Red Squadron (Rebel Alliance)

"We'll rely on each other up there, like we always do. And as long as we do that, I'll go up against anything in the galaxy and like our chances."

- Garven Dreis, to Red Squadron prior to the Battle of Yavin

Red Squadron, also referred to as Red Group, was a starfighter squadron of X-wing starfighters that served as part of the Rebel Alliance's starfighter corps during the Galactic Civil War. The squadron participated in campaigns such as the Battle of Scarif, the Battle of Yavin and the Battle of Endor. Following the victory of the rebellion and the reformation of the Republic, Red Squadron was assimilated into the New Republic Defense Fleet.

History
As with most Rebel starfighter squadrons, Red Squadron typically consisted of twelve ships. On occasion, however, the Squadron could be expanded to include as many as fifteen.

Battle of Scarif
"Red and Gold Squadrons, attack formation. Defend the fleet."

- Admrial Raddus giving Red and Gold Squadrons their orders

Red Squadron, under the command of Garven Dreis, participated in the Battle of Scarif along with Blue Squadron, Green Squadron, and Gold Squadron. Their X-wings assisted the rest of the Alliance fleet in engaging Imperial ships above the planet, combating countless TIE fighters, attacking the Shield Gate and the two Imperial I-class Star Destroyers protecting it. During the battle, Red Five (Pedrin Gaul) was killed by TIEs when he strayed too far from the group.

Members

 * Red Leader: Cmdr. Garven Dreis and R5-K6
 * Red Two: Unidentified X-wing pilot
 * Red Three: Unidentified X-wing pilot
 * Red Four: Unidentified X-wing pilot
 * Red Five: Cdt. Pedrin Gaul
 * Red Six: Jek Tono Porkins
 * Red Seven: Cdt. Harb Binli or Elyhek Rue
 * Red Eight: Lt. Zal Dinnes
 * Red Nine: Lt. Nozzo Naytaan
 * Red Ten: Unidentified X-wing pilot
 * Red Eleven: Maj. Ralo Surrel
 * Red Twelve: Unidentified X-wing pilot

Battle of Yavin
"All wings report in. &mdash; Red Ten standing by. &mdash; Red Seven standing by. &mdash; Red Three standing by. &mdash; Red Six standing by. &mdash; Red Nine standing by. &mdash; Red Two standing by. &mdash; Red Eleven standing by. &mdash; Red Five standing by."

- Red Squadron at the Battle of Yavin

Following the successful retrieval of the Death Star plans and heavy losses to the Rebel Alliance at Scarif, Red Squadron, along with Gold Squadron, participated in the Battle of Yavin under the command of Garven Dreis. X-wings from Red Squadron made the second and third trench run on the Death Star's thermal exhaust port, following an unsuccessful attempt by a trio of Gold Squadron's Y-wings. Red Leader (Garven Dreis) led the second trench run with wingmen Red Ten (Theron Nett) and Red Twelve (Puck Naeco), but were all destroyed by Darth Vader in his TIE Advanced x1. The third trench run was led by Red Five (Luke Skywalker) with wingmen Red Two (Wedge Antilles) and Red Three (Biggs Darklighter), but Darklighter was killed by Vader and Antilles suffered damage to his X-wing, leaving Skywalker exposed. At the last minute, the Millennium Falcon piloted by Han Solo and Chewbacca, destroyed two of the TIE fighters and damaged Vader's TIE, allowing Skywalker to score the critical hit which destroyed the Death Star and saved the Alliance forces on Yavin 4 from ultimate destruction.

Members

 * Red Leader: Cmdr. Garven Dreis and R5-K6
 * Red Two: Lt. Wedge Antilles and R2-A3
 * Red Three: Biggs Darklighter and R2-F2
 * Red Four: John D. Branon
 * Red Five: Luke Skywalker and R2-D2
 * Red Six: Jek Tono Porkins and R5-D8
 * Red Seven: Either Elyhek Rue or Harb Binli
 * Red Eight: Zal Dinnes
 * Red Nine: Lt. Nozzo Naytaan
 * Red Ten: Theron Nett and R2-X2
 * Red Eleven: Ralo Surrel
 * Red Twelve: Puck Naeco

Chasing after a Princess
Following the destruction of the Death Star, the Rebel Alliance decided to evacuate their base on Yavin 4. Princess Leia Organa, along with a fellow Alderaanian rebel pilot named Evaan Verlaine, decided to defy the orders of the Alliance leadership and set out on a mission to find and protect surviving Alderaanians from the Empire. Red Two (Antilles) and Red Five (Skywalker), the only two members of Red Squadron to return from the battle of Yavin, intercepted the T-1 shuttle piloted by Verlaine and ordered them to turn back, but Organa and Verlaine were able to fool them both and slip away.

Members

 * Red Two: Lt. Wedge Antilles
 * Red Five: Luke Skywalker

Skirmish in the Kiax Nebula
Red Squadron came up against Imperial TIE fighters during a battle in the Kiax Nebula.

Members

 * Red Leader: Cmdr. Arhul Narra
 * Red Two: Wedge Antilles
 * Red Three: Jamman
 * Red Four: Elar
 * Red Five: Luke Skywalker

Mission to Giju
Red Squadron escorted a bulk freighter containing rescued agents from the planet Giju before Imperial agents arrived. They fought TIE fighters, destroying several before making the jump to hyperspace.

Members

 * Red Leader: Cmdr. Arhul Narra
 * Red Three: Wedge Antilles
 * Red Five: Luke Skywalker

Battle of Vrogas Vas
"Vader down. I repeat. Darth Vader has been shot down on Vrogas Vas. This is Red Leader calling for assistance from all available alliance forces."

- Arhul Narra, at Vrogas Vas

Darth Vader, pursuing his son Luke in the aftermath of the Battle of Yavin, tracked him to the planet Vrogas Vas, where the Rebel Alliance had established a refueling base. He immediately encountered three squadrons of X-wings, including Red Squadron. Vader destroyed the other two squadrons before colliding with Luke's X-wing. Father and son both fell to the planet's surface, beginning the Battle of Vrogas Vas.

Members

 * Red Leader: Cmdr. Arhul Narra
 * Red Five: Luke Skywalker

Hijacking of the Harbinger
"Red Three to Harbinger team. We're holding it down as best we can out here. Tell me you're making progress in there."

- Wedge Antilles, to the Harbinger hijack team

Red Squadron's X-wings participated in the hijacking of the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Harbinger in order to break the blockade on Tureen VII. The squadron engaged TIE fighters and carried out attack runs on the engine reactor. Luke Skywalker fired the final shot, which disabled the Star Destroyer and enabled Han Solo's strike team to board the ship. At the same time, Imperial crews abandoned the stricken Star Destroyer on Lambda-class shuttles, but were quickly intercepted by Red Squadron.

Members

 * Red Three: Wedge Antilles
 * Red Five: Luke Skywalker
 * Red Six: Unidentified X-wing pilot
 * Red Seven: Unidentified X-wing pilot
 * Red Nine: Unidentified X-wing pilot

Siege on Tureen VII
Red Squadron then participated in the siege on Tureen VII alongside Blue Squadron and the recently hijacked Star Destroyer Harbinger.

Members

 * Red Leader: Unidentified X-wing pilot
 * Red Five: Luke Skywalker

Battle of Endor
"Red Three, Red Two, pull in."

- Commander Wedge Antilles, at Endor

Red Squadron participated in the Battle of Endor under the command of Wedge Antilles. The squadron was composed of a mix of starfighters, including A-wings, X-wings and Y-wings. Antilles and his fighters helped prevent Imperial TIE/IN interceptors from destroying the medical frigate Redemption. After Han Solo's strike team disabled the shield generator on Endor, Red and Gold Squadron led the attack into the bowels of the second Death Star. With Antilles at the front, he fired the first shot, with a pair of torpedoes at the power regulator on the reactor's north tower. This was followed up by a shot from Gold Leader into the main reactor, leading to its eventual destruction.

Members

 * Red Leader: Cmdr. Wedge Antilles
 * Red Two: Unidentified Y-wing pilot
 * Red Three: Sila Kott
 * Red Five: Grizz Frix

Behind the scenes
In the novelization of A New Hope, Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles flew for Blue Squadron. Their squadron was changed to Red Squadron when it was realized that blue markings on the ships would be replaced by moving starfield during blue screen shots. Consequently, the name of the fighter group the novelization called Red Squadron was changed to Gold Squadron for the film.