39th Flying Training Squadron | |
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39th Flying Training Squadron Patch
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Active | 1 February 1940 - 8 December 1957 15 October 1969 - 15 March 1974 1 July 1977 - 11 May 1984 2 April 1990 - 15 December 1991 8 September 1993 - 1 September 1999 2 April 2001 - 21 July 2007 12 September 2007 - Present |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Type | Pilot Training |
Decorations |
DUC AFOUA PPUC ROK PUC |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders |
Lt. Col. Thomas J. Lynch |
The 39th Flying Training Squadron (39 FTS) is part of the 340th Flying Training Group and is the reserve associate to the 12th Flying Training Wing based at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.
It operates the T-6 Texan II, T-1A Jayhawk and T-38 Talon aircraft conducting Pilot Instructor Training.
Activated by Northeast Air District (later First Air Force) as a P-40 Warhawk pursuit squadron, assigned to Selfridge Field, Michigan. Moved to Baer Field, Indiana during the summer of 1941. Deployed to the Pacific Northwest after the Pearl Harbor Attack and flew Antisubmarine patrols off the coast of Washington from, c. 15 December 1941-c. 15 January 1942.
Re-equipped with long-range P-38 Lightnings and deployed to Fifth Air Force in Australia, June 1942. Engaged in combat operations against the Japanese in the Lightning, but became the second Pacific Theater Fighter Group to convert to the P-47 in late 1943. Conducted combat operations in the P-47 Thunderbolt from late 1943 through Spring 1945. Participated in offensives in the Netherlands East Indies, New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, Philippines and the Battle of Okinawa.