310th Fighter Squadron [310th FS]
The Tophats of the 310th Fighter Squadron trace their roots to January 1942, when the unit began as the 310th Pursuit Squadron. It was formally activated on 9 February 1942, and was attached to the 58th Pursuit Group at Harding Field, Louisiana, where pilots trained replacements to fly the Bell P-39 Aircobra aircraft.
Named a fighter squadron on 15 May 1942, at Dale Mabry Field, Florida, the 310th continued training pilots for P-39, Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft.
Finally, in February 1944, the 310th's personnel were introduced to combat in the Southwestern Pacific Theater. From then until 14 August 1945, the unit participated in many battle supporting General Douglas MacArthur's drive to Japan.
The unit participated in combat operations including campaigns in New Guinea, Bismarck, Archipelago, the Western Pacific, Leyte, Luzon, the Southern Philippines, Ryukyus, the China Offensive, and Japan.
For its effectiveness in combat, the 310th earned several awards including the Distinguished Unit Citation for action in the Philippine Islands on 26 December 1944, and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.
After World War II, the 310th deactivated until 1952, when it was redesignated the 310th Fighter-Bomber Squadron in the 58th Fighter-Bomber Group on 10 July 1952, at Teagu, Republic of South Korea. First equipped with the Republic F-84G Thunderjet from 1952, the squadron adopted the North American F-86 Sabrejet in 1954 and kept it through 1958. During the Korean conflict, the squadron flew primarily air-to-ground missions supporting ground operations.
Participating in the Korea Summer-Fall 1952, Third Korean Winter, and Korean Summer-Fall 1953 campaigns, the squadron again distinguished itself, earning the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. Osan Air Base, Korea became the home of the 310th on 19 March 1955, and it stayed there until its inactivation in 1962.
In 1958 the 310th gave up its F-86s when it became the 310th Missile Squadron on 15 June 1958, assigned to the 58th Tactical Missile Group. It remained the home of the surface-to-air Matador missile until 1962, when the missile left service, and inactivated on 25 March 1962.
On 1 December 1969, the squadron resurfaced as the 310th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron: two weeks later, on 15 December1969, it formally joined other units here at Luke. It has been here since, training pilots or weapons systems officers, first for the LTV A-7D Corsair II, then the McDonnell-Douglas F-4C Phantom II. In 1989, the first block 42 F-16C/D in the USAF inventory was delivered to the 58th Tactical Training Wing at Luke.
On 26 December 1989, the Tophats were the first unit to deliver live ordnance on an uncontrolled range at night using the LANTIRN navigation pod. Additionally, they became the Air Force's first and only F-16 LANTIRN training squadron.
On 1 October and 19 November 1997, the 310th FS significantly expanded its training mission to include Forward Air Control (FAC-A) and Night Vision Goggles (NVGs). Additionally, the 310th FS developed and implemented the first Mobile Training Team (MTT) concept of training for AETC. With this concept, AETC is able to train additional students off-station at no loss in training at Luke AFB.
The 310th FS is tasked with training students in all aspects of employment in the F-16, combining special training capabilities of LANTIRN, FAC-A, and NVGs.
The Tophat Squadron at Luke AFB is the only squadron in the world that teaches the LANTIRN, Night Vision Goggles (NVG's) and the Airborne Strike Control (ASC / FAC-A) missions in the USAF F-16. The squadron flies Block-42 Vipers and most of its instructors are qualified to teach any of the above missions.
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