13th Fighter Squadron
“War Dogs”
The 61st Fighter Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 56th Operations Group, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates the F-15E, conducting Pilot training and join operations in TACG 218.
Squadron History
The 61st Fighter Squadron has a long and fascinating history from World War II to today. In its early days, the squadron was known as the 61st Pursuit Squadron and received intense training under III Fighter Command. They flew various planes, including the P-35, P-36, P-39, and P-40. Later, they switched to the P-47 Thunderbolt and were responsible for defending the Southeastern United States.
A different name was initially called the squadron but was later renamed the 61st Fighter Squadron in May 1942. In January 1943, they were sent to England, where they completed combat missions using the P-47 Thunderbolt. They were the first fighter squadron in Europe to achieve more than 100 wins. However, the squadron was disbanded and deactivated after the war in October 1945.
In May 1946, the squadron was reactivated during the Cold War as an escort fighter group for Strategic Air Command. Their initial planes were P-47 Thunderbolts, but later transitioned to P-51 Mustangs. Their primary role was to provide fighter escorts for SAC’s B-29 Superfortress bombers during strategic missions to Alaska and Europe. In the 1950s, the squadron shifted its focus to air defense missions and operated planes such as the F-86 Sabre, F-94 Starfire, and F-89 Scorpion. They were relocated to various bases, including Ernest Harmon AFB in Newfoundland and Truax Field in Wisconsin, before being inactivated in July 1960.
The squadron was activated multiple times in the following years. In 1975, it was reactivated at MacDill AFB. It flew the F-4 Phantom II, focusing on training pilots and weapons systems officers. In 1980, the squadron switched to the F-16 Fighting Falcon while continuing its training duties. Over time, it underwent various redesignations and equipment changes. Eventually, it became the 61st Fighter Squadron, relocating to Luke AFB in Arizona. The squadron played a critical role in F-16 training. It became the first Luke AFB squadron to undertake the F-35A training mission in 2013.
