USAF Patch ANG 124 c TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron b F 84

USAF Patch ANG 124 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron F 84 Thunderstreak 1969 Iowa Air National Guard Dow AFB Fully embroidered cut edge 76mm by 83mm three inches by three and one quarter inches.

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Squadron History

124 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron inactivated on 1 May 1944 was transferred to the Iowa Air National Guard in May 1946 and reconstituted at Des Moines Municipal Airport as 124 Fighter Squadron receiving federal recognition on 23 August 1946 equipped with P 51D Mustang fighter aircraft assigned to 132 Fighter Wing one of the first ANG Squadrons activated. The Squadron reequipped with F 84B Thunderjet jet aircraft in early 1948.

The Squadron was federalized with the Wing and placed on active duty on 1 April 1951 relocating to Dow AFB Maine and reequipping with F 51D Mustang fighters to train replacement pilots in F 51D Mustang ground attack close air support operations prior to deployment to support the war in Korea and also deployed unit members to Japan and Korea to fly combat missions during the Korean War.

124 FS with 132 FW relocated to Alexandria AFB Louisiana in May 1952 to replace 137 Fighter Bomber Wing Oklahoma ANG which had been federalised and deployed to France. 124 FS was redesignated 124 Fighter Bomber Squadron in June 1952. 124 FBS was relieved from active service and returned to Iowa ANG jurisdiction and Des Moines Airport in January 1953 under Tactical Air Command.

The Squadron reequipped with F 80C Shooting Star jet fighter bomber aircraft in 1953 and resumed its peacetime training. 124 FBS transitioned to F 84E Thuderjet fighter bombers in 1955.

124 FBS and 132 FBW were transferred to Air Defence Command and redesignated 124 Fighter Interceptor Squadron and 132 FIW on 1 Jul 1958 with 124 FIS converting to F 86L Sabre Interceptor fighters retasked with all weather air defence of Des Moines and eastern Iowa. The Squadron transitioned to F 89J Scorpion Interceptor fighters in 1962.

124 FIS and 132 FIW were transferred back to TAC reequipped with second line F 84F Thunderstreak fighter bombers and redesignated 124 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 2 August 1969 and retasked with  ground attack close air support. The Squadron transitioned to F 100D Super Sabre fighter bombers in 1971 converting to A 7D Corsair II ground attack aircraft in 1976.

The Squadron retired its A 7Ds and transitioned to F 16C Fighting Falcon aircraft and was redesignated 124 Fighter Squadron on 15 March 1992 continuing its close air support tasking. 124 FS commenced overseas contingency deployments to Incilik AB Turkey as Air Expeditionary Forces for Operation Provide Comfort II in October 1995 to January 1996 returning to Incirlik AB for Operation Northern Watch to patrol the No Fly Zones over northern Iraq May 1997 to September 1997 again from September 1999 to December 1999 and April 2001 to July 2001.

Squadron elements deployed to Prince Sultan AB Saudi Arabia for Operation Southern Watch to patrol the No Fly Zones over southern Iraq from August 2001 to October 2001 while the remaining Squadron assets stepped up QRA air defence alert for Iowa and provided continuous Combat Air Patrols during Presidential visits following the attacks on 11 September 2001. The Squadron returned to Incirlik AB Turkey for Op Northern Watch from September 2002 to 5 December 2002.

124 FS deployed to Al Udeid AB Qatar between July 2005 to August 2005 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom achieving 456 sorties and 3145 flying hours in austere conditions. The Squadron deployed AEF elements with 176 and 186 FS to Balad AB Iraq 13 January 2008 to 23 May 2008 for Operation Iraqi Freedom returning to Balad AB from 1 November 2009 to 24 December 2009 before deploying with elements of 119 and 121 FS to Kandahar AB Afghanistan from 13 October 2011 to 14 April 2012 for Operation Enduring Freedom.

124 Fighter Squadron transferred its twenty one F 16s to 119 Fighter Squadron of 177 Fighter Wing New Jersey ANG at Atlantic City ANGB with the last F 16 leaving in September 2013 and reequipped with MQ 9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle and redesignated 124 Attack Squadron retasked for precision attack to operate long endurance remotely deployed aircraft for intelligence collection and precision attack.

This patch dates from 1969.