56th Training Squadron

rdf:langString 56th Training Squadron

rdf:langString center|60px

rdf:langString 56th Training Squadron

rdf:langString AF OUA

rdf:langString AF PUC

rdf:langString Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

rdf:langString Alaska, 56th Fighter Squadron

rdf:langString Major Matt Busch of the 56th Training Squadron explains the controls of an F-16 Fighting Falcon to Herschel Walker at Luke AFB

rdf:langString Patch with the 56th Fighter Squadron emblem

rdf:langString The 56th Training Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 56th Operations Group at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. The squadron was first activated at Hamilton Field, California in 1941 as the 56th Pursuit Squadron. It deployed to Alaska where it earned a Distinguished Unit Citation in combat during the Aleutian Campaign. It returned to the United States, where it became a training unit and was disbanded in a general reorganization of the Army Air Forces in 1944. The squadron was redesignated the 56th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and activated late in 1952 as an air defense unit in the upper midwestern United States. It initially flew North American F-86 Sabres, but converted to the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. It continued to fly the Starfighter until Air Defense Command began to phase them out of its inventory. In 1979, the squadron was redesignated as the 56th Tactical Training Squadron. It dropped the "Tactical" from its designation in 1991. Since 1979, except for a brief break in 1993–1994, the squadron has conducted academic training for United States Air Force fighter pilots, earning six Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards along the way.