510th Fighter Squadron

510th Fighter Squadron
510th Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon[a]
Active	1943–1945; 1952–1958; 1959–1969; 1978–1994; 1994–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Fighter
Part of	United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa Third Air Force 31st Fighter Wing 31st Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Aviano Air Base, Italy
Nickname(s)	Buzzards[1]
Motto(s)	Buzzards Rule[2]
Colors	Purple[2]
Mascot(s)	Buzz[citation needed]
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation Presidential Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Cited in the Order of the Day, Belgian Army Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm[3]
Insignia
510th Fighter Squadron emblem[b][3]
510th Fighter-Bomber Sq emblem[c][3]
510th Fighter-Bomber Sq emblem[d][4]
510th Fighter Sq emblem[e][4]

The 510th Fighter Squadron is part of the 31st Operations Group at Aviano Air Base, Italy. It is a combat-ready F-16CM fighter squadron prepared to deploy and fly combat sorties as tasked by NATO and US combatant commanders.

The squadron was first activated as the 625th Bombardment Squadron in 1943, changing to the 510th Fighter-Bomber Squadron a few months later. After training in the United States, it moved to England in March 1944, helping prepare for Operation Overlord by attacking targets in France. Following D-Day, the squadron moved to the continent, providing close air support for Allied forces. The squadron earned a Distinguished Unit Citation and was cited in the Order of the Day by the Belgian Army. After V-E Day the squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated at the port of embarkation.

The squadron was activated again in 1952, when it replaced an Air National Guard squadron that had been mobilized for the Korean War. It trained for fighter bomber operations until inactivating in 1958. A year later, it was activated in the Philippines as the 510th Tactical Fighter Squadron. The squadron returned to the United States in 1964, but soon deployed back to the Pacific, moving to Vietnam in 1965, and engaging in combat until inactivating in 1969 as the United States began withdrawing forces from Vietnam.

The squadron was activated with Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt IIs in 1978 as the 81st Fighter Wing doubled its tactical strength. It moved to Germany in 1992 and was inactivated there in 1994. A few weeks later, the squadron was reactivated in its current role.

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