68th Fighter Squadron

68th Fighter Squadron
68th Fighter Squadron F-16C Fighting Falcon at Moody AFB in July 1995
Active	1941–1971; 1973–2001
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter
Nickname(s)	Lightning Lancers
Engagements	Asia-Pacific Theater World War II Korean War Vietnam War
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation (3x) Presidential Unit Citation (2x) Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (8x) Philippines Presidential Unit Citation
Commanders
Notable commanders	Joseph Ralston
Insignia
68th Fighter Squadron emblem (approved 29 November 1944)

The 68th Fighter Squadron (68 FS) was one of the longest-serving Fighter Squadrons in U.S. Air Force history, remaining activated almost continually for 60 years. Known as the "Lightning Lancers", on the morning of 27 June 1950 pilots of the 68th Fighter (All Weather) Squadron flying the F-82 Twin Mustang made history by achieving the first aerial kill of the Korean War.

The 68th FS was most recently part of the 347th Wing at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. It operated F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting air superiority missions. The squadron was inactivated in 2001.

Established in early 1941 as part of the United States' defense buildup after the breakout of World War II in Europe. Trained under Third Air Force, then deployed to the Southwest Pacific after the Attack on Pearl Harbor for combat duty with Fifth Air Force. Reassigned to Thirteenth Air Force and provided air defense of Tongatabu from, June–October 1942 with a mixture of P-40s and P-39s. Engaged in Combat in Solomon Islands, 1943-1944 using long-range P-38 Lightnings; moved to Southwest Pacific and flew missions over New Guinea and Dutch East Indies during MacArthur's island hopping campaign; arrived in the Philippines in February 1945 and spent the remainder of the war clearing the Japanese from those islands.

Reassigned to Japan as part of the Occupation Forces, December 1945 although most personnel had been demobilized and returned to the United States. From 2 November 1945 to 1 October 1946, the 68th was non-operational and became, in name only, part of the large occupational force stationed in Japan. Then, in October 1946, the squadron began search and patrol missions and participated in exercises and maneuvers out of various bases in Japan flying the P-51D Mustang. In February 1947 assumed the air defense mission of Northern Japan with P-61 Black Widow night fighters, personnel and equipment of the inactivating 421st Night Fighter Squadron. It replaced war-weary F-61s in 1949 with new F-82G Twin Mustangs.