Flying Squadrons
   The 1st, 2nd and 95th Fighter Squadrons provide initial F-15 qualification training for pilots, in addition to conversion and recurrence checkouts. The latest addition to the 325th Operations Group is the 43rd Fighter Squadron, which provides qualification training in the F/A-22 air dominance fighter/attack aircraft.

1st Fighter Squadron
   The history of the "Fightin' Furies" is long and honorable. Constituted as the 1st Fighter Squadron on Oct. 5, 1944 and activated as part of the 413th Fighter Group on Oct. 15, 1945. During World War II, the squadron flew P-47s. On an island near Okinawa the 1st launched P-47 Thunderbolts against the Japanese, amassing almost 1,200 combat air patrol, bombing, strafing and escort missions. It was during this era, the squadron adopted its world-renowned emblem, "Miss Fury."
   The 1st Fighter Squadron was redesignated as the 1st Fighter-Day Squadron on Aug. 26, 1954 and activated as part of the 413th Fighter-Day Wing on Nov. 11, 1954. Then, on July 1, 1958, the squadron was subsequently named the 1st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron as part of the 413th Tactical Fighter Wing. During this time, the squadron trained fighter pilots, in F-86s from 1954-1956 and F-100s from 1956-1959. The 1st Tactical Fighting Training Squadron operated out of George AFB, Calif., until it was again deactivated on March 15, 1959, with then Lt. Col. Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager as commander.
   On Jan. 1, 1984, the squadron was reactivated as the 1st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, part of the 325th Tactical Training Wing at Tyndall. The 1st TFTS was activated in order to train fighter pilots in the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle.
   On Sept. 17, 1991, due to a major Air Force reorganization, the operations and maintenance functions of the 1st formed one combined squadron. Thus the squadron was renamed the 1st Fighter Squadron.
   The 1st FS is proud of its long, distinguished heritage and traditions, which have been upheld in defense of American freedom and ideals.

2nd Fighter Squadron
   The 2nd Fighter Squadron, known as the "American Beagle Squadron," began its long and distinguished history in January 1941 when it was activated as the 2nd Pursuit Squadron. In 1942, the squadron was redesigned as the 2nd Fighter Squadron. In the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, the squadron flew the Supermarine Spitfire MkIV and the North American P-51 Mustang, producing 11 fighter aces and achieving 183.33 aerial victories, the last which was a German jet bomber. During the Cold War the 2nd flew a number of interceptor aircraft until transitioning to the McDonnell Douglas F-15 in 1984. In Operation DESERT STORM, 2nd Fighter Squadron graduates accounted for 11 of 35 aerial victories. True testimonies to the level of training student pilots receive at Tyndall. Tasked with producing the finest air superiority pilots in the world, the 2nd FS carries on its proud heritage of being "Second to None."

   During May 1984, the squadron became the 2nd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron and in 1991, was redesignated the 2nd Fighter Squadron. Today, the 2nd FS flies the F-15 Eagle and are charged with providing near mission ready F-15 pilots for worldwide assignment. A rich heritage and the present air superiority training mission make this fighter squadron truly "Second to None."

95th Fighter Squadron
   Known proudly as the "Boneheads," the 95th Fighter Squadron has a proud and distinguished history that began in 1942. The squadron first saw service flying the original twin-tailed fighter, the P-38 Lightning, serving in both North Africa and Italy.
   Among the squadron's many notable accomplishments was its participation in the attacks on the Ploesti oil refineries. Each aircraft carried a 1,000-pound bomb and a 300-gallon gas tank. The unit was credited with delivering its bombs "right on target." In May of 1943, the 95th was tasked with the mission of bombing the Island of Pantellaria, a key stepping-stone to the Allied advance. The 95th accomplished the mission with perfection, causing the Islands garrison to surrender just prior to the Allies landing on the Island. The squadron also took part in some of the first shuttle missions to Russia. The 95th finished the war with more than 400 kills, 199 air-to-air kills and seven aces.
   During the post-war period, the 95th was assigned to the Alaskan Air Command, flying the P-51 Mustang. In the fall of 1959, the 95th was tasked with the defense of Washington, D.C., and the surrounding area and performed its mission flawlessly. With the initiation of NORAD and the threat of manned bomber attacks, the 95th was assigned to 24-hour alert status. Armed with the world's fastest interceptor, the F-106 Delta Dart, the 95th could be called to action and within minutes be airborne fully loaded and armed with nuclear missiles.
   The present squadron was activated at Tyndall on Aug. 15, 1974, as the 95th Interceptor Training Squadron, redesignated the 95th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on April 1, 1974, and finally as the 95th Fighter Squadron on Nov. 1, 1991. "Mr. Bones" is pictured on the unit patch on a blue disc with wide yellow border a white skull with black eye sockets, nose, teeth, etc., wearing a high black silk hat and monocle with black ribbon. The significance-a death's head emanating from a cloud, with an arrogant expression-is symbolic of the squadron's dauntless capability to accomplish the mission in any weather, day or night; primarily stalking the enemy to destruction. The full dress, particularly the top hat, represents the squadron personnel's sentiments that the unit is "tops." Thus, explaining the squadron motto, "Death With Finesse."
   During the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the 95th Fighter Squadron leapt into action by generating combat-configured F-15C aircraft and flying combat air patrol missions over cities in the southeastern United States.

43rd Fighter Squadron
   The 43rd Fighter Squadron is one of the oldest active squadrons in the Air Force. The unit was originally activated June 13, 1917 as the 43rd Aero Squadron, at Camp Kelly, Texas. During the 1920's the squadron operated the Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field before being deactivated in 1936. The squadron was reactivated in 1940 as the 43rd Pursuit Squadron. Though they never saw combat in either World War, they were in France during the closing days of WWI and tasked with homeland defense in the Panama Canal Zone during World War II, when the threat of an attack on the contiguous 48 states seemed very possible. The unit did see combat during the conflict in Vietnam, flying F-4 Phantoms over South Vietnam. From 1970-1994, the 43rd was tasked with air defense once again, this time in the Cold War Theater of Alaska. Ultimately, the unit was the recipient of 11 Distinguished Unit Citations.
   The unit was deactivated in 1994, and reactivated on October 25, 2002 here at Tyndall. Now tasked with flying and training in the F/A-22 air dominance fighter and attack aircraft, the most advanced military aircraft in the world. The 43rd Fighter Squadron is the first F/A-22 flying squadron at Tyndall, and the first operational F/A-22 squadron in the world.

325th Air Control Squadron
   The "Screaming Eagles" began as the 325th Fighter Control Squadron in April 1943. In December 1943, the unit moved to North Africa to support the operations of the 325th Fighter Wing and other American and allied flying units. Moving its radar with the front lines, the squadron saw action throughout the Mediterranean and Southern Europe and earned battle streamers for Rome, 1944; Southern France, 1944; and the Rhineland, 1945. The squadron was disbanded in early 1945, when German air activity had effectively ceased.

   The present squadron was activated at Tyndall in 1947, making it the base's oldest surviving resident. During the past 54 years the squadron has taught radar operations and maintenance to tens of thousands of personnel of all ranks.
   Today, the school teaches five primary courses. Officers attend the 9-month Air Battle Manager course. They learn doctrine, radar theory, surveillance operations, basic fighter control using simulated aircraft, contract-flown MU-2 aircraft and 325th FW F-15s, as well as wartime E-3 operations and joint tactical operations. Graduates go on to fly in the E-3 AWACS or the E-8 JSTARS.
   More than 100 officers from around the world come to Tyndall every year to attend two different advanced command and control courses for foreign Air Battle Managers.

325th Operations Support Squadron
   The "Silver Knights" of the 325th Operations Support Squadron are responsible for all operational support of the four fighter squadrons to include weapons, training, airfield operations, weather support, intelligence activities, and current operations.
   The Training Flight is responsible for 325 FW operations training and readiness for both F-15 and F/A-22 aircraft: weapons and tactics training; flight simulators; formal training courses; syllabus and courseware development; platform academic instruction; training documentation and reporting; life support ground, egress, flight, ejection, and water survival training; air combat maneuvering instrumentation (ACMI) equipment, facility, and ranges.
   The weapons and tactics flight is responsible for weapons and tactics training, Top Gun/Turkey Shoot competitions, Electronic Combat program, and air-to-air reference publications.
   The airfield operations flight oversees the fifth busiest air traffic control complex in AETC and sixth busiest in the Air Force, conducting more than 220,000 operations annually while administering one of only three United States Air Force Air Traffic Control Officer Upgrade Programs.
   Mission monitoring service is provided to more than 6,000 fighter air-to-air intercept training missions annually. Air traffic control facility personnel are responsible for providing air traffic services for Panama City International Airport and 11 other satellite airports. Base operations personnel process more than 30,000 flights plans annually and are the focal point for all transient aircraft services.

   The weather flight provides operational and staff weather support to the 325th Fighter Wing, Headquarters 1st Air Force, Continental U.S. NORAD Region, Southeast Air Defense Sector, 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group and other Tyndall associate units. Flight personnel also plan and establish environmental support for the air defense, aircraft training, and weapons evaluation missions, including Tyndall's base populace.
   The intelligence flight directs all intelligence activities for the 325th Fighter Wing and subordinate units to include current intelligence/threat briefings and studies, extensive aircrew/weapons controller academic training, air defense mission and exercise support and intelligence personnel training.
   Flight personnel also provide intelligence support and resources to visiting tactical units. In addition, the intelligence flight directs all aspects of the F-15C Top Off Intelligence Course, a five-week program designed to teach intelligence personnel assigned to F-15C units about the unique aspects of supporting the air superiority mission. The flight maintains a TOIC detachment at Hurlburt Field to support Air Force Special Operations Command. An F/A-22 TOIC will be stood up in the near future as that aircraft is fielded.

   The Current Operations Flight is responsible for the daily scheduling of flying sorties and airspace for all regional users of Tyndall air-to-air ranges. The staff also coordinates procedures between 1st AF, FAA and other major commands to assure orderly and safe use of 15,000 square miles of airspace and manages the supervisor of the flying program. Flight personnel also maintain the aircraft hurricane evacuation plan and when necessary, coordinate the evacuation of base aircraft. Finally, they manage the 325th Fighter Wing flying-hour program.