95th Fighter Squadron - History

History

The squadron first saw service flying the original twin-tailed fighter, the P-38 Lightning, serving in both North Africa and Italy. The 95th participated in the attacks on the Ploesti oil refineries. Each aircraft carried a 1,000-pound bomb and a 300-gallon gas tank. In May 1943, the 95th was tasked with bombing Pantellaria, supporting the Allied invasion of Sicily. In part due to the squadron's efforts the garrison surrender just prior to the Allies landing on the island. The squadron also took part in some of the first shuttle missions to Russia. At the end of World War II, the 95th tallied more than 400 total victories including 199 air-to-air kills and seven aces.

During the post-war period, the squadron was assigned to the Alaskan Air Command, flying the P-51 Mustang. In the fall of 1959, the 95th was tasked with defending Washington, D.C., and the surrounding area. With the initiation of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the threat of manned bomber attacks, the 95th was assigned to 24-hour alert status at both Dover AFB, and at its Detachment 1 at Atlantic City International Airport, New Jersey. Armed with F-106 Delta Dart aircraft, the squadron could be called to action and within minutes, be airborne fully loaded and armed with nuclear missiles.

The squadron was last activated at Tyndall Air Force Base on 15 August 1974, as the 95th Fighter Interceptor Training Squadron. Upon arrival at Tyndall, the 95th transitioned from the F-106 to the T-33 Shooting Star, where they flew in support of Tyndall's Weapons Controller (now known as Air Battle Manager) training program. They also provided training to pilots newly assigned to the T-33 as well as drone chase support for the Air Force's Weapons System Evaluation Program at Tyndall. The 95th FITS was the last active USAF unit to operate the T-33, affectionately known by its crews as the "T-Bird". In 1988, the 95th retired its last T-Birds and gained the mission of providing combat crew training for pilots flying the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. At this time, the 95th was redesignated the 95th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron. In 1991, the 95th was redesginated as the 95th Fighter Squadron, which remained the squadron's designation until the time of its inactivation in September 2010.

Though the 95th's mission was training, and was not an operational squadron, during Operation Noble Eagle, the 95th Fighter Squadron generated combat-configured F-15s and flew combat air patrol missions over cities in the southeastern United States.

The 95th provided air dominance training at Tyndall AFB.