23 AIRBASE was established on January 1, 2001 by the Order of the Air and Air Defense Forces Commander No. Pf – 153 of November 28, 2000.
The 23rd Air Base and the 1st Tactical Aviation Squadron were created in place of the disbanded 1st „Warsaw” air regiment, thus inheriting the traditions of this unit. The 1st Fighter Aviation Regiment „Warszawa” was formed in Grigoriewskoje in 1943. On May 15, 1993, by order of the Minister of National Defense, he added the following traditions:
7th Fighter Squadron Tadeusz Kościuszko 1918-1921
19 Fighter Squadron 1919 – 1921
111 Fighter Squadron of the 1st Aviation Regiment 1921 – 1929
113 of the Fighter Squadron of the 1st Air Regiment 1933 – 1939
145 Fighter Squadron of Warsaw 1940
303 Fighter Squadron Tadeusz Kościuszko 1940 – 1947
316 Fighter Squadron of Warsaw 1941-1947
7th Fighter Squadron Tadeusz Kościuszko comes from the 3rd Air Squadron formed on November 7, 1918 spontaneously by its pilots at the Rakowice airport near Krakow. Its first commander was Cpt. Karol Stelmach. In fact, however, Cpt. pil. Camillo Perini. Soon the squadron was redirected to the Lviv region, where heavy fights with the Ukrainians took place. On December 21, 1918, the squadron was renamed the 7th Air Squadron and included in the 2nd Aviation Group, commanded by Capt. pil. Stefan Bastyr.
From January 1, 1919, the 7th Squadron was commanded by Lieutenant pil. Jerzy Borejsza. The squadron pilots distinguished themselves in the battles for Lviv and Eastern Galicia. They carried out reconnaissance and attacked the Ukrainian army.
In March, the commander of the famous 7th Squadron was a very distinguished officer, Lieutenant Stefan Stec. He was the first to put the white and red checkerboard on his plane. The command after him was taken over by Lt. pil. Ludomil Rayski. In the summer of 1919, the squadron was rearmed with SPAD-7 fighter planes.
The name „Kościuszkowska” was given to the 7th squadron by American pilots who came to volunteer to fight in the ranks of the Polish army. However, the idea of creating a „Kościuszko” squadron was born in 1914 in Paris. It was initiated by a great pilot. Capt. Marian Cooper. During the war, he served in the „Lafayetto” air force and in the elite 137 Squadron Skant. Captain Cooper’s great-grandfather was, during the War of Independence, adjutant to the commander of a cavalry regiment and General Kazimierz Pułaski died in his hands. By organizing the „Kościuszko” squadronCpt. Cooper to pay the debt of gratitude of the American people to Poland for the participation of Poles in the US War of Independence. Together with Cpt. Col. pil. Cedric E. Faunt – le – Roy and a few Americans.
It was the wish of the Americans to be directed to the most difficult section of the front. It happened only after Col. Fauntle-Roy intervened with Józef Piłsudski. The Americans were directed to the 7th squadron. In accordance with their wishes, the Minister of Military Affairs on December 31, 1919 gave the squadron the name 7 Eskadra Myśliwska im. Tadeusz Kościuszko. Cf. pil. Ellist Chess designed the squadron’s emblem, which referred to the glorious traditions of armed Americans and Poles.