History
Established in late 1944 as a very long range P-47N Thunderbolt fighter squadron; trained under III Fighter Command. Deployed to Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO), assigned to XXI Bomber Command as a long-range escort squadron for B-29 Superfortress bombers engaged in the strategic bombardment of Japan, based on Iwo Jima. After the Japanese Capitulation, moved to Luzon where the squadron was demobilized, the P-47Ns being returned to storage depots in the United States. Inactivated as a paper unit in 1946.
Reactivated in 1954 under Air Defense Command as an air defense interceptor squadron, stationed at George AFB, California for the air defense of Southern California. Initially equipped with F-86D Sabres. In August 1955 the unit was deactivated only to be reactivated again at Castle AFB in October 1955 with F-86D Sabre Interceptors. In 1957 began re-equipping with the North American F-86L Sabre, an improved version of the F-86D which incorporated the Semi Automatic Ground Environment, or SAGE computer-controlled direction system for intercepts. The service of the F-86L destined to be quite brief, since by the time the last F-86L conversion was delivered, the type was already being phased out in favor of supersonic interceptors.
Upgraded in June 1958 into supersonic F-102A Delta Daggers. In September 1959 it received F-106 Delta Darts. The squadron along with its distinctive tail flash color markings moved to Oxnard AFB on 18 July 1968 and was redesignated the 437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.
Read more about this topic: 456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
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