page_title: 355th Fighter Squadron
section_title: Vietnam War
hierarchical_section_title: 355th Fighter Squadron / History / Vietnam War
caption_attribution_description: F-100D 56-3374 355 TFS Phu Cat Air Base, South Vietnam.
context_page_description: The 355th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force unit stationed at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. It is an active-duty associate unit administratively assigned to the 495th Fighter Group and operates aircraft assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command's 301st Fighter Wing. Prior to its reactivation in 2015, the unit's last assignment was that of a subordinate unit of the 354th Fighter Wing based at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, flying the Republic A/OA-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. The squadron was inactivated on 15 August 2007 as a result of Base Realignment and Closure 2005.
context_section_description: On 3 February 1968 the 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron was deployed to support the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing at Phù Cát Air Base, South Vietnam for five months' Temporary Duty (TDY).
  At the end of the TDY on 5 July, the 355 TFS was permanently assigned to the 37th, with activated New Jersey and District of Columbia Air National Guard personnel from the 113th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach replacing them and manning the unit.
  On 15 May 1969 with the reassignment of the 612th and 174th Tactical Fighter Squadrons, it was decided to convert the 37th to a McDonnell F-4 Phantom II wing. The F-100 equipped 355th, along with the 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron were reassigned to the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing at Tuy Hoa Air Base, replacing the Air National Guard 136th and 188th Tactical Fighter Squadrons which were returning to New York and New Mexico, respectively.
  At Tuy Hoa, the tail code of the 355th F-100s was changed to "SP", and deployed Air National Guard personnel from New York and New Mexico and regular Air Force personnel manned the 355th until its inactivation on 30 September 1970.
  During its time in Vietnam, the 355th flew more than 17,000 combat sorties flying close air support, interdiction, search and rescue, and helicopter support missions. The squadron was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm for its service.
  On 1 November 1970, the 355 TFS was reactivated at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina as part of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing.  Upon its return, the unit transitioned to the new LTV A-7D Corsair II aircraft before redeploying to Southeast Asia in the fall of 1972 as the first A-7 unit to fight there. In 10 weeks of combat before the end of that conflict, the squadron participated in the Linebacker II campaign, generated more than 4,000 sorties, and was credited with 22 rescues of downed airmen. The unit returned to Myrtle Beach in April 1974.
caption: Former 355 TFS North American F-100D-80-NH "Super Sabre" 56-3374 on a mission into North Vietnam from Phu Cat AB, South Vietnam
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