USAF Patch ANG 171 u FS Fighter Squadron F 16 a

USAF Patch ANG 171 FS Fighter Squadron 1992 to 1994 F 16 Fighting Falcon 1992 Michigan Air National Guard Selfridge ANG Base Michigan embroidered on twill merrowed edge 90mm three and nine sixteenth inches diameter.

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Squadron History

171 Fighter Squadron Single Engine was activated on 24 May 1946 at Wayne County Airport equipped with P 51 Mustangs on the renaming of 374 Fighter Squadron and was assigned to the Michigan ANGs 127 Fighter Group with federal recognition granted on 25 April 1948. The Squadron received F 84 Thunderjets on 23 February 1950 and was redesignated 171 Fighter Squadron Jet.

The Squadron was ordered into active service on 1 February 1951 as a result of the Korean War assigned to Air Training Command moved to Luke AFB Arizona on 23 February 1951 and was re-designated 171 Training Squadron on 5 March 1951. In 1952 the Squadron received F 51H Mustangs for its training role and relocated to Detroit Wayne Major Airport Michigan on 11 September 1952.

171 Training Squadron and was relieved from active duty and redesignated 171 Fighter Bomber Squadron on 1 November 1952. The Squadron reequipped with F 86E Sabre fighter bombers in 1953 and F 89C Scorpion fighter aircraft in 1955.

171 FBS was renamed 171 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron in 1958 reequipping with RF 84F Thunderflash retasked to tactical reconnaissance.  171 TRS was reassigned to 191 Tactical Reconnaissance Group on 1 October 1962 and relocated to Selfridge Air National Guard Base Michigan in July 1971 and reequipped with RF 101A and RF 101C Voodoo aircraft.

171 TRS was rerolled for fighter interception and redesignated 171 Fighter Interceptor Squadron on 22 July 1972 and reequipped with F 106A B Delta Darts. The Squadron was assigned to 191 Fighter Interceptor Group on 1 January 1973 as part of Aerospace Defense Command ADCOM tasked with air defense duties of the Great Lakes and Detroit area.  

The Squadron was redesignated 171 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 September 1978 with 191 FIG becoming 191 Tactical Fighter Group and reequipped with F 4C Phantom II for air defense mission for the merged ADCOM and Tactical Air Command ADTAC transferring to First Air Force when ADTAC was replaced in 1985. The Squadron upgraded to F 4D Phantom II fighters in 1988 and received F 16A and F 16B Fighting Falcon fighters in 1991. The Squadron was redesignated 171 Fighter Squadron on 15 March 1992 with the Group becoming 191 Fighter Group.

The Squadrons role changed to tactical airlift when it was redesignated 171 Airlift Squadron on 15 July 1994 equipped with C 130 Hercules under 191 Airlift Group. The Squadron was reassigned to 127 Airlift Group on 1 April 1996 returning to 191 Airlift Group on 1 May 1999.

The Squadron again rerolled in September 2007 to air refuelling equipped with KC 135T Stratotanker and was renamed 171 Air Refuelling Squadron under 127 Air Refuelling Group.

This patch dates from 1992.