page_title: 336th Fighter Squadron
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: 336th Fighter Squadron / History
caption_attribution_description: English: P-51D of the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, Debden Airfield, England.
context_page_description: The 336th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina.
  The 336th was constituted on 22 August 1942 as an incorporation of the Royal Air Force 133 Squadron into the United States Army Air Forces' VIII Fighter Command. 133 Squadron was one of three RAF Eagle Squadrons composed of American volunteer pilots who enlisted in the RAF and fought in World War II prior to the United States entry into the war.
  At the height of conversion training, the 4th TFW was one of the first units tasked to react to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. The 335th and 336th Tactical Fighter Squadrons and support personnel deployed to Saudi Arabia, beginning in August 1990. The combat record of the 4th TFW in Saudi Arabia was exceptional, with the 336th TFS flying 1,088 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm. The unit dropped more than six-million pounds of bombs on Scud missile sites, bridges and airfields. Most of the missions were flown at night.
context_section_description: On 23 September 1942 the 4th Fighter Group moved to its initial airfield at RAF Debden; however, the 336th moved to a satellite field at RAF Great Sampford.   They conducted operations from there until rejoining the group at Debden on 30 October 1942.
  Fighter aircraft escorted first bombing raid over Berlin, March 1944. On 21 June 1944, escorted bombers in the first shuttle bombing mission from England to Russia. Received Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for destroying enemy aircraft and attacking air bases in France, 5 March – 24 April 1944.
  In 1946 trained in jet aircraft; participated in air shows around the US; began night flying in late 1947.
  Combat in Korea, December 1950 – July 1953. Received second and third DUCs for combat in Korean War, 22 April – 8 July 1951 and 9 July – 27 November 1951.
  Deployed to Florida in October 1962 during Cuban missile crisis.
  From January–June 1968, deployed to Korea; tasked with operations associated with USS Pueblo incident. Combat in Southeast Asia, April–September 1972 and March 1973.
  During the 1980s, trained in combat readiness in order to maintain worldwide commitment and air-to-air mission capability. Deployed to Europe under dual-based mission concept in support of NATO objectives, 1978–1985.
  Participated in initial attack on Iraq, 17 January 1991.  During 1990–1994, shared quarterly rotation duties to Southwest Asia with 334th and 335th Fighter Squadrons.
  Since 1991, trained as combat ready fighter squadron prepared for rapid worldwide deployment of fighter aircraft to accomplish air-to-ground, air-to-air, strategic attack and deep interdiction missions.
  Deployed to combat areas in Middle East as part of Global War on Terrorism, 2001–present.
  On 18 July 2009, F-15E serial 90-231 from the 336th Fighter Squadron crashed in eastern Afghanistan, killing the two-man crew, Captain Mark R. McDowell and Captain Thomas J. Gramith.  The US military reported that the jet was not downed by enemy action.
caption: P-51D of the 336th Fighter Squadron[note 1]
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