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613th Tactical Fighter Squadron
F-16A Fighting Falcon of the 613th Squadron
Active	1943–1945; 1947–1949; 1954–1991
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Tactical Fighter
Engagements	European Theater of Operations
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
Patch with 613th Tactical Fighter Squadron emblem
613th Bombardment Squadron emblem (World War II)

The 613th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, stationed at Torrejon Air Base, Spain, where it was inactivated on 28 June 1991.

The squadron was first activated during World War II as the 613th Bombardment Squadron. After training in the United States it moved to England, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. It earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for combat action. Following V-E Day, the squadron was inactivated in England. It was briefly active in the reserves from 1947 to 1949, but does not appear to have been fully manned or equipped.

The squadron was redesignated the 613th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and activated in 1954 at Alexandria Air Force Base, Louisiana. In 1966 it moved to Torrejon Air Base, Spain, where it continued fighter operations until inactivating in 1991.

History

World War II

Organization and training for combat

The 613th Bombardment Squadron was activated March 1943 at Ephrata Army Air Base, Washington, as one of the original squadrons of the 401st Bombardment Group. The initial cadre for the squadron was drawn from the 395th Bombardment Group at Ephrata and the 383d Bombardment Group at Rapid City Army Air Field, South Dakota. The cadre soon departed for Orlando Army Air Base, Florida, where they conducted simulated combat missions with the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics from Brooksville Army Air Field.

The ground echelon moved to Geiger Field, Washington in May 1943 and to Great Falls Army Air Base, Montana, in July. At Great Falls the first combat crews were assigned to the squadron. In the final stage of training the squadrons dispersed with the 613th training at Cut Bank Army Air Field.

After completing training the ground echelon left for overseas on 19 October 1943. After staging at Camp Shanks, New York they embarked on the RMS Queen Mary and sailed on 27 October disembarking at Greenock on the Firth of Clyde on 3 November 1943. The air echelon staged for deployment at Scott Field, Illinois then flew to England under the control of Air Transport Command via Newfoundland, Iceland and Scotland.

Combat in the European Theater

On arrival in England, half of the 401st Group's aircrews were immediately reassigned to the 351st Bombardment Group. The rest of the squadron became part of the Eighth Air Force at RAF Deenethorpe. The 613th became part of the 92d Combat Bombardment Wing of the 1st Bombardment Division. The group's tail code was Triangle-S.

On 26 November the 613th flew its first combat mission against Bremen, Germany. The 401st Group did not suffer the combat loss of an airplane until its ninth mission on 30 December. The squadron operated chiefly against strategic targets, bombing industries, submarine facilities, shipyards, missile sites, marshalling yards, and airfields. On 11 January 1944 the squadron was in the lead group of the 1st Bombardment Division in an attack against aircraft manufacturing facilities at Oschersleben, Germany. Although the bombers were able to attack, poor weather conditions prevented the division from receiving effective fighter cover. For over three hours the bomber formation suffered more than 400 attacks by Luftwaffe fighters, including air-to-air rocket attacks. Despite these attacks the unit continued its attack and struck a telling blow against German aircraft production for which the squadron was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC).

A little over a month later, on 20 February, the squadron earned its second DUC for an attack on the Erla Maschinenwerke aircraft manufacturing facilities in Leipzig, Germany. Despite fighter attacks and battle damage to the 613th's planes, 100% of the unit's bombs fell within 1000 feet of the aiming point. Beginning in October 1944, the unit concentrated its attacks on Axis oil reserves.

In addition to strategic missions, squadron operations included attacks on transportation, airfields, and fortifications prior to Operation Overlord, the Normandy invasion. On D-Day the 613th attacked Normandy beachhead areas dropping bombs five minutes before troops landed. The following month it provided close air support for Operation Cobra, the breakthrough at Saint-Lô, it also supported the siege of Brest in August and Operation Market Garden in September. During the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and January 1945, the unit attacked transportation and communications in the battle area. It supported airborne forces involved in Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945.

The squadron flew its last combat mission on 20 April 1945 against Brandenberg. It had flown 254 combat missions from Deenethorpe airfield. After V-E Day, the squadron flew missions to Linz, Austria to evacuate British and French prisoners of war. It also flew "Trolley" sightseeing missions at low level, flying ground support personnel over the Ruhr and Frankfurt am Main to see the damage that had been done as a result of their efforts.

The unit was alerted for redeployment to the Pacific Theater and the last plane departed Deenethorpe in early June. The ground echelon sailed on the RMS Queen Elizabeth on the fifth. Upon arrival in the US, personnel were granted thirty days leave, reassembling at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, but plans had changed and personnel were either transferred to Boeing B-29 Superfortress units or processed for discharge and the squadron was inactivated.

Reserve operations

The squadron was activated at Brooks Field (later Brooks Air Force Base), Texas in January 1947 as a unit of the reserves. It trained under the supervision of the 178th AAF Base Unit (later 2593d Air Force Reserve Training Center) of Air Defense Command (ADC). It is not clear whether or not the squadron was fully staffed or equipped. In 1948, Continental Air Command assumed responsibility for managing reserve and Air National Guard units from ADC. President Truman's reduced 1949 defense budget required reductions in the number of units in the Air Force, and the 613th was inactivated in June.

Fighter operations

The squadron was redesignated the 613th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and activated at Alexandria Air Force Base, Louisiana in February 1954. Initially equipped with North American F-86 Sabres, then with Republic F-84F Thunderstreaks, by 1957 the squadron was flying North American F-100 Super Sabres as the 613th Tactical Fighter Squadron. The squadron participated in firepower demonstrations military exercises and maneuvers, and deployed aircraft and personnel to Europe and the Middle East to support NATO. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the squadron operated from Homestead Air Force Base, Florida. By 1965, however, deployments had begun to the Pacific and Southeast Asia.

In April 1966, the squadron moved to Torrejon Air Base, Spain. From Torrejon, the squadron supported NATO by deployments to bases where they maintained an alert status. The squadron continued this operation until it was inactivated in 1991, except for a period in 1970 when it converted to the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II.

Lineage

• Constituted as the 613th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 March 1943

Activated on 1 April 1943

Redesignated 613th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy c. 1 November 1943

Inactivated on 28 August 1945

• Redesignated 613th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 27 December 1946

Activated in the reserve on 10 January 1947

Inactivated on 27 June 1949

• Redesignated 613th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 24 November 1953

Activated on 8 February 1954

Redesignated 613th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 July 1958

Inactivated on 28 June 1991

Assignments

• 401st Bombardment Group, 1 April 1943 – 28 August 1945
• Tenth Air Force, 10 January 1947
• 401st Bombardment Group, 30 September 1947 – 27 June 1949
• 401st Fighter-Bomber Group, 8 February 1954
• 401st Fighter-Bomber Wing (later Tactical Fighter Wing), 25 September 1957 – 28 June 1991

Stations

Aircraft

• Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1943–1945
• North American F-86 Sabre, 1954
• Republic F-84F Thunderstreak, 1955–1957
• North American F-100 Super Sabre, 1957–1971
• McDonnell F-4 Phantom II, 1971–1983
• General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, 1983–1991

Awards and campaigns

Award streamer	Award	Dates	Notes
	Distinguished Unit Citation	11 January 1944	Germany, 613th Bombardment Squadron
	Distinguished Unit Citation	20 February 1944	Germany, 613th Bombardment Squadron
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	13 September 1960–13 October 1960	613th Tactical Fighter Squadron
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 January 1963–31 December 1963	613th Tactical Fighter Squadron
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	11 November 1964–24 Mar 1965	613th Tactical Fighter Squadron
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	15 November 1964–15 February 1965	613th Tactical Fighter Squadron
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1983–30 June 1985	613th Tactical Fighter Squadron
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 April 1989–31 March 1991	613th Tactical Fighter Squadron

Campaign Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	Air Offensive, Europe		613th Bombardment Squadron
	Normandy		613th Bombardment Squadron
	Ardennes-Alsace		613th Bombardment Squadron
	Northern France		613th Bombardment Squadron
	Rhineland		613th Bombardment Squadron
	Central Europe		613th Bombardment Squadron

See also

• List of United States Air Force fighter squadrons
• General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon operators
• List of F-4 Phantom II operators
• List of F-100 units of the United States Air Force
• List of F-86 Sabre units
• B-17 Flying Fortress units of the United States Army Air Forces

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

1. Taken at Soesterberg in August 1984. Aircraft is General Dynamics F-16A Block 15L Fighting Falcon, serial 82-0946 It was sent to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center on 28 December 2006. Baugher, Joe (21 April 2023). "1982 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 8 May 2023.. It later served with the Arizona Air National Guard.
2. Approved February 1955. Description: On a disc Air Force yellow bordered black, a caricatured octopus of the second , with tentacles, markings and face features of the first , eyeballs red; grasping with three of his tentacles a rocket inflamed and with two of his tentacles twirling flashes of firepower all proper.
3. This emblem was designed for the squadron by the Disney Studios. Closway, p. 36.
4. The closest aircraft is Boeing B-17G-105-BO Flying Fortress, serial 43-39125, Der Grosse Arsch Vogel later You All Right, fuselage code IN-M. This plane was shot down on the squadron's last mission on 20 April 1945. Baugher, Joe (30 April 2023). "1943 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 8 May 2023., Missing Air Crew Report 14174.
5. Closest aircraft is Republic F-84F Thunderstreak, serial 51-9484. This plane was transferred to the Illinois Air National Guard in 1957, but was returned to the regular air force in 1963 to equip the 15th Tactical Fighter Wing until it received McDonnell F-4C Phantom IIs. Baugher, Joe (6 May 2023). "1951 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
6. Aircraft is North American F-100D-85-NH Super Sabre, serial 56-3408. Taken about 1960.
7. Aircraft is McDonnell F-4C-21-MC, serial 66-7768. This plane was transferred to the Air National Guard in 1984 and sent to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center on 3 April 1990. It was sold for scrap on 12 August 1998. Baugher, Joe (29 April 2023). "1966 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 8 May 2023.

Citations

1. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 684–685
2. ^ Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 285–286
3. Closway, p. 44
4. Closway, pp. 44–45
5. ^ Closway, p. 45
6. Closway, p. 46
7. Closway, p. 47
8. Closway, pp. 40, 47, 62 (reproducing War Department General Order 50, 17 June 1944)
9. Closway, pp. 40, 63 (reproducing War Department General Order 83, 2 October 1945)
10. Closway. p. 43
11. Closway, p. 55
12. Closway, p. 62
13. Closway, pp. 56–57
14. Closway, p. 58
15. Closway, p. 59
16. See Mueller, p. 54
17. See Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 684–685 (no aircraft listed as assigned to the squadron from 1947 to 1949)
18. "Abstract, Mission Project Closeup, Continental Air Command". Air Force History Index. 27 December 1961. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
19. Knaack, p. 25
20. ^ Ravenstein, pp. 214–215
21. ^ Lineage information, including assignment, stations, and aircraft through March 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 684–685.
22. Station number in Anderson.
23. ^ "Air Force Personnel Services: Unit Awards". Air Force Personnel Center. Retrieved 6 August 2019. (search)

Bibliography

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

• Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
• Closway, Gordon R., ed. (1946). Pictorial Record of the 401st Bomb Group. San Angelo, TX: Newsfoto Publishing Co. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
• Knaack, Marcelle Size (1978). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems (PDF). Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945–1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-59-5. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) . Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) . Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

v t e United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA)
Air Forces	Third (Europe)
Bases	Aviano Air Base Incirlik Air Base RAF Lakenheath RAF Mildenhall Ramstein Air Base Spangdahlem Air Base
Support facilities	Ämari Air Base Büchel Air Base Camp Lemonnier Câmpia Turzii Air Base Chabelley Airport Chièvres Air Base Ghedi Air Base Izmir Air Station Kleine Brogel Air Base Lajes Field Łask Air Base Morón Air Base RAF Akrotiri RAF Alconbury RAF Fairford RAF Menwith Hill RAF Molesworth RAF Welford Stuttgart Airport Volkel Air Base
Major units	31st Fighter Wing 39th Air Base Wing 48th Fighter Wing 52nd Fighter Wing 86th Airlift Wing 100th Air Refueling Wing 406th Air Expeditionary Wing 435th Air Ground Operations Wing 501st Combat Support Wing

v t e Tactical Air Command (TAC)
Air Forces	First Ninth Twelfth Eighteenth Nineteenth
Air Divisions	20th (ADTAC) 21st (ADTAC) 23d (ADTAC) 24th (ADTAC) 25th (ADTAC) 26th (ADTAC) 28th (ADTAC) 831st 832d 833d 834th 835th 836th 837th 838th 839th 840th
Named units	Air Forces Panama Air Forces Iceland Air Defense, Tactical Air Command
Wings	TFW 1st 4th 12th 15th 20th 23d 27th 32d 33d 37th 50th 56th 312th 323d 347th 354th 355th Other 1st SOW 57th FWW 63d TAW 64th TAW 67th TRW 75th TRW 85th TFTW 317th TAW 363d TRW 405th TFTW 461st TBW 4505th ARW
Former bases	Active (MAJCOM) Altus (AETC) Brooks (AFMC) Cannon (AFSOC) Charleston (AMC) Creech (ACC) Davis–Monthan (ACC) Dover (AMC) Dyess (ACC) Eglin (AFMC) Hill (AMFC) Holloman (ACC) Hurlburt Field (AFSOC) Langley (ACC) Little Rock (AETC) Luke (AETC) MacDill (AMC) McChord (AMC) McConnell (AMC) Moody (ACC) Mountain Home (ACC) Nellis (ACC) Pope (AMC) Seymour Johnson (ACC) Shaw (ACC) Tonopah (ACC) Tyndall (AETC) Whiteman (ACC) Inactive Bergstrom Blythville Donaldson England Forbes George Howard Grenier Myrtle Beach Orlando Sewart Turner Williams Inactive, but with a military presence Bunker Hill Biggs Dow Godman Homestead Lockbourne March Otis
Aircraft	A-1 A-7 A-10 A-37 AC-47 AC-119 AC-130 B-26 B-57 B-66 C-7 C-47 C-82 C-119 C-123 C-130 E-3 E-8 EF-111 EC-135 F-4 F-5 F-15 F-16 F-47 F-51 F-80 F-82 F-84 F-86 F-89 F-100 F-101 F-102 F-104 F-105 F-106 F-111 F-117 H-1 H-5 H-6 H-19 H-43 H-60 H-53 KB-29 KB-50 KC-97 O-1 O-2 OH-23 OV-10 P-40 P-38 R-4 S-62 T-6 T-28 T-29 T-33 T-38

v t e USAAF Eighth Air Force in World War II
Stations United Kingdom Alconbury Aldermaston Andrews Field Atcham Attlebridge Bassingbourn Bodney Bottisham Bovingdon Boxted Bungay Burtonwood Depot Bury St. Edmunds Bushey Hall Chalgrove Cheddington Chelveston Chipping Ongar Daws Hill Debach Debden Deenethorpe Deopham Green Duxford Earls Colne East Wretham Eye Fersfield Fowlmere Framlingham Glatton Goxhill Grafton Underwood Great Ashfield Great Dunmow Halesworth Hardwick Harrington Hethel Honington Horham Horsham St. Faith Ibsley Keevil Kimbolton Kings Cliffe Kirton In Lindsey Knettishall Lavenham Leiston Little Walden Martlesham Heath Membury Mendlesham Metfield Molesworth Mount Farm North Pickenham Nuthampstead Old Buckenham Podington Polebrook Rackheath Ramsbury Rattlesden Raydon Ridgewell Seething Shipdham Snetterton Heath Steeple Morden Sudbury Thorpe Abbots Thurleigh Tibenham Wattisham Watton Wendling Westhampnett Wormingford Okinawa Bolo Ie Shima Kadena Futenma Yontan
Units Commands VIII Air Support VIII Bomber VIII Air Divisions 1st 2nd 3rdf Wings Bombardment 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 12th 316th Fighter 6th 65th 66th 67th 301st Groups Bombardment 34th 44th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 100th 301st 303rd 305th 306th 310th 319th 320th 322nd 323rd 333rd 346th 351st 379th 381st 382nd 383rd 384th 385th 386th 387th 388th 389th 390th 392nd 398th 401st 445th 446th 447th 448th 452nd 453rd 457th 458th 466th 467th 482nd 486th 487th 489th 490th 491st 492nd 493rd 801st (Provisional) Fighter 1st 4th 14th 20th 31st 48th 55th 56th 78th 318th 339th 350th 352nd 353rd 354th 355th 356th 357th 358th 361st 362nd 364th 413th 479th 495th 496th 507th Troop Carrier 60th 62nd 315th Reconnaissance 3rd 7th 25th 67th
United States Army Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth Twentieth

v t e USAAF Second Air Force in World War II
Airfields	Airfields
Units	Commands II Air Support Command II Bomber Command II Fighter Command IV Air Support Command XX Bomber Command XXI Bomber Command XXII Bomber Command Wings 5th Bombardment 15th Bombardment Training 16th Bombardment Operational Training 17th Bombardment Training 18th Replacement 21st Bombardment 46th Bombardment Operational Training 58th Bombardment 73rd Bombardment 315th Bombardment 316th Bombardment Groups Bombardment 2nd Bombardment 6th Bombardment 7th Bombardment 9th Bombardment 12th Bombardment 16th Bombardment 17th Bombardment 19th Bombardment 25th Bombardment 29th Bombardment 34th Bombardment 39th Bombardment 40th Bombardment 42nd Bombardment 46th Bombardment 47th Bombardment 48th Bombardment 85th Bombardment 86th Bombardment 86th Bombardment 88th Bombardment 94th Bombardment 95th Bombardment 96th Bombardment 99th Bombardment 100th Bombardment 301st Bombardment 302nd Bombardment 303rd Bombardment 304th Bombardment 305th Bombardment 306th Bombardment 307th Bombardment 308th Bombardment 312th Bombardment 330th Bombardment 331st Bombardment 333rd Bombardment 346th Bombardment 351st Bombardment 376th Bombardment 379th Bombardment 381st Bombardment 382nd Bombardment 383rd Bombardment 384th Bombardment 385th Bombardment 388th Bombardment 390th Bombardment 393rd Bombardment 395th Bombardment 396th Bombardment 398th Bombardment 399th Bombardment 400th Bombardment 401st Bombardment 407th Bombardment 415th Bombardment 418th Bombardment 444th Bombardment 445th Bombardment 446th Bombardment 447th Bombardment 448th Bombardment 449th Bombardment 450th Bombardment 451st Bombardment 452nd Bombardment 453rd Bombardment 454th Bombardment 455th Bombardment 456th Bombardment 457th Bombardment 458th Bombardment 459th Bombardment 460th Bombardment 461st Bombardment 462nd Bombardment 464th Bombardment 467th Bombardment 468th Bombardment 469th Bombardment 470th Bombardment 471st Bombardment 472nd Bombardment 484th Bombardment 485th Bombardment 486th Bombardment 487th Bombardment 488th Bombardment 489th Bombardment 490th Bombardment 491st Bombardment 493rd Bombardment 494th Bombardment 497th Bombardment 498th Bombardment 499th Bombardment 500th Bombardment 501st Bombardment 502nd Bombardment 504th Bombardment 505th Bombardment 509th Composite Fighter 20th Fighter 54th Fighter 84th Fighter 85th Fighter 507th Fighter 508th Fighter Reconnaissance 2nd Reconnaissance 3rd Reconnaissance 4th Reconnaissance 5th Reconnaissance 6th Reconnaissance 7th Reconnaissance 8th Reconnaissance 71st Reconnaissance 77th Reconnaissance Troop Carrier 443nd Troop Carrier
United States Army Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth Twentieth

• Fighter squadrons of the United States Air Force
• Military units and formations of the United States in the Cold War