15th Special Operations Squadron
15th Special Operations Squadron | |
---|---|
Commanders | |
Current commander | Lt Col Adam Schmidt |
Notable commanders | Tony D. Bauernfeind[1][2] |
Insignia | |
15th Special Operations Squadron emblem[a][3] | |
15th Bombardment Squadron emblem[b][4] |
The 15th Special Operations Squadron is part of the
The
In 1944, the 15th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy was activated as a
The 15th Special Operations Squadron was activated in
The 15th Antisubmarine Squadron and 15th Bombardment Squadron were consolidated with the 15th Special Operations Squadron in September 1985, but remained inactive until 1992, when the squadron again activated as a special operations C-130 unit.
Mission
Global, day and night, adverse weather capability to insert, extract, and resupply special operations forces by low or high altitude airdrop or airland operations.[5]
History
World War II
Antisubmarine warfare
The first predecessor of the
In July 1943, the AAF and
B-29 bombardment operations
The second predecessor of the squadron is the 15th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, which was activated as part of the
Reserve operations
The 15th Bombardment Squadron was reactivated as a
Combat Talon
The 15th Air Commando Squadron was activated for the
The 15th was reactivated on 1 October 1992, to operate the MC-130H Combat Talon II as part of the 1st Special Operations Wing.[3]
Lineage
- 15th Antisubmarine Squadron
- Constituted as the 520th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 13 October 1942
- Activated on 18 October 1942
- Redesignated: 15th Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) on 29 November 1942
- Disbanded on 2 November 1943[6]
- Reconstituted on 19 September 1985 and consolidated with the 15th Bombardment Squadron and the 15th Special Operations Squadron as the 15th Special Operations Squadron[3]
- 15th Bombardment Squadron
- Constituted as the 15th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 28 March 1944
- Activated on 1 April 1944
- Inactivated on 15 April 1946
- Activated in the Reserve on 1 August 1947
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949[4]
- Consolidated on 19 September 1985 and with the 15th Antisubmarine Squadron and the 15th Special Operations Squadron as the 15th Special Operations Squadron[3]
- 15th Special Operations Squadron
- Constituted as the 15th Air Commando Squadron and activated, on 13 February 1968 (not organized)
- Organized on 15 March 1968
- Redesignated 15th Special Operations Squadron on 1 August 1968
- Inactivated on 31 October 1970
- Consolidated on 19 September 1985 and with the 15th Antisubmarine Squadron and the 15th Bombardment Operations Squadron
- Activated on 1 October 1992[3]
Assignments
- 378th Bombardment Group, 18 October 1942 (attached to 25th Antisubmarine Wing after 20 November 1942)
- 26th Antisubmarine Wing, 14 December 1942 (attached to 25th Antisubmarine Wing until c. July 1943)
- Second Air Force, 15 October - 2 November 1943[6]
- 16th Bombardment Group, 1 April 1944 – 15 April 1946
- 445th Bombardment Group, 1 August 1947 – 27 June 1949[4]
- Pacific Air Forces, 13 February 1968 (not organized)
- 14th Air Commando Wing (later 14th Special Operations Wing), 15 March 1968 – 31 October 1970
- 1st Special Operations Group (later 16th Operations Group, 1st Special Operations Group), 1 October 1992 – present[3]
Stations
- Jacksonville Municipal Airport (Later Jacksonville Army Air Field), Florida, 18 October 1942 (air echelon operated from: Langley Field, Virginia, 3 June – 3 July 1943; Drew Field, Florida, July 1943; Batista Field, Cuba, c. 25 July – c. 1 October 1943)
- Wendover Field, Utah, 17 October – 2 November 1943.
- Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas, 1 April 1944
- Fairmont Army Air Field, Nebraska, 15 August 1944 – 7 March 1945 (air echelon operated from: Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico, c. 9–25 January 1945)
- Northwest Field, Guam, 14 April 1945 – 15 April 1946
- Hill Field (later Hill Air Force Base), Utah, 1 August 1947 – 27 June 1949[4]
- Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam, 15 March 1968 – 31 October 1970.
- Hurlburt Field, Florida, 1 October 1992 – present[3]
Aircraft operated
- North American O-47 (1942)
- North American B-25 Mitchell (1942–1943)
- Lockheed B-34 Lexington(1943)
- Consolidated B-24 Liberator (1943)
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (1944–1945)
- Boeing B-29B Superfortress (1944–1946)
- Lockheed C-130E(I) Combat Talon (1968–1970)
- Lockheed MC-130H Combat Talon II (1992–2023)[3]
- Lockheed MC-130J Commando II (2022-present)
Awards and campaigns
Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Distinguished Unit Citation |
29 July–6 August 1945[3] | Japan 15th Bombardment Squadron | |
Presidential Unit Citation | 15 March 1968–15 November 1970[d] | 15th Air Commando Squadron (later 15th Special Operations Squadron)[3] | |
Presidential Unit Citation | 21 June 1968–30 June 1969 | 15th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Gallant Unit Citation | 6 October 2001–30 May 2003 | 15th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Meritorious Unit Award |
1 July 2007–30 June 2009 | 15th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Meritorious Unit Award | 1 October 2009–30 September 2011 | 15th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Combat "V" Device |
15 March–20 June 1968 | 15th Air Commando Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device | 1 July–31 October 1970 | 15th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device | 1 June 1997–31 May 1999 | 15th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device | 1 July 2003–30 June 2005 | 15th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device | 1 September 2006–30 June 2007 | 15th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device | 1 October 2011–30 September 2013 | 15th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device | 1 October 2013–30 September 2015 | 15th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 October 1992–15 April 1994 | 15th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 June 1995–31 May 1997 | 15th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 1999–30 June 2001 | 15th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 2001–30 June 2003 | 15th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 September 2004–31 August 2006 | 15th Special Operations Squadron[3] | |
Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm |
15 March 1968–31 October 1970 | 15th Air Commando Squadron (later 15th Special Operations Squadron)[3] |
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
- ^ Approved 27 November 1992.
- proper, and casting drop shadow on surface of sphere between five, like bomb bursts arranged two to dexter and three to sinister, all surmounting a large, dark blue aerial bomb, trimmed white, nose to dexter base.
- ^ The Hurlburt Fact Sheet states that the 18th Observation Squadron was redesignated the 15th Antisubmarine Squadron. This is contradicted by both Maurer and Dollman. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 100; Dollman, AFHRA Factsheet 15 Special Operations Squadron.
- ^ Dollman gives the start date for this award as 1 January 1966, but the squadron was not active then.
- Citations
- ^ Bauernfeind, Tony. "PN2227 — Lt. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind — Air Force". Congress.gov. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
- ^ Bauernfeind, Tony. "Lieutenant General Tony D. Bauernfeind". us.mil. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah Dollman, David (17 October 2016). "Factsheet 15 Special Operations Squadron (AFSOC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 83
- ^ "About Us: Fact Sheet 15th Special Operations Squadron". 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs. 28 March 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
- ^ a b c Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 82
- ^ Ferguson, pp. 82-83
- ^ Mann, [page needed]
- ^ See Mueller, p. 242 (reserve training unit a Hill).
- ^ See Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 83; Dollman, Factsheet (no aircraft listed as assigned to the squadron from 1947 to 1949)
- ^ "Abstract, Mission Project Closeup, Continental Air Command". Air Force History Index. 27 December 1961. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
- ^ Knaack, p. 25
- ^ Mueller, p. 242
- ^ Thigpen (2001), pp. 77–78.
- ^ Thigpen (2001), p. 82–83.
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Ferguson, Arthur B. (April 1945). "The Antisubmarine Command, USAF Historical Study No. 107" (PDF). Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Intelligence Historical Division. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
- Knaack, Marcelle Size (1978). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems (PDF). Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945-1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-59-5. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Mann, Robert A. (2009), The B-29 Superfortress: A Comprehensive Registry of the Planes and Their Missions, McFarland, ISBN 0-7864-4458-4
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. OCLC 72556.
- Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Thigpen, Col. Jerry L. (2001). The Praetorian STARShip: The Untold Story of the Combat Talon, Air University Press/Diane Publishing. ISBN 1-58566-103-1
Further reading
- Cantwell, Gerald T. (1997). Citizen Airmen: a History of the Air Force Reserve, 1946-1994. Washington, D.C.: Air Force History and Museums Program. ISBN 0-16049-269-6.
- Hagdedorn, Dan (1995), Alae Supra Canalem: Wings Over the Canal, Turner Publishing, ISBN 1-56311-153-5