457th Fighter Squadron

The 457th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force unit constituted on October 5, 1944, and activated on October 21, 1944. It is a military aviation unit, not involved in UAP/UFO research. The squadron initially operated as a long-range fighter unit in World War II, deploying to Iwo Jima in spring 1945 where it engaged in combat until V-J Day, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation. It achieved 13 air-to-air kills and 17 damage claims, and included Capt. Abner Aust, the last fighter ace of WWII. After inactivation in December 1945, it was reactivated in 1953 as the 457th Strategic Fighter Squadron, later redesignated as the 457th Fighter-Day Squadron until inactivation in April 1959. It was again activated in the Air Force Reserve in July 1972 and has since participated in various operations including Operation Northern Watch, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom, flying F-16 aircraft.