43rd Flying Training Squadron

43d Flying Training Squadron ^[1]
43d Flying Training Squadron
	43d Flying Training Squadron Patch
Active	1 February 1940 - 20 May 1946 ; 1 July 1972 - 30 September 1977 ; 25 June 1990 - 1 October 1992 ; 1 April 1997 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Pilot Training
Part of	Air Force Reserve Command ; 10th Air Force ; 340th Flying Training Group
Garrison/HQ	Columbus Air Force Base
Engagements	World War II
Decorations	DUC ; AFOUA
Commanders
Current; commander	Lt. Col. Richard Briner

The 43d Flying Training Squadron (43 FTS) is part of the 340th Flying Training Group and is the reserve associate to the 14th Flying Training Wing based at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. It operates T-1 Jayhawk, T-6 Texan II and T-38 Talon aircraft conducting flight training.

Mission

The 43 FTS administers and executes the Air Education and Training Command/Air Force Reserve Command Associate Instructor Pilot (IP) Program and provides Active Guard Reserve (AGR) and Traditional Reserve (TR) IPs to augment the cadre of active duty pilots conducting pilot training. During wartime, or in the event of hostilities, the unit is mobilized to offset anticipated losses of experienced active duty pilot contributions to the instructor pilot training programs.^[2]

History

Activated in early 1940 as part of the pre-World War II buildup of the United States Army Air Corps after the breakout of war in Europe. Assigned to the GHQ Northeast Air District, equipped with B-18 Bolos; later early model B-17C/D heavy bombers. After the Pearl Harbor Attack. flew antisubmarine patrol missions in the Caribbean from, January–June 1942.

Returned to the United States in June 1942 and was assigned to II Bomber Command. Was an Operational Training (OTU) and later Replacement Training Unit (RTU) for B-17 heavy bomber units and replacement personnel until March 1944 with the end of Heavy Bomber training.

B-29 Superfortress operations against Japan

Re-designated on 1 April 1944 as a B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy bombardment squadron. When training was completed moved to North Field Guam in the Mariana Islands of the Central Pacific Area in January 1945 and assigned to XXI Bomber Command, Twentieth Air Force. Its mission was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and the destruction of its war-making capability.

Flew "shakedown" missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island, Truk, and other points in the Carolines and Marianas. The squadron began combat missions over Japan on 25 February 1945 with a firebombing mission over Northeast Tokyo. The squadron continued to participate in wide area firebombing attack, but the first ten-day blitz resulting in the Army Air Forces running out of incendiary bombs. Until then the squadron flew conventional strategic bombing missions using high explosive bombs.

The squadron continued attacking urban areas with incendiary raids until the end of the war in August 1945, attacking major Japanese cities, causing massive destruction of urbanized areas. Also conducted raids against strategic objectives, bombing aircraft factories, chemical plants, oil refineries, and other targets in Japan. The squadron flew its last combat missions on 14 August when hostilities ended. Afterwards, its B 29s carried relief supplies to Allied prisoner of war camps in Japan and Manchuria.

Squadron remained in Western Pacific, although largely demobilized in the fall of 1945. Some aircraft scrapped on Tinian; others flown to storage depots in the United States. Remained as a paper unit assigned to Twentieth Air Force until inactivated in 1946.

United States Air Force

It conducted undergraduate pilot training from, 1972–1977, 1990–1992, and since 1997.^[1]

Operations and decorations

Combat Operations: Antisubmarine patrols, Dec 1941-Jun 1942; Combat in Western Pacific, c.16 Feb-15 Aug 1945.
Campaigns: World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Western Pacific; Air Offensive, Japan.
Decorations: Distinguished Unit Citations: 31 Mar 1945; 19-26 Jun 1945. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jan-31 Dec 1973; 1 Oct 2001-30 Sep 2003; 1 Oct 2003-30 Sep 2004.