Misplaced Pages

93rd Fighter Squadron
93d Fighter Squadron F-16C Fighting Falcon
Active	1 Jun 1943 – 1 Jun 1946 27 Jun 1949 – 3 Apr 1951 15 Jun 1952 – 16 Nov 1957 1 Oct 1978 – present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Fighter
Part of	Air Force Reserve Command
Garrison/HQ	Homestead Air Reserve Base
Nickname(s)	Makos
Equipment	General Dynamics F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
Engagements	Battle of Normandy Operation Market Garden Siege of Bastogne Operation Plunder Operation Northern Watch Operation Southern Watch Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award French Croix de Guerre with Palm
Insignia
93d Fighter Squadron emblem (approved 11 June 1979)
Squadron codes	3B (June 1943 – June 1946) FM (Oct 1978 – present)

The 93d Fighter Squadron, nicknamed the Makos, is part of the Air Force Reserve Command's 482d Fighter Wing at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida. Originally formed in June 1943 as the 93d Troop Carrier Squadron, the squadron participated on the Western Front flying Douglas C-47 Skytrains dropping paratroopers and releasing gliders during Operation Overlord, Operation Market Garden and the Siege of Bastogne before being inactivated in June 1946. The Makos were reactivated as a reserve squadron in June 1949, which they continue to be as of 2019. Between 1949 and 1989, the squadron flew a variety of types such as the Curtiss C-46 Commando, Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star and McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II. Since 1995, the Makos have flown the General Dynamics F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, in which they have conducted air superiority missions over Iraq as part of Operation Northern Watch and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

History

World War II

The squadron was initially activated on 1 June 1943 under I Troop Carrier Command and equipped with Douglas C-47 Skytrains as the 93d Troop Carrier Squadron. It trained in various parts of the eastern United States until the end of 1943 when it was deployed to the United Kingdom and assigned to IX Troop Carrier Command.

Prepared for the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. Began operations by dropping paratroops of the 101st Airborne Division in Normandy on D-Day (6 June 1944) and releasing gliders with reinforcements on the following day. The unit received a Distinguished Unit Citation and a French citation for these missions. After the Normandy invasion the squadron ferried supplies in the United Kingdom.

After moving to France in September, the unit dropped paratroops of the 82nd Airborne Division near Nijmegen and towed gliders carrying reinforcements during the airborne attack on the Netherlands. In December, it participated in the Battle of the Bulge by releasing gliders with supplies for the 101st Airborne Division near Bastogne.

When the Allies made the air assault across the Rhine River in March 1945, each aircraft towed two gliders with troops of the 17th Airborne Division and released them near Wesel. The squadron also hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals. It converted from C-47s to C-46s and the new aircraft to transport displaced persons from Germany to France and Belgium after V-E Day.

Returned to the U.S. during the period July–September 1945, and trained with Curtiss C-46 Commando aircraft until inactivated.

Air Force Reserve

The squadron was reactivated as part of Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) at Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan, on 27 June 1949. From here they once again operated the C-46 Commando, training in troop carrier operations up until 3 April 1951. The squadron was reactivated as the 93d Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 15 June 1952, equipped with the North American F-51 Mustang. These were operated for only a year until the unit converted to their first jet – Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star, which was operated up until 1956. Converting to the Republic F-84 Thunderjet, the squadron continued fighter-bomber operations up until 16 November 1957 when they were inactivated.

After lying dormant for almost 21 years, the unit was reactivated at Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, as the 93d Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 October 1978. Initially assigned to the 915th Tactical Fighter Group, the Makos were equipped with the McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II. On 1 April 1981, the 93d TFS were reassigned to the 482d Tactical Fighter Wing. Between 9 and 22 August 1980, the Makos deployed 12 F-4Cs to Bodø Main Air Station, Norway, as part of Exercise Coronet Mil. The squadron converted to the F-4D Phantom II in 1983, continuing to maintain combat readiness in tactical fighter operations. The 93d TFS participated in Exercise Patriot Pearl at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Puerto Rico in 1988.

The Makos began to convert to the General Dynamics F-16A/B Fighting Falcon in November 1989. The squadron was re-designated as the 93d Fighter Squadron on 1 February 1992, the designation it holds to this day. The 93rd FS deployed eight F-16As to Aviano AFB, Italy, between 16 August and 12 September 1992. On 24 August 1992, Homestead Air Force Base was hit by Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 storm, heavily damaging the base. The 93d FS evacuated the base and briefly operated from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, between September and December 1992 before relocating to MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, in February 1993 where the Makos remained until March 1994. The 93d FS finally returned home on 1 April 1994, when Homestead was reopened as Homestead Air Reserve Base. The Makos deployed eight F-16As to Karup Air Base, Denmark, between 5 and 18 June 1994 as part of Exercise Central Enterprise. The squadron converted over to the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon in 1995, with most of their old F-16A/B aircraft being retired to AMARC.

The 93d FS were deployed to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, to enforce the no-fly zone over northern Iraq as part of Operation Northern Watch in 1997, 1999 and 2000. They later deployed to Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base, Kuwait, in 2001 as part of Operation Southern Watch. The squadron participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom when they were deployed alongside the 457th Fighter Squadron to Balad Air Base, Iraq, in 2007 and later in 2009. They then supported a Theater Support Program deployment to South Korea with 12 F-16C+ Block 30s in 2012 for 90+ days. In 2014 they deployed 9 F-16C+s alongside their sister squadron 457th FS 9 F-16C+s to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan (BAF) for 180 days. In 2016 they deployed 12 F-16C+s back to BAF for 100+ day deployment. Most recently the 93rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron deployed 12 F-16C+s to BAF in 2021 for 4 months and then extended and supported the final crewed fighter presence over Afghanistan from an undisclosed location in the Middle East being some of the last fighter pilots to fly over Afghanistan while supporting the pullout effort.

The 93rd FS participated in Exercise Iniohos at Andravida Air Base, Greece, between 27 March and 6 April 2017. While deployed they operated alongside the Hellenic, Israeli, Italian and the United Arab Emirates Air Forces.

The Makos deployed 12 F-16Cs to RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, in the United Kingdom between 5–21 May 2019 where they carried out dissimilar air combat training with F-15E Strike Eagles of the 492nd Fighter Squadron and RAF Typhoons. Across the two-week deployment, the 93rd FS flew more than 180 hours across over 136 sorties.

Lineage

• Constituted as the 93d Troop Carrier Squadron on 14 May 1943

Activated on 1 June 1943

Inactivated on 10 June 1946

• Redesignated 93d Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 19 May 1949

  

Activated in the reserve on 27 June 1949

Ordered to active service on 1 April 1951

Inactivated on 3 April 1951

• Redesignated 93d Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 26 May 1952

Activated in the reserve on 15 June 1952

Inactivated on 16 November 1957

• Redesignated 93d Tactical Fighter Squadron on 23 February 1978

Activated in the Reserve on 1 October 1978

Redesignated 93d Fighter Squadron on 1 February 1992

Assignments

• 439th Troop Carrier Group, 1 June 1943 – 10 June 1946
• 439th Troop Carrier Group, 27 June 1949 – 3 April 1951
• 439th Fighter-Bomber Group, 15 June 1952 – 16 November 1957
• 915th Tactical Fighter Group, 1 October 1978
• 482d Tactical Fighter Wing (later 482d Fighter Wing), 1 April 1981
• 482d Operations Group, 1 August 1992 – present

Stations

Aircraft

• Douglas C-47 Skytrain (1943–1945)
• Curtiss C-46 Commando (1945–1946; 1949–1951)
• North American F-51 Mustang (1952–1953)
• Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star (1953–1956)
• Republic F-84 Thunderjet (1956–1957)
• McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II (1978–1983)
• McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II (1983–1989)
• General Dynamics F-16A/B Fighting Falcon (1989–1995)
• General Dynamics F-16C/D Fighting Falcon (1995–present)

References

Notes

1. ^ Dollman, TSG David (15 May 2017). "Factsheet 93 Fighter Squadron (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
2. "Troop Carrier Squadron Codes". Airborne Troop Carrier. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
3. ^ "93rd Fighter Squadron (USAF AFRC)". F-16.net. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
4. "USAF Reserve F-4C/D Phantom". Desert Wings. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
5. "Deployments - 1980". Sharpshooter - Military Aviation Journal. Archived from the original on 18 August 2004. Retrieved 10 April 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
6. "STAFF Sergeant (SSGT) Raymond Burgos, aircraft mechanic, 93rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, cleans his glasses after cleaning an F-4D Phantom II aircraft canopy during the reserve training Exercise PATRIOT PEARL". NATIONAL ARCHIVES CATALOG. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
7. "Westover reservists take part in Patriot Pearl" (PDF). Patriot. 15 (5): 12. May 1988. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
8. "Deployments - 1992". Sharpshooter - Military Aviation Journal. Archived from the original on 19 August 2004. Retrieved 10 April 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
9. "History of Homestead Air Reserve Base" (PDF). HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
10. "Deployments - 1994". Sharpshooter - Military Aviation Journal. Archived from the original on 21 August 2004. Retrieved 10 April 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
11. Gosier, Ciara (28 March 2017). "Exercise Iniohos 17 kicks off in Greece". U.S. Air Forces in Europe & Air Force Africa. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
12. Romang, Adrian (13 May 2017). "Exercise Iniohos 2017". Retrieved 13 November 2019.
13. "Air Force Reserve F-16s deploy to RAF Lakenheath for training". U.S. AIR FORCES IN EUROPE & AIR FORCES AFRICA. 5 May 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
14. "Total Force: Reserve Fighting Falcons train with Lakenheath Strike Eagles". U.S. AIR FORCES IN EUROPE & AIR FORCES AFRICA. 22 May 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
15. "'Makos' F-16s in the UK". Air Forces Monthly. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
16. Mayfield, Malcolm (22 May 2019). "Total Force: Reserve Fighting Falcons train with Lakenheath Strike Eagles". U.S. Air Force. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
17. ^ Station number in Anderson.
18. ^ Station number in Johnson.
19. Stations in Dollman, except as noted.

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 yes: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
• 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. 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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

External links

v t e Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC)
Air Forces	Fourth Tenth Twenty-Second
Bases	Dobbins Duke Field General Mitchell Grissom Homestead March Minneapolis-Saint Paul Niagara Falls Pittsburgh Westover Youngstown
Command	Air Reserve Personnel Center
Wings/Groups	Air Refueling 434th 459th 507th 916th 939th 940th Airlift 94th 302nd 315th 433rd 439th 440th 445th 446th 512th 908th 910th 911th 914th 927th 932nd 934th Fighter 301st 414th 419th 442nd 476th 477th 482nd 944th other 307th Bomb 310th Space 349th Air Mobility 403rd 452nd Air Mobility 514th Air Mobility 655th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance 919th Special Operations 920th Rescue

v t e United States Air Force
Leadership	Department of the Air Force Secretary of the Air Force Under Secretary of the Air Force Air Staff Chief of Staff Vice Chief of Staff Director of Staff Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Four-star generals Three-star generals 1940–1959 2000–2009 2010–2019 2020–present House Armed Services Committee House Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces Senate Committee on Armed Services Senate Subcommittee on Airland Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
Structure	Commands Reserve Air National Guard Field Operating Agencies Installations Direct Reporting Units District of Washington Operational Test and Evaluation Center USAF Academy Major commands ACC AETC AFGSC AFMC AFRC AFSOC AMC PACAF USAFE–AFAFRICA Numbered Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Expeditionary Fifteenth Sixteenth Eighteenth Nineteenth Twentieth Twenty-Second Wings ANG Groups ANG Squadrons ANG Security Forces Civilian auxiliary: Civil Air Patrol
Personnel and training	Personnel Rank officers cadets enlisted Specialty Code Aeronautical ratings Judge Advocate General's Corps RED HORSE Security Forces Medical Service Chief of Chaplains Chief Scientist Training: Air Force Academy Officer Training School Reserve Officer Training Corps Basic Training Airman Leadership School SERE Fitness Assessment
Uniforms and equipment	Awards and decorations Badges Equipment Aircraft Uniforms
History and traditions	History Aeronautical Division / Aviation Section / Division of Military Aeronautics / Army Air Service / Army Air Corps / Army Air Forces "The U.S. Air Force" Air Force Band Airman's Creed Core Values Flag Symbol Memorial National Museum Women Airforce Service Pilots Air Force One / Air Force Two Honor Guard Thunderbirds Service numbers Air & Space Forces Association
Category

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 Florida