456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
| 456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the 456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | |
| Active | 1944–1968 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Air Defense |
The 456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command San Francisco Air Defense Sector stationed at Oxnard AFB, California. It was inactivated on July 18, 1968.
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.
Lineage
- Constituted 456th Fighter Squadron on October 5, 1944
- Activated on October 15, 1944
- Inactivated on August 25, 1946
- Redesignated 456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on March 23, 1953
- Activated on August 8, 1954
- Inactivated on August 18, 1955
- Activated on October 18, 1955
- Inactivated on July 18, 1968, personnel and equipment redesignated 437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.
Assignments
- 414th Fighter Group, October 15, 1944 – August 25, 1946
- 520th Air Defense Group, August 8, 1954 – August 18, 1955
- 28th Air Division, October 18, 1955
- San Francisco Air Defense Sector, July 1, 1960 – July 18, 1968
Stations
- Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina, October 15, 1944
- Selfridge Field, Michigan, November 21, 1944
- Bluethenthal Field, North Carolina, March 19 – June 5, 1945
- North Field, Iwo Jima, July 7, 1945
- Clark Field, Luzon, December 23, 1945
- Floridablanca Airfield, Luzon, unkn-August 25, 1946
- George AFB, California, August 8, 1954 – August 18, 1955*
- Castle AFB, California, October 18, 1955 – July 18, 1968
- Oxnard AFB, California, July 18, 1968
* Note: Unit inactivated on August 18, 1955. 437th FIS redesignated as 456th FIS and reassigned to Castle AFB, California October 18, 1955. On July 18, 1968, 456th FIS reassigned to Oxnard AFB, California and redesignated 437th FIS. same date
Aircraft
- P-47 Thunderbolt, 1944–1946
- F-86D Sabre Interceptor, 1954–1955; 1955–1957
- F-86L Sabre Interceptor (SAGE) 1957-1958
- F-102 Delta Dagger 1958–1959
- F-106 Delta Dart, 1959–1968
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- 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).
