311th Fighter Squadron

311th Fighter Squadron
311th Fighter Squadron General Dynamics F-16D Block 42E Fighting Falcon 89-2157
Active	9 February 1942 – 20 February 1946 10 July 1952 – 1 July 1958 18 January 1970 – 1 April 1994 1 January 1995 -
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter Training
Engagements	World War II American Theater World War II Asia-Pacific Theater Korean War
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation (2x) Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (7x) Presidential Unit Citation (Philippines) Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Insignia
311th Fighter Squadron emblem

The 311th Fighter Squadron (Sidewinders) is part of the 54th Fighter Group at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico which is a geographically separated unit under the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB, Arizona. It operates the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting advanced fighter training.

The squadron previously operated the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting advanced fighter training at Luke and was inactivated due to budget constraints after the end of the Cold War. It was recently reactivated at Holloman and the aircraft were received from the 309th Fighter Squadron at Luke AFB.

The 311th Fighter Squadron was constituted on 21 January 1942, as the 310th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) and was activated on 9 February at Harding Field, Louisiana, where it flew the P-39 and P-40 aircraft. During 1942 and early 1943 the squadron was both an Operational and a Replacement Training Unit initially under III Fighter Command, being reassigned to I Fighter Command in October 1942. Also was part of the air defense of the Northeast United States, being a component of several Air Defense fighter wings (Philadelphia, New York, Boston), under First Air Force.

Was converted into an operational squadron in March 1943 at Bradley Field, Connecticut, being re-equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts. Was deployed to the Southwest Pacific Theater, being assigned to Fifth Air Force in Australia in November 1943. Began combat operations in February 1944, providing protection for U.S. bases and escorting transports initially, then escorting bombers over New Guinea and sea convoys to Admiralty Islands. From Noemfoor, bombed and strafed Japanese airfields and installations on Ceram, Halmahera, and the Kai Islands.