This is the second of four caches in a series on the history and mission of Seymour Johnson AFB. Here you will find information on one of the mighty aircraft flown by the 4th Fighter Wing.
Spanning more than eight decades and six wars, the 4th Fighter Wing is one of the most distinguished fighter units in the world. In addition, it has the distinction of being one of only two Air Force units that can trace its history to another country.
Before the United States' entry into World War II, American volunteers were already serving as combat veterans in Royal Air Force units known as Eagle Squadrons (71st, 121st and 133rd). When the United States entered the war, these units, and the American pilots in them, were transferred to the U.S. Army Air Forces, forming the 4th Fighter Group on Sept. 12, 1942. With units now designated the 334th, 335th and 336th Fighter Squadrons, the group was a record setter throughout the air war over Europe, justly earning the motto "Fourth But First." It was the first fighter group to use belly fuel tanks, the first to penetrate Germany, the first to accompany bombers to Berlin, the first to accomplish the England-to-Russia shuttle and the first to down jet fighters. The group was credited with the destruction of 1,016 enemy aircraft in the air and on the ground, more than any other 8th Air Force unit, and produced 38 aces.
After a period of inactivation following the end of WWII, the 4th Fighter Group transitioned to F-86 Sabre jets in March 1949, just in time for advanced training and entry into the Korean War. In December 1950, the group was the first unit to commit F-86 Sabre jets to that conflict and participated in the first major all-jet fighter battle in history, downing six MiG-15s without sustaining any losses. The group would go on to destroy 502 enemy aircraft (54 percent of total US aerial victories), becoming the top fighter unit of the Korean War. Twenty-four pilots achieved ace status.
The group moved to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, NC, Dec. 8, 1957, picking up a fourth fighter squadron (the 333rd Fighter Sq) and was redesignated as the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing in July 1958. The wing became the first Air Force unit to convert to the F-105 Thunderchief. During the transition to the Thud, the 4th Wing commander set a new world speed record on a 100-kilometer closed course at 1,163.35 miles per hour.
Some of the more significant events of the 1960s included the deployment of the three tactical fighter squadrons to McCoy AFB, FL, during the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962; rotational tours to the Vietnam War in 1965; and transition to F-4D Phantom II aircraft beginning in early 1967. The 4th Fighter Wing continued to sustain a highly visible mobility posture and supported multiple deployments to Southeast Asia to support the Vietnam War beginning in April 1972. Operating from Ubon Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand, as the first F-4 wing to augment elements of Pacific Air Forces, aircrews of the Fourth flew more than 8,000 combat missions, many into the very heart of North Vietnam.
In 1988, the Fourth began transitioning to the F-15E Strike Eagle, the Air Force's newest and most advanced tactical fighter aircraft. At the height of conversion training, the Fourth was one of the first units tasked to react to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait Aug 2, 1990. Two F-15E tactical fighter squadrons were deployed to Southwest Asia in August and December of that year. The unit earned another first by spearheading nighttime strikes against Iraqi forces Jan. 16, 1991, helping to bring the Persian Gulf War to a successful conclusion Feb. 28.
In response to the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States, the 4th Fighter Wing began flying Operation NOBLE EAGLE sorties, the first of their kind for the wing, providing air protection for Homeland Defense.
In 2002, the 4th Fighter Wing arrived in Kuwait in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH and ENDURING FREEDOM, flying missions over Iraq and Afghanistan. During Operation ANACONDA, the wing's mission was to provide close air support into Afghanistan, including a mountainous area now known as Roberts Ridge. Members of the 335th Fighter Squadron successfully suppressed enemy fire from al-Qaida troops, as Army and Air Force personnel retrieved stranded and fallen comrades.
Early in 2003, in response to the threat of Iraq's ability to produce weapons of mass destruction and their elusiveness with United Nation weapon inspectors, the 4th Fighter Wing joined other operational units in Southeast Asia in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH which would later transition to Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Members of the 4th Fighter Wing flew over 3,500 missions, dropping more than 3 million pounds of ordnance.
Today, Airmen support contingency operations all over the world. Strike Eagle firepower is available wherever and whenever it is needed. From the Eagle Squadron Spitfires through the mighty F-15Es of today, the 4th Fighter Wing has been the tip of the spear confronting America’s enemies. Escorting B-17s to Berlin or supporting their fellow service members in Southwest Asia, the “Fourth But First” has always led the way in the defense of our great nation.