Sumter County · Marker 43-51
79th Fighter Squadron
Shaw AFB, N. of Rhodes Ave., Sumter
Front inscription
Established as the 77th Aero Squadron on 20 Feb 1918, the unit trained WWI aviators. It was assigned to Shaw AFB from 1946-1951, returning in 1994. During its 100-year history, the squadron was part of combat operations in the European Theater in WWII, performed nuclear deterrence during the Cold War, and participated in many contingency operations from the Gulf War to Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
79th Fighter Squadron
The squadron earned a WWII service streamer, as well as WWII: Air Offensive Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; Air Combat, European-African-Mid Eastern Campaign streamers. Since 1991 they earned SW Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; SW Asia Ceasefire; Iraqi Liberation; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait Campaign streamers, and a Global War on Terrorism expeditionary streamer.