47TH FIGHTER SQUADRON
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona
Mission
To train, educate, and mentor the world's finest attack pilots for the Combat Air Forces while honing the core competencies of A/OA-10 instruction, operations management and aircrew life support. To further develop the leaders, wingmen and warriors at all ranks to meet the challenges of leading our service today and into our future.
Description
The 47th Fighter Squadron is a unit-equipped 24 Primary Aerospace Vehicle Authorized (PAA) A-10C aircraft squadron that conducts training for pilot initial qualification, transition, and instructor qualification in the A-10C at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. The 47th both actively and classically associates with the 355th Fighter Wing. The 47 FS currently has 55 Airmen comprised of full-time Air Reserve Technicians (ART), part-time Traditional Reservists (TR), Regular Air Force members, and civilians. Our TRs are employed in a variety of career fields in and outside of the Tucson area. Our members work as airline pilots, nurses, university students, and many other occupations. 47 FS members have an average experience level of 13 years in the military and its pilots average over 2,000 A-10 flying hours, including an average of 200 combat hours and 500 instructor hours. The unique makeup and high experience level of the 47th Fighter Squadron makes it exceptionally capable for accomplishing its unit mission.
Chronological History:
The 47 FS was activated on Dec. 1, 1940, as the 47th Pursuit Squadron, one of three squadrons assigned to the 15th Pursuit Group at Wheeler Field, Hawaii. The 47th participated in numerous campaigns from 1940 to 1945, flying P-26, P-36 Hawk, P-47 Thunderbolt, and P-51 Mustang aircraft. The squadron was credited with shooting down eight Japanese aircraft on December 7, 1941, and fought in the pacific theater during World War II. The 47th flew missions out of several locations, including Thailand, and was credited with shooting down hundreds of enemy aircraft by the end of the war. After the war ended, the squadron returned to Hawaii and was inactivated on Oct. 15, 1946.
On Dec. 1, 1952, the 47th was re-designated the 47th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and was activated at Niagara Falls Municipal Airport, New York. Assigned to the 4708th Defense Wing under Air Defense Command, the squadron flew F-47 aircraft. In 1957, the squadron began re-equipping with the North American F-86L Sabre, an improved version of the F-86D. In May 1958, the Sabres were replaced by F-102 Delta Daggers. On July 1, 1960, the 47th was again inactivated. In the summer of 1962 the squadron was reactivated as the 47th Tactical Fighter Squadron and was assigned to the 15th Tactical Fighter Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. The 47th flew F-84F Thunderstreak and F-4 Phantom II aircraft.
In July 1965, the 47th deployed to Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, and completed 1,743 combat missions over Southeast Asia. The squadron returned to MacDill on November 27, 1965, and converted from a training mission to a combat training mission before being inactivated on July 2, 1971.
On October 1, 1973, the squadron was reactivated as the 47th Tactical Fighter Squadron under the 917th Tactical Fighter Group at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The 47th flew A-37 Dragonfly aircraft until October 1, 1980, when A-37s were phased out and replaced with the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
In December 1993, Aug. 1994, and May 1995, the squadron deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy, to support the United Nations’ no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina. In May 1996 the squadron deployed for the fourth time to Aviano, this time under the auspices of Operation Decisive Edge. The end result was a total of 501 sorties flown by the 47th from 1993 to 1996 as part of the NATO peacekeeping effort.
On October 7, 1996, the 47th's mission changed from combat to A-10 pilot training. The school graduated approximately 45 active-duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve students per year. On October 1, 2011, the 47 FS converted from a training unit to a combat coded unit under the 917 FG. In February 2012, the 47th deployed to Bagram AB in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. On October 1, 2013, the 917 FG and the 47th once again deactivated. On March 1, 2014, the 47th stood up again as a U.S. Air Force Reserve A-10 formal training unit under the 924th Fighter Group, Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, as part of the 944th Fighter Wing.