509th Tactical Fighter Squadron
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The 509th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 10th Tactical Fighter Wing at RAF Alconbury, England, where it was inactivated on 30 December 1992.
509th Tactical Fighter Squadron | |
---|---|
Active | 1943–1945; 1952–1958; 1959–1970; 1979–1992 |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Role | fighter bomber |
Engagements | European Theater of Operations Vietnam War |
Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Cited in the Order of the Day by the Belgian Army Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm |
Insignia | |
509th Tactical Fighter Squadron emblem[lower-alpha 2][1] | |
509th Fighter Squadron emblem (World War II)[2] | |
Vietnam War tail code | PK |
World War II fuselage code[2] | G9 |
The squadron was first activated as the 624th Bombardment Squadron in 1943, changing to the 509th Fighter-Bomber Squadron a few months later. After training in the United States, it moved to England in March 1944, helping prepare for Operation Overlord by attacking targets in France. Following D-Day, the squadron moved to the continent, providing close air support for Allied forces. The squadron earned a Distinguished Unit Citation and was cited in the Order of the Day by the Belgian Army. After V-E Day The squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated at the port of embarkation.
The squadron was activated again in 1952, when it replaced an Air National Guard squadron that had been mobilized for the Korean War. It trained for fighter bomber operations until inactivating in 1958. A year later, it was activated in the Philippines as the 509th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron with an air defense mission. It deployed interceptor aircraft to Taiwan and from 1962 to 1969 maintained detachments in Vietnam.
The squadron was inactivated in 1970, but returned in England in 1979.