550 Fighter Squadron (AETC)

Lineage.  Constituted as 550 Night Fighter Squadron on 3 May 1944.  Activated on 1 Jun 1944.  Inactivated on 4 Jan 1946.  Redesignated as 550 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 12 Jan 1970.  Activated on 18 Jan 1970.  Redesignated as 550 Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991.  Inactivated on 14 Nov 1991.  Activated on 25 Mar 1994.  Inactivated on 31 Mar 1995. Activated on 3 Apr 2017.  

Assignments.  Fourth Air Force, 1 Jun 1944 (attached to 319 Wing, 1 Jun-2 Nov 1944); Thirteenth Air Force, 2 Dec 1944; XIII Fighter Command, 12 Dec 1944-4 Dec 1945 (attached for operations to XIII Bomber Command, 14 Feb-7 Apr 1945; to 85th Fighter Wing, 7 Apr-Jun 1945). 58 Tactical Fighter Training (later, 58 Tactical Training) Wing, 18 Jan 1970; 405 Tactical Training Wing, 29 Aug 1979; 58 Operations Group, 1 Oct-14 Nov 1991.  58 Operations Group, 25 Mar 1994; 56 Operations Group, 1 Apr 1994-31 Mar 1995. 56 Operations Group, 3 Apr 2017-.

Stations. Hammer Field, Calif, 1 Jun 1944; Visalia AAFld, Calif, 25 Aug-2 Nov 1944; Hollandia, New Guinea, 14 Dec 1944 (detachment operated from Middelburg Island, 31 Dec 1944-14 Feb 1945); Morotai, 14 Feb 1945 (detachment operated from Tacloban, Leyte, 8 Mar-7 Apr 1945); Tacloban, Leyte, 7 Apr-4 Dec 1945 (detachments operated from Zamboanga, Mindanao, 27 Apr-17 Jun 1945; from Sanga Sanga, Bulu, 28 May-Aug 1945; and from Puerto Princesa, Palawan, 9-19 Jun 1945); Camp Stoneman, Calif, 3-4 Jan 1946. Luke AFB, AZ, 18 Jan 1970-14 Nov 1991.  Luke AFB, AZ, 25 Mar 1994-31 Mar 1995.  Kingsley Field, OR, 3 Apr 2017-. 

Commanders.  Unmanned, 1 Jun 1944; Maj Robert A. Tyler, 2 June 1944-4 Jan 1946.  Lt Col Michael G. Filliman, c. Jan-30 Jun 1970; Unmanned, 1 Jul 1970-c. Jul 1971; Lt Col Elvis E. Crooks, c. Jul 1971; Lt Col Robert D. Rossmeisl, (by 31 Mar) 1973; Lt Col James W DuBois, 15 Jul 1974; Lt Col John S. Walker, 15 Dec 1975; Lt Col Clyde R. Robbins, 27 Aug 1976; Lt Col Daniel J. Sherlock, (by 31 Dec) 1977-.

Operations. Trained for combat, Jun-Nov 1944.  Combat missions in southwestern and western Pacific Ocean area, Dec 1944-summer 1945.  Trained fighter pilots and crews, 1970-1991 and 1994-1995. 

Service Streamers.  None.

Campaign Streamers.  World War II:  New Guinea; Leyte; Southern Philippines.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers.  None.

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan 1971-31 Dec 1972; 23 Jun-31 Dec 1976; 1 Jan 1978-31 Dec 1979; 1 Aug 1982-31 May 1984; 25-31 Mar 1994.  Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

Emblem.  Approved on 10 Apr 1978; Newly rendered on 26 Jun 2017. 

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, Operations, and Honors through 11 Mar 2019.

Commanders through Dec 1977. 

Supersedes entry in Maurer’s Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II  (Washington, DC: USGPO, 1969), pp. 654-655.

Prepared by Daniel L. Haulman.