476th Tactical Fighter Squadron

Activated in October 1957 at George AFB, California. Initially equipped with F-100 Super Sabres, however was programmed to receive the new F-104C tactical strike version of the Lockheed Starfighter. Delays in development caused the squadron not to receive the F-104 until September 1958, when it was the first Tactical Air Command squadron to be equipped with the new aircraft. It was primarily intended for nuclear strike, but it could also carry out ground attack missions with conventional weapons.

After obtaining operational readiness with the Starfigher, was deployed to Spain for air defense missions over the SAC B-47 Reflex base at Moron AB. Also used by the USAF/Lockheed for demonstrations for NATO military sales to replace Republic F-84F Thunderstreak combat aircraft. Also deployed in this role to Hahn AB, West Germany in 1962.

Was deployed to Taiwan in 1968 to reinforce the ROC Air Force air defense mission. In April 1968 was forward deployed with regular rotations to Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam. Their job was to fly MiG combat air patrol (MiGCAP) missions to protect American fighter bombers against attack by North Vietnamese fighters. They flew these missions armed with their single M61A1 20-mm cannon and four AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. The effect of F-104 deployment upon NVN and PRC MiG operations was immediate and dramatic; NVN MiGs soon learned to avoid contact with USAF strikes being covered by F-104s. During the entire deployment of the 476th only two fleeting encounters between F-104Cs and enemy fighters occurred.

Returned to the United States without aircraft in July 1968, the F-104Cs remaining in Taiwan and sold to the ROC Air Force. Was planned to be re-equipped with F-4C Phantom IIs as part of the phaseout of the F-104 from TAC, however budget reductions led to the squadron being placed on non-operational status; personnel were re-designated as the 4535th Combat Crew Training Squadron. Was reassigned to 4th TFW at Seymour Johnson AFB, but remained non-operational and inactivated in March 1969.

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

• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.