396th Fighter Squadron Main

396th Fighter Squadron Lineage
Copied from USAF publication;
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force - World War IILineage.
Constituted 396th Fighter Squadron on 24 May 1943.
Activated on 1 Jun 1943, Westover Field, Mass.
Inactivated on 20 Aug 1946, Straubing, Germany.
Redesignated 182nd Fighter Squadron, allotted to
Texas Air National Guard on 21 Aug 1946 and served in Korean War.
*The 182nd Fighter Squadron is currently at Kelly AFB and continues
to serve with the Texas ANG.  Scroll down for more information on the
182nd.Assignments.
368th Fighter Group, 1 Jun 1943 - 20 Aug 1946.Stations.
Westover Field, Mass, 1 June 1943.
Farmingdale, NY, 23 Aug 1943 - 20 Dec 1943.
Greenham Common, England, 13 Jan 1944.
Chilbolton, England, 15 Mar 1944.
Cardonville, France, (A-3), c. 20 Jun 1944.
Chartres, France, (A-40), 27 Aug 1944.
Laon/Athies, France, (A-69), 11 Sep 1944.
Chievres, Belgium, (A-84), 2 Oct 1944.
Juvincourt, France, (A-68), 27 Dec 1944.
Metz, France, (Y-34), 5 Jan 1945.
Frankfort-am-Main, Germany, (Y-73), 15 Apr 1945.
Buchschwabach, Germany, (R-42), 13 May 1945.
Straubing, Germany, (R-68), 13 Aug 1945 - 20 Aug 1946.Aircraft.
P-47, 1943-1946.Operations.
Combat in ETO, 14 Mar 1944 - 9 May 1945.Campaigns.
Air Offensive, Europe.
Normandy.
Northern France.
Rhineland.Ardennes-Alsace.
Central Europe.Air Combat, EAME Theater.Decorations.
Distinguished Unit Citation:  Mons, Belgium, 3 sep 1944.
Cited in the Order of the Day, Belgian Army:  6 jun - 30 Sep 1944.
Cited in the Order of the Day, Belgian Army:  16 Dec 1944 - 25 Jan 1945.
Belgian Fourragere.The 182nd Fighter Squadron "Lone Star Gunfighters"
The present day 396th Fighter Squadron.
Photos courtesy of Major Mike "Billy Ray" Michell 182nd FS/DOW

The 396th was inactivated on 20 August 1946 and the next day
re-designated the 182nd Fighter Squadron.
On 6 October 1947, several World War II veterans petitioned for and won
federal recognition for the squadron as an Air National Guard unit.

The 182nd began flying the F-51 "Mustang" in 1947 and accepted its first
jet, the F-84E "Thunderjet" when the squadron was called to active duty
during the Korean War.

The squadron, as an element of the 136th Fighter Wing, was the first Air
National Guard squadron to see combat during that war; the first Air
National Guard unit to shoot down a MiG-15; and the first to successfully
demonstrate the applicability of aerial refueling during combat.

The squadron's "Lonestar Gunfighters" converted in 1996 to the newer
F-16C & F-16D (2 seater) Fighting Falcons.

Ellis Bassler