80th Fighter Squadron
| 80th Fighter Squadron | |
|---|---|
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| Active | 1942–present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | F-16 fighter squadron |
| Size | 24 aircraft |
| Nickname | Headhunters Juvats |
| Motto | Audentes Fortuna Juvat[1] |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Lt Col Jack L. Sine |
The 80th Fighter Squadron (traditionally nicknamed the "Headhunters", and since 1971 also the "Juvats") is an F-16 fighter squadron of the United States Air Force, currently part of the 8th Operations Group of the 8th Fighter Wing, and stationed at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea.
The 80th has served in combat operations in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Lineage
- Constituted 80 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on January 6, 1942
- Activated on January 10, 1942
- Redesignated: 80 Fighter Squadron on May 15, 1942
- Redesignated: 80 Fighter Squadron (Two Engine) July 22, 1943
- Redesignated: 80 Fighter Squadron, Two Engine, on August 20, 1943
- Inactivated on December 26, 1945
- Redesignated 80 Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on January 14, 1947
- Activated on February 20, 1947
- Redesignated: 80 Fighter Squadron, Jet, on January 1, 1950
- Redesignated: 80 Fighter-Bomber Squadron, on January 20, 1950
- Redesignated: 80 Tactical Fighter Squadron, on July 1, 1958
- Redesignated: 80 Fighter Squadron, on February 3, 1992.
[edit] Assignments
- 8 Pursuit (later, 8 Fighter) Group, January 10, 1942 – December 26, 1945
- 8 Fighter (later, 8 Fighter-Bomber) Group, February 20, 1947
- Attached to: 49 Fighter-Bomber Group, August 11 – September 25, 1950
- Attached to: 51 Fighter-Interceptor Group, September 25 – October 27, 1950
- Attached to: Twentieth Air Force, October 21, 1954 – February 10, 1955
- Attached to: 49 Fighter-Bomber Group, February 10, 1955 – October 18, 1956
- Attached to: 8 Fighter-Bomber Wing, February 1 – September 30, 1957
- 8 Fighter-Bomber (later, 8 Tactical Fighter) Wing, October 1, 1957
- Attached to 41st Air Division, May 13 – June 17, 1964
- 41st Air Division, June 18, 1964
- Attached to 2 Air Division, October 30 – December 29, 1964
- 6441 Tactical Fighter Wing, April 1, 1965
- Attached to 2d Air Division, June 27 – August 26, 1965
- 41st Air Division, November 15, 1966
- 347 Tactical Fighter Wing, January 15, 1968
- Attached to Detachment 1, 475 Tactical Fighter Wing, February 15 – March 15, 1971
- 3 Tactical Fighter Wing, March 15, 1971
- 8 Tactical Fighter Wing, September 16, 1974
- 8 Operations Group, February 3, 1992 – present
[edit] Stations
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[edit] Aircraft
[edit] Operational history
The Headhunters' history began only one month after Pearl Harbor, as the squadron shipped out to fight in the Pacific Theater. The Squadron was first activated on January 10, 1942 at Mitchel Field in New York.
Originally designated as a pursuit squadron, they were redesignated in May 1942 as a fighter squadron. Attached to the 8th Fighter Group. One of the early squadron commanders, Edward "Porky" Cragg named the Squadron "The Headhunters" after the local New Guinean Headhunter tribes who hated the Japanese and helped to rescue downed pilots. He also commissioned a crew chief, M/Sgt. Yale Saffro, who was once offered a job to work for Walt Disney as a cartoonist but turned it down, to design the 80th's patch. (This original patch design can be seen "here". http://www.80fsheadhunters.org/Callie/1st_HH_Patch.jpg., and has been officially sanctioned by the Office of Air Force Heraldry for current uniform wear.)
The squadron saw action against the Japanese in the Pacific including deployments in Australia, New Guinea, the Schouten Islands, Morotai, Leyte, Mindoro, and Japan.[2]
It was later redesignated as the 80th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on January 14, 1947, the squadron reactivated on February 20, 1947 at Itazuke AB, Japan, and was assigned to the 8th Fighter (later, 8th Fighter-Bomber) Group. It would undergo a number of different attachments over the next few years. It was attached to 49th Fighter-Bomber Group from August 11 to September 25, 1950; the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Group from September 25 to October 27, 1950; the Twentieth Air Force from October 21, 1954 to February 10, 1955; the 49th Fighter-Bomber Group from February 10, 1955 to October 18, 1956; and the 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing from February 1 to September 30, 1957).
From 1947 to 1950, the squadron would operate the P-51, before switching to the F-80 Shooting Star in 1950. With their conversion to jet engines, the headhunters were redesignated as the 80th Fighter Squadron, Jet, on January 1, 1950. Later that month, they would become the 80th fighter-bomber squadron. The outfit served in the Korean war in June and July 1953 while mostly flying the F-86. In 1956, the Headhunters would begin flying the F-100.
Following the squadron's engagement in the Korean War, the 80th was tasked with providing air defense in Japan and Korea (1953–1954), in Okinawa (1954–1956), and in Japan and Korea (1956–1971).[2]
In 1963, the Headhunters began flying the F-105 Thunderchief. In June 1964, they were attached to the 41st Air Division. They remained with the 41st for less than a year, moving to the 6441st Tactical Fighter Wing of the 2nd Air Division in April 1965. The squadron conducted temporary duty (TDY) combat operations in Southeast Asia from December 1964 to June 1965. During the conflict, headhunters were charged with attacking targets such as the Hai Nguyen Steel Plant, Haipong storage facilities, rail lines, and the Doumer Bridge.
During their time serving in the Vietnam War, the 80th conducted 7,384 combat missions in Southeast Asia, including 2,657 combat missions directly over North Vietnam, for a total of 17,104 total hours of active operations. For their role in the conflict, 80th pilots received 7 Silver Stars, 64 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and 426 Air Medals. The 80th earned one battle honor, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross (with Palm), and four Air Force Outstanding Unit Citations.".[3]
In the winter of 1967-1968, now assigned to the 347th Tactical Fighter Wing, the 80th began transition to the F-4C Phantom II. In January 1968 its few available aircrews and aircraft (most of its F-105 assets were in the process of augmenting units in Thailand and the F-4Cs at Yokota were not yet operational) were sent to Korea in reaction to the North Korean seizure of the USS Pueblo. During the summer of 1968 the 80th TFS became the first PACAF squadron to assign a contingent of experienced F-4 aircraft commanders and electronic warfare officers (EWOs) as F-4C Wild Weasel crews. The first fully modified F-4C Wild Weasel aircraft arrived in April 1969.
Between 1968 and 1971 the primary mission of the 80th TFS was to deploy on a rotating basis to Osan AB, Korea, providing a nuclear strike alert posture against targets in the Soviet Union, North Korea, and China, maintaining several aircraft on fifteen-minute alert. It also trained on conventional weapons. In 1970 all PACAF F-4 Wild Weasel crews transferred into the 80th TFS.
On February 15, 1971, the 80th TFS redeployed from Yokota to Kunsan AB, Korea, while temporarily assigned to Detachment 1, 475th Tactical Fighter Wing to begin the process of inactivation, with its personnel and aircraft transferred to the 35th TFS. Lt Gen Jay T. Robbins, a former 80th FS commander and World War II ace who was Vice Commander of Tactical Air Command, rescinded the inactivation and had the 80th TFS transferred to the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, in Korea. There it was re-staffed with personnel from the 391st Tactical Fighter Squadron, which was inactivated on February 28. The 391st TFS's insignia had included the motto Audentes Fortuna Juvat, which subsequently became the "Headhunters" motto. On the 391st TFS sleeve patch, the scroll displaying the motto was such that when the patch was ripped off, the word "Juvat" was left in place. The former 391st aircrew did so with the consent of the 80th TFS commander at the time, Lt Col Soloman Harp III, who named himself the first "Juvat". The motto remained unofficial until approved on October 9, 1986.
In its history, the 80th FS has recorded 251 total air to air victories. The 80th TFS scored one air-to-air victory by an F-105 pilot, but an assigned officer detached at the time to the 13th TFS in Thailand, Captain Jeffrey Feinstein, was credited with five victories and ace status as an F-4 weapons system officer in 1972.
Today, the 80th flies the F-16CM and is stationed at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea (ROK).
[edit] See also
[edit] References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
- ^ Latin phrase translation.com Literally, "Chance (or luck) helps the audacious," but the squadron traditionally interprets as "Fortune Favors the Bold".
- ^ a b 80th Fighter Squadron [80th FS]
- ^ "80th Tactical Fighter Squadron". Archived from the original on 2009-10-23. http://www.webcitation.org/5kjLZwJWl.
[edit] External links
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