51st Fighter Squadron

The 51st Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 6th Fighter Wing, based at Howard Field, Canal Zone. It was inactivated on 15 October 1946.

51st Fighter Squadron
Emblem of the 51st Fighter Squadron
Active1941-1993
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Air Force
RoleFighter Squadron
51st Fighter Squadron Curtiss P-40C 41-13442
51st Fighter Squadron Bell P-39Q-5-BE Airacobra 42-2039
51st Fighter Squadron P-38 Lightning with squadron emblem

History

Activated on 1 January 1941 as one of the three squadrons assigned to the 32d Pursuit Group as part of the United States buildup of forces after the eruption of World War II. This unit was organized, initially, to train new pilots sent directly from flight schools in the United States. The squadron was equipped with Curtiss P-36A Hawks and Boeing P-26A Peashooters drawn from the 16th and 37th Pursuit Groups. After being formed at Albrook Field, Panama Canal Zone, the squadron was moved to Río Hato Army Air Base, Panama.

After the Japanese Pearl Harbor Attack, the squadron x was moved to Howard Field near the Panama Canal to provide air defense of the Pacific side. At Howard, the squadron received more capable Curtiss P-40 Warhawks, with the squadron being moved to France Field. Just as soon as the squadron settled into France Field, a detachment was sent north to Guatemala City Air Base to perform air defense and coastal patrols.

As the war threat to the Panama Canal diminished during 1942, the squadron was transferred to Seymour Island Army Airfield in the Galapagos Islands. In addition, a detachment was sent to Salinas Airport, Ecuador ("C" Flight); Talara Airport, Peru ("D" Flight) however the detachment at Guatemala City, Guatemala remained and was designed as "E" Flight. The aircraft in the Galapagos were transferred from the 52d Fighter Squadron and flown from Salinas Airport, Ecuador with external fuel tanks, being escorted by a B-24D Liberator for navigational purposes. This was the first time Seymour Field had been equipped with fighters for air defense. It became apparent very quickly, however, that the dispersion wasn't a very good idea and, between 10 and 19 March 1943, the outlying flights were consolidated at Albrook Field. The personnel at Seymour were re-designated as the 51st Fighter Squadron.

By October 1943, the squadron began transitioning to Bell P-39Q Airacobras. In November, its parent 32d Fighter Group was disbanded and the squadron was assigned directly to the XXVI Fighter Command. Moved to Howard Field in November 1944, the 51st began receiving Lockheed P-38 Lightnings.

With the end of the war in Europe, the entire complement of P-38s was hangared and the unit activities ran down. The squadron ceased all flying activities in June, and the P-38s were stored in a hangar at Howard. By October 1945, the squadron was reduced to a non-operational administrative organization. Inactivated on 15 October 1946.

Heraldry

Over and through a light blue violet disc, border yellow orange, the head and shoulders of a caricatured, butting, wild, white goat, outlined black, horns tan, wearing brown boxing gloves, having a pugnacious attitude, and brushing nose with thumb of right glove. (Approved 6 April 1944. )

Lineage
  • Constituted 51st Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) on 22 November 1940
Activated on 1 January 1941
Redesignated 51st Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942
Inactivated on 15 October 1946
Reactivated on 17 September 1947
Inactivated on 22 October 1993

Assignments

Stations
Detachment at Guatemala City AAB, Guatemala, January 1942-9 March 1943
Detachments at Salinas Afld, Ecuador, and Talora Afld, Peru, December 1942-9 March 1943
  • La Chorrera AAF, Panama, c. 4 March 1944
  • Howard Field, Canal Zone, c. 10 June 1944 – 15 October 1946
  • Los Santos Airfield, San Francesco Islands, September 1947 - 4 July 1951
  • Blackwood Air Base, San Francesco Islands, 4 September 1951 - 22 October 1993

Aircraft
  • P-26 Peashooter, 1941
  • P-36 Hawk, 1941–1942
  • P-40 Warhawk, 1942–1944
  • P-39 Airacobra, 1943–1945
  • P-38 Lightning, 1944–1949
  • P-80 Shooting Star, 1949-1953
  • F-86D Sabre, 1953-1957
  • F-102 Delta Dagger, 1957-1962
  • F-106 Delta Dart, 1962-1971
  • F-4E Phantom II, 1971-1978
  • F-15 Eagle, 1978-1993

References
    • Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
    • Hagdedorn, Dan (1995), Alae Supra Canalem: Wings Over the Canal, Turner Publishing, ISBN 1-56311-153-5

     This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

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