78TH FIGHTER SQUADRON

Lineage Assignments Stations Assigned Aircraft Commanders

Lineage

Organized as 78th Aero Squadron28 Feb 1918
Redesignated Squadron A, Taliaferro Field, Texas 23 Jul 1918
Demobilized15 Nov 1918
Reconstituted & consolidated with 78th Observation Squadron (Constituted 18 Oct 1927) 18 Oct 1927
Redesignated 78th Pursuit Squadron (interceptor) 22 Dec 1939
Activated1 Feb 1940
Redesignated 78th Fighter Squadron 15 May 1942
Redesignated 78th Fighter Squadron (Single Engine) 20 Aug 1943
Inactivated 15 Oct 1946
Redesignated 78th Fighter Interceptor Squadron 11 Sep 1952
Activated1 Nov 1952
Redesignated 78th Fighter Bomber Squadron 1 Apr 1954
Redesignated 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron 8 Jul 1958
Inactivated1 May 1992
Redesignated 78th Fighter Squadron 22 Dec 1993
Activated1 Jan 1994
Inactivated 30 Jun 2003
Redesignated 78 Reconnaissance Squadron19 April 2006
Activated19 May 2006

Assignments

Unknown28 Feb 1918 15 Nov 1918
20th Pursuit Group (attached to 6th Composite Group) 1 Apr 193115 Jun 1932
3rd Attack Wing (attached to 6th Composite Group)15 Jun 19321 Dec 1932
16th Pursuit Group1 Dec 19321 Feb 1940
18th Pursuit (later 18th Fighter) Group 1 Feb 1940 16 Mar 1943
15th Fighter Group 16 Mar 1943 15 Oct 1946
81st Fighter Interceptor (Later 81st Fighter Bomber) Group then Wing1 Nov 19528 Feb 1955
81st Fighter Bomber (Later Tactical Fighter) Wing 8 Feb 19551 May 1992
20th Operations Group 1 Jan 1994 30 Jun 2003
Tenth Air Force19 May 2006

Stations

Waco, Texas Unknown28 Feb 1918 28 Feb 1918
Taliaferro Field, No. 1 (Later Hicks, Field), Texas28 Feb 1918 15 Nov 1918
France Field, Canal Zone1 Apr 1931 15 Oct 1932
Albrook Field, Canal Zone 15 Oct 1932 1 Sep 1937
Wheeler Field, Hawaii1 Sep 1937 1 Feb 1940
Kaneohe, Hawaii c. Dec 1941
Midway Island23 Jan 194323 Apr 1943
Barking Sands, Hawaii 23 Apr 1943 31 Jul 1943
Haliewa Field, Hawaii31 July 19436 Jan 1944
Mokuleia Field, Hawaii 6 Jan 19448 Jun 1944
Bellows Field, Hawaii8 June 1944 24 Jan 1945
South Field, Iwo Jima2 Mar 1945? Nov 1945
Wheeler Field, Hawaii9 Feb 1946 15 Oct 1946
RAF Shepherds Grove, England 1 Nov 195231 May 1956
RAF Sculthorpe, England31 May 1956 22 Dec 1957
RAF Bentwaters, England22 Dec 19581 May 1992
Shaw AFB, South Carolina 1 Jan 199430 Jun 2003
Nellis AFB, Nevada 19 May 2006

Assigned Aircraft

JN-4, JN-6, S-4 1918 ?
BOEING P-12 19321936
BOEING P-26 PEASHOOTER19401940
CURTIS P-36 HAWK 19401941
CURTIS P-40 WARHAWK19411944
BELL P-39 AIRACOBRA19421942
REPUBLIC P-47 THUNDERBOLT19441945
NORTH AMERICAN P-51DMUSTANG19441946
NORTH AMERICAN F-86A/FSABRE19521955
REPUBLIC F-84FTHUNDERJET 19541958
McDONELL F-101VOODOO 19581956
McDONELL DOUGLAS F-4C/D PHANTOM19651979
REPUBLIC A-10ATHUNDERBOLT II 19791994
LOCKHEED MARTIN F-16E/F FIGHTING FALCON19942003

Commanders

Unknown 28 Feb 1918 15 Nov 1918
Unknown 1 Apr 1931 1 Sep 1937
Captain D W Jenkins Feb 1940 20 Jul 1940
Captain A J Hanna20 Jul 1940 30 Apr 1941
Captain W P Fisher 30 Apr 1941Unknown
Captain William R ClingermanUnknown 3 Jun 1942
Major Sherwood E Buckland 3 Jun 194225 Feb 1943
Major Gordon R Hyde 25 Feb 1943 23 May 1943
Captain William Southerland23 May 194310 Dec 1943
Captain Emmett L Kearney10 Dec 194314 Apr 1944
Captain James M Vande Hey 14 Apr 4417 Apr 1945
Major James B Tapp 17 Apr 194525 Nov 1945
Major John G Benner 25 Nov 1945 29 Dec 1945
Captain Edward F Gallup 29 Dec 1945 Unknown
Lieut Colonel Arlie J Blood Nov 19521 Jun 1955
Major Robert R Fredette 1 Jun 195531 Dec 1956
Major Herbert O Brennan 31 Dec 1956 30 Jun 1958
Lieut Colonel Charles E Simpson 30 Jun 1958 Jan 1960
Major Harry K Barco,Jan 196015 Feb 1961
Lieut Colonel Ernest D Stuyvesant 15 Feb 1961May 1964
Major William H McMurray May 1964 Oct 1964
Lieut Colonel Robert R Fredette Oct 19649 Jun 1966
Lieut Colonel William H McMurray9 Jun 1966 1 May 1967
Lieut Colonel Frederick C Kyler1 May 1967 Mar 1970
Lieut Colonel Edward A CrimpMar 1970 1 May 1970
Lieut Colonel Donald T Lynch 1 May 1970 1 Feb 1971
Lieut Colonel Robert L Cass 1 Feb 197125 Sep 1971
Lieut Colonel Gary L Dryden 25 Sep 1971 4 Oct 1971
Lieut Colonel Billy D Patton4 Oct 197116 Nov 1972
Major George M Decell III 16 Nov 1972 15 Jun 1973
Major Robert R Pedigo 15 Jun 197327 Jul 1973
Lieut Colonel William C Hall 27 Jul 197320 Jan 1975
Lieut Colonel William Baechle 20 Jan 1975 16 July 1976
Lieut Colonel Sidney B Hudson16 Jul 1976 14 Jul 1978
Lieut Colonel Michael W Harris 14 Jul 1978 7 Jul 1980
Lieut Colonel Glenn A Profift 11 7 Jul 198025 Jun 1982
Lieut Colonel Jock P Patterson25 Jun 1982 Jun 1984
Lieut Colonel R O Smith Jun 1984Jun 1986
Lieut Colonel R S Hinds Jun 1986Sep 1987
Lieut Colonel A W Moore 11 Sep 1987 Feb 1989
Lieut Colonel V J White Feb 1989 May 1990
Lieut Colonel W E Rial May 1990 Oct 1991
Lieut Colonel J A FortezzoOct 1991 May 1992
Lieut Colonel Michael T Cantwell1 Jan 199412 May 1995
Lieut Colonel Charles M Dodd III 12 May 1995Jun 1996
Lieut Colonel John W. Armstrong Jun 199622 May 1998
Lieut Colonel Steven R F Searcy22 May 199823 Jun 2000
Lieut Colonel James R Cody23 Jun 2000 17 May 2002
Lieut Colonel Charles Q Brown, Jr17 May 200230 Jun 2003