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86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

Field	Value
unit_name	86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
image	86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Convair TF-102A-36-CO Delta Dagger 55-4052.jpg
image_size	290
caption	Convair TF-102A Delta Dagger, AF Ser. No. 55-4052, of the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
dates	1942–1947
1952–1960
country	United States
branch
type	Fighter-Interceptor
role	Air Defense
battles	Mediterranean Theater of Operations
decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation
identification_symbol	[[File:86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron - Emblem.jpg	165px]]
identification_symbol_label	Patch including the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Emblem
identification_symbol_2	[[File:86 Fighter Sq emblem.png	165px]]
identification_symbol_2_label	86th Fighter Squadron emblem

1952–1960

The 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 79th Fighter Group at Youngstown Air Force Base, Ohio, where it was inactivated on 1 March 1960.

The squadron was first activated shortly after the United States entered World War II as the 86th Pursuit Squadron. As the 86th Fighter Squadron It saw combat in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations and earned two Distinguished Unit Citations. After the end of the war it became an element of the occupation forces until returning to the United States, where it was inactivated in 1947.

It was activated once again to replace an Air National Guard squadron that had been mobilized for the Korean War and carried out the air defense of the Great Lakes area for the next eight years.

History

World War II

The squadron was first activated in early 1942 at Dale Mabry Field, Florida as the 86th Pursuit Squadron, one of the original three squadrons of the 79th Pursuit Group. Its initial cadre was drawn from the 56th and 81st Fighter Groups. The squadron was redesignated the 86th Fighter Squadron in May 1942. The unit trained in the United States, then moved to Egypt by sea via Brazil in October–November 1942, where it became part of Ninth Air Force.

The squadron trained with P-40 Warhawks while moving westward in the wake of the British drive across Egypt and Libya to Tunisia. By escorting bombers, attacking enemy shipping, and supporting ground forces, the 86th took part in the Allied operations that defeated Axis forces in North Africa, captured Pantelleria, and conquered Sicily. The squadron was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for its support of British Eighth Army during that period, March–August 1943.

The squadron became part of Twelfth Air Force in August 1943 and continued to support the British Eighth Army by attacking troop concentrations, gun positions, bridges, roads, and rail lines in southern Italy.

The squadron remained overseas as part of United States Air Forces in Europe after the war as part of the occupation forces. It was transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the US in June 1947 and inactivated on 15 July 1947.

Cold War Air Defense

North American F-86D Sabre 52-10120, at Youngstown Airport, Ohio, 1955

The squadron was redesignated the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and activated in November 1952 at Youngstown Municipal Airport, which was released to the Ohio Air National Guard. As an element of Air Defense Command (ADC) it was responsible for air defense of the Great Lakes area, initially with the Republic F-84 Thunderjets it inherited from the 166th.

Three months later ADC reorganized it dispersed fighter bases and the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was assigned to the 502d Air Defense Group, In July the squadron upgraded to radar equipped and rocket armed North American F-86D Sabres at Youngstown.

In August 1955 ADC implemented Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars. At Youngstown, the squadron's World War II headquarters, the 79th Fighter Group assumed the personnel and equipment of the 502d Air Defense Group, which was simultaneously inactivated.

In September 1957 the 86th traded its Sabres for AIM-4 Falcon armed Convair F-102 Delta Dagger aircraft equipped with data link for interception control through the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment system.

Lineage

Constituted as the 86th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 13 January 1942 : Activated on 9 February 1942 : Redesignated 86th Fighter Squadron (Single Engine) on 15 May 1942 : Inactivated on 15 July 1947
Redesignated 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 11 September 1952 : Activated on 1 November 1952 : Inactivated on 1 March 1960

Assignments

79th Pursuit Group (later Fighter Group), 9 February 1942 – 15 July 1947
4708th Defense Wing, 1 November 1952
502d Air Defense Group, 16 February 1953
79th Fighter Group, 18 August 1955 – 1 March 1960

Stations

Dale Mabry Field, Florida, 9 February 1942
Morris Field, North Carolina, 1 May 1942
Hillsgrove Army Air Field, Rhode Island, 23 June 1942 – 28 September 1942
Egypt 18 November 1942The squadron was located at Alexandria by 1 January 1943.
Al Amirya (Landing Ground LG-174), Egypt 19 November 1942
Gazala, Libya (Landing Ground LG-150), 24 January 1943
Daraugh North Landing Ground Libya, 7 February 1943
Castel Benito Airdrome, Libya, 27 March 1943
Causeway Airdrome, Tunisia 13 March 1943
Sidi El Hani Landing Ground, Tunisia, 17 April 1943
El Haouaria Airfield, Tunisia, 2 June 1943
Bou Grara Airfield, Tunisia, 6 June 1943
Causeway Airdrome, Tunisia 14 June 1943
Malta, c. 4 July 1943
Syracuse, Sicily, Italy c. 18 July 1943
Cassibile Landing Ground, Sicily, Italy, 26 July 1943
Palagonia Landing Ground, Sicily, Italy, 30 July 1943
Isole Landing Ground, Sicily, Italy, 13 September 1943
Pisticci Landing Ground, Italy, 24 September 1943
Penny Post Landing Ground, Italy 26 September 1943
Madna Airfield, Italy, c. 19 November 1943
Capodichino Airport, Italy, 16 January 1944
Pomigliano Airfield, Italy, 1 May 1944
Serragia Airfield,The 79th group moved to Corsica by ship. Corsica 20 June 1944
St. Raphael/Frejus Airfield (Y-12), France c. 25 August 1944
Valance Airfield (Y-23),The group history identifies this field as "Bron Airdrome".
Iesi Airfield, Italy, 4 October 1944
Fano Airfield, Italy, 5 December 1944
Cesenatico Airfield, Italy, 21 March 1945
AAF Station Hoersching (later Hoersching Air Base), Austria, 26 July 1945 – 25 June 1947
Langley Field, Virginia, 25 June 1947 – 15 July 1947
Youngstown Municipal Airport, Ohio, 1 November 1952 – 1 March 1960

Aircraft

Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, 1942–1944
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, 1944–1947
Republic F-84C Thunderjet, 1952–1953
North American F-86D Sabre, 1953–1957
Convair F-102 Delta Dagger, 1957–1960

Awards and campaigns

Campaign Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
[[File:European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png	200px]]	Air Combat, EAME Theater		86th Fighter Squadron
[[File:European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png	200px]]	Egypt-Libya		86th Fighter Squadron
[[File:European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png	200px]]	Tunisia		86th Fighter Squadron
[[File:European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png	200px]]	Sicily		86th Fighter Squadron
[[File:European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png	200px]]	Naples-Foggia		86th Fighter Squadron
[[File:European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png	200px]]	Anzio		86th Fighter Squadron
[[File:European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png	200px]]	Rome-Arno		86th Fighter Squadron
[[File:European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png	200px]]	Southern France		86th Fighter Squadron
[[File:European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png	200px]]	Northern Apennines		86th Fighter Squadron
[[File:European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal streamer.png	200px]]	Po Valley		86th Fighter Squadron
[[Image:Streamer NOS E.JPG	200px]]	World War II Army of Occupation	2 May 1945 – 25 June 1947	86th Fighter Squadron

References

; Notes

; Citations

Bibliography

Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, 1956

References

Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 297–298
Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 144–145
[http://airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/080/708.xml Abstract, History of 79 Fighter Group, activation-Aug 43]. Retrieved 13 May 2012
It operated in the area of the [[Anzio]] beachhead from January to March 1944. The unit participated in the drive on [[Rome]] from March to June 1944, and converted to [[P-47 Thunderbolt]]s during that time. It flew escort and strafing missions in southern [[France]] during August and September 1944, and afterward returned to Italy and engaged in interdiction and [[close air support]] operations in northern Italy. The 86th received a second DUC for numerous missions flown at minimum altitude in intense flak to help pierce the enemy line at the [[Santerno River]] in Italy in April 1945. Squadron pilots were credited with twenty-eight victories over enemy aircraft during World War II.Newton & Senning, p. 578
where it replaced the federalized [[166th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron]],Cornett & Johnson, p. 123
Cornett & Johnson, p. 120
Buss, ''et al''., p.6
The Air Force transferred command of Youngstown MAP from ADC to [[Continental Air Command]] on 1 March 1960 and the 79th Fighter Group and its components inactivated that date.[http://airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/435/777.xml Abstract, History of 79th Ftr Gp, Jan–Mar 1960]. Retrieved 13 May 2012
Lineage, assignments and aircraft in Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 278–279
Watkins, pp. 30–31
[http://airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/080/723.xml Abstract,, History of 79th Ftr Gp, Jun 1944]. Retrieved 13 May 2012
Airfield Identification Numbers from Johnson.
France, 30 September 1944[http://airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/080/726.xml Abstract,, History of 79th Ftr Gp, Sep 1944]. Retrieved 13 May 2012
Except as noted, stations in Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 278–279

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