Lineage. Organized as 1 Reserve Aero Squadron on 26 May 1917. Redesignated 26 Aero Squadron on 1 Oct 1917. Demobilized on 7 Jun 1919. Reconstituted, and consolidated (8 Apr 1924), with unit authorized as 26 Squadron (Attack) on 30 Aug 1921. Organized on 15 Sep 1921. Redesignated 26 Attack Squadron on 25 Jan 1923. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1924. Activated on 1 Sep 1930. Redesignated: 26 Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 6 Dec 1939; 26 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 11 Dec 1940; 26 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy in 1944; 26 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 30 Apr 1946. Inactivated on 20 Oct 1948. Redesignated 26 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, and activated, on 1 Dec 1948. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 2 Jul 1968. Redesignated 26 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 24 Sep 1973. Activated on 30 Sep 1973. Redesignated: 26 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 31 Aug 1975; 26 Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron on 30 Nov 1977; 26 Aggressor Squadron on 22 Apr 1983. Inactivated on 21 Feb 1990. Redesignated 26 Space Aggressor Squadron on 21 Feb 2003. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Oct 2003.
Assignments. Eastern Department, 26 May 1917; Third Aviation Instruction Center, c. Sep 1917; unkn, Apr-7 Jun 1919. 3 Attack Group, 15 Sep 1921-27 Jun 1924. 5 Composite (later, 5 Bombardment) Group, 1 Sep 1930 (attached to 18 Pursuit Group, 1 Sep 1930-); 18 Wing, 12 Oct 1938 (remained attached to 18 Pursuit Group to c. 10 Dec 1939); 11 Bombardment Group, 1 Feb 1940-20 Oct 1948. 11 Bombardment Group, 1 Dec 1948 (attached to 11 Bombardment Wing, 16 Feb 1951-15 Jun 1952); 11 Bombardment (later, 11 Strategic Aerospace) Wing, 16 Jun 1952-2 Jul 1968. 405 Fighter Wing, 30 Sep 1973; 3 Tactical Fighter Wing, 16 Sep 1974; 18 Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Oct 1988-21 Feb 1990. 310 Space Group, 1 Oct 2003-.
Stations. Hazelhurst Field, NY, 26 May-23 Aug 1917; Le Havre, France, 17 Sep 1917; Issoudun, France, 20 Sep 1917 (detachments trained at Pau and Tours, France, 28 Sep-Nov 1917); Clisson, France, 13 Apr 1919; St Sebastien, France, 1 May 1919; St Nazaire, France, 5-13 May 1919; Mitchel Field, NY, 27 May-7 Jun 1919. Kelly Field, TX, 15 Sep 1921-27 Jun 1924. Wheeler Field, TH, 1 Sep 1930; Hickam Field, TH, 1 Feb 1940; Wheeler Field, TH, 20 Dec 1941-19 Jul 1942 (operated from Midway Island, 30 May-2 Jun 1942 and 5-c. 8 Jun 1942); Efate, New Hebrides, 25 Jul 1942 (forward echelon operated from Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, Aug 1942, and from Guadalcanal, Sep 1942); Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 22 Dec 1942-28 Mar 1943 (forward echelon operated from New Guinea, Jan 1943); Bellows Field, TH, 12 Apr 1943; Wheeler Field, TH, 11 May 1943 (operated from Canton Island, Aug-Sep 1943); Nukufetau, Ellice Islands, 11 Nov 1943 (air echelon operated from Canton Island, 12 Nov-31 Dec 1943); Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, 25 Jan 1944 (air echelon operated from Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands, 29 Mar-17 Apr 1944); Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, 14 Apr 1944 (air echelon operated from Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands, Jul 1944); Guam, Marianas Islands, 21 Oct 1944; Yonton Airfield, Okinawa, Ryukyus Islands, 2 Jul 1945; Ft McHenry, Luzon, 13 Dec 1945; Northwest AAB, Guam, Marianas Islands, 15 May 1946; Harmon Field AAB (later, AFB), Guam, Marianas Islands, 1 May 1947-20 Oct 1948. Carswell AFB, TX, 1 Dec 1948 (deployed at Nouasseur AB, French Morocco, 28 Jun-29 Jul 1954 and 3 May-3 Jul 1955); Altus AFB, OK, 13 Dec 1957-2 Jul 1968 (deployed at Clinton-Sherman AFB, OK, 13 Aug-25 Nov 1958). Clark AB, Philippines, 30 Sep 1973; Kadena AB, Japan, 1 Oct 1988-21 Feb 1990. Schriever AFB, CO, 1 Oct 2003-.
Commanders. Maj Raynal C. Bolling, 26 May 1917; Capt Phillip A. Carroll, 16 Jun 1917; Capt James E. Miller, 27 Sep 1917; 1 Lt Charles E. Reed, c. 25 Oct 1917; 1 Lt Douglas Campbell, c. Nov 1917; 1 Lt Howard W. Schultz, c. 1917; 1 lt Carroll D. Weatherly, c. 1917-c. May 1918; none (not manned), c. 31 May-c. 4 Jun 1918; 1 Lt Heath A. Melton, c. 5 Jun 1918; Capt Roy A. Noggle, Oct 1918; Capt James C. Calvert, Nov 1918; 2 Lt A. Evan Hughes, 1919; 1 Lt Thomas W. Ward, 1919. 1 Lt Lotha A. Smith, 15 Sep 1921; 1 Lt Byron E. Gates, 14 Sep 1922; unkn, 26 Jan 1923-27 Jun 1924. 1 Lt Nathan F. Twining, 1 Sep 1930; 1 Lt Leonard H. Rodieck, 8 Mar 1932; Maj Samuel G. Frierson, 1 Mar 1934; Maj George A. McHenry Jr., 3 Dec 1936; Capt George R. Acheson, 25 Nov 1938; 2 Lt Alvord Rutherford, 26 Dec 1939; Maj Richard E. Cobb, 1 May 1940; 1 Lt R. P. Salzarulo, 12 Nov 1941; Maj Andrew Meulenberg, 13 Nov 1941; Maj Richard E. Cobb, c. 20 Dec 1941; Lt Col Lawrence C. Coddington, c. 15 Jan 1942; Maj Allan J. Sewart Jr., 29 Jun 1942; Capt John J. Thornhill, 18 Nov 1942; Capt Nicholas H. Lund, 20 May 1943; Maj Wesley A. Anderson, 6 Jul 1943; Maj Robert W. Holland, 27 Jan 1944; Capt Vernon B. Warren, 29 Jul 1944; Maj Robert W. Holland, c. 1 Dec 1944; Capt Vernon B. Warren, Jan 1945 (acting), 11 Feb 1945 (permanent); Maj Wilber E. Dehne, 1 Mar 1945; Maj George R. Haysel, May 1945; Maj Wilber E. Dehne, Jul 1945; l Lt Robert N. Chalman, c. Dec 1945; none (not manned), c. 13 Dec 1945-14 May 1946; Capt William E. Conger, 15 May 1946; Capt Aloyisius A. Norton, c. Oct 1946; none (not manned), 15 Nov 1946-Oct 1948. Maj Charles T. Moreland Jr., 1 Dec 1948; Lt Col Richard T. Black, 16 Mar 1949; Lt Col Louis W. Rohr, 15 Aug 1949; Lt Col Richard T. Black, 14 Sep 1949; Lt Col Robert E. Thacker, 16 Jan 1950; Lt Col Howard F. Hugos, 9 Mar 1950; Col William R. Calhoun Jr., c. Nov 1950; Lt Col Thomas J. Rogers, 16 Feb 1951; Lt Col Carroll H. Payne, 21 Apr 1952; Lt Col John C. Harrington, 25 Mar 1953; Lt Col Clay E. Thompson Jr., 15 Aug 1954; Lt Col Roderick G. Darelius, 23 Dec 1954; Lt Col George J. Savage, Jul 1955; Lt Col Fred D. McKinney, c. 24 Sep 1956; Maj Ray H. McAllister, c. Jan 1958; Maj Marvin E. Carver, c. Feb 1958; Lt Col Fred D. McKinney, c. Mar 1958; Lt Col Robert W. Johnson, 13 May 1960; Col Farley A. Latta, c. 9 Mar 1962; Lt Col Armand L. Monteverde, May 1963; Lt Col Oliver W. Lewis, 1 Jan 1964; Lt Col Jonathan H. Hughes, c. Jun 1965; Lt Col John J. Murphy, Apr 1966; Lt Col Glen T. Noyes, c. 21 Apr 1967; Lt Col Frank E. Birtciel, c. May-c. 2 Jul 1968. None (not manned), 30 Sep 1973-30 Aug 1975; Lt Col Ralph A. Riddell, 31 Aug 1975; Lt Col Harry L. McKee, 30 Dec 1976; Lt Col Thomas W. Williams, 16 Oct 1978; Lt Col Ronald N. Running, 18 Jul 1980; Lt Col Burton R. Moore, 24 Mar 1981; Lt Col Ralph B. Femrite, 6 Jul 1981; Lt Col Harold S. Storer Jr., 21 Oct 1983; Lt Col Edward H. Allen, 10 Jul 1985; Lt Col William H. Finocchio, 10 Jul 1987; Lt Col William J. Heitzig, 14 Jul 1989; none (not manned), by Jan-21 Feb 1990.
Aircraft. Included DH-4 and various experimental models including the "flying tank," 1921-1924. A-3, 1930-1936; PW-9, 1931; A-12, 1936-1939; B-18, 1940-1942; B-17, 1941-1943; B-24, 1943-1945. B-36, 1949-1957; B-52, 1958-1968. T-38, 1975-1980; F-5, 1977-1988; T-33, 1986-1987; F-15 and F-16 (borrowed), 1988-1989.
Operations. Assembled, serviced, and repaired aircraft, 1917-1919. Search missions from Hawaii, 20 Dec 1941-8 Jul 1942 and May-Oct 1943; took part in Battle of Midway in Jun 1942. Combat in South and Southwest Pacific, 30 Jul 1942-Feb 1943; in Central Pacific, Jul, Sep 1943; and in Central and Western Pacific, 14 Nov 1943-12 Aug 1945. Ferried former prisoners of war to Manila, Sep 1945. Trained in heavy bombardment operations, 1949-1968. Provided PACAF aircrews with realistic training in dissimilar aerial combat and current intelligence on enemy air-to-air capabilities and tactics, 1976-1989; minimally manned after move to Kadena AB in 1988.
Service Streamers. World War I Theater of Operations.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Central Pacific; Air Offensive, Japan; Papua; Guadalcanal; Northern Solomons; Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific; Ryukyus; China Offensive; Air Combat, Asiatic-Pacific Theater..
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: South Pacific, 31 Jul-30 Nov 1942. Navy Presidential Unit Citation: Pacific Theater, 7 Aug-9 Dec 1942. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 6 Aug 1954-15 Jul 1957; 27 Oct 1958-16 Sep 1960; 1 May 1980-30 Apr 1982; 22 Mar-1 Apr 1986; 1 Jun 1987-31 May 1989.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 1 Oct 2003.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 21 Feb 1990.
Supersedes statement prepared on 27 Dec 1984.
Emblem. Approved on 26 Jun 2003.
Prepared by Judy G. Endicott.