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Further Reading

22nd Fighter Squadron [22d FS]

The 22nd Fighter Squadron was originally constituted as the 22nd Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 22 December 1939. It activated on 1 February 1940 at Langley Field, VA, and was assigned to the 36th Pursuit (later, 36th Fighter) Group.

It was redesignated as the 22nd Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942; and as the 22nd Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 20 August 1943. During the course of World War II, the squadron was tasked with antisubmarine operations, from c. March 1942-15 May 1943; and then saw combat in ETO, from 8 May 1944-8 May 1945.

Places at which the squadron was stationed throughout that period were: Losey Field, Puerto Rico (6 January 1941); Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, (13 December 1941 (though a detachment operated from Waller Field, Trinidad, from 6 December 1941-October 1942)); Waller Field, Trinidad, (October 1942 (detachments operated from Aruba, from 2 September 1942-April 1943; Curacao, from 2 September 1942-April 1943; and Zandery Field, Surinam, from 16 September 1942-16 February 1943)); Morrison Field, FL (27 May 1943); Mitchel Field, NY (4 June 1943); Charleston, SC (21 June 1943); Alamogordo AAFld, NM (17 September 1943); Scribner AAFld, NE (26 November 1943-March 1944); Kingsnorth, England (5 April 1944); Brucheville, France (3 August 1944); Le Mans, France (c. 5 September 1944); Athis, France (23 September 1944); Juvincourt, France (5 October 1944); Le Culot, Belgium (c. 27 October 1944); Aachen, Germany (28 March 1945); Niedermennig, Germany (8 April 1945); and Kassel/Rothwesten, Germany (21 April 1945-15 February 1946). Aircraft operated by the squadron were the X/YP-37 (1940); P-36 (1940-1942); P-40 (1941, 1942-1943); P-39 (1941-1943); and the P-47(1943-1945).

The 22nd inactivated on 31 March 1946 at Bolling Field, DC.

The squadron reactivated on 15 October 1946 at Howard Field, CZ. Assigned to the 36th Fighter (later, 36th Fighter-Bomber; 36th Fighter-Day) Group, (though attached to 36th Fighter-Day Wing, 1 Oct 1956-7 Dec 1957), the squadron operated the P-47 aircraft.

It was redesignated as the 22nd Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, on 27 October 1947, upon the squadron's transition to the P(later F-)80; and as the 22nd Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 17 June 1948. The unit relocated to Furstenfeldbruck AB, Germany, on 13 August 1948 and was redesignated as the 22nd Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 20 January 1950. That same year, the squadron transitioned to the F-84. The 22nd then relocated to Bitburg AB, Germany, on 28 October 1952, where it remained until the base's closure, and was redesigntated as the 22nd Fighter-Day Squadron on 9 August 1954.

Having converted in 1956 to the F-100, the 22nd was reassigned to the 36th Fighter-Day (later, 36th Tactical Fighter, 36th Fighter) Wing, on 8 December of the following year. It was redesignated, on 8 July 1957, as the 22nd Tactical Fighter Squadron.

The 22nd converted to the F-105 aircraft in 1961, to the F-4 in 1966, and to the F-15 in 1977.

Redesignated as the 22nd Fighter Squadron on 1 October 1991, the squadron was reassigned to the 36th Operations Group, on 31 March 1992.

Upon its reassignment to the 52nd Operations Group, on 1 April 1994, the 22nd FS relocated to Spangdahlem AB, Germany.

The squadron has been tasked with maintaining combat fighter proficiency in Europe since 1948.