78th Attack Squadron

Mission

The mission of the 78th Attack Squadron is to maintain combat-ready reservists to train and equip the Combat Air Forces to conduct Integrated and Expeditionary Combat Operations, as well as training operations, in the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned Aerial Systems.

The squadron consists of RPA pilots, sensor operators and intelligence personnel integrated into Regular Air Force units within the 432d Air Expeditionary Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada.

History

The 78th was organized in 1917 at Rich Field, Waco, Texas as a training unit. In February 1918 moved to Hicks Field, Fort Worth, Texas before being demoilized. In 1931, the 78th Pursuit Squadron was again activated and assigned to the 20th Pursuit Group at Mather Field, California flying single-seat Boeing P-12 biplane fighters.

During World War II the unit was recognized and stationed in the Pacific theater where the unit flew P-39s, P-40s, and P-51s. With a combat record from the war of 200 enemy aircraft destroyed or damaged, versus the loss of only six aircraft assigned to the unit. The 78th received the Distinguished Unit Citation for actions at the Musashino Plant, Tokyo, Japan, on 7 April 1945.

On 1 November 1952 the 78th Fighter Interceptor Squadron was reactivated, flying F-86 Sabre aircraft as part of the 81st Fighter-Interceptor Wing. In 1954 the 81st became a Fighter Bomber Wing and the assigned squadrons began flying the F-84 Thunderjet. Then in 1958, the 78th received its first F-101 Voodoo aircraft.

While flying the A-10 Thunderbolt II at RAF Woodbridge the squadron deployed to Incirlik Air Base Turkey in 1991, where it took part in Operation Provide Comfort. Later after inactivation and reactivation at Shaw Air Force Base and flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the 78th began a regular rotation of deployments to patrol the Northern and Southern No-Fly Zones of Iraq, the last of which took place in mid to late 2002, when they deployed to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. The squadron also performed combat operations in Kosovo from March to June 1999.

The 78th was prepared to again deploy to Turkey in preparation for Operation Iraqi Freedom, however, the Turkish government denied the use of its nation as a staging area against Iraq. Consequently, the 78th stood down and was inactivated. The personnel and F-16CJ equipment of the 78th transferred to the 55th Fighter Squadron. In April 2006 the 78th was reactivated and redesignated as the 78th Reconnaissance Squadron, with the unit flying the MQ-1 Predator. In July, 2010, with the gaining of the MQ-9 Reaper mission, the unit was redesignated the 78th Attack Squadron.

Lineage

Organized as 78th Aero Squadron on 28 February 1918

Redesignated, Squadron A, Hicks Field, TX, on 23 July 1918 Demobilized on 15 November 1918

Reconstituted, and consolidated (25 April 1933) with 78th Observation Squadron, which was constituted on 18 October 1927

Redesignated 78th Pursuit Squadron on 8 May 1929 Activated on 1 April 1931 Inactivated on 1 September 1937

Redesignated 78th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 22 December 1939

Activated on 1 February 1940 Redesignated: 78th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942 Redesignated: 78th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 20 August 1943 Inactivated on 15 October 1946

Redesignated 78th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 11 September 1952

Activated on 1 November 1952 Redesignated: 78th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 1 April 1954 Redesignated: 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 July 1958 Inactivated on 1 May 1992

Redesignated 78th Fighter Squadron on 22 December 1993

Activated on 1 January 1994 Inactivated on 30 June 2003

Redesignated 78th Reconnaissance Squadron on 19 April 2006

Activated on 19 May 2006.

Redesignated 78th Attack Squadron on 1 July 2010

Assignments

Unknown, 28 February-15 November 1918

20th Pursuit Group (attached to 6th Composite Group), 1 April 1931

3d Attack Wing (attached to 6th Composite Group), 15 June 1932

16th Pursuit Group, 1 December 1932 – 1 September 1937

18 Pursuit (later, 18 Fighter) Group, 1 February 1940

15th Fighter Group, 16 March 1943 – 15 October 1946

81 Fighter-Interceptor (later, 81 Fighter-Bomber) Group, 1 November 1952

Attached to 81st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, c. 22 April 1954 – 7 February 1955

81st Fighter-Bomber (later, 81 Tactical Fighter) Wing, 8 February 1955 – 1 May 1992

20th Operations Group, 1 January 1994 – 30 June 2003

Tenth Air Force, 19 May 2006–present

Bases stationed

Waco, Texas (1918)

Taliaferro Field, Texas (1918)

France Field, Panama Canal Zone (1931–1932)

Albrook Field, Panama Canal Zone (1932–1937)

Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii Territory, (1940–1941)

Kaneoke Airfield, Hawaii Territory, (1941–1943)

Henderson Field, Midway Atoll,(1943)

Barking Sands Army Airfield, Hawaii Territory, (1943)

Haleiwa Fighter Strip, Hawaii Territory, (1943–1944)

Stanley Army Airfield, Hawaii Territory, (1944)

Mokuleia Army Airfield, Hawaii Territory, (1944)

Bellows Army Airfield, Hawaii Territory, (1944–1945)

South Field, Iwo Jima (2 March-24 N0vember 1945)

Bellows Army Airfield, Hawaii Territory,(1945–1946)

Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii Territory, (1946)

RAF Shepherds Grove, England (1952–1956, 1957–1958)

RAF Sculthorpe, England (1956–1957)

RAF Woodbridge, England (1958–1992)

Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina (1994–2003

Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada (2006–present)

Aircraft Operated

JN-4 (1918)

JN-6 Jenny (1918)

S-4 (1918)

P-12 (1932–1936)

P-26 Peashooter (1940)

P-36 Hawk (1940–1941)

P-40 Warhawk (1941–1944)

P-39 Airacobra (1942)

P-47 Thunderbolt (1944–1945)

P-51 Mustang (1944–1946)

F-86 Sabre (1952–1955)

F-84 Thunderjet (1954–1958)

F-101 Voodoo (1958–1966)

F-4 Phantom II (1965–1979)

A-10 Thunderbolt II (1979–1992)

F-16 Fighting Falcon (1994–2003)

MQ-1 Predator (2006 – present)

MQ-9 Reaper (2010 – present)

Operations

World War II

Operation Provide Comfort

Operation Allied Force

Operation Northern Watch

Operation Southern Watch

Operation Enduring Freedom