page_title: 104th Fighter Squadron
section_title: Tactical Air Command
hierarchical_section_title: 104th Fighter Squadron / History / Maryland Air National Guard / Tactical Air Command
caption_attribution_description: English: A-10 Thunderbolt II assigned to the 104th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, flies past a U.S. Air Force MC-12 Liberty assigned to the 4th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, while taking off at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, June 28, 2012. The 455th Air Expeditionary Wing’s motto ‘Quaerimus et Perdimus’ (Seek and Destroy) represents its commitment to providing reconnaissance and attack capabilities to coalition ground forces in Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Raymond Geoffroy)
context_page_description: The 104th Fighter Squadron is a unit of the Maryland Air National Guard 175th Wing stationed at Warfield Air National Guard Base, Middle River, Maryland. The 104th is equipped with the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
  The squadron is a descendant organization of the 104th Squadron, which was formed on 29 June 1921. It is one of the 29 original National Guard Observation Squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II and is the oldest unit of the Maryland Air National Guard.
context_section_description: In 1957 the gaining command of the 104th was transferred to Tactical Air Command (TAC), and the squadron received the post-Korean War North American F-86H Sabre.  The F-86H was a fighter-bomber version of the Sabre designed for TAC and was transferred to the ANG by TAC units being upgraded to the F-100 Super Sabre.  The air defense of Baltimore and Washington, however, was retained as a secondary mission and the squadron remained under the administrative control of the PA ANG 111th Air Defense Wing, the successor unit to the 53d Fighter Wing.  On 10 November 1958 the squadron was re-designated as a Tactical Fighter Squadron.  The 104th flew the F-86H for over a decade, remaining in service until well after the United States had committed itself to the Vietnam war. However, no F-86Hs ever went overseas to participate in that conflict, the fighter-bomber mission in Vietnam being flown by F-100s, F-105s and F-4C Phantom IIs.
  On 1 October 1962, the 104th was authorized to expand to a group level, and the 175th Tactical Fighter Group was federally recognized and activated by the National Guard Bureau. The 104th TFS becoming the group's flying squadron. Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 175th Headquarters, 175th Material Squadron, 175th Combat Support Squadron, and the 175th USAF Dispensary.  With the formation of the 175th TFG, all administration of the unit by the 111th ADW ended.
  On 13 May 1968 the 175th Tactical Fighter Group was federalized and ordered to active service. It was transferred to Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico along with the NY ANG 139th Tactical Fighter Squadron and 174th Tactical Fighter Squadron as well as the 104th TFS.  At Cannon AFB, the Group's mission was to act as a filler unit for the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing which were deployed to the Vietnam War.   At Cannon, the squadron trained active Air Force pilots in forward air controller duties. The unit did not deploy overseas.  The units were returned to New York and Maryland state control on 20 December 1968 when the TAC 4429th Combat Crew Training Squadron was activated with regular active-duty Air Force personnel.
  In 1970 the F-86H Sabres were transferred after being with the 104th TFS for thirteen years.  The 104th was one of the last ANG units to fly the F-86.  The Sabres, however, were not retired, but instead transferred to the United States Navy which used them both as target drones and as MiG simulators for TOP GUN aggressor training. The F-86H had a similar size, shape, and performance as the MiG-17 fighter then being encountered over North Vietnam, and many a Navy F-4 pilot was "killed" by a F-86H Sabre during these mock battles.
  In return, the 104th TFS received Cessna A-37 Dragonfly ground-attack aircraft.  In the Vietnam War, the A-37 was a very effective ground support aircraft that was simple to operate, maintain and fly.  The mission of the 104th was to train in the aircraft to support Air Force and Army special forces personnel and units.  In 1974, after the end of American participation in Vietnam, the unit began supporting the Military Assistance Program (MAP) by supplying training to Latin American Air Forces. In addition, in the OA-37 configuration, the aircraft was used as a Forward Air Control (FAC) aircraft, that replaced the aging O-2 Skymaster.  In the OA-37 configuration, the aircraft was equipped with small rocket pods, usually with smoke or white phosphorus warheads used for target marking.
  In 1979, the 175th was the first Air National Guard unit to receive the A-10 Thunderbolt II ground support aircraft.  The 104th received brand new A-10A Thunderbolt II attack aircraft from the factory in Hagerstown, Maryland. The unit continues to fly the latest version (A-10C) of the famed tank killer to this day.
caption: A-10 Thunderbolt II assigned to the 104th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, assigned to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing taking off at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, 28 June 2012.
exif: {}