The 35th Fighter Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 8th Operations Group, stationed at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea. The squadron operates the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft conducting air superiority missions. The 35th FS is one of two squadrons of Block 40 F-16C/Ds at Kunsan, flying the Fighting Falcon since 1981. The 35th is one of the oldest squadrons in the United States Air Force, its history dating to 12 June 1917, when the unit was activated as the 35th Aero Squadron. History World War I The 35th Fighter Squadron heritage dates back to 12 June 1917, when the unit activated as the 35th Aero Squadron. The squadron arrived in France in September 1917. After a first stop at the Etampes on 20 September, it spent some time in Paris then settled on Issoudun Aerodrome where it helped building the new Third Aviation Instruction Center, before being declared operational in November 1917, as the 35th Aero Squadron (Repair). After being relieved some time between December 1918 and January 1919, it stopped at Clisson, France on 4 January 1919, before boarding in Saint-Nazaire harbor on 20 February a ship which took it back to United States. Inter-war years "Recognizing the need for a strong air arm, American defense officials reconstituted the squadron in June 1932 and redesignated it the 35th Pursuit Squadron. For the next few years, the 35th flew Boeing P-12, Consolidated P-30, Northrop A-17 Nomad, and Curtiss P-36 Hawk aircraft out of Langley Field, Virginia. In 1939, the unit was redesignated the 35th Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) and moved to Mitchel Field, New York, to fly the P-40 Warhawk." World War II The 35th Fighter Squadron along with the 8th Pursuit Group and 22nd Airbase Group left San Francisco in Convoy Number 2033, escorted by , for Australia on 12 February 1942 on the Army transport USAT arriving with the convoy at Brisbane, Australia on 5 March 1942. The squadron has never been stationed in the United States since. It arrived in Brisbane, Queensland on 6 March 1942. After arrival, it moved to Amberley Airfield, west of Brisbane, where it was equipped with Bell P-39D Airacobras that were originally intended to go to the Philippines but the convoy carrying them was diverted to Brisbane. They then moved to Woodstock Airport, Queensland outside of Townsville in northern Queensland on 26 April 1942 on their