Lineage. Constituted as 56 Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated as: 56 Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 28 Aug 1942; 493 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 10 Aug 1943; 493 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 30 May 1944. Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945. Redesignated as 493 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 25 Jun 1952. Activated on 10 Jul 1952. Redesignated as: 493 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 Jul 1958; 493 Fighter Squadron on 1 Oct 1991. Inactivated on 18 Dec 1992. Activated on 1 Jan 1994.
Assignments. 48 Bombardment (later, 48 Fighter-Bomber; 48 Fighter) Group, 15 Jan 1941–7 Nov 1945. 48 Fighter-Bomber Group, 10 Jul 1952; 48 Fighter-Bomber (later, 48 Tactical Fighter; 48 Fighter) Wing, 8 Dec 1957–18 Dec 1992 (attached to 48 Fighter Wing [Provisional], 2 Sep 1990–15 Mar 1991; Mar-Jun 1992; and 7440 Composite Wing, Sep–Dec 1991). 48 Operations Group, 1 Jan 1994–.
Stations. Savannah, GA, 15 Jan 1941; Will Rogers Field, OK, 23 May 1941; Savannah, GA, 7 Feb 1942; Key Field, MS, 28 Jun 1942; William Northern Field, TN, 20 Aug 1943; Walterboro, AAFld, SC, 27 Jan–13 Mar 1944; Ibsley, England, 29 Mar 1944; Deux Jumeaux, France, 18 Jun 1944; Villacoublay, France, 29 Aug 1944; Cambrai/Niergnies, France, 16 Sep 1944; St Trond, Belgium, c. 5 Oct 1944; Kelz, Germany, 26 Mar 1945; Kassel, Germany, 17 Apr 1945; Illesheim, Germany, 28 Apr 1945; Laon, France, 5 Jul–Aug 1945; Seymour Johnson Field, NC, 9 Sep–7 Nov 1945. Chaumont AB, France, 10 Jul 1952; RAF Lakenheath, England, 6 Jan 1960–18 Dec 1992 (deployed to Taif, Saudi Arabia, 2 Sep 1990–15 Mar 1991 and Incirlik AB, Turkey, Sep–Dec 1991). RAF Lakenheath, England, 1 Jan 1994–.
Commanders. Lt L. G. Drafts, 15 Jan 1941; 2 Lt S. Harper, 31 May 1941; Capt C. U. True, 30 Jun 1941; Capt Osbourne, c. Feb 1942; Capt Pelham, c. May 1942; Maj Williams, c. Aug 1943; Maj Richard T. W. Rivers, 19 Sep 1943; Lt Col William C. Bryson, 19 Jan 1944; Maj Stanley P. Latiolais, 15 Oct 1944; Maj William H. Casterline, 10 Jun-7 Nov 1945. Maj Donald W. Coulson, 10 Jul 1952; Lt Col Howard W. Jensen, 16 Feb 1953; Lt Col Arthur D. Thomas, c. Nov 1953; Maj Paul C. Harrold, 10 Jul 1954; Maj Felix Kozaczka, c. Jan 1956; Col Earl P. Maxwell, 1 Sep 1958; Maj Robert L. James, 18 Apr 1959; Lt Col Francis E. Binnell, 19 Aug 1959; Maj David T. Davidson, 21 Jun 1961; Lt Col Rufus W. Scott, 16 Jun 1963; Maj William G. Hartling, 20 Jun 1965; Lt Col Carl L. Brunson, 1 Jun 1966; Maj Robert F. Freeman, Jan 1968; Maj Gerald D. Ray, c. Nov 1968; Lt Col Roland W. Parks, 2 Dec 1968; Lt Col Uriel B. Alford Jr., 4 Sep 1970; Lt Col Thomas D. Pulham, 1 Nov 1971; Lt Col Willard F. Langford, 1 Dec 1972; Lt Col Wayne R. Lehr, 28 Feb 1975; Lt Col Edward R. Bracken, 29 Jun 1977; Lt Col Jacob Gawelko, 1 Jun 1978; Lt Col William E. Collins, 4 Apr 1980; Lt Col William M. LaTulipe, 10 Jul 1981; Lt Col Vernon Handel, 15 Jun 1982; Lt Col Gary B. Thomsen, 20 Dec 1982; Lt Col Arnold L. Franklin Jr., 7 Dec 1984; Lt Col Daniel H. Robinson, 5 Sep 1986; Lt Col James E. Roper, 6 Nov 1987; Lt Col James M. Carlin, 1 May 1989; Lt Col Michael J. Malone, 21 May 1990; Lt Col David White, 4 Oct 1991-18 Dec 1992. Lt Col Irving L. Halter, 7 Jan 1994; Lt Col Norman R. Riegsecker Jr., 30 Jun 1995; Lt Col Mark A. Barrett, 18 Apr 1997; Lt Col William E. MacLure, 2 Jul 1998; Lt Col Mark P. Fitzgerald, 23 Jun 2000; Lt Col Martin J. Schans Jr., 17 Dec 2001; Lt Col John K. McMullen, 30 May 2003; Lt Col Edward B. Denholm, 3 Jun 2005; Lt Col Craig D. Wills, 18 Apr 2007; Lt Col Michael J. King, 2 Jul 2008; Lt Col Skip C. Pribyl, 6 May 2010-.
Aircraft. A–18, 1941; A–20, 1941–1942; A–35, 1942–1943; P–40, 1943; P–39, 1943–1944; P–47, 1944–1945. F–84, 1952–1954; F–86, 1953–1956; F–100, 1956–1972; F–4, 1972–1977; F–111, 1977–1992. F-15, 1994-.
Operations. Antisubmarine patrols, Mar–Apr 1942. Replacement training, 1942–1943. Combat in European Theater of Operations (ETO), 20 Apr 1944–4 May 1945. Between 1952-1990: conducted aerial gunnery training and special weapons operations; trained for conventional and nuclear bombing missions in support of NATO. Participated in the air raid on Tripoli, Libya, 14-15 Apr 1986. Combat in Southwest Asia, Jan–Feb 1991. Supported USAFE, USEUCOM and NATO war plans and contingency operations, 1994-. Supported Operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Odyssey Dawn and Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) commitments in Southwest Asia, 2000-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait; Cease Fire Campaign. Kosovo: Air Campaign. Global War on Terrorism: GWOT-E.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany, 6 Dec 1944. Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation: Libya, 10–16 Apr 1986. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1961–29 Feb 1964; 1 Jul 1966–30 Jun 1968; 14 Oct 1976–31 Dec 1977; 1 Apr 1978–31 Mar 1980; 1 Jul 1984–30 Jun 1986; 1 Jul 1986–30 Jun 1988; 1 Jul 1988–30 Jun 1990; 20 Aug 1990–11 May 1991; 1 Jul-18 Dec 1992 and 1 Jan-30 Jun 1994; 1 Oct 2000-24 Sep 2002; 1 Oct 2002-30 Sep 2004; 1 Oct 2004-31 Oct 2005; 1 Nov 2005-31 Dec 2006; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2007; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2008; 1 Jan 2009-31 Dec 2010. Cited in the Orders of the Day, Belgian Army: 6 Jun–30 Sep 1944; 1 Oct–17 Dec 1944; 18 Dec 1944–15 Jan 1945. Belgian Fourragere.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 19 Aug 2016.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 31 Dec 2010.
Supersedes statement prepared on 19 Jun 2013.
Emblem. Approved on 20 Aug 2003.
Prepared by TSgt David Dollman.