104th Fighter Squadron
| 104th Fighter Squadron | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1921–present |
| Country |
 United States
|
| Allegiance |
 Maryland
|
| Branch |
 Air National Guard
|
| Type | Squadron |
| Role | Ground Attack |
| Part of | Maryland Air National Guard |
| Garrison/HQ | Warfield Air National Guard Base, Middle River, Maryland |
| Tail Code | "MD" |
| Insignia | |
| 104th Fighter Squadron emblem |  |
The 104th Fighter Squadron (104 FS) is a unit of the Maryland Air National Guard 175th Wing stationed at Warfield Air National Guard Base, Middle River, Maryland. The 104th is equipped with the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
The squadron is a descendant organization of the 104th Squadron (Observation), which was formed on 29 June 1921. It is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II and is the oldest unit of the Maryland Air National Guard.
Unit Emblem: A caricature of a Baltimore Oriole (black and orange) in a boxing stance, with wings represented as arms wearing boxing gloves, in front of a yellow lightning flash descending diagonally downward on and over a blue irregular curved background (Approved 21 September 1953)
In personnel, if not in official lineage, the 104th Fighter Squadron can trace its origins to 1920 when the Flying Club of Baltimore was organized for former World War I Army Air Service reserve officers of that city. This club became part of the Maryland National Guard in 1921 when Maryland formed one the nation's first post-war flying units with the creation of the 1st Observation Squadron in Baltimore which received federal recognition on 29 June 1921.
Maryland became the fifth state to have a post-World War I National Guard aviation unit. The 1st Observation Squadron (a state designation) was re-designated the 104th Squadron (Observation) under the federal numbering system. At the time, the number 104 was widely used to designate combat support units in the Maryland National Guard, including the 104th Medical Regiment and the 104th Military Police Battalion.
The 104th became the first post-World War I United States National Guard unit to be equipped with its own aircraft, 13 Curtiss JN-4 Jennies, which it flew until 1923. Initially assigned as division aviation for the 29th Infantry Division, the unit operated out of Baltimore's Logan Field. In addition to Jennies, the 104th flew a variety of other aircraft during the interwar period, almost all of them two-seat biplanes.
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