13th Fighter Squadron

This article is about the 13th Fighter Squadron first activated in 1966. For other uses of 13th Fighter Squadron, see 13th Fighter Squadron (disambiguation).

13th Fighter Squadron
165px 13th Fighter Squadron Patch
Active	13 January 1942 – 10 October 1943 2 May 1966 – 30 June 1975 15 January 1976 – 1 July 1982 1 June 1985 – present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Fighter
Part of	Pacific Air Forces 5th Air Force 35th Fighter Wing 35th Operations Group
Nickname(s)	"The Panther Pack"
Motto	Cave Putorium
Mascot	Eldridge
Engagements	World War II Vietnam War
Decorations	PUC AFOUA w/V Device RVGC w/ Palm

File:13th Fighter Squadron - Lockheed F-16C Block 50P Fighting Falcon - 92-3913.jpg

F-16C block 50 #92-3913 from the 13th FS departs for the Fort Irwin ranges on 20 August 2008, during exercise Green Flag 080-9 at Nellis AFB.

Eldridge, mascot of 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron

File:F-4D 13th TFS with Pave Sword laser over Vietnam 1971.jpg

A 13th TFS F-4D over Vietnam in 1971, carrying a Pave Sword laser pod.

The 13th Fighter Squadron (13 FS) is part of the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan.

Mission

The 13th Fighter Squadron "Panther Pack" operates the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon CJ Block 50 aircraft conducting air superiority missions. The Panthers provide in Offensive and Defensive Counter-Air capabilities, and specialize in the role of Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD).

History

The 13th flew antisubmarine patrols in the Gulf of Mexico from, June–August 1942 and served as an operational and replacement training unit from, April 1942–October 1943. It flew combat missions in Southeast Asia from, 15 May 1966 – 30 June 1975.

During the Vietnam War, while stationed at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, the squadron's mascot was a full-grown black panther (Asian leopard), named Eldridge. The cat was given to the squadron in 1970, as the story went by an Air America (CIA) pilot who picked it up in Laos. Eldridge was kept in a large cage near the Squadron building and often taken for walks around the Base. Although tame, he was still a wild animal and after the war was given to the Phoenix Arizona zoo in 1973. The squadron adopted the nickname "The Panther Pack," and the image of the black panther appears on the unit emblem. The name Eldridge was chosen as a nod to Eldridge Cleaver (31 August 1935 – 1 May 1998) a radical and author, who served as the Minister of Information for the Black Panther Party.

The squadron performed tactical fighter training for pilots and weapons systems officers from, January 1976–June 1982 and since 1985.

Lineage

• Constituted as 313th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 13 Jan 1942

Activated on 1 Feb 1942

Disbanded on 10 Oct 1943

• Reconstituted, and consolidated (19 Sep 1985) with 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron, which was constituted, and activated, on 2 May 1966.

Organized on 15 May 1966

Inactivated on 30 Jun 1975

Re-designated as 13th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 18 Dec 1975

Activated on 15 Jan 1976

Inactivated on 1 Jul 1982

• Re-designated as 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 5 Jun 1984

Activated on 1 Jun 1985

Re-designated as 13th Fighter Squadron on 31 May 1991.

Assignments

• 21st Bombardment Group, 1 Feb 1942 – 10 Oct 1943
• Pacific Air Forces, 2 May 1966
• 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 May 1966

Attached to 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 May 1966 – 17 Oct 1967

• 432d Tactical Reconnaissance (later, 432d Tactical Fighter) Wing, 15 Nov 1967 – 30 Jun 1975
• 56th Tactical Fighter (later, 56th Tactical Training) Wing, 15 Jan 1976 – 1 Jul 1982
• 432d Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Jun 1985
• 432d Operations Group, 31 May 1991
• 35th Operations Group, 1 Oct 1994 – present

Stations

• Bowman Field, Kentucky (1942)
• Jackson Army Air Base, Mississippi (1942)
• Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina (1942)
• Key Field, Mississippi (1942)
• Hattiesburg, Mississippi (1942)
• MacDill Field, Florida (1942–1943)
• Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand (1966–1967)
• Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand (1967–1975)
• MacDill Air Force Base, Florida (1976–1982)
  • Operated From: Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida (26 November – 22 December 1979)
• Misawa Air Base, Japan (1985 – present)

Aircraft

• Douglas B-18 Bolo (1942)
• Douglas A-20 Havoc (1942)
• North American B-25 Mitchell (1942)
• Martin B-26 Marauder (1942–1943)
• Republic F-105 Thunderchief (1966–1967)
• McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II (1967–1982)
• General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon (1985 – present)

Aces

Capt Jeffrey Feinstein. 5 kills.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Hagdedorn, Dan (1995), Alae Supra Canalem: Wings Over the Canal, Turner Publishing, ISBN 1-56311-153-5
• 13th Fighter Squadron Fact Sheet
• [1]

• Eldridge the mascot [2]
• Cambodia Bombing of the 13 TFS 1973