Minot in Ward County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

5th Fighter Interceptor Squadron

The "Spittin Kittens"

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 30, 2023

1. 5th Fighter Interceptor Squadron Marker

Inscription.
This display is in recognition of the men and women who served in the 5th Fighter Interceptor Squadron during the early years of Minot Air Force Base 1960-1988.

The three aircraft you see here were the types flown by the 5th Fighter Interceptor Squadron while at Minot AFB — this T-33 was one of the first aircraft assigned to Minot AFB and flown by the squadron.

Their mission was to intercept enemy bombers. As an Air Defense Command Unit, the squadrons motto was Isti Non Penetrabunt “They shall not penetrate,” but colloquially to crews as “The bastards shall not pass.”

An interesting tid bit about the 5th FIS: the squadron was given a pair of Canadian Lynx as mascots and they were appropriately named “Spittin” and “Kitten.” The lynx den in the squadron was one of the few places where Canadian Lynx had bred in captivity in the U.S., prompting both the St. Louis and San Diego zoos to copy the environment in an attempt to get their own lynx to produce offspring.

This display was made possible in part by a grant from the N.D. Dept. of Commerce, Tourism Div.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Animals • Patriots & Patriotism • War, Cold. A significant historical year for this entry is 1960.

Location. 48°

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16.282′ N, 101° 17.428′ W. Marker is in Minot, North Dakota, in Ward County. Marker can be reached from 34th Avenue Northeast, 0.2 miles east of North Broadway (U.S. 83), on the right when traveling east. The marker is located on the Dakota Territory Air Museum grounds, along the aircraft exhibit trail. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 34th Avenue Northeast, Minot ND 58703, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Lockheed T-33 "Shooting Star" (here, next to this marker); Convair F-106 "Delta Dart" (a few steps from this marker); Douglas C-47 Skytrain (within shouting distance of this marker); Thanks to the United States Air Force (within shouting distance of this marker); McDonnell Douglas F-15 "Eagle" (within shouting distance of this marker); B-17 Bomber Crash Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); A-7D Corsair II (within shouting distance of this marker); June 22, 2011 (approx. 2.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Minot.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Dakota Territory Air Museum

Also see . . .
1. 5th Flying Training Squadron (Wikipedia). Excerpt:

In February 1960 the 5th moved to Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, and transitioned
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 30, 2023

2. 5th Fighter Interceptor Squadron Marker
Lockheed T-33 “Shooting Star” and other aircraft are on exhibit in the background.
into the Convair F-106 Delta Dart under the 32d Fighter Wing. Although the number of ADC interceptor squadrons remained almost constant in the early 1960s, attrition (and the fact that production lines closed in 1961) caused a gradual drop in the number of planes assigned to typical fighter squadrons, from 24 to typically 18 by 1964 and 12 by 1967.
On 22 October 1962, before President John F. Kennedy told Americans that missiles were in place in Cuba, the squadron dispersed one third of its force, equipped with nuclear tipped missiles to Hector Field at the start of the Cuban Missile Crisis. These planes returned to Minot after the crisis. In late 1962 the 5th acquired two live lynx kittens ("Spitten" and "Kitten") as mascots, with the assistance of the Minot Daily News, after a farmer had killed their mother.

(Submitted on February 11, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Minot Air Force Base History. Excerpt:

Minot AFB opened in February 1957, filling the need for a fighter interceptor base responsible for protecting the United States’ northern border from Soviet bombers. The 5th Fighter Interceptor Squadron under Air Defense Command operated F-106 and F-15 aircraft until 1988, when the air defense mission was eliminated. In 1961,
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B-52Hs were stationed at Minot, and have operated continuously under the 5th Bomb Wing when it relocated from Travis AFB, CA in July 1968.

(Submitted on February 11, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

3. Dakota Territory Air Museum. Excerpt:

Founded in 1986, the Dakota Territory Air Museum has proudly evolved into a significant historical depository honoring the men, women and machines that have impacted the rich history of aviation.

(Submitted on February 11, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 11, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 9, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 86 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 11, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.