149th Tactical Fighter Squadron

149th Fighter Squadron
192d Fighter Wing’s F-22 Raptor flagship
Active	1 October 1942–Present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Virginia
Branch	Air National Guard
Type	Squadron
Role	Air Dominance
Part of	Virginia Air National Guard
Garrison/HQ	Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Hampton, Virginia
Tail Code	"FF", 192d FW underneath
Commanders
Current commander	Lieutenant Colonel James Cox
Insignia
149th Fighter Squadron

The 149th Fighter Squadron (149 FS) is a unit of the Virginia Air National Guard's 192d Fighter Wing located at Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Virginia. The 149th is the first Air National Guard fighter squadron to fly the F-22 Raptor.

Activated in September 1942, the squadron trained with P-47 Thunderbolts under First Air Force in northeast United States. It deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO) in July 1943 as part of VIII Fighter Command and was based in England, operating as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber fighter escort squadron. In July 1944, the squadron converted to long-range P-51D Mustangs, while its P-47s were reassigned to IX Fighter Command for tactical fighter-bomber missions supporting Allied ground forces in France. The squadron later deployed to Belgium in December 1944 to supplement IX Fighter Command tactical air forces during the Battle of the Bulge, before returning to England from where they flew long-range escort missions until April 1945. Afterwards, the squadron demobilized in England during the summer of 1945. Its personnel returned to the United States and the squadron was subsequently inactivated as an administrative organization, in November 1945.

The wartime 328th Fighter Squadron was re-designated as the 149th Fighter Squadron, and was allotted to the Virginia ANG, on 24 May 1946. It was organized at Byrd Field, Richmond, Virginia and was extended federal recognition on 21 June 1947. The 149th Fighter Squadron was entitled to the history, honors, and colors of the 328th. The squadron was equipped with F-47D Thunderbolts and was allocated to the Fourteenth Air Force, Continental Air Command by the National Guard Bureau.