Accordingly, the Army Air Forces adopted a more functional system in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit.

[2] The 469th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was activated at McGhee Tyson Airport, Tennessee on 1 December 1952 and assigned to the 35th Air Division.

[14] The 469th provided air defense for the Atomic Energy Commission's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ALCOA aluminum production facilities and Tennessee Valley Authority electric generating plants.

The following June, these Sabres were replaced by F-86Ds, equipped with airborne interception radar and armed with Folding-Fin Aerial Rockets[14][d] In August 1955, ADC implemented Project Arrow, which was designed to bring back on the active list the fighter units which had compiled memorable records in the two world wars.

The squadron continued to fly Sabres in actual and simulated exercises to test its alert status and combat readiness until it was inactivated, along with the 355th Group in January 1958.

[2][18] On 8 November 1965, the squadron's temporary assignment to the Pacific became permanent, when the squadron moved to Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, where it was assigned to Pacific Air Forces' 6234th Tactical Fighter Wing and began combat operations.

He flew through intense, accurately directed hostile fire that damaged his aircraft prior to reaching the target, but he continued to lead the strike in a devastating attack against a key railroad and highway bridge.

Volunteers from the squadron were approved for fast FAC duty under the call sign "Tiger" in February.

The inertial guidance systems in their fresh F-4E Phantom IIs were important for piloting and target location in an environment largely lacking in navigation aids, especially after the March loss of the only TACAN site in northern Laos.

On 17 March, the volunteer FACs began supplying the necessary tactical air power for General Vang Pao's Hmong guerrillas to sweep through Operation Raindance.

By July, the "Tiger" FACs were so immersed in directing close air support, they were allotted four sorties per day.

[20][21] The squadron continued combat operations, for which it received two Presidential Unit Citations until inactivating on 31 October 1972.

[2] Member nations of NATO combined pilot training programs to reduce costs and increase standardization.

The US offered to host Euro NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.