The 175th Fighter Squadron is the sole flying unit of the South Dakota Air National Guard, and is currently assigned to the 114th Fighter Wing at Joe Foss Field Sioux Falls. The squadron was designated the 175th Fighter Squadron in September 1946, having formerly operated the P-47D Thunderbolts as the 387th Fighter Squadron, 9th Air Force, flying tactical support missions in Europe in the closing stages of the Second World War. Shortly after assignment to the South Dakota National Guard (this being still the days USAAF) the squadron converted to P-51D Mustangs. The Korean War saw the unit assigned under federal control to air defence duties, which it performed from Ellsworth Air Force base, across its home state, between spring 1951 and the end of 1952.

Two years after the return to state control, 175th FS converted to F-94A Starfires in the summer of 1954, was allocated group status in April 1956 as the 114th Fighter Interceptor Group, then commenced upgrading to the F-94C the following month. 1958 saw the 114th FIG convert to F-89D Scorpions, followed by an upgrade to F-89J models two years later. By 1960 the group was under the control of the newly formed Air Defence Command, and commenced conversion to the F-102A Delta Dagger in October of that year.

The Dagger years were to last a full decade, but a new era of tactical support was to begin in the Spring of 1970 when the first F-100Ds were to arrive at Sioux Falls, followed shortly by the command gaining changing to that of Tactical Air Command. The unit designation was to change at the same time to 175th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 114th Tactical Fighter Wing.

Conversion to A-7D Corsair IIs began in 1977, and the 'Lobos' were to operate the 'Short Little Ugly F*****' for the next fifteen years, including combat operations in support of 'Operation Just Cause' in Panama in December 1989.

By the mid 1980s the SLUF was the mainstay of the numerous ANG Tactical Fighter Squadrons, but the end of the cold war and discovery of fatigue problems was to see a very rapid retirement of the type by the early 1990s. The 175th TFS began retiring it's D and K model A-7s in mid 1991, and commenced training on the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon at the same time. The conversion was unusual in being direct to Block 30 C/D models, whereas many Guard units initially flew A/B models in the tactical role or ADF models in the air defence role. Those '85 and '86 fiscal Falcons are still operated by the 'Lobos' in 2002, with already ten years on type and no sign of a replacement.

The F-16 ramp and nose art photographs on this page were taken during a visit to Joe Foss Field on 7th August 2001, when the temperature pushed 115°F and the Kodachrome almost melted!

Thanks to the 175th Fighter Squadron and the South Dakota Sheriff's Department for approving and hosting our visit.

Thanks also to the 175th artists, whoever they are, for arguably the best current USAF nose art. Four hours earlier we though the 'Bats' at Sioux City would take some beating, but a short drive up the I29 changed all that!

Sources

World Air Power Journal, Various Issues
WAP - Air National Guard - Rene J Francillon
USAF & USN 2001 - Mach 3 Publications
F-16 Fighting Falcon 4th Edition - Scramble Publications
J Baugher's Serial List Web Site
F-16.net website (great source of Viper info & patches)
Scramble website databases