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122nd Fighter Squadron
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122nd Fighter Squadron
The 122d Fighter Squadron is a unit of the Louisiana Air National Guard 159th Fighter Wing located at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, Louisiana. The 122d is equipped with the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle.
The squadron was first established on 30 July 1940 as the 122d Observation Squadron. It is one of the 29 National Guard observation squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II.
The 122nd Observation Squadron, was formed in December 1940 at the New Orleans Municipal Airport, (currently known as Lakefront Airport). Two months later, with an assortment of 0-38s, Douglas O-46s, North American O-47s, Stinson O-49 Vigilants and North American BC-1As to fly, the unit was called to active service at Esler Field in Alexandria, LA, in response to a general military call-up following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
With the United States' entry into World War II, the 122nd returned to New Orleans in December 1941 to conduct anti-submarine patrol over the Gulf of Mexico. Four missions were flown each day, the aircraft flying in pairs, as far as 100 miles out into the Gulf.
In February 1942, the Squadron was re-equipped with Douglas A-20 Havoc Attack Bombers and was deployed first to England as part of Eighth Air Force, then to North Africa as part of Operation Torch invasion forces in November 1943, assigned to Twelfth Air Force. The 122nd first landed at Fedala, French Morocco and participated in the capture of Casablanca. There, the squadron became part of the 68th Reconnaissance Group.
Several months later the A-20s were replaced by Lockheed P-38 Lightnings, Bell P-39 Airacobras and Curtiss P-40 Warhawks, and the unit was reorganized as a branch of the North African Fighter Training Command. In the summer of 1943, the unit was moved to Bertaux, Algeria, where members trained French and American pilots in navigation and general fighting tactics.
The 122nd was reassigned to HQ Fifteenth Air Force in May 1944 and was re-designated as the 885th Bombardment Squadron (heavy). Equipped with highly modified Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and Consolidated B-24 Liberators, the unit transported supplies to partisans and engaged in nighttime special operations missions, flying into Occupied France, Fascist Italy, Yugoslavia and other parts of Occupied Europe supporting partisans and parachuting Allied Agents into enemy territory. Was inactivated in Italy in October 1945.
The wartime 885th Bombardment Squadron was redesignated the 122nd Bombardment Squadron and was allotted to the Louisiana National Guard on 24 May 1946. It was organized at New Orleans Municipal Airport, Louisiana and was extended federal recognition on 5 December 1946.
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122nd Fighter Squadron
The 122d Fighter Squadron is a unit of the Louisiana Air National Guard 159th Fighter Wing located at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, Louisiana. The 122d is equipped with the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle.
The squadron was first established on 30 July 1940 as the 122d Observation Squadron. It is one of the 29 National Guard observation squadrons of the United States Army National Guard formed before World War II.
The 122nd Observation Squadron, was formed in December 1940 at the New Orleans Municipal Airport, (currently known as Lakefront Airport). Two months later, with an assortment of 0-38s, Douglas O-46s, North American O-47s, Stinson O-49 Vigilants and North American BC-1As to fly, the unit was called to active service at Esler Field in Alexandria, LA, in response to a general military call-up following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
With the United States' entry into World War II, the 122nd returned to New Orleans in December 1941 to conduct anti-submarine patrol over the Gulf of Mexico. Four missions were flown each day, the aircraft flying in pairs, as far as 100 miles out into the Gulf.
In February 1942, the Squadron was re-equipped with Douglas A-20 Havoc Attack Bombers and was deployed first to England as part of Eighth Air Force, then to North Africa as part of Operation Torch invasion forces in November 1943, assigned to Twelfth Air Force. The 122nd first landed at Fedala, French Morocco and participated in the capture of Casablanca. There, the squadron became part of the 68th Reconnaissance Group.
Several months later the A-20s were replaced by Lockheed P-38 Lightnings, Bell P-39 Airacobras and Curtiss P-40 Warhawks, and the unit was reorganized as a branch of the North African Fighter Training Command. In the summer of 1943, the unit was moved to Bertaux, Algeria, where members trained French and American pilots in navigation and general fighting tactics.
The 122nd was reassigned to HQ Fifteenth Air Force in May 1944 and was re-designated as the 885th Bombardment Squadron (heavy). Equipped with highly modified Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and Consolidated B-24 Liberators, the unit transported supplies to partisans and engaged in nighttime special operations missions, flying into Occupied France, Fascist Italy, Yugoslavia and other parts of Occupied Europe supporting partisans and parachuting Allied Agents into enemy territory. Was inactivated in Italy in October 1945.
The wartime 885th Bombardment Squadron was redesignated the 122nd Bombardment Squadron and was allotted to the Louisiana National Guard on 24 May 1946. It was organized at New Orleans Municipal Airport, Louisiana and was extended federal recognition on 5 December 1946.
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