450th Fighter Squadron

{{Infobox military unit

|unit_name=450th Fighter Squadron

Image:First_Air_Force_-_Emblem_(World_War_II).jpg

| image=P-47-2.jpg

| image_size = 290

|caption=P-47 Thunderbolt as used by the 450th Fighter Squadron for training

|dates= 1943–1944

|country={{flag|United States|23px}}|allegiance=

|branch=United States Army Air Forces

|type=

|role=Fighter Training

|size=

|command_structure=

|current_commander=

|garrison=

|ceremonial_chief=

|colonel_of_the_regiment

|nickname=

|patron=

|motto=

|BLUE=

|march=

|mascot=

|battles=

|notable_commanders=

|anniversaries=

|decorations=

|battle_honours=

|identification_symbol=

|identification_symbol_label=

}}

The 450th Fighter Squadron was established during World War II as a Replacement Training Unit for Republic P-47 Thunderbolt pilots until it was disbanded in a major reorganization of the Army Air Forces in 1944 designed to streamline training organizations.

History

The squadron was established as the 450th Fighter Squadron and was activated in November 1943 at Richmond Army Air Base, Virginia.{{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II|orig-date=1969|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf |archive-url= https://archive.today/20230820144531/https://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= 20 August 2023 |edition= reprint|year=1982|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-405-12194-6|oclc=72556|lccn=70605402|pages=556–557}} as one of the four original squadrons of the 87th Fighter Group.{{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II|orig-date= 1961|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |archive-url= https://archive.today/20210115181723/https://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= 15 January 2021 |edition=reprint|year=1983|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-02-1|lccn=61060979|pages=153–154}} The squadron began operations with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts in January 1944 as a Replacement Training Unit (RTU). RTUs were oversized units which trained aircrews prior to their deployment to combat theaters and assignment to an operational group.{{cite book|editor1=Craven, Wesley F |editor2=Cate, James L |title=The Army Air Forces in World War II|volume=VI, Men & Planes|year=1955|publisher=University of Chicago Press|location=Chicago, Illinois|lccn=48-3657|page=xxxvi|chapter=Introduction}} In January 1944, group headquarters and the squadron moved to Camp Springs Army Air Field, Maryland, and two of the group's other squadrons transferred to Millville Army Air Field, New Jersey.Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 643–644

However, the Army Air Forces found that standard military units, based on relatively inflexible tables of organization were proving less well adapted to the training mission. Accordingly, a more functional system was adopted in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit.Craven & Cate, The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2: The AAF p. 75 while the groups and squadrons acting as RTUs were disbanded or inactivated.Maurer, Combat Units, p. 7 This resulted in the squadron being disbanded in the spring of 1944 and being replaced by the 112th AAF Base Unit (Fighter), which assumed its mission, personnel, and equipment.See {{cite book|last=Mueller|first=Robert|title=Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982|url= https://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330255/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-026.pdf |year=1989|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-53-6|page=8}}

Lineage

Constituted as the 450th Fighter Squadron (Single Engine) on 24 September 1943

: Activated on 1 November 1943

Disbanded on 10 April 1944

=Assignments=

87th Fighter Group: 1 November 1943 – 10 April 1944

=Stations=

Richmond Army Air Base, Virginia, 1 November 1943
Camp Springs Army Air Field, Maryland, 21 January 1944 – 10 April 1944

=Aircraft=

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (1943–1944)

References

=Notes=

=Bibliography=

{{cite book|editor1=Craven, Wesley F |editor2=Cate, James L |title=The Army Air Forces in World War II|volume=VI, Men & Planes|year=1955|publisher=University of Chicago Press|location=Chicago, Illinois|lccn=48-3657|page=|chapter=}}
{{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Air Force Combat Units of World War II|orig-date= 1961|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |archive-url= https://archive.today/20210115181723/https://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330256/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-044.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= 15 January 2021 |edition=reprint|year=1983|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-02-1|lccn=61060979|pages=}}
{{cite book|editor=Maurer, Maurer|title=Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II|orig-date=1969|url= http://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf |archive-url= https://archive.today/20230820144531/https://media.defense.gov/2010/Dec/02/2001329899/-1/-1/0/AFD-101202-002.pdf |url-status= dead |archive-date= 20 August 2023 |edition= reprint|year=1982|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-405-12194-6|oclc=72556|lccn=70605402|pages=642–643}}
{{cite book|last=Mueller|first=Robert|title=Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982|url= https://media.defense.gov/2010/Sep/21/2001330255/-1/-1/0/AFD-100921-026.pdf |year=1989|publisher=Office of Air Force History|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0-912799-53-6|page=}}

Category:Fighter squadrons of the United States Army Air Forces

Category:Military units and formations established in 1943

Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1944