Operational training unit, June 1942 – October 1943; replacement training, October 1943 – April 1944.
Cold War
Air defense of West coast, 1953–1955. Air Defense of Southwest Europe, 1958–1964. In the early 1960s Headquarters, United States Air Force implemented Project Clearwater. Clearwater was designed to return overseas Convair F-102 Delta Dagger squadrons stationed overseas to the United States to reduce "gold flow". This resulted in the 497th being reduced to a paper unit and its planes dispersed to Air Defense Commandinterceptor squadrons in the US. Although it had originally been intended to inactivate the unit, it was instead transferred to Tactical Air Command as a paper unit.
Vietnam War
Combat in Southeast Asia, 1965–1974; Defense of South Korea, 1974–1988.
Current mission
Combat training in Southeast Asia, 1991–present Approximately three deployments of USAF McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagles and General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons from both active duty and Air National Guard units from around the world are made each year to Singapore under the auspices of Exercise Commando Sling. The squadron supports/participates in regional exercise and global contingencies, and provides housing; morale, recreation and welfare facilities and programs: medical services; force protection to resources and personnel; and legal, financial, communications, and contracting support to assigned and deployed personnel. The 497th comprises the basic functional elements of a small-scale USAF fighter wing – fighter operations, flightline logistics, community and mission support, and medical services. With a permanently assigned staff of 37 personnel, the 497th represents the entire USAF presence in Singapore. However, six times a year for up to four weeks the unit grows to between 120 and 190 in strength, with the deployment of 6 to 12 F-15 and/or F-16 aircraft and the associated 75 to 150 support personnel. When so configured, the 497th "presence" is transformed into an operational role, to conduct an intense schedule of air-to-air combat training with the Republic of Singapore Air Force. The 497th also supports USAF fighter rotations to Southwest Asia and several other regional exercises such as Cope Taufan, Cope Tiger, and Cope West. An example of the 497th's "expanding capability" occurred in May 1998 during COMMANDO SLING 98-4 when they also supported the ordered departure of U.S. personnel from Indonesia. Paya Lebar Air Base ramp at that time had 28 USAF F-15s, four USAF Lockheed C-130 Herculeses, four USAF Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers, one Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, one Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, plus all the permanently based RSAF aircraft and aircraft from other nations. All were supported by squadron and RSAF personnel. Additionally, COMMANDO SLING 98-4 was the first time the normally bilateral exercise was expanded to include the Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18 Hornets. The 497th commander is also the designated commanding officer for legal jurisdiction over U.S. military personnel in nine Southeast Asian countries. It is a tenant command under Naval Region Singapore and shares space at the Sembawang Terminal with Task Force 73/Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific and a space at Paya Lebar Air Base.
Lineage
Constituted as the 302d Bombardment Squadron on 13 January 1942
Activated on 10 February 1942
Disbanded on 1 April 1944
Reconstituted on 3 February 1953 and redesignated 497th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
