53rd Fighter Squadron

Callsign : TIGERS

Nato Tiger Association status : former member

The 53rd Fighter Squadron was activated on 1 January 1941 as one of the three squadrons assigned to the 32nd Pursuit Group, as part of the United States buildup of forces after the eruption of World War II.

The squadron was moved to Panama to protect the Panama Canal.

Along with other Pursuit Squadrons, the 53rd was redesignated as the 53rd Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942.  During late 1942 they were assigned 3 Douglas P-70 "Havoc" night fighters as  it was still considered a strong possibility that a night attack on the Panama Canal might he attempted, and the night fighter defenses of the area were nil.  The P-70's departed in mid-January 1943.

 The 53rd effectively assumed the duties and designation of the 30th Fighter Squadron on 3 January 1943.  By April–May 1943, the unit was operating with an assortment of aircraft as a result of its "switch" with the 30th, which by then included Bell P-39D "Airacobras" and Curtiss P-40 "Warhawks".

The unit moved to the United States effective 1 June 1943, ending its duty with Sixth Air Force.

They deployed to England in April 1944 as part of IX Fighter Command Operations as a Republic P-47 "Thunderbolt" fighter-bomber squadron.  Initial missions included strafing and dive-bombing armored vehicles, trains, bridges, buildings, factories, troop concentrations, gun emplacements, airfields, and other targets in preparation for the invasion of Normandy.  The squadron also flew some escort missions with Eighth Air Force Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 Liberator strategic bombers.

On D-Day the squadron patrolled the air over the landing zones and by flying close-support and interdiction missions.

53 FS participated in the Battle of the Bulge during December 1944 and January 1945 by flying armed reconnaissance and close-support missions.

By V-E Day, the squadron was based at Kassel-Rothwestern Airfield, Germany, where it remained until February 1946, as part of the United States Air Forces in Europe Army of Occupation.

In February, the unit was transferred, without personnel or equipment, to Bolling Field, Washington, D.C, where it was inactivated.

The 53rd was reactivated in October 1946 under Caribbean Air Command in the Canal Zone, returning to its prewar mission of the defense of the Panama Canal.

The squadron upgraded to jet aircraft in December 1947 with the arrival of the Lockheed F-80 "Shooting Star".

As a result of the Berlin Blockade and other Cold War tensions in Europe, the squadron was deployed to Germany and was reassigned to United States Air Forces in Europe during August 1948, assigned to USAFE’s 36th Fighter-Bomber Wing.

53 FS upgraded to new Republic F-84E "Thunderjet" in 1950.

August 1953 the North American F-86F "Sabre" was introduced to the squadron, replacing the F-84s.

In 1956, the squadron received the North American F-100 "Super Sabre", marking the first time a wing in USAFE flew supersonic jets.

On 15 May 1958, the squadron was redesignated as a tactical fighter squadron because its missions had now grown to include delivery of tactical nuclear weapons.

In May 1961 they received the Republic F-105 "Thunderchief" and continued to carry on its Cold War mission of tactical nuclear weapons delivery.

In 1966 the 53rd was upgraded to the McDonnell Douglas F-4 "Phantom II"

The McDonnell Douglas F-15A/B "Eagle" arrived in 1977 and from 1980 more advanced F-15C/Ds arrived to repalced the obsolede models.

In July 1993, HQ USAFE announced the closure of Bitburg Air Base and the pending inactivation of the 36th Fighter Wing. The 53rd Fighter Squadron was relieved from assignment to the 36th Fighter Wing on 1 February 1994.

It was in non-operations status until it was assigned to the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base on 25 February 1994.

The squadron was inactivated in March 1999 as a result of an Air Force-wide reorganization to enlarge F-15 squadrons from 18 to 24 aircraft.

On 10 December 2021, the 53 FS was re-activated again as an associate unit of the 121st Fighter Squadron, 113th Wing, 495 Fighter Group, Fifteenth Air Force, Air Combat Command, operating the Lockheed Martin F-16C/D "Fighting Falcon".

(all aircraft are to scale, not all drawings show an aircraft in 53 markings)

Aircraft

Boeing P-26A Peashooter (1941)

Curtiss P-36 Hawk (1941–1942)

Curtiss P-40B Warhawk (1942–1943)

Curtiss P-40C Warhawk (1942–1943)

Curtiss P-40E Warhawk (1942–1943)

Douglas P-70 "Havoc" (1942–1943)

Republic P-47C Thunderbolt (1943–1947)

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt (1943–1947)

Republic P-47N Thunderbolt (1943–1947)

Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star (1947–1950)

Republic F-84E Thunderjet (1950–1953)

North American F-86F Sabre (1953–1956)

North American F-100C Super Sabre (1956–1961)

Republic F-105D Thunderchief (1961–1966)

Republic F-105F Thunderchief (1961–1966)

McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II (1966–1973)

McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II (1973–1977)

McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle (1977–1980)

McDonnell Douglas F-15B Eagle (1977–1980)

McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle (1980–1999)

McDonnell Douglas F-15D Eagle (1980–1999)

Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcon (2021–present)

Lockheed Martin F-16D Fighting Falcon (2021–present)

Sixth Air Force (WW2)

53rd Pursuit Squadron / Fighter Squadron

30th Fighter Squadron

United States Air Forces in Europe (WW2)

Caribbean Air Command

United States Air Forces in Europe

53rd Fighter Squadron, Jet

36th Fighter-Bomber Wing

53rd Fighter-Bomber Squadron

36th Fighter-Day Wing

53rd Fighter-Day Squadron

36th Tactical Fighter Wing

53rd Tactical Fighter Squadron

36th Wing

53rd Fighter Squadron

52nd Wing

53rd Fighter Squadron

Air Combat Command

Fifteenth Air Force

495 Fighter Group

113 Wing

53rd Fighter Squadron

121st Fighter Squadron

Unit awards

Distinguished Unit Citation

Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards

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text & picture sources : own collection & library + the world wide web / No copyright infringement intended : drawings, photos, etc. belong to the rightful owners.