Happy Birthday 307th FS

  • Published
  • 944th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Today marks the 79th birthday of the 307th Fighter Squadron. The unit was activated in 1942 and began its flying mission in the P-40B Tomahawks before switching to P-39s.

The unit is known for their assistance in Operation Torch and Operation Husky. During Operation Torch the 307th helped free Morocco and Algeria from the Germans, destroying 33 enemy aircraft in the process. In Operation Husky, the squadron then provided aerial support during the Invasion of Sicily that led to the collapse of Mussolini’s fascist regime.

The unit is also responsible for helping set-up D-day. The night prior they were responsible for clearing the beaches which allowed U.S. troops to successfully get boots on ground. A unique fact about the unit that not many squadrons can claim is that their squadron emblem, the boxing bee, was designed by the American illustrator and entertainment pioneer Walt Disney in August 1944.

Today the 307th Fighter Squadron is a part of the 944th Fighter Wing based at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. The squadron is geographically located at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, and is responsible for F-15E Strike Eagle aircrew training and maintenance.