The squadron was originally activated during World War II as the 563d Bombardment Squadron. After training in the United States, it deployed to the European Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. The squadron was twice awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation for its combat actions. Following V-E Day, it returned to the United States and was inactivated. The squadron was briefly active in the Air Force Reserve in the late 1940s, but does not appear to have been fully manned or equipped.
The squadron was redesignated the 563d Fighter-Bomber Squadron and activated in 1953. It moved to Europe, but was inactivated in 1957, when it was replaced by another unit. It was activated again as the 563d Tactical Fighter Squadron in 1962. It conducted frequent deployments, but focused on training pilots for operations in Southeast Asia. Elements of the squadron participated in combat there, although the squadron remained in the United States. From 1973, it conducted Wild Weasel training. It deployed elements for Desert Storm before inactivating in 1992. It was reactivated in 1992 and was part of the 12th Flying Training Wing at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, where it operated the Boeing T-43 Bobcat conducting navigator training until inactivating on 19 November 2010.
Mission
The squadron researches, builds, ships, tests, and maintains software applications to support mission essential functions. These functions include rapid electronic warfare integrated reprogramming, electromagnetic spectrum operations assessment, and target and waveform capability development. Its Detachment 1 serves as a software development training arm to enable others by prioritizing a data-first, test driven approach to secure electromagnetic spectrum operations superiority.[1]
History
World War II
Initial training and deployment
The 563d was first activated as the 563d Bombardment Squadron at Gowen Field, Idaho, one of the four original squadrons of the 388th Bombardment Group, in December 1942.[4][5] The cadre that formed at Gowen moved to Wendover Field, Utah in February 1943, where the unit was fully manned and squadron training with Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers began. Training continued until June 1943, when it deployed to England. The air echelon ferried its B-17s to England via the northern ferry route, while the ground echelon departed for Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, the port of embarkation, sailing in the RMS Queen Elizabeth on 1 July.[6]
The squadron assembled at RAF Knettishall, its combat station, and flew its first combat mission on 17 July, when it attacked an aircraft factory in Amsterdam. The squadron primarily engaged in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, attacking industrial sites, oil refineries and storage facilities, communications centers and naval targets on the European Continent.[5]
The squadron was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for attacking an aircraft factory at Regensburg, Germany, on 17 August 1943, withstanding heavy resistance to reach the target. It was awarded a second DUC for three separate missions: an earlier attack on a tire and rubber factory in Hanover, Germany on 26 July 1943 and two missions in 1944, one against synthetic oil refineries near Brüx, Germany[d] on 12 May and at Ruhland, Germany on 21 June. This last attack was on a shuttle bombing mission from England to Germany to Poltava, USSR,[e] to Foggia, Italy, and back to England.[5] Other strategic targets included aircraft factories at Brunswick, Kassel, and Reims; airfields at Paris, Berlin and in Bordeaux; naval installations at Emden, Kiel and La Pallice, chemical works in Ludwigshafen; ball bearing factories at Schweinfurt and rail marshalling yards in Bielefeld, Brussels, and Osnabruck.[5]
The squadron was occasionally diverted from the strategic campaign to perform air support and air interdiction missions. It attacked military installations in France in early 1944 to help prepare the way for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, and on D Day hit coastal defenses, artillery batteries and transportation targets. It attacked troop concentrations and supply depots. In July 1944, it supported Operation Cobra at Saint Lo and the following month attacked targets in Caen. It struck military installations and airfields near Arnhem during Operation Market Garden, the unsuccessful attempt to secure a bridgehead across the Rhine in the Netherlands. It attacked transportation targets to support the final drive through Germany in early 1945.[5]
Return and inactivation
The squadron flew its last combat mission in April 1945. After V-E Day, the squadron flew missions to the Netherlands to drop food in flooded areas. It then began redeploying to the United States. Its aircraft left Knettishall between 9 June and 5 July 1945. The ground echelon sailed again on the Queen Elizabeth on 5 August. The squadron inactivated at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota on 28 August 1945.[4][5][6][7]
Air Force reserve
The squadron was activated in the reserves at Orchard Place Airport, Illinois on 12 June 1947 and assigned to the 338th Bombardment Group. The squadron trained under the supervision of Air Defense Command (ADC)'s 141st AAF Base Unit (Reserve Training) (later the 2471st Air Force Reserve Flying Training Center), although it does not appear that it was fully manned or equipped.[4][8] Although nominally a bombardment unit, the squadron was equipped with North American AT-6 Texan and Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan trainers.[9]
The squadron was redesignated the 563d Fighter-Bomber Squadron and activated at Clovis Air Force Base, New Mexico in November 1953.[4] The squadron was equipped with North American F-86F Sabres, with a capability of carrying nuclear weapons.[13] A year after activation, in November 1954, the squadron was transferred to United States Air Forces Europe and departed, along with other elements of the 388th Fighter-Bomber Wing, for Étain-Rouvres Air Base, France. However, construction at Etain was not far enough advanced to permit it to accept fighter aircraft, and only the wing headquarters settled in to the base.[14][15] Instead, the squadron ferried their Sabres to Bitburg Air Base, Germany, arriving the following month.[4][16]
Little flying was done in the squadron's first winter in Europe due to weather. It deployed to Wheelus Air Base, Libya in April 1955, where it was able to train in gunnery and bombing for the first time since arriving in Europe. The squadron rejoined the wing at its permanent base in France in July 1955, the first of the wing's squadrons to arrive. Starting in November 1955, it began deployments to Detachment 1 of the 388th Wing at Hahn Air Base, Germany to stand nuclear alert. The detachment moved to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany in February 1956.[17]
The squadron returned to McConnell after earning two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat "V" Device during its combat tour in Thailand.[4][23] It had flown more than 1500 sorties over North Vietnam and Laos and lost ten of the F-105Ds it originally deployed with. Two squadron pilots were killed in action and three became Prisoners of War.[7] In 1966, the squadron focused on training replacement F-105 pilots for units in Southeast Asia. It continued this mission until August 1970, when the need for "Thud Drivers" diminished with the withdrawal of the United States from Southeast Asia. The squadron continued to fly the F-105 until inactivated in July 1972.[9][7]
On 31 July 1975, the 563rd was again activated at George Air Force Base, California as the 563d Tactical Fighter Training Squadron and assigned to the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing. It initially flew Thunderstick II aircraft but replaced them with McDonnell F-4 Phantom IIs in September 1975. In October 1978, the 563rd received new aircraft from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, and was the first operational squadron to fly the advanced F-4G Wild Weasel. The unit served with this electronic warfare aircraft in many exercises until it was inactivated in October 1989.[9][7]
Flying training
On 14 May 1993, the 563rd was redesigned the 563d Flying Training Squadron and activated at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. The squadron was assigned to the 12th Flying Training Wing under Air Education and Training Command. In conjunction with the 562nd Flying Training Squadron, it operated the Boeing T-43 Bobcat aircraft conducting electronic warfare officer and combat systems officer training in electronic attack, threat reaction, and electronic surveillance. The 563rd also operated the T-25 Simulator.[7] In 1996, its mission transferred to Pensacola Naval Air Station and Corry Station, Florida as the Air Force and the Navy combined their training activities and the squadron was inactivated in June 1996.[24] The Air Force resumed training electronic warfare officers in 1999 and the squadron was reactivated in April.[25] This training moved again to Pensacola and became the responsibility of the 479th Flying Training Group[26] and the squadron was inactivated in November 2010.[27]
Electronic warfare
The squadron was redesignated 563rd Electronic Warfare Squadron and activated at Joint Base San Antonio in April 2024.[4]
Lineage
Constituted as the 563rd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 19 December 1942
Activated on 24 December 1942
Redesignated 563rd Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 20 August 1943
Inactivated on 28 August 1945
Redesignated 563rd Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 5 May 1947
Activated in the reserve on 12 June 1947
Inactivated on 27 June 1949
Redesignated 563rd Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 5 November 1953
Activated on 23 November 1953
Inactivated on 10 December 1957
Redesignated 563rd Tactical Fighter Squadron and activated on 1 May 1962 (not organized)
Organized on 1 October 1962
Inactivated on 31 July 1972
Redesignated 563rd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 15 July 1975
Activated on 31 July 1975
Redesignated 563rd Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 July 1977
Inactivated on 5 October 1989
Redesignated 563rd Flying Training Squadron on 14 December 1992
Activated on 14 May 1993
Inactivated on 3 June 1996
Activated on 30 April 1999
Inactivated on 19 November 2010
Redesignated/Activated 563rd Electronic Warfare Squadron on 15 March 2024
23rd Tactical Fighter Wing, 8 February 1964 (attached to 2nd Air Division, 8–9 April 1965; 6235th Tactical Fighter Wing [Provisional], 10 April-15 August 1965)
^Approved 4 February 1955. Description: Over a red diamond, the black ace of spades playing card, a sabre piercing through the center of the card, blade silver, hilt and pommel gold and black.
^Aircraft is North American F-86F-35-NA Sabre, serial 53-1117. In 1957 this aircraft was transferred to the Norwegian Air Force.
^Aircraft is Republic F-105D-31-RE Thunderchief, serial 62-4386 in 1965.
^This was actually two different organizations. As the squadron arrived at Takhli, Pacific Air Forces formed the Tactical Fighter Wing, 6235th, Provisional. The provisional wing was replaced by a MAJCON wing with the same number on 8 July 1965, to which the squadron was attached until August, when it was relieved by the 562d Tactical Fighter Squadron.
^Aircraft is McDonnell Douglas F-4E-43-MC Phantom, serial 69-7254 in F-4G Wild Weasel configuration. It awaits its turn at Mojave for conversion to a 'Red Tail' target drone. The white fin cap indicates the aircraft was assigned to the 563rd TFS. Converted to QF-4G and expended 4 June 2002.
^Musser includes dates for this award when the squadron was not active. Factsheet 563 Flying Training Squadron.
Freeman, Roger A. (1970). The Mighty Eighth: Units, Men and Machines (A History of the US 8th Army Air Force). London, England, UK: Macdonald and Company. ISBN978-0-87938-638-2.
Watkins, Robert (2008). Battle Colors: Insignia and Markings of the Eighth Air Force In World War II. Vol. I (VIII) Bomber Command. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN978-0-7643-1987-7.
