391st Fighter Squadron BOLD TIGERS

 

 

Established: 24 May 1943

Assigned to: 366th Wing (composite)

Home Base: Mountain Home AFB, Idaho

Primary Mission: F-15E operational squadron

Unit History:

As a part of mobilization of the United States military forces in World War II the 391st Tactical Fighter Squadron was established. The Army constituted that 391st Fighter Squadron as a part of 366 Fighter Group on May 24th 1943. The Squadron was activated on 1 June1943 with the rest of 366 Fighter Group at Richmond Army Air Base, Virginia. The unit was equipped with the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt.

The squadron moved to Bluethenthal Airfield, North Carolina on  9 Aug. 1943 and continued training. Upon completion of training, the group was sent overseas to England on 10 Jan 1944. The 391st arrived two days later at Membury, England and began advanced training. The training was taught by experienced combat pilots and covered tactics to be used against the enemy. By 2 March, the squadron completed this training and moved to their combat base at Truxton, England.

The squadron both flew air to air and ground missions over occupied Europe, helping to prepare for the Invasion of France on 6 June 1944.  The 391st flew many sorties during D-Day and the days immediately following and earned a Distinguished Unit Citation supporting the St. Lo breakthrough. Squadron aircraft discovered and attacked a previously unidentified enemy tank column that was moving into position to stop the Allied advance. The enemy counterattack was broken up before it had a chance to begin.

The squadron moved onto the continent to keep up with the Allied advance as it continued across Europe. By the end of the war, the unit had been stationed at three temporary bases in France, one in Belgium and one in Germany. The squadron remained in Germany following the Nazi surrender as part of the occupation forces until it was inactivated on 20 Aug 1946.

The unit was redesignated 391st Fighter Bomber Squadron and reactivated on 15 Nov 1952. The squadron was assigned to 366th Fighter Bomber Wing at Alexandra (later renamed England) AFB, Louisiana. In 1956. the squadron transitioned to the RepublicF-84F Thunderstreak.

A year later, the squadron began flying the North American F-100 Super Sabre. The squadron deployed to Turkey and Italy during 1958 during the Lebanon crisis. The Bold Tigers was redesignated the 391st Tactical Fighter Squadron 1 July, 1958, in conjunction with the wing being redesignated the 366the Tactical Fighter Wing. The entire Wing, included the 391st, were inactivated on 1 April 1959.

On 30 April 1962, the realities of the cold war caused the reactivation of the entire Wing, including 391st, at Chaumont Air Base, France. The squadron was still flying the F-84F, and on 12 July 1963 the entire Wing returned to the United States and were assigned to Holloman AFB, New Mexico. Shortly thereafter the squadron began transitioning to the McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II. Three years later, the 391st was reassigned to the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing in Can Rahn Bay Air Base, South Vietnam. The Bold Tigers were assigned air to air missions such as combat air patrol and air to ground missions such as close air support and interdiction.

The squadron left Vietnam on 22 July 1968 when they were assigned to the 475th Tactical Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The squadrons new mission was to provide air defense for Japan and nearby South Korea, deploying several times to Taegu and Kunsan Air Bases in South Korea. Three years later the squadron returned to the United States and joined the 347th Tactical Fighter Wing at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. The 391st left their Phantoms in Japan and began flying the General Dynamics F-111F Aardvark aircraft.

The 391st was reunited with the 366the Tactical Fighter Wing when the 366thTFW replaced the 347th at Mountain Home AFB on 31 Oct 1972. During the 1970's the unit focused on training F-111 crews while maintaining combat readiness. Operation Ready Switch in Feb 1977 the squadron exchanged their F-111F's for older F-111A's from the 48th TFW. Following the conversion, the unit resumed training and combat preparations during the 1980's. On 1 July 1990, the squadron was inactivated when the Air Force began retire the F-111A aircraft fleet.

Once it had been decided to redesignate the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing as the 366th Wing and change the structure of the wing to a composite force, the Bold Tigers were reactivated on 11 Mar 1992. At this time the squadron was redesignated the 391st Fighter Squadron, and were equipped with the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle.

Since transitioning to the F-15E aircraft, the squadron has participated in several major exercises; Operation Bright Star '94 in the Middle East in 1993, Operation Northern Edge in Alaska in 1994, Green Flag 94-3 also in 1994. In addition, the Bold Tigers have made regular rotations to Southwest Asia in support United Nations operations Northern Watch and Southern Watch.

PRIMARY ASSIGNED F-15E AIRCRAFT: