47th Fighter Squadron
The 47th Fighter Squadron is an Air Force Reserve Command unit based at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, where it flies Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft and is assigned to the 924 Fighter Group.
| 47th Fighter Squadron | |
|---|---|
47th Fighter Squadron A-10 Thunderbolt II at Hawgsmoke 2010 competition | |
| Active | 1940–1946; 1952–1960; 1962–1971; 1973–present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Role | Fighter |
| Part of | Air Force Reserve Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Davis–Monthan Air Force Base |
| Nickname(s) | Dogpatchers |
| Engagements | Pacific Ocean Theater |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Insignia | |
| 47th Fighter Squadron emblem (revised 27 November 2001) | |
| 47th Fighter Squadron emblem (approved 19 September 1944) | |
The squadron was first activated in 1940, as the United States expanded its military forces prior to World War II, as the 47th Pursuit Squadron. The squadron formed part of the air defenses of the Hawaiian Islands, and suffered heavy losses in the attack on Pearl Harbor. It served in Hawaii and the Pacific for the remainder of the war, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation for long-range fighter missions over Japan in 1945. It returned to Hawaii in 1946 and was inactivated.
The squadron was activated again as the 47th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron in 1952, when it replaced an Air National Guard unit that had been mobilized for the Korean War and was being returned to state control. It continued in the air defense role until inactivating in 1960. It was activated again in 1962 as the 47th Tactical Fighter Squadron and became one of the first McDonnell F-4 Phantom II fighter units, flying the Phantom until 1971, and deploying elements to Southeast Asia. It was activated again in the Reserve in 1973 and has served as an Air Force Reserve fighter squadron since then.