This article is about the reserve 93d Fighter Squadron, formerly the 93d Troop Carrier Squadron. For the 93d Fighter Squadron of World War II, see 93d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.
When the Allies made the air assault across the Rhine River in March 1945, each aircraft towed two gliders with troops of the 17th Airborne Division and released them near Wesel. The squadron also hauled food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, ordnance equipment, and other supplies to the front lines and evacuated patients to rear zone hospitals. It converted from C-47s to C-46s and the new aircraft to transport displaced persons from Germany to France and Belgium after V-E Day.
Returned to the U.S. during the period July–September 1945, and trained with Curtiss C-46 Commando aircraft until inactivated.[1]
Air Force Reserve
93d TFS F-4D Phantom IIs taking off from Roosevelt Roads during Exercise Patriot Pearl, 1988.
The squadron was reactivated as part of Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) at Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan, on 27 June 1949. From here they once again operated the C-46 Commando, training in troop carrier operations up until 3 April 1951. The squadron was reactivated as the 93d Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 15 June 1952, equipped with the North American F-51 Mustang. These were operated for only a year until the unit converted to their first jet – Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star, which was operated up until 1956. Converting to the Republic F-84 Thunderjet, the squadron continued fighter-bomber operations up until 16 November 1957 when they were inactivated.
The Makos began to convert to the General Dynamics F-16A/B Fighting Falcon in November 1989.[3] The squadron was re-designated as the 93d Fighter Squadron on 1 February 1992, the designation it holds to this day.[1] The 93rd FS deployed eight F-16As to Aviano AFB, Italy, between 16 August and 12 September 1992.[8] On 24 August 1992, Homestead Air Force Base was hit by Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 storm, heavily damaging the base.[9] The 93d FS evacuated the base and briefly operated from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, between September and December 1992 before relocating to MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, in February 1993 where the Makos remained until March 1994.[1] The 93d FS finally returned home on 1 April 1994, when Homestead was reopened as Homestead Air Reserve Base. The Makos deployed eight F-16As to Karup Air Base, Denmark, between 5 and 18 June 1994 as part of Exercise Central Enterprise.[10] The squadron converted over to the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon in 1995, with most of their old F-16A/B aircraft being retired to AMARC.[3]
The 93d FS were deployed to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, to enforce the no-fly zone over northern Iraq as part of Operation Northern Watch in 1997, 1999 and 2000.[1][3] They later deployed to Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base, Kuwait, in 2001 as part of Operation Southern Watch.[3] The squadron participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom when they were deployed alongside the 457th Fighter Squadron to Balad Air Base, Iraq, in 2007 and later in 2009. They then supported a Theater Support Program deployment to South Korea with 12 F-16C+ Block 30s in 2012 for 90+ days. In 2014 they deployed 9 F-16C+s alongside their sister squadron 457th FS 9 F-16C+s to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan (BAF) for 180 days. In 2016 they deployed 12 F-16C+s back to BAF for 100+ day deployment. Most recently the 93rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron deployed 12 F-16C+s to BAF in 2021 for 4 months and then extended and supported the final crewed fighter presence over Afghanistan from an undisclosed location in the Middle East being some of the last fighter pilots to fly over Afghanistan while supporting the pullout effort. [3]
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