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495th Fighter Group

Field	Value
unit_name	495th Fighter Group
image	U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Scott Walker, an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft pilot and the commander of Detachment 93, 495th Fighter Group, prepares to take off from Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan Feb. 18, 2014 140218-F-KB808-076.jpg
image_size	300
caption	An F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot of the 495th Fighter Group prepares to take off from Bagram Airfield
dates	1943–1945; 2013–present
country
branch
role	Fighter / Attack
command_structure	Air Combat Command
garrison	Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina
motto
battles	European Theater of Operations
commander1	Mark D. Whisler
commander1_label	Colonel
identification_symbol	[[File:495th Fighter Group emblem.png	165px]]
identification_symbol_label	495th Fighter Group emblem
aircraft_attack	A-10 Thunderbolt II
aircraft_fighter	F-16 Fighting Falcon / F-15 Eagle / F-35 Lightning II

Fifteenth Air Force

The 495th Fighter Group is an active duty fighter group in the United States Air Force. It is assigned to Fifteenth Air Force of Air Combat Command and stationed at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, with additional units at multiple active Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard installations across the United States.

The group was first activated in England during World War II as the 495th Fighter Training Group and trained fighter aircraft pilots for Eighth Air Force until it was disbanded in 1945. It was activated again in 2013 as the headquarters for Air Combat Command "active associate" fighter units.

World War II

1943: Three P-38 Lightnings, AAF Ser. No. 42-68184 and two comrades, of the 495th Fighter Training Group in flight.

The 495th Fighter Training Group was established on 9 October 1943 and activated 26 October 1943 at RAF Atcham, England to provide forward training on tactics and operations for the European Theater during World War II. The group exercised command over the 551st and 552nd Fighter Training Squadrons flying the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-38 Lightning preparing pilots for action with Eighth and Ninth Air Forces. It moved to RAF Cheddington, in February 1945, and at the conclusion of hostilities was disbanded 15 April 1945.

Active associate unit

"In 2008, Air Force leadership recognized that the changing force structure demanded creative ways to generate experienced fighter pilots. The solution was to capitalize on the experience and assets of the Guard and Reserve. This Total Force Integration initiative became Active Association, whereby Regular Air Force personnel work side-by-side with host Air Reserve and Air National Guard Component units in a mutually beneficial relationship."

"The 495th Fighter Group was reactivated 8 March 2013, at Shaw Air Force Base, SC, as an active association between active-duty pilots and their guard and reserve counterparts and marked a historical moment in the Air Force's ongoing initiative to integrate active-duty Airmen, Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) and Air National Guard (ANG) units to streamline training, spending and resource use. [The group] is made up of more than 600 active-duty personnel across 22 ARC and ANG Fighter Wings under Air Combat Command."

"Total Force Integration is a vital enterprise aimed at maximizing the combined contributions of the Active and Reserve components, while ensuring "right-sizing" of component mix. The 495th Fighter Group will continue to lead active associate units into the future of Air Force pilot training and the partnerships will allow active-duty, Air National Guard and Air Reserve Component fighter units to share resources, reduce duplications of effort, and ultimately, increase the Air Force's overall air defense capabilities in order to enhance the ability to provide dominant combat airpower for America."

Lineage

Established as the 495th Fighter Training Group on 9 October 1943 : Activated 26 October 1943 : Disbanded on 15 April 1945
Reconstituted and redesignated 495th Fighter Group : Activated on 8 March 2013

Assignments

VIII Air Force Composite Command, 26 October 1943
VIII Fighter Command, December 1943
VIII Air Force Composite Command, February 1944
VIII Fighter Command, September 1944
1st Bombardment Division (later 1st Air Division), November 1944 – 15 April 1945
Ninth Air Force, 8 March 2013 – 20 August 2020
Fifteenth Air Force, 20 August 2020 – present

Components

24th Fighter Squadron, 25 October 2019 – present :: Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas
53d Fighter Squadron, 10 December 2021 – present :: Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
306th Fighter Squadron, 8 July 2022 - present :: Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, New Jersey
315th Fighter Squadron, 9 January 2016 – present :: Burlington Air National Guard Base, Vermont
316th Fighter Squadron, 2 October 2015 – present :: McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina
355th Fighter Squadron, 5 October 2015 – 25 Oct 2019 :: Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas
358th Fighter Squadron, 23 October 2015 – present :: Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri
367th Fighter Squadron, 23 October 2015 – present :: Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida
377th Fighter Squadron, c. 7 November 2015 – present :: Montgomery Air National Guard Base, Alabama
378th Fighter Squadron, 8 November 2015 – present :: Truax Field Air National Guard Base, Wisconsin
383d Fighter Squadron, 1 February 2016 - present :: Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado
384th Fighter Squadron, 1 February 2016 - present :: Duluth Air National Guard Base, Minnesota
551st Fighter Training Squadron, 26 October 1943 – 15 April 1945
552d Fighter Training Squadron, 26 October 1943 – 15 April 1945

Stations

RAF Atcham, England, 25 December 1943
RAF Cheddington, England, 15 February 1945 – 15 April 1945
Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, 8 March 2013 – present

Aircraft flown

F-16 Fighting Falcon, 2013 – present
A-10 Thunderbolt II, 2013 – present

References

Notes

Bibliography

References

Currier, Amanda. (11 March 2013). "Shaw stands up new total force fighter group". Ninth Air Force Public Affairs.
(12 April 2013). "495th Fighter Group". Shaw Air Force Base.
"495th Fighter Group > 9th Air Force > Display".
"Units".
(September 24, 2008). "Factsheet 24 Fighter Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
"Storied 53rd Fighter Squadron reactivated in partnership with D.C. Air Guard".
(8 July 2022). "306th Fighter Squadron activated at 177th Fighter Wing". 177th Fighter Wing Public Affairs.
(February 2, 2016). "Factsheet 315 Fighter Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
(February 2, 2016). "Factsheet 316 Fighter Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
(June 8, 2021). "Factsheet 355 Fighter Squadron (PACAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
(13 January 2016). "Factsheet 358 Fighter Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
(June 8, 2021). "Factsheet 367 Fighter Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
(November 2015). "In Formation". 187th Fighter Wing Public Affairs.
(February 2, 2016). "Factsheet 383 Fighter Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
(February 2, 2016). "Factsheet 384 Fighter Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Info: Wikipedia Source

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