Lineage. Constituted as 334 Fighter Squadron on 22 Aug 1942. Activated on 12 Sep 1942. Redesignated as 334 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 20 Aug 1943. Inactivated on 10 Nov 1945. Activated on 9 Sep 1946. Redesignated as: 334 Fighter Squadron, Jet Propelled, on 23 Apr 1947; 334 Fighter Squadron, Jet, on 14 Jun 1948; 334 Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 20 Jan 1950; 334 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 8 Mar 1955; 334 Fighter-Day Squadron on 25 Apr 1956; 334 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul 1958; 334 Fighter Squadron on 1 Nov 1991.
Assignments. 4 Fighter Group, 12 Sep 1942–10 Nov 1945. 4 Fighter (later, 4 Fighter-Interceptor;4 Fighter-Bomber; 4 Fighter-Day) Group, 9 Sep 1946; 4 Fighter-Day (later, 4 Tactical Fighter; 4) Wing, 8 Dec 1957 (attached to 65 Air Division, 1 Apr–13 Aug 1963; Seventeenth Air Force, 15 Feb–29 May 1965; 355 Tactical Fighter Wing, 2 Sep 1965–5 Feb 1966; 354 Tactical Fighter Wing, 16 Dec 1969–c. 31 May 1970; 8 Tactical Fighter Wing, 11 Apr–5 Aug 1972 and 30 Sep 1972–18 Mar 1973; 86 Tactical Fighter Wing, 28 Aug–29 Sep 1980, 26 Aug–29 Sep 1981, and 22 May–20 Jun 1984); 4 Operations Group, 22 Apr 1991–.
Stations. Bushey Hall, England, 12 Sep 1942; Debden, England, 29 Sep 1942; Steeple Morden, England, c. 23 Jul–4 Nov 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 9–10 Nov 1945. Selfridge Field, MI, 9 Sep 1946; Andrews Field (later, AFB), MD, 26 Mar 1947; Langley AFB, VA, 4 May 1949; New Castle County Aprt (later, AFB), DE, 13 Aug–11 Nov 1950; Johnson AB, Japan, 13 Dec 1950; Taegu AB, South Korea, 23 Feb 1951; Suwon AB, South Korea, 15 Mar 1951; Johnson AB, Japan, 1 May 1951; Kimpo AB, South Korea, 24 Aug 1951; Chitose AB, Japan, 20 Sep 1954; Misawa AB, Japan, 1 Jul–8 Dec 1957; Seymour Johnson AFB, NC, 8 Dec 1957– (deployed at McCoy AFB, FL, 21 Oct–29 Nov 1962; Moron AB, Spain, 1 Apr–13 Aug 1963; Incirlik AB, Turkey, 15 Feb–29 May 1965; Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, 2 Sep 1965–5 Feb 1966; Kunsan AB, South Korea, 16 Dec 1969–c. 31 May 1970; Ubon RTAFB, Thailand, 11 Apr–5 Aug 1972 and 30 Sep 1972–18 Mar 1973; Ramstein AB, Germany, 28 Aug–29 Sep 1980, 26 Aug–29 Sep 1981, and 22 May–20 Jun 1984).
Commanders. Maj Gregory A. Daymond, 29 Sep 1942; Maj Oscar H. Coen, 3 Mar 1943; Maj Thomas J. Andrews, 13 Apr 1943 (acting); Lt Col John F. Malone, 19 May 1943 (acting); Lt Col Oscar H. Coen, 4 Aug 1943; Lt Col James A. Clark, 26 Oct 1943; Maj Duane W. Beeson, 15 Mar 1944; Capt Richard C. Care, 6 Apr 1944; Maj Winslow M. Sobanski, 15 Apr 1944; Maj Howard D. Hively, 6 Jun 1944; Maj Gerald Brown, 29 Jul 1944 (acting); Maj Howard D. Hively, 1 Nov 1944; Maj Louis H. Norley, 25 Jan 1945; Capt Carl F. Brown, 21 Sep-10 Nov 1945. Lt Col Jacob W. Dixon, 9 Sep 1946; Lt Col Benjamin H. Emmert, 25 Apr 1949; Lt Col Jacob W. Dixon, 20 Jun 1949; Lt Col Benjamin H. Emmert, 5 Jul 1949; Maj Charles J. Hoey, 28 Jul 1949; Lt Col John A. Carey, 26 Aug 1949; Maj Edward C. Fletcher, 31 May 1951; Lt Col George L. Jones, Jun 1951; Maj William T. Whisner, 3 Oct 1951; Maj George A. Davis Jr., Nov 1951; Maj James F. Martin, 17 Feb 1952; Maj Theodore S. Coberly, May 1952; Lt Col Richard L. Ayersman, Jun 1952; Lt Col William J. Cosby, Feb 1953; Lt Col Henry J. Pascho, c. Jul 1953; Maj J. E. Wisby, 10 Jan 1954; Maj Mangus P. Johnson, c. Feb 1954; Lt Col Val W. Bollwerk, 3 May 1954; Lt Col Dean W. Dutrack, 6 Sep 1954; Maj Mangus P. Johnson, 3 Jan 1955; Maj Warren H. Rice, c. Jan 1956; Maj Bruce W. Carr, unkn; Maj Lucien B. Shuler, c. 1 Sep 1957; Maj Charles W. Barnett, 1 Jun 1958; Maj Edward D. Thomas, 15 May 1962; Lt Col Melvin J. Killian, 26 Feb 1964; Maj Hershel E. Galyon, 27 Sep 1965; Lt Col Robert Sizemore, 15 Jan 1968; Lt Col Louis G. Pazel, 1 Aug 1968; Lt Col James K. Fox, 11 Jan 1970; Lt Col Crawford O. Shockley, 14 Dec 1971; Lt Col Dennis P. Sharon, 2 Apr 1973; Lt Col Gilbert J. Sinnott III, 22 Mar 1974; Lt Col Marcus A. Anderson, 21 Feb 1975; Lt Col Vernon L. Womack, 17 Feb 1976; Lt Col Stanley A. Bass, 17 Jan 1977; Lt Col Lawrence E. Huggins, 7 Oct 1977; Lt Col James M. Johnston III, 23 Feb 1979; Lt Col Robin G. Tornow, 19 Dec 1980; Lt Col Michael C. Short, 16 Jul 1982; Lt Col Kurt B. Anderson, 23 Nov 1983; Lt Col Kenneth R. Ritt, 11 Oct 1985; Lt Col Raleigh T. Harrington Jr., 31 Oct 1986; Lt Col Frank L. Newkirk, 15 Aug 1988; Lt Col John M. Deloney, 28 Dec 1990; Lt Col Mark S. Ordess, 8 May 1992; Lt Col Norman R. Seip, 6 May 1994; Lt Col Robert D. Eskridge, 6 Dec 1995; Lt Col David G. Jowers, 27 Jun 1997; Lt Col Michael S. Tarleton, 1 May 1998; Lt Col Andrew Parrish, 12 May 2000; Lt Col William M. Mullins, 8 Mar 2002; Lt Col Douglas R. Reynolds, 19 Mar 2004; Lt Col Patrick J. Doherty, 14 Nov 2005; Lt Col Todd D. Canterbury, 6 Jun 2007; Lt Col Michael Webb, 19 Jun 2009; Lt Col Brian Armstrong, 17 Jun 2011; Lt Col Donn Yates, 3 May 2013-.
Aircraft. Spitfire, 1942–1943; P–47, 1943–1944; P–51, 1944–1945. P–47, 1947; P–80, 1947–1949; F–51, 1948–1949; F–86, 1949–1958; F–100, 1958–1959; F–105, 1959–1966; F–4, 1967–1991; F–15, 1991–.
Operations. Flew at least 400 combat missions in European Theater of Operations (ETO), 2 Oct 1942–21 Apr 1945. Fighter aircraft escorted first bombing raid over Berlin, Mar 1944. On 21 Jun 1944, escorted bombers in the first shuttle bombing mission from England to Russia. Received Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for destroying enemy aircraft and attacking air bases, 5 Mar-24 Apr 1944. During time in ETO, destroyed over 200 enemy aircraft. Inactivated in Nov 1945; reactivated in Sep 1946. In 1947 received jet aircraft; performed at air shows around the US; began night flying. Received second and third DUCs for combat in Korean War, 22 Apr-8 Jul 1951 and 9 Jul-27 Nov 1951. The first jet ace belonged to this squadron. Deployed to Florida during Cuban missile crisis, Oct-Nov 1962. Combat in Southeast Asia on a rotational basis, Sep 1965–Feb 1966; Apr–Aug 1972; Sep 1972–Mar 1973. Deployed to Korea during Pueblo incident, 1968. In the 1980s, exercised mission capabilities in support of NATO treaty obligations. After Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, shared rotational duties to area with 335 and 336 Fighter Squadrons. Trained as a combat-ready fighter squadron prepared for rapid worldwide deployment of fighter aircraft and crews to accomplish air-to-ground, air-to-air, strategic attack, and deep interdiction missions. Since 1994, trained replacement fighter pilots and weapons systems officers (WSO) to sustain worldwide manning requirements. Beginning in 2002, deployed personnel in support of Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom in Southwest Asia.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. World War II: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Korea: CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive; UN Summer-Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Korea Summer-Fall, 1952; Third Korean Winter; Korea, Summer 1953. Vietnam: Vietnam Defensive; Vietnam Air; Vietnam Ceasefire. Southwest Asia: Southwest Asia Ceasefire.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: France, 5 Mar–24 Apr 1944; (Korea), 22 Apr–
8 Jul 1951; 9 Jul–27 Nov 1951. Presidential Unit Citation: Vietnam, 1 Jan–10 Oct 1966. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: 2 Sep 1965–28 Jan 1966; 11 Apr–8 Jul 1972 and 25 Sep–20 Oct 1972; 18 Dec 1972–27 Jan 1973. Meritorious Unit Award: 1 Jun 2008-30 Apr 2010. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1967–30 Jun 1968; 16 Sep 1973–15 Apr 1974; 22 Nov 1974–31 Dec 1975; 1 Jun 1982–31 May 1984; 1 Jan 1987-30 Jun 1988; 1 Jul 1989–22 Apr 1991; 23 Apr 1991–31 Mar 1993; 1 Apr 1993-15 Jul 1994; 16 Jul 1994-31 May 1996; 1 Jun 1998-31 May 2000; 1 Jun 2000-31 May 2002; 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2003; 1 Jun 2011-31 May 2012; 1 Jun 2012-31 May 2013; 1 Jun 2013-31 May 2014. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations: 1 Nov 1951–30 Sep 1952; 1 Oct 1952–31 Mar 1953. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 8 Apr 1972–28 Jan 1973.
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 14 Nov 2017.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Sep 2013.
Supersedes statement prepared in Sep 2013.
Emblem. Approved on 27 Sep 1950.
Prepared by Daniel HAULMAN.