352nd Tactical Fighter Squadron

352nd Tactical Fighter Squadron. . , The 354th Day Fighter Wing was originally composed of three fighting squadrons , the 353rd, 355th and 356th Day Fighter Squadrons. In 1957, an Air Force-wide reorganization of flying units reduced the number of F-100s assigned to the Myrtle Beach fighter squadrons from 24 to 18. This reorganization led to the creation of a fourth 354th squadron , the 352nd Day Fighter Squadron. The 352nd squadron “Yellow Jackets" became mission capable in December 1957, and in 1958 joined the other wing squadrons in deployments to Turkey and Italy during the Lebanon Crisis., In October 1962, the 352nd, along with the other three fighter squadrons, deployed to McCoy Air Force Base, Florida, in support of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The squadron deployed to Myrtle Beach in December 1962, and throughout 1963-1965 participated in the wing's normal exercises and deployments., The 352nd was sent to Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam, in 1966 to assist in supporting air operations in Southeast Asia. In August of that year, the 352nd Tactical Fighter Squadron was reassigned to the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing. The squadron continued flying the F-100 from Phan Rang and subsequently was reassigned again, this time to the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing., The 352nd was deactivated at Phan Rang on July 31, 1971, as part of the United States drawdown in Vietnam. , , ( photo caption ) , F-100 Super Sabre of the 352nd Day Fighter Squadron at Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam in 1971 , , ( nearby marker ) , CONUS Exercises . The 354th Tactical Fighter Wing was the first air-to-ground attack unit to become a part of the Rapid Deployment Force, a concept developed in 1981 by the Tactical Air Command to respond to short-notice worldwide crises. Additionally, the 354th sent planes, personnel and equipment to participate in well-known CONUS (Continental United States) exercises such as Red Flag, Green Flag Blue Flag and Air Warrior.