The squadron was first activated shortly after the United States entered
World War II as the 86th Pursuit Squadron. As the 86th Fighter Squadron It saw combat in the
Mediterranean Theater of Operations and earned two
Distinguished Unit Citations. After the end of the war it became an element of the
occupation forces until returning to the United States, where it was inactivated in 1947.
It was activated once again to replace an
Air National Guard squadron that had been mobilized for the
Korean War and carried out the
air defense of the Great Lakes area for the next eight years.
History
World War II
The squadron was first activated in early 1942 at
Dale Mabry Field, Florida[1] as the 86th Pursuit Squadron, one of the original three squadrons of the
79th Pursuit Group.[2] Its initial
cadre was drawn from the
56th and
81st Fighter Groups.[3] The squadron was redesignated the 86th Fighter Squadron in May 1942. The unit trained in the United States, then moved to Egypt by sea via Brazil in October–November 1942,[3] where it became part of
Ninth Air Force.[2]
The squadron trained with
P-40 Warhawks while moving westward in the wake of the British drive across Egypt and Libya to Tunisia.[2] By escorting bombers, attacking enemy shipping, and supporting ground forces, the 86th took part in the Allied operations that defeated Axis forces in
North Africa, captured
Pantelleria, and conquered Sicily.[2] The squadron was awarded a
Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for its support of British Eighth Army during that period, March–August 1943.[1]
The squadron became part of
Twelfth Air Force in August 1943 and continued to support the
British Eighth Army by attacking troop concentrations, gun positions, bridges, roads, and rail lines in southern
Italy.[2] It operated in the area of the
Anzio beachhead from January to March 1944. The unit participated in the drive on
Rome from March to June 1944, and converted to
P-47 Thunderbolts during that time. It flew escort and strafing missions in southern
France during August and September 1944, and afterward returned to Italy and engaged in interdiction and
close air support operations in northern Italy. The 86th received a second DUC for numerous missions flown at minimum altitude in intense flak to help pierce the enemy line at the
Santerno River in Italy in April 1945.[2] Squadron pilots were credited with twenty-eight victories over enemy aircraft during World War II.[4]
The squadron remained overseas as part of
United States Air Forces in Europe after the war as part of the
occupation forces. It was transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the US in June 1947 and inactivated on 15 July 1947.[1]
Three months later ADC reorganized it dispersed fighter bases and the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was assigned to the
502d Air Defense Group,[1] which assumed control of ADC operational and support elements at Youngstown.[7] In July the squadron upgraded to
radar equipped and
rocket armed
North American F-86D Sabres at Youngstown.[6]
In August 1955 ADC implemented Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars.[8] At Youngstown, the squadron's World War II headquarters, the 79th Fighter Group assumed the personnel and equipment of the 502d Air Defense Group, which was simultaneously inactivated.[7]
Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, 1956
Watkins, Robert A. (2009). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. Vol. IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. pp. 30–31.
ISBN978-0-7643-3401-6.
Woerpel, Don. The 79th Fighter Group: Over Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy in World War II. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 2007.
ISBN0-7643-1322-3.
"ADCOM's Fighter Interceptor Squadrons". The Interceptor. 21 (1). Aerospace Defense Command: 5–11, 26–31, 40–45, 54–59. January 1979.