World War II

The squadron was first activated as the 629th Bombardment Squadron at Key Field, Mississippi on 1 March 1943. It was one of the four original squadrons of the 406th Bombardment Group and was initially equipped with a variety of attack, pursuit, and trainer aircraft. Although its mission did not substantially change, the squadron became the 513th Fighter-Bomber Squadron in August. It moved to Congaree Army Air Field, South Carolina and equipped with Republic P-47 Thunderbolts before the end of the year. The 513th trained with its "Jugs" until March 1944, when it departed the United States for the European Theater of Operations.^[1][3]

513th Squadron P-47D refueling^{[lower-alpha 3]}

The squadron arrived at RAF Ashford in England in early April and flew its first combat mission the following month, preparing for Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy. It attacked military airfields, bridges and marshalling yards in France. On D-Day, the squadron flew patrols in the vicinity of the invasion beaches and armed reconnaissance and dive bombing missions.^[3]

The squadron supported Operation Cobra, the Allied breakthrough at Saint-Lo on 25 July, then moved to Tour-en-Bessin Airfield in France a few days later.^[3] The 513th participated in the reduction of Saint-Malo and Brest, France and supported the drive across France. On 7 September, flying from Saint-Léonard Airfield, the squadron operated with the other units of the 406th Fighter Group in destroying a column of tanks, armored vehicles and motor transport that were trying to escape to southeastern France through the Belfort Gap. This attack earned the squadron the Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC). The squadron cooperated with ground forces and flew air interdiction sorties in the area of the Mosel and Saar Rivers.^[3]

When the Germans launched the counterattack that resulted in the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, the squadron shifted operations to the Ardennes to relive the embattled garrison at Bastogne. For four days in late December, the squadron flew attacks on German vehicles, gun emplacements and defensive positions close to Bastogne, for which it was awarded a second DUC. The squadron flew escort, interdiction, and air support missions in the Ruhr Valley early in 1945 and to assist Allied ground forces in the drive to and across the Rhine.^[3]

Following, V-E Day, the squadron moved to AAF Station Nordholz, Germany, where it became part of the Army of Occupation. The squadron was inactivated on 20 August 1946, and its personnel and equipment were transferred to the 526th Fighter Squadron. which was activated the same day.^[1][3][4]

Air defense in Europe

406th Wing F-84E Thunderjets^{[lower-alpha 4]}

The squadron returned to its Fighter-Bomber designation and was activated in July 1952 at RAF Manston, England, where it replaced the 165th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, a Kentucky Air National Guard unit that had been mobilized for the Korean War. The 513th assumed the mission, personnel and Republic F-84 Thunderjets of the 165th, which was returned to state control. In late 1953, the squadron converted to North American F-86 Sabres. In 1954, the squadron was designated the 513th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.^[1][3][5]

When the 406th Fighter-Interceptor Wing reorganized in May 1956, the 406th Fighter-Interceptor Group was inactivated and the squadron assigned directly to wing headquarters.^{[lower-alpha 5]} In February 1958, the 406th Wing began phasing down its operations as it prepared for inactivation.^[6] In connection with this drawdown, the squadron moved to Phalsbourg-Bourscheid Air Base on 17 April 1958 and was reassigned to the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing a week later. At Phalsbourg, the squadron maintained two F-86D Sabres on alert at the end of the runway. However, the 86th was converting to the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger. As the squadron prepared for inactivation, it flew its Sabres to the Chateauroux Air Depot, where they were scrapped and their components used as spares for NATO units operating the F-86, and most of the squadron's pilots transferred to F-102 units. The squadron was inactivated on 8 January 1961, one of the last two F-86 squadrons in United States Air Forces in Europe.^[1][7]

Assignments

• 406th Bombardment Group (later 406th Fighter-Bomber Group, 406th Fighter Group), 1 March 1943 – 20 August 1946
• 406th Fighter-Bomber Group (later 406th Fighter-Interceptor Group), 10 July 1952
• 406th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 1 May 1955
• 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing (later 86th Air Division), 25 April 1958 – 8 January 1961^[1]

Stations

Aircraft

Awards and campaigns

Award streamer	Award	Dates	Notes
	Distinguished Unit Citation	7 September 1944	France, 513th Fighter Squadron[1]
	Distinguished Unit Citation	23 December 1944-27 December 1944	Belgium, 513th Fighter Squadron[1]
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	31 October 1954-31 October 1958	513th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron[1]

Campaign Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	American Theater without inscription	1 March 1943 – 13 March 1944	629th Bombardment Squadron (later 513th Fighter-bomber Squadron)[1]
	Air Offensive, Europe	6 April 1944 – 5 June 1944	513th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (later 513th Fighter Squadron)[1]
	Air Combat, EAME Theater	6 April 1944 – 11 May 1945	513th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (later 513th Fighter Squadron)[1]
	Normandy	6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944	513th Fighter Squadron[1]
	Northern France	25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944	513th Fighter Squadron[1]
	Rhineland	15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945	513th Fighter Squadron[1]
	Ardennes-Alsace	16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945	513th Fighter Squadron[1]
	Central Europe	22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945	513th Fighter Squadron[1]
	World War II Army of Occupation (Germany)	9 May 1945 – 20 August 1946	513th Fighter Squadron[1]

Notes

Explanatory notes

Citations

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
• Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2017.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
• 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.
• 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.
• McAuliffe, Lt Col Jerome J. (2005). U.S. Air Force in France 1950–1967. San Diego, CA: Milspec Press. ISBN 978-0-9770371-1-7.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Watkins, Robert (2008). Battle Colors. Vol. III Insignia and Markings of the Ninth Air Force in World War II. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-2938-8.
• Willard, TSG Richard R. (1988) [1968]. Location of United States Military Units in the United Kingdom, 16 July 1948-31 December 1967. USAF Air Station, South Ruislip, United Kingdom: Historical Division, Office of Information, Third Air Force. LCCN 68061579.