97th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
| 97th Flying Training Squadron | |
|---|---|
North American F-86L Sabre 53-704 at Wright-Patterson AFB 1954
|
|
| Active | 1942-1945; 1947-1949; 1950-1958; 1973-1993; 1998-Present |
| Country |
 United States
|
| Branch |
 United States Air Force
|
| Role | Pilot Training |
| Part of |
Air Force Reserve Command 10th Air Force 340th Flying Training Group |
| Garrison/HQ | Sheppard Air Force Base |
| Nickname(s) | Devil Cats |
| Engagements | European Theater of Operations Mediterranean Theater of Operations |
| Decorations |
Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Insignia | |
| 97th Flying Training Squadron Emblem (approved 30 October 1942) |  |
The 97th Flying Training Squadron (97 FTS) is part of the 340th Flying Training Group and is the Reserve associate to the 80th Flying Training Wing based at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.
The 97th flew combat in the European Theater of Operations and the Mediterranean Theater of Operations between 25 December 1942 and 3 May 1945. It flew fighter escort and air defense from, 1947–1949 and air defense from, 1951-1957.
The squadron was redesignated as the 97th Flying Training Squadron and trained USAF pilots to fly supersonic jet aircraft from 1973 to 1993. Since 1998 it has trained fighter pilots for the United States as well as America's European and NATO allies.
The squadron operates Beechcraft T-6A Texan II and Northrop T-38 Talon aircraft conducting flight training for the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program (ENJJPT) with highly experienced Air Force Reserve instructor pilots.
The squadron was first activated in early 1942 at Harding Field, Louisiana as the 97th Pursuit Squadron, one of the original three squadrons of the 82d Pursuit Group. It soon moved to California where it equipped with Lockheed P-38 Lightnings and began training with Fourth Air Force as the 97th Fighter Squadron. It left California in the fall and sailed for Northern Ireland, where it received additional combat training under Eighth Air Force. A month after the initial Operation Torch landings in North Africa the squadron deployed to Algeria, where it entered combat as an element of Twelfth Air Force.
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Wikipedia