Lineage. Constituted as 421 Night Fighter Squadron on 30 Apr 1943. Activated on 1 May 1943. Inactivated on 20 Feb 1947. Redesignated as 421 Tactical Fighter Squadron, and activated, on 13 Apr 1962. Organized on 8 Jul 1962. Redesignated as 421 Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991.
Assignments. Air Defense Department, AAF School of Applied Tactics, 1 May 1943 (attached to 481 Night Fighter Operational Training Group, 17 Jul–7 Nov 1943); Fifth Air Force, 23 Dec 1943; V Fighter Command, 29 Dec 1943 (apparently attached to other organizations for operations); 86 Fighter Wing, c. 1 Feb 1945; V Fighter Command, Apr 1945; 315 Composite Wing, 31 May 1946–20 Feb 1947. Tactical Air Command, 13 Apr 1962; 355 Tactical Fighter Wing, 8 Jul 1962; 835 Air Division, 8 Nov 1965; 6234 Tactical Fighter Wing, 20 Nov 1965; 388 Tactical Fighter Wing, 8 Apr 1966; 15 Tactical Fighter Wing, 25 Apr 1967; 4531 Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Jul 1967; 23 Tactical Fighter Wing, 14 Dec 1967; 366 Tactical Fighter Wing, 16 Apr 1969; 432 Tactical Reconnaissance (later, 432 Tactical Fighter) Wing, 31 Oct 1972; 388 Tactical Fighter (later, 388 Fighter) Wing, 23 Dec 1975 (attached to 388th Tactical Fighter Wing [Deployed], [later, 388 Tactical Fighter Wing (Prov)], 28 Aug 1990–27 Mar 1991); 388 Operations Group, 1 Dec 1991–.
Stations. Orlando, FL, 1 May 1943; Kissimmee AAFld, FL, 4 Oct–7 Nov 1943; Milne Bay, New Guinea, 4 Jan 1944; Nadzab, New Guinea, c. 1 Feb 1944 (detachment operated from Wakde, 28 May–21 Sep 1944); Owi, Schouten Islands, 28 Jun 1944; Tacloban, Leyte, 25 Oct 1944; San Marcelino, Luzon, 8 Feb 1945 (detachment operated from Tacloban, Leyte, 9 Feb–23 Mar 1945); Clark Field, Luzon, 26 Apr 1945; Ie Shima, 24 Jul 1945; Itazuke, Japan, 25 Nov 1945–20 Feb 1947. George AFB, CA, 8 Jul 1962; McConnell AFB, KS, 21 Jul 1964–Nov 1965 (deployed at Incirlik AB, Turkey, 18 Sep–19 Nov 1964; Kadena AB, Okinawa, 7 Apr–27 Aug 1965); Korat RTAFB, Thailand, 20 Nov 1965–25 Apr 1967; MacDill AFB, FL, 25 Apr 1967; Homestead AFB, FL, 1 Jul 1967; McConnell AFB, KS, 14 Dec 1967–16 Apr 1969; Da Nang AB, South Vietnam, 16 Apr 1969 (deployed at Kunsan AB, South Korea, 23 Apr–26 Jun 1969); Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, 27 Jun 1972; Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, 31 Oct 1972; Clark AB, Philippines, 13–23 Dec 1975; Hill AFB, UT, 23 Dec 1975 (deployed at Central AB, Al Minhad, United Arab Emirates, 28 Aug 1990–27 Mar 1991) (deployed to other stations overseas periodically)-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Japan; New Guinea; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines. Vietnam: Vietnam
Defensive; Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Summer-Fall, 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI; Commando Hunt VII; Vietnam Ceasefire. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait; Ceasefire. Afghanistan: Consolidation II. Iraq: National Resolution; Iraqi Surge.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Presidential Unit Citations (Southeast Asia): 20 Nov 1965–8 Apr 1966; 10 Mar–24 Apr 1967; 1 Apr–26 Jun 1972. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: 29–30 Jun 1966; 1 Jul 1966–[24 Apr] 1967; [16 Apr]–31 Jul 1969; 1 Aug 1969–1 Aug 1970; 2 Aug 1970–31 Mar 1972; 18 Dec 1972–27 Jan 1973; 1 Sep-31 Dec 1999; 25 May-31 Aug 2003. Meritorious Unit Awards: 1 Feb-16 May 2008; 1 Jun 2007-31 May 2009; 1 Jun 2019-31 May 2021; 1 Jun 2021-31 May 2022. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 May 1991-30 Apr 1993; 1 Jun 2005-31 May 2007; 1 Jun 2018-31 May 2020. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 8 Apr 1966–28 Jan 1973. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII).
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 3 May 2023.
Supersedes statement prepared on 4 Aug 2016.
Emblem. Approved on 27 Oct 1977.
Prepared by Melissa Lahue.
Reviewed by Margaret Ream.