. Redesignated as 549 Joint Training Squadron, and activated, on 1 Nov 1991. Redesignated as 549 Combat Training Squadron on 1 Jul 1994.
Assignments. Fourth Air Force, 1 May 1944 (attached to 319 Wing, 1 May-c. 4 Oct 1944); 7 Fighter Wing, 20 Oct 1944; VII Fighter Command, 1 Nov 1944; Army Air Forces, Middle Pacific, 16 Jul 1945 (attached to VII Fighter Command, 16 Jul-c. 20 Nov 1945; Twentieth Air Force Combat Staging Center, 20 Nov-3 Dec 1945; Iwo Jima Base Command, Provisional, 3 Dec 1945- ); Seventh Air Force, 1 Jan-5 Feb 1946 (remained attached to Iwo Jima Base Command, Provisional, to 5 Feb 1946). 20 Fighter Wing, 25 Jun 1946-19 Feb 1947 (attached to 21 Fighter Group, 25 Jun 1946-19 Feb 1947). 1 Special Operations (later, 834 Tactical Composite; 1 Special Operations) Wing, 15 Oct 1969; 549 Tactical Air Support Training Group, 15 Dec 1975-1 Jul 1988. 57 Operations Group, 1 Nov 1991; USAF Air Ground Operations School, 3 Feb 1998; 57 Operations Group, 4 Oct 2007-.
Stations. Hammer Field, CA, 1 May 1944; Bakersfield Muni Aprt, CA, 26 Jul 1944; Ft Lawton, WA, 6-13 Oct 1944; Kipapa Field, TH, 20 Oct 1944-19 Feb 1945; South Field, Iwo Jima, 14 Mar 1945-5 Feb 1946 (air echelon on Saipan, 20 Feb-20 Mar 1945). Northwest AAB, Guam, 25 Jun 1946-19 Feb 1947. Eglin AF Aux Field No. 9 (Hurlburt Field), FL, 15 Oct 1969; Patrick AFB, FL, 15 Dec 1975-1 Jul 1988. Nellis AFB, NV, 1 Nov 1991-.
Commanders. Maj Hubbard K. Gayle Jr., 3 May 1944; Lt Col Joseph E. Payne, 22 Jul 1944; Capt William R. Charlesworth, c. 25 Sep 1945; 1 Lt Raymond E. Rudkin, c. 17 Jan- 5 Feb 1946. 1 Lt Eldon P. Harvey, c. 25 Jun 1946; Capt Lyall L. Frazier, c. 29 Jun 1946; 2 Lt James D. Morris, c. 7 Aug 1946; 1 Lt Thomas F. Mirabito, c. 1-19 Feb 1947. Lt Col Joseph B. Madden, 15 Oct 1969; Lt Col Hubert R. Martin, 30 Jun 1971; Lt Col Felix L. Sambogna, 25 May 1973; Lt Col John G. Schroeder, 28 Feb 1975; Lt Col Walter E. Ackerlund, by Mar 1976; Lt Col Winslow E. Reither, c. 8 Jul 1977; Lt Col Rand Brandt, 30 Jun 1978; Lt Col Paul H. Burbage III, 1 Aug 1980; Lt Col Don A. Lyon, 30 Jul 1982; Lt Col Paul A. Taylor, 20 Jan 1984; Lt Col Robert A. Rohlfing, 3 Mar 1986; Lt Col David N. Talley III, 7 Jan-1 Jul 1988. Col Steven K. Ladd, 1 Nov 1991; Lt Col Gary L. Buis, 12 Aug 1994; Col Philip J. Frazee, 27 Aug 1996; Lt Col Walter D. Givhan, 19 Dec 1997; Lt Col James L. Rehm, 2 Jun 1999; Lt Col James A. Riess, 29 May 2001; Lt Col Lawrence W. Butler, 13 Dec 2002; Lt Col Douglas E. Young, 7 Sep 2004; Lt Col Phillip B. Barks, 18 May 2006-.
Aircraft. P-70, 1944; P-61, 1944-1946. None, 1946-1947. OV-10, 1969-1988; O-2, 1975-1986. A-10, 1991-; F-16, 1991-.
Operations. Flew night fighter missions from Iwo Jima against the Japanese, 22 Mar-c. 5 Aug 1945. Trained forward air controller (FAC) and Strike Control and Reconnaissance (SCAR) pilots, 1969-1988. Beginning in 1991, flew close air support and air interdiction sorties in "Air Warrior (later, Green Flag)" exercises to train USAF fighter pilots and the aerospace power component to the US Army's brigade combat training.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Combat, Asiatic-Pacific Theater; Air Offensive, Japan.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 15 Dec 1975-31 Dec 1976; 1 May 1981-30 Apr 1983; 1 May 1983-30 Apr 1985; 1 May 1985-30 Apr 1987; 1 Jun 1995-31 May 1997; 1 Jun 2001-31 May 2003; 1 Jun 2004-31 May 2006. Air Force Organizational Excellence Award: 11 Nov 1997-31 May 1999; 1 Jun 1999-31 May 2000; 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2004.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 16 Jul 2009.
Commanders through May 2006; Aircraft, and Operations through 31 Dec 2002.
Supersedes statement prepared in May 2000.
Emblem. Approved on 17 Jul 1944; latest rendering, 26 Mar 2019.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.