| Unit Name: | 78th Attack Squadron |
| Dates: | 28 February 1918 – 15 November 1918 1 April 1931 – 1 September 1937 1 February 1940 – 15 October 1946 1 November 1952 – 1 May 1992 1 January 1994 – 30 June 2003 19 May 2006 – present |
| Country: | United States |
| Branch: | United States Air Force |
| Type: | Reconnaissance and Surveillance |
| Command Structure: | Air Force Reserve Command 10th Air Force |
| Garrison: | Nellis Air Force Base |
| Nickname: | Bushmasters |
| Battles: | World War I World War II Global War on Terror |
| Decorations: | DUC AFOUA |
The 78th Attack Squadron (78 ATKS) is an Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) unit under the 926th Wing, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada and Tenth Air Force (10 AF) at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. The 78 ATKS conducts operations from Creech Air Force Base, Nevada in conjunction with their active-duty associates in the 432d Wing.
The mission of the 78th Attack Squadron is to maintain combat-ready Air Force Reservists to train and equip the Combat Air Forces to conduct Integrated and Expeditionary Combat Operations, as well as training operations, in the MQ-9 Reaper Remotely-Piloted Aircraft.
The squadron consists of RPA pilots, sensor operators and intelligence personnel integrated into Regular Air Force units within the 432d Air Expeditionary Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada.
The 78th was organized in 1917 at Rich Field, Waco, Texas as a training unit. In February 1918 moved to Hicks Field, Fort Worth, Texas before being demobilized. In 1931, the 78th Pursuit Squadron was again activated and assigned to the 20th Pursuit Group at Mather Field, California flying single-seat Boeing P-12 biplane fighters.
During World War II the unit was recognized and stationed in the Pacific theater where the unit flew P-39s, P-40s, and P-51s. With a combat record from the war of 200 enemy aircraft destroyed or damaged, versus the loss of only six aircraft assigned to the unit. The 78th received the Distinguished Unit Citation for actions at the Musashino Plant, Tokyo, Japan, on 7 April 1945.
On 1 November 1952 the 78th Fighter Interceptor Squadron was reactivated, flying F-86 Sabre aircraft as part of the 81st Fighter-Interceptor Wing. In 1954 the 81st became a Fighter Bomber Wing and the assigned squadrons began flying the F-84 Thunderjet. Then in 1958, the 78th received its first F-101 Voodoo aircraft.
While flying the A-10 Thunderbolt II at RAF Woodbridge the squadron deployed to Incirlik Air Base Turkey in 1991, where it took part in Operation Provide Comfort. Later after inactivation and reactivation at Shaw Air Force Base and flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the 78th began a regular rotation of deployments to patrol the Northern and Southern No-Fly Zones of Iraq, the last of which took place in mid to late 2002, when they deployed to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. The squadron also performed combat operations in Kosovo from March to June 1999.[1]
The 78th was prepared to again deploy to Turkey in preparation for Operation Iraqi Freedom, however, the Turkish government denied the use of its nation as a staging area against Iraq. Consequently, the 78th stood down and was inactivated in June 2003. The personnel and F-16CJ equipment of the 78th transferred to the 55th Fighter Squadron.
In April 2006, the 78th was reactivated in the Air Force Reserve Command and redesignated as the 78th Reconnaissance Squadron, with the unit flying the MQ-1 Predator. In July 2010, with the gaining of the MQ-9 Reaper mission, the unit was redesignated the 78th Attack Squadron.[2]
Redesignated, Squadron A, Hicks Field, TX, on 23 July 1918
Demobilized on 15 November 1918
Redesignated 78th Pursuit Squadron on 8 May 1929
Activated on 1 April 1931
Inactivated on 1 September 1937
Activated on 1 February 1940
Redesignated: 78th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942
Redesignated: 78th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 20 August 1943
Inactivated on 15 October 1946
Activated on 1 November 1952
Redesignated: 78th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 1 April 1954
Redesignated: 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 8 July 1958
Inactivated on 1 May 1992
Activated on 1 January 1994
Inactivated on 30 June 2003
Activated on 19 May 2006.
Attached to 81st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, c. 22 April 1954 – 7 February 1955