539th Fighter Interceptor Squadron

The 539th Fighter Interceptor Squadron was an active unit of the United States Air Force, originally constituted during World War II. Activated in 1943, it first served as a training and replacement unit for fighter pilots before being inactivated in 1944. The squadron was later reactivated during the Cold War in 1954, stationed at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, and tasked with continental air defense missions, flying aircraft such as the F-86 Sabre and later the F-106 Delta Dart. The 539th played a crucial role in North American airspace defense until its final inactivation in 1967.