400:. Visual reconnaissance formed the core FAC mission during the Vietnam War, as the FAC flew light aircraft slowly over the rough terrain at low altitude to maintain constant aerial surveillance. The rugged jungle terrain of South Vietnam readily hid enemy troop movements, and the jet fighter-bombers flew so fast that pilots had great difficulty in distinguishing between enemy troops, friendly troops, and civilians. Forward air controllers directed the air strikes thus became essential in usage of air power. By patrolling the same area constantly, the FACs grew very familiar with the terrain, and they learned to detect any changes that could indicate enemy forces hiding below, and frequently drew ground fire from the communist forces.
307:
28:
1135:
144:
70:
52:
1030:
177:
357:"Betty" bombers. Its presence, although rarely shooting down any enemy aircraft, did cause the bombers to jettison their loads and beat a hasty retreat from the area. The squadron remained assigned to Iwo Jima for the balance of the Pacific War, flying long range missions over eastern China and night interdiction missions to chi Chi Jima. It was demobilized there in early 1946, and inactivated on 5 February as an administrative unit
126:
377:
153:
841:
353:, on Iwo Jima in March 1945. Even after its capture, Iwo Jima remained vulnerable to long range Japanese attacks, and its mission was to defend the new American airfields being built there. A large percentage of the squadron's missions consisted of long-distance patrols over water, many of which involved interceptions of Japanese
253:
The 549th Combat
Training Squadron hosts Green Flag-West exercises, a realistic air-surface integration combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States and its allies, is primarily conducted in conjunction with US Army Combat Training Center exercises at
403:
It continued the FAC training mission after the United States withdrawal from the
Vietnam War, providing Direct Air Support Center and Tactical Air Control Party personnel and equipment to support US Army units. It was inactivated on 1 July 1988.
845:
1120:
204:, Nevada. It conducts air support and air interdiction sorties in "Green Flag (West)" exercises to train USAF fighter pilots and the aerospace power component to the US Army's brigade combat training.
32:
A close air support instructor, 549th Combat
Training Squadron observes aircraft movement and communications between joint terminal attack controllers and pilots during Green Flag West 10-9 exercises
334:
were sent through the
Hawaiian Air Depot to modify the aircraft for operations in the Pacific Theater. After being part of the defense forces of Hawaii for several weeks, it was deployed to
1490:
1019:
1115:
1012:
705:
226:. It also provided night escort for the B-29s in case of Japanese interceptor attacks. It later served on Okinawa where it was inactivated in December 1945.
306:
1419:
1304:
1005:
766:
1464:
686:
958:
692:
641:
744:
245:
in attacks on communist forces. After the end of
American involvement in Southeast Asia, it continued the training mission until 1988.
981:
924:
892:
1261:
342:, which was going to use the airfields to carry out very long range strategic bombing of the Japanese Home Islands with the new
1309:
498:
1434:
1361:
1314:
384:
The squadron was reactivated in 1969 as the 549th
Tactical Air Support Training Squadron, training USAF and South Vietnamese
27:
1033:
1340:
677:
555:
234:
143:
1356:
1220:
1068:
331:
219:
1134:
368:
on Guam. It was not manned or equipped due to personnel shortages and was inactivated again in
February 1947.
350:
176:
911:
879:
291:, California. It was part of the final group of dedicated night fighter interceptor squadrons formed by the
193:
75:
857:
1335:
1277:
1225:
1215:
647:
385:
238:
1251:
1246:
1241:
1210:
1078:
608:
564:
393:
338:
in late
February 1945 to provide night interceptor coverage of the new bases on Saipan and Guam for the
267:
201:
197:
111:
101:
1029:
295:, being programmed to deploy to the Central Pacific. The squadron trained at various airfields in the
1459:
1454:
1330:
1200:
770:
397:
1469:
1256:
1161:
516:
504:
339:
284:
216:
1444:
1156:
361:
343:
335:
300:
296:
263:
997:
1449:
1424:
1094:
1036:
977:
954:
930:
920:
898:
888:
530:
327:
259:
215:
and ordered to the
Mariana Islands in the Central Pacific. Its mission was the air defense of
212:
1429:
1409:
1399:
1177:
485:
319:
1439:
1414:
1404:
1394:
1099:
615:
365:
292:
125:
303:
and YP-61 Black Widow night fighter and was ready to deploy into combat by late
October.
970:
806:
389:
354:
242:
1484:
624:
602:
326:, until its aircraft and equipment arrived in Hawaii. At Hickam, it was assigned to
57:
1073:
1040:
596:
323:
288:
230:
558:(later 834th Tactical Composite Wing, 1st Special Operations Wing), 15 Oct 1969
376:
255:
1205:
865:. Hurlburt Field, FL: Air Force Special Operations Command Office of History
152:
522:
Attached to: Twentieth Air Force Combat Staging Center, 20 Nov – 3 Dec 1945
223:
315:
287:
was established on 1 April 1944 as the 549th Night Fighter Squadron at
538:
Remained attached to Iwo Jima Base Command, Provisional, to 5 Feb 1946
318:, Washington where it boarded a troop ship bound for Honolulu in the
360:
The squadron was reactivated briefly on 26 June 1946 as part of the
561:
549th Tactical Air Support Training Group, 15 Dec 1975 – 1 Jul 1988
859:
Air Commando! 1950-1975: Twenty-Five years at the Tip of the Spear
375:
349:
After a month on Saipan, the squadron moved to the newly captured
305:
951:
Northrop P-61 Black Widow: The Complete History and Combat Record
919:(reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.
887:(reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.
972:
Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977
934:
902:
807:"Abstract, History 549 Night Fighter Squadron Jun 1946-Feb 1947"
769:. 99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs. 6 June 2015. Archived from
635:
1001:
262:
and joint exercise administered by the United States Air Force
849:
590:
525:
Attached to: Iwo Jima Base Command, Provisional, 3 Dec 1945-
479:
949:
Pape, Garry R.; Campbell, John M.; Campbell, Donna (1991).
627:(Japan) (Ground Echelon), 14 March 1945 – 5 February 1946
550:
Attached to 21st Fighter Group, 25 Jun 1946 – 19 Feb 1947
653:
Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, 1 November 1991 – present
380:
Cessna O-2A-CE Super Skymaster (s/n 67-21407) in flight.
322:. Arriving after a two-week crossing, it remained at
1349:
1323:
1297:
1290:
1270:
1234:
1193:
1186:
1170:
1149:
1142:
1108:
1087:
1061:
1054:
638:, Marianas Islands, 25 June 1946 – 19 February 1947
605:, Bakersfield, California, 26 July – 4 October 1944
168:
163:
136:
118:
107:
97:
89:
81:
63:
45:
37:
20:
969:
392:in attacks on communist forces in addition to the
1491:Training squadrons of the United States Air Force
310:549th NFS Northrop P-61A-5-NO Black Widow 42-5544
856:Haas, Michael E.; Robinson, TSG Dale K. (1994).
976:. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History.
618:(Air Echelon), 20 February 1945 – 20 March 1945
745:"Factsheet 549 Combat Training Squadron (ACC)"
706:481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group
157:Air Force Organizational Excellence Award (3x)
1013:
953:. Minneapolis, MN: Motorbooks International.
738:
736:
734:
732:
730:
728:
726:
570:USAF Air Ground Operations School, 3 Feb 1998
169:Emblem of the 549th Combat Training Squadron
8:
611:, Hawaii, 20 October 1944 – 15 February 1945
545:20th Fighter Wing, 25 Jun 1946 – 19 Feb 1947
510:Army Air Forces, Middle Pacific, 16 Jul 1945
442:549th Tactical Air Support Training Squadron
270:through the 549th Combat Training Squadron.
211:in 1944. After training, it was deployed to
573:57th Operations Group, 4 Oct 2007 – present
493:Attached to 319th Wing, 1 May-c. 4 Oct 1944
1294:
1190:
1146:
1058:
1049:Previously: Hawaiian Air Force (1940-1942)
1020:
1006:
998:
650:, Florida, 15 December 1975 – 1 July 1988
229:The squadron was reactivated during the
722:
913:Air Force Combat Units of World War II
881:Air Force Combat Units of World War II
792:
790:
788:
747:. Air Force Historical Research Agency
687:Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II
207:The unit was originally formed as the
17:
693:General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
644:(Hurlburt Field), FL, 15 October 1969
642:Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field No. 9
237:, training USAF and South Vietnamese
148:Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (7x)
7:
850:Air Force Historical Research Agency
674:Northrop P-61 Black Widow, 1944–1946
130:World War II Asiatic-Pacific Theatre
41:1944–1947; 1969-1988; 1991 – present
14:
743:Robertson, Patsy (31 July 2009).
1133:
1028:
844: This article incorporates
839:
175:
151:
142:
124:
68:
50:
26:
968:Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984).
683:Cessna O-2 Skymaster, 1975–1986
435:Inactivated on 19 February 1947
314:The squadron moved by train to
1121:USAAF in the Southwest Pacific
468:549th Combat Training Squadron
461:, and activated, on 1 Nov 1991
425:Inactivated on 5 February 1946
190:549th Combat Training Squadron
21:549th Combat Training Squadron
1:
1388:United States Army Air Forces
910:Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) .
878:Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) .
796:Pape, Campbell & Campbell
459:549th Joint Training Squadron
196:unit. It is assigned to the
1116:USAAF in the Central Pacific
415:549th Night Fighter Squadron
209:549th Night Fighter Squadron
678:North American OV-10 Bronco
556:1st Special Operations Wing
235:1st Special Operations Wing
1507:
332:Northrop P-61 Black Widows
233:as a training unit of the
1383:
1131:
1047:
809:. Air Force History Index
767:"Fact Sheets: Green Flag"
452:Inactivated on 1 Jul 1988
430:Activated on 25 June 1946
396:mission. It employed the
220:Boeing B-29 Superfortress
25:
671:Douglas P-70 Havoc, 1944
599:, California, 1 May 1944
449:Activated on 15 Oct 1969
388:(FAC)to direct tactical
623:North Field, Iwo Jima,
519:, 16 Jul-c. 20 Nov 1945
422:Activated on 1 May 1944
386:forward air controllers
239:forward air controllers
194:United States Air Force
171:(approved 17 July 1944)
76:United States Air Force
846:public domain material
648:Patrick Air Force Base
381:
311:
258:, California. It is a
200:, and is stationed at
609:Kipapa Gulch Airfield
565:57th Operations Group
394:psychological warfare
379:
309:
268:Nellis Air Force Base
202:Nellis Air Force Base
198:57th Operations Group
112:Nellis Air Force Base
102:57th Operations Group
773:on 18 September 2015
614:East Field, Saipan,
533:, 1 Jan – 5 Feb 1946
398:Cessna O-2 Skymaster
1367:549th Night Fighter
1362:548th Night Fighter
1341:316th Troop Carrier
1336:311th Troop Carrier
1310:41st Reconnaissance
1305:28th Reconnaissance
1278:419th Troop Carrier
827:Haas & Robinson
517:VII Fighter Command
505:VII Fighter Command
413:Constituted as the
340:Twentieth Air Force
241:to direct tactical
217:Twentieth Air Force
1315:43d Reconnaissance
382:
362:21st Fighter Group
344:B-29 Superfortress
336:East Field, Saipan
312:
301:Douglas P-70 Havoc
297:San Joaquin Valley
264:Air Warfare Center
1478:
1477:
1379:
1378:
1375:
1374:
1357:6th Night Fighter
1331:9th Troop Carrier
1286:
1285:
1226:494th Bombardment
1221:307th Bombardment
1129:
1128:
1037:Seventh Air Force
960:978-0-879385-09-5
662:
661:
634:Northwest Field,
582:
581:
531:Seventh Air Force
328:Seventh Air Force
260:close air support
213:Seventh Air Force
183:
182:
172:
1498:
1295:
1216:41st Bombardment
1211:30th Bombardment
1206:11th Bombardment
1191:
1147:
1137:
1059:
1032:
1022:
1015:
1008:
999:
994:
992:
990:
975:
964:
945:
943:
941:
918:
906:
886:
874:
872:
870:
864:
843:
842:
828:
825:
819:
818:
816:
814:
803:
797:
794:
783:
782:
780:
778:
763:
757:
756:
754:
752:
740:
695:, 1991 – present
689:, 1991 – present
591:
499:7th Fighter Wing
486:Fourth Air Force
480:
320:Hawaiian Islands
192:is a non-flying
179:
170:
155:
146:
128:
74:
72:
71:
56:
54:
53:
30:
18:
1506:
1505:
1501:
1500:
1499:
1497:
1496:
1495:
1481:
1480:
1479:
1474:
1371:
1345:
1319:
1282:
1266:
1230:
1201:5th Bombardment
1182:
1166:
1138:
1125:
1104:
1083:
1050:
1043:
1026:
988:
986:
984:
967:
961:
948:
939:
937:
927:
916:
909:
895:
884:
877:
868:
866:
862:
855:
840:
837:
832:
831:
826:
822:
812:
810:
805:
804:
800:
795:
786:
776:
774:
765:
764:
760:
750:
748:
742:
741:
724:
719:
714:
702:
668:
663:
616:Mariana Islands
588:
583:
477:
410:
390:fighter bombers
374:
366:Northwest Field
293:Army Air Forces
281:
276:
251:
243:fighter bombers
186:
156:
147:
129:
93:Combat Training
69:
67:
51:
49:
33:
12:
11:
5:
1504:
1502:
1494:
1493:
1483:
1482:
1476:
1475:
1473:
1472:
1467:
1462:
1457:
1452:
1447:
1442:
1437:
1432:
1427:
1422:
1417:
1412:
1407:
1402:
1397:
1391:
1390:
1384:
1381:
1380:
1377:
1376:
1373:
1372:
1370:
1369:
1364:
1359:
1353:
1351:
1347:
1346:
1344:
1343:
1338:
1333:
1327:
1325:
1321:
1320:
1318:
1317:
1312:
1307:
1301:
1299:
1298:Reconnaissance
1292:
1288:
1287:
1284:
1283:
1281:
1280:
1274:
1272:
1268:
1267:
1265:
1264:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1238:
1236:
1232:
1231:
1229:
1228:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1197:
1195:
1188:
1184:
1183:
1181:
1180:
1174:
1172:
1168:
1167:
1165:
1164:
1159:
1153:
1151:
1144:
1140:
1139:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1126:
1124:
1123:
1118:
1112:
1110:
1106:
1105:
1103:
1102:
1097:
1091:
1089:
1085:
1084:
1082:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1065:
1063:
1056:
1052:
1051:
1048:
1045:
1044:
1027:
1025:
1024:
1017:
1010:
1002:
996:
995:
982:
965:
959:
946:
925:
907:
893:
875:
836:
833:
830:
829:
820:
798:
784:
758:
721:
720:
718:
715:
713:
710:
709:
708:
701:
698:
697:
696:
690:
684:
681:
675:
672:
667:
664:
660:
659:
655:
654:
651:
645:
639:
630:
629:
628:
620:
619:
612:
606:
600:
589:
587:
584:
580:
579:
575:
574:
571:
568:
562:
559:
552:
551:
547:
546:
541:
540:
539:
535:
534:
527:
526:
523:
520:
512:
511:
508:
502:
495:
494:
490:
489:
478:
476:
473:
472:
471:
463:
462:
454:
453:
450:
446:
445:
444:on 18 Aug 1969
437:
436:
432:
431:
427:
426:
423:
419:
418:
409:
406:
373:
370:
355:Mitsubishi G4M
280:
277:
275:
272:
250:
247:
184:
181:
180:
173:
166:
165:
161:
160:
159:
158:
149:
138:
134:
133:
132:
131:
120:
116:
115:
109:
105:
104:
99:
95:
94:
91:
87:
86:
83:
79:
78:
65:
61:
60:
47:
43:
42:
39:
35:
34:
31:
23:
22:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1503:
1492:
1489:
1488:
1486:
1471:
1468:
1466:
1463:
1461:
1458:
1456:
1453:
1451:
1448:
1446:
1443:
1441:
1438:
1436:
1433:
1431:
1428:
1426:
1423:
1421:
1418:
1416:
1413:
1411:
1408:
1406:
1403:
1401:
1398:
1396:
1393:
1392:
1389:
1386:
1385:
1382:
1368:
1365:
1363:
1360:
1358:
1355:
1354:
1352:
1350:Night Fighter
1348:
1342:
1339:
1337:
1334:
1332:
1329:
1328:
1326:
1322:
1316:
1313:
1311:
1308:
1306:
1303:
1302:
1300:
1296:
1293:
1289:
1279:
1276:
1275:
1273:
1271:Troop Carrier
1269:
1263:
1262:508th Fighter
1260:
1258:
1257:318th Fighter
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1239:
1237:
1233:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1198:
1196:
1192:
1189:
1185:
1179:
1176:
1175:
1173:
1169:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1154:
1152:
1148:
1145:
1141:
1136:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1113:
1111:
1107:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1092:
1090:
1086:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1066:
1064:
1060:
1057:
1053:
1046:
1042:
1038:
1035:
1031:
1023:
1018:
1016:
1011:
1009:
1004:
1003:
1000:
985:
983:0-912799-12-9
979:
974:
973:
966:
962:
956:
952:
947:
936:
932:
928:
926:0-912799-02-1
922:
915:
914:
908:
904:
900:
896:
894:0-912799-02-1
890:
883:
882:
876:
861:
860:
854:
853:
852:
851:
848:from the
847:
834:
824:
821:
808:
802:
799:
793:
791:
789:
785:
772:
768:
762:
759:
746:
739:
737:
735:
733:
731:
729:
727:
723:
716:
711:
707:
704:
703:
699:
694:
691:
688:
685:
682:
679:
676:
673:
670:
669:
665:
658:
652:
649:
646:
643:
640:
637:
633:
632:
631:
626:
625:Bonin Islands
622:
621:
617:
613:
610:
607:
604:
603:Meadows Field
601:
598:
595:
594:
593:
592:
585:
578:
572:
569:
566:
563:
560:
557:
554:
553:
549:
548:
544:
543:
542:
537:
536:
532:
529:
528:
524:
521:
518:
514:
513:
509:
506:
503:
501:, 20 Oct 1944
500:
497:
496:
492:
491:
487:
484:
483:
482:
481:
474:
470:on 1 Jul 1994
469:
466:Redesignated
465:
464:
460:
457:Redesignated
456:
455:
451:
448:
447:
443:
440:Redesignated
439:
438:
434:
433:
429:
428:
424:
421:
420:
417:in April 1944
416:
412:
411:
407:
405:
401:
399:
395:
391:
387:
378:
371:
369:
367:
363:
358:
356:
352:
351:Central Field
347:
345:
341:
337:
333:
329:
325:
321:
317:
308:
304:
302:
298:
294:
290:
286:
278:
273:
271:
269:
265:
261:
257:
248:
246:
244:
240:
236:
232:
227:
225:
222:airfields on
221:
218:
214:
210:
205:
203:
199:
195:
191:
185:Military unit
178:
174:
167:
162:
154:
150:
145:
141:
140:
139:
135:
127:
123:
122:
121:
117:
113:
110:
106:
103:
100:
96:
92:
88:
84:
80:
77:
66:
62:
59:
58:United States
48:
44:
40:
36:
29:
24:
19:
16:
1387:
1366:
1252:21st Fighter
1247:18th Fighter
1242:15th Fighter
1041:World War II
987:. Retrieved
971:
950:
938:. Retrieved
912:
880:
867:. Retrieved
858:
838:
835:Bibliography
823:
811:. Retrieved
801:
775:. Retrieved
771:the original
761:
749:. Retrieved
656:
597:Hammer Field
576:
567:, 1 Nov 1991
515:Attached to:
507:, 1 Nov 1944
488:, 1 May 1944
467:
458:
441:
414:
402:
383:
359:
348:
324:Hickam Field
313:
289:Hammer Field
282:
279:World War II
252:
228:
208:
206:
189:
187:
98:Part of
15:
1194:Bombardment
1178:7th Fighter
1162:VII Fighter
989:17 December
940:17 December
680:, 1969–1988
475:Assignments
231:Vietnam War
137:Decorations
119:Engagements
108:Garrison/HQ
1460:Fourteenth
1455:Thirteenth
1157:VII Bomber
869:30 October
813:30 October
777:29 October
751:30 October
712:References
330:, and its
256:Fort Irwin
1470:Twentieth
1465:Fifteenth
1324:Transport
1291:Squadrons
1055:Airfields
299:with the
1485:Category
1445:Eleventh
1150:Commands
1095:Ie Shima
935:61060979
903:61060979
700:See also
666:Aircraft
586:Stations
372:Cold War
285:squadron
224:Iwo Jima
164:Insignia
114:, Nevada
85:Squadron
1450:Twelfth
1425:Seventh
1235:Fighter
1109:Pacific
1088:Okinawa
1079:Wheeler
1069:Bellows
408:Lineage
316:Seattle
274:History
249:Mission
46:Country
1430:Eighth
1410:Fourth
1400:Second
1187:Groups
1100:Yontan
1074:Hickam
1062:Hawaii
980:
957:
933:
923:
901:
891:
657:
577:
73:
64:Branch
55:
38:Active
1440:Tenth
1435:Ninth
1420:Sixth
1415:Fifth
1405:Third
1395:First
1171:Wings
1143:Units
1034:USAAF
917:(PDF)
885:(PDF)
863:(PDF)
717:Notes
991:2016
978:ISBN
955:ISBN
942:2016
931:LCCN
921:ISBN
899:LCCN
889:ISBN
871:2018
815:2018
779:2018
753:2018
636:Guam
283:The
266:and
188:The
90:Role
82:Type
1039:in
364:at
1487::
929:.
897:.
787:^
725:^
346:.
1021:e
1014:t
1007:v
993:.
963:.
944:.
905:.
873:.
817:.
781:.
755:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
