23d Fighter Squadron The 23d Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit . It was last assigned to the 52d Operations Group and stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base , Germany . It was inactivated on 13 August 2010 . History . World War II . The 23d Fighter Squadron , the " Fighting Hawks , " was constituted on 22 December 1939 , at Langley Field , Virginia , as the 23d Pursuit Squadron ( Interceptor ) flying P - 36 Hawk aircraft . The unit moved to Kelly Field , Texas , in January 1940 , and was equipped with the YP - 37 . Antisubmarine warfare . The squadron was one of several deployed to the Caribbean ( later Antilles Air Command ) and being stationed on bases established as part of the 1940 Destroyers for Bases Agreement with Great Britain . The squadron left from Norfolk , Virginia on 1 February 1940 with several others bound for Puerto Rico aboard the USAT Chateau Thierry from Norfolk for what turned into 29 months of overseas service , taking station at Ponce ( later Losey Field ) on 6 January 1941 . A detachment was also established at Benedict Field , St . Croix , US Virgin Islands . In both locations , the mission of the squadron was air defense . After the Pearl Harbor Attack , the 23d engaged in antisubmarine warfare against German U - boats . The unit P - 39s and P - 40s were loaded with 300 pound general purpose bombs and performed submarine searches . While several were confirmed as " sighted " , no claims were made . In early January 1942 a second detachment was established at Bourne Field , Saint Thomas , U . S . Virgin Islands . Also , on 28 January 1942 , the Squadron moved to Vega Baja Field , Puerto Rico an auxiliary aerodrome in Puetro Rico , to provide better interception coverage for the island . Like other squadrons attached to the Antilles Air Command , the unit was alerted on at least two occasions for a possible attack on Vichy French Martinique . The squadron was renamed the 23d Fighter Squadron in 1942 . With the Navy taking over the antisubmarine mission , the Squadron was redeployed back to the United States , moving to Morrison Field , Florida by 27 May , and converted to the P - 47 Thunderbolt in June 1943 . European Theater of Operations . In March 1944 , the 23 FS deployed to RAF Kingsnorth , England , and 9th Air Force ' s 36th Fighter Group . The squadron earned the Distinguished Unit Citation in September 1944 for missions flown from England and forward bases in France supporting the D - Day invasion and the Battle of the Bulge . Between October 1944 and January 1945 , while operating from airfields in Belgium , the squadron earned two citations in the Belgian Army Order of the Day as well as the Belgium Fourragère . The unit was awarded a second Distinguished Unit Citation for action in Germany during April 1945 . United States Air Forces in Europe . Inactivated in March 1946 , the squadron was reactivated in October 1946 at Howard Field , Panama Canal Zone , Panama , flying the P - 47 and P - 80 Shooting Star . In July 1948 , the squadron returned to Germany at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base . Here , the 23 FS helped form the Skyblazers — an aerial demonstration team and forerunner to today ' s Thunderbirds . In November 1952 , the squadron moved to Bitburg Air Base , Germany , as part of the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing . In September 1954 , the squadron converted to the F - 84 Thunderjet and was redesignated the 23d Day Fighter Squadron . It was the first squadron in Europe to fly the F - 86 Sabre ( 1956 ) , the F - 100 Super Sabre ( 1956 ) , the F - 105 Thunderchief ( 1961 ) , and the F - 4 Phantom II ( 1966 ) . During this period , the squadron received two Air Force Outstanding Unit Award s . The 23d Tactical Fighter Squadron was assigned to Spangdahlem Air Base , Germany , and in January 1972 became part of the 52nd Tactical Fighter Wing . The 23d converted to F - 4E and F - 4G Wild Weasel s in 1982 and began flying defense suppression missions . In July 1987 , the F - 16 Fighting Falcon replaced the F - 4E . In January 1991 , at the outbreak of the Gulf War , the 23 FS deployed to Incirlik Air Base , Turkey . During Operation Proven Force , squadron F - 16Cs and F - 4Gs flew nearly 1 , 000 defense suppression , combat air patrol and interdiction missions over Iraq without a single loss . The squadron earned the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor for its part in driving the Iraqi army from Kuwait . In September 1991 , the squadron ' s remaining F - 4Gs were replaced by F - 16Cs . In July 1993 , the 23d was the first U . S . unit to enforce the no - fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina for Operation Deny Flight . In January 1994 , the squadron received the first F - 16CJ Block 50 aircraft . The squadron completed conversion to the latest version of the F - 16CJ in January 1995 and became U . S . Air Forces in Europe ' s only defense suppression squadron . In September of that same year , members of the 23d took part in Operation Deliberate Forge — the largest air assault in NATO history . The unit flew 224 sorties during the air campaign against Bosnian Serb forces . Pilots from the 23 FS were the first to employ high - speed anti - radiation missiles ( HARM ) in combat . The squadron ' s efforts contributed to the peace process and the resulting Dayton Agreement , which ended more than four years of bloody conflict in the Balkans . For their outstanding contributions to the U . S . Air Forces in Europe ' s mission , the 23d was selected in May 1996 to receive the Commander ' s Trophy as the " Best Fighter Squadron in the Command , " their third time to win this distinction . February to June 1999 , the 23 FS deployed to Aviano Air Base , Italy , where it was assigned to the 31st Air Expeditionary Wing for Operation Allied Force . The squadron supported the NATO mission to degrade and damage the military and security structure that the President of Yugoslavia used to destroy the Albanian majority in Kosovo . During Allied Force the 23d flew over 1000 combat sorties and fired 191 HARM shots to silence the over 100 surface to air missile sites in Kosovo and Yugoslavia . The squadron was repeatedly noted for bravery in the face of danger while flying these combat operations in Allied Force . From November 2000 to March 2001 the 23d deployed in support of Operation Southern Watch to patrol the southern no - fly zone over Iraq . During the deployment the squadron provided suppression of enemy air defenses in both air - to - ground and air - to - air roles . In March 2001 , the 23d provided SEAD for the largest strike in Iraq since Operation Desert Fox . During the strike to take out command and control facilities in Iraq , the 23d ensured the safety of all allied strikers . The squadron deployed again from April to July 2002 to Incirlik Air Base , Turkey , for Operation Northern Watch to patrol the northern no - fly zone . During the deployment the squadron was called on to provide SEAD for strikes against ground targets located in northern Iraq . Squadron pilots came under fire numerous times while providing SEAD for coalition aircraft , once firing two HARM shots suppressing an Iraqi surface radar site that targeted friendly aircraft . In January 2003 , elements of the squadron forward deployed to Southwest Asia in support of U . S . Central Command and flew combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom . The squadron played a key role during the 27 - day air war by fulfilling its mission of suppressing enemy air defenses and destroying Iraqi radar sites . In April 2010 20 F - 16Cs were flown from Spangdahlem to the 148th Fighter Wing , Minnesota Air National Guard , one F - 16 was transferred to Edwards Air Force Base , California . All aircraft were from the 22nd Fighter Squadron . As a result of the drawdown of F - 16s , the 22nd and 23d Fighter Squadrons were inactivated on 13 August 2010 and formed the a single " new " squadron , the 480th Fighter Squadron .