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86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
Convair TF-102A Delta Dagger, AF Ser. No. 55-4052, of the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
Active	1942–1947 1952–1960
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter-Interceptor
Role	Air Defense
Engagements	Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation
Insignia
Patch including the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Emblem
86th Fighter Squadron emblem

The 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 79th Fighter Group at Youngstown Air Force Base, Ohio, where it was inactivated on 1 March 1960.

The squadron was first activated shortly after the United States entered World War II as the 86th Pursuit Squadron. As the 86th Fighter Squadron It saw combat in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations and earned two Distinguished Unit Citations. After the end of the war it became an element of the occupation forces until returning to the United States, where it was inactivated in 1947.

It was activated once again to replace an Air National Guard squadron that had been mobilized for the Korean War and carried out the air defense of the Great Lakes area for the next eight years.

History

World War II

The squadron was first activated in early 1942 at Dale Mabry Field, Florida as the 86th Pursuit Squadron, one of the original three squadrons of the 79th Pursuit Group. Its initial cadre was drawn from the 56th and 81st Fighter Groups. The squadron was redesignated the 86th Fighter Squadron in May 1942. The unit trained in the United States, then moved to Egypt by sea via Brazil in October–November 1942, where it became part of Ninth Air Force.

The squadron trained with P-40 Warhawks while moving westward in the wake of the British drive across Egypt and Libya to Tunisia. By escorting bombers, attacking enemy shipping, and supporting ground forces, the 86th took part in the Allied operations that defeated Axis forces in North Africa, captured Pantelleria, and conquered Sicily. The squadron was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for its support of British Eighth Army during that period, March–August 1943.

The squadron became part of Twelfth Air Force in August 1943 and continued to support the British Eighth Army by attacking troop concentrations, gun positions, bridges, roads, and rail lines in southern Italy. It operated in the area of the Anzio beachhead from January to March 1944. The unit participated in the drive on Rome from March to June 1944, and converted to P-47 Thunderbolts during that time. It flew escort and strafing missions in southern France during August and September 1944, and afterward returned to Italy and engaged in interdiction and close air support operations in northern Italy. The 86th received a second DUC for numerous missions flown at minimum altitude in intense flak to help pierce the enemy line at the Santerno River in Italy in April 1945. Squadron pilots were credited with twenty-eight victories over enemy aircraft during World War II.

The squadron remained overseas as part of United States Air Forces in Europe after the war as part of the occupation forces. It was transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the US in June 1947 and inactivated on 15 July 1947.

Cold War Air Defense

The squadron was redesignated the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and activated in November 1952 at Youngstown Municipal Airport, where it replaced the federalized 166th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which was released to the Ohio Air National Guard. As an element of Air Defense Command (ADC) it was responsible for air defense of the Great Lakes area, initially with the Republic F-84 Thunderjets it inherited from the 166th.

Three months later ADC reorganized it dispersed fighter bases and the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was assigned to the 502d Air Defense Group, which assumed control of ADC operational and support elements at Youngstown. In July the squadron upgraded to radar equipped and rocket armed North American F-86D Sabres at Youngstown.

In August 1955 ADC implemented Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars. At Youngstown, the squadron's World War II headquarters, the 79th Fighter Group assumed the personnel and equipment of the 502d Air Defense Group, which was simultaneously inactivated.

In September 1957 the 86th traded its Sabres for AIM-4 Falcon armed Convair F-102 Delta Dagger aircraft equipped with data link for interception control through the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment system. The Air Force transferred command of Youngstown MAP from ADC to Continental Air Command on 1 March 1960 and the 79th Fighter Group and its components inactivated that date.

Lineage

• Constituted as the 86th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 13 January 1942

Activated on 9 February 1942

Redesignated 86th Fighter Squadron (Single Engine) on 15 May 1942

Inactivated on 15 July 1947

• Redesignated 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 11 September 1952

Activated on 1 November 1952

Inactivated on 1 March 1960

Assignments

• 79th Pursuit Group (later Fighter Group), 9 February 1942 – 15 July 1947
• 4708th Defense Wing, 1 November 1952
• 502d Air Defense Group, 16 February 1953
• 79th Fighter Group, 18 August 1955 – 1 March 1960

Stations

Aircraft

Awards and campaigns

Award streamer	Award	Dates	Notes
	Distinguished Unit Citation	March 1943 – 17 August 1943	86th Fighter Squadron, North Africa and Sicily
	Distinguished Unit Citation	16 April 1945 – 20 April 1945	86th Fighter Squadron, Italy

Campaign Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	Air Combat, EAME Theater		86th Fighter Squadron
	Egypt-Libya		86th Fighter Squadron
	Tunisia		86th Fighter Squadron
	Sicily		86th Fighter Squadron
	Naples-Foggia		86th Fighter Squadron
	Anzio		86th Fighter Squadron
	Rome-Arno		86th Fighter Squadron
	Southern France		86th Fighter Squadron
	Northern Apennines		86th Fighter Squadron
	Po Valley		86th Fighter Squadron
	World War II Army of Occupation	2 May 1945 – 25 June 1947	86th Fighter Squadron

References

Notes

1. The squadron was located at Alexandria by 1 January 1943. "Abstract, History of 79th Ftr Gp CY 1943". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
2. The 79th group moved to Corsica by ship.
3. The group history identifies this field as "Bron Airdrome".

Citations

1. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 297–298
2. ^ Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 144–145
3. ^ Abstract, History of 79 Fighter Group, activation-Aug 43. Retrieved 13 May 2012
4. Newton & Senning, p. 578
5. Cornett & Johnson, p. 123
6. ^ Cornett & Johnson, p. 120
7. ^ Cornett & Johnson. p. 81
8. Buss, et al., p.6
9. Abstract, History of 79th Ftr Gp, Jan–Mar 1960. Retrieved 13 May 2012
10. ^ Lineage, assignments and aircraft in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 278–279
11. ^ Watkins, pp. 30–31
12. Abstract,, History of 79th Ftr Gp, Jun 1944. Retrieved 13 May 2012
13. ^ Airfield Identification Numbers from Johnson.
14. Abstract,, History of 79th Ftr Gp, Sep 1944. Retrieved 13 May 2012
15. Except as noted, stations in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 278–279

Bibliography

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

• Buss, Lydus H.(ed), Sturm, Thomas A., Volan, Denys, and McMullen, Richard F., History of Continental Air Defense Command and Air Defense Command July to December 1955, Directorate of Historical Services, Air Defense Command, Ent AFB, CO, 1956
• Cornett, Lloyd H; Johnson, Mildred W (1980). A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980 (PDF). Peterson AFB, CO: Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2006. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
• Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2017.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
• 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.
• 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.
• Newton, Wesely P. Jr.; Senning, Calvin F. (1963). "USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II, USAF Historical Study No. 85" (PDF). Research Studies Institute, USAF Historical Division, Air University. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
• Watkins, Robert A. (2009). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. Vol. IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. pp. 30–31. ISBN 978-0-7643-3401-6.

Further reading

• Coles, Harry C. (February 1945). "Ninth Air Force in the Western Desert Campaign to 23 January 1943, USAF Historical Study No. 30" (PDF). Assistant Chief of Air Staff Intelligence, Historical Division. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
• Coles, Harry C. (November 1945). "Participation by the Ninth and Twelfth Air Forces in the Sicilian Campaign, USAF Historical Study No. 37" (PDF). AAF Historical office. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
• Grant, C. L. "The Development of Continental Air Defense to 1 September 1954, USAF Historical Study No. 126" (PDF). Research Studies Institute, USAF Historical Division, Air University. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
• Leonard, Barry (2009). History of Strategic Air and Ballistic Missile Defense (PDF). Vol. I. 1945–1955. Fort McNair, DC: Center for Military History. ISBN 978-1-4379-2131-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
• Leonard, Barry (2009). History of Strategic Air and Ballistic Missile Defense (PDF). Vol. II, 1955–1972. Fort McNair, DC: Center for Military History. ISBN 978-1-43792-131-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
• Woerpel, Don. The 79th Fighter Group: Over Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy in World War II. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 2007. ISBN 0-7643-1322-3.
• "ADCOM's Fighter Interceptor Squadrons". The Interceptor. 21 (1). Aerospace Defense Command: 5–11, 26–31, 40–45, 54–59. January 1979.

v t e Aerospace Defense Command (ADC)
Bases	CONUS Amarillo Beale Charleston Davis-Monthan Dobbins Dover Dow Duluth Eglin Edwards Ellington Ellsworth England Ent Ethan Allen Fairfax Fallon Fort Gregg-Adams Fort Heath Geiger George Glasgow Grand Forks Grenier Griffiss Gunter Hamilton Hancock Homestead Hurlburt Hunter Imeson Key West Kincheloe Kingsley Kirtland Lackland Laredo Larson Luke MacDill March Malmstrom McCoy McChord McClellan McGhee Tyson McGuire Minneapolis-St. Paul Minot Mitchel New Castle Niagara Falls Norton O'Hare Otis Oxnard Paine Perrin Peterson Pittsburgh Portland Presque Isle R.I. Bong Richards-Gebaur Robins K.I. Sawyer Selfridge Seymour Johnson Sioux City Stead Stewart Suffolk County Tinker Travis Truax Tyndall Vandenberg Vincent Walker Webb Westover Wright-Patterson Wurtsmith Youngstown Overseas Ernest Harmon Frobisher Bay Goose Keflavik McAndrew Pepperrell Thule
Stations	CONUS Adair Aiken Almaden Alpena Antigo Arlington Heights Baker Bedford Bellefontaine Belleville Benton Blaine Brookfield Brunswick Bucks Harbor Burns Calumet Cambria Cape Charles Cape Cod Carmi Caswell Chandler Charleston Cheyenne Mountain Claysburg Clear Colville Condon Continental Divide Cottonwood Cross City Crystal Springs Curlew Custer Cut Bank Dallas Center Dauphin Island Dickinson Duncanville Eldorado Empire Finland Finley Flintstone Fordland Fort Fisher Fort Lee Fortuna Gettysburg Grand Marais Grand Rapids Guthrie Hanna City Havre Highlands Houma Hutchinson Joelton Keno Killeen Kingman Kirksville Klamath Lake Charles Lake City Las Cruces Las Vegas Lewistown Lockport Lufkin Lyndonville Madera Makah Mica Peak Miles City Mill Valley Minot Montauk Moriarty Mount Hebo Mount Laguna Mount Lemmon Naselle North Bend North Charleston North Truro Oklahoma City Olathe Omaha Opheim Osceola Othello Owingsville Ozona Palermo Point Arena Port Austin Port Isabel Pyote Red Bluff Rochester Rockport Rockville (Indiana) Roslyn Rye Saint Albans San Clemente Island Santa Rosa Island Saratoga Springs Sault Ste Marie Shemya Snelling Snow Mountain Sweetwater Texarkana Tierra Amarilla Thomasville Tonopah Topsham Two Creeks Wadena Walnut Ridge Watertown Waverly West Mesa Willow Run Winnemucca Winslow Winston-Salem Woomera Yaak Zapata Overseas Armstrong Baldy Hughes Beausejour Cape Makkovik Cartwright Cut Throat Island Elliston Ridge Fox Harbour Hofn Hopedale Kamloops La Scie Langanes Latrar Melville Puntzi Mountain Ramore Red Cliff Rockville Saglek St. Anthony Saskatoon Mountain Sioux Lookout Spotted Island Stephenville
Air Defense units	Forces Central Air Defense Eastern Air Defense Iceland Western Air Defense First Fourth Tenth Fourteenth Air Divisions 8th 9th 20th 21st 23d 24th 25th 26th 27th 28th 29th 30th 31st 32d 33d 34th 35th 36th 37th 58th 64th 73d 85th Sectors Albuquerque Bangor Boston Chicago Detroit Duluth Goose Grand Forks Great Falls Kansas City Los Angeles Minot Montgomery New York Oklahoma City Phoenix Portland Reno Sault Sainte Marie San Francisco Seattle Sioux City Spokane Stewart Syracuse Washington Wings Fighter 1st 4th 23d 32d 33d 50th 52d 56th 78th 81st 325th 328th 507th Detection and Control 71st 73d 551st 552d Air Defense 46th 4620th 4621st 4622d 4624th 4625th 4627th 4628th 4683d 4700th 4702d 4703d 4704th 4705th 4706th 4707th 4708th 4709th 4710th 4711th 4750th 4751st 4752d 4756th 4780th Groups Fighter 1st 4th 14th 15th 23d 32d 33d 50th 52d 53d 54th 56th 57th 78th 79th 81st 82d 84th 325th 326th 327th 328th 329th 337th 343d 355th 408th 412th 414th 473d 475th 476th 478th 507th Air Defense 10th 500th 501st 502d 503d 514th 515th 516th 517th 518th 519th 520th 521st 525th 527th 528th 529th 530th 533d 534th 564th 566th 567th 568th 575th 637th 665th 678th 692d 701st 751st 762d 765th 778th 780th 827th 858th 4606th 4620th 4676th 4700th 4721st 4722d 4727th 4728th 4729th 4730th 4731st 4732d 4733d 4734th 4735th 4750th 4756th Aircraft Control & Warning 503d 505th 540th 541st 542d 543d 544th 545th 546th 563d 564th 565th 566th Squadrons Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons
Major weapon systems	Electronic TB-29 EB-57 EC-121 Fighters Propeller: F-47 F-51 P-61 F-82 Subsonic Jet: P-80 F-84 F-86 F-89 F-94 Supersonic Jet: F-101 F-102 F-104 F-106 Missiles AIM-4 AIM-26 AIR-2 CIM-10 Ships Guardian Interceptor Interdictor Interpreter Investigator Locator Lookout Outpost Pickett Protector Scanner Searcher Skywatcher Tracer Watchman Vigil Texas Towers Texas Tower 2 Texas Tower 3 Texas Tower 4
Miscellaneous	Air Defense Command Emblem Gallery (on Wikimedia Commons) General Surveillance Radar Stations

v t e USAAF Twelfth Air Force in World War II
Stations Morocco Berguent Casablanca Guercif Louis Gentil Marnia Médiouna Nouasser Port Lyautey Oujda Rabat Sale Ras el Ma Algeria Ain M'lila Berteaux Biskra Canrobert Chateau-dun-du-Rhumel Constantine Es Sénia (Oran) Maison Blanche (Algiers) Matemore Montesquieu Nouvion Orleansville Philippeville Relizane Rerhaia Saint-Donat Saint-Leu Sedrata Sainte-Barbe du Tlélat Tafaraoui (Oran) Tébessa Telergma Thiersville Youks-les-Bains Tunisia Bizerte Dar el Koudia Depienne Djedeida Djilma Ebba Ksour El Djem El Bathan Enfidaville Goubrine Grombalia Hergla Kairouan Korba La Marsa La Sebala Le Sers Massicault Mateur Menzel Temime Monastir Oudna Pont du Fahs Protville Sainte Marie du Zit Souk-el-Arba Souk-el-Khemis Soliman Sousse Thelepte Italy Agrigento (Sicily) Bagnoli Barcelona LG (Sicily) Bari Boccadifalco (Sicily) Borizzo (Sicily) Capodichino (Naples) Castel Volturno Castelvetrano (Sicily) Cassibile (Sicily) Cattolica Catania (Sicily) Cercola Comiso (Sicily) Ciampino (Rome) Cesenatico Decimomannu (Sardinia) Elmas (Sardinia) Falconara Fano Florence Foggia Follonica Gaudo Gerbini (Sicily) Gioia Grosseto Grottaglie Iesi Le Banca Lecce Licata (Sicily) Manduria Marcianise Malignano Mazzara (Sicily) Milazzo (Sicily) Messina (Sicily) Montalto Di Castro Nettuno Montecorvino Ombrene Orbetello Paestum Pisa Pantelleria Pignataro Maggiore Piombino Pomigliano Ponte Galeria Pontedera Pompeii Ponte Olivo (Sicily) Reggio Calabria Rocca Bernardo Rosia San Pancrazio Santa Maria Scordia (Sicily) Sele Serretella Tarquinia Termini (Sicily) Tortorella Torrente Comunelli Tre Cancello Voltone Vesuvius France Aghione (Corsica) Amberieu (Y-5) Amiens (B-48) Clastres (A-71) Dijon (Y-9) Dôle-Tavaux (Y-7) Ghisonaccia (Corsica) Gisonochia (Corsica) Istres (Y-17) La Vallon (Y-18) Le Luc Luneville (Y-2) Loyettes (Y-25) Poretta (Corsica) Saint-Dizier (A-64) Salon de Provence (Y-16) Serragia (Corsica) Solonzara (Corsica) Tantonville (Y-1) Toul-Ochey (A-96)
Units Commands XII Bomber XII Tactical Air XXII Tactical Air XII Troop Carrier (Provisional) Wings 5th Bombardment 42d Bombardment 47th Bombardment (7th Fighter) 51st Troop Carrier 52d Troop Carrier 57th Bombardment 62d Fighter 63d Fighter 64th Fighter 87th Fighter 90th Photographic Groups Bombardment 2d Bombardment 12th Bombardment 17th Bombardment 47th Bombardment 97th Bombardment 98th Bombardment 99th Bombardment 301st Bombardment 310th Bombardment 319th Bombardment 320th Bombardment 321st Bombardment 340th Bombardment 376th Bombardment Fighter 1st Fighter 14th Fighter 27th Fighter 31st Fighter 33d Fighter 52d Fighter 57th Fighter 79th Fighter 81st Fighter 82d Fighter 86th Fighter 324th Fighter 325th Fighter 332d Fighter 350th Fighter Reconnaissance 3d Reconnaissance 5th Reconnaissance 68th Reconnaissance Troop carrier 60th Troop Carrier 61st Troop Carrier 62d Troop Carrier 64th Troop Carrier 313th Troop Carrier 314th Troop Carrier 316th Troop Carrier Squadrons 15th Bombardment 414th Night Fighter 415th Night Fighter 416th Night Fighter 417th Night Fighter 427th Night Fighter
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 Ninth Air Force in World War II
Stations	Palestine (Mand) Lydda Muqueibile Ramat David St Jean Egypt Abu Sueir Ismailia El Amiriya Daba Deversoir Fayid Kabrit * Landing Ground 174 Payne Sidi Haneish Libya Baheira Belandah Benina Castel Benito Berca Darragh El Adem El Assa Gambut Hamraiet Lete Martuba Tmed El Chel Tobruk Tripoli Sidi Azeiz Tunisia Ben Gardane Bou Grara Chekira Hani Hazbub Hergla El Djem El Haouaria Kairouan Medenine Menzel Heurr Sfax Soltane United Kingdom Aldermaston Andover Andrews Field Ashford Balderton Barkston Heath Beaulieu Birch Bisterne Boreham Bottesford Boxted Charmy Down Chalgrove Chilbolton Chipping Ongar Christchurch Cottesmore Earls Colne Exeter Folkingham Fulbeck Gosfield Great Dunmow Greenham Common Grove High Halden Headcorn Holmsley South Hurn Ibsley Kingsnorth Langar Lashenden Little Walden Lymington Matching Membury Merryfield Middle Wallop North Witham Ramsbury Raydon Rivenhall Saltby Scorton Staplehurst Spanhoe Stansted Stoney Cross Thruxton Upottery Warmwell Welford Weston Zoyland Wethersfield Winkton Woodchurch Wormingford Europe Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) in France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany too numerous.
Units	Commands 9th Air Division (was IX Bomber Command) IX Air Defense IX Fighter IX Tactical Air IX Troop Carrier XIX Tactical Air XXIX Tactical Air Wings Bombardment 97th Bombardment 98th Bombardment 99th Bombardment Fighter 8th Fighter 9th Fighter 70th Fighter 71st Fighter 84th Fighter 100th Fighter 303d Fighter Troop carrier 50th Troop Carrier 52d Troop Carrier 53d Troop Carrier Groups Bombardment 12th Bombardment 98th Bombardment 322d Bombardment 323d Bombardment Group 340th Bombardment Group 344th Bombardment Group 376th Bombardment 386th Bombardment 387th Bombardment 391st Bombardment 394th Bombardment 397th Bombardment 409th Bombardment 410th Bombardment 416th Bombardment Fighter 36th Fighter 48th Fighter 50th Fighter 57th Fighter 79th Fighter 324th Fighter 354th Fighter 358th Fighter 365th Fighter 362d Fighter 363d Fighter 366th Fighter 367th Fighter 368th Fighter 370th Fighter 371st Fighter 373d Fighter 404th Fighter 405th Fighter 406th Fighter 474th Fighter Troop carrier 61st Troop Carrier 64th Troop Carrier 313th Troop Carrier 314th Troop Carrier 315th Troop Carrier 316th Troop Carrier 349th Troop Carrier 434th Troop Carrier 435th Troop Carrier 436th Troop Carrier 437th Troop Carrier 438th Troop Carrier 439th Troop Carrier 440th Troop Carrier 441st Troop Carrier 442d Troop Carrier IX Troop Carrier Pathfinder (Provisional) Reconnaissance 10th Reconnaissance 67th Reconnaissance 69th Reconnaissance Squadrons Liaison 14th Liaison 47th Liaison Night fighter 422d Night Fighter 425th Night Fighter
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 in Ohio