[2] On 6 January 1941, the squadron moved to Losey Field, on the island of Puerto Rico[2] as a reaction to the German presence in South America.

The subs sank several tankers in the harbor at San Nicholas, Aruba and even shelled an oil refinery on the island.

Redesignated as the 32nd Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942, by the end of June the main body was still at Arecibo, although the detachments at St. Thomas and Hato Field continued.

The squadron was placed under XXVI Fighter Command,[2] whose task was to defend the Panama Canal and to perform reconnaissance missions.

However, no sooner had conversion to the P-38's been completed than the entire complement of P-38s was hangared and the unit activities ran down with the end of the war in Europe.

The 512th Fighter Day Squadron, stationed at RAF Manston in Great Britain, was detailed by the Headquarters of the USAFE for transference to the Netherlands.

The first group of American airmen, compromised quartermasters and air traffic controllers, arrived at Soesterberg on 6 October 1954.

Its 28 North American F-86F Sabres,[3] personnel and equipment however stayed in the Netherlands and were assigned to the newly activated 32nd Fighter-Day Squadron (32nd FDS).

The 32nd was assigned to the 36th Fighter-Day Wing at Bitburg Air Base in West Germany,[2] its historical parent unit at the time of its activation.

[6] On 14 November 1969, the 32nd TFS lost their first Phantom when F-4E 68-0422 crashed on approach to Aviano Air Base, Italy, after running out of fuel – both crew ejected safely.

[7] On 21 June 1971, F-4E 68-0433 crashed near Maurik, the Netherlands, killing both the crew after the pilot over corrected when trying to avoid a flock of birds.

[6] On 22 August 1977, F-4E Phantom II 74-1051 crashed into the North Sea near Terschelling after suffering an engine flame out, killing both crew members.

[16] On 4 July 1989, a pair of 32nd TFS F-15Cs scrambled to intercept what turned out to be an unoccupied Soviet Air Forces MiG-23M 'Flogger' which had flown on autopilot from its base in Bagicz, Poland, to West Germany after the pilot had ejected.

The pilots were instructed to shoot it down over the North Sea however the MiG-23 ran out of fuel and crashed into a house in Kortrijk, Belgium, killing an occupant.

Headquarters USAFE replaced the 32nd Fighter Group on 1 July with the 632nd Air Base Squadron; its duty was to complete the closure actions.

[21] On 19 April 1994, the group furled its colors in formal ceremonies attended by members of the royal family and the American ambassador.

Aircraft operated include:[22][3][4][5][6][13][23][24] This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency