page_title: 786th Air Expeditionary Squadron
section_title: Fighter operations
hierarchical_section_title: 786th Air Expeditionary Squadron / History / Fighter operations
caption_attribution_description: A U.S. Air Force McDonnell Douglas F-4D-32-MC Phantom II fighter (s/n 66-8700) armed with an AGM-88A high-speed anti-radiation missile (HARM) in flight near Eglin Air Force Base, Florida (USA), on 30 September 1983. This aircraft was the only F-4 fitted with the experimental "Pave Fire" laser designator in 1969-70. It was later used for tests.
context_page_description: The 786th Air Expeditionary Squadron is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe to activate or inactivate as needed. USAFE has activated the squadron for short periods of contingency operations.
  The squadron was first organized in August 1943 as the 786th Bombardment Squadron, a heavy bomber unit. After training in the United States with Consolidated B-24 Liberators, the 786th moved to England, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. Following V-E Day, it returned to the United States, where it began training with Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, but was inactivated in October 1945.
  The squadron was briefly active in 1965 as the 786th Tactical Fighter Squadron. While it was training with McDonnell F-4 Phantom IIs, it was inactivated and its assets transferred to another squadron.
context_section_description: As the United States Air Force expanded its McDonnell F-4 Phantom II fleet in April 1965, it activated the 33d Tactical Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base Florida.  Although it was planned that the squadrons of the 33d Wing would be Convair F-102 Delta Dagger squadrons that were inactivating in the Pacific, these squadrons were still winding down their operations, so the 33d was initially formed with the 786th, 787th, 788th and 789th Tactical Fighter Squadrons.  The 33d embarked on a program of tactical training with the Phantom.  In June 1965, the squadron was inactivated and its planes and personnel were transferred to the 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron, which moved on paper to Eglin from Misawa Air Base, Japan.
caption: F-4D near Eglin AFB
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