Lineage. Constituted as 480 Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 9 Jul 1942. Activated on 15 Jul 1942. Disbanded on 1 May 1944. Reconstituted and consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with the following units: 480 Air Resupply Squadron (constituted as 580 Aerial Resupply Squadron on 15 Mar 1951; activated on 16 Apr 1951; redesignated as 580 Air Resupply Squadron on 5 Nov 1951; inactivated on 18 Oct 1956; redesignated as 480 Air Resupply Squadron on 31 Jul 1985); and 480 Tactical Fighter Squadron (constituted as 480 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 30 Aug 1957; activated on 25 Sep 1957; redesignated as 480 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul 1958; inactivated on 1 Apr 1959; activated on 30 Apr 1962; organized on 8 May 1962; inactivated on 17 Nov 1971; activated on 15 Nov 1976). Redesignated as 480 Fighter Squadron on 1 Oct 1991. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1994. Activated on 13 Aug 2010.
Assignments. 336 Bombardment Group (Medium), 15 Jul 1942-1 May 1944. 580 Air Resupply and Communications (later, 580 Air Resupply) Group, 16 Apr 1951-18 Oct 1956. 366 Fighter-Bomber (later, 366 Tactical Fighter) Wing, 25 Sep 1957-1 Apr 1959. United States Air Forces in Europe, 30 Apr 1962; 366 Tactical Fighter Wing, 8 May 1962; 2 Air Division, 5 Feb 1966 (attached to 6252 Tactical Fighter Wing, 5 Feb 1966-); Seventh Air Force, 1 Apr 1966 (remained attached to 6252 Tactical Fighter Wing to 8 Apr 1966; attached to 35 Tactical Fighter Wing, 8 Apr-22 Jun 1966); 35 Tactical Fighter Wing, 23 Jun 1966; 366 Tactical Fighter Wing, 10 Oct 1966; 37 Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 Apr 1969; 12 Tactical Fighter Wing, 31 Mar 1970-17 Nov 1971. 52 Tactical Fighter (later, 52 Fighter) Wing, 15 Nov 1976; 52 Operations Group, 31 Mar 1992-1 Apr1994. 52 Operations Group, 13 Aug 2010-.
Stations. MacDill Field, FL, 15 Jul 1942; Ft Myers AAFld, FL, 10 Aug 1942; Avon Park, FL, 13 Dec 1942; MacDill Field, FL, 13 Oct 1943; Lake Charles AAFld, LA, 7 Nov 1943-1 May 1944. Mountain Home AFB, ID, 16 Apr 1951-19 Sep 1952; Wheelus Field (later, Wheelus AB), Libya, 28 Sep 1952-18 Oct 1956. England AFB, LA, 25 Sep 1957-1 Apr 1959. Chaumont AB, France, 8 May 1962; Phalsbourg AB, France, 21 Dec 1962; Holloman AFB, NM, 12 Jul 1963-1 Feb 1966; Da Nang Aprt (later, Da Nang AB), South Vietnam, 5 Feb 1966 (deployed to Korat AB, Thailand, 21-24 May 1966); Phu Cat AB, South Vietnam, 15 Apr 1969-17 Nov 1971. Spangdahlem AB, West Germany, 15 Nov 1976-1 Apr 1994. Spangdahlem AB, Germany, 13 Aug 2010-.
Commanders. Capt Alfred D. Belsma, 15 Jul 1942; Capt Chelsey I. Swann, 16 Jul 1943; Maj Gerald J. Crosson, 8 Sep 1943-1 May 1944. Unkn, 16 Apr 1951; Lt Col Harry L. Smith, c. Oct 1952-unkn; Lt Col Roderick G. Darelins, c. May 1953; Col Frederick J. Knorre Jr., 8 Sep 1953-unkn; Col Gilbert F. Noakes, c. Mar 1954-unkn. Maj David T. Davidson, 25 Sep 1957-1 Apr 1959. None (not manned), 30 Apr-7 May 1962; unkn, 8 May-9 Jul 1962; Maj Leland W. Dawson, 10 Jul 1962; Lt Col William E. Archbold, 12 Jul 1962; Lt Col Robert P. Pasqualicchio, 30 Apr 1965; Lt Col Leland W. Dawson, 24 Jun 1966; Lt Col George H. Sylvester, 8 Oct 1966; Lt Col Robert B. Tanguy, 26 Dec 1966; Lt Col John W. Armstrong, c. Jun 1967; Lt Col Robert F. Brockmann, 10 Nov 1967; Lt Col Donald R. D’Amico, 28 May 1968; Lt Col Edwin J. Scarff, 30 Oct 1968; Lt Col David W. Shoup, 1 Apr 1969; Lt Col Jack E. Shepard, 4 Dec 1969; Lt Col Kenneth D. Burns, 4 Mar 1970; Lt Col Robert B. Kendall, 23 Apr 1970; Lt Col William C. Thomas, 12 Oct 1970; Lt Col John S. Garrett, 17 Feb 1971; Lt Col Charles J. Cunningham Jr., 17 Jun-17 Nov 1971. Lt Col Howard K. Carroll, 15 Nov 1976; Lt Col Barton P. Crews, 28 Jul 1978; Lt Col Marlin R. Kitchen, 14 Mar 1980; Lt Col Thomas L. Ticktin, 5 Mar 1982; Lt Col John W. Adler, 22 Dec 1982; Lt Col Richard F. Hardy, 14 Dec 1984; Lt Col William W. Hillman, 12 Dec 1986; Lt Col Larry E. Bickel, 30 Dec 1988; Lt Col James E. Allgood, 13 Jul 1990; Lt Col Jimmie E. Crouch Jr., 27 May 1992; Lt Col Kenneth S. Callicut, 17 Nov 1993-1 Apr 1994. Lt Col Andrew K. Wolcott, 13 Aug 2010-.
Aircraft. B-26, 1942-1944. B-29, 1951-1956; C-119, 1951-1956; SA-16, 1951-1956. F-100, 1957-1959; F-84, 1958-1959. F-84, 1962-1965. F-4, 1965-1971. F-4, 1976-1991; F-16, 1987-1994. F-16, 2010-.
Operations. 480 Bombardment Squadron served as a replacement training unit for medium bomber crews, Sep 1942-Apr 1944. 580 Aerial Resupply Squadron trained to provide evacuation and supply support to personnel in enemy-occupied territory, 1951-1952. Trained in Libya for aerial delivery of equipment and supplies and for evacuation of friendly forces, 1952-1956. Trained as a fighter-bomber squadron in the United States, 1957-1959. Deployed to South Vietnam in Feb 1966 and through Oct 1971 flew combat mission. Between 1976 and 1994, maintained an operationally-ready nuclear and conventional strike capability in Germany. Activated again in Germany in Aug 2010 to provide air defense.
Service Streamers. World War II American Theater.
Campaign Streamers. Vietnam: Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; TET 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall, 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI; Commando Hunt VII. Southwest Asia: Ceasefire. Iraq: Iraqi New Dawn.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Presidential Unit Citations: Vietnam, 23 Apr-1 Aug 1967; 8 Feb-8 Apr 1971. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: [5 Feb 1966]-31 Mar 1967; 1 Apr 1967-31 Mar 1968; 1 Apr 1968-31 Jul 1969; 1 Apr 1969-31 Mar 1970; 1 Apr 1970-21 Oct 1971; 1 Sep 1990-26 Feb 1991. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1978-30 Jun 1980; 1 Jul 1991-30 Jun 1993. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosses with Palm: 31 Mar 1970-10 Nov 1971; 1 Apr 1966-17 Nov 1971.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 9 Aug 2016.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Sep 2010.
Supersedes statement prepared in Sep 2010.
Emblem. Approved c. Mar 1959, revised on 30 Aug 2010.
Prepared by TSgt David Dollman.