USAF Patch ANG 194 FS Fighter Squadron F 16 b

USAF Patch ANG 194 FS Fighter Squadron F 16 Fighting Falcon 1990 California Air National Guard Fresno ANGB fully embroidered merrowed edge 99mm three and fifteen sixteenth diameter.

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Squadron History

The wartime 403 Fighter Squadron was redesignated 194 Fighter Squadron Single Engine and allotted to the California Air National Guard on 24 May 1946. The Squadron was organized at Alameda Naval Air Station with federal recognition on 26 June 1946 assigned to 144 Fighter Group and equipped with F 51D Mustang fighters for air defence of the Pacific Northwest.

The Squadron was reequipped with F 51H Mustang very long range bomber escort fighters in 1951 to allow the F 51D to be sent to Korea for combat close air support missions. The Squadron continued to provide air defense interceptor alert flights for California which suited the F 51H Mustangs and won a number of air gunnery competitions including against jet fighters. 194 Fighter Squadron was redesignated 194 Fighter Interceptor Squadron on 1 October 1952 and then quickly renamed 194 Fighter Bomber Squadron on 1 December 1952 with close air support becoming its primary tasking.

The Squadron relocated to Fresno Yosemite International Airport,Fresno to received its first jet fighters in 1954 when it converted to F 86A Sabre Day Interceptor providing daylight alerts with Air Defense Command active duty Squadrons and was redesignated 194 Fighter-Interceptor Squadron on 7 July 1955.

The Squadron upgraded to F 86L Sabre all weather interceptor in April 1958 which linked in to the  SAGE computer controlled Ground Control Interceptor Radar system to vector the Sabre to unidentified targets for interception.

194 FIS reequipped with F 102 Delta Dagger all weather interceptors in July 1964 continuing air defence alert missions and transitioned to F 106 Delta Dart fighters in July 1974. The Squadron provided an alert detachment at George AFB.

The Squadron reequipped with F 4D Phantom II fighters in January 1984 before receiving its first F 16A Fighting Falcon on 1 October 1989 until upgraded to dedicated F 16 Air Defense Fighter ADF aircraft in 1990.

194 FIS was redesignated 194 Fighter Squadron on 16 March 1992 and the alert detachment at George AFB was moved to March AFB later in the year on the closure of George AFB. The Squadron upgraded to F 16C and F 16D Fighting Falcon fighters in 1995 and reequiped with F 15 Eagle fighters in 2015.

This patch dates from 1990.