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539th FIS

"Iron Hand"
McGuire AFB, NJ

26 F-106's assigned the 539th FIS between 1 May 1959 - 1 Jum 1967



 
The 539th FIS was activated in October 1943 at Westover Field, Chicopee, Mass. Shortly after activation, the squadron moved to Seymour Johnson Field, Goldsboro, North Carolina to become part of the 402nd Fighter Group where it operated under the Replacement Training Unit Program of the advanced phase of pilot training.  In December 1943, the squadron again moved, this time to Blethenthal Field, Wilmington, North Carolina, and was assigned to the 326th Fighter Group where it remained until disbanded in April 1944. In January 1955 it received F-86D's and in August 1955 the unit designation was transferred to McGuire AFB as the 539th Fighter Interceptor Squadron where it received F-86L's.  In May 1959 the squadron transitioned to F-106A becoming the first squadron in the Air Defense Command to be equipped with the F-106's.  The 539th was deactivated 31 Aug 1967.

 
F-106A 57-2455 [Marty Isham Collection] F-106B 57-2531 (foreground) and 57-2459 in 1965 photo [Ted Schmitz collection] 1965 photo, 57-2459 in the foreground [Ted Schmitz collection]
F-106B 57-2531 in 1965 photo [Ted Schmitz collection] F-106A 57-2457, undated [Marty Isham Collection] F-106A 57-2459 in an early 1960's photo [Marty Isham Collection]
F-106A 57-2456 [Marty Isham Collection via K. Minert] F-106A 57-2457, May 1964 [Marty Isham via Norm Taylor] F-106A 57-2457, undated [Marty Isham Collection]
F-106A 57-2457, undated [Marty Isham Collection] F-106A 57-2459, 1967 [Marty Isham Collection via Bob Dorr] Jim Day and Lt Col Champion, 539th FIS in 1959 [David McBean collection]
F-106A 57-2467, 20 May 1967 [Marty Isham Collection via Dr.J.G. Handelman] F-106A 57-2468 [Larry Stremikis collection] 20 July 64 landing crash of 57-2468 scanned from the 23 Jul 64 issue of the DIX-McGuire-NJ Mirror Newspaper [Larry Stremikis collection]
F-106A 57-2470, 1962 [Larry Stremikis collection] F-106A 57-2470, May 1966 with open armament doors & aft rails/WSEM extended [Marty Isham Collection] F-106A 57-2471 with AIR 2-A Genie Rocket under armament bay [Marty Isham Collection]
F-106A 57-2472 with smaller fuel wing tanks [Larry Stremikis collection]   F-106B 57-2520 and F-106A 57-2473 in flight, 1961 [Marty Isham Collection]
     

 

 
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