89Th Fighter Squadron

     The squadron history originates with the 89th Pursuit Squadron, formed 17 March 1942 as part of the 80th Pursuit Group. The Group was composed of the 88th, 89th, and 90th Pursuit Squadrons, and was established at Selfridge Field, Michigan on 13 January 1942. The 80th Pursuit Group moved to Mitchell Field, New York, in July 1942 to train in the Republic P-47 "Thunderbolt". While there, Lieutenant Freeling Clower designed the distinctive squadron patch still used today by the 89Th Fighter Training Squadron; the skull and ace of spades symbolized death in the sky for the opponents, while the clouds and the thunderbolts were for the P-47 "Thunderbolt", the highest flying fighter of its time. In February of 1943, orders came through for the Far East instead of Europe as previously expected, so the 80th Pursuit Group moved to Richmond, Virginia to train in the Curtiss P-40 "Tomahawk". In May of that year, the 80th Pursuit Group departed the United States for India where they convoyed some 2,200 miles overland to the Assam Valley of the China-Burma-India theater of operations. The 80th Pursuit Group compiled an impressive combat record, providing top cover for cargo aircraft flying "the Hump," delivering bombs on targets in Burma, and engaging Japanese aircraft in air-to-air combat. Their nickname, the "Burma Banshees," was given to them by the natives because of the high-pitched whistling noise the P-40 made during dive bomb runs. The 80th Pursuit Group was deactivated on 4 October 1945.

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