8th Flying Training Squadron

The 8th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 71st Flying Training Wing based at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the T-6A Texan II aircraft conducting flight training.

8th Flying Training Squadron
T-6 Texan IIs from Vance AFB
Active	1942–1951; 1972–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Pilot Training
Part of	Air Education and Training Command
Garrison/HQ	Vance Air Force Base
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Commanders
Current commander	LtCol Deirdre Gurry[1]
Insignia
8th Flying Training Squadron emblem (approved 28 July 1990)[2][note 1]
8th Flying Training Squadron emblem (approved 2 January 1973)[3]

Mission

Performs Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training with T-6A Texan II trainers.

History

Activated in early 1942 under Fourth Air Force; after a brief organizational period in Southern California where it was equipped with reconnaissance P-38 Lightnings (F-4) it deployed to the Southwest Pacific Area (SPA), being assigned to Fifth Air Force in Australia.

Engaged in long-range tactical reconnaissance missions over New Guinea; later the Dutch East Indies and in late 1944, over the Philippines in support of Mac Arthur's Island-Hopping campaign (1942–1945). After the Japanese capitulation in August 1945, became part of the Army of Occupation in Japan. It was not operational between April 1946 and July 1947.

From 1947–1949 flew photographic mapping missions over Japan, Korea, Philippines and other areas of western Pacific.[4][5] During the Korean War, the squadron flew tactical reconnaissance sorties over North and South Korea from, 29 June 1950 – 24 February 1951.

The 8th has conducted undergraduate pilot training for active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and selected foreign allies since 1 November 1972.[2] Since the mid-1990s, the squadron has also conducted joint primary flight training for selected US Navy and US Marine Corps student naval aviators, with command of the squadron alternating between Air Force officers in the rank of lieutenant colonel and Navy officers in the ranks of commander.[2][6][7][8][9]

Lineage

• Constituted as the 8th Photographic Squadron on 19 Jan 1942

Activated 1 Feb 1942

Redesignated 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 9 Jun 1942

Redesignated 8th Photographic Squadron (Light) on 6 Feb 1943

Redesignated 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 13 Nov 1943

Redesignated 8th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Night Photographic on 10 Aug 1948

Redesignated 8th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Photo-Jet on 1 Aug 1949

Inactivated on 25 Feb 1951

Redesignated 8th Flying Training Squadron on 14 Apr 1972

Activated on 1 Nov 1972[2]

Assignments

• IV Air Support Command, 1 Feb 1942
• Fifth Air Force, 29 Mar 1942 (attached to Allied Air Forces, Apr – Sep 1942)
• V Bomber Command, 5 Sep 1942
• 6th Photographic (later, 6th Reconnaissance) Group, 13 Nov 1943 (attached to V Bomber Command after c. 10 Dec 1945)
• V Bomber Command, 27 Apr 1946
• 314th Composite Wing, 31 May 1946
• 71st Reconnaissance Group (later, 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group), 28 Feb 1947 (attached to 314th Composite Wing until Nov 1947)
• Fifth Air Force, 1 Apr 1949
• 543d Tactical Support Group, 26 Sep 1950 – 25 Feb 1951
• 71st Flying Training Wing, 1 Nov 1972
• 71st Operations Group, 15 Dec 1991 – present[2]

Stations

March Field, California, 1 Feb – 14 Mar 1942 Two flights remained at March Field, CA, to 16 Jun 1942 Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Australia, 7 Apr 1942 Archerfield Airport (Brisbane), Australia, 24 Apr 1942 Charters Towers Airfield, Australia, 2 May 1942 Kila Airfield (3 Mile Drome), Port Moresby, New Guinea, 9 Sep 1942 Nadzab Airfield, New Guinea, 16 Mar 1944 Operated from Biak after c. 11 Aug 1944 Mokmer Airfield, Biak, 10 Sep – 20 Oct 1944 Dulag Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, 4 Nov 1944 Air Echelon assigned to Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, 19 May – 12 Aug 1945 Motobu Airfield, Okinawa, 21 Jul 1945 Chōfu Airfield, Japan, 28 Sep 1945 Irumagawa Air Base, Japan, 25 Jan 1946 Yokota Air Base, Japan, 25 Mar 1949 Detachment operated from Itazuke Air Base, Japan, from 29 Jun 1950 Itazuke Air Base, Japan, 9 Jul 1950 Taegu Air Base (K-2), South Korea, 2 Oct 1950 Komaki Air Base, Japan Operated from Taegu Air Base (K-2), South Korea, 26 Jan – 25 Feb 1951 Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, 1 Nov 1972 – present[2]

Aircraft

F-4 Lightning (1942–1944) F-5 Lightning (1943–1946) B-17 Flying Fortress (1942–1943) B-26 Marauder (1943–1944) F-6 Mustang (1946) P-51 Mustang (1946) P-61 Black Widow (1946) F-15A/RF-61C Reporter (1947–1949) RF-80 Shooting Star (1949–1951) T-37 Tweet (1972–2006) T-6 Texan II (2006 – present)[2]

Notable members

• Jeffrey B. Cashman, future Brigadier General.
• Fred Hargesheimer, pilot turned philanthropist to those who saved his life after he was shot down.
• James P. Ulm, future Brigadier General.

References

Notes

1. This emblem was based on a World War II emblem that apparently never received official approval. Maurer, pp. 48-49, cf. Endicott, p. 394.

Citations

1. "Gurry takes command of 8th FTS". Vance Air Force Base. United States Air Force. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
2. Kane, Robert B. (16 March 2010). "Factsheet 8 Flying Training Squadron (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
3. Endicott, p. 394
4. Pape & Donna Campbell
5. Maurer, pp. 48-49
6. "8 Flying Training Squadron (AETC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
7. "Operations officer takes over the 8th FTS". Vance Air Force Base. 7 August 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
8. "8th FTS gets new commander". Vance Air Force Base. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
9. "Gurry takes command of 8th FTS". Vance Air Force Base. Retrieved 22 January 2019.

Bibliography

• Endicott, Judy G. (1998). Active Air Force Wings as of 1 October 1995 and USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995 (PDF). Air Force History and Museums Program. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ASIN B000113MB2. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
• Pape, Garry R.; Campbell, John M.; Campbell, Donna (1991). Northrop P-61 Black Widow: The Complete History and Combat Record. Minneapolis, MN: Motorbooks International. ISBN 978-0-879385-09-5.

Further reading

• Stanaway, John and Bob Rocker. The Eight Ballers: Eyes of the Fifth Air Force. The 8th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron in World War II. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0-7643-0910-2.