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455th Flying Training Squadron

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455th Flying Training Squadron
T-6A Texan II as flown by the squadron
Active1942–1945; 1949–1951; 1955–1957; 1973–1993; 2009–present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleFlying Training
Part ofAir Education and Training Command
Nickname(s)Nighthawks
Motto(s)Sine Alis Volamus (Latin for 'Without Wings We Fly') (World War II)
Supersonic Security (1957)[1]
Sine Alis Adsurgimus (Latin for 'Without Wings We Rise') (2023-)
EngagementsEuropean Theater of Operations[2]
DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[2]
Insignia
455th Flying Training Squadron emblem[a][2]
455th Flying Training Squadron emblem[b][3]
455th Fighter-Bomber Squadron emblem[c][1]
455th Bombardment Squadron emblem (World War II[4]
World War II fuselage code[4]YU
Tail codePA

The 455th Flying Training Squadron is a United States Air Force unit of Air Education and Training Command. It was most recently activated at NAS Pensacola as part of the 479th Flying Training Group, where it trains Combat Systems Officers with the Raytheon T-6 Texan II.

The squadron was first activated during World War II as the 455th Bombardment Squadron. After training in the United States, it deployed to the European Theater of Operations, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation before returning to the United States for inactivation. It was activated again in the reserves in 1949. It was mobilized in 1951 for the Korean War and inactivated, as its personnel were used as fillers for other units.

The squadron was redesignated the 455th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and activated in Tactical Air Command in 1955, but inactivated two years later. In 1973 it was activated at Mather Air Force Base, where it trained navigators until it was inactivated on 1 October 1993. It was reactivated in October 2009.

Mission

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The 455th Flying Training Squadron trains combat systems officers (CSO)s, using the Raytheon T-6 Texan II. It is the only primary training squadron for CSOs in the Air Force.[2][5] After training with the 455th, CSOs receive advanced training with the 451st Flying Training Squadron.

History

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World War II

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Organization and training in the United States

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The squadron was first activated as the 455th Bombardment Squadron at Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina on 4 August 1942 as one of the four original squadrons of the 323d Bombardment Group. The squadron moved to MacDill Field, Florida, where it received its initial cadre in September andcompleted Phase I training with Martin B-26 Marauders. The squadron trained for combat at Myrtle Beach Bombing Range, South Carolina until late April 1943, when the ground echelon departed Myrtle Beach for England, sailing on the RMS Queen Elizabeth on 5 May. The air echelon of the squadron had moved to Baer Field, Indiana in February. At Baer, it received new B-26Cs, then proceeded to the United Kingdom via the south Atlantic ferry route by June.[2][6][7]

Combat in Europe

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323d Bomb Group B-26s

The squadron arrived at its first combat station, RAF Horham, in May 1943. In June 1943, the squadron, along with all other B-26 units in England, moved to Essex, an area where it was planned to build up a tactical air force for the forthcoming invasion of Europe, with the 455th arriving at RAF Earls Colne on 14 June.[2][8] The squadron began operations with Eighth Air Force in July 1943 as part of the first raid on the European continent by B-26s.[7] When Ninth Air Force moved to the United Kingdom in the fall of 1943, the squadron became part of it. It attacked airports, industrial factories, marshalling yards and military targets in France and the Low Countries. During Big Week the squadron attacked Leeuwarden and Venlo Airfields. The squadron also attacked V-weapons launch sites in France.[6]

In preparation for Operation Overlord, the Invasion of Normandy, the 455th attacked coastal defenses and other targets in northwestern France. on D-Day it attacked lines of communication and fortifications on the coast. It was part of the aerial barrage during the opening stage of Operation Cobra, the breakout at Saint Lo.[6]

In late August 1944, the squadron left England for Lessay Airfield, an advanced landing ground in France. From the continent, it began flying night missions, with its first night mission against batteries near Saint-Malo. It also carried out night missions against ammunition dumps and fuel storage areas. In September, it attacked fortifications near Brest, France, and as allied forces advanced across France, toward the Siegfried Line shifted its operations primarily to targets in eastern France. The squadron was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for striking transportation hubs used by the Wehrmacht to bring reinforcements to the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge.[6]

The 455th flew interdiction missions in the Ruhr as the Allies drove across Germany and attacked enemy communications. It flew its last combat in April 1945, then moved to Kempten, Germany, where it participated in the program to disarm Germany until September, when most of its personnel were withdrawn. It returned to the United States in November and was inactivated at Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts, the port of embarkation, a day later.[2][6]

Air Force reserve

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The squadron was reactivated under Continental Air Command (ConAC) as a reserve unit at Tinker Air Force Base in June 1949, when ConAC reorganized its reserve units under the wing base organization system.[2] At Tinker, it trained under the supervision of ConAC's 2592d Air Force Reserve Training Center.[9] The squadron flew a mix of trainers and Douglas A-26 Invaders.[10] The unit was manned at only 25% of its normal strength.[11] All reserve combat units were mobilized for the Korean war.[12] The squadron was mobilized on 10 March 1951. Its personnel and aircraft were used as fillers for other organizations ond the squadron was inactivated a week later.[2][13]

Fighter operations

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The squadron was redesignated the 455th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and activated at Bunker Hill Air Force Base, Indiana on 8 August 1955, when the Air Force reopened the base, a former World War II Navy training station.[2][14] The squadron was initially equipped with North American F-86 Sabres, but soon began upgrading to the supersonic North American F-100 Super Sabre. However, the squadron, along with all other elements of the 323d Fighter-Bomber Wing, was inactivated on 1 September 1957, when Tactical Air Command transferred Bunker Hill to Strategic Air Command.[2][15][16]

Flying training

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Squadron T-43A[d]

On 1 April 1973, the squadron was activated as the 455th Flying Training Squadron.[2] In 1978, the first females began navigator training.[17] It continued to conduct undergraduate navigator training for USAF, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States allies until 1993.[2][18] In 1989, the base closure commission recommended that Mather be closed. The Air Force moved its navigator training to Randolph Air Force Base, Texas and the squadron was inactivated on 31 May 1993 as Mather drew down in preparing for closing on 1 October 1993.[19]

Squadron T-6A Texan II Heritage Aircraft in B-26 D-Day markings

In 2009, the Air Force inactivated the 562nd and 562nd Flying Training Squadrons, which had been training Air Force navigators and electronic warfare officers and Navy flight officers. In their place the 455th and 451st Flying Training Squadrons were activated at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.[5] The 455th is part of the 12th Flying Training Wing’s 479th Flying Training Group at Pensacola.[2]

Lineage

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  • Constituted as the 455th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 19 June 1942
Activated on 4 August 1942
Inactivated on 12 December 1945
  • Redesignated 455th Bombardment Squadron, Light on 10 May 1949
Activated in the reserve on 27 June 1949
Ordered to active service 10 March 1951
Inactivated on 17 March 1951
  • Redesignated 455th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 9 May 1955
Activated on 8 August 1955
Inactivated on 1 September 1957
  • Redesignated 455th Flying Training Squadron on 28 July 1972
Activated on 31 May 1973
Inactivated on 31 May 1993
Activated on 2 October 2009[2]

Assignments

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  • 323d Bombardment Group, 4 August 1942 – 26 November 1945
  • 323d Bombardment Group, 27 June 1949 – 17 March 1951
  • 11th Air Division, 8 August 1955
  • 323d Fighter-Bomber Group, 22 November 1955 – 1 September 1957
  • 323d Flying Training Wing, 1 April 1973
  • 323d Operations Group, 15 Decemb1r 1991 – 31 May 1993
  • 479th Flying Training Group, 2 October 2009 – present[2]

Stations

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Aircraft

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Awards and campaigns

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Award streamer Award Dates Notes
Distinguished Unit Citation 24–27 December 1944 Belgium and Germany, 455th Bombardment Squadron[2]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 April – 31 December 1973 455th Flying Training Squadron[2]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 January 1976 – 28 February 1977 455th Flying Training Squadron[2]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 January 1978 – 30 April 1979 455th Flying Training Squadron[2]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 January 1980 – 30 April 1981 455th Flying Training Squadron[2]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 July 2011 – 30 June 2013 455th Flying Training Squadron[24]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 July 2013 – 30 June 2015 455th Flying Training Squadron[24]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 July 2015 – 30 June 2017 455th Flying Training Squadron[24]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 July 2017 – 30 June 2019 455th Flying Training Squadron[24]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 1 July 2019 – 30 June 2021 455th Flying Training Squadron[24]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 17 April 2022 – 31 October 2022 455th Flying Training Squadron[24]
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
Air Offensive, Europe 12 May 1943–5 June 1944 455th Bombardment Squadron[2]
Air Combat, EAME Theater 14 May 1943–11 May 1945 455th Bombardment Squadron[2]
Normandy 6 June 1944–24 July 1944 455th Bombardment Squadron[2]
Northern France 25 July 1944–14 September 1944 455th Bombardment Squadron[2]
Rhineland 15 September 1944–21 March 1945 455th Bombardment Squadron[2]
Ardennes-Alsace 16 December 1944–25 January 1945 455th Bombardment Squadron[2]
Central Europe 22 March 1944–21 May 1945 455th Bombardment Squadron[2]

References

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Notes

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Explanatory notes
  1. ^ Approved 10 May 2023.
  2. ^ Approved 30 May 1973.
  3. ^ Approved 7 June 1957. Description: On a shield black, an atomic symbol of three white elliptical electronic rings and two red nuclei; piercing through the symbol a supersonic dart-shaped silhouetted white aircraft with red and white power, trailing off to the dexter side of the shield.
  4. ^ Aircraft is Boeing T-43A, serial 73-1149, taken in June 1977. This was the first T-43 delivered to the Air Force. It was later converted to CT-43A standard as a VIP transport. It crashed in Bosnia on 3 April 1996. All 35 aboard, including Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown, were killed. Baugher, Joe (4 August 2023). "1973 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
Citations
  1. ^ a b Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 561
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab Robertson, Patsy (3 February 2010). "Factsheet 455 Flying Training Squadron (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 6 December 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  3. ^ Robertson, Patsy (3 February 2010). "Factsheet 455 Flying Training Squadron (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2023. (updated)
  4. ^ a b Watkins, p. 100
  5. ^ a b Goetz, Robert (11 May 2018). "455th FTS' heritage aircraft wears colors of WWII-era B-26 Marauder". 502nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 203–204
  7. ^ a b Freeman, p. 249
  8. ^ Freeman, p. 58
  9. ^ See Mueller, p. 549 (training center station).
  10. ^ a b c d See Ravenstein, pp. 174–176 (323d Wing aircraft).
  11. ^ Cantwell, p. 74
  12. ^ Cantwell, p. 87
  13. ^ Cantwell, pp. 97, 137
  14. ^ Historic American Buildings Survey
  15. ^ Mueller, p. 213
  16. ^ Ravenstein, p. 175
  17. ^ Manning, et al., p. 213
  18. ^ "Mather Air Force Base (Mather Field, Mather Army Aviation Support Facility)". www.militarymuseum.org. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  19. ^ Manning, et al., pp. 260, 277, 286
  20. ^ a b c Station number in Anderson.
  21. ^ a b c d e f g Station number in Johnson.
  22. ^ Station information in Robertson, Factsheet, except as noted.
  23. ^ Aircraft in Robertson, except as noted.
  24. ^ a b c d e f "Air Force Personnel Services: Unit Awards". Air Force Personnel Center. Retrieved 2 July 2024. (search)

Bibliography

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Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

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