21 Fighter Squadron (AETC)

Lineage. Constituted as 21 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 5 Oct 1944. Activated on 15 Oct 1944. Inactivated on 15 Oct 1946. Redesignated as 21 Fighter-Day Squadron on 26 Aug 1954. Activated on 11 Nov 1954. Redesignated as 21 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul 1958. Inactivated on 15 Mar 1959. Redesignated as 21 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 27 Oct 1972. Activated on 1 Dec 1972. Redesignated: 21 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 9 Oct 1980; 21 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 1 Jul 1983. Inactivated on 28 Jun 1991. Redesignated as 21 Fighter Squadron, and activated, on 1 Nov 1991. Inactivated on 31 Dec 1993. Activated on 8 Aug 1996. 

Assignments. 413 Fighter Group, 15 Oct 1944-15 Oct 1946. 413 Fighter-Day Group, 11 Nov 1954; 413 Fighter-Day (later, 413 Tactical Fighter) Wing, 8 Oct 1957-15 Mar 1959 (attached to Sixteenth Air Force, 14-15 Mar 1959). 35 Tactical Fighter (later, 35 Tactical Training; 35 Tactical Fighter) Wing, 1 Dec 1972-28 Jun 1991. 507 Air Control Wing, 1 Nov 1991; 363 Operations Group, 1 May 1992-31 Dec 1993. 56 Operations Group, 8 Aug 1996-.
Stations. Seymour-Johnson Field, NC, 15 Oct 1944; Bluethenthal Field, NC, 9 Nov 1944-7 Apr 1945; Ie Shima, 19 May 1945; Kadena, Okinawa, 21 Nov 1945; Yontan, Okinawa, 29 Jan-15 Oct 1946. George AFB, CA, 11 Nov 1954-10 Mar 1959; Moron AB, Spain, 11-15 Mar 1959. George AFB, CA, 1 Dec 1972-28 Jun 1991. Shaw AFB, SC, 1 Nov 1991-31 Dec 1993. Luke AFB, AZ, 8 Aug 1996-. 

Commanders. Unkn, 15 Oct 1944-11 Oct 1945; Lt Col William B. Whisonant, 12 Oct 1945; Capt Francis J. Vetort, 13 Oct 1945; 1 Lt Robert W. Faas, 1 Apr 1946-unkn; Capt Samuel H. Henton, unkn-26 Sep 1946; Capt Louis A. Guin, 26 Sep 1946-unkn. Maj Stephen L. Bettinger, 11 Nov 1954-unkn. Col Roger L. Sprague, 1 Dec 1972; Lt Col William E. Whitten, c. 1 Mar 1973; Lt Col D. L. Wagner, 17 Apr 1975; Lt Col Paul Marsh, 2 May 1977; Lt Col Wallace L. Mekkers, 5 Jul 1979; unkn, c. 1980-11 Nov 1987; Lt Col Dick E. Willis, 12 Nov 1987; Lt Col Mark D. Gilson, 26 Jul 1989; Lt Col David M. McLaughlin, 9 Nov 1990-28 Jun 1991. Lt Col Bobby G. Smith, 1 Nov 1991; Lt Col John A. Neubauer, 1 Oct-31 Dec 1993. Lt Col James R. Mitchell, 8 Aug 1996; Lt Col Dean A. Profitt III, 2 Apr 1998; Lt Col Walter E. Grace III, 18 Jun 1999; Lt Col Mark J. Warner, 19 Dec 2000; Lt Col Walter G. Farrar III, 18 Jul 2002; Lt Col Christopher Roeder, 4 Dec 2003; Lt Col Thomas G. Abbot, 8 Jun 2005; Lt Col Dennis J. Malfer, 28 Apr 2006; Lt Col James G. Sturgeon, 20 Sep 2007-. 

Aircraft. P-47, 1944-1946. F-86, 1954-1956; F-100, 1956-1959. F-4, 1972-1981; F-16, 1981-1991. OA-10, 1991-1993. F-16, 1996-. 

Operations. Combat in western Pacific Ocean, 20 May-14 Aug 1945. Among occupation forces in Okinawa, 1945-1946. Conducted tactical exercises, firepower demonstrations, and joint training missions, 1954-1959. Between 1972 and 1981, flew "wild weasel" radar detection and suppression practice missions with F-4s. Converted to F-16s for tactical exercises and training, 1981-1991. Between Nov 1991 and Dec 1993, practiced forward air control missions. Provided continuation training for Taiwan Air Force (TAF) pilots in TAF-owned F-16 aircraft, Aug 1996-. 

Service Streamers. None. 

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Japan; Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific; Ryukyus; China Offensive. 

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None. 

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 2 Feb 1976-31 Mar 1977; 1 Jun 1985-31 May 1987; 1 Mar 1990-28 Jun 1991; 1 Jan 1992-31 Dec 1993; 8 Aug 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, and Honors through 7 May 2009. 

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 30 Sep 2008. 

Supersedes statement prepared on 5 Jun 1997. 

Emblem. Approved on 18 Mar 2008. 

Prepared by Patsy Robertson. 

Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.