522 Fighter Squadron (ACC)

Lineage. Constituted 16 Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 22 Dec 1939. Activated on 1 Feb 1940. Redesignated: 522 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 23 Aug 1943; 522 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 30 May 1944. Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945. Activated on 20 Aug 1946. Redesignated: 522 Fighter Squadron, Two Engine, on 22 Jul 1947; 522 Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 1 Dec 1949; 522 Fighter-Escort Squadron on 1 Feb 1950; 522 Strategic Fighter Squadron on 20 Jan 1953; 522 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 1 Jul 1957; 522 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul 1958; 522 Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991.

Assignments. 27 Bombardment (later, 27 Fighter-Bomber; 27 Fighter) Group, 1 Feb 1940-7 Nov 1945. 27 Fighter (later, 27 Fighter-Escort) Group, 20 Aug 1946 (attached to 27 Fighter-Escort Wing, 6 Aug 1951-15 Jun 1952); 27 Fighter-Escort (later, 27 Strategic Fighter; 27 Fighter-Bomber; 27 Tactical Fighter; 27 Fighter) Wing, 16 Jun 1952 (attached to unkn, 6 Sep-18 Dec 1958; TUSLOG, 18 Oct 1959-22 Feb 1960; 405 Fighter Wing, 13 Feb-c. 7 Mar 1961; TUSLOG, 5 Feb-15 Jun 1962; 2 Air Division, 12 Dec 1962-c. 15 Feb 1963 and 16 Mar-6 May 1964; 405 Fighter Wing, 8 Aug-c. 20 Sep 1964; 2 Air Division, c. 20 Sep-15 Nov 1964; 405 Fighter Wing, 15 Aug-25 Nov 1965); 27 Operations Group, 1 Nov 1991; Twelfth Air Force, 1 Oct 2007-, (attached to 712 Operations Group [Provisional], 1 Oct 2007-.).

Stations. Barksdale Field, LA, 1 Feb 1940; Hunter Field, GA, 7 Oct 1940-19 Oct 1941; Ft William McKinley, Luzon, 20 Nov 1941; Lipa Airfield, Luzon, 22 Dec 1941; Cabcaben, Luzon, 25 Dec 1941 (air echelon operated from Brisbane, Australia, 24 Dec 1941-16 Feb 1942); Bataan, Luzon, 29 Dec 1941 (air echelon operated from Batchelor, Australia, 17 Feb-c. 8 Mar 1942, and from Brisbane, Australia, c. 10-c. 25 Mar 1942); Charters Towers, Australia, Apr-4 May 1942; Hunter Field, GA, 4 May 1942; Key Field, MS, 14 Jul 1942; Hattiesburg, MS, 15 Aug 1942; Harding Field, LA, 25 Oct-21 Nov 1942; Ste-Barbe-du-Tlelat, Algeria, 26 Dec 1942; Nouvion, Algeria, 5 Jan 1943; Ras el Ma, French Morocco, 4 Apr 1943; Korba, Tunisia, c. 8 Jun 1943; Gela, Sicily, 18 Jul 1943; Barcelona, Sicily, 3 Sep 1943; Capaccio, Italy, 18 Sep 1943; Paestum, Italy, 4 Nov 1943; Pomigliano, Italy, 19 Jan 1944; Castel Volturno, Italy, 10 Apr 1944; Santa Maria, Italy, 9 May 1944; Le Banca, Italy, 7 Jun 1944; Ciampino, Italy, 12 Jun 1944; Voltone, Italy, 4 Jul 1944; Serragia, Corsica, 10 Jul 1944; Le Luc, France, 25 Aug 1944; Salon, France, 30 Aug 1944; Loyettes, France, 11 Sep 1944; Tarquinia, Italy, 2 Oct 1944; Pontedera, Italy, 3 Dec 1944; St Dizier, France, 21 Feb 1945; Toul/Ochey, France, 19 Mar 1945; Biblis, Germany, 5 Apr 1945; Sandhofen, Germany, 23 Jun 1945; Echterdingen, Germany, 15 Sep-20 Oct 1945; Camp Shanks, NY, 6-7 Nov 1945. Fritlzar, Germany, 20 Aug 1946; Bad Kissingen, Germany, 25 Jun 1947; Andrews Field, MD, 25 Jun 1947; Kearney AAFld (later, AFB), NE, 16 Jul 1947; Bergstrom AFB, TX, 16 Mar 1949 (deployed at Taegu AB, South Korea, 5 Dec 1950-30 Jan 1951; Itazuke AB, Japan, 31 Jan-20 Jun 1951; Misawa AB, Japan, 13-16 Oct 1952; Chitose AB, Japan, 17 Oct 1952-c. 13 Feb 1953; Sturgate RAF Station, England, 7 May-17 Aug 1955; Okinawa, 6 Sep-18 Dec 1958); Cannon AFB, NM, 18 Feb 1959- (deployed at Incirlik AB, Turkey, 18 Oct 1959-22 Feb 1960; Clark AB, Philippines, 13 Feb-c. 7 Mar 1961; England AFB, LA, 29 Mar-5 May 1961; Incirlik AB, Turkey, 5 Feb-15 Jun 1962; MacDill AFB, FL, 21 Oct-1 Dec 1962; Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, 12 Dec 1962-c. 15 Feb 1963 and 16 Mar-6 May 1964; Clark AB, Philippines [with further deployments to bases in Southeast Asia], 8 Aug-15 Nov 1964 and 15 Aug-25 Nov 1965; Holloman AFB, NM, 13 Apr-12 May 1966).

Commanders. Unkn, 1 Feb 1940-Jun 1941; Capt William Hipps, Jul 1941; Lt Stephenson, Dec 1941; 1 Lt Savage, Jan 1942; Capt Herbert L. Phillips, 14 Jul 1942-unkn; Maj Daniel B. Rathbun, unkn-19 Oct 1943; Lt Col Joseph A. Kelly, 20 Oct 1943; Capt Emil G. Tanassy, 18 Mar 1944; Capt Charles C. Williams, 22 Jul 1944; Capt Robert E. Fromm, 19 Sep 1944; Capt Thomas V. Murphy, 20 Oct 1944; Maj Leonard I. Wiehrdt, 27 Oct 1944-1945. Lt Col Glenn A. Stell, 20 Aug 1946-unkn; none (not manned), 25 Jun-15 Jul 1947; Maj Raymond E. Beckley, c. Jul 1947-21 Jan 1948; unkn-22 Jan-c. Mar 1948; Maj Virgil K. Meroney, by Mar-Aug 1948; unkn, Aug-Oct 1948; Maj Ray C. Williams, Nov 1948-c. Jan 1949; unkn, c. Jan-c. Sep 1949; Lt Col Roswell Freedman, c. Sep 1949; Lt Col John W. Lafko, 6 Feb 1951; Lt Col David N. Harmon, Jul 1953; Maj James C. Peek, 7 Apr 1955-unkn; Maj John J. Burns, c. Jul 1957; unkn, 1-27 Jan 1959; none (not manned), c. 28 Jan-17 Feb 1959; Lt Col James M. Miller, 18 Feb1959-unkn; Maj William E. Charlson, by Dec 1959-unkn; Maj John J. Voll, by Dec 1961; Maj Robert J. Benedetti, 27 Jul 1962; Lt Col Henry P. Rettinger, 8 Aug 1962; Lt Col David O. Williams Jr., by 16 Mar 1964; Lt Col Herbert D. Stallings Jr., by Jun 1965; Maj James E. Steinmiller, by Jun 1967-unkn; none (not operational), 19 Jun 1969-unkn; Lt Col Kenneth A. Schuppe, by Aug 1969; Lt Col Martin J. Loftus, c. Sep 1969; Lt Col Kenneth A. Schuppe, 1 Jun 1970; Lt Col John W. Gordon, 28 Sep 1970; Lt Col Roger D. Tucker, 11 Dec 1972; Lt Col Milford E. Davis, 11 Jun 1973; Lt Col Charles E. Van Driel, 2 Jan 1975; Lt Col Robert A. Downs, 5 Jan 1976; Lt Col Albert R. Krisch, 1 Jul 1977; Lt Col Jack E. Gray, 2 Apr 1979; Lt Col Stephen E. Piszczek, 26 Nov 1980; Lt Col James K. Sluis, 30 Jun 1982; Lt Col Christopher Russo, 27 Jun 1984; Lt Col James T. Gribble III, 25 Nov 1985; Lt Col Mike Carpenter, 23 Jul 1986; Lt Col Ronald N. Braunhardt, 27 Jun 1988; Lt Col Anthony J. Sobol III, 8 Jun 1990; Lt Col John E. Hill, 29 Jun 1992; Lt Col Virgil F. Unger, 11 Nov 1993; Lt Col Stephen P. Mueller, 19 Aug 1995; Lt Col Noel T. Jones, 7 Nov 1997; Lt Col David D. Watt, 4 Jun 1999; Lt Col John W. Wiebner, 8 Jun 2001; Lt Col Mark A. Altobelli, 14 Aug 2002-.

Aircraft. Trained with B-18's and A-18's, 1940-1941; A-24, 1941-1942; A-20, 1941, 1942-1943; A-36, 1943-1944; P-40, 1944; P-47, 1944-1945. P-47, 1946-1947; P-51, 1947-1948; F-82, 1948-1950; F-84, 1950-1951, 1951-1957; F-101, 1957-1958, 1958; F-100, 1959-1969; F-111, 1969-1970, 1970-1971, 1971-1998; F-16, 1998-.

Operations. Combat in Southwest Pacific, 8 Dec 1941-4 May 1942; ground echelon fought with infantry units in Philippine Islands, Mar-Apr 1942. Combat in Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) and European Theater of Operations (ETO), 6 Jun 1943-4 May 1945. Combat in Korea, c. 8 Dec 1950-c. 1 Jun 1951. Combat in Southeast Asia, c. 20 Sep-15 Nov 1964 and 15 Aug-25 Nov 1965. F-100 replacement training, Jan 1966-Jun 1969. Conducted overseas deployments to maintain combat readiness of personnel and aircraft, 1980-1989. Deployed aircraft and personnel to Turkey, 26 Dec 1992-23 Mar 1993. Transitioned to F-16 aircraft in 1998 and trained for day and night, all-weather precision attack and electronic combat operations. Maintained capability to deploy and support unified commanders worldwide with day and night combat operations, 2000-.

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Philippine Islands; East Indies; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Korea: CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive. Vietnam: Vietnam Advisory; Vietnam Defensive.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Philippine Islands, 7 Dec 1941-[Apr] 1942; Philippine Islands, 8-22 Dec 1941; Philippine Islands, 6 Jan-8 Mar 1942; Italy, 10 Sep 1943; France, 4 Sep 1944; Korea, 26 Jan-21 Apr 1951. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan 1962-1 Jan 1964; 8 Aug-15 Nov 1964; 1 Jan 1981-30 Jun 1982; 1 Jan 1988-31 Dec 1989; 1 Apr 1992-31 Mar 1993; 1 Jun 1996-31 May 1998; 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2004. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII). Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: 9 Nov 1950-31 May 1951.

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 4 Jan 2008.

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 31 Dec 2002.

Supersedes published information in Judy G. Endicott (ed.), USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995 (Washington: USGPO, 1999).

Emblem. Approved on 25 Jun 1951.

Prepared by Patsy Robertson.

Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.