439 Combat Support Squadron

Squadron standard

Badge

Description

Argent in front of a fountain a sabre-toothed tiger's head erased proper.

Significance

The unit adopted the sabre-toothed tiger's head and became known as the "Sabre-toothed Squadron". The fountain is indicative of the fact that the unit was the first squadron to fly Sabre aircraft direct from Canada to the United Kingdom.

Motto

FANGS OF DEATH

Battle honours

The Second World War

FORTRESS EUROPE, 1944; FRANCE AND GERMANY, 1944-1945; Normandy, 1944; Arnhem; Rhine.

The Gulf War

GULF AND KUWAIT.

Lineage

• Authorized as '123 (Army Co-operation Training) Squadron' 15 January 1942,^{Footnote 1} from the 'School of Army Co-operation' (authorized 22 October 1941).^{Footnote 2}
• Redesignated '439 (Fighter Bomber) Squadron' 1 January 1944.^{Footnote 3}
• Disbanded 7 September 1945.^{Footnote 4}
• Reformed as '439 (Fighter) Squadron' 1 September 1951.^{Footnote 5}
• Disbanded 1 November 1963.^{Footnote 6}
• Reformed as '439 Reconnaissance/Attack Squadron' 2 March 1964.^{Footnote 7}
• Redesignated '439 Reconnaissance Squadron' 1 April 1967.^{Footnote 8}
• Redesignated '439 Reconnaissance/Attack Squadron' 30 September 1970.^{Footnote 9}
• Redesignated '439 Tactical Fighter Squadron' 1 July 1972.^{Footnote 10}
• Redesignated '439 Combat Support Squadron' 1 April 1993.^{Footnote 12}

Operational history

The Second World War

123 Squadron flew on army training operations in Ontario and Nova Scotia. 439 Squadron flew on dive bomber operations in Great Britain, France, and the Netherlands under '2nd Tactical Air Force'. It remained in Germany after the war with the 'British Air Forces of Occupation (Germany)'.^{Footnote 13}

The Gulf War

The squadron participated with the multi-national Persian Gulf tactical air force in the United Nations' action against Iraq.^{Footnote 14}

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