World War II Established under the Northeast Air District as a pursuit squadron, initially equipped with second-line aircraft. Transferred to Southeast Air District (later
Third Air Force) in late 1941, re-equipped with
Curtiss P-40 Warhawks. Trained in the southeast, becoming a training squadron at the
Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics in Florida in 1943. Re-equipped with
North American P-51 Mustangs and trained as an operational squadron, being deployed to the
European Theater of Operations, being assigned to
IX Fighter Command in
England in May 1944. Re-equipped with
Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, the squadron supported Allied ground forces in France after
D-Day, attacking enemy strong points, troop concentrations, armor formations, bridges and other targets. Moved to
Normandy and operated from several forward bases in Northeast France during the summer of 1944 as Allied ground forces moved eastwards towards Germany. Supported the Fifth Army movement from Southern France though the Lyon Valley, then into Occupied Germany as part of the Western Allied invasion in the spring of 1945. Remained in Germany as part of the
United States Air Forces in Europe occupation forces, demobilizing over the summer. Inactivated in Colorado, November 1945.
European fighter operations Reactivated on 15 November 1976 at
Hahn Air Base, Germany, but remained nonoperational through 26 December. From this perspective the 313th made a huge jump from P-47 Thunderbolts to the
McDonnell F-4E Phantom II. In 1981 the 313th became the first unit to operate the
General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon in
USAFE. Inactivated at the end of the
Cold War on 30 December 1991. ==Lineage==