324th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

324th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
Emblem of the 324th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
Active	1942–1960
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter-Interceptor

324th FIS F-86D Sabre inerceptors, about 1956 at Westover AFB

The 324th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 316th Air Division, stationed at Sidi Slimane Air Base, Morocco. It was inactivated on 8 March 1960.

History

Activated in mid-1942 as an operational training unit, primarily for P-47 Thunderbolts under I Fighter Command. Began replacement training in February 1944, inactivated in April when P-47 Thunderbolt training ended.

Reactivated as an Air Defense Command F-86D Sabre interceptor squadron in July 1955 at Westover AFB, Massachusetts flying F-86D Sabre Interceptors, performing an air defense mission over Boston and the New England area. 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.

Reassigned to the Strategic Air Command Sixteenth Air Force in 1958, deployed to Morocco. Performed Air Defense over SAC B-47 Stratojet REFLEX bases. Inactivated in Morocco with SAC's withdrawal from North African bases in 1960.

Lineage

• Constituted 324th Fighter Squadron on 24 June 1942

Activated on 25 August 1942

Disbanded on 10 April 1944

• Reconstituted, and redesignated 324th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, on 8 July 1955

Activated on 18 October 1955

Discontinued on 8 March 1960.

Assignments

• 327th Fighter Group, 25 August 1942 – 10 April 1944
• 4707th Air Defense Wing, 18 October 1955
• 4622d Air Defense Wing (later Boston Air Defense Sector), 18 October 1956
• 4729th Air Defense Group, 8 July 1957
• Boston Air Defense Sector, 25 June 1958
• 316th Air Division, 1 July 1958 – 8 March 1960

Stations

• Mitchel Field, New York, 25 August 1942
• Bolling Field, D.C., 25 August 1942
• Richmond Army Airbase, Virginia, 20 September 1942 – 10 April 1944
• Westover AFB, Massachusetts, 18 October 1955 – 25 June 1958
• Sidi Slimane AB, Morocco, 1 July 1958 – 8 March 1960.

Aircraft

• P-40 Warhawk, 1942–1943
• P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943–1944
• F-86D Sabre Interceptor, 1955-1957
• F-86L Sabre Interceptor (SAGE) 1957-1960

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
• Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force: World War II. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1982.
• USAF Aerospace Defense Command publication, The Interceptor, January 1979 (Volume 21, Number 1).