74th Fighter Squadron

74th Fighter Squadron
A-10Cs of the 74th Fighter Squadron
Active	1942–1946; 1946–1949; 1951–1958; 1972–1992; 1993-present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Fighter
Part of	Air Combat Command
Garrison/HQ	Moody Air Force Base
Nickname(s)	Flying Tigers
Engagements	Asia-Pacific Theater World War II 1991 Gulf War
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (9x) Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Insignia
74th Fighter Squadron emblem (approved 4 May 1979)^[1]
74th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron emblem (approved 24 September 1952)^[2]

The 74th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 23d Fighter Group and stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.

During World War II, the 74th Fighter Squadron was one of the three original squadrons (74th, 75th, 76th) of the 23d Fighter Group.

On 17 December 1941, the AVG 1st Fighter Squadron was redesignated as the 23d Pursuit Group 74th Pursuit Squadron and subsequently the 74th Fighter Squadron.

History

World War II

The 23d was the United States Army Air Forces China Air Task Force organization took over the operations of the 1st American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Chinese Air Force when the AVG was disbanded.^[3] Some members of the AVG joined or rejoined the United States Air Force.^[4]^[5]^[6] Some volunteered to serve for an extra short period to help with the changover.^[7]

The 74th was one of the original squadrons in the 23d to see combat action in the Far East. The Fighter Group used P-40 Warhawks, and later P-51 Mustangs, to cover a large operational area and diverse combat roles. The area of operation extended beyond China into Burma, French Indochina (Vietnam), and Formosa.

The mission taskings included counter air campaigns, strafing and bombing Japanese forces and installations, escorting bombers, flying reconnaissance missions, and intercepting Japanese bombers. The fighter group excelled in these roles and received the Distinguished Unit Citation for its exceptional performance during the war.

United States Air Force

Following World War II, the 74th was activated at various times and locations throughout the world. From 1946-1949 the 74th flew the P-47 at Northwest Field, Guam. During the years of 1951-1954, the 74th flew the F-86 and F-94 at Presque Isle AFB, Maine. The 74th then moved to Thule AB, Greenland, from 1954–1958 and flew the F-89. During the period 1958-1972, the 74th was inactive.

In July 1972, the 74th rejoined its sister squadrons for the first time since 1949 when the 23d Tactical Fighter Wing was activated at England Air Force Base LA. The 74th began operations flying the A-7 Corsair II in 1972 and transitioned into the A-10 "Thunderbolt II" in the summer of 1981.

During the 1980s, the 74th receivedg the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award five different times. The most recent combat tasking for the 74th was during Operations DESERT SHIELD/STORM. From September 1990 until 11 April 1991, the 74th earned high praise for its performance during the campaign against Iraq's elusive Scud-B mobile missile launchers.

On 15 February 1992, the 74th was again inactivated at England Air Force Base as part of the Air Force's force structure realignment. It was reactivated 15 June 1993 at Pope AFB NC as part of the 23d Wing, the second composite wing built from the ground up. The 74th began operations at Pope AFB flying the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon. In July 1996, the F-16s departed Pope AFB and the 74th Fighter Squadron transitioned back to the A-10 aircraft.

The unit completed a deployment to Afghanistan in 2011.^[8]

Lineage

Constituted as the 74th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 17 December 1941

Redesignated 74th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942

Activated on 4 Jul 1942

Redesignated 74th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 28 February 1944

Inactivated on 5 January 1946

Activated on 10 October 1946

Inactivated on 24 September 1949

Redesignated 74th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 19 December 1950

Activated on 12 January 1951

Inactivated on 25 June 1958

Redesignated 74th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 18 May 1972

Activated on 1 July 1972

Redesignated 74th Fighter Squadron on 1 November 1991

Inactivated on 15 February 1992

Activated on 15 June 1993^[1]

Assignments

23d Fighter Group, 4 July 1942 – 5 Janyart 1946
23d Fighter Group, 10 October 1946 – 24 September 1949 (attached to 46th Fighter Wing December 1947 - 16 August 1948)
23d Fighter-Interceptor Group, 12 January 1951
4711th Defense Wing, 6 February 1952
528th Air Defense Group, 16 February 1953
64th Air Division, 21 August 1954
4734th Air Defense Group, 1 April 1957
64th Air Division, 1 May – 25 June 1958
23d Tactical Fighter Wing (later 23d Fighter Wing), 1 July 1972 – 15 February 1992 (attached to 354th Tactical Fighter Wing 2 July – 28 December 1973, Tactical Fighter Wing, 23, Provisional, 20 December 1990 – 20 April 1991)
23d Operations Group (later 23d Fighter Group), 15 June 1993 – present^[1]

Stations

Kunming, China, 4 July 1942
Yunnani, China, 12 March 1943
Kweilin, China, 19 May 1943 (detachment at Liuchow, China 16 February – 30 April 1944)
Luliang Air Base, China, 12 September 1944 (detachment at Tushan, China March - August 1945)
Liuchow, China, c. Aug 1945
Hanchow Airfield, China, c. 15 October – 4 December 1945
Fort Lewis, Washington, 3 – 5 January 1946
Northwest Field (later Northwest Guam Air Force Base), Guam, 10 October 1946 – 3 April 1949

nd to King Fahd Aprt, Saudi Arabia, 29 Aug 1990-20 Apr 1991). Pope AFB, NC, 15 Jun 1993-.

Howard Air Force Base, Panama Canal Zone, 25 April – 24 September 1949
Presque Isle Air Force Base, Maine, 12 January 1951 – 19 August 1954
Thule Air Base, Greenland, 20 August 1954 – 25 June 1958
England Air Force Base, Louisiana, 1 July 1972 – 15 February 1992 (deployed to Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, 2 July – 28 December 1973, King Fahd Airport, Saudi Arabia 29 August 1990 – 20 April 1991)
Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, 15 June 1993 – present^[1]

Aircraft

Curtiss P-40 Warhawk (1942–1944)
North American P-51 Mustang (1944–1945)
P-47 Thunderbolt (1946–1949)
Lockheed RF-80 Shooting Star (1949)
North American F-86E Sabre (1951)
North American F-86A Sabre (1951–1952)
Northrop F-89C Scorpion (1952, 1953-1958)
Lockheed F-94B Starfire (1952–1953)
LTV A-7D Corsair II (1972–1981)
General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon (1993-1996)
General Dynamics F-16D Fighting Falcon]] (1993-1996)
Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II (1980–1992, 1996–present)^[1]

References

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 Robertson, Patsy (May 6, 2013). "Factsheet 74 Fighter Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
↑ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp271-272
↑ Older, Chuck (1980s). "Hammerhead Stalls and Snap Rolls". The Flying Tigers - American Volunteer Group - Chinese Air Force.
↑ Rossi, J.R. "Older biography". The Flying Tigers - American Volunteer Group - Chinese Air Force.
↑ Rossi, J.R. "Adair biography". The Flying Tigers - American Volunteer Group - Chinese Air Force.
↑ Rossi, J.R. "Bailey biography". The Flying Tigers - American Volunteer Group - Chinese Air Force.
↑ Rossi, J.R. "Poshefko biography". The Flying Tigers - American Volunteer Group - Chinese Air Force.
↑ AFCENT command chief visits departing 74th EFS, AMU, 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

Bibliography

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

Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946 - 1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
"ADCOM's Fighter Interceptor Squadrons". The Interceptor. Aerospace Defense Command. Vol. 21 (No. 1): 5–11, 26–31, 40–45, 54–59. January 1979.

External links

23d Fighter Group Fact Sheet
Rossi, J.R. "AVG American Volunteer Group - Flying Tigers".

United States Air Force

Leadership

Structure

Commands	Reserve Air National Guard Field Operating Agencies Installations

Direct Reporting Units	District of Washington Operational Test and Evaluation Center USAF Academy

Major Commands	Air Combat Air Education and Training Air Mobility Global Strike Materiel Reserve Space Special Operations Europe & Africa Pacific

Numbered Air Forces	First Second Third Fourth Fifth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Fourteenth Seventeenth Eighteenth Nineteenth Twentieth Twenty-Second Twenty-Third Twenty-Fourth Twenty-Fifth

Wings ANG Groups ANG Squadrons ANG Security forces Civilian auxiliary: Civil Air Patrol

Personnel and
training

Uniforms and
equipment

History and
traditions

Category
Portal

Air Combat Command (ACC)

Air Forces

Center

United States Air Force Warfare Center

Bases

Wings

Composite	23d 49th 53d 55th 57th 432d

Fighter	1st 4th 20th 325th 355th 366th 388th

Other	9th Reconnaissance 93d Air-Ground Operations 99th Air Base 461st Air Control 505th Command and Control 552d Air Control 633d Air Base

Links to related articles

Tactical Air Command (TAC)

Air Forces

Air Divisions

Named units

Wings

TFW	1st 4th 12th 15th 20th 23d 27th 32d 33d 37th 50th 56th 312th 323d 347th 354th 355th

Other	1st SOW 57th FWW 63d TAW 64th TAW 67th TRW 75th TRW 85th TFTW 317th TAW 363d TRW 405th TFTW 461st TBW 4505th ARW

Former
bases

Active (MAJCOM)	Altus (AETC) Brooks (AFMC) Cannon (AFSOC) Charleston (AMC) Creech (ACC) Davis–Monthan (ACC) Dover (AMC) Dyess (ACC) Eglin (AFMC) Hill (AMFC) Holloman (ACC) Hurlburt Field (AFSOC) Langley (ACC) Little Rock (AETC) Luke (AETC) MacDill (AMC) McChord (AMC) McConnell (AMC) Moody (ACC) Mountain Home (ACC) Nellis (ACC) Pope (AMC) Seymour Johnson (ACC) Shaw (ACC) Tonopah (ACC) Tyndall (AETC) Whiteman (ACC)

Inactive	Bergstrom Blythville Donaldson England Forbes George Howard Grenier Myrtle Beach Orlando Sewart Turner Williams

Inactive, but with a military presence	Bunker Hill Biggs Dow Godman Homestead Lockbourne March Otis

Aircraft

Aerospace Defense Command (ADC)

Bases

CONUS	Amarillo Beale Charleston Davis-Monthan Dobbins Dover Dow Duluth Eglin Edwards Ellington Ellsworth England Ent Ethan Allen Fairfax Fallon Fort Heath Fort Lee Geiger George Glasgow Grand Forks Grenier Griffiss Gunter Hamilton Hancock Homestead Hurlburt Hunter Imeson Key West Kincheloe Kingsley Kirtland Lackland Laredo Larson Luke MacDill March Malmstrom McCoy McChord McClellan McGhee Tyson McGuire Minneapolis-St. Paul Minot Mitchel New Castle Niagara Falls Norton O'Hare Otis Oxnard Paine Perrin Peterson Pittsburgh Portland Presque Isle R.I. Bong Richards-Gebaur Robins K.I. Sawyer Selfridge Seymour Johnson Sioux City Stead Stewart Suffolk County Tinker Travis Truax Tyndall Vandenburg Vincent Walker Webb Westover Wright-Patterson Wurtsmith Youngstown

Overseas	Ernest Harmon Frobisher Bay Goose Bay Keflavik McAndrew Pepperrell Thule

Stations

CONUS	Adair Aiken Almaden Alpena Antigo Arlington Heights Baker Bedford Bellefontaine Belleville Benton Blaine Brookfield Brunswick Bucks Harbor Burns Calumet Cambria Cape Charles Cape Cod Carmi Caswell Chandler Charleston Cheyenne Mountain Claysburg Clear Colville Condon Continental Divide Cottonwood Cross City Crystal Springs Curlew Custer Cut Bank Dallas Center Dauphin Island Dickinson Duncanville Eldorado Empire Finland Finley Flintstone Fordland Fort Fisher Fort Lee Fortuna Gettysburg Grand Marais Grand Rapids Guthrie Hanna City Havre Highlands Houma Hutchinson Joelton Keno Killeen Kingman Kirksville Klamath Lake Charles Lake City Las Cruces Las Vegas Lewistown Lockport Lufkin Lyndonville Madera Makah Mica Peak Miles City Mill Valley Minot Montauk Moriarty Mount Hebo Mount Laguna Mount Lemmon Naselle North Bend North Charleston North Truro Oklahoma City Olathe Omaha Opheim Osceola Othello Owingsville Ozona Palermo Point Arena Port Austin Port Isabel Pyote Red Bluff Rochester Rockport Rockville (Indiana) Roslyn Rye Saint Albans San Clemente Island Santa Rosa Island Saratoga Springs Sault Ste Marie Shemya Snelling Snow Mountain Sweetwater Texarkana Tierra Amarilla Thomasville Tonopah Topsham Two Creeks Wadena Walnut Ridge Watertown Waverly West Mesa Willow Run Winnemucca Winslow Winston-Salem Woomera Yaak Zapata

Overseas	Armstrong Baldy Hughes Beausejour Cape Makkovik Cartwright Cut Throat Island Elliston Ridge Fox Harbour Hofn Hopedale Kamloops La Scie Langanes Latrar Melville Puntzi Mountain Ramore Red Cliff Rockville Saglek St. Anthony Saskatoon Mountain Sioux Lookout Spotted Island Stephenville

Air
Defense
units

Forces	Central Air Defense Eastern Air Defense Iceland Western Air Defense First Fourth Tenth Fourteenth

Air Divisions	8th 9th 20th 21st 23d 24th 25th 26th 27th 28th 29th 30th 31st 32d 33d 34th 35th 36th 37th 58th 64th 73d 85th

Sectors	Albuquerque Bangor Boston Chicago Detroit Duluth Goose Grand Forks Great Falls Kansas City Los Angeles Minot Montgomery New York Oklahoma City Phoenix Portland Reno Sault Sainte Marie San Francisco Seattle Sioux City Spokane Stewart Syracuse Washington

Wings	Fighter 1st 4th 23d 32d 33d 50th 52d 56th 78th 81st 325th 328th 507th Detection and Control 71st 73d 551st 552d Air Defense 46th 4620th 4621st 4622d 4624th 4625th 4627th 4628th 4683d 4700th 4702d 4703d 4704th 4705th 4706th 4707th 4708th 4709th 4710th 4711th 4750th 4751st 4752d 4756th 4780th

Groups	Fighter 1st 4th 14th 15th 23d 32d 33d 50th 52d 53d 54th 56th 57th 78th 79th 81st 82d 84th 325th 326th 327th 328th 329th 337th 343d 355th 408th 412th 414th 473d 475th 476th 478th 507th Air Defense 10th 500th 501st 502d 503d 514th 515th 516th 517th 518th 519th 520th 521st 525th 527th 528th 529th 530th 533d 534th 564th 566th 567th 568th 575th 637th 665th 678th 692d 701st 751st 762d 765th 778th 780th 827th 858th 4606th 4620th 4676th 4700th 4721st 4722d 4727th 4728th 4729th 4730th 4731st 4732d 4733d 4734th 4735th 4750th 4756th Aircraft Control & Warning 503d 505th 540th 541st 542d 543d 544th 545th 546th 563d 564th 565th 566th

Squadrons	Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons

Major
weapon
systems

Electronic	TB-29 EB-57 EC-121

Fighters	Propellor: F-47 F-51 P-61 F-82 Subsonic Jet: P-80 F-84 F-86 F-89 F-94 Supersonic Jet: F-101 F-102 F-104 F-106

Missiles	AIM-4 AIM-26 AIR-2 CIM-10

Ships	Guardian Interceptor Interdictor Interpreter Investigator Locator Lookout Outpost Pickett Protector Scanner Searcher Skywatcher Tracer Watchman Vigil

Texas Towers	Texas Tower 2 Texas Tower 3 Texas Tower 4

Miscellaneous

Air Defense Command Emblem Gallery (on Wikimedia Commons)
General Surveillance Radar Stations

USAAF Fourteenth Air Force in World War II

Previously: 1st American Volunteer Group (AVG) "Flying Tigers" (Dec 1941-July 1942) China Air Task Force (July 1942-Mar 1943)

Airfields

China	Ankang Chanyi Chengkung Chengtu Chihkiang Hanchung Hankow Hsian Hsingching Huhsien Kanchow Kiangwan Kunming Kwanghan Kweilin Laifeng Laohwangping Loping Liangshan Liuchow Luliang Nanning Peishiyi Pungchacheng Shwangliu Suichwan Tsuyung Yangkai Yunnani

Units

Wings

Groups

Bombardment	308th Bombardment 341st Bombardment 402d Bombardment

Fighter	23d Fighter 33d Fighter 51st Fighter 81st Fighter 311th Fighter 476th Fighter

Transport	443d Troop Carrier

Squadrons

Combat Cargo	1st Combat Cargo 2d Combat Cargo 11th Combat Cargo

Night Fighter	426th Night Fighter 427th Night Fighter

Reconnaissance	21st Photographic Reconnaissance 35th Photographic Reconnaissance

Transport	322d Troop Carrier

United States Army Air Forces

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