437 th FIGHTER INTERCEPTOR SQUADRON

Transcription

1 437 th FIGHTER INTERCEPTOR SQUADRON LINEAGE 437 th Fighter Squadron constituted, 5 Oct 1944 Activated, 15 Oct 1944 Inactivated, 30 Sep 1946 Redesignated 437 th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 14 Nov 1952 Activated, 27 Nov 1952 Inactivated 29 Apr 1968 Activated 18 Jul 1968 Iinactivated and discontinued 30 Sep 1968 STATIONS Seymour Johnson, 15 Oct 1944,, 21 Nov 1944 Bluethenthal, 19 Mar-5 Jun 1945 North Field, Iwo Jima, 7 JuI 1945 Clark Field, Luzon, 23 Dec 1945 Floridablanca, Luzon, unkn-30 Sep 1946 Otis AFB, MA, 27 Nov 1952 Oxnard AFB, CA, 18 Aug 1955 ASSIGNMENTS 414 th Fighter Group, 15 Oct Sep th Defense Wing, 27 Nov th Air Defense Group 16 Feb th Fighter Group 18 Aug 1955 WEAPON SYSTEMS P-47, F , F-89, 1955, F-101, 1960

2 F-94C F-89D F-89H F-89J F-101B F-106A ASSIGNED AIRCRAFT SERIAL NUMBERS F FIS T FIS F th FIS Oxnard AFB, California, commencing March 1956 with F-89Ds replacing F-94Cs. F- 89H July F-89J March F-101B January FIS F F

3 ASSIGNED AIRCRAFT TAIL/BASE CODES UNIT COLORS COMMANDERS HONORS Service Streamers None Campaign Streamers Air Offensive, Japan Eastern Mandates Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers Decorations None EMBLEM On a white disk with a light green border, a tiger s face, in natural colors except for the eyes which are green with red pupils, on and over a rocket (gray with blue nose and red bands) diagonally placed on and over the disk with nose to dexter base. (Approved, 1 Sep 1953) EMBLEM SIGNIFICANCE MOTTO NICKNAME Fighting 437 th OPERATIONS Combat in Western Pacific, 13Jul-14 Aug th FIS Assignments

4 The following F-106s were assigned to the 437th FIS at Oxnard AFB CA from 01 July 68 to 30 September 68. A total of 21 aircraft were assigned with no losses. Shortest lived F-106 Unit Oxnard AFB, CA 21 F-106s were assigned the 437th FIS, 441 FTR GRP at Oxnard AFB CA from 01 July 68 to 30 September 68. The 437th FIS was activated at Otis AFB in November 1952 with F-94Cs. It was the first operational F-94C unit. In August 1955 the unit designation was transferred to Oxnard AFB and in March 1956 it transitioned into F-89Ds. The squadron received F-89Hs in July 1956 and F- 89Js in March In January 1960 the squadron transitioned into F-101Bs. It was deactivated on 29 April In July 1968 the 456th FIS moved from Castle AFB to Oxnard AFB with F- 106As and was redesignated the 437th FIS, only to be deactivated on 30 September 1968 and be re-designated the 460th FIS. The 437th FIS operated the F-106 for only 2 months, making it the "shortest-lived" F-106 unit. Because of its short lived life there seems to be no documentation that shows the 437th ever had its own distinctive tail flash markings. The tail colors seen on the 437 FIS sixes were carried over from the 456th FIS, which also became the first markings of the 460th FIS. 437th F-I Squadron: activated 27 Nov 52 at Otis AFB, MA, as the 4707th Defense Wing; flying F-94C acft; transferred to 564th AD Group 16 Feb 53; cony to F-89D acft by Jun 55; transferred to 414th Ftr Group (AD), changed to F-94C acft and moved to Oxnard AFB, CA 18 Aug 55, IAW Project Arrow; cony to F-89D acft by Apr 56; cony to F-89D/H acft in Jul 56; cony to F- 89J acft in Spring 58; cony to F-101B acft in Jan 60; discontinued 30 Sep 68. The 437th FIS was another Project Arrow transfer which, as far as the squadrons involved were concerned, did not involve a change in equipment. On August 18,1955, the 437th FIS's designation was transferred from Otis AFB, Massachusetts, to Oxnard AFB, California, where they replaced the 354th FIS in title. (The "old" 354th FIS's designation then went to McGhee- Tyson AFB to become a F-86D squadron.) Lt. Colonel "Sweede" Jenson was their commanding officer at the time of "Arrow," and upon his transfer to Headquarters ADC in the spring of 1956, Lt. Colonel Mulligan became the squadron commander. At the time of the "Arrow" move both the 354th and 437th FIS's had been flying F-94Cs, so the "new" 437th FIS continued with Starfires until April 1956 when they converted to F-89Ds. The "new" 437th FIS was now assigned to 414th FIG, which had replaced the 533rd ADG at Oxnard, with Colonel Edwin Carey commanding both units. Carey had been a P-40 pilot in China. The 437th FIS was the only F-89 squadron to actually fire against an intended legitimate target. In August 1956 two of their F-89Ds were scrambled from Oxnard against a U. S. Navy F6F Hellcat drone that had escaped from its radio controller at Point Magu, California.

5 The Hellcat had been launched as a missile target, but as soon as it broke ground and its landing gear had been retracted, radio control was lost. The aircraft, trimmed for climb, spiraled up to 31,000 feet, and then slowly started to drift south in large circles towards Los Angeles. While arguments between the USN and the USAF took place as to who would be responsible to bring down the wayward Hellcat, the "what ifs" scenarios created bedlam at the Los Angeles Air Defense Sector. The Hellcat entered the westerlies, the prevailing off shore winds at its altitude, and then started to drift over Palmdale, Lancaster, and Edwards AFB areas. The two 437th FIS F-89Ds were scrambled and intercepted the F6F, and the F-89 pilots and their ROs discussed their options. The Hughes FCS gave them the choice of firing their rockets in a wings-level attitude under its Phase III method, or under Phase II, firing while both the interceptor and its target were turning. They selected Phase II, and each F-89 made an inter-ception, got their "splash signal," but their rockets refused to fire. They repeated their Phase II interceptions, and again the rockets refused to fire, and it was later discovered that the system would not work under this configuration, due to a design glitch. The next option selected was to fire visually. Their F-89Ds had originally been delivered with gunsights, but these had just been removed the month before. It was decided to set the intervalometer to fire twenty-six rocket salvos at a time, which would give each F-89 four opportunities to hit the F6F. The first Scorpion lined up on the Hellcat and its pilot "Mark 1 eyeballed" the F6F and fired, shotgunning the Hellcat without effect. The second F-89 lined up and fired his rockets, and all went underneath the target. The F-89s lined up again and each readjusted their intervalometers to salvo off their remaining rockets, as by this time the F-89s were starting to run low on fuel. They all missed. As the Hellcat continued its loose orbit, the fired Mighty Mouse rockets began to fall to earth. One went through an engine block of a pickup truck on Highway 395. Another blew a hole in a street in Lancaster. Rockets rained down all over the area, but nothing was hurt but the Air Force's pride. The F6F finally ran out of fuel and crashed in the desert, probably laughing all the way down. By the end of June 1956 the 437th FIS had twenty-four F-89Ds, but the newer H models were scheduled, and by the end of the year they had eleven D models remaining and twelve H models. The 437th FIS represented the WADF and the 27th Air Division during the 1956 USAF Gunnery and Weapons Meet (Interceptor Phase) at Yuma AFB. The team of Colonel E. F. Carey and Lt. C. E. Lockwood placed Second. The F-89H models continued to be short-lived, and by the end of June 1958 they had been replaced in the 437th FIS by twenty-three F-89JS. By the end of December 1959 the 437th Scorpions in total were in a phase-out, with only nine remaining and F-101 Bs beginning to arrive. A totally Plane Jane F-94C of the 437th FIS after the squadron's designation was relocated from Otis AFB to Oxnard AFB. Actually, the identifying squadron markings had been removed prior to this aircraft's transfer to the 319th FIS at Bunker Hill AFB, IN.

6 On February 6, 1952 the 33rd Fighter Group, then under the command of Lt. Colonel Willard W. Millikan, was inactivated and replaced by the 4707th Defense (Later redesignated Air Defense) Wing. The new wing was composed of the 58th, 59th, 60th and 437th Fighter Interceptor Squadrons of the regular USAF and bolstered by several Air National Guard squadrons. The 60th FIS would continue with the F-86 and would fly from Westover AFB, MA until August 18, 1955 when the 60th FIS designation returned "Less Personnel and Equipment" to Otis AFB after a five year absence. Upon the designation's return they absorbed what had been the 437th FIS, including personnel and their F-94Cs. (The 437th FIS designation was thusly transferred to Oxnard Air Force Base, CA "Less Personnel and Equipment," where they became a F-89 squadron). The first F-94C Starfire squadron was the 437th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Otis AFB, MA. They were activated after a six year hiatus on November 23, 1952 and were assigned to the 564th Air Defense Group on February 16, On March 10, 1953 they received their first of sixteen assigned F-94Cs. Notable is that their squadron commander was Major "Chappie" James, fresh from a tour in Korea with the Mustang equipped 12th Fighter Bomber Squadron. James was an old ADC pro, having flown Thunderbolts in northeast based FIS's prior to the Korean War. He would rise to become a four star General before retiring February 1, 1978 just twenty-four days before his untimely death from a heart attack. On August 18, 1955 the 437th FIS designation was transferred "Less Personnel and Equipment" to Oxnard AFB, CA. At this time they surrendered their people and F-94s to the 60th FIS at Otis. Upon arrival at Oxnard AFB they absorbed the personnel and equipment, including seventeen F- 94Cs, of the 354th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. The 354th FIS received their first F-94Cs in June 1953 directly from Lockheed and flew them until they were relieved by the 437th F!S. At this time the 354th's designation was transferred in yet another "Less Personnel and Equipment" move to McGhee-Tyson AFB, TN, effective August 18, 1955, and they became a F-86D/L squadron. The 437th FIS, having been refieved from assignment to the 564th Air Division at Otis AFB, now was assigned to the 414th Fighter Interceptor Group that had been activated on August 18, 1955 under the command of Colonel Edwin F. Carey, Jr. The 437th FIS was the sole flying squadron under the 414th FIG, and they converted to F-89s in March The first F-94C to be delivered by Lockheed to an operational Air Defense Command squadron was on March 10, 1953 that was assigned to the 437th FIS at Otis AFB, MA under project ADC-2F-579. The 437th Fighter Interceptor Squadron became combat operational the following June. F-101B, , of the 437th FIS, Oxnard AFB, California. Aircraft was natural metal overall. Radome was gloss black with a red band at fuselage intersect. Vertical fin rays were gold and

7 black with ADC badge on right side and unit badge on left. Fuselage bands were gold with black trim. Rudder trim was medium red. Pitot was barber poled in red and white. F-101B, , of the 437th FIS, Oxnard AFB, California. Fin flash was black and gold. Antiglare panel was dark green. Rudder trim was red. This aircraft was destroyed on F-101B, of the 437th FIS, Oxnard AFB, California. Aircraft was photographed at Dover AFB. Tail bands were yellow with black stars. F-101B, , also of the 437th FIS. Vertical fin bands were red white, and blue. Unit badge on vertical fin consisted of white, light green trimmed disc with a tiger in natural colors P-47D FS 414FG GMACW Warner, Fred E P-47D FS 414FG GMACW Thomas, Ogden U P-47D FS 414FG CRL Fleence, Emory P P-47D FS 414FG FLEF Mourer, Lester C 5M NNW Marine City, MI P-47N FS 414FG MAC Menza, Nicholas P-47D FS 414FG MAC Bero, Donald R P-47N FS 414FG BOMF Birkmaier, Arnold C 2M SE Memphis, MI P-47N FS 414FG LACGL Macdonald, William A 3M SW Wilmington, NC P-47D FS 414FG CBLMF Cook, Edwin L P-47D FS 414FG LAC Proulx, Clyde J P-47N FS 414FG CBLEF Bukowski, Leo W 2M NW Lakehurst, NJ P-47D FS 414FG TACF Moen, Salem H Bolling Field, Washington DC P-47N FS 414FG BO Bennedict, Joseph A Iwo Jima/ SE

8 P-47N FS 414FG LACMF McAdam, James R Central AF P-47N FS 414FG TAC McAdam, James R P-47N FS 414FG TAC Knapik, Edmund A P-47N FS 414FG Central Fld/IWO TAC Goins, Bill (NMI) P-47N FS 414FG LAC Dunfee, Gordon M P-47N FS 414FG SF P-47N FS 414FG KCRL UC-45H FS 414FG GL P-47N FS 414FG LACNU P-47N FS 414FG GAC P-47N FS 414FG GAC P-47N FS 414FG GAC P-47N FS 414FG KCR Murrin, James E Weber, Charles (NMI) Jones, Henry A King, Nat D [parked aircraft] [parked aircraft] [parked aircraft] Domey, Anthony E Clark Fld Florida Blanca AAB Florida Blanca AAB Florida Blanca AAB Florida Blanca AAB Del Carmen/ 5mi E

9 Air Force Order of Battle Created: 3 Nov 2011 Updated: 25 May 2012 Sources Air Force Historical Research Agency. U.S. Air Force. Maxwell AFB, AL. The Institute of Heraldry. U.S. Army. Fort Belvoir, VA. Air Force News. Air Force Public Affairs Agency.