20th Fighter Squadron

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20th Fighter Squadron
20th Fighter Squadron
Active	1 February 1940 - 2 April 1946 1 December 1972 - 8 July 1992 1 July 1993 – 20 Dec 2004
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter
Nickname	Silver Lobos
Engagements	World War II Battle of the Philippines Battle of Bataan
Decorations	DUC AFOUA PPUC
Disbanded	20 December 2004
Commanders
Notable commanders	Howell M. Estes III

McDonnell Douglas F-4E-41-MC Phantom 68-0531 Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico 1997. Repainted in Southeast Asia camouflage motif along with a "shark mouth" and five MiG kill markings to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Captain Steve Richie becoming a USAF Ace during the Vietnam War. Retired to AMARC as FP1059 Oct 22, 1997. Still on AMARC inventory 15 Jan 2008.

McDonnell Douglas F-4E-63-MC Phantom German Air Force aircraft operated by USAF as part of German Air Force training program at George AFB, California, 1989. Aircraft retired and seen in disposal compount, Fassberg, Germany March 2007

The 20th Fighter Squadron (20 FS) was most recently part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operated the F-4 Phantom II aircraft, conducting air superiority missions. It was deactivated 20 Dec 2004.

Mission

During the final years of operation, the 20th Fighter Squadron trained German Air Force pilots and weapon system operators (WSO) in support of a US/German Air Force Foreign Military Sales agreement. The 20th Fighter Squadron also hosted the German Air Force Weapons School, and the leadership consisted of both a US and German Lieutenant Colonel. In its final year, the squadron was composed of just 13 US military officers, who brought their prior collective experience in the F-15C, F-16 and F-4 to the German students arriving from pilot training for tactical training in the F-4F.

History

The 20th flew combat missions in the Philippines from, 8 December 1941–c. 1 May 1942. The ground echelon fought as infantry unit in Bataan from, 18 January–c. 8 April 1942. It was carried as an active unit but was not operational from the fall of the Philippines until 2 April 1946.^[1]

The squadron trained German Air Force aircrews in the F–4 from, September 1973–June 1992.^[1]

On 20 Dec 2004, the unit was deactivated at Holloman AFB, NM.^{[citation needed]}

Lineage

• Constituted 20th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 22 December 1939.

Activated on 1 February 1940.

Deactivated on 2 April 1946.

• Re-designated: 20th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron and activated, 1 December 1972.

Re-designated: 20th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 5 October 1989.

Re-designated: 20th Fighter Squadron, 1 November 1991.

Deactivated on 5 June 1992.

• Reactivated on 1 July 1993.

Deactivated 20 December 2004.^[1]

Assignments

• 35th Pursuit Group, 1 February 1940.
• 4th Composite Group, 14 December 1940.
• 24th Pursuit Group, 1 October 1941 – 2 April 1946.
• 35th Tactical Fighter Training Wing, 1 December 1992.
• 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, 5 October 1989.
• 35th Fighter Wing, 1 November 1991 – 5 June 1992.
• 49th Fighter Wing, 1 July 1993 – 20 December 2004.^[1]

Stations

• Moffett Field, Calif, 1 February 1940.
• Hamilton Field, Calif, 10 September – 30 October 1940.
• Nichols Field, Luzon, Philippines, c. 18 November 1940.
• Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, Ju1y 1941.
• Bataan Airfield, Luzon, Philippines, 25 December 1941-April 1942.

Operated from Lubao, Luzon, Philippines, 25-31 Dec 1941.

Operated from Del Monte Field, Mindanao, Philippines, c. 8 April-May 1942.

• George AFB, California, 1 November 1972 – 5 June 1992.
• Holloman AFB, New Mexico, 1 July 1993 – 20 December 2004.^[1]

Aircraft Operated

• P-36 Hawk (1940)
• P-26 Peashooter (1940–1941)
• P-35 (1941)
• P-40 Warhawk (1941–1942)
• F-4 Phantom II (1972–1992)^[1]

Operations

• World War II^[1]

Notes

Bibliography

	United States Air Force portal
	Military of the United States portal
	World War II portal

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

External links

• USAF 20th Fighter Squadron History
• Silver Lobos fly into retirement

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