7th Fighter Squadron

7th Fighter Squadron
F-22A block 30 05-4106, 7th FS takes off from Holloman AFB, October 22, 2008 for training missions in the local area
Active	15 January 1941 – 15 December 2006 15 May 2008 – 2 May 2014
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Squadron
Role	Air Supremecy
Nickname(s)	Screamin' Demons
Engagements	World War II (Asia-Pacific Theater) Korean War Vietnam War 1991 Gulf War (Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation of Kuwait) Operation Southern Watch
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation (7x) Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (6x) Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation (2x) Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Insignia
7th Fighter Squadron emblem

The 7th Fighter Squadron (7 FS) is an inactive United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 49th Operations Group. It is stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. On 2 May 2014, the 7th Fighter Squadron was inactivated.

The squadron's emblem is described as a "Bunyap, an Australian aboriginal death demon". The usual spelling is Bunyip.

The 7th Fighter Squadron origins date to 16 January 1941, when it was activated as Selfridge Field, Michigan as the 7th Pursuit Squadron. It was equipped with Seversky P-35s that were transferred from the 1st Pursuit Group that departed to Rockwell Field, California. In May 1941, the squadron proceeded to Morrison Field, West Palm Beach, Florida, to train in the Curtiss P-40 fighter.

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, training was greatly accelerated to prepare the Squadron for combat duty. By 16 February 1942, the 7th found themselves at Bankstown Airfield, Sydney, Australia, as one of the first American aviation units in the Southwest Pacific, flying the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. The first combat action with the Japanese happened on 14 March over Horn Island, Queensland off the Cape York Peninsula, Australia, with the 7th downing 5 Japanese Zeroes, taking no losses themselves. Until September 1942, the 7th would remain in Australia, engaged primarily in air defense. The 7th moved to join the other 2 squadrons of the 49th PG, in the defense of Darwin, Northern Territory, in April 1942.

It then moved North to Schwimmer Airfield, Port Moresby, New Guinea, where its P-40s flew attack and air defense missions against Japanese fortifications. During this period, the squadron originally known as the "Screamin’ Demons," adopted their mascot and emblem, the Bunyap, an Australian aboriginal death demon. Even to this day, the Bunyap remains the squadron emblem.