450th Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron

The 450th Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit. The squadron was first activated as the 450th Bombardment Squadron in July 1942. After training in the United States, it deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO) in December 1942. It engaged in combat operations from 1943 to 1945, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation for demonstrating the effectiveness of medium bombers in the ETO. Following V-E Day, it participated in the disarmament of the Luftwaffe until September 1945, when it returned to the United States for inactivation.

The squadron served in the reserves from October 1947 to June 1949, when it was inactivated as the military budget was reduced, although it does not appear to have been fully manned or equipped with operational aircraft at this time.

The squadron was activated in July 1954 as the 450th Fighter-Day Squadron and equipped with North American F-86 Sabre fighters. Although it upgraded to the North American F-100 Super Sabre it was inactivated in November 1957, when Tactical Air Command reduced the number of fighter groups at Foster Air Force Base from two to one.

In 1973, Air Training Command was converting its flying training units from MAJCON status. As part of this reorganization, the squadron was redesignated the 450th Flying Training Squadron and replaced the 3537th Electronic Warfare Training Squadron at Mather Air Force Base, California. It conducted flight training for members of the United States military and foreign allies until inactivating in May 1993 as Mather prepared for closure.

On 28 October 2008, it was converted to provisional status as the 450th Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron and assigned to Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate as needed. In 2009, it was active at Kandahar Air Base, training Afghan Army Air Corps personnel on Soviet-built helicopters.