page_title: 90th Fighter Squadron
section_title: Cold War
hierarchical_section_title: 90th Fighter Squadron / History / Cold War
caption_attribution_description: English: B-57 of the 3d Bombardment Wing at Misawa AB (6 Jan 56).
context_page_description: The 90th Fighter Squadron is a squadron of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the 3d Operations Group, 3d Wing, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Pacific Air Forces. The squadron is equipped with the F-22 Raptor fighter.
  The 90 FS is one of the oldest units in the United States Air Force, first being organized as the 90th Aero Squadron on 20 August 1917 at Kelly Field, Texas. The squadron deployed to France and fought on the Western Front during World War I as a Corps observation squadron.
  During World War II, the unit earned the Distinguished Unit Citation and the Presidential Unit Citation for its services in the Pacific Theater of Operations as part of Fifth Air Force. During the Cold War the squadron fought in the Korean War and Vietnam War.
context_section_description: In 1945, after World War II, the 90th Squadron was moved to Japan.  The 90th began flying the Douglas A-26 Invader as the 3d Bombardment Group became an all A-26 outfit.  In September 1946, the 90th moved with the 3d Bombardment Group to Yokota Air Base, Japan, and began training to become combat-ready with the A-26, which was redesignated the B-26 Invader.  With the creation of the U.S. Air Force in late 1947, the force began an internal reorganization.  This led to the activation of the 3d Bombardment Wing in August 1948, to which the 3d Bombardment Group was assigned.  The 90th Squadron was inactivated from 1 October 1949 until 25 June 1951.
  At that point, the squadron was redesignated the 90th Bombardment Squadron Light, Night Intruder.  In July, as part of the 3d Bombardment Group, the 90th participated in the Korean War.  The B-26 Invaders, which the 90th flew, had as many as 12 forward-firing .50 caliber machine guns.  The 90th's specialty during the Korean War was destroying locomotives and marshalling yards.
  After the war, the 90th moved with the 3d Bombardment Group to Johnson Air Base, Japan, on 1 October 1954.  In January 1956, the unit transitioned to the B-57C Night Intruder.  In October 1957, the 3d Bombardment Group inactivated and its heritage transferred to the 3d Bombardment Wing, as did the 90th Bombardment Squadron.  In 1960, the wing and squadron transferred to Yokota Air Base, where it trained in bombardment, reconnaissance, and air refueling.  It also served nuclear alert during this period as well.  In the mid-1960s, however, the squadron underwent significant changes.
  In 1964, the 3d Bombardment Wing converted to a tactical fighter wing, as did the 90th, which became the 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 June 1964.  The wing and the 90th moved to England Air Force Base, Louisiana, as part of an overall reorganization to reduce the number of wings located in Japan.  While at England, the 90th gained the North American F-100 Super Sabre.  At the beginning of the Vietnam War, the 3d Bombardment Wing began deploying units to Vietnam on a rotational basis, while the remainder continued training in their ground support role.  In November 1965, the wing moved to Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam, during the buildup of forces.  The 90th flew close air support missions from Bien Hoa through tens of thousands of sorties.  In 1969, the 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron reverted to its pre-World War II designation of 90th Attack Squadron.  On 31 October 1970, the 3d Tactical Fighter Wing ended its duties in Vietnam and remained active in 'paper' status until it moved to Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, in March 1971.  The 90th Attack Squadron was reassigned to the 14th Special Operations Wing on 31 October 1970 and was redesignated the 90th Special Operations Squadron and remained in Vietnam at Nha Trang Air Base.
  From late 1970 until 1974, the 90th underwent several command reassignments. It remained with the 14th Special Operations Wing until 1 September 1971, when it moved to the 483d Tactical Fighter Wing and remained at Nha Trang Air Base. On 15 April 1972, the 90th moved again, this time to the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. This assignment lasted only a few months, as the unit was assigned to the 405th Fighter Wing in December 1972 and moved to Clark Air Base, Philippines. The squadron was redesignated the 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 July 1973, and began to fly McDonnell F-4 Phantom IIs.  In September of the following year, the 90th returned once again to the 3d Tactical Fighter Wing, when it relocated to Clark Air Base after the 405th Fighter Wing was inactivated. In 1975, the 90th converted to the F-4E and participated in combat training and providing air defense for the Philippines.
  In July 1977, the 90th once again upgraded its aircraft, this time to the F-4G, which performed a ground radar suppression and destruction mission. The squadron had both F-4G and F-4E aircraft assigned, operating in "hunter-killer" roles. Each F-4G was paired with an F-4E during each 
caption: Martin B-57B-MA Serial 53-3896 of the 3d Bomb Wing.
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