314th FS activation
Lt. Col. Andrew Caggiano, 314th Fighter Squadron commander, addresses his Airmen, family and friends at the activation of the 314th FS at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., on July 14. The 54th Fighter Group, a detachment of the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., activated the 314th Fighter Squadron here. Their mission is to produce the world’s greatest F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter pilots and deploy combat mission ready Airmen. The 314th FS was first activated July 6, 1942. During that time, the unit deployed to serve with Ninth Air Force in Egypt, where it took part in the Western Desert Campaign of World War II. Today’s 314th FS will train the next generation of F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots over the Holloman and White Sands Missile Range training ranges. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Aaron Montoya)