Commander: Lt. Col. Eddie Altizer
Contact: (662) 434 2035
Email: 48fts.cce@us.af.mil
Mission: Develop professional military officers while empowering instructors to train pilots for the world’s greatest Air Force.
Vision: Setting the Training Standard.
HISTORY OF THE 48TH FLYING TRAINING SQUADRON
The 48th Aero Squadron was organized at Kelly Field, Texas, on 4 August 1917 and sailed to Le Havre, France, arriving in November 1917. While in France, the unit built or repaired various airdromes and participated in the Lorraine, St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne campaigns. Following World War I, the squadron returned to the United States and was demobilized at Mitchell Field, New York, in August 1919. The 48th School Squadron was again active, training aviation personnel between 1923 and 1927 at Kelly Field, Texas, and between 1933 and 1936 at Chanute Field, Illinois.
The unit was reactivated at Hamilton Field, California, as the 48th Pursuit Squadron in January 1941, where it flew training missions and air defense patrols along the California coast using P-40, P-66 and P-43 aircraft. Designed by Walt Disney himself, the squadron patch depicting an alley cat chasing a dragonfly was adopted by the 48th in 1942. In August 1942, the redesignated 48th Fighter Squadron moved to Atcham, England, and began training operations with the P-38 Lightning. In November 1942, the 48th moved to Algeria to support the invasion of North Africa and later operations over Sicily and Sardinia. While based in Algeria, the 48th flew escort missions for B-25 and B-26 bombers, made fighter sweeps and flew reconnaissance missions. In December 1942, the 48th moved to Triolo, Italy, and conducted fighter escort for heavy bombers on missions to central Europe, the Balkans and Germany. They also provided close air support to allied armies pushing up the Italian peninsula. In August 1944, the unit moved temporarily to Aghione, Corsica, and engaged in patrol, dive-bombing and armed reconnaissance missions to support the allied invasion of southern France. Through May 1945, the squadron continued operations from Italy conducting bomber escort and attacks against transportation, oil and communication targets. The squadron was deactivated in September 1945 at Lesina, Italy.
From November 1946 until October 1949, the 48th Fighter Squadron flew air defense missions from Dow Field, Maine, using P-47s and P-84s. The 48th Fighter Interceptor Squadron was activated at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, and flew F-84s, F-94s, F-102s, F-106s and F-15s from January 1953 until the squadron was deactivated in December 1991.
Activation of the 48th Flying Training Squadron on 1 July 1996 completed reunification of the squadrons in the World War II 14th Fighter Group, which included the 37th, 48th, 49th and 50th Squadrons, as the 14th Flying Training Wing. The 48th Flying Training Squadron now flies the T-1A Jayhawk for Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, preparing future pilots to fly tanker and airlift aircraft.
The Legacy of the 40 & 8 Club
The below individuals have been inducted into the 40 & 8 Club for outstanding contributions to and impact on the members and legacy of the 48th squadron.
Major Michael Brezas – 48th Fighter Squadron Flight Leader (1944 – 1945), Top Ace of the 14th Fighter Group
Colonel Bruce Busler – 48th Flying Training Squadron Commander (1996 – 1998), First Commander of the 48th as a T-1A squadron
Colonel Tamra Rank – 48th Flying Training Squadron Commander (2000 – 2002), First Female Commander in 48th's history
Colonel Corey Simmons – 48th Flying Training Squadron First Assignment Instructor Pilot (2001 – 2003), First two-time Wing Commander (71 FTW & 60 AMW)
Notable Awards and Accomplishments as a Flying Training Squadron:
AETC Top Flying Training Squadron – 1998, 2003, 2005, 2013, 2021
14 FTW Frank G. Brewer Trophy Nominee – 2019, 2020, 2021
Squadron’s record number of pilots produced in a single year: 254 graduates (FY21)