43d Fighter Squadron The 43d Fighter Squadron ( 43 FS ) is part of the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall Air Force Base , Florida . It conducts advanced fighter training for F - 22 Raptor pilots . The squadron is one of the oldest in the United States Air Force , its origins dating to 13 June 1917 , being organized at Kelly Field , Texas . The squadron deployed to England as part of the American Expeditionary Force during World War I . The squadron saw combat during World War II , served in the Vietnam War and later became part of the Alaskan Air Command ( AAC ) during the Cold War . Mission . The 43d Fighter Squadron is responsible for providing air dominance training for the F - 22 Raptor . History . World War I . The 43d Fighter Squadron traces its lineage to the 43d Aero Squadron , first activated 13 June 1917 , at Camp Kelly , Texas . In March 1918 , the squadron moved to England , where it trained until reassigned to France on 1 November 1918 - just 10 days before the Armistice that ended World War I was signed . Having never seen combat , the squadron was demobilized in April 1919 . Inter - war years . The 43d was reactivated on 22 July 1922 , at Kelly Field , Texas , and was redesignated the 43d School Squadron in January 1923 . The squadron flew various aircraft , including the DH - 4 , Spad XIII , SE - 5 , MB - 7 , AT - 4 , AT - 5 , PW - 9 , P - 1 , and P - 12 . The 43d became known as the " Hornets " as depicted by their emblem , a poised Vespa Maculata , or American " Yellow Jacket , " the most formidable of the wasp family , surrounded by an ovate cloud . The emblem was approved in 1924 and the Hornet signifies the speed , agility and hard - hitting capabilities of the squadron while the cloud represents their domain - the skies . In March 1935 , the 43d was redesignated the 43d Pursuit Squadron , flying as part of the 3d Wing Advanced Flying School until it was inactivated in September 1936 . World War II . Re - established in 1939 as the 43d Pursuit Squadron ( Interceptor ) and activated on 1 February 1940 at Albrook Field , Panama Canal Zone . This unit was part of the build - up of the Canal Zone ' s defenses as war approached . Assigned to the 16th Pursuit Group ( Interceptor ) , and equipped with Curtis P - 36A Hawk s . In July 1941 , the Squadron began to convert from P - 36A ' s to new Curtiss P - 40 Warhawk s and , upon completion of this conversion , ' A " Flight was transferred to the Top Secret " Project X " on 18 August . This , of course , was the reinforcement of Trinidad . Another flight later moved on to Zandery Field , Surinam , by January 1942 . After the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor , the unit moved to La Joya # 1 ( Pacora ) Airfield in Panama in January 1942 . In Panama , the squadron was assigned to the Panama Interceptor Com¬mand ( PIC ) . Re - designated as the 43d Fighter Squadron on 13 June 1942 . On 20 August , the squadron began re - equipping with the new Bell P - 39 Airacobra , while the Zandery Field and Trinidad detachments remained . active with P - 40Cs On 1 September the detachments aircraft were re - assigned to the XXXVI Fighter Command , Antilles Air Task Force , although its personnel returned home to the main body of the Squadron . Operating air defense patrols throughout 1943 from La Joya , pn 9 February 1944 , the Squadron finally moved to Howard Field , having been deployed to an auxiliary base longer than any other Squadron in Sixth Air Force . In March , the Squadron was selected to serve as a " model " squadron for the Brazilian 1st Fighter Squadron , which was in training with the 30th Fighter Squadron at Aguadulce Field . During this operational observation , four Brazilian officers and 36 enlisted men were briefly attached to the Squadron . Moved back to Howard Field in August 1943 . One more move was made to France Field on 10 January 1945 , replacing the 32d Fighter Squadron . Unit activities ran down with the end of the war in Europe in May 1945 . The squadron ceased all flying activities in June . By October 1945 , the squadron was reduced to a non - operational administrative organization . Inactivated on 15 October 1946 . Vietnam War . The squadron lay dormant nearly two decades before it was awakened as the 43d Tactical Fighter Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base , Florida , in January 1964 flying the F - 84 Thunderstreak . The Hornets converted from the F - 84 to the F - 4 Phantom II , and in August 1965 , deployed to Clark Air Base , Philippines , where they were in reserve support to the 47th Tactical Fighter Squadron who were flying combat missions over Southeast Asia from Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base , Thailand . In November 1965 , the Hornets became the first fighter squadron assigned to Cam Ranh Air Base , South Vietnam , with an advance party arriving on 28 October . During its time in Southeast Asia , the squadron flew 1 , 207 combat missions and earned the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for its service . In January 1966 , the 43rd TFS returned to MacDill AFB , to serve as an F - 4 replacement - training unit until March 1970 . Alaskan Service . In June 1970 , the 43 TFS was moved to Elmendorf Air Force Base , Alaska , under the 21st Tactical Fighter Wing . The squadron was one of two units assigned to Alaskan Air Command . Flying the F - 4E Phantom II , the 43d inherited a dual mission of Alaskan air defense and close air support for U . S . Army forces . In addition to flying out of Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage , the squadron also sat air defense alert at King Salmon , Galena , and Eielson AFB forward operating bases . The squadron assumed North American Aerospace Defense Command air defense alert in October 1970 and between 1970 and 1982 , the squadron ' s pilots intercepted more than 100 Soviet aircraft in Alaskan air space . In 1976 the 43rd TFS won the Hughes Trophy for the best air - to - air squadron in the United States Air Force . In 1982 , the 43d became the first squadron to convert to the F - 15 Eagle . Without help from a combat ready unit , the squadron developed its own F - 15 training program and completed the first ever F - 15 low runway condition reading tests . The squadron continued to provide air defense for North America until 1 January 1994 , when it was inactivated . Modern era . On 25 October 2002 , The 43d Fighter Squadron was reactivated with a new mission and a new aircraft . Assigned to the 325th Fighter Wing , Air Education and Training Command , Tyndall Air Force Base , Florida , the 43 FS is the first squadron to provide training for Air Force pilots in the F - 22 Raptor .