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History of the 71st Fighter Squadron "The IRONMEN" (a.k.a. "Cragmore")

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The 71st Fighter Squadron is a squadron of the United States Air Force, currently part of the 1st Operations Group of the 1st Fighter Wing, and stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. The squadron is equipped with the F-15C Eagle, the last squadron of the 1st Fighter Wing to fly the F-15, with the 27th and 94th already flying the F-22A Raptor.

History of the 71st Fighter Squadron, "The IRONMEN" (a.k.a. "Cragmore").

The 71st Fighter Squadron has a tradition of outstanding performance since its foundation in December 1940 as the 71st Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor). Initial activation to the 1st Pursuit Group at Selfridge Field, Michigan on 1 January 1941 was definite evidence of America's impending direct involvement in W.W.II. Initial activation training was accomplished in the P-35. This was changed to the YP-43 Lancer when the squadron was redesignated as the 71st Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) on 12 March 1941. The squadron gained proficiency in the aircraft and the anti-submarine mission while training on the Great Lakes. On 9 December 1941, just two days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the squadron reported to San Diego NAS in defense of the important Southern California coast. Two months later, the 71st moved north to Los Angeles to transition to the P-38 Lightning and was renamed the 71st Fighter Squadron. June 1942 saw the 71st become the first single-seat, twin engine fighter unit to deploy to England during W.W.II.

The 71st established themselves with outstanding performance as the first P-38 unit in combat. Capt John D. Eiland was credited with the squadron's first-ever combat kill after downing a German FW-190 on 4 December 1942. Squadron campaigns included anti-submarine warfare near Egypt and Libya; air offensive operations in Algeria, French Morocco, Tunisia, Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Anzio, Normandy, Northern France, Southern France, North Appennines, Rhineland, Central Europe, Po Valley, and air combat throughout the African, Mediterranean, and European theaters of operations. The pilots were continuously at the forefront of the air battles. Outstanding performance, heroism, and combat victories were the accepted standard. Seventeen Campaign Participation Credits were awarded to the 71st. We earned three Distinguished Unit Citations. The squadron claimed 102 kills and produced 5 aces; including one pilot who became an Ace in one mission. The 71st squadron flew under the "Cragmore" callsign during WWII, and its original patch included a skull with lightining bolts in the shape of 71. In June of 1943, General Carl Spaatz and General Jimmy Doolittle traveled to the deployed location to present decorations earned in combat. This award ceremony was soon followed by Distinguished Unit Citations presented on 25 August 1943 and 30 August 1943 for missions launched from Italy. The squadron was presented another Distinguished Unit Citation by General Twaining in May of 1944 for escort during the devastating attacks on Ploesti, Romania. It was during this operation that Lt Herbert Hatch, Jr. achieved 5 kills in one mission, all within a few minutes, and caused the gun barrels of his P-38 to melt. Upon completion of its mission in Europe, the squadron was deactivated in Italy on 16 October 1945.

On 3 July 1946 the 71st was reactivated as part of the 1st Pursuit Group at March Field, California flying the new P-80 Shooting Star. The unit designed the present unit patch which was approved on 10 October 1947. "Over and through a medium blue disk with a yellow border, a winged mailed fist symbolizes the solidarity of purpose of the 71st Fighter Squadron. The red flame represents valor. The blue background, the color of the sky, stands for honor and the golden ring represents unity of purpose." The squadron flew the P-80 until 1949 and then converted to the F-86 Sabre. In keeping with the tradition of flying the newest USAF fighters, the 71st flew the F-102 Delta Dagger from 1958 to 1960 and the F-106 Delta Dart from 1960 to 1971.

In 1965, the unit won the F-106 category in the William Tell Interceptor Competition. The 71st has been awarded the Presidential Unit Citation 3 times and the Outstanding Unit Award 5 times. In December 1969, the 71st was awarded the 1969 Hughes Achievement Award, presented annually to the most outstanding Fighter Interceptor Squadron in the world.

A major change occurred in July 1971 which encompassed changing aircraft, location, and designation. The squadron was redesignated the as the 71st Tactical Fighter Squadron and joined the Tactical Air Command with the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing at MacDill AFB, Florida. It was there that the 71st was equipped with the F-4E Phantom II aircraft. During the time the squadron was at MacDill AFB it trained combat fighter crews in the complex F-4 weapon system for deployment to tactical units stationed worldwide. Graduates of the 71st bore the brunt of the battle and participated in the final operations against North Vietnam which terminated the war in Southeast Asia. While graduating over 370 fighter crew members from a complex and demanding combat training environment involving day, night, and all-weather operation, the 71st maintained the high standards of its heritage, receiving three consecutive Tactical Air Command Unit Achievement Awards for a record 4 years of accident-free flying through October 1974. In July 1975, the 71st transferred with the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing to Langley AFB, where it was equipped with the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter.

In 1976 the 71st FS assumed the name of "Ironmen" as a result of the fist of mail (knight's armored glove) on the squadron's patch. 1982 saw the the 71st become the first TAC squadron fully equipped with the factory new F-15C Eagle aircraft. The 71st routinely deployed throughout the US and Europe to hone its skills during the Cold War.

On 7 August 1990, the 71st deployed to Saudi Arabia with 24 F-15C air-superiority fighter aircraft as the first US combat force to land in support of Operation Desert Shield. Over the next 5 months, the Ironmen flew nearly a year's worth of flying hours, over 13,000 hours and 3,300 sorties--all a prelude to war. In the early morning hours of 17 January 1991, while sweeping the skies near Baghdad, the 71st achieved one of the first aerial victories of DESERT STORM and helped pave the way for one of the most significant events in the history of the USAF: complete and total air domination of an adversary, the 71st having flown 1091 missions and 5881 hours in six short weeks. On 7 March 1991, the 71st redeployed to Langley AFB, Virginia.

Since the first Gulf War, the 71st successfully supported the UN-sanctioned Operation SOUTHERN WATCH and Operation NORTHERN WATCH in Iraq with many deployments to Saudi Arabia and Turkey. 71st FS pilots defeated dozens of Iraqi surface to air (SAM) attacks, and hundreds of anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) attacks while enforcing UN sanctions, without loss or damage to a single aircraft. In 1992 the 71st FS set the all time flying safety record for the F-15 with 124,790 hours of accident free flying. In 2002, the 71st Fighter squadron was awarded the coveted Hughes/Raytheon Trophy for Outstanding Aerial Achievement for a record 4th time. Minutes after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, the 71st launched its F-15s to patrol the skies of the US east coast, intercepting and escorting dozens of airliners to safe landings at airports around the country. The 71st also had aircraft deployed to Nellis AFB, Nevada at the time of the attacks, and were the first fighters to take to the skies to patrol Las Vegas and southern California.

During the second Gulf War in 2003, the 71st FS deployed to southwest asia and guaranteed the US-led coalition total air superiority for the duration of the conflict.

The 71st Fighter Squadron is a cohesive team, prepared to deploy anywhere in the world at any time to set the standard in air superiority. We are the "IRONMEN", proud in tradition, tough in mind and spirit. Our job: "To Fly, Fight and Win." The 71st FS continues to patrol and protect the skies of the US east coast today, day and night.

Updated by Toesf15 and released to Wikpedia on 14 Mar 06