Post World War 2 history
Reactivated in October 1946 under Caribbean Air Command in the Canal Zone, returning to its prewar mission of the defense of the Panama Canal. The squadron conducted air defense training missions for the next two years initially with P-47’s. The squadron upgraded to jet aircraft in December 1947 with the arrival of the Lockheed Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star. As a result of the Berlin Blockade and other Cold War tensions in Europe, the squadron was deployed to Germany and was reassigned to United States Air Forces in Europe during August 1948, becoming part of the third F-80 jet group assigned to USAFE. At Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base tactical operations included air defense, tactical exercises, maneuvers, and photographic reconnaissance. Upgraded to new Republic F-84E Thunderjets in 1950.
Remained at Fürstenfeldbruck until 1952 when it moved to the new Bitburg Air Base, west of the Rhine River near the French border in the Eifel mountains. The air battle over Merklín voit two F-84Es intercepted by two Czechoslovak MiG-15s which shot down one on March 10, 1953. In August 1953, the North American F-86F Sabre was introduced to the squadron, replacing the F-84s. In 1956, the squadron received the North American F-100 Super Sabre, marking the first time a wing in USAFE flew supersonic jets. On 15 May 1958, the squadron was redesignated as a tactical fighter squadron because its missions had now grown to include delivery of tactical nuclear weapons.
In May 1961, received the Republic F-105 Thunderchief and continued to carry on its Cold War mission of tactical nuclear weapons delivery. Twice in the early 1960s when Cold War tensions were elevated due to the 1961 Berlin Wall crisis and 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis the squadron rose to a high level of alert. Was upgraded to the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II in 1966. The squadron was upgraded to the McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle in April 1976. In 1980, more advanced F-15Cs and F-15Ds would replace the original F-15As. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the squadron conducted routine training missions however the outbreak of the 1990–91 Gulf War put the F-15s of Bitburg into the heart of the conflict. The squadron’s pilots and aircraft engaged in combat operations during Operation Desert Storm. Not a single F-15 aircraft was lost in combat during the war. In June 1991, the deployed squadron returned to Bitburg.
Bitburg Air Base was part of the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure (or BRAC) process that saw the drawdown of many military facilities in a series of post-Cold War force reductions. In July 1993, HQ USAFE announced the closure of Bitburg Air Base and the pending inactivation of the 36th Fighter Wing.
Spangdahlem (1994–1999) era
The 53rd Fighter Squadron was relieved from assignment to the 36th Operations Group on 1 February 1994. It was in non-operations status until it was assigned to the 52nd Operations Group (52 FW) at Spangdahlem Air Base on 25 February 1994. At Spangdahlem the squadron supported no-fly zone operations over Bosnia and northern Iraq and other combat operations. It was during the squadron’s support of the no-fly zone in northern Iraq that two of its fighters were involved in the 1994 Black Hawk shootdown incident. The squadron was inactivated in March 1999 as a result of an Air Force-wide reorganization to enlarge F-15 squadrons from 18 to 24 aircraft. Six of the squadron’s Eagles were reassigned to the 493d Fighter Squadron at RAF Lakenheath, and the rest returned to the United States
Modern Era (2021–present)
On 10 December 2021, the 53 FS was activated at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, as an associate unit of the 113th Wing’s 121st Fighter Squadron. On April 13–14, 2024, 121st/53rd FS F-16Cs assisted in the defense of Israel, against an onslaught of drones and surface to air missiles launched from Iran. The 121st’s/53rd’s F-16Cs, operating alongside F-15Es from the 335th FS and 494th FS, were credited with over +70 kills of Iranian drones during combat air patrols
53rd Tactical Fighter Squadron Photos
