Lineage. Constituted as 18 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 22 Dec 1939. Activated on 1 Feb 1940. Redesignated as: 18 Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942; 18 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, 20 Aug 1943; 18 Fighter Squadron, Two Engine, on 6 Mar 1945. Inactivated on 15 Aug 1946. Redesignated 18 Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 10 Oct 1952. Activated on 1 Dec 1952. Inactivated on 15 Apr 1971. Redesignated 18 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 19 Sep 1977. Activated on 1 Oct 1977. Redesignated as: 18 Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul 1991; 18 Aggressor Squadron on 1 Oct 2007.
Assignments. 35 Pursuit Group, 1 Feb 1940; 28 Composite Group, c. 24 Feb 1941; XI Fighter Command, 7 Jun 1942; 343 Fighter Group, 11 Sep 1942-15 Aug 1946. 31 Air Division, 1 Dec 1952; 514 Air Defense Group, 16 Feb 1953; 11 Air Division, 1 Sep 1954; 5001 Air Defense Group, 20 Sep 1954; 11 Air Division, 1 Oct 1955; 412 Fighter Group, 20 Aug 1957; 30 Air Division, 1 Apr 1960; 478 Fighter Group, 1 May 1960; 478 Fighter Wing, 1 Feb 1961; Grand Forks Air Defense Sector, 1 Jul 1963; Duluth Air Defense Sector, 4 Sep 1963; 29 Air Division, 1 Apr 1966; 28 Air Division, 15 Sep 1969; 24 Air Division, 19 Nov 1969-15 Apr 1971. 21 Composite Wing, 1 Oct 1977; 343 Tactical Fighter Group, 15 Nov 1977; 21 Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Jan 1980; 343 Composite (later, 343 Tactical Fighter) Wing, 1 Jan 1982; 343 Operations Group, 1 Jul 1991; 354 Operations Group, 20 Aug 1993-.
Stations. Moffett Field, CA, 1 Feb 1940; Hamilton Field, CA, 10 Sep 1940-8 Feb 1941; Elmendorf Field, AK, 21 Feb 1941; Ft Greely, AK, 18 Apr-23 Nov 1942; Adak, 6 Dec 1942; Amchitka, 15 Feb 1943; Attu, 28 Mar 1944; Elmendorf Field, AK, 6 Nov 1945; Ladd Field, AK, 20 Jun-15 Aug 1946. Minneapolis–St Paul Intl Aprt, MN, 1 Dec 1952; Ladd AFB, AK, 28 Aug 1954; Wurtsmith AFB, MI, 20 Aug 1957; Grand Forks AFB, ND, 1 May 1960-15 Apr 1971. Elmendorf AFB, AK, 1 Oct 1977; Eielson AFB, AK,
1 Jan 1982-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Aleutian Islands; Air Combat, Asiatic–Pacific Theater. Global War on Terrorism-Expeditionary (GWOT-E).
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jun 1962-31 May 1964; 7 Jun 1966-8 Jun 1968; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1978; 1 Jan 1983-30 Jun 1984; 1 Jul 1985-30 Jun 1987; 1 Jan 1988-31 Dec 1989; 1 Jul 1990-30 Jun 1992; 11 Sep 2000-10 Sep 2002; 17 Sep 2003-16 Sep 2005; 17 Sep 2005-20 Oct 2006; 1 Oct 2012-30 Sep 2014.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 4 Nov 2022.
Supersedes statement prepared on 7 Mar 2017.
Emblem. Approved on 10 Nov 1944; latest rendering, 7 Nov 1995.
Prepared by James Musser.
Reviewed by Margaret Ream.