416th Fighter Squadron The 416th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit . Its last assignment was with the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base , New Mexico . The squadron was inactivated on 1 July 1993 . History . World War II . Established in February 1943 as the 416th Night Fighter Squadron , assigned to the 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group , Orlando Air Base , Florida for training . The 417th was the first USAAF dedicated night fighter squadron formed . Trained in the Douglas P - 70 , a modified A - 20 Havoc bomber using a U . S . version of the British Mk IV radar . At the time the P - 70 was the only American night fighter available . After completing its initial training by April , the squadron crossed the Atlantic on the RMS Queen Elizabeth and landed in the United Kingdom on 11 May . Pausing briefly for training under VIII Fighter Command ( attached to the Royal Air Force ) . There , it was equipped with RAF Bristol Beaufighter s through a " reverse Lend - Lease " program until an American aircraft could be produced . Upon arrival in England the squadron received additional training with Royal Air Force night fighter units at several bases in early 1943 achieving the first victory on 24 July . Through the summer , they conducted daytime convoy escort and strike missions , but thereafter flew primarily at night . The unit then moved to North Africa for operations with Twelfth Air Force . There , the squadron fell under the operational control of the Northwest African Coastal Air Force , a joint inter - allied organization with British , Free - French , and other American units . Carried out defensive night patrols over Allied held territory during the North African campaign , also conducted night interdiction raids on German positions in Algeria and Tunisia . The defeat of German , Italian , and Vichy French forces in North Africa allowed the 416th to move with other allied forces into Italy in September 1943 . During its first year there , the squadron patrolled harbors and escorted shipping ; however , in September 1944 the 416th shifted to more aggressive activities to provide defensive cover for the Fifth Army and make intruder sweeps into enemy territory . Also continued defensive patrols and offensive night attacks on Axis positions on Sardinia , Corsica , and in Southern France . With the fall of Germany , the unit became part of the United States Air Forces in Europe army of occupation . Moved in August 1945 to AAF Horsching , Austria , for occupation duties . A year later , the 416th relocated to AAF Schweinfurt , Germany , where it inactivated on 9 November 1946 . Cold War . Reactivated in 1953 at George AFB , California as an F - 86 Sabre Fighter - Bomber Squadron . Initially equipped with F - 51D Mustang aircraft , the 416th quickly converted to F - 86F Sabre jet aircraft and started participating in air defense operations , exercises , and firepower demonstrations . Then in September 1953 , the 416th received Arctic indoctrination at Eielson AFB , Alaska . Next , the squadron joined its parent unit , the 21st Fighter - Bomber Group , in Operation Boxkite at North Field , South Carolina from 17 April to 15 May 1954 . The 416th moved to France in November – December 1954 . For this move , the ground echelon left George AFB , California , on 26 November and arrived at Toul - Rosieres Air Base on 12 December . The flight echelon left George on 13 December and traveled to France by the northern air route . Bad weather , however , delayed the movement , and the flight element did not reach Toul - Rosiere until 22 February 1955 . From then until December 1957 , the squadron participated in NATO tactical operations and exercises , stood air defense alert , and periodically deployed aircraft and crews to Wheelus AB , Libya , for fighter weapons training . The unit was not operational from 10 January to 8 February 1958 . On 25 March 1958 , the 416th activated under Fifth Air Force at Misawa Air Base , Japan , where it started converting from F - 84G Thunderjet s to F - 100 Super Sabre s . Later in July , the squadron joined the 21st Fighter - Bomber Wing ; however , the USAF directed the 416th to transfer its F - 100s to another unit . This order temporarily interrupted its conversion and forced the 416th to fly F - 84Gs until May 1959 , when a full complement of F - 100s arrived . During this period in the Far East , the units crews flew tactical operations and exercises in South Korea , Taiwan , Okinawa , Singapore , the Philippines , and other exotic places in the Far East . Vietnam War . In June 1964 , the 416th moved to England AFB , Louisiana , where it joined the 3d Tactical Fighter Wing ( Tactical Air Command ) for training . From 17 October through 7 December 1964 , the squadron deployed a flight to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base , Thailand , where it operated under various higher headquarters . This deployment , however , was just a precursor to even greater involvement in Southeast Asia ( SEA ) as the entire squadron deployed there in March 1965 . It operated in turn from Clark AB , Philippines , Da Nang AB , South Vietnam , Bien Hoa AB , South Vietnam , and again at Clark until July 1965 , when it returned to England AFB . While in SEA , the unit flew 1 , 711 combat sorties between 19 March and 14 July to fly flak suppression , weather reconnaissance , MiG combat air patrol , and air strike missions . The 416th deployed with the 3 TFW to SEA in November 1965 to Tan Son Nhut AB , South Vietnam . There , the 6250th Combat Support Group controlled the squadron ' s operations until June 1966 , when it rejoined the 3 TFW at Bien Hoa AB . The 416th remained at Bein Hoa until its April 1967 reassignment to the 37th TFW . In May , the squadron moved to Phu Cat Air Base without a break in combat missions . On 15 June 1967 , Detachment 1 , 416 TFS became the nucleus of Commando Sabre , a special activity using F - 100F two - seat trainers to fly fast Forward Air Control ( FAC ) operations under the call sign " Misty . " The unit ' s participation in Commando Sabre even continued after a move to Tuy Hoa AB and reassignment to the 31 TFW . At that time , operational control over Commando Sabre passed from the 37th TFW to the 31st TFW . In the meantime , the 416th flew regular combat missions , logging its 30 , 000 SEA combat sortie on 20 April 1970 . Most of those missions involved close air support or direct air support . The unit stood down from combat operations on 5 September 1970 , and its resources were transferred to other units . Tactical Air Command . On 28 September 1970 , the squadron moved without personnel to England AFB , Louisiana . Anticipating the 416th ' s re - assignment , the 4403d TFW at England AFB began forming a new squadron cadre in August 1970 . This cadre started training its pilots to instructor status and was immediately available when the Air Force transferred the unit to England that September . After receiving more equipment and people , the 416th achieved combat ready status and began normal participation in exercises and other tactical operations . Inactivation appeared imminent again as the Air Force phased the last F - 100s out of its inventory . By December 1971 , the 416th was the only active flying squadron in the 4403d TFW . On 1 April 1972 , its operational training commitment ended , and as a result the Air Force transferred all personnel to other units and aircraft to the Air National Guard . From May 1972 until its 1 July inactivation , the 416th served as a holding unit for a new A - 7D Corsair II squadron that would replace it . Re - designated the 416th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron ( TFTS ) , the unit activated again on 15 March 1979 under the 479th Tactical Training Wing at Holloman AFB , New Mexico . At Holloman , the squadron used AT - 38B aircraft to provide transitional training to new pilots preparing for assignment to operational fighter wings . The 416th inactivated on 1 September 1983 as the 433d TFTS assumed its mission . F - 117 Development / Operations . Activated by Tactical Air Command at Groom Lake , Nevada as a classified unit on 15 October 1979 , designated as P - Unit . Received A - 7D Corsair II tactical fighters from 23d Tactical Fighter Wing , England AFB , Louisiana to use as training aircraft for Lockheed F - 117A Nighthawk stealth fighter , then under development . Performed training mission for pilots to transition to single - seat , subsonic F - 111 . Was given designation of 4451st Tactical Squadron , 11 July 1981 , and assigned to 4450th Tactical Group which was formed to bring the F - 117 from development to operational status . Was moved to Tonopah Test Range Airport on 28 October 1983 , performing training missions with the F - 117A in a clandestine environment . Performed dual mission of training F - 117 pilots with the A - 7Ds as well as providing a cover story for the classified Stealth Fighter project . All Tonopah training flights conducted at night under the cover of darkness until late 1988 . On 10 November 1988 , the Air Force brought the F - 117A from behind a " black veil " by publicly acknowledging its existence , but provided few details about it . The official confirmation of the F - 117A ' s existence , however , had little impact on Tonopah operations . Pilots began occasionally flying the F - 117A during the day , but personnel were still ferried to and from work each Monday and Friday from Nellis . Everyone associated with the project was still forbidden to talk about what they did for a living , and the program remained shrouded in secrecy . Operated at Tonopah with A - 7Ds until late 1989 when F - 117 project was revealed to the public . Retired its A - 7Ds , being the last active duty USAF squadron to operate the A - 7D , and transitioned to the Northrup T - 38A Talon s . The squadron was re - designated as the 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron ( Ghostriders ) on 5 October 1989 when the 4450th Tactical Group was inactivated , and F - 117A operations coming under the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing . There , it assumed the mission of the 4451st Test Squadron to become one of two operational F - 117A Stealth Fighter squadrons . On 19 December 1989 , just 13 months after the Pentagon had disclosed the existence of the F - 117A , squadron aircraft were first used in combat during Operation Just Cause . In mid - December 1990 , was deployed to to King Khalid International Airport , Saudi Arabia as part of the buildup of United States forces prior to Operation Desert Storm . Flew combat operations over Iraq against high - priority targets January – February 1991 . After combat operations ceased in February 1991 , some wing personnel and aircraft remained on indefinite alert in Saudi Arabia as a component member of the post - Desert Storm task force in Southwest Asia , although most returned to Tonopah by the end of March . Most of the F - 117As deployed to Saudi Arabia returned home to Tonopah in early April 1991 , although a few remained as part of the post - Desert Storm task force in Southwest Asia . After Desert Storm , the Air Force re - designated the squadron as the 416th Fighter Squadron on 1 October 1991 . The squadron realigned from under the wing as a subordinate of the 37th Operations Group on 1 November 1991 . In 1992 , as part of the post Cold War budget cutbacks in the Air Force , the F - 117As were moved to Holloman AFB , New Mexico ; the 37th Fighter Wing and its subordinate organizations were inactivated and the aircraft , equipment , personnel and mission of the squadron were re - designated as the 8th Fighter Squadron , being assigned to the 49th Operations Group at Holloman AFB .