The squadron was first activated during World War II as a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter squadron. After training in the United States the unit deployed to the European Theater of Operations. The unit entered combat operations in the summer of 1943, continuing in combat until April 1945. It earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for carrying out a difficult attack in April 1944. The squadron moved to Germany, where it was briefly part of the occupation forces before returning to the United States where it was inactivated in November 1945.
Mission
The 357th conducts all formal course directed aircraft transition, day and night weapons and tactics employment, day and night aerial refueling, and dissimilar air combat maneuvers. The squadron trains pilots to plan, coordinate, execute, and control day and night close air support, air interdiction and battlefield surveillance and reconnaissance.[1]
On 5 April 1944, shortly after converting from P-47's to North American P-51 Mustangs, the squadron successfully bombed and strafed German airfields during a snow squall, for which it earned a Distinguished Unit Citation.[3] It provided fighter cover for Allied forces landing in Normandy on 6 June 1944, and afterwards hit transportation facilities to cut enemy supply lines. The unit hit fuel dumps, locomotives, and other targets in support of ground forces during the breakthrough at Saint-Lô in July.
The squadron deployed for operations under the control of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), initially operating temporarily from Yokota Air Base, Japan in the fall of 1964, then from Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand in early 1965, flying combat missions over South Vietnam in support of the US Advisory forces and friendly South Vietnamese units, returning to McConnell in late 1965. The unit almost immediately re-deployed to Thailand, this time to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in early 1966 as part of the deployment of its parent wing, which became permanently assigned to PACAF's Thirteenth Air Force.[2]
The squadron remained in Thailand engaged in combat operations over Indochina until 1970, flying frequent missions over enemy-held territory in South and North Vietnam. Its combat actions earned it a Presidential Unit Citation and three Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat V.[2] It was inactivated at Takhli on 10 December 1970 as part of the drawdown of US Forces in Southeast Asia in the early 1970s.[2]
357th TFS A-7D 72-0233 in 1973
The squadron activated briefly at McConnell AFB in March 1971, but moved to Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona later that month and was reassigned to the reformed 355th Tactical Fighter Wing and equipped with the new LTV A-7D Corsair II ground support aircraft.[2] It achieved operationally-ready status in 1972. In late 1972, the unit deployed its Corsairs to Korat RTAFB and was attached to the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing (Forward Echelon), which had deployed to Korat from Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina. From Korat, the squadron's aircraft conducted combat operations in South Vietnam, returning to Davis–Monthan in July 1973.
Post war era
The squadron was redesignated the 357th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron and taken off operational status in 1976, becoming an A-7D Pilot training squadron. It received Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt IIs in 1979, the replacement for the A-7Ds, and became an A-10 Thunderbolt II Operational Training Unit, the mission the squadron currently performs. In 2000, the squadron added the mission of training instructor pilots in the A-10.[2]
Lineage
Constituted as the 357th Fighter Squadron and activated on 12 November 1942
Redesignated 357th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine on 20 August 1943
Inactivated on 20 November 1946
Redesignated 357th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 11 September 1952
Activated on 1 November 1952
Discontinued on 8 March 1960
Redesignated 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 13 April 1962
355th Tactical Fighter Wing, 8 July 1962 (probably attached to 41st Air Division, 9 August 1964 – c. 9 December 1964 and to 6234th Tactical Fighter Wing, 12 June 1965 – 8 November 1965)
AAF Station Gablingen (R-77),[8] Germany, 17 July 1945
AAF Station Schweinfurt (R-25),[8] Germany, 15 April 1946
Mitchel Field, New York, 1 August 1946 – 20 November 1946
Portland International Airport (later Portland Air Force Base), Oregon, 1 November 1952 – 14 March 1953
Nouasseur Air Base, French Morocco (later, Morocco), 28 May 1953 – 8 March 1960
George Air Force Base, CA, 8 July 1962
McConnell Air Force Base, KS, 21 July 1964 (deployed at Yokota Air Base, Japan, c. 9 August 1964 – c. 9 December- 1964 and at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, c. 12 June 1965 – c. 8 November 1965)
Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, 29 January 1966 – 10 December 1970
McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, 15 March 1971
Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, 22 March 1971 – present[2]
United States
United States Air Force
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