- Source: 387th Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 387th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 312th Tactical Fighter Wing at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, where it was inactivated on 18 February 1959.
History
= World War II
=Established in early 1942 as a light bomber squadron, equipped with Douglas A-24 Banshees, although equipped with export model Vultee A-31 Vengeance dive bombers for training. Trained under Third Air Force in the southeast United States, also used for antisubmarine patrols over the Atlantic southeast coast and then Gulf of Mexico.
Deployed to Southern California in early 1943 to the Desert Warfare Center, trained in light bombing while supporting Army maneuvers in the Mojave Desert until October.
Re-equipped with North American A-36 Apache dive bombers and deployed to New Guinea as part of Fifth Air Force. In the Southwest Pacific the squadron attacked Japanese strong points and tactical positions and targets of opportunity in support of General Douglas MacArthur's campaign along the north coast of New Guinea; then advancing into the Netherlands East Indies and Philippines as part of the island hopping campaign. Re-equipped with Curtiss P-40 Warhawks; then later Douglas A-20 Havocs. Engaged in heavy fighting on Leyte; Mindoro and Luzon in the Philippines during 1944–1945.
The squadron moved to Okinawa in mid-August and after the atomic bomb missions had been flown; remained on Okinawa until December until returning to the United States with most personnel demobilizing. It was inactivated as a paper unit on 6 January 1946.
= Reserve operations
=The squadron was reactivated as a B-29 Superfortress unit in the reserves in 1947, but lack of funding and personnel led to rapid inactivation.
= Cold War fighter operations
=Transferred to Tactical Air Command in the mid-1950s and activated first with North American F-86 Sabres, then North American F-100 Super Sabres in 1958. Inactivated in 1959 when its parent 312th Tactical Fighter Wing was inactivated and its personnel and equipment transferred to the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing. Squadron personnel and equipment of the squadron were transferred to the 523d Tactical Fighter Squadron.
Lineage
Constituted as the 387th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 28 January 1942
Activated on 15 March 1942
Redesignated 387th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 27 July 1942
Redesignated 387th Bombardment Squadron, Light on 6 December 1943
Redesignated 387th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 19 July 1945
Inactivated on 18 December 1945
Redesignated 387th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 14 July 1947
Activated in the reserve on 30 July 1947
Inactivated on 27 June 1949
Redesignated 387th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 29 July 1954
Activated on 1 October 1954
Redesignated 387th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 July 1958
Inactivated on 18 February 1959
= Assignments
=312th Bombardment Group, 15 March 1942 – 18 December 1945
Tenth Air Force, 30 July 1947
312th Bombardment Group, 13 August 1947 – 27 June 1949
312th Fighter-Bomber Group, October 1954
312th Fighter-Bomber Wing (later 312th Tactical Fighter Wing), 8 October 1957 – 18 February 1959
= Stations
== Aircraft
=References
= Notes
=Explanatory notes
Citations
= Bibliography
=This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Watkins, Robert A. (2013). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force In World War II. Vol. V, Pacific Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-4346-9.