Sumter County · Marker 43-52
79th Fighter Squadron
Shaw AFB, N. of Rhodes Ave., Sumter
Front inscription
Established as the 79th Aero Squadron on 22 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 during WWII, performed nuclear deterrence during the Cold War, and were part of 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 Arabi; SW Asia Ceasefire; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait; Iraqi New Dawn Campaign streamers, and Global War on Terrorism expeditionary streamer.