67th Fighter Squadron The 67th Fighter Squadron " Fighting Cocks " ( 67 FS ) are part of the 18th Operations Group at Kadena Air Base , Japan . Mission . The 67th Fighter Squadron is one of two F - 15 Eagle squadrons in the Asian - Western Pacific area of operations , conducting air superiority missions . History . World War II . Continually active since January 1941 , the 67th was activated as a single - engine fighter operational and replacement training unit as part of the 58th Pursuit Group . It was initially assigned to III Fighter Command , and reassigned to I Fighter Command in 1942 . Used P - 39 Aircobra s and P - 40 Warhawk s for training . Converted to an operational squadron , 1943 , re - eqipped with P - 47 Thunderbolts . Deployed to South Pacific Area , 1943 , being assigned to the 347th Fighter Group , Thirteenth Air Force . Began combat operations in February 1944 , providing protection for U . S . bases and escorting transports initially , then escorting bombers over New Guinea and sea convoys to Admiralty Islands . From Noemfoor , bombed and strafed Japanese airfields and installations on Ceram , Halmahera , and the Kai Islands . Moved to the Philippines in Nov , flew fighter sweeps against enemy airfields , supported U . S . ground forces , and protected sea convoys and transport routes . Beginning in July 1945 , attacked railways , airfields , and enemy installations in Korea and Kyushu , Japan from Okinawa . After V - J Day , flew reconnaissance missions over Japan . Moved without personnel or equipment to the Philippines in December and demobilized , aircraft sent to depots in the Philippines . Became part of the defense forces of Far East Air Forces in the postwar years at Clark Air Base , being deployed assigned to Okinawa in 1949 . Korean War . As a result of the North Korean invasion of South Korea in June 1950 , the squadron was moved from the Philippines to Taegu AB ( K - 37 ) , South Korea in July . At Taego , the squadron exchanged it ' s P - 80 Shooting Star jets for propeller - driven F - 51D Mustangs which were more suited to the ground attack and support role . Combat targets included tanks and armored vehicles , locomotives and trucks , artillery and antiaircraft guns , fuel and ammunition dumps , warehouses and factories , and troop concentrations . In August , advancing communist forces and insufficient aircraft parking at Taegu forced the unit to move to Japan , but it returned to South Korea the following month to support UN forces in a counteroffensive . Because the front advanced so rapidly , operations from Pusan East ( K - 9 ) soon became impractical , and the unit moved in November to Pyongyang East Air Base ( K - 24 ) , North Korea . The Chinese Communist ( CCF intervention ) caused the unit to move twice in as many weeks , first to Suwon AB ( K - 13 ) , South Korea , then to Chinhae ( K - 10 ) . From there the unit continued to support ground forces and carry out armed reconnaissance and interdiction missions . Throughout the conflict , the squadron moved from base to base in South Korea . In January 1953 the squadron rejoined the wing at Osan - ni AB ( K - 55 ) where it transitioned to the F - 86 Sabre without halting the fight against the enemy . It flew its first F - 86 counter air mission on 26 February 1953 . In the final days of the war , the squadron attacked dispersed enemy aircraft at Sinuiju and Uiju Airfields . The squadron remained in Korea for some time after the armistice . It was reassigned to Kadena Air Base , Okinawa in November 1954 , performing tactical fighter operations in South Korea , Japan , Formosa ( later Taiwan ) , and the Philippines with frequent deployments . In 1957 , the squadron upgraded to the North American F - 100 Super Sabre . Vietnam War . Was re - equipped with the F - 105 Thunderchief in 1962 . As a result of the increased level of combat in Southeast Asia , the squadron was deployed to Korat RTAFB , Thailand , where it carried out tactical bombardment missions over North and South Vietnam in 1965 , returning to Kadena AB at the end of October . Was moved to Misawa AB , Japan in December 1967 , being reassigned to the 39th Air Division . Equipment was changed to the F - 4 Phantom II , with a to rotate squadrons to South Korea , providing air defense of the nation . Remained in Japan / South Korea until returned to Kadena AB in March 1971 , being re - assigned back to the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing . Until 1975 , primary mission was the air defense of Taiwan , performing frequent rotational TDYs to Ching Chaun Kang AB . Chinese air defense mission ended with United States ' political recognition of Communist China and end of United States military deployments to Taiwan . Modern era . For the past 35 years , the squadron has operated from Kadena Air Base , providing air defense in the Far East . 2013 Sequestration . Air Combat Command officials announced a stand down and reallocation of flying hours for the rest of the fiscal year 2013 due to mandatory budget cuts . The across - the board spending cuts , called sequestration , took effect 1 March when Congress failed to agree on a deficit - reduction plan . Squadrons either stood down on a rotating basis or kept combat ready or at a reduced readiness level called “ basic mission capable ” for part or all of the remaining months in fiscal 2013 . This affected the 67th Fighter Squadron with a reduction of its flying hours , placing it into a basic mission capable status from 5 April - 30 September 2013 .