Lineage. Constituted as 308 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 21 Jan 1942. Activated on 30 Jan 1942. Redesignated: 308 Fighter Squadron on 25 May 1942; 308 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 20 Aug 1943. Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945. Activated on 20 Aug 1946. Redesignated: 308 Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 15 Jun 1948; 308 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 20 Jan 1950; 308 Fighter-Escort Squadron on 16 Jul 1950; 308 Strategic Fighter Squadron on 20 Jan 1953; 308 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 1 Apr 1957; 308 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul 1958; 308 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 9 Oct 1980; 308 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Oct 1986; 308 Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991. Inactivated on 25 Jun 2015. Activated on 2 Jul 2018.
Assignments. 31 Pursuit (later, 31 Fighter) Group, 30 Jan 1942–7 Nov 1945. 31 Fighter (later, 31 Fighter-Bomber; 31 Fighter-Escort) Group, 20 Aug 1946 (attached to 31 Fighter-Escort Wing, 27 Jul 1951–15 Jun 1952); 31 Fighter-Escort (later, 31 Strategic Fighter; 31 Fighter-Bomber; 31 Tactical Fighter) Wing, 16 Jun 1952 (attached to Alaskan Air Command, 5 Dec 1956–7 Jan 1957; unkn, 15–21 Aug 1958, 22 Aug 1958–19 Jan 1959, 11 Jul–c. Dec 1959, 7 Mar–c. 19 Jul 1961; 18 Tactical Fighter Wing, 13 Mar–30 Apr 1963; unkn, 1 May–3 Jul 1963; 7231 Combat Support Group, 9 Feb–5 May 1964 and 9 Mar–8 Jul 1965); 3 Tactical Fighter Wing, 2 Dec 1965 (attached to 31 Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 Nov–25 Dec 1966); 31 Tactical Fighter Wing, 25 Dec 1966; 4403 Fighter Wing, 5 Oct 1970; 31 Tactical Fighter Wing, 30 Oct 1970 (attached to 432 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, 28 Apr–29 Jul 1972; 8 Tactical Fighter Wing, 11 Dec 1972–11 Jun 1973); 31 Operations Group, 1 Nov 1991 (attached to 347 Operations Group, c. 11 Sep–19 Nov 1992); 347 Operations Group, 20 Nov 1992; 56 Operations Group, 1 Apr 1994–25 Jun 2015. 56 Operations Group, 2 Jul 2018-.
Stations. Baer Field, IN, 30 Jan 1942; New Orleans AB, LA, 6 Feb–19 May 1942; Atcham, England, c. 10 Jun 1942; Kenley, England, 1 Aug 1942; Westhampnett, England, 25 Aug–23 Oct 1942; Tafaraoui, Algeria, 8 Nov 1942 (operated from Casablanca, French Morocco, 10–31 Jan 1943); Thelepte, Tunisia, 6 Feb 1943; Tebessa, Algeria, 17 Feb 1943; Canrobert, Algeria, 21 Feb 1943; Kalaa Djerda, Tunisia, 25 Feb 1943; Thelepte, Tunisia, 11 Mar 1943; Djilma, Tunisia, 7 Apr 1943; Le Sers, Tunisia, 12 Apr 1943; Korba, Tunisia, 20 May 1943; Gozo, c. 30 Jun 1943; Ponte Olivo, Sicily, 14 Jul 1943; Agrigento, Sicily, 19 Jul 1943; Termini, Sicily, c. 2 Aug 1943; Milazzo, Sicily, 2 Sep 1943; Montecorvino, Italy, 20 Sep 1943; Pomigliano, Italy, 14 Oct 1943; Castel Volturno, Italy, 14 Jan 1944; San Severo, Italy, 2 Apr 1944; Mondolfo, Italy, 3 Mar 1945; Triolo, Italy, 14 Jul–5 Aug 1945; Drew Field, FL, Aug–7 Nov 1945. Giebelstadt, Germany, 20 Aug 1946; Kitzingen, Germany, c. 30 Sep 1946–25 Jun 1947; Langley Field, VA, 25 Jun 1947; Turner Field (later, AFB), GA, 4 Sep 1947 (deployed at Manston RAF Stn, England, 26 Dec 1950–25 Jul 1951; Misawa AB, Japan, 20 Jul–16 Oct 1952; Chitose AB, Japan, 7 Nov 1953–9 Feb 1954; Eielson AFB, AK, 5 Dec 1956–7 Jan 1957; Hahn AB, Germany, 15 Aug–21 Aug 1958; Aviano AB, Italy, 22 Aug 1958–19 Jan 1959); George AFB, CA, 15 Mar 1959 (deployed at Moron AB, Spain, 11 Jul–c. Dec 1959; Aviano AB, Italy, 7 Mar–c. 19 Jul 1961); Homestead, AFB, FL, 1 Oct 1962–c. 5 Dec 1965 (deployed at Kadena AB, Okinawa, 13 Mar–30 Apr 1963; Itazuke AB, Japan, 1 May–3 Jul 1963; Cigli AB, Turkey, 9 Feb–5 May 1964 and 9 Mar–8 Jul 1965); Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam, c. 7 Dec 1965; Tuy Hoa AB, South Vietnam, 15 Nov 1966–30 Sep 1970; England AFB, LA, 5 Oct 1970; Homestead AFB, FL, 30 Oct 1970 (deployed at Udorn RTAFB, Thailand, 28 Apr–29 Jul 1972; Ubon RTAFB, Thailand, 11 Dec 1972–11 Jun 1973; operated from Moody AFB, GA, c. 11–30 Sep 1992); Moody AFB, GA, 1 Oct 1992; Luke AFB, AZ, 1 Apr 1994–25 Jun 2015. Luke AFB, AZ, 2 Jul 2018-.
Commanders. Maj Fred M. Dean, 30 Jan 1942; Maj Delwin B. Avery, 1 Sep 1942; Capt Frank A. Hill, 10 Feb 1943; Maj Delwin B. Avery, 4 Mar 1943; Capt Thomas B. Fleming, May 1943; Maj John H. Paulk, 8 Jul 1943; Maj Walter J. Overend, 14 Oct 1943; Lt Col James G. Thorsen, 18 Feb 1944; Maj Harry W. Dorris, 24 Jun 1944; Maj Leland P. Molland, 28 Jul 1944; Maj Frank A. Wagner, 4 Dec 1944; Lt Col James G. Thorsen, 2 Feb 1945-unkn. Unkn, 20 Aug 1946-Oct 1947; Lt Col Shannon Christian, Oct 1947; Maj Ray M. Hilliard, Jul 1948; Lt Col Jerrold M. Vivian, 15 Aug 1952; Lt Col Frank W. Klibbe, Sep 1953; Maj John W. Santry, 17 Jan 1955; Maj John E. Pitts Jr., Jul 1956; Maj Donald N. Standfield, 24 Sep 1957; Maj Robinson Risner, 15 Mar 1959; Maj John B. Butler, 15 Jul 1960; Lt Col Virgil K. Meroney, 31 Aug 1960; Maj William Peters, 17 Dec 1961; Maj Louie E. Lovitt, 28 Apr 1962; Lt Col Alfred N. King, 14 Aug 1962; Lt Col Durward B. Russell Jr., 22 Sep 1964; Lt Col Alan E. Wockenfuss, c. Jun 1966; Lt Col Hubert N. Skidmore, c. 1967; Lt Col Jack M. Smith, c. 19 Mar 1968; Lt Col Thomas G. Ferrara, 1968; Lt Col James Rodeen, 30 Jun 1969; Lt Col Willliam J. Hosmer, 30 Aug 1969; Lt Col Henry Buttelman, 28 Mar 1970; Lt Col David L. Robb, 6 Jul 1970-c. 15 Oct 1970; Lt Col George L. Schulstad, 30 Oct 1970; Lt Col Benjamin F. Ingram Jr., 19 Feb 1971; Lt Col Robert F. Johnston II, 3 Oct 1971; Lt Col Thomas E. Colvin, 1 Sep 1972; Lt Col Steve Braswell, 10 Nov 1972; Lt Col Abner Prophett, 1 Mar 1973; Lt Col Henry D. Canterbury, 23 Jul 1973; Lt Col James D. Terry, 31 Jan 1975; Lt Col Earnest L. Coleman, 27 Jul 1976; Lt Col Wilbur E. Roberts, 6 Jun 1977; Lt Col Marcus F. Cooper Jr., 22 Jun 1978; Lt Col Timothy F. McConnell, 6 Feb 1980; Lt Col Lester D. Alford, 10 Aug 1981; Lt Col Kenneth A. Frey, 13 Apr 1983; Lt Col James P. Soden, 18 Nov 1983; Lt Col Max R. Hix, 27 Dec 1985; Lt Col Douglas M. Hosmer, 30 Oct 1986; Lt Col Robert R. Scott, 25 Oct 1987; Lt Col Michael B. Larkin, 28 Apr 1989; Lt Col Phillip B. Straley, 16 Jun 1989; Lt Col Fred VanValkenburg, 10 Jul 1992; Lt Col Ricardo M. Cazessus, 25 Jun 1993; Lt Col Kevin W. Smith, 1 Apr 1994; Lt Col William C. Coutts, 17 Mar 1995; Lt Col Lawrence L. Wells, 11 Jul 1996; Lt Col James M. Smothermon, 1 Dec 1997; Lt Col Michael C. Banton, 13 Dec 1999; Lt Col Samuel C. Johnston, 19 Jan 2001; Lt Col John M. Sieverling, 29 Jan 2002; Lt Col David E. Ellis, 9 Jul 2003; Lt Col Kenneth E. Lacy, 24 Jun 2005; Lt Col Jeffrey C. Schroeder, 16 May 2007; Lt Col Jeffrey R. Jenssen, 14 May 2009; Lt Col Christopher Colcord, 2 Jun 2011; Lt Col Christopher L. Bacon, 11 Jul 2013-25 Jun 2015.
Aircraft. P–40, 1942; P–39, 1942; Spitfire, 1942–1943; P–51, 1943–1945. P–80, 1946–1947; P–51, 1947–1949; F–84, 1948–1957; F–100, 1957–1970; F–4, 1970–1986; F–16, 1986–2015. F-35, 2018-.
Operations. Combat in European Theater of Operations (ETO) and Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), 17 Aug 1942–3 May 1945. Combat in Southeast Asia, 8 Dec 1965–9 Sep 1970; 5 May–29 Jul 1972; and 16 Dec 1972–1 Jun 1973. Replacement training unit, 1974–1986. Air defense of southern Florida, 1 Apr 1976–30 Sep 1992. Trained to deploy in support of US national security interests and global military contingencies, 1992-1993. Conducted qualification training for USAF student pilots and proficiency training for instructor pilots and rated pilots already qualified in F-16 aircraft, 1994-2015. Began training F-35 pilots in July 2018.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Algeria-French Morocco with Arrowhead; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po
Valley; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Vietnam: Vietnam Defensive; Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; Tet 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall, 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Vietnam Ceasefire.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Rumania, 21 Apr 1944; Poland, 25 Jul 1944.
Presidential Unit Citations (Southeast Asia): 8 Jun 1966–16 Apr 1967; 1 May–31 Dec 1968. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: 17 Dec 1966–30 Apr 1968; 18 Dec 1972–27 Jan 1973. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 4–16 Jul 1952; 1 Mar–30 Nov 1962; 23 Feb 1991–22 Feb 1993; 1 Jul 1994-30 Jun 1996; 1 Jul 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; 1 Jul 2008-30 Jun 2009; 1 Jul 2009-30 Jun 2010; 1 Jul 2010-30 Jun 2011; 1 Jul 2011-30 Jun 2012; 1 Jul 2012-30 Jun 2013; 1 Jul 2013-30 Jun 2014; 1 Jul 2014-[25] Jun 2015. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 16 Dec 1966–15 Oct 1970.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 2 Jul 2018.
Commanders through 25 Jun 2015.
Aircraft, and Operations through 2 Jul 2018.
Supersedes statement prepared on 7 May 2009.
Emblem. Originally approved on 10 Jan 1962; latest rendering, 10 Oct 2018.
Prepared by Daniel Haulman.