517th Strategic Fighter Squadron

517th Strategic Fighter Squadron
Emblem of the 517th Strategic Fighter Squadron
Active	1943-1957
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army Air Force
Type	Fighter
Engagements	World War II

The 517th Strategic Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 407th Strategic Fighter Wing stationed at Great Falls AFB, Montana. It was inactivated on 1 July 1957.

History

Lineage

• Constituted as: 634th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 23 March 1943

Activated on 28 March 1943

Redesignated as: 517th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 10 August 1943

Disbanded on 1 April 1944

• Reconstituted, and redesignated as: 517th Strategic Fighter Squadron, on 13 November 1953.

Activated on 18 December 1953

Inactivated on 1 July 1957.

Assignments

• 407th Bombardment(later Fighter-Bomber) Group, 28 March 1943 – 1 April 1944
• 407th Strategic Fighter Wing, 18 December 1953 – 1 July 1957

Stations

• Drew Field, Florida, 28 March 1943

Operated from Amchitka AAF Alaska, July– August 1943

• Lakeland AAF, Florida, 2 October 1943
• Galveston AAF, Texas, 9 November 1943
• Bruning AAF, Nebraska, 3 March – 1 April 1944
• Great Falls AFB, Montana, 18 December 1953 – 1 July 1957.

Aircraft

• A-24 Dauntless, A-36 Apache, and P-51 Mustang, 1943
• P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943–1944
• F-84 Thunderjet, 1954–1957

Operations history

Combat in Northern Pacific, Aleutians, July– August 1943. Training for combat and later replacement training 1943-1944. SAC Strategic Fighter Escort, 1954–1957

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. 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.