In late 1943, the strategic bombardment campaign over Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany being conducted by VIII Bomber Command was taking heavy losses in aircraft and flight crews as the VIII Fighter Command's Lockheed P-38 Lightnings and Republic P-47 Thunderbolts lacked the range to escort the heavy B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator bombers deep into Germany to attack industrial and military targets. The P-51 had the range to perform the escort duties and the unit's operational control was transferred to Headquarters, Eighth Air Force to perform escort missions. From its base at RAF Boxted, the unit flew long-range strategic escort missions with VIII Bomber Command groups, escorting the heavy bombers to targets such as Frankfurt, Leipzig, Augsburg, and Schweinfurt, engaging Luftwaffe day interceptors frequently, with the P-51s outperforming the German Bf 109 and Fw 190 interceptors, causing heavy losses to the Luftwaffe. Remained under operational control of Eighth Air Force until April 1944, when sufficient numbers of P-51D Mustangs and arrived from the United States and were assigned to VIII Fighter Command units for escort duty.
Was relieved from escort duty and reassigned to RAF Lashenden on the southern coast of England. Mission was redefined to provide tactical air support for the forthcoming invasion of France, to support the Third, and later Ninth United States Armies. Flew fighter sweeps over Normandy and along the English Channel coast of France and the Low Countries, April–June 1944, then engaged in heavy tactical bombing of enemy military targets as well as roads, railroads and bridges in the Normandy area to support ground forces in the immediate aftermath of D-Day.
Moved to Advanced Landing Grounds in France beginning at the end of June 1944, moving eastwards to combat airfields and liberated French airports supporting Allied Ground forces as the advanced across Northern France. Later, in 1944, the squadron became involved in dive-bombing and strafing missions, striking railroad yards, bridges, troop concentrations, and airfields. As winter set in the squadron temporarily re-equipped with the P-47 Thunderbolt. Participated in attacks on German forces in Belgium in the aftermath of the Battle of the Bulge, then moved eastward as part of the Western Allied invasion of Germany. The squadron flew its last mission of the war on 7 May 1945 from the captured Luftwaffe airfield at Ansbach (R-45).
On 3 February 1968, the 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron was deployed to support the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing at Phù Cát Air Base, South Vietnam for five months' Temporary Duty (TDY).
At Tuy Hoa, the tail code of the 355th F-100s was changed to "SP", and deployed Air National Guard personnel from New York and New Mexico and regular Air Force personnel manned the 355th until its inactivation on 30 September 1970.
On 1 November 1970, the 355 TFS was reactivated at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina as part of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing. Upon its return, the unit transitioned to the new LTV A-7D Corsair II aircraft before redeploying to Southeast Asia in the fall of 1972 as the first A-7 unit to fight there. In 10 weeks of combat before the end of that conflict, the squadron participated in the Linebacker II campaign, generated more than 4,000 sorties, and was credited with 22 rescues of downed airmen. The unit returned to Myrtle Beach in April 1974.
Duty called again in August 1990 when the unit deployed to King Fahd International Airport, Saudi Arabia in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. There, the squadron's pilots inflicted heavy damage to Iraqi armor and artillery emplacements, helped cut off enemy supply lines, and conducted search and rescue missions. The squadron contributed greatly to the 4,200 artillery, tank and other vehicle kills credited to A-10s during the war.
Modern era
Inactivated at Myrtle Beach on 31 March 1992, the 355 FS was reactivated on 20 August 1993, replacing the inactivating 11th Tactical Air Support Squadron at Eleison AFB, Alaska. The unit's primary missions included air strike control, close air support, interdiction, joint air attack team, escort, and combat search and rescue.
With a dual role A/OA-10 Warthog squadron commitment and night vision goggles, the squadron had the ability to deploy forward air controllers with attack aircraft for a complete day and night employment capability.
355th FS deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy from January 1996 to March 1997, supporting Operation Joint Guard. No ordnance was employed, but pilots flew sorties and sat alert with combat loaded aircraft.
In October 1998, the 355 FS deployed to support Operation Southern Watch. Only two months later, the Warthogs saw their second tour of combat duty over Iraq while participating in the 16–19 December 1998, Operation Desert Fox strike missions. In 2.5 months, the 355 FS flew 597 combat and combat support sorties leading up to, then conducting, National Command Authority directed strikes on Iraqi military facilities and suspected weapons of mass destruction storage areas. They achieved 100 percent target hit rate.
The 355FS was the first air combat unit to deploy to the Middle East after the Towers Fell on 11SEP2001. The unit deployed to Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base, Kuwait, in support of Operation Southern Watch, Operation Northern Watch, and even Operation Enduring Freedom from November 2001 – March 2002 with Air Expeditionary Force 10 (AEF). The aircraft flew from Eielson AFB, Alaska all the way to Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait making brief (crew rest only stops) at Westover, Massachusetts (not Barnes), then Lajes in the Aczores, then Trapani Sicily, then Kuwait, arriving 05DEC2001. The A-10s utilized Air to Air Refueling (AAR or Aerial Refueling) in between ground stops, thus proving once again that the USAF Tanker force is one of the reasons that the US military truly has global reach (YCKAWTG). In Kuwait, the 355th FS joined the 338th AEG (Air Expeditionary Group) The Panthers/Red Tag/Tail Bastards.
The 355th FS also provided Battalion Air Liaison Officers (BALOs) to 6 dedicated Army Combat Units as a regular part of their combat mission. BALOs are considered Forward Air Controllers or FACs (specifically GFAC or Ground FAC) whether or not they also hold an Airborne FAC qualification. Typically these BALOs also hold JTAC-qualified certifications. These BALOs continuously support Army and other combat units (air, ground, sea, and space) during exercises while currently serving as combat-ready and combat-qualified A-10 pilots. They provided advice on the use of all aerial assets (fixed-wing, rotary, drone, etc.) as well as all munitions that fly through their battlespace (this includes Rockets, Artillery, mortars, etc.). Although not often called to actual battle, the 355th did provide Battalion Air Liaison Officers (BALOs) to multiple Army Units, to include one Airborne Unit the 1-501st Airborne. In particular, the Chief BALO/A-10 FAC, Captain A. Rodell Severson (while serving as an operational A-10 pilot with the 355th), actually deployed to combat with the 1-501, becoming a Tactical Air Control Party Commander (TACP), commanding two consecutive special operations teams from 25 October 2003 through 4 May 2004 for Joint Task Force 1-501 earning a Bronze Star through approximately 155 ground combat missions: 17 sustained rocket attacks, 7 troops in contact, and 5 direct fire fights: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501st_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States).
The 355 FS also exercised at Hurlburt Field, Florida, to train with Special Forces units, October 2003.
In Spring 2004 the unit deployed to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The unit redeployed there again early 2006. During both deployments the unit was responsible to provide close air support to Army ground forces and convoys in Afghanistan.
Lt. Col. Quentin "Q-Tip" Rideout, 355th Fighter Squadron Commander, flew the last operational A-10 sortie at Eielson AFB on 31 July 2007.[4] The last three A-10A aircraft departed Eielson AFB on 15 August 2007.[5] Lt. Col. Kevin "Crotch" Blanchard flew 81-0944, Capt. Sean "Shark" Hall flew 79-0172, and Capt. Dale "Porkchop" Stark flew 80-0259.[5]
Attached to: Seventeenth Air Force, 15 July – 26 October 1958; 19 May – 17 September 1959; 10 September 1960 – 16 January 1961; 7 July – 14 October 1962; 3 July – 17 September 1963; 8 June – 28 August 1964; 2 July – 25 September 1965; and 4 December 1965 – 23 April 1966, 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, 5 September – 19 November 1961, 2d Air Division Provisional, 21 October – 1 December 1962, Alaskan Air Command, 6–20 February 1963, 37th Tactical Fighter Wing, 3 February – 22 April 1968
113th Tactical Fighter Wing, 22 April 1968 (remained attached to 37th Tactical Fighter Wing until 4 July 1968
37th Tactical Fighter Wing, 5 July 1968
31st Tactical Fighter Wing, 19 May 1969 – 30 September 1970
354th Tactical Fighter Wing (later 354th Fighter Wing), 1 November 1970 – 31 March 1992 (attached to 354th Combat Support Group, 15 – 16 August 1990, 354th Tactical Fighter Wing Provisional, 20 December 1990 – 2 August 1991
354th Operations Group, 20 August 1993 – 15 August 2007
Herzogenaurach Airdrome (R-29),[10] Germany, c. 15 May 1945 – 15 February 1946
Bolling Field, District of Columbia, 15 February – 31 March 1946
Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina, 19 November 1956 – 5 July 1968
Deployed to Adana Air Base, Turkey, 15 July – 26 October 1958; Aviano Air Base, Italy, 19 May – 17 September 1959, 10 September 1960 – 16 January 1961, 7 July – 14 October 1962, 15 June – 28 August 1964, 2 July – 25 September 1965; Hahn Air Base, West Germany, 5 September – 19 November 1961; McCoy Air Force Base, Florida, 21 October – 1 December 1962; Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, 6 – 20 February 1963; Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, 3 July – 17 September 1963, 4 December 1965 – 23 April 1966; Orland, Norway, 8 – 15 June 1964; Phu Cat Air Base, South Vietnam, after 3 February 1968
Phu Cat Air Base, South Vietnam, 5 July 1968
Tuy Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam, 15 May 1969 – 30 September 1970
Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina, 1 November 1970 – 31 March 1992
Presidential Unit Citations: Southeast Asia, 1 July – 31 December 1968; Southeast Asia, 10 October 1972 – 30 April 1973.
Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 October 1962 – 31 December 1963; 3 February – 30 June 1968; 1 November 1970 – 31 May 1972; 1 May 1974 – 30 April 1976; 1 January 1978 – 31 March 1979; 1 July 1985 – 30 June 1987; 1 May 1990 – 15 March 1992; 1 June 2017 - 31 May 2019.