Lineage. Constituted 40 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 22 Dec 1939. Activated on 1 Feb 1940. Redesignated: 40 Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942; 40 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 20 Aug 1943; 40 Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 Jan 1950; 40 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 20 Jun 1965. Inactivated on 15 Oct 1970. Activated on 1 Oct 1971. Inactivated on 30 Apr 1982. Consolidated (1 Oct 1992) with the 3247 Test Squadron, which was designated, and activated, on 25 Jun 1982. Redesignated: 40 Test Squadron on 1 Oct 1992; 40 Flight Test Squadron on 15 Mar 1994.
Assignments. 31 Pursuit Group, 1 Feb 1940; 35 Pursuit (later, 35 Fighter; 35 Fighter-Interceptor) Group, 15 Jan 1942 (attached to 35 Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 15 Jan–14 Jul 1954 and 8 Oct 1956–1 Jul 1957); 41 Air Division, 1 Oct 1957 (attached to 3 Bombardment Wing, 1 Dec 1961–31 May 1962); Tactical Air Command, c. 17 Jun 1965; 33 Tactical Fighter Wing, 20 Jun 1965–15 Oct 1970. 355 Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Oct 1971; 35 Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Jun 1972–30 Apr 1982. 3246 Test Wing, 25 Jun 1982; 46 Test Wing, 1 Oct 1992; 46 Operations Group, 8 Sep 1993; 96 Operations Group, 1 Oct 2012–.
Stations. Selfridge Field, MI, 1 Feb 1940; Baer Field, IN, 6 Dec 1941; Port Angeles, WA, 16 Dec 1941–c. 22 Jan 1942; Brisbane, Australia, 25 Feb 1942; Ballarat, Australia, 9 Mar 1942; Mount Gambier, Australia, 16 Mar 1942; Townsville, Australia, Apr 1942; Port Moresby, New Guinea, 2 Jun 1942; Townsville, Australia, 30 Jul 1942; Port Moresby, New Guinea, c. 25 Nov 1942; Tsili Tsili, New Guinea, 11 Aug 1943; Nadzab, New Guinea, Oct 1943; Gusap, New Guinea, 5 Feb 1944; Nadzab, New Guinea, 9 Jun 1944; Noemfoor, 4 Aug 1944; Owi, Schouten Islands, 14 Sep 1944; Morotai, 17 Oct 1944; Mangaldan, Luzon, 21 Jan 1945; Lingayen, Luzon, 11 Apr 1945; Clark Field, Luzon, 19 Apr 1945; Okinawa, 30 Jun 1945; Irumagawa, Japan, 10 Oct 1945; Yokota AB, Japan, 13 Mar 1950; Ashiya AB, Japan, 7 Jul 1950; Pohang, South Korea, 17 Jul 1950; Tsuiki, Japan, 13 Aug 1950; Pohang, South Korea, 7 Oct 1950; Yonpo, South Korea, 18 Nov 1950; Pusan AB, South Korea, 3 Dec 1950; Misawa AB, Japan, 25 May 1951; Johnson AB, Japan, 1 Jul 1951 (detachment stationed at Komaki AB, Japan, 13 Jul 1953–17 Feb 1955); Yokota AB, Japan, 13 Aug 1954–c. 15 Jun 1965; Eglin AFB, FL, 20 Jun 1965–15 Oct 1970. Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 1 Oct 1971; George AFB, CA, 1 Jun 1972–30 Apr 1982. Eglin AFB, FL, 25 Jun 1982–.
Commanders. Capt John F. Egan, 1 Feb 1940; Capt Eugene L. Anderson, 13 Aug 1940; 1 Lt Albert P. Clark Jr., 16 Aug 1940; Capt John F. Egan, 1 Sep 1940; Capt Albert P. Clark Jr., 15 Jan 1941; 1 Lt Neel E. Kearby, 21 Mar 1941; Capt Albert P. Clark Jr., 28 Mar 1941; 1 Lt Fred M. Dean, 10 Aug 1941; 1 Lt S. M. Smith, 20 Jan 1942; Capt Hubert I. Egenes, 16 May 1942; Lt Harvey J. Scandrett, 8 Oct 1942; Capt Malcolm A. Moore, 21 Nov 1942; Capt Thomas H. Winburn, 25 Apr 1943; Capt Joseph E. Lamphere, 10 Nov 1943; Capt James F. Herbert, 12 Feb 1944; Capt John M. Davis, 4 Mar 1944; Capt Robert R. Yeager Jr., 21 Apr 1944; Capt John R. Young, 5 May 1944; Capt Albaro J. Hunter, 8 Nov 1944; Capt Daniel L. Cherry, 8 Dec 1944; Capt Carlos E. Dannacker, May 1945, 1 Lt Otis E. Prevatt Jr., Aug 1944-unkn; Maj Richard D. Gores, unkn-May 1948; Maj Leonard R. Reeves, Jun 1948; Maj Roy E. Whittaker, 14 Jun 1948; Capt James M. Hollingworth, Aug 1948; Capt Leonard R. Reeves, Dec 1948; Maj James F. Kirkendall, Mar 1949; Maj Frank C. Malone, Apr 1951; Maj J. Van Bloom, 1951; Maj George W. Metcalf, 1 Sep 1951-unkn; Maj Thomas F. Bailey, unkn-May 1952; Lt Col William D. Chalek, May 1952; Maj Freeling H. Clower, 1953; Maj Max J. King, 22 Jun 1954; Maj Victor A. Thielhorn, 22 Jan 1955; Lt Col Allen K. McDonald, 6 Sep 1955; Lt Col Norman W. Campion, 25 Jul 1956; Lt Col Lindell P. Tate, 1 Jul 1957; Lt Col Edward M. Walsh Jr., 23 Mar 1959; Col Laurence P. McIntosh Jr., c. 10 May 1961; Maj John W. Hyson, 27 Jun 1963; Lt Col John P. Ruhlman Jr., 6 Jul 1963; Lt Col Wesley D. Kimball, 16 Jan 1965; Lt Col Edward Hillding, 29 May 1967; Lt Col Aubrey C. Edinburgh, 17 Nov 1968; Lt Col Joseph M. Potts, 17 Feb-10 May 1969; not manned, 10 May 1969-15 Oct 1970. Lt Col Donald R. Conway, 1 Oct 1971-31 May 1972; not manned, 1 Jun 1972-20 Apr 1982. Unkn, 25 Jun 1982-7 Sep 1993; Lt Col James R. Heald, 8 Sep 1993; Lt Col Erwin B. Jenschke Jr., 24 Aug 1994; Lt Col James C. Seat, 11 Dec 1995; Lt Col T. H. Thacker, Jan 1998; Lt Col Thomas J. Musiello, Nov 1999; Lt Col John F. Hunnell, 20 Jun 2000; Lt Col K. Christensen, 28 Jun 2002; Lt Col Daniel A. Draeger, 27 Feb 2003; Lt Col Keith J. Kosan, 4 Apr 2003; Lt Col Glenn L. Graham, 29 Jun 2005; Lt Col Colin R. Miller, 9 Jun 2007; Lt Col Evan C. Dertien, 3 Apr 2008-.
Aircraft. P–39, 1941–1944; P–47, 1944–1945; P(later F)–51, 1945–1950, 1950–1953; F–80, 1950, 1953–1954; F–86, 1953–1961; F–102, 1960–1965; F–4, 1965–1969. A–7, 1971–1972. Conducted test and evaluation missions at various times using the following types of aircraft: A–10, F–4, F–15, F–16, F–111, T–38, T–39, C–130, and UH–1, 1982–.
Operations. Combat in Southwest and Western Pacific, 2 Jun 1942–14 Aug 1945. Served in the occupation force in Japan, 1945–1950. Combat in Korea, 8 Jul 1950–25 May 1951. Air defense in Japan and Korea, Jun 1951–Jun 1965. Trained cadres for transfer to Southeast Asia, 1966–1969. Not manned, 10 May 1969–15 Oct 1970 and 1 Jun 1972–30 Apr 1982. Performed development test and evaluation utilizing a variety of aircraft, 1982-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: East Indies; Air Offensive, Japan; China Defensive; Papua; New Guinea; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Letye; Luzon;
Ryukyus; China Offensive. Korea: UN Defensive; UN Offensive; CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Papua, 23 Jul 1942–23 Jan 1943; New Guinea, 6 Feb 1943; Borneo, 10 and 14 Oct 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: [1 Dec 1961]–31 Mar 1962; 1 Jan 1967–30 Jun 1968; 1 Jul 1968–[10 May 1969]; 1 Oct 1971–31 May 1972; 25 Jun 1982–31 Dec 1983; 1 Jan–31 Dec 1984; 1 Jan 1991–31 Dec 1992; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1993; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1994; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1995; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1997; 1 Jan 1998-31 Dec 1999; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2000; 1 Jan 2000-31 Dec 2002; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2001; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2003; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2004; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2005; 1 May 2006-30 Apr 2008; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2008; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2009; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2010; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2011; 1 Jan 2014-31 Dec 2015. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII). Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: 7 Sep 1950–7 Feb 1951.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 19 Oct 2018.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 4 Aug 2008.
Supersedes statement prepared on 5 Apr 2008.
Emblem. Approved on 27 Jul 1983; updated on 29 Jan 1996.
Prepared by Daniel Haulman.