b'56thOperations GroupThe 62nd FS reactivated with the F-35A in January 2015 and will train F-35 Lightning II fighter pilots as a joint international effort between Italy, Norway and the UnitedU.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brooke MoederStates. Italian, Norwegian and American pilots will fly Italian, Norwegian and American F-35s under the guidance of American instructor pilots.63RD FIGHTER SQUADRON The 63rd Fighter Squadron (FS) was activated Jan. 15, 1941, at Savannah Air Base, Georgia, as the 63rd Pursuit Squadron. It was originally assigned to the 56th Pursuit Group, which, like many pursuit squadrons organized in the early 1940s, initially flew Curtis P-35 and P-36 Hawks. A year later the 63rd FS came under control of the 1st Interceptor Command309TH FIGHTER SQUADRONand switched to the Curtiss P-40 Warhawks. A few months later it was re-designated a fighter unit and began flying theThe 309th Fighter Squadron (FS) was constituted Jan. 30, 1942, new Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. In 1943, the 63rd FS movedas the 309th Pursuit Squadron. Arriving in England in May to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, then to England where it became1942, it was designated as the 309th FS and began combat one of the most successful squadrons in the USAAF duringoperations after trading its P-39 Airacobras for British Spitfires.WWII. Flying escort for fighter sweeps ahead of U.S. bomberFrom August 1942 to July 1943, the Wild Ducks spearheaded fleets, the pilots destroyed 167.5 enemy aircraft in the air andair offenses over North Africa and later participated in the 110 on the ground. After Germanys surrender, the 63rd FSinvasion of Sicily while flying the P-51 Mustang. After thereturned to Camp Kilmer until inactivation Oct. 18, 1945.conquest of Sicily, the 309th FS began patrolling the sky over A year later, it reopened with the 56th FG at Selfridge Field,Italy and conducting bomber escort and ground attack missions Michigan, and briefly transitioned to the North Americanduring the two-year Italian campaign.P-51 Mustang. In 1947, the 63rd FS became one of the After World War II, the 309th converted to the F-84 while at Langley Field, Virginia, and in 1948, completed the first first fighter squadrons equipped with the new Lockheed jet fighter trans-Pacific deployment. In 1957, the squadron P-80 Shooting Star.transitioned to the F-100 Super Sabre and was redesignated Three years later, North American F-86A Sabres arrived, as the 309th Tactical Fighter Squadron. The Wild Ducks flew and then in 1954, Northrop F-89 Scorpions became the combat operations in Southeast Asia from 1966 to 1970. While 63rds newest fighters. The squadron was again inactivatedstationed at Tuy Hoa Air Base, Vietnam, the 309th proved their Nov. 1, 1957, and reactivated June 30, 1975, as the 63rd Tacticalcapabilities during all three Vietnam Air Offensives, including Fighter Squadron at MacDill AFB, Florida. Its mission Operation Rolling Thunder.was to train pilots and weapons systems officers for the Returning to Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, the 309th F-4 Phantom II. The name changed slightly, but the missionFS traded the F-100 for the F-4 and flew the Phantom II from stayed the same when the F-16A Fighting Falcon arrived and1970 to 1986. In 1986, the squadron converted to the F-16. the 63rd FS became a tactical fighter training squadron inThe squadron arrived at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, 1981. On March 12, 1993, the 63rd FS transferred to Lukein August 1992, narrowly escaping the devastation of Hurricane AFB, where it now flies the Block 42, F-16CG. Campaigns theAndrew, and was later inactivated in January 1994. After its Panthers have supported include the Normandy Invasion,arrival at Luke AFB, the 309th was reactivated April 8, 1994.Battle of the Bulge, Remagen Bridgehead and Invasion ofThe Wild Ducks have produced 14 aces, totaling 161 kills Holland. Honors earned by the 63rd include two Distinguishedamong them. The 309th FS also has received numerous Unit Citations, seven campaign streamers and the Americanawards, including two Air Force Outstanding Unit awards,Theater Service streamer. two Distinguished Unit citations, one Presidential Unit Citation and one Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. In The 63rd FS stood down May 22, 2009, and realigned withaddition, the Wild Ducks have participated in 25 campaigns the 310th Fighter Squadron Top Hats to remain on base as afrom World War II to Southeast Asia.piece of Lukes history.The squadron emblem is a 1944 Walt Disney Productions The 63rd FS reactivated with the F-35A in August 2016 copyrighted design. It symbolizes the fighter mission and and trains F-35 Lightning II fighter pilots as a joint celestial navigation pioneered by this squadron, itsinternational effort. around-the-clock mission readiness and its striking power.THE Premier Fighter Wing LUKE AIR FORCE BASE 47'