Lineage. Constituted as 361 Fighter Squadron on 8 Dec 1942. Activated on 12 Dec 1942. Redesignated as 361 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 20 Sep 1944. Inactivated on 11 Nov 1945. Consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with 461 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, which was constituted as 461 Fighter-Day Squadron on 30 Dec 1955. Activated on 8 Feb 1956. Redesignated as 461 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 Jul 1958. Inactivated on 1 Aug 1959. Redesignated as 461 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 15 Jul 1976. Activated on 1 Jul 1977. Redesignated as 461 Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991. Inactivated on 5 Aug 1994. Redesignated as 461 Flight Test Squadron on 23 Oct 2006. Activated on 27 Oct 2006.
Assignments. 356 Fighter Group, 12 Dec 1942-10 Nov 1945; unkn, 10-11 Nov 1945. 36 Fighter-Day Group, 8 Feb 1956 (attached to 86 Fighter-Interceptor Group, 8 Feb-2 May 1956; 36 Fighter-Day Wing, 1 Oct 1956-7 Dec 1957); 36 Fighter-Day (later, Tactical Fighter) Wing, 8 Dec 1957-1 Aug 1959. 58 Tactical Training Wing, 1 Jul 1977; 405 Tactical Training Wing, 29 Aug 1979; 58 Operations Group, 1 Oct 1991; 56 Operations Group, 1 Apr-5 Aug 1994. 412 Operations Group, 27 Oct 2006-.
Stations. Westover Fld, MA, 12 Dec 1942; New Haven AAFld, CT, 2 Mar 1943; Bradley Fld, CT, 19 Apr 1943; Westhampton, NY, 8 Jun 1943; Grenier Fld, NH, 4 Jul 1943; Camp Myles Standish, MA, 15-20 Aug 1943; Goxhill, England, 27 Aug 1943; Martlesham Heath, England, 9 Oct 1943-28 Oct 1945; Camp Myles Standish, MA, 10-11 Nov 1945. Landstuhl AB, West Germany, 8 Feb 1956; Hahn AB, West Germany, 2 May 1956-1 Aug 1959. Luke AFB, AZ, 1 Jul 1977-5 Aug 1994. Edwards AFB, CA, 27 Oct 2006-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Netherlands, 17, 18 and 23 Sep 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: May 1956-May 1958; 1 Jan 1978-31 Dec 1979; 1 Aug 1982-31 May 1984; 1 Apr 1992-31 Mar 1994; 1 Jan 2010-31 Dec 2011; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2012; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2013.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 17 Aug 2023.
Supersedes statement prepared on 11 Jun 2018.
Emblem. Approved on 27 Aug 1957; latest rendering, 15 Mar 2007.
Prepared by Melissa Lahue.
Reviewed by Margaret Ream.