USAF Patch Fighter USAFE 7 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron F 105 Thud

USAF Patch USAFE 7 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron Bunyip Death Demon Spangdahlem AB West Germany F 105 Thunderchief Thud 1965 Japanese made Fully embroidered cut edge large 101mm by 71mm four inches by two and three quarter inches.

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Squadron History

WWII P 35 P 40 Warhawk P 47D Thunderbolt P 38 Lightning

7 Pursuit Squadron was activated as Selfridge Field Michigan on 16 January 1941 assigned to 49 Pursuit Group equipped with P 35 fighter aircraft. The squadron relocated to Morrison Field Florida and reequipped with P 40 Warhawk fighter aircraft on 23 May 1941and adopted the name Screamin Demons. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 the Squadron relocated with 49 PG to Bankstown Airfield Sydney Australia arriving on 16 February 1942. The Squadrons first action against the Japanese took place over Horn Island Queensland on 14 March 1942 claiming five Zero fighters with no losses. 7 PS relocated with 49 PG to Batchelor Airfield Darwin to provide air defense on 9 April 1942.

7 Pursuit Squadron was redesignated 7 Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942. The Squadron relocated to Schwimmer Airfield Port Moresby New Guinea on 19 September 1942 adding ground attack missions to its air defense tasking. While at Schwimmer Airfield the Squadron adopted an aboriginal death demon the Bunyap as its emblem.

7 Fighter Squadron provided air support for the Kokoda Trail offensive between July and November 1942 which pushed the Japanese back and took part in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea in March 1943. The Squadron added P 47D Thunderbolt aircraft to its fleet in 1943.

7 Fighter Squadron was redesignated 7 Fighter Squadron Single Engine on 20 August 1943. The Squadron moved up to liberated airfields and flew combat ground support operations during the Huon Peninsula campaign 22 September 1943 to 1 March 1944 and operations to push the Japanese from New Guinea. Operations continued with support for the assault of the island of Biak Netherlands East Indies from 27 May 1944 to 17 August 194operating from Mokmer Airfield Biak from 5 June 1944 and the assault on Noemfoor Dutch New Guinea during July and August 1944.

The Squadron reequipped with P 38 Lightning twin engine fighter aircraft in September 1944 and was redesignated 7 Fighter Squadron Two Engine on 6 November 1944. The Squadron undertook long range attack and escort missions to targets in Mindanao Halmahera Seram and Borneo.

7 Fighter Squadron Two Engine provided ground attack shipping attack and fighter cover for the invasion of Leyte marking the return of General MacArthur to the Philippines commenced on 17 October 1944. The Squadron relocated to Tacloban Airfield Leyte on 24 October 1944.

The Squadron moved to McGuire Field Mindoro Philippines on 30 December 1944 and covered the invasion of Luzon which commenced on 9 January 1945. 7 FSTE moved to Lingayen Airfield Luzon on 25 February 1945 and continued ground support and long range attacks on enemy targets in Formosa and shipping along the Chinese coast.  The Squadron relocated to Okinawa on 17 August 1945 in preparation for the invasion of Japan.

P 51 Mustang

Following the Japanese surrender on 2 September 1945 the Squadron relocated to Atsugi Airfield Tokyo on 15 September 1945 and reequipped with P 51D Mustang fighters to undertake occupation duty and show of force missions. The squadron relocated to Chitose AB 20 February 1946 to provide air defense over Honshu and Hokkaido Island and to keep the Soviet Air Force away from Japanese airspace in tensions following Soviet occupation forces landing on Hokkaido. The Squadron was redesignated 7 Fighter Squadron Single Engine on 8 January 1946.

F 80C Shooting Star

The Squadron relocated to the newly rebuilt Misawa AB with 49 Fighter Group assuming home station responsibilities in April 1948 reequipping with F 80C Shooting Star fighters and redesignated 7 Fighter Squadron Jet Propelled on 1 May 1948 and 7 Fighter Squadron Jet on 10 August 1948. The Squadron was redesignated 7 Fighter Bomber Squadron on 1 February 1950.

F 51D Mustang F 80C Shooting Star

Following the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950 the Squadron using F 51D Mustang fighters from Misawa AB covered the evacuation of civilians from Kimpo and Suwon provided close air support against advancing North Korean armies and interdiction of enemy troops supplies and communications. The Squadron with 49 FG relocated to Taegu AB K 2 South Korea on 28 September 1950 to enable the short range F 80C to be utilized becoming the first jet fighter operator based in South Korea undertaking escort for B 29 Superfortress bombers over North Korea and engaging Mig 15 fighters in air to air combat. When the Chinese Communist Forces intervened and advanced the Squadron commenced ground attack of Communist Forces in North Korea moving south until the line was stabilized and held just south of Seoul.

F 84G Thunderjet

7 FBS reequipped with F 84G Thunderjet aircraft in mid 1951 and undertook ground attack in support of the first UN Counteroffensive Campaign air interdiction operations against the main enemy transportation roads and railways between Pyongyang and Sinuiju and attacked high value targets including the Sui ho hydroelectric plants in June 1952 the Kumgang Political School in October 1952 and on 27 July 1953 joined 58 FBG to bomb Sunan Airfield the final action of F 84 fighter bombers during the Korean War. The Squadron relocated to Itazuke AB Japan on 2 November 1953 for air defence.

F 86F Sabre

The Squadron reequipped with F 86F Sabre fighters in 1956. With force reduction in Japan 49 FBW was inactivated on 10 December 1957.

USAFE F 100D Super Sabre

The Squadron was reactivated the same day 10 December 1957 on the redesignation of 388 Fighter Bomber Wing at Etain Rouvres AB France to 49 Fighter Bomber Wing and 561 FBS redesignated 7 Fighter Bomber Squadron. The Squadron was equipped with seven F 100D Super Sabre fighter bombers and three dual seat F 100F Super Sabre trainer aircraft. 7 FBS was tasked for USAFE NATO conventional and nuclear strike attack and commenced a four ship 15 minute Victor Alert QRA on 1 February 1958. The Squadron was redesignated 7 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 July 1958 and operated from Chalon Vatry AB in autumn 1958 while the runway at Etain Rouvres AB was being repaired.

With the French Governments decision to require the removal of all US and NATO nuclear forces from French soil 7 TFS deployed to Wheelus AB Libya for gunnery training prior to relocating to Spangdahlem AB West Germany with 49 TFW on 25 August 1959.

F 105D and F 105F Thunderchief Thud

7 TFS reequipped with F 105D and F 105F Thunderchief Thud fighter bombers in 1961.

F 4D Phantom II

USAF 7 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed for 49 Weapons Training Detachment at Wheelus AB Libya in February 1967 to begin transition to the F 4D Phantom II receiving its first F 4D on 9 March 1967.

USAF Dual Base F 4D Phantom II

To reduce military budgets United States military units in Europe began to be Dual Based returning permanently to the US and conducting annual deployment exercises to Europe together with a NATO commitment for deployment back to bases in Europe if tensions with the Soviet Union warranted an immediate military buildup. 49 Tactical Fighter Wing relocated to Holloman AFB New Mexico on 1 July 1968 as USAFs first dual based NATO committed Wing.

USAF 7 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed to Ramstein AB West Germany 10 September to 6 October 1971 attached to 26 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing before deploying to Takhli RTAFB Thailand on 4 May 1972 for Operation Constant Guard III in response to the North Vietnamese invasion of South Vietnam undertaking combat sorties over South Vietnam Cambodia and Laos from 1 July to 24 September 1972 during Operation Linebacker returning to Holloman AB on 6 October 1972.

7 TFS returned to Ramstein AB 2 March to 4 April 1973 attached to 86 Tactical Fighter Wing Bitburg AB West Germany 2 April to 3 May 1974 attached to 36 Tactical Fighter Wing Bitburg AB 4 October to 6 November 1975 attached to 36 TFW and Ramstein AB 23 August to 25 September 1976 attached to 86 TFW.

USAF CONUS F 15A Eagle

49 TFW ended its Dual Base commitment to NATO in October 1977 retasked for air superiority and began conversion to F 15A Eagle fighters completing the transition on 4 June 1978 becoming the second USAF operational wing to receive the F 15A. USAF 7 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron maintained TAC NORAD Air Defense Alert and 49 TFW undertook a number of deployments to Europe with 7 TFS deploying to Lahr Canadian Forces Base West Germany 26 August to 23 September 1983 Coronet Mescalero May to June 1986 at Gilze Rijen AB Netherlands. 7 TFS deployed a number of aircraft to Howard AFB Panama on 12 October 1989 in support of Operation Just Cause and deployed for Coronet Bullet June July 1990 at Gilze Rijen AB Netherlands.

F 117A Nighthawk

The Squadron was redesignated 7 Fighter Squadron on 1 October 1991 and retired its F 15A Eagles and received the F 117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighters of the inactivated 415 FS. The Squadron regularly deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Southern Watch during the 1990s.

7 FS was retasked to provide pilot transition training to the F 117A adding T 38 Talon to its fleet for aggressor training and was redesignated 7 Combat Training Squadron on 17 June 1999. With the impending replacement of the F 117A by the F 22A Raptor 7 CTS was inactivated on 15 December 2006.

F 22A Raptor

The Squadron was reactivated as 7 Fighter Squadron at Holloman AB on 15 May 2008 equipped with F 22A Raptor and has deployed frequently to overseas locations in support of United States operations. With USAF rationalisation of its F 22 Raptor fleet the Squadron transferred its F 22s to Tyndall AFB in April 2014 and inactivated on 2 May 2014.

T 38 Talon

7 Fighter Training Squadron was activated at Langley AFB Virginia on 12 November 2021 assigned to the 1 Operations Group. 7th FTS is equipped with T 38 Talon two seat twinjet supersonic jet trainer aircraft to provide adversary air opponents to prepare F 22 Raptor pilots for real world combat scenarios.

This USAF 7 Tactical Fighter Squadron FTS patch dates from 1965.