49th Fighter Training Squadron

49th Flying Training Squadron
Northrop T-38 Talon 65-374 of the 49th Fighter Training Squadron
Active	1941-1945; 1946-1949; 1952-1987; 1990-1992; 1993 - present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Pilot Training
Size	31 officers and enlisted
Part of	Air Education and Training Command 14th Flying Training Wing 14th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi
Nickname(s)	Black Knights
Engagements	European Theater of Operations Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Commanders
Current commander	Lt. Col. David Bickerstaff
Insignia
49th Fighter Training Squadron emblem (approved 28 February 1995)

The 49th Fighter Training Squadron is part of the 14th Flying Training Wing based at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. It operates T-38 Talon aircraft conducting flight training.

The squadron was first activated as the 49th Pursuit Squadron in 1941 during the expansion of the United States military that preceded World War II. Immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the squadron flew air defense patrols off the southern Pacific coast. In 1942 it was redesignated the 49th Fighter Squadron and deployed to England, but a few months later the squadron moved to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. The squadron earned a Distinguished Unit Citation in 1944 and was inactivated in 1945.

The squadron was activated again at Dow Field, Maine as one of the first units of Air Defense Command (ADC). It converted to Republic F-84 Thunderjets, being one of the first squadrons to do so. The squadron was inactivated in 1949.

In 1952 the squadron, now designated the 49th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, was activated to replace an Air National Guard squadron that was being released from active duty at Dow. For the next thirty-five years the unit carried out the air defense mission at Dow, Hanscom Field, and Griffiss Air Force Base, upgrading its aircraft until equipping with the Convair F-106 Delta Dart, which it flew for almost twenty years. The squadron was the last to fly that plane, inactivating in 1987 as the Air National Guard took over air defense mission.